NYC Meet up - December 26

For anyone who's interested in attending an LT meet up in NYC on December 26, please sign up here ........ or if you're not able to attend but are interested in hanging here and contributing to the conversation, come on in.

So far, we have Suz, Darryl, Judy and Jim and myself.

Venue : All suggestions welcome.

I'm actually thinking it might be cool if we had our meet up in Chumleys of historical speakeasy fame during the 1800s. I went there years ago and loved sitting in the tavern surrounded by all the old book covers. I heard that they had closed for renovations but are back in operation again... I'll call and check this out if all are interested in holding it here.

Still plenty of time yet to decide for those of you on the pointy wooden fence and I'll post a final cut off date later when we have to finalize the reservations.

So this thread and you won't lose sight of the plans as they unfold.

Hope to see as many of you as possible on Boxing Day!

I'm in! I like the idea of going to Chumley's, if it has reopened. If not, I am always in the mood for dim sum, and I've been eager to try Joe's Shanghai in Chinatown, which (I think) is the restaurant best known for its soup dumplings (yum).

BTW, I've added this thread to the meetup section of the wiki.

You're so good to us, Jim! Won't you swing over to NYC and join us for the meet up? ;-)

Hmmm, that's actually not out of the question. The son is leaving for Nicaragua on a relief trip with his church group, so isn't coming home for Christmas. We need to head to Louisiana to visit family sometime in there, so I'll have to juggle some things around. It's unlikely, but I'll check into it.

Maybe. Christmas w/ family tends to run late, and a day trip to New York has to begin early.

We will probably either have out-of-town guests or be away ourselves, but I will wait and see what happens.

I spoke for Jim without telling him (won't I hear about that!) but we aren't working that day, so unless family stuff claims us (oh, I so hope not), we're there. Chumley's or dim sum sound fine. (Please avoid Thai - I'm sure I'd love the cuisine but it wouldn't love me.)

Unfortunately, I think that's going to be a workday for me.

I wish I could be there! Unfortunately I'm going to be out of town visiting family.

Just heard from Richard and he's going to join us too!

I just checked on Chumleys and tried calling, but their phone's disconnected. On their website, updated in 2010, they state that they're planning to reopen in 2012. So maybe we can have another NY meet up next year at Chumleys.

So since Chumley's is a no-go ... is everyone ok with Darryl's suggestion of Shanghainese dim sum? If not, raise your voice and suggest something else.

Erm, I can't do dim sum. I think my last five-day migraine was triggered by dumplings.

There is a place called Annie's near Union Square that does Irish breakfasts and has live music. It's also close to the big Barnes & Noble and to Strand....

Dec 26 is a Monday ... do they have live music on weekdays as well? that would be neat ..as long as they're not so loud we can't talk. And close to B&N and Strand .... *makes note to pack some book tote bags*

>13 Chatterbox: Did that happen when we had dim sum at Yank Sing in San Francisco? Sorry about that.

>14 cameling: Right...if the music is so loud that we can't talk I wouldn't enjoy eating there. Any other suggestions?

Whoops, it's called Lillie's -- here's the website: http://www.lilliesnyc.com

For some reason, I was thinking about the weekend when I mentioned music. I don't think they do it on weekdays; we'd probably want to call and check. Importantly, they don't have a specified lunch hour, and then shut down; they open and then don't close again until v. late.

Dim sum is just very unpredictable, and I don't want to take chances. If the vote is for dim sum, I'll try to show up, but I'll eat elsewhere. I just can't risk knocking myself out for another week because of something in a dipping sauce or MSG in a filling that the server doesn't know about. Usually dim sum has been OK, but....

To answer my own question: The Acme Bar & Grill is one of my favorite places in Greenwich Village, which serves Southern, Cajun and Creole food, including oyster po' boys, catfish, seafood gumbo and jambalaya, along with good Southern collard greens, black eyed peas, red beans & rice and macaroni & cheese. It's also known for having a huge variety of different hot sauces, which line the walls of the restaurant. It's on Great Jones St between B'way and Lafayette, and it's short walk from St. Mark's Bookshop and The Strand.

