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Proposed: A meetup in Washington D.C. on Friday, September 4th at 6-ish. I propose Friday because one person commented that Saturdays are bad for him/her.

Let the comments begin!
--NBahn (talk) 00:24, 4 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Initial discussion

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That's just a shade early... if we're going to do a non-Saturday meetup, let's either go later on Friday (7:00 at earliest), or do Sunday. SchuminWeb (Talk) 03:35, 4 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'm fine with any day of the week, though Labor Day weekend might not be good for people. --Aude (talk) 04:37, 4 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Oh, that is Labor Day weekend. Let's avoid that... SchuminWeb (Talk) 18:08, 4 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
That week is good for me. I will be out of town the weekend of the 12th.--FeanorStar7 (talk) 09:16, 4 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
How about the Saturday the 22nd?
--NBahn (talk) 23:02, 4 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It needs to be September. Any weekend in September should work for me, but I'm traveling at the end of August and can't do the 22nd. --Aude (talk) 06:46, 5 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
ARRRRRRRGH! (runs around knashing teeth and tearing out hair) I was looking at the wrong month! How about Saturday, September 19th? Let me double-check: Yeah, that's right; September 19th (Saturday).
--NBahn (talk) 07:54, 5 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
If the person who said that Saturdays were bad was an Orthodox Jew, Friday nights would be just as bad. Not knowing who it was or the reason Satursays were bad, of course, I'm just guessing. I'm retired, and not Orthodox, so days of the week don't matter a lot to me. -- BRG (talk) 14:44, 4 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I was the miscreant ... what I'm saying is, there are a lot fewer plane flights in general than there were a year ago, and fewest of all on Saturdays, so for instance, from DC to Greensboro NC, the last flight out for me is 4:30pm on Saturdays and 8:00 pm any other day of the week. But it's really not a problem, I don't mind staying over Saturday night if you guys like Saturdays. Any weekend in Sept is good. - Dank (push to talk) 16:59, 4 August 2009 (UTC) except the 26th - Dank (push to talk) 12:35, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'll be out of town from Sept 11th to 16th, and I think Labor day weekend would also be bad. Any other day would work for me. Stu (aeiou)I'm Researching Wikipedia 14:34, 5 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Any weekend is fine for me. Kirill [talk] [pf] 16:32, 5 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Generally open for the moment. Cheers! bd2412 T 13:50, 6 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
As of now any weekend in September works for me. Kat Walsh (spill your mind?) 04:29, 7 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Saturday, September 19th at 5pm proposed (yeas, nays, & maybes)

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Yeas

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  1. In trying to digest all of this --- I am going to propose Saturday September 19, 5pm, as that seems most agreeable. Let the objections begin. --rocketrye12 talk/contribs 05:43, 8 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  2. I strenuously obje- oh, wait, that works fine for me. bd2412 T 06:13, 9 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  3. Works for me also...--FeanorStar7 (talk) 09:11, 9 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  4. Ditto.
    --NBahn (talk) 11:17, 9 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  5. Much better for me, I can't do the 4th as I'll be doing a lecture in Seattle. ⇒SWATJester Son of the Defender 14:28, 9 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  6. Sure. - Dank (push to talk) 16:15, 9 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  7. OK for me (barring a hurricane).  JGHowes  talk 16:42, 9 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  8. Works for me. -- John Broughton (♫♫) 18:58, 9 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  9. Looks good to me. Nishkid64 (Make articles, not wikidrama) 21:43, 9 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  10. Works for me. Kirill [talk] [pf] 02:35, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  11. I think I might actually be able to make this one. --Ser Amantio di NicolaoChe dicono a Signa?Lo dicono a Signa. 02:57, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  12. Off the top of my head, I don't see a problem with this date. Raul654 (talk) 21:21, 13 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Maybes

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  1. Possibly. —ADavidB 17:57, 9 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  2. It's going to be a maybe no matter what date, so putting myself here. --Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs (talk) 18:04, 9 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  3. Sept. 19th works better for me than Sept. 4th, however, I'm going to put myself down as a "maybe." --Tckma (talk) 02:45, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  4. Definite "maybe" at this point, because it may conflict with the Anonymous raid. SchuminWeb (Talk) 23:11, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  5. —Perceval 04:27, 12 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  6. If I'm around, I will come. But, I'm changing jobs and not certain that I'm staying in the area. --Aude (talk) 05:53, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Nays

