Spring 2011 DC Meetup

I've been putting a little thought into a Spring meetup for the DC area and it seems like the time to kick off discussion. I'm looking for something with easy access to the Metro system, several bookshops and someplace for food and coffee. As I suspected, Dupont Circle fills the bill!

Option A:

Breakfast about 9:30 at Firehook Bakery on Q St NW (about a block north of the Dupont Circle Metro Station). Head 1/2 block south to Kramer Books. Walk 1/4 way around the circle to Second Story Books. We could then retire to one of several restaurants for a late lunch/early dinner or a coffee joint or bar.

Option B:
Basically the same thing, just later in the day. I'd pick a place for lunch to meet and we'd hit the bookstores.

Option C:
Both bookstores are open late on Saturday nights, so we could meet for dinner somewhere and then have fun at the bookstores.

I don't have a preference, but I thought Option A would be minimum cost. The restaurants in the area are somewhat pricey and I'd hate for someone not to go based on that. Kramer actually is a combination bookstore and restaurant, so we could eat there if folks are up to the cost. Looks like the brunch is awesome!

Dates: We originally talked about May 21 for the meetup. I'm also available May 14 and May 28 (although note that this is Memorial Day weekend). Preferences?

At some point I'll probably need a head count so I can warn/make reservations at whatever food establishments we want to hit.

Interested Parties (not a commitment!):
drneutron
norabelle
Zoe
qebo
Squeakychu
mcKait

Count me in. I work near Dupont so I can help pick places to eat/drink if you want.

Excellent! I'll definitely run things past you.

I would lean towards the afternoon option (B) since I think it's about 4 hours each way from New York.

I get to DC by train with a switch in Philadelphia, so options A and C would mean arriving late, leaving early, or possibly too little overlap to be worth the trip. Any of the May dates would be fine.

I'd prefer to meet during the daylight hours, but am only free on May 14th. I'd come into the city by Metro. I also like to sleep late on the weekends. :)

Sounds like we're headed for Option B. If so, would folks rather meet for lunch then shop or shop then dinner?

I think eating first would make sense because it's more conducive to talking. I'd personally be planning to have a quick/cheap dinner afterwards as well, though.

Ok, let me see what the options are for lunch.

I am hoping to make it down.. planning to visit my kids in that area around that time.

To help me keep track of interested parties, I'm going to keep a list in the first message of the thread.

I'm local! But the timing may be tough because I'll be ending one semester and starting a second, which will end just two weeks before Victor makes his grand entrance...

It's almost official. It looks as if my Bookcrossing group will be able to secure a place at this year's Gaithersburg Book Festival on Saturday, May 21. That will mean that I'll be tied up with that booth all day pretty much (although I'll be able to walk around) as I'm chairing this booth for the Bookcrossing group. I would not, however, be able to travel to another venue for an LT meet-up that day.

It looks as if May 14 is still the best LT Meet-up date for me, but I do invite everyone to stop by the FREE Gaithersburg Book Festival (Gaithersburg, Maryland) and look for me in the Bookcrossing booth on Saturday, May 21st! The enticement? We'll be giving away FREE gently used books.

norabelle and I have been looking at places to meet/eat for our meetup, and here's what the plan seems to be settling on...

May 14: Meet at BGR on Connecticut Ave for lunch at ~12:30, walk across Conn Ave to Kramer Books, then when we're done there, walk about 1/4 mile or so to Second Story Books. Then for those still interested in hanging around together, we can pick a spot to have a cup of something or a snack or a drink.

- BGR is a burger joint, but they've got a vegetarian option and chicken or salmon instead of beef. I'll post a weblink at some point so folks can find it.

- Everything's within a short distance from the Dupont Circle Metro Station. There's parking shown on Google Maps, but the best option is probably to ride the Metro to the meetup.

Sounds perfect, Jim and Nora! I plan on joining you then...