Ah, I've never eaten there. Sounds like a place Jim and I would like, even though our waistlines would like it even more. If that's ok with Suz and the others, it's ok with me.

So that makes three votes for Acme Bar & Grill. I haven't eaten there in awhile, and I'm eager to go there again.

I'll throw my vote in for the Acme Bar & Grill too, please? The food sounds delish! Hmm.. .do they have posters of the Road Runner, Willy Coyote, Pinky and The Brain all over the cafe?

Incount me

Wish I could be there, but absolutely no way. I hope you all have a wonderful time!

Hi James, we'll post details of the meet closer to the date when we can start getting some final counts to make a reservation.

Boo... wish you could join us and we'll miss you Stas. But we'll take pics to share! Maybe next year? :-)

*Moving this thread up so it doesn't get lost amongst the others*

Unfortunately Jane (janepriceestrada) won't be able to join us, as she & her husband will be leaving town to visit relatives. She sends all of you her best wishes for a happy Holiday season.

:-( We wish Jane and her husband a happy holiday season too, and will raise a toast to her in her absence this year.

We probably will need to take a head count by the end of next week so we can make reservations. So if everyone interested in joining us for the NYC LT meet up on Dec 26 could please confirm by December 18?

What's the time frame?

Also, status of Acme Bar & Grill is not clear. The link above now redirects to a "coming soon" site, and a couple of restaurant review sites say it has closed.

Crap! When I posted the original message and hyperlink there was no indication that Acme had closed. I called the phone number of the restaurant just now, but no one answered and the call was disconnected. I also found several web sites that indicated that it closed in March, after 25 years of operation.

Hmm...if Suz doesn't join us (she said that she might visit other friends on Boxing Day), maybe we could go for dim sum? Judy, do you have any suggestions of restaurants near Union Square? I'll have to see if I can remember other places in Greenwich Village or Union Square that I used to go to.

No suggestions for Dim Sum. We have our share of NY restaurants, from diners to the too-much-money kind. I'll talk to Jim - we'll find something.

Hm. One of our favorites is the Noho Star at Broadway and Prince (or Spring - don't recall which). About 10 blocks from the sacred bookstore. But some friends also said they discovered a fine restaurant in the area - I'll nose around.

What kind of place would be pleasing? I've never been to Chumley's, so don't know what kind of food (and prices) we're talking about.

Judy, unfortunately, Chumley's closed for reservations and their projected reopening date is yet unclear, but they're saying it'll be some time in 2012.

Would 11.30am be a good time for everyone?

Hmm...I can't speak for everyone, needless to say, but something interesting and possibly unique, but not too expensive?

ETA: 11:30 am works for me.

I'd get into Penn Station a bit before 11, might be late but not very. I'm not working that week, and figure an LT meetup is an excuse to go to New York, but since the group currently seems to consist of people who know each other in real life or were personally invited, it may be awkward, and if so I'll peel off and find other things to do.

You could also post to the meetup group or ask Jeremy to announce in the blog.

Qebo - we don't all know each other in RL, so don't worry ... the ones I've met who are going to this LT meet up are all very nice and a few slightly on the loony side ( no names, but you know who you are, haha) ... so I suspect you'll settle in very nicely and have a grand time ... if you peel off, you never know ... we might all just follow you. ;-)

Oh and if anyone goes to the NYC Meet Up on the wiki, it takes them to this thread

#28 Can't join you, alas, but Noho Star is on Bleecker and Lafayette. Haven't been there in probably 20? years, but loved it when I lived downtown.

I agree with Caroline, qebo. I think that most of us met each other for the first time last year, when we got together on the day after Thanksgiving, and the only person I've seen since then is Suz. This get together is open to anyone who can come, and you would certainly be welcome. I'd love to meet you!

Um...despite what Caroline said, I promise that I won't follow you, uninvited,if you decide to peel off.

