MeFi 11th Anniversary

posted June 16, 2010 4:05 PM | |

Sat July 17 at 6:00 PM, The Green Dragon

Hell yeah I'm attending!
posted by Afroblanco at 3:02 PM on June 24, 2010

and, as a sidenote ...

I'LL FINALLY GET MY T-SHIRT SIGNED BY PB!!!!
posted by Afroblanco at 3:03 PM on June 24, 2010

We has new toys.
posted by mrzarquon at 3:03 PM on June 24, 2010

I lifted the text for this post from your meetup thread, mrzarquon. Just wanted to get a real example going. Thanks!
posted by pb at 3:06 PM on June 24, 2010

No problem! We need to start getting a count for drink tickets, so we can make sure everyone gets sufficiently lubricated.
posted by mrzarquon at 3:18 PM on June 24, 2010

I am reiterating my enthusiasm for attending this event!
posted by maqsarian at 3:29 PM on June 24, 2010

I'LL FINALLY GET MY T-SHIRT SIGNED BY PB!!!!

Man, what lousy timing; Paul just lost both hands to a thresher.
posted by cortex at 3:54 PM on June 24, 2010 [2 favorites]

Everyone told me farming doesn't pay, but would I listen? Afroblanco, weren't we both at the 8th Anniversary party? Did I refuse to sign?
posted by pb at 4:06 PM on June 24, 2010

We will be there, oh yes we will.
posted by rtha at 4:06 PM on June 24, 2010

Okay... this is the third thread in which I respond that of course, I do not wish to be square or even rectangular, so of course, I will be there. This administrative burden does not however dampen my enthusiasm for the actual event.
posted by spherical_perceptions at 5:23 PM on June 24, 2010

Man, what lousy timing; Paul just lost both hands to a thresher.

Well, then since he's obviously programming the site via neural implant, it shouldn't take too much effort to have it transmit to a robotic arm capable of signing my t-shirt. It does support bluetooth, right?

Afroblanco, weren't we both at the 8th Anniversary party? Did I refuse to sign?

Yes, and I was heartbroken. I ran through the bar weeping, to the tune of Tell Him by the Exciters. I wound up on the front steps of the bar with my face in my hands, wondering what had become of my life, all the innocent hopes and dreams I had before that fateful trip to Portland.

Actually, the whole t-shirt signing thing was pretty impromptu. I think I asked Jessamyn to sign it as sort of a joke, and then months later thought I should get all the mods to sign it. And then eventually I became like the paperboy from Better Off Dead. You'll see that I've been remarkably consistent about it.

VACAPINTA, DON'T THINK YOU'RE GETTING OUT OF THIS CLEAN! YOU'RE NEXT! I WILL GET MY T-SHIRT SIGNED!
posted by Afroblanco at 5:34 PM on June 24, 2010

count me in, along with fiercekitten.
posted by nickthetourist at 6:02 PM on June 24, 2010

Oooh, it's so very official now. Seems like a good meetup to make it to.
posted by redsparkler at 6:18 PM on June 24, 2010

You'll see that I've been remarkably consistent about it.

ahh, thanks. Makes sense. But yeah, not signing it. (I kid!)
posted by pb at 6:53 PM on June 24, 2010

This is like the eleventh goddamn place I've had to RSVP this event and I don't even care because it's going to be that good.
posted by churl at 8:14 PM on June 24, 2010

Do you all know each other? Are you wildly funny even to people who have never met you before? (Might attend.)
posted by bluedaisy at 9:56 PM on June 24, 2010

Some of us know some of us! We are wildly funny looking!

You should totally come, it's a fun and friendly crowd.
posted by cortex at 10:21 PM on June 24, 2010

Some of us know a few of us, but none of us know all of us, and all of us once knew none of us.
posted by churl at 10:54 PM on June 24, 2010

Obviously I'll be there, what with the lack of a life and everything, and may even be dragging along my cyster, a recent NuFite. Depends on whether she is sufficiently scared off by 10.9.1 10.8.0 this Saturday's meetup.
posted by geckoinpdx at 1:14 AM on June 25, 2010

I won't be there, but I want you to know that we're all counting on you! Also, I want to take part in this historic thread.
posted by languagehat at 6:03 AM on June 25, 2010

I'm so tempted to be aimlessly indulgent and fly down for the weekend for this... does anyone want to put me up?
posted by Phire at 7:20 AM on June 25, 2010

I'm being indulgent and flying there mostly for the meetup! But I have no housing to offer up.
posted by tantivy at 9:04 AM on June 25, 2010

Woohoo! I'll be there!
posted by silkygreenbelly at 9:27 AM on June 25, 2010

I'm not sure I can make it, seeing as how I've already committed to at least two other Portland meetups at the Green Dragon on this night.