Here's a link to BGR: (WARNING: do not click on an empty stomach!)

http://www.bgrtheburgerjoint.com/

So, is anyone else planning to go from New York? How are you planning to get there and back? I'd like to book a ticket soon. My first choice would probably be Megabus since it's cheapest, and they're likely to sell out in the near future. But I'm not sure a bus is really a smart idea since a bit of traffic could ruin the whole day. Hmm.

BGR is amazing!!! Ate at one near a friend's in Alexandria last summer.

I'm tempted, but it depends on my schedule. Megabus is supposed to work well. If I went, I'd stay overnight, probably also head up to Politics & Prose.

I've heard good things about Bolt Bus (www.boltbus.com) if Megabus gets sold out. And there's always the train.

For anyone who wants to visit other places I recommend Capitol Hill Books, which is a used bookstore in the Eastern Market neighborhood, just a few blocks from the Library of Congress and the Capitol.

That's true, I had forgotten about Bolt Bus. So maybe it's not as urgent as I'd thought. Still good to figure out a plan, though.

My main concern is whether the bus will be even remotely on time, especially on the way there. Has anyone taken an early-morning bus from NY to DC? How is the traffic?

Megabus does list "arrival times" for all of their trips. While I don't have any personal experience with them, they list their rush-hour trips as 15 minutes longer than early/late/noon trips, so I would expect their times to be reasonably accurate.

Hmmm--I had overlooked this thread but since I live not very far from Dupont Circle, this may be hard to pass up. Checking for other commitments that day, but count me tentatively in.

Ack, I still haven't purchased a ticket, but I think I'll end up going by train instead. The thought of the bus was making me too nervous, especially on the way there, because I wouldn't want to risk missing the whole event.

I have to admit, I was hoping someone else from New York would be going to that I could just copy their plans! Now I have to do the research myself ;)

Excellent!

Looks like the most viable train option for me arrives in DC at 11:30am. The connection time in Philadelphia is fairly comfortable, but glitches do occur. If I'm late I'll just find you wherever you are in the circuit.

If anyone wants a contact in case they're running late, PM me and I'll send you my cell phone number.

PSA For people taking Metro (probably almost everyone): there will be single tracking on May 14th at the following stations:

Twinbrook/White Flint/Grosvenor (red line)
New York Ave/Rhode Island Ave (red) - this could affect Union Station
West Falls Church/East Falls Church/Ballston (orange)
Stadium Armory/Benning Road/Capitol Heights/Addison Rd (blue)
Pentagon City/Crystal City/Airport/Braddock Rd (blue/yellow)

so add some time to your trip if you might be affected.

I'm already at the mercy of Amtrak. So, whatever fate has in store...

Okay, tickets are booked! If anyone wants to join me, I'm taking the 7:05 train there (arriving at 10:30) and the 6:30 Megabus back. Looking forward to it!

Excellent! See you in a week.

I plan to be there!

Hey everyone, I almost missed this thread! I hope there are pictures... :)

I plugged in my camera battery to charge it up! :)

Just about a day and a half to go... :)

I have to admit, I bought a mini DC guidebook today even though I'll be in the city for a grand total of 8 hours and will be busy for almost all of them ;)

I'm excited!

Me, too!

I will not be able to attend.. the son that I was going to stay with, is currently home here with me.. drat it anyway.. :P

Tickets confirmed, camera battery charged, old guide book should suffice. Looking forward to a day on the train for reading without the distraction of a computer.

I am planning to join in, at least until I'm required to drive kids to afternoon soccer game.

So, the difficult decision: should I wear my LibraryThing shirt?

So, the difficult decision: should I wear my LibraryThing shirt?

Sure!

...and if you do, I'll wear one of my TIOLI frog tee shirts! :)

Sounds good to me!

Also, I hope there will be more TIOLI shirts in the future. I love the image, but I'm not a huge fan of gray.