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  1. I definitely would not be able to come on September 19. September 4, on the other hand, is possible but unlikely. --Jnelson09 (talk) 22:25, 9 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  2. Not interested in face time with fellow Wikipedians … please don't bother me about this again! — The Bipolar Anon-IP Gnome (talk) 09:34, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  3. That's Rosh Hashanah and Talk Like a Pirate Day. Either way I wouldn't be able to make it. How about the following Saturday, Sept. 26? --A More Perfect Onion (talk) 14:05, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    1. I can do that. I propose that the above proposal become adopted if and only if it garners more support than September 19. (right now it trails 12-2.....)
      --NBahn (talk) 20:17, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    2. On tour week of 19th. 26th would work if at least 3 p.m..--Wehwalt (talk) 20:44, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  4. I'm out of town, but keep leaving me messages in case I can make it next time! Dar-Ape 05:32, 12 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  5. Hadn't realized it was Rosh Hashanah until I noticed someone else's posting. So let me also ask for a postponement to the next weekend. -- BRG (talk) 13:21, 12 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Counter-proposal -- Saturday, September 26 at 6 P.M.[1]

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Yeas (September 26)

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A number of people have written to say that 3 P.M. is too early for their comfort. Please specify 3 P.M. or 5 P.M. -- or both -- for your preference.[2]
--NBahn (talk) 22:10, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  1. How about the following Saturday, Sept. 26? --A More Perfect Onion (talk)
  2. 26th would work if at least 3 p.m..--Wehwalt (talk)
  3. Currently, I count three votes (see above). Either time works for me.
    --NBahn (talk) 23:14, 11 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  4. That works fine for me as well. bd2412 T 23:17, 11 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  5. 26th works for me as well, and possibly better than the 19th, though 3 PM is a shade early for dinner... SchuminWeb (Talk) 23:37, 11 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  6. Agreed on the earliness of the hour, but I can also swing the 26th - I'm easy. :-) --Ser Amantio di NicolaoChe dicono a Signa?Lo dicono a Signa. 02:08, 12 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  7. Good for me -- see my note above. -- BRG (talk) 13:23, 12 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  8. Me too per my note above --A More Perfect Onion (talk) 15:01, 12 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  9. So far, I guess it's ok. I'd rather go to the one that gets both more regulars and more newbies as well. ⇒SWATJester Son of the Defender 15:32, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  10. This will actually work better for me. Stu (aeiou)I'm Researching Wikipedia 15:55, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  11. Fine too. Kirill [talk] [pf] 16:23, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  12. This also works for me. Nishkid64 (Make articles, not wikidrama) 20:12, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  13. Not promising, but as good for me as any other date at this point. Newyorkbrad (talk) 20:53, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Maybes (September 26)

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  1. This is also a maybe for me. If I'm around, I will come. --Aude (talk) 05:54, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  2. —Perceval 15:00, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  3. Possibly. —ADavidB 05:09, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  4. Also a possibility. —Tckma (talk) 18:55, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  5. If I can get the coin to take Amtrak into Union Station and the Metro Fare and the tab, then I can actually work something out. — Richardkselby (talk) 19:04, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  6. At this point looks good, if I'm in the mood. CarolMooreDC (talk) 01:30, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Nays (September 26)

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  1. I can't make it on the 26th; sorry. More importantly, it would be good for someone to post a notice at the user talk pages of those who have indicated a desire to attend, above, to ask them to post here as to whether the 26th would work as an alternative. -- John Broughton (♫♫) 17:29, 12 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  2. The 26th is out for me. - Dank (push to talk) 17:35, 12 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  3. The 26th is out for me, too.  JGHowes  talk 00:33, 13 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  4. The 26th happens to be my birthday. I'm not going to be able to make that. --Jnelson09 (talk) 14:42, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  5. Can't make it this day (wedding). Raul654 (talk) 05:19, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Festival Announcement

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Just FYI, the National Book Festival will be held on the mall on Saturday the 26th. Maralia (talk) 19:36, 12 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I see an opportunity for confluence. bd2412 T 21:47, 12 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Location discussion

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There's numerous choices.