[/snark]
posted by Two unicycles and some duct tape at 4:01 PM on June 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

Don't stop believin'.
posted by nola at 9:43 PM on June 26, 2010

I would totally go to this, if I weren't playing at the 10th annual SongFight live in SF the same night. Grr. Maybe I could send a cardboard cutout.
posted by davejay at 8:54 PM on June 30, 2010

don't worry, davejay, there's always 11.1 ...
posted by geckoinpdx at 12:47 AM on July 1, 2010

> does anyone want to put me up?

I would love to volunteer but I'm already putting someone up and I live in the World's Smallest Apartment and you'd literally have to sleep in the bathtub.

Even if you have to arrange for a hotel or something, there should be a number of us vehicularical folks available gladly shuttle people around for short-medium distances. My highest aspiration is to be one small vector for the inevitable awesomeness of this meetup. Anyone is welcome to MeMail me if I can help with transportation or other arrangements.
posted by churl at 3:06 PM on July 1, 2010

Maybe next year I should try to convert my garage to some sort of a Metafilter bunkhouse. This year we're already putting somebody up, and I'm not sure we're set up all that well to host more than 1 at a time.
posted by Secretariat at 5:08 PM on July 2, 2010

Maybe next year I should try to convert my garage to some sort of a Metafilter bunkhouse.

And we could all go outside at one a.m. to tell them to stop giggling and go to sleep, and someone would be all like "okaaaay, DAAAAAD" and they'd just start giggling harder.
posted by cortex at 5:30 PM on July 2, 2010

I went ahead and booked myself a hotel room in the middle of downtown (the Benson) for the Saturday night. The photos implied that the room even has a couch, so if anyone gets stranded they could pass out there.
posted by jacalata at 5:47 PM on July 2, 2010

> Maybe next year I should try to convert my garage to some sort of a Metafilter bunkhouse.

It's a slippery slope from Metafilter Garage Bunkhouse to some kind of Nerd-Bohemian 'Project Mayhem'. Which is why I am completely in favor of this idea.
posted by churl at 6:04 PM on July 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

I live here, so I really don't need to, but I want to stay at the Metafilter bunkhouse. It would be like summer camp, except with more drinking.

It's a slippery slope from Metafilter Garage Bunkhouse to some kind of Nerd-Bohemian 'Project Mayhem'.

You are not a special snowflake.
posted by maqsarian at 6:34 PM on July 2, 2010

Despite what your T-shirt might say.
posted by maqsarian at 6:36 PM on July 2, 2010

If you convert the garage *and* set up a big tent in the backyard, imagine how many mefites could sleep there!

You should move, quickly, and not publish where your new place is. Go!
posted by rtha at 7:32 PM on July 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

jacalata -- that's where we're staying as well.
posted by gingerbeer at 7:34 PM on July 2, 2010

The Benson is a good choice for out of towners, as is the Ace, a block down Stark. Depends on your personality.
posted by geckoinpdx at 8:49 PM on July 2, 2010

Count both myself and bunnycakes in! YAY MEFITES AND LIQUOR
posted by bhance at 12:16 PM on July 3, 2010

I am so goddamn looking forward to this.

You all rock!
posted by Afroblanco at 12:36 PM on July 3, 2010

Might anyone have a backyard myself plus fiancee could pitch a tent in for Saturday night?
posted by silkygreenbelly at 2:50 PM on July 4, 2010

Dude, nobody wants to hear about you "pitching a tent" with your fiancee, especially in their back yard.

;)
posted by Afroblanco at 9:28 PM on July 4, 2010

(just realized that silkygreenbelly is not a dude)

(d'oh!)
posted by Afroblanco at 9:29 PM on July 4, 2010

It's not often I get confused for a male ;)

But yeah, we promise to be good and the only tent we would be pitching is the camping kind with stakes, tent poles, a tarp, etc.