I won't be wearing my LT shirt - It's too small now :-(

You could always cut out the logo and sew it onto another shirt ;)

Also, Jeremy said he'd be happy to blog about our meet-up if we want to send pictures to him afterward :)

Very cool! Blogging would be neat.

I don't have any LT paraphernalia to wear, but I don't think folks will have much trouble finding me. I look like my profile pic. :)

We could hold up signs (like I did in that meet-up photo where we asked for collections). Only this time, we could ask for new tee shirts. I think an Early Reviewer shirt with the bird logo would be a fun shirt. We should design the shirt(s) we want when we meet up and send our designs to Jeremy. I'd bet he'd get right on it! :D

> 47

I look like my profile pic.

LOL! Jim, you do!! I spotted you right away at the National Book Festival. :)

Ooooh! Can I add another spot to our agenda for the day? I just learned that my Bookcrossing zone will be opening an OBCZ (official Bookcrossing zone) at Soho Tea and Coffee. I'd love to wild release some BookCrossing books there tomorrow! I don't think that shelf will be set up until next week but we can still check it out!

This is from my email:

"Official Book Crossing Zone, located at Soho Tea & Coffee at 2150 P St, NW in Washington, DC"

I would imagine we'd want to hit a place for a cuppa at the end of the day, and that's as good as any!

I love the idea of signs! I don't think that's even necessary for shirts, though; I bet you're right that Jeremy would just support any new shirts we proposed. Maybe we could ask for review comments instead >;)

I'm happy to add more items to the agenda as long as I can get back to my bus stop by 6:15.

That reminds me to mention that Madeleine and I are going to check out a stationery store a block from Dupont Circle if anyone wants to join us.

>53 norabelle414: When is that happening?

I don't know? After the bookstores?

Sounds good to me. Lunch, bookstores, stationery store, then tea?

Maybe we could ask for review comments instead

ROFL!! Yeah! Maybe Tim was just not the person to ask. :) We'll draw up a LT MidAtlantic wishlist while we're at coffee. :)

Next time you'll have to make it a longer weekend.

What time are we starting? What time should I take the Red line from Twinbrook? What's the address where we're meeting? What direction is that from the Metro stop? If I'm late, don't do anything else without me! ;-)

> 56

Sounds good to me. Lunch, bookstores, stationery store, then tea?

No! Then *coffee*! :)

52,57: If I could just persuade Zoë onto the case for hierarchical tags, I'd consider the trip well worth the effort.

Re #58: check message #14.

Posting this for myself as a reminder...

BGR burgers

Soho Tea & Coffee

>60 qebo: Ha! I have a feeling this will be a great meeting :)

Bring your notebooks, gang. It seems as if this is going to be an LT business meeting. Ha!

How about Zoe holds up a paper with a question on it, and everyone else holds up a paper that says "yes" or "no" or "undecided". Repeat x20.

*snerk*

Hehehe.

Do we have a reservation at the restaurant, and if so, under what name?

> 65

How about Zoe holds up a paper with a question on it, and everyone else holds up a paper that says "yes" or "no" or "undecided". Repeat x20.

Oh, yes! Let's do it!!

I found out that the OBCZ at Soho is now up and running so there should be books there free for your taking! I'll be adding some myself, so, of course, you can take those as well. In addition, if you want to leave some there, feel free to do so (Bookcrossing-registered or otherwise).

>67 _Zoe_: It's set up like a fast food restaurant. You go in, order at the counter, pay, then sit down at a table. They give you a buzzer that goes off when your food is ready.

Hmm, this might be just the thing to make me sign up for Bookcrossing.... I do have a couple of books that I'd like to get rid of, though I'm not sure I really want to lug them around all day.

I hope someone brings paper and a permanent marker! :D

Sign up for Bookcrossing while you're still home tonight. Pre-release them to Soho or wherever you plan to release them.

I'll carry your books for you. I'm used to lugging around books!