A) Uno at Union Station
B) Teaism
C) That mediterranean place off of Dupont Circle we had the 3rd or 4th one? Skewers, something like that?
D) Politics and Prose up in Chevy Chase? I think it would be a very interesting idea, and might give us some editing ideas from interesting books.
E) Wherever we had the last one
F) Other?
Feel free to discuss away below. ⇒SWATJester Son of the Defender 21:25, 9 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I'm amicable to Uno's or Bertucci's (where we had the last meetup). Skewers was too expensive for us because we were locked into their catering menu, and I believe Teaism was examined and rejected for the same reason as Skewers. Not enough flexibility. SchuminWeb (Talk) 04:25, 10 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Uno and Bertucci's are about equivalent to me. Either is acceptable, though I wonder if we can have something other than Italian? (And I like Italian food. But every time?) Skewers was a disaster for the reason SchuminWeb stated -- certainly not there. But I wish someone could come up with another idea. -- BRG (talk) 13:28, 12 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
What about some place in Chinatown? I used to work there - there are some good locations for not a lot of money. --Ser Amantio di NicolaoChe dicono a Signa?Lo dicono a Signa. 13:49, 12 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Chinatown is ok, if you can find a big enough place. Most of the restaurants aren't very big, and the exceptions (like Tony Cheng) are expensive. -- BRG (talk) 19:34, 12 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I hate to suggest yet another pizza place, but have had good experiences with Ella's Wood Fired Pizza on 9th St, across the street from the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the metro. The place is not huge, but is large enough for us. It has a quiet atmosphere that would be good for us, and is wheelchair accessible. It's a little pricier than Unos, but I think within our price range. I'm open to other suggestions. --Aude (talk) 05:52, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Ella's is great. I love Ella's and they have good thin-crust pizza.—Perceval 15:03, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Here are some non-pizza places:

  • Busboys and Poets on 14th St near the U Street Metro. They have a place on their website where we can inquire about having an event there. Though they have space set aside for groups, I'm not sure how quiet it would be on a Saturday evening.
  • Nirvana (on K Street, near Farragut West) is an Indian place, good for groups, though I think they have mostly vegetarian options. [1]
    • Nirvana is good, I think it's vegetarian only, but it doesn't matter since everything is delicious. I know the owner--her daughter went to high school with me (although it's been a while...).—Perceval 15:03, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      I don't want to go to an all-vegetarian place. While I like Indian vegetarian dishes as sides, my experience is that vegetarian food is not satisfying by itself. I'd have to go eat first before the meeting, and that's not a great option to me. -- BRG (talk) 15:40, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Mandalay (Silver Spring) - okay this is further out from downtown, but close to the metro. It's a good and reasonably priced Burmese place, good for groups and would be quiet.

Burma Restaurant

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I called them up again and the guy (naturally, I forgot to get the name -- again) said that because Saturdays are
crowded, that they require at least a week's advance notice. So I'm going to be bold.
--NBahn (talk) 18:39, 9 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

  • According to the person that I spoke with on the last occasion that I called, reservations for the private room are required one week in advance. I am going to go down there myself and: (1) Confirm that it's handicapper accessible; and (2) Confirm that no expensive menus are required (I will also get the name of the person that I am speaking with.). I will then PLACE A RESERVATION. Our window for planning is rapidly closing. A final decision ABSOLUTELY MUST be made!
    --NBahn (talk) 20:34, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • You GO! This helps us all to plan better if we know where we're going. SchuminWeb (Talk) 00:33, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
      • So I did it. I made a reservation with one "Jane" (Although I'd be willing to bet -- at least, anything up to $5 -- that she only uses Jane with the English-speaking customers.) for a private room; I said that there would be ten people coming. Now, regarding Aude's concern about handicapper accessibility; those concerns are justified. It is -- in my opinion, anyway -- a screwball arrangement: FOR STARTERS, it is a private elevator (by which I mean that a key is required in order to open the door); but that is NOT the screwy part. Here is what boggles my mind: Whomever was designing the building clearly MUST have been dropping acid because by my count the usage of at least TWO elevators (yes, that is right; TWO elevators) are required.[3] Therefore, if anyone needs to use the elevators, then s/he needs to contact Burma Restaurant management. Sending me an email directly would also be helpful.
        --NBahn (talk) 04:23, 19 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Burma Yeas