Mainly just trying to avoid spending a lot of money on a hotel (saving up for our honeymoon).
posted by silkygreenbelly at 9:15 AM on July 6, 2010

Okay this might just be my obsessive-compulsiveness, but in the interest of maximizing clarity and general everyone-being-on-the-same-page-ness, can we possibly
- edit the metatalk post to add a link to this IRL post, above the fold? Otherwise someone on metatalk's gotta read like eleven pages just to discover the link to here, where the actual RSVPin' is going on.
- edit this IRL post to remove the part where it says "(hopefully we will have a better tally system soon)," because baby you're lookin' at it
posted by churl at 8:33 PM on July 6, 2010

Unfortunately, my company scheduled its annual summer party this same weekend.

:(
posted by silkygreenbelly at 9:48 AM on July 7, 2010

Clearly, the only solution is to quit your job. This is MetaFilter we're talking about, here. This is more important than some stupid livelihood.
posted by maqsarian at 1:36 PM on July 7, 2010

I'm planning on sending me as a delegate to this event.
posted by Back to you, Jim. at 9:08 PM on July 8, 2010

Okay, fine. This sounds to awesome to miss. I think I'm in.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 9:22 PM on July 8, 2010

So I've been coerced into being out of town for my birthday (17 July), which means I'm not going to make it to this shindig. Boo.

On the other hand I picked up one of those Groupons for East Burn, I haven't been there since the MeFi10 meetup and thought it'd be fun to go back, so if anyone's up for a low-key unofficial drinkup next week, let me know.

For now though - have fun folks, with you in spirit, keep calm and carry on, &c.
posted by Two unicycles and some duct tape at 3:55 PM on July 12, 2010

Wait. You're going to spend your birthday with people who are not mefites meetingup? This is wrong. So wrong.

On the other hand: Okay, fine. This sounds to awesome to miss. I think I'm in.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 9:22 PM on July 8

Yay!

On the third hand shuddup, silkygreenbelly: please be sure to tell your boss that you think it's stupid that they scheduled a work thing without checking IRL first.
posted by rtha at 4:01 PM on July 12, 2010

Oops. Turns out I have to be outta town. Not going to make it after all; sorry, have fun, etc. etc.
posted by spherical_perceptions at 7:58 PM on July 12, 2010

before I found out I wasn't going, I had been looking through some old pics and found a couple from the 10th anniversary party them printed out. If someone who's going pm's me an address I'll send them.
posted by silkygreenbelly at 5:10 PM on July 13, 2010

I have a couch/futon available in my downtown Portland studio apartment if there's anyone attending the meetup who still needs a place to crash for the night. My place is easily accessible via public transit.

I'd also be happy to have company for the ride to the meetup and back. Memail me if interested.
posted by velvet winter at 11:47 AM on July 14, 2010

Is anyone thinking of going to the portland international beer festival on saturday? It seems like a great way to warm up, but I think it would be foolish to go alone :) I'm planning on getting to Portland about lunchtime Saturday.

Also "Note: You're going to see these people in real life." makes me want to panic and unpost everything.
posted by jacalata at 4:05 PM on July 14, 2010

I am going to try so hard to be there but I wont know my work schedule for that day until 5:30PM...
posted by munchingzombie at 5:14 PM on July 14, 2010

So hey! Does anybody want to get together tomorrow night?

Also! Brunch Sunday? I'm down.

And Finally! I'm actually going to be arriving in PDX early Friday afternoon. Any suggestions for things to do during the day for someone who doesn't have a car?

And one more thing! I've heard there are some excellent thrift stores in town. What are your favorites?
posted by Afroblanco at 4:03 PM on July 15, 2010

We're going to see the New Pornographers at the Crystal Ballroom tomorrow night, for anyone who wants to meet up there.
posted by gingerbeer at 4:27 PM on July 15, 2010

Afroblanco - Hang out at Pioneer square or Waterfront Park or just about anywhere in the Pear District, and people-watch. Take the Max or a bus to the zoo or the Japanese gardens - great views of the city.
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:10 PM on July 15, 2010

s/Pear/Pearl. Been a long day.
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:10 PM on July 15, 2010

I've been talking to the folks over at Green Dragon, we are still a go. I'll be over there a bit early to get the table and space setup for us, the deal will pretty much be this:

We will have a section of the outdoor space (since it is the most available) set aside for us, along with one if not two servers. They are going to be our point person for getting food and drink, and in order to keep from overwhelming the bar, they will encourage us to go through that person.

