NorCal and SoCal meetups

Two for one special, baby!

I'm on leave from Dec 30 thru Jan 12, and will start heading back South around the 6th. Was wondering if any of the NorCalForge wants to meet up on the 6th somewhere in San Fran or Sac or whatever. Sacramento is a bit more car friendly, but SF has better bars.

And then also a meetup around the 7th thru 11th in SoCal around the LA/Santa Monica area.

I may have to move outta state if it comes to it, and it may be my last chance in a while to meet up with y'all.

@Paladin @garamet @Chuck @Faceman @Dinner @Order2Chaos

Am I missing someone from the golden state?

I'd be willing to get together for a beer. It would be nice to be able to put a face to the names around here.

SF would be good. If we're going to a bar, I can't go farther than BART can get me, so Sac is right out, but Oakland is doable. I think Paladin's in the east bay somewhere, and I've always wanted to go to The Trappist (which I don't actually know the proximity of BART to, so maybe SF is still better).

@phantomofthenet used to be somewhere around Sacto as well.

Funny you mentioned him. I stumbled on a YT account of his not that long ago, and it was active until about a year ago. Dunno that he'd be interested in coming back, especially now that rep as he remembers it is dead.

Not sure what The Trappist is....truth is in spite of living in NorCal my whole life, I know fuck all about SF apart from Pier 39, aka the worst tourist trap that even Clark Griswald would be embarrassed to be seen at, and the one or two visits to Japantown that probably wouldn't be impressive after having lived there.

I try to avoid Oakland, because MINIs are hard to replace, especially yellow ones that stick out at night at stoplights.

I'm in touch with PoTN, @Anna. I'll give him a heads-up.

Let me know when you'll be in LA/SM!

If its 'your thing' theres a really good wine bar just off Union Square in the middle of SF. Eno wine bar. Flights of wine, cheeses, chocolates etc. Granted it is a chain, but the staff were very attentive and kbowledgable.

My wife loved it so i let her drag me to it twice, knowing full well i was taking her for real beers in San Diego.

The Trappist is a Belgian beer bar in Oakland, and by all accounts, a fantastic one.

In SF proper, I go to Churchill, The Brickyard, and Mad Dog in the Fog. I want to go to Molotov's or Toronado sometime, but I haven't had the occasion. None of those are particularly easy to get to except Churchill though, and that's always packed, so maybe somewhere more downtownish.

If you want a better touristy place, there's Bourbon and Branch, though I don't know if they have beer.

I'll have to check out this Trappist place next time I'm out there.

You guys have all the fun...

I'm game.

I'm in the East Bay as O2C said, so SF would be pretty doable for me.

A few weeks too late for me unfortunately...

So, looking like SF for up north around the 7th good?

I'll sleep overnight in SF if we go to a bar...anyone know of cheap hotels around the area?

@garamet, I'll be down in SM the day I leave NorCal, and it's about a five hour drive from San Fran. And there was this British pub I stopped in for brunch back in April. Nor far from the pier near...I want to say 2nd st? You may know where I'm talking 'bout.

http://www.harborcourthotel.com/ is on the embarcadero past Market and gives Gov't rate. May want to check it out. https://www.boulevardrestaurant.com/ is on the corner and is fantastic.

Is it Ye Old King's Head?

I know it well!

Let me mark my calendar...

Pics or it didn't happen.

I will have to see if I can get that weekend off.

This

I only ask that photos of the meetup be restricted to the board and the WF FB group, cuz I rather not hear the lecture from my mom about meeting people online. This is the same woman that nags me about locking windows and door EVERY SINGLE TIME I check into a hotel, nearly five years into Navy service.

Really wish Lou was around, but I'll see what pics I can pull up of him.

Wrt the meet up in the LA area. The 8th would be a Thursday and I am still stuck working out in Calexico so a week day wouldn't work for me. I would be working until at least 4pm and maybe 5pm and then it would be a 200 mile drive to Santa Monica so it wouldn't really be feasible especially since I'd have to turn around and drive back so I could be at work at 7am.

Meetup pics should go in Blue Room, imo.

And deny the Twolls more chances to exercise their Photoshop skillz? Spoilsport!

Bumping to make sure the 7th (for SF) and 8th (for Santa Monica) are still a go.

I'm still a go, though I need a time and place!

I'm looking at night, after six....I'm still looking for places. I like bars where folks can sit and chill, or even something closer to Englist-style pubs, if y'all got more suggestions (despite growing up close to SF, I know fuck all apart from Pier 39 and Japantown).

So who all is coming to the SoCal meet? And did we settle on Ye Olde King's Head?

Sorry I haven't gotten to ya, @garamet....so far, I think it's just the two of us. Dinner is stuck at work and he's too far away to make it. I can make it on the 8th by 6 o'clock.

As for NorCal, we can go to The Trappist that @Order2Chaos suggested on the 7th around 7 o'clock as well. I know @Paladin said he could make it....anyone else?

Too bad Dinner can't make it. Don't suppose we could persuade Face to wear a bag over his head and disguise his voice so he won't reveal his Secret Identity? I'll PM you my cell and we'll stay in touch!

I would very much like to but I am afraid after I get out of work for the day it would be several hours to drive to Santa Monica during peak rush hour. It just isn't feasible for me. I hope you guys have fun though and I expect to see pictures of the meet up.