Wikimania/London meetup

posted August 3, 2014 11:44 AM | |

Fri August 8 at 6:30 PM, London Wall Bar & Kitchen

150 London Wall, London EC2Y 5HN (Map & Directions)

I would love to see Jessamyn again and could only do Friday so I vote for the 8th. Anywhere's fine.
posted by tractorfeed at 4:26 PM on August 3, 2014 [1 favorite]

I'd come if it was Friday. I can walk to the Barbican from work!

Jessamyn can I just check though, are there rules/limits about people openly fan-worshipping you? Asking for a friend.
posted by greenish at 1:20 AM on August 4, 2014

Gawdammit! There is a huge geek convention happening near heathrow 8th-10th Aug which means I cannot attend the meetup.

:(

Jesssamyn I hope you have a great visit to the uk and meetup :)
posted by Faintdreams at 1:52 AM on August 4, 2014

I'd love to see Jessamyn but I can only do Saturday evening :( Barbican is fine for me though!
posted by adrianhon at 2:35 AM on August 4, 2014

I would come but I'll be on holiday. :(
posted by mister_kaupungister at 3:07 AM on August 4, 2014

I'd be interested. Just visiting (East London), so I don't know what would be a good location.
posted by saizai at 5:54 AM on August 4, 2014

Yay Jessamyn! Also, I live quite close to the Barbican so this is extra-awesome for me.

I can do Friday or Saturday. Though of course every pub in London will be rammed on a Friday night.

I love the Barbican* but it's been ages since I went there so I can't remember what the bar situation is like.

If no other venue ideas present themselves, there's always my local, The Eagle on City Road. It's a ten minute walk from the Barbican and has a beer garden. Plus it's name-checked in Pop Goes the Weasel.

* I'm totally buying a flat there if I ever win the lottery; I heart utopian brutalism.
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 7:28 AM on August 4, 2014

I ended up moving back to Greece, so I won't be able to make it. If you need a nearby venue, The Fox & Anchor isn't too far away.
posted by ersatz at 8:31 AM on August 4, 2014

You're coming to Europe! I will cross the channel and deliver your beer!

I can only make Saturday or Sunday for a meetup.
posted by Blasdelb at 8:36 AM on August 4, 2014

Oh ersatz, no! I will miss seeing you at the London meetups! But good wishes are sent your way.
posted by essexjan at 2:44 PM on August 4, 2014

Good dates for me are Friday or Saturday evening

Pretty please can this be inclusive 'or'? Seems some folks can only do one eve.
posted by tractorfeed at 2:49 AM on August 5, 2014

I can only make Friday. I'll leave venue suggestions to the Londoners.
posted by crocomancer at 3:03 AM on August 5, 2014

Pretty please can this be inclusive 'or'?

If I don't have to travel that far, I'm happy to meet with people both nights really, but I have stuff to do here as well. I just got to the Thistle City Barbican which is where I'm staying. We could do a small "Let's get afterwork dinner" thing on Friday and a "let's get drinks" thing on Saturday maybe? I am zombie after very little sleep (though all my travel was great) and if that works in a general sense for people we can put a few things together.
posted by jessamyn at 5:16 AM on August 5, 2014

I am too busy to get to wikimania but a meetup on fri/sat sounds great and would like to come along. Barbican is right in the centre so should be easy to find places to go within walking distance for a meetup - I think doing a meal on a Friday and drinks on the Saturdays sounds a good plan because, Friday night Pubs tend to be quite packed in my limited experience - but Saturday evening is usually much better for drinks. I don't tend to go out near the centre though so I dunno where to go specifically. (Would only be able to come on Saturday)
posted by Another Fine Product From The Nonsense Factory at 8:46 AM on August 5, 2014

Nice! Given that we all want maximum Jessamyn and people are split between the two nights, doing something on Friday and Sat is good. What would be the most convenient times for you, Jessamyn? Wouldn't be difficult for us Londoners to figure out good venues to cater for that.
posted by adrianhon at 11:13 AM on August 5, 2014

Hi jessamyn! I will definitely be along to this -- Friday or Saturday both good for me.