We will have drink tickets, any drink can pretty much be ordered with this, minus top shelf booze, the ticket will pretty much mark it as going on the group Metafilter tab. If you want to order more booze or food, you can setup your own tab. There will be a bunch of appetizers coming out around 7pm, tater tots, hummus trays, maybe some pork sliders and hot wings. Hopefully everyone who shows up will be able to get some free drinks and food.

When you show up, look for the table with Bender.
posted by mrzarquon at 9:51 AM on July 16, 2010

Wait, we're gonna get free food and drinks? It's listed right here on the event page? How did I not realize that before??

Yay!
posted by tantivy at 11:47 AM on July 16, 2010

Afroblanco, if you are indeed a man and perhaps are not as concerned about "thrift", Hollywood Vintage is the place to go.
posted by redsparkler at 11:58 AM on July 16, 2010

Is there still a plan for a group tour of Integrity Spirits beforehand? Or is that something interested parties should just line up on their own?
posted by Kat Allison at 1:26 PM on July 16, 2010

It may not need planning planning per se; Integrity is literally around the corner from Green Dragon, and (based on my exactly one experiences) a tour happens when someone walks in the door and says "oh hey guys i guess you make booze" and the guys all go "oh hey yeah drink some of this".

That said, I enjoyed it and plan to be at the meetup prompt-to-early anyway, so I'll probably be getting in on that action, whether anyone decides to be a little more This Is The Plan about it or not.
posted by cortex at 1:33 PM on July 16, 2010

Afroblanco, Ray's Ragtime is a good vintage place in downtown. Mostly clothing, but some other stuff as well, if I remember correctly.
posted by Secretariat at 3:22 PM on July 16, 2010

Integrity Spirits has their tasting room open from 2-6pm, if enough people showup they will do a tour.
posted by mrzarquon at 7:54 PM on July 16, 2010

Okay, I'm workin' till 8, but I'll be at the g.d. GD shortly thereafter, to commence meetin' up and drinkin' up.
posted by redsparkler at 11:17 PM on July 16, 2010

So should we meet at 5 for the distillery tour? 5:30? It seems like meeting *at* 6 pm there will not result in a tour.
posted by gingerbeer at 9:14 AM on July 17, 2010

I was going to show up around 5:20, because that's when the bus gets there. I could be there earlier, if it's better for the distillitour.
posted by maqsarian at 12:37 PM on July 17, 2010

Thanks for planning everything mrzarquon, I'll be shooting for getting there around 7pm.
posted by mathowie at 2:26 PM on July 17, 2010

I plan to be at the Green Dragon or in the vicinity a little before 5pm.

For Integrity, there isn't any official plan, so just hang out in the tasting room and ask if they can do a tour or something. They may want to wait until enough numbers show up, but its not anything like a Willy Wonka tour. They have three different types of stills and they start with food grade alcohol and then turn it into magic drinkable booze (so no massive mash tubs or anything you would see on a Scotch or Whisky type tour).
posted by mrzarquon at 3:11 PM on July 17, 2010

We are behind the Qhut, look for bender.
posted by mrzarquon at 4:59 PM on July 17, 2010

Some of us are at Integrity, dancing with the bartender.
posted by gingerbeer at 5:23 PM on July 17, 2010

Anybody who would like a last-minute ride from anywhere (semi-reasonable) in Portland should shoot me a message. I'll be heading out sometime in the next hour but am not averse to picking folks up a little later if necessary, either.
posted by churl at 6:05 PM on July 17, 2010

So my lovely girlfriend and I had a great time tonight, and it was great to meet or see again everyone we talked to. And if we didn't see and or talk to you, it's my sincere hope we'll see you next time. Thanks especially to Matt for his generosity (and of course for making it all a possibility in the first place) and to Mr. Zarquon for setting it all up. See you all again, I hope!
posted by Caduceus at 10:58 PM on July 17, 2010

That was fantastic. Thanks much to mathowie, and to mrzarquon for organizing, and to all the mefites I talked to, who are all excellent.
posted by rtha at 10:58 PM on July 17, 2010

Man, that last comment of mine was the redundant comment of redundancy.
posted by Caduceus at 11:11 PM on July 17, 2010

Had a great time chatting with fellow MeFites, as always. I wish I'd had a chance to meet more of y'all! So many great people...but not enough time to make the rounds!