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  1. There is another Burmese place (Burma Restaurant) in Chinatown, but I haven't been there. According to the Washington Post restaurant guide, it's not expensive and good for groups and good reviews. [2] --Aude (talk) 06:17, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  2. Now either of those Burmese places sounds interesting. I've probably had Burmese food only once in my life! (There used to be a Burmese place in Wheaton, Md., but shortly after the one time I ate there, they went out of business.) -- Just looked at the reviews on Yelp of Burma in Chinatown, some really hate it, some like it a lot. Strange diversity there. -- BRG (talk) 15:40, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  3. Burma is actually one of my favorite places in Chinatown. The food's delicious, it's well-priced, and it's not something one eats every day. It's a block from the Metro stop by Verizon. I highly recommend it. And if you have questions, you can ask - I've been there five or six times, so I have some experience with the place. :-) One caveat: it's a second-floor walkup, if that would be a problem. --Ser Amantio di NicolaoChe dicono a Signa?Lo dicono a Signa. 19:22, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  4. If BRG is for it, then I say let's go for it. According to the map, it's only a square block from Gallery Place/China Town, so I shouldn't get lost.
    --NBahn (talk) 21:30, 15 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  5. Willing to try it. —ADavidB 05:50, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  6. Sounds good to me after concerns have been addressed. SchuminWeb (Talk) 20:48, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Burma Nays

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  • I would be happy to try this place, however, it's not accessible for the disabled. So, with this place, we could be excluding people when we want to be open to all who want to come. --Aude (talk) 17:15, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • OK, so we need a backup that's handicapper accessible.
      --NBahn
      • I don't want to be negative about this, but don't think a "backup" is acceptable to a disabled person. They would instead choose not to come. I know we have had people with such needs attend our meetups in the past, and must accommodate them whether they RSVP or not. I know we want something besides another pizza place, but Uno's would be fine again or if we want to try Ella's (on 9th St), that's also suitable. I suggest you choose and go ahead put the location on the main DC meetup #8 page. --Aude (talk) 14:24, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

(outdent) Per WMF:Non discrimination policy, I think it's not an issue to casually dismiss and call "nutty". We have had disabled people at our meetups in the past and express interest in attending our last meetup, so I think we need to assume they would like to come this time. Also, if we are to become a chapter someday or part of a regional or national chapter, then these are things we must consider or might be legally liable for if we don't adhere to basic policies.

For Burma Restaurant, I would be most comfortable not to rely on the review, but rather have one of us check out the place. I can try to stop by sometime this weekend or on Monday, or if someone else can, then that would be helpful. As a possible alternative, there is Kanlaya Thai restaurant, on the ground level below Burma Restaurant, that might be worth checking out. --Aude (talk) 23:12, 11 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Handicapper backup choice
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In case a handicapper needs to be accommodated, I propose Uno's/Union Station.
--NBahn (talk) 20:36, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Burma discussion

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  • I would like to confirm: If we go in as a group, we would be able to get the private room that the linked page mentions, and order off the regular menu? I don't want another Skewers situation, where we were catered and ended up with a too-high bill because of it. SchuminWeb (Talk) 06:00, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • Uh, folks, we may want to discuss an alternative. I just heard the announcement on their answering machine..... let's just say that the hours seem to be a little weird; will call them back later this a.m.
    --NBahn (talk) 12:52, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
    • OK, so I just got off the phone with the manager (forgot to get her name). According to her, dinner is served from 6-10P.M. 7 days a week. Also, dinner costs a few more dollars than lunch does. Finally, she said that groups using their private rooms can use the regular menus.
      --NBahn (talk) 15:23, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Lead time for announcements

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We seem to have settled on September 19th as the meeting date. It would be nice to formalize that decision, with or without a (tentative) decision on the location, and start the project page, so we can announce the date to potential attendees. Perhaps the formalization can be done by the 19th of August, which would give a full month lead time? -- John Broughton (♫♫) 20:29, 11 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