I'll make a list of what to bring (although I don't have a laptop or smart phone).

1. BC books to release
2. BC labels
3. addresses of where we need to go
4. 8x11 paper
5. magic marker
6. notebook(s)
7. packing tape
8. oh, yeah - my camera! :)
9. oh, yeah - purple umbrella - I'll be the one in the frog tee shirt with the purple umbrella. You will NOT miss me. :)

What else?

9. reading material for the way there (non-BC books, school-related articles, mini guidebook)
10. snack for train/bus
11. charged cell phone, with Jim's number in it just in case
12. umbrella :(

This meet-up sounds like great fun. Can't wait to see the pictures and read everyone's report! Oh yes, be sure and include lists of books purchased. I know we'll get a rundown of weather and food consumed. Have fun!!!

You wanted pictures? Better than that, here's a SLIDE SHOW!

We had so much fun! Thanks, Jim, for organizing such a great day. Thanks, _Zoe_ and qebo for travelling such a great distance to join us. Thanks, all for being there!!

I'm stealing a pic for my profile picture :-)

I won't tell you how terrible my commute home was. We can pretend the whole day was rainbows and butterflies.

Here are the pictures straight up. Feel free to copy them.

Nora, you came out so cute on those pictures! Sorry about your rough commute home. I hope things went well for qebo and _Zoe_ and that they made it out of the city okay. *worried*

I have to go back and edit those pics as I called you norabelle314 intead if norabelle414 when I was uploading the pics. :)

Oh no! Not norabelle314! She's my arch nemesis!

Hahaha!

*runs to fix the name*

Cool pix! We had a great time today, sorry to hear about nora's commute...

Don't forget to post the pic with Zoe's poll! I want a copy of that one!

Who's doing the write-up for Jeremy's blog?

It was great to meet all of you today and so sorry I had to leave so soon! (I was hoping the rain would cancel the soccer game but fortunately or unfortunately there was not quite enough of it.) Great pictures too.

Definitely a great meet-up! Thank you all. I just got home, with no problems. Pictures will come tomorrow, though I didn't take many anyway.

So glad I made the trek! The train from Philadelphia to Lancaster paused because of "engine trouble", which sounded ominous but was resolved within 10 minutes or so. No taxis waiting at the station when I arrived, and I was too tired to call and wait, so I walked the 2+ miles home with my bag of books. I have a few photos too, will post soon.

So glad you both got home safely. Thanks, again for making the trek down to join us.

I just finished editting the group pic (taking away the horns I gave drneutron for not making a "demanding sign"). He's really an angel for organizing this group meet-up. Here's the "official photo" taken kindly by drneutron's wife. Sadly, AnneDC is not on it as she had to leave a bit early, but you can see her on the slide show I linked back in message #75. Also pictured in the slide show is drneutron's wife. Enjoy!



Left to right, seated: norabelle414, qebo, drneutron, _Zoe_
Standing: SqueakyChu

76: Nora, what happened? When you got absorbed in the crowd on the subway I assumed you'd be home almost instantly.

What happened to the poll picture?

Here are a few that I took:

Great pics, Zoe! Thanks for posting them.

>86 qebo: Well something happened that caused them to shut down the blue and yellow trains for awhile (probably something suspicious since both of those trains go to the Pentagon. It happens every once in awhile), and I have to take the blue or yellow line to get home. So I got off the red line at Metro Center to switch to the blue, but there were no blue trains coming in the correct direction (I have a phone app that tells me the next three trains coming). I waited 20 minutes and still no trains coming. So I took a blue line train in the other direction to get to L'Enfant Plaza to switch to the yellow line train, which would also take me home. But there were no yellow trains coming in the correct direction either. I ended up waiting 20 minutes for a blue line train going in the correct direction, which then took me back the way I had come and around through Virginia to my house. I did get a seat, though, so that was good.

> 89

OMG, Nora! I'm glad that didn't happen to our long distant travelers!!

