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Silverdocs - Drinks and documentaries
posted June 6, 2012 1:51 PM   RSS | iCal | +googleCal

Tue June 19 at 6:30 PM, 8407 Kitchen Bar
8407 Ramsey Ave, Silver Spring, MD, USA (Map & Directions)
For those who aren't familiar with it, Silverdocs is a kickass documentary film festival sponsored by the American Film Institute and Discovery. Most of the films are screened in the lovely AFI Silver in downtown Silver Spring, MD, which is metro accessible. Anyone going? Anyone interested? Want to try to meetup somewhere in Silver Spring for pre-or post-film drinks? I live nearby and already have tickets for at least one film for most of the days. The festival runs from June 18-24, but I imagine that it might be easier to coordinate something over the weekend (June 23 or 24) or perhaps Friday night?
As I was making my selections from the program and buying a few tickets, it struck me that a few other mefites might be attending (perhaps even as invited filmmakers). I know that this will be somewhat difficult to coordinate but I figured iti was worth asking.

Be forewarned that tickets sell out quickly for most films because they have to save seats for industry people and festival pass holders. However, you stand a fair chance getting standbuy tickets if you line up early.
posted by kaybdc to Meetup (19 comments total)

Tuesday, Wednesday, or Sunday look like the best times for me. I'll have a look at the program. Thanks, kaybdc -- I never seem to hear about Silverdocs in time to get my act together and get there.
posted by EvaDestruction at 6:19 AM on June 7, 2012


EvaDestruction, I already have tickets for a film Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. (1/2 Revolution about the initial uprising in Cairo) and for Sunday at 3:00 p.m. (Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel). I'm sure that I could find something for Wednesday night and even if I didn't, I live so close, I could still meet for drinks.
posted by kaybdc at 6:49 AM on June 7, 2012


I could do a film during the week, but not on the weekend. Thanks for posting this, kaybdc. I've always wanted to go to the festival, but I always find out about it too late!
posted by bluefly at 9:51 AM on June 7, 2012


If there doesn't end up being enough interest for a full scale meet-up, you can memail me if you end up getting tickets to a film and are interested in getting together for a drink or something to eat. If our schedules don't mesh, I'm happy to provide what info I can regarding nearby bars and restaurants. This goes for anyone.

bluefly, since you posted a weeknight preference but didn't specify day, in addition to the films that I noted in my response to EvaDesctruction, I've also got a ticket for Portrait of Wally, which screens on Thursday night at 10:00 p.m. and The Final Member (a documentary about the wold's first Phallogical Museum located in Iceland) for Friday night, 8:15 p.m.

For anyone else, I'm definitely attending at three films over the weekend so I'll be around then as well.
posted by kaybdc at 1:29 PM on June 7, 2012


Scratch Sunday, was reminded I have plans already. 1/2 Revolution on Tuesday looks very interesting, though. I'll get a ticket for that. I should be able to get up to Silver Spring by about 6:45/7:00 for pre-show drinks.
posted by EvaDestruction at 5:57 AM on June 9, 2012


Boy, are my calendar management skills poor this week -- I could actually make it on Thursday, and I'm interested in Detropia, and could meet up between that and the start of Portrait of Wally for drinks. (Definitely in for 1/2 Revolution, though.)
posted by EvaDestruction at 6:08 AM on June 9, 2012


Sounds great. I'm new at this, but I guess we can wait until closer to the dates to choose a meeting place to see if bluefly or anyone else will be able to join us?
posted by kaybdc at 9:38 AM on June 9, 2012


Yeah, once we pick a date, time and place, you can also set it to "confirmed" with those details, which might draw more eyes.
posted by EvaDestruction at 1:30 PM on June 10, 2012


I am definitely interested, keep me posted!
posted by baconaut at 8:36 AM on June 11, 2012


I'll start offering some suggestions for Tuesday that can be adapted for other days/nights as needed. Keep in mind that we need to build in time to pick up tickets and that we can't dash in at the last minute. I've attended Silverdocs for the last 3 years or so. I don't recall ticket pickup taking a long time. However most films have standby lines as they wait to see how many people with industry or festival passes might want tickets to a particular film. I think that we should aim to show up at least 15 minutes or so before the start time. 1/2 Revolution is showing next door at the Round House theater and I don't think that it's a particularly large space.

