What about an East Coast Meet Up?

[Andrew Q Gordon]

We need to move this to North Carolina. So I won't have to travel and stuff and stuff.

 

Lol, I'd be up for it! If I could actually do it depends on the time, place and the money. I'm an extremely cheap person but DC doesn't seem to be at all far from Charlotte.

 

 

 

As one who travels between Charlotte and DC often - going there today as a matter of fact - it's a $180 round trip airfare to BWI [baltimore] or about a 6.5 hour drive. Never done the bus thing, nor the train, but I'm sure they are both longer.

 

Hopefully you make it. Maybe hitch a ride with Momma Rush - she loves all her GA children.

[Cailen]

to 3clips and others like myself up in new england, DC is 10 hours away, getting there would be quite the event for us. if we coorinated well enough we could get a car pool together and split the cost. That would help those like me who are pretty far out, we also have a lot of canucks, if we made it New York we might have a better chance of getting them. I'm not putting down either idea, i like the thought of 2 east coast cause of distance, but if we work together we could do a car pool and that'd be fun too...

[Rakuten06]

DC is a good idea but if it was meeting in June, I'm out because I may be back home after graduating on May 11 so if I got an internship in DC during the summer, then maybe that will happen for me

[comicfan]

Alright I started this mess and have been a bit busy so I apologize for dropping the ball a bit. I promise before the 7th to have a link for a vote on dates. If there is anyone pushing for dates outside of June speak up and tell me before we go forward. The date with the most votes will end up being the East Coast Get-together for 2012.

[Toast]

I might leave Atlanta for this.

[comicfan]

Okay the voting is now open. The link to the thread for the dates is below here. Lets see what is most convenient for people.

 

https://www.gayauthors.org/forums/topic/34073-east-coast-dc-meet-up-dates-please-vote/

[Jack Frost]

I would be at the East Coast in spring for sure, but it'll be in May (cousin's wedding in northern NJ).

 

Not up to two long bus trips in a short period of time. Sorry.

[comicfan]

Sorry Jack. Maybe next year when we move it north. lol

[SoullessCynner]

Alright, don't. I live in Ohio. So, which get-together would I be able to do? Assuming I got up the courage to hitch-hike there, anyway.

[comicfan]

Soulless you are sort of in the middle of it. I guess that is up to you. But promise me you won't hitch-hike. I don't need anyone else to worry about.

 

As for everyone else I am closing the voting and giving the date chosen in 2 DAYS! If you haven't voted yet for the date most convenient for you, time is running out. Please do so in the next two days. Thank you.

[comicfan]

Sorry for the delay. By popular vote the weekend of June 16 and 17th have the vote. Thank you for helping to narrow it down. Ladies and Gentlemen we have the dates let the planning begin. Ideas, suggestions, those who want to car pool. Lets get this thing going.

[CassieQ]

Do we have a location nailed down yet? I think DC was the popular choice.

[comicfan]

Yes Cassie, it is going to be DC this June 16th and 17th. Now we bother the ones who live closest to come up with ideas of places to go and things to do.

[CassieQ]

And places to stay.

[comicfan]

Um I know this thread started hot for a while but Welcome to MARCH. Less than three months till the chosen date so a little reminder and help here. DC is our meeting/hosting city. Andy's home grounds and he has been willing to help do leg work but some comment and confirmation of those really interested at this point so we have some idea of how to proceed. For those North of me (Hi, I live out on Long Island in NY) and am about an hour plus from NYC. Those looking for car pool, train, or whatever we have time to start talking here. Decisions on where to stay, what to see, and when we all want our big meeting to be. Please don't tell me only the Europeans are able to pull this off.

[intune]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/best-bets/top-dc-attractions,74059.html <this is kind of helpful (maybe?)

 

and here are some events: http://dc.about.com/od/monthlyeventcalendars/a/JuneFestivals.htm

 

I know while I'm in DC I really want to go to the National Gallery, but if no one else is interested I'll go in my free time I'm planning to take Amtrak down from CT so if anyone else is doing that maybe we could meet up.

[Andrew Q Gordon]

Okay so since it seems to fall to me to organize a few things, let me ask some questions.

 

For those staying in a hotel while here, what do you want -

A) In DC

Outside DC where it will be cheaper, but you'll have to metro into the attractions

C) Cheapest possible in a not so bad neighborhood

D) You'll make your own reservations just tell you where to meet.

 

My sense is this - it is cheaper to stay in the suburbs and take metro. BUT Metro can be a bit kitchy on weekends with all the track repair they've been doing. So it could take a bit longer on weekend that weekdays to get to where you want to go.

 

I myself will be taking metro to the city for whatever we do, so I might be a bit biased on why staying a bit further out near metro is better.

 

Another thought is that if we want to try to get a group rate on a hotel, I need to know how many are going to want to stay so I can call around. IF folks just want to go on to Hotel.com and find their own, that's good to, but PLEASE check with me before you book a place. There are some name brand hotels that boost nice views of the Capitol and Washington Monument that are in horrible areas. Poor tourist show up and find they are in hotels that rent their extra rooms to prostitutes and the like. So PLEASE ask me before you book.