> 90

Cute pics, Catherine. It looks as if I'm having a good time!

Thanks for those pictures! Madeline definitely looks like she's having a great time. I look like I have way too much stuff! (Which is probably true.)

Who took the picture with the poll question? That's the one I'm still waiting for ;)

92: K! not C. :-)
89: Oh my. So I was nearly in Philadelphia by the time you got home, obliviously reading on the train, while you were actually forced to pay attention to the external world. :-(

The pictures -- and stories -- are awesome. Thanks, guys. Keep 'em coming!

Didn't anybody buy any books? Inquiring minds want to know what was purchased. I'm so glad the weather was good and that everyone had a great time.

Nope, I did not buy a single book! I think I'm the only one, though.

New books (I resisted for minutes! But then people stayed in the book store chatting, surrounded by temptation...):
Wicked Bugs by Amy Stewart -- cool cover and I've read previous books of hers
The Man Who Found Time by Jack Repcheck -- about James Hutton, mentioned in a book I'm currently reading
Meta Math: The Quest for Omega by Gregory Chaitin -- the O in qebo is for my cat Omega

Used books:
The Genetic Strand by Edward Ball -- I've read previous books of his and recently looked unsuccessfully for this one in the local B&N
Science Has No National Borders: Harry C. Kelly and the Reconstruction of Science in Postwar Japan by Hideo Yoshikawa and Joanne Kauffman -- serendipitous discovery

I bought seven, including the two mrsdrneutron wanted. Unfortunately, I'm on a plane for Texas later this afternoon, will catalog 'em when I get back!

I bought:
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Tears of the Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith and
Watchmen by Alan Moore
all from the used bookstore.

And I also got ReWired by Larry D. Rosen which Zoe released as a BookCrossing book.

> 95

I just knew if I picked C, it would be K! :)

So what is going on in Texas anyway? My son in law just got back ..too bad that, you might have run into him! :)

It looks like you all continued to have a great time after I left. Sorry I couldn't stay longer, but as it turned out my daughter's soccer team was down several players and needed every available player to show up. So we did the right thing by going. And I'm glad I managed to meet up for a while.

So sorry about those homeward travel delays. I had a very short and direct bus ride that got me back home in 10 minutes, so I can't complain. The meet-up location couldn't have been easier for me!

Of course, I bought books. It's probably just as well I didn't make it to the second bookstore.

Clous Atlas - David Mitchell
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran Foer
The Pathfinder - Nicholas Lore
The War at the End of the World - Mario Vargas Llosa
The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy - Christopher Lasch

My bookish haul for the day:

Kramerbooks and Afterwords: I resisted!

Second Story Books - I lost my resistance!
1. The $64 Tomato - William Alexander. This is a humorous gardening book. A $64 tomato sounds like something I'd end up trying to grow.
2. Trauma - Patrick McGrath - I love the other dark, creepy gothic novels I've read by this same author. This is one of his newer published in 2008).
3. An Inconvenient Truth - Al Gore - This had been on my Bookmooch wishlist for a while with one promise of it already having fallen through.
4. The Old Farmer's Almanac Garden-Fresh Cookbook - Janice Stillman (editor) - This is a book I'll use for reference in putting out my CSA (community-suppported agricluture newsletter). I'm the editor.

Of course, I followed this with a trip to The Book Thing on Sunday. There I picked up 51 free books to register and give away next week at our BookCrossing booth at the upcoming Gaithersburg Book Festival.

There are never enough books...