I've passed by NoHo Star and heard about it, but I've never been there. Another place on Bleecker Street to consider is John's Pizzeria, which specializes in thin crust brick oven pizza. It's one of my favorite pizza places in the city.

qebo, please do come. I've met one or two of the folks already on the list (aside from Jim, of course, who I meet most days coming out of the bathroom!). The last time we met, I knew almost no one, and the one or two I knew, I had met the month before. So no excuses, shy one.

Argh...too many good choices. I'll go back to my original vote for soup dumplings and dim sum at Joe's Shanghai in Chinatown. Hopefully it won't close in the next two weeks.

Hopefully it won't close in the next two weeks

LMAO .... had a giggle fit when I read this, Darryl. Will you please call them and tell them to remain open at least until Dec 27?

I checked on a place called Scarpina near me on University Place. They will definitely be open for lunch on Dec. 26th. Menu can be found at http://www.scarpinanyc.com/. Friends tell me that the food is quite good, and it's two blocks from the Strand. Darryl, how do the prices compare with your Dim Sum place? I want to make sure Suzanne feels comfortable joining us.

There's a Chinese place about three blocks from the Strand on 15th and Irving that is supposed to be good, but I have no direct experience. And there's a cozy place on 16th between Union Square Park and Fifth Avenue called 'Chat 'n Chew', which is sort of down-home food, nothing gourmet, but a varied selection.

Also in the area, just slightly farther afield, is a Chinese place we often order in from, and which has a nice dining room as well, called Charlie Mom's, on 6th and about 11th Street. Dependable if not divine, with reasonable prices.

I'm struggling a little because Jim and I don't eat out in the area much. If we were going someplace mid-town, we'd have more recommendations, but near home we generally go to the diner!

There are other restaurants on Irving Place: Pete's Tavern, Friend of a Farmer. On Park and about 20th Street we have City Crab, which is a decent fish place, but might be pricier than people want. They have a lovely gumbo.

There's also a place Jim and I like for brunch, which they might be having on the 26th. It's called North Square, on the northwest corner of Washington Square (8th Street for the uninitiated, unless I've counted wrong). If we are interested in brunch, I can check it out. They have jazz at brunch on Sundays, so if they are treating the 26th as a Sunday, we might hear some music.

Sorry for the brain dump. I keep thinking of places we've enjoyed, but we're not foodies. Except for brunch and Japanese dinners for special occasions, we eat pretty simply. Booooring.

I hope you'll consider having future NYC meetups that don't overlap with major holidays! Just saying ;)

40: Yeah, I'm sorry you won't be there. :-(
I'm definitely in now. Checked Amtrak, and ticket prices had gone up in the two weeks since I'd checked before, so I figured I'd better commit.

Judy - Regardless of where we end up going on the day of the meet up, thanks for the other suggestions .. I know have a list of places to try when I'm in the city. ;-)

Zoe - sorry you can't join us this time. The Meet Ups aren't always around major holidays, so next year if you'd like to suggest a date for a Meet Up in NYC .. or anywhere else for that matter, start a meet up thread with the suggested date ....and then just watch the folks flock. haha

Yay..qebo .. see you there .... whereever the 'there' is when the venue's finally decided on. :-)

Being a worrier at times, I just checked to make sure the Strand itself is open on Dec. 26th. Answer: yes. whew.

OMG ! I never even considered the possibility that they wouldn't be open! Thank you for checking, Judy!

>39 ffortsa: Judy, Scarpina looks good to me! The seafood paella and numerous other items on the menu sound divine. Count me in.

>40 _Zoe_: Definitely, Zoe. I usually visit my parents, who live in suburban Philadelphia, every 2-3 months, and I almost always make at least one trip to NYC whenever I'm there. I'll probably come back there in the early spring, so hopefully we can have a limited get together then (and have dim sum!).

>41 qebo: Qebo, it sounds as if you've already purchased your train ticket. What time will you get into Penn Station? Should we still shoot for 11:30 am (which is fine with me)? I'm not yet sure if my family & I will be in Jersey City or the Philadelphia area that day, but it's an easy ride into the city by train from either place.