 

Couple other thoughts, Arlington is probably the closest suburb to the monuments and down town attractions. I personally hate Virginia because of their politics and how anti gay the state is. It might also be a bit more expensive than the Maryland suburbs due to it's prime location. Maryland is probably cheaper, but it is a bit further out. You'll want to stay out near me - University of Maryland or in Montgomery County if you want to be near a metro and in a decent area. Get a map of the Metro and look at the Red Line to Glenmont or the Greenline to Greenbelt as places to stay. But again, feel free to ask me.

 

My email is belsport09@gmail.com Anyone with any questions ask me.

 

Last, we should discuss what we as a group want to do. Do we want to book a group tour? Take the open top bus tour [it's like $40 for the day] meet for group breakfast or dinners or both? Give me some ideas and I'll check into stuff. My suggestion is we keep whatever we do near a metro so everyone will have access to whatever we do.

 

Okay that's it for now. Hit me back with whatever.

 

Andy

 

PS any and all other DC area residents who are going to attend, please let me know so we can share ideas. I'm certain I don't know even half the good things to see and do, so the more minds the better.

[Trebs]

Good luck with organizing the June 16/17 DC meeting. It takes a little work, but it's not too bad. If you need any advice/help, let me know but it looks like you all have a great start.

 

One thing I recommend - doing overall ideas in the public forums is good, but for exact details (name of restaurant, meeting times, etc), probably best to use PM 's, just to avoid lurkers/stalkers. With the current system, you can create one PM and add anyone that expresses interest.

 

We haven't had any luck with doing a group hotel rates before but have given suggestions on a couple of low price places. In Dallas, many of us stayed at the same place and it made it easier to transport to a theme park when Dan and I rented a minivan. In a place like DC, as long as they're near the Metro, you should be all fine, but for late night gathering/gigglefests, staying at the same place is nice.

 

While scheduling multiple events will work, I suggest scheduling one key time - a lunch or dinner and reserve a private room in a restaurant. That way, if someone can't make the whole weekend, at least they can join up for that meal. In San Francisco, there were 11 for the main dinner, but other times during the weekend, groups of 3-6 would go off and do other things. For Dallas, we did an informal Friday night dinner, all day Saturday at Six Flags then the main dinner Saturday night.

 

Whatever people are able to join in for - main thing, have fun!

 

Trebs

[SoullessCynner]

Soulless you are sort of in the middle of it. I guess that is up to you. But promise me you won't hitch-hike. I don't need anyone else to worry about.

I guess I won't hitch-hike. Wouldn't want to worry you.

 

Do you guys have meetings like this often? Or is it more of a once a year thing? Because I have no job, so, even if I were to make it to the gathering, I wouldn't be able to do anything. So, I was hoping that this isn't going to be a one-time thing, because I'd really love to meet you guys sometime.

[comicfan]

I guess I won't hitch-hike. Wouldn't want to worry you.

 

Do you guys have meetings like this often? Or is it more of a once a year thing? Because I have no job, so, even if I were to make it to the gathering, I wouldn't be able to do anything. So, I was hoping that this isn't going to be a one-time thing, because I'd really love to meet you guys sometime.

 

This is going to sound strange, I've nearly been with the site for a year. I just made a lot of friends and seen the fun the European's had when they had their get together. I decided I wanted one as well. Seen the West Coast was doing it so trying it on the East Coast. I opened this can of worms and will do what I can to see it succeed. Though going to have to lean on Andy and any who can help him cause I really don't know DC all that well. So if this works out there will be hopefully be more. I can't say about earlier meetings but from the looks of it this is something that has happened before so wouldn't say no.

[TalonRider]

There have been several get togethers, a few were official as some were attended by members of the Admin team. There's also been a few get togethers that members hosted.

 

The last get together on the east coast was almost four years ago when Trebs and Dan were in the area attending the festivities. That was held in January.

 

Since that event there was talk started about doing one on the east coast, but no one could agree where to have it, NYC, Philly, or DC.

[Trebs]

And while I'll be in Charlotte in early Sept - um, doubt that I'll have time this time for a meetup...

[Johnathan Colourfield]

Just to thrown in what we did for the European meet ups:

 

Basically we met at a landmark (the british museum for London) and had a chat over coffee (hot chocolate for me)

 

Then we had dinner in the afternoon. Then we found a coffee shop and spoke for what seemed like hours.

 

Then i had to go home but I know the others went to a Carnival

 

Key is just be happy to go with the flow Enjoy yourselves!

[Shadow Runner]

narrowed down the date

 

I can't make everything since I'll be either driving or metro-ing in ( I live close but still have to trek into the city) but dinner/lunch sounds nice.

[CassieQ]

I hope this is still on schedule. I already asked for vacation time and everything