I second the idea of Friday being a more food-based affair. Friday night pubs in the City will be very busy. But somewhere like The Old Red Cow (5 minutes' walk from the Barbican) will take a table reservation if people are eating.
posted by chrismear at 11:20 AM on August 5, 2014

What would be convenient for me is if people could pick a location they like that is within walking distance where there would be enough room to sit down and just tell me where and when (assume I am free after 6). I'm fine with Old Red Cow on Friday, Suggestions for Saturday? (and I'll make another IRL I guess)
posted by jessamyn at 11:36 AM on August 5, 2014

Alright everyone, sound off if you're going to be there on Friday for eatings at say 6:30, and I'll book an appropriately-sized table. So far from the thread I think we have for Friday:

chrismear
crocomancer
EXISTENZ IS PAUSED
greenish
jessamyn
tractorfeed

Any more for any more?
posted by chrismear at 2:29 PM on August 5, 2014

chrismear, I'd like to come on Friday too.
posted by boudicca at 12:24 AM on August 6, 2014

I'll have a plus one.
posted by tractorfeed at 12:38 AM on August 6, 2014

I'm likelier to come on Saturday. Talking of which, I'd second The Eagle (as suggested by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED upthread) as a good venue – or there's always The Crown Tavern.
posted by HandfulOfDust at 2:27 AM on August 6, 2014

Oh ersatz, no! I will miss seeing you at the London meetups! But good wishes are sent your way.

Thanks, and same here on both counts! I'll visit again once my mate manages to tie the knot. Enjoy the meetups!
posted by ersatz at 3:44 AM on August 6, 2014

Let me open up another thread so we can confirm Saturday also. There we are. And this one is now for Friday dinner at the Old Red Cow, do I have that right? Slept 14 hours last night after my red eye the night before. Feeling all ready to be the best press room liasion Wikimedia has ever seen.
posted by jessamyn at 4:41 AM on August 6, 2014 [1 favorite]

Good luck and go get 'em! (The date on this should be Friday 8 August, shouldn't it?)
posted by HandfulOfDust at 5:08 AM on August 6, 2014

Right, slight hitch in the plan: tables at the Old Red Cow are already fully booked for Friday evening.

Somewhat less characterful (i.e. it's not a pub), but which is still round the corner from the Barbican and will at least have a big table for us to eat at, how about the London Wall Bar & Kitchen (150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN)? Unless anyone has a better idea for Friday night tables at short notice, I'll go ahead and book this up in a couple of hours.
posted by chrismear at 5:42 AM on August 6, 2014

I'm (still) in.
posted by crocomancer at 6:21 AM on August 6, 2014

Sounds good to me. I will change the listing once you confirm. The big thing here is that Wikimania is going to be swamping local-to-Barbican stuff through Sunday (and I fixed the date).
posted by jessamyn at 6:23 AM on August 6, 2014

Okay, table for 8 booked in my name at the London Wall Bar & Kitchen for 6:30 on Friday.
posted by chrismear at 11:37 AM on August 6, 2014

Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow. Wikimania is a crazy (and fun) zoo. 2000+ people registered. I will try very hard to be on time but if I'm delayed I promise I am on my way. Local number: 07778 322631 (feel free to text or call)
posted by jessamyn at 2:01 PM on August 7, 2014

I'm in! I'll be there about 7pm, who can I look out for and *sexy voice* what are you wearing
posted by greenish at 6:05 AM on August 8, 2014

Tube selfie for greenish.
posted by chrismear at 10:14 AM on August 8, 2014 [1 favorite]

Also, I've just discovered the place is a little tricky to find. You need to find one of the stairways up from street level. Follow the signs for the Museum of London entrance and you'll come to it.
posted by chrismear at 10:24 AM on August 8, 2014

And once you're in, we have the long table with the sofas.
posted by chrismear at 10:27 AM on August 8, 2014

Really sorry to miss jessamyn but still haven't left work and won't be able to make it.
posted by boudicca at 11:32 AM on August 8, 2014

Super fun to meet you guys!! Here's the First Capital Connect thing I mentioned (and of course, accompanying thread).

Sorry to have missed you, boudicca - late Friday nights at the office are no good.
posted by estlin at 4:07 PM on August 8, 2014 [1 favorite]

Sorry to miss you too, boudicca. (drinks are still on for tomorrow night). Thanks so much to everyone who came out, sorry if we monopolized talking time with all of the "UK is like this, US is like that" talk. I've been having such a great time here.
posted by jessamyn at 4:24 PM on August 8, 2014

estlin, that is hilarious, better than I imagined it when you mentioned it!

great to meet you all, thanks for arranging jessamyn and chrismear!
posted by greenish at 4:35 PM on August 8, 2014

Great to meet everyone on Friday. Thanks for organising, Chris.
posted by crocomancer at 8:07 AM on August 10, 2014