Guys, this is so awesome! Can someone put together a quick list of all the members who were there, and the basic itinerary? I'll do a write-up for the blog, with pics, &c.
Thanks!
Jeremy

Jeremy -

drneutron (plus mrsdrneutron, not an LT'er)
SqueakyChu
qebo
AnneDC
_Zoe_
norabelle414

We met at BGR on Dupont Circle in Washington, DC, for lunch. Then walked across the street to Kramer Books & Afterwords (http://www.kramers.com/) for a little new-book shopping. Took a brief walk to the other side of Dupont Circle to Second Story Books (http://www.secondstorybooks.com/) for used and rare books. Then we stopped by Soho Tea and Coffee(http://sohoteaandcoffee.com/) for refreshment and cheesecake while taking an informal poll, making our list of demands and taking pictures. :) One last stop at a stationary store in the area didn't work out as they closed before we got there.

> 106

Very important!

But wait! We need the picture of Zoe's poll! Doesn't mrsdrneutron have that on her camera? Please, please look for it!

I'll ask, but I thought she used someone else's camera for all the pics. If she's got it, she can email it to me and I'll post it.

105,106: Soho Tea and Coffee was SqueakyChu's BookCrossing drop, which incidentally also had refreshments.

This the picture of the Official Bookcrossing Zone we visited at Soho Tea and Coffee. Some of us left Bookcrossing-registered books there.



By the way, my local Bookcrossing group, BC in DC, is going to have their next meet-up there on June 11 (1pm-?). Come join us for some coffee and free books!

>108 drneutron: I think she took it on her phone, and then sent it to yours? I could be mistaken.

Yup, I was deliberately holding off on notifying Jeremy until the poll picture was located! Hopefully it will turn up :)

As I recall, mrsdrneutron took a photo on her phone, and then we got more organized and passed her a camera.

Ah, glad I popped back in here before I posted. I should wait until that pic is found? :-)

Yes, trust us. You really want this picture.

Okey-doke :-)

Yes! _Zoe has a reputation to uphold!

LOL!!

In the meantime you can look at some pictures from previous 75 Book Challenge meetups, if you want:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/98410
http://www.librarything.com/topic/107272
http://www.librarything.com/topic/110843

:)

I left a text message with her but haven't heard back. I'm in Texas and she's in Maryland, so it may take a few hours for us to connect.

Got 'em. Give me a sec to get 'em uploaded to my profile.

I gave Jeremy the heads up. Thanks!

Heh. Thanks! Will get the post up shortly.

Thanks for doing the write-up, Jeremy!

I have to say, I love Nora's expression in that first poll photo.

shhhhh no don't tell people to look at it

It sounded like fun. Somday, I have to go to one of these meet-ups, but I'm just way too far away from anything and not enough time and money to go do it anyways.

Glad everyone had such a great time. :)

> 125

I agree with you about that first picture, Nora! I won't tell anyone to look at it. :)

I won't tell anyone to look at it.

Look at what? ;)

I think it's sort of appropriate that I look so happy about having a poll, and everyone else looks sort of dubious.

I almost said "just like real life". And then I got confused about what real life is. Because the polls on LT are the real polls... but the meeting was real life. Heh.

I think it's sort of appropriate that I look so happy about having a poll, and everyone else looks sort of dubious.

LOL!!

How did Zoe manage to look EXACTLY THE SAME in the first and second pictures!?

I'm good at looking exactly the same. You'd probably have no trouble recognizing me from my Grade 8 graduation picture!

> 132

That was really just a cardboard cut-out of Zoe! :)

What a great day! Thanks for letting us in on it.

I finally managed to pop in, and was treated to all your wonderful photos. Thanks so much for sharing! It looks like you had a great time.

Great pictures - looks like a fun time all around. Thanks for sharing!

In preparation for the Fall 2011 DC Meetup, LOC just posted the authors that are going to be at the National Book Festival!

http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2011/11-108.html

Holy cow, what a lineup! David McCullough, Garrison Keillor, Edmund Morris, Louis Bayard, Jim Lehrer...

Thought I'd add the link to the Baltimore Book Festival as well.

The dates for that are September 23-25, 2011.

Is there a separate thread for the fall meetup yet?

I don't think so.

Not yet, but someone could make one. We've got dates after all.