Thanks very much to Kat for giving me a ride home, and to Matt of course, and mrzarquon for handling the logistical stuff.

Oh, and thanks also to everyone who inquired about my recent AskMe job-hunting post, and wished me well. With any luck, I'll find a job soon and be able to stay in Portland. I sure hope so, 'cause I want to keep going to these awesome PDX meetups!
posted by velvet winter at 11:23 PM on July 17, 2010

Agreed, that was very nice. Thanks to everyone, especially mrzarquon and mathowie (and rtha and gingerbeer and churl and velvet winter and and and...)

cortex and secretariat, the cds are in the suitcase, heading to Holland with me. I'll make sure they get good homes.

And for the record, mrzarquon is now the Keeper of the Meetups in my absence since I won't be back until 11.4 or so. I'll try to bring the decimal system to Europe.
posted by geckoinpdx at 12:35 AM on July 18, 2010

Tremendous meetup. Still recovering. My photos are up, I regret not taking some more throughout the evening.
posted by cortex at 12:50 PM on July 18, 2010

Great meetup, everybody. Good to see all the people I had met, and to meet the people I hadn't, and thanks to all the appropriate parties.
posted by maqsarian at 5:06 PM on July 18, 2010

Nice to meet everyone. Thanx to the Matt man for throwing a fine party.
posted by nomisxid at 6:41 PM on July 18, 2010

That was delightful. I am now so many more percentages likely to attend the next meetish function.
posted by redsparkler at 8:23 PM on July 18, 2010

Thanks, Matt!
posted by Secretariat at 8:32 PM on July 18, 2010

Thanks to everyone for coming out. Thanks for the PDX crew for planning this, and thanks to Matt for paying for it. I had a wonderful time meeting and hanging out with all of you. Meetups are very important, and MeFi people are good people. I shall see you all next year! (or sooner?)

Oh yes. And the t-shirt? Totally signed.

TWO DOLLARS!
posted by Afroblanco at 10:59 PM on July 18, 2010

No pics.

Must not-a happened.
posted by Danf at 8:05 AM on July 19, 2010

No pics.

Look for the Photos headline in the sidebar at the top of the page. There are pics—it happened!
posted by pb at 8:44 AM on July 19, 2010

That was fun! I'm looking forward to hanging out with you folks the next go round.

And thanks for the nice beer & tater tots, Matt. MeFi picks up the tab at all Portland meetups... yes?
posted by anarcation at 12:26 PM on July 19, 2010

No, Portlanders pay for their own meetups. Sometimes we have an anniversary party like this and Metafilter is kind enough to pick up the tab, or chip in a certain amount.

If that was a weird inside joke that I didn't get, please ignore me!
posted by Secretariat at 1:04 PM on July 19, 2010

Glad we finally had a meetup you could attend, anarcation!

It was a lot of fun. We'll be back up next year for the 12th.
posted by gingerbeer at 3:15 PM on July 19, 2010

Secretariat: Not necessarily a "weird inside joke," just me facetiously hoping the internet might give me more free beer. Oh well. Ignore me, too.
posted by anarcation at 4:20 PM on July 19, 2010

pic of Afroblanco getting his shirt signed by pb
posted by mathowie at 10:54 AM on July 20, 2010

Man, looks like you guys had fun. Wish I could have been there, but I was... otherwise occupied.
posted by dersins at 1:57 PM on July 21, 2010

That's fucking awesome, dersins. Congratulations!
posted by maqsarian at 1:58 PM on July 21, 2010

You think it's a happy picture, but then you let your eyes drift up to the top right of the frame and HE'S WATCHING YOU, HE'S ALWAYS WATCHING YOU, OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD

Seriously, though, congrats. As excuses for missing a meetup go, that's among the best. A few of us raised beers to you the other night.
posted by cortex at 2:06 PM on July 21, 2010