SUPPORT
Great minds think alike.  ;-)
--NBahn (talk) 21:19, 11 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Let's wait until more have had a chance to sign off one way or the other about the 26th. -- BRG (talk) 13:25, 12 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
thanks for notice. watching page now. Don't know if I'll make it cause might turn it into a 12 step meeting for wiki addicts OR a "how can I make money off this" meeting :-)
Half-joking aside, meeting place wise, assuming it is still doing business, there is a good Chinese restaurant on the hill with a semi private room that holds 24. (And with a speaker one might actually get a dozen) at two big round tables. Good food, reasonable prices, ala carte OK. Young Chow 544-3030 312 Penn Ave SE (3rd St and Penn Ave SE). I haven't been in two years, but assume things are pretty much the same, if someone wants to check it out. About 3 blocks for Capitol south metro. I've been pretty anti-social lately (with all these wiki articles to work on) but maybe i'd show :-) CarolMooreDC (talk) 17:39, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
That would be okay too, though only if it is accessible for the disabled. --Aude (talk) 14:27, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Also, is there a minimum charge for a group? I found this to be an issue with some places. Would we order off of the regular menu, or have a special menu? --Aude (talk) 14:29, 21 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

We need a regular page already...

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We need to have the meetup page created already... SchuminWeb (Talk) 06:01, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

That's why I'm trying to encourage people to put down what time they favor and what restaurant they want (If I remember to, then I'll call up the Burma Restaurant late this morning myself and find out exactly what their policy is regarding what menus groups can use.). However, since consensus seems to be coalescing around Saturday, September 26 I think that we can wait a few more days. I, myself, was going to wait until Monday before trying to bring the issue to a conclusion.
--NBahn (talk) 07:32, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I was surprised we didn't create it already, considering we made the last meetup page before we had a date or a location. Is there a meetup template that can go in? SchuminWeb (Talk) 09:04, 16 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Do we have a confirmed time and date yet? ⇒SWATJester Son of the Defender 14:00, 1 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Nbahn boldly created a tentative page with September 26th, so I filled it in with a previous meetup. However, the count is very close - 12/6/5 for the 19th and 13/6/5 for the 26th. Now, I may be a bit biased here, because I can only do the 26th. Still, we needed a page. Stu (aeiou)I'm Researching Wikipedia 18:05, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Let's just take the 26th and run with it. Seems to work. SchuminWeb (Talk) 19:01, 3 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

footnotes

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  1. ^ 3P.M. not possible -- see Burma Disscussion
  2. ^ Rendered moot -- see Burma Discussion
  3. ^ The only reason that I did not turn around and cancel the reservation that I had just made was that there seems to be a fair number of people who are allergic to pizza.

Request

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The Hirshhorn has a gigantic collection of Thomas Eakins works - probably the second largest in the world. I'm working on List of works by Thomas Eakins, and a huge number of missing and/or low quality pictures in that article are in the Hirshhorn. If someone could go there and photograph them, I'd be very grateful. Raul654 (talk) 17:33, 19 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Announcement

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If someone drafts up an announcement, I should be able to spam it. --MZMcBride (talk) 18:04, 20 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Sure thing. See below. Stu (aeiou)I'm Researching Wikipedia 21:41, 22 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

== D.C. Meetup, Saturday, September 26th == The 8th DC Meetup dinner will be held this Saturday, September 26th, starting at 6 p.m. The event will be at Burma Restaurant (740 6th St, NW near the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station). For details or to RSVP if you haven't already, see Wikipedia:Meetup/DC 8. (You have received this announcement because your user page indicates that you live in Maryland, Virginia, or DC.)

Delivering this now. --MZMcBride (talk) 06:55, 23 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Reports on cool ideas, insights, etc from Meetup

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PS. This is list of those interest in meetup http://wikipedia.meetup.com/cities/us/dc/washington/ At my leisure might just email them on this page, unless they all know?? CarolMooreDC (talk) 22:41, 28 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Twas great to see all of you again...

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It was great to see you again, and my mother was impressed as well. Can't wait to see you all again next meetup. SchuminWeb (Talk) 19:30, 27 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

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