I think that for Tuesday, June 19th, we'd have time to grab a drink at 8407 Kitchen Bar, which is pretty close to the Silver Spring Metro station. Honestly, I've never been but heard good things about it and the bar area looks big enough that we should be able to grab a couple of seats. It's probably the nicest option that's close enough. Normally for a Silver Spring meetup I'd suggest Jackie's Sidebar, but I think that might be just a tad bit out of the way since we have less than an hour before we should head to the AFI (we're meeting between 6:45 - 7:00 and 1/2 Revolution starts at 8:15 p.m.). However it might be an option for other nights.

If anyone has a particular penchant for pirates, there's always Piratz Tavern, which is also not far from the metro (it's about a block from Kitchen Bar). I've never been and it's gotten mixed reviews but it's rarely crowded and has outdoor seating available which could be a plus. Quarry Tavern is right across the street and has an extensive beer list. At 7:00 p.m. on a Tuesday night, I don't imagine that it will be too crowded. It's unobtrusive enough that the festival crowd may not find it unless they are familiar with the area.

There are also options closer to the AFI, the most obvious being McGinty's pub. Nothing to write home about but it's both close and has a large upstairs that could accommodate a larger group if more people are interested. On the other hand, since it is so close, it might get crowded during the festival.

Anything sound particularly promising?
posted by kaybdc at 2:30 PM on June 11, 2012


No one is going to suggest Mandalay? :)
posted by baconaut at 9:07 AM on June 12, 2012


Is Mandalay good for drinks? I don't know that we're going to have time for dinner, at least not on Tuesday.

Quarry House or 8407 Kitchen Bar both sound good to me. I know I like Quarry House, and I'm interested in trying 8407.
posted by EvaDestruction at 10:08 AM on June 12, 2012


Mandalay had good food, but I don't think of it as a place to meet for drinks. It does have a separate bar area, but that only seems to be open for special occasions or as an overfill waiting area when they are full.

I'll scope out 8407 Kitchen Bar on my way home tonight and see how busy it is on a Tuesday night and what the seating situation is. It's right on my way home and as I commute on the red line from Rockville, I generally not getting into Silver Spring until around 6:30 p.m., close enough to our proposed meetup time to get some sense of what the crowd will be like at that time next week. If it looks good, I'll confirm the meetup for next Tuesday there; if not, I'll confirm it for the Quarry House. As you've mentioned, this might get more attention once it is a confirmed meetup and we can always adjust the venue as needed.

baconaut have you selected any films or bought any tickets yet?
posted by kaybdc at 10:40 AM on June 12, 2012


I have not - I was waiting for the meetup to become "official" so I could block out time/date/etc.
posted by baconaut at 11:36 AM on June 12, 2012


baconaut, I apologize to you and anyone else that is confused by this proposed meetup. It's a bit unwieldy and has too may moving parts. I should have just picked 1 film and 1 day and put it up. But I figured it was worth a try.

Right now the definite night is Tuesday, June 19 and the film that we are going to see is 1/2 revolution, which begins at 8:00. That was part of the problem with Mandalay. We should aim to arrive at AFI to pickup tickets and get in line for seating by 7:45. We really only have time for a quick drink prior to the film.

However there are options for other nights listed above and if one of those suits you better, I'd be happy to meet you and/or put it up on IRL as another separate meetup and see what happens. I'm at work now, so I don't have time to post the schedule for all of the films for which I have tickets now. Most are listed in my posts above and I am going to an additional 3 films over the weekend. I'd wouldn't wait too long to buy tickets as seats for most films sell out although if you get here early enough, you stand a good shot in the standby line.
posted by kaybdc at 12:13 PM on June 12, 2012


I will be at 8407 Kitchen Bar around 6:30 p.m. We'll be heading to the AFI Silver to catch the 8:00 p.m. screening of 1/2 Revolution. We should plan on heading over to the AFI by 7:40 so that we'll have time to pick up our tickets and get seats. If you want to come to the movie I'd suggest getting your tickets online ASAP.

I stopped by Kitchen Bar at 7:00 p.m. tonight and it was only half full. In addition to the bar and a few small tables that is visible from the street, there is a lounge area with couches. I think even if a few more people opt in, we should be OK.
posted by kaybdc at 5:44 PM on June 12, 2012


Got stuck at work and appears to be slight delay on red line. I'll probably be there closer to 6:45
posted by kaybdc at 2:40 PM on June 19, 2012


Yes, me too.
posted by EvaDestruction at 2:48 PM on June 19, 2012


I'm here: last table in the bar area (near brick wall)
posted by kaybdc at 3:42 PM on June 19, 2012



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