>43 ffortsa: Thanks for checking to see if The Strand is open on Boxing Day, Judy. What would an LT get together be without massive purchases of books?

Chat'n'Chew's charming, what about Steak Frites across the street? Their brunch features steak frites benedict, which I luuurve. All close to the Strand, the 6, the N, the R, the Buns and Nubile....

I've never eaten in Steak Frites, as I was under the impression that it was $$$$$$$$$$. But brunch might be nice.

So, is this a case of whoever decides first wins? do we vote? It's pretty much the same to me, frankly, but I want everyone to feel comfy about the choice.

>47 ffortsa: I'm in favor of a straightforward vote, since we have so many potential places to eat. If Suz is planning to join us, I vote for Scarpina. If she isn't coming, then Joe's Shanghai is my choice.

These days, Judy, all restaurants look $$$$$$$$ to me, when I can eat for a week on $20. Has LT implemented a poll feature yet? Only one I know about is the up/down vote, and that won't serve here.

Ugh. Aches, pains, this cold is clinging to me like a 10th Ave hooker at dawn.

I'm unfortunately able to join you due to out-of-town guests, but I've used the up-down poll feature in Reading Globally by having separate polls (has to be in separate posts) for each option -- in this case, restaurants. You can then analyze the most yes votes versus the least no votes. Of course, there is always the executive/command decision. Good luck and sorry I can't join you.

45: 11:30 is fine. Train's due a little before 11 and is generally reasonably on time.
I'm veggie, so Steak Frites is less preferable than the others, but I can manage anywhere.

So many choices, so little time ..... and for once I don't mean books.

Perhaps Scarpina would be a better choice this time since it'll have vegetarian options?

Ok, the hammer's come down on the venue for the NYC LT meet. The silent vote has been counted and the venue is .......*drumroll* ... Joe's Shanghai at 9 Pell Street, in Chinatown.

I'll call and make reservations. Can I get a final count please? So far the peeps confirmed are:
Darryl
Qebo
Richard
Judy & Jim
James
Myself

Tentatives are:
Suz
Jim (drneutron)

Time for meet up : 11.30am
Bring : A healthy appetite, sense of adventure (one never knows where conversations go at these meetups) and for those interested in the Boxing Day Book Buying Binge at The Strand, a big tote bag to carry your book goodies home in. It's close enough to walk there after our brunch.

Anyone else interested please confirm here by Friday Dec 23 because I may not have time to check threads on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

If you all want to send me a PM with your mobile phone numbers, that'd be great, so I can contact you on the day if there are changes or if we can't find you. I'll PM you back with mine.

What happened to Steak Frites or the other options??? Was there a vote that I missed? Sorry, I didn't see this thread.

I won't be able to join you for this, I'm afraid -- I just can't risk anything Chinese; my neurologist has given me a talking-to. The migraines I get are a severe form, there are links to other neurological nasty things that are boring to talk about, so I have to listen to him.

54: I just can't risk anything Chinese
Yeah, you'd said in 16, and Darryl noted in 48, seems to have gotten lost in end of year frazzle.
I hereby vote for a place that doesn't give people migraines.

#54 : The vote was through PMs because there's no vote feature on LT as yet, and thus far, most of the votes went to Joe's. However, if you're able to join us, then since you're allergic to Chinese, we'll go to Scarpina as suggested by Judy and seconded by Darryl.

I've scrolled up the thread and I've not seen anyone objecting to Scarpina. So since there were no objections before, sorry peeps, to be fair to everyone, it's too late to raise them now.

Scarpina
88 University Place
Tel : 212 - 645 4525

11.30am

#55 : Thanks for your phone number, qebo. I've PMed you with mine so you have a contact point in case you're lost or can't find us in the restaurant.

OOO Scarpina! Yes! Now I can come, too! (Can't do walking around too much, and Chinatown is woefully underserved subway-wise.)

Richard, any chance your delightful cousin will be in town again? She was great fun to chat with last year.

Cousin? Oh! Niece! Vayram's not in the States just now, drat the luck. I miss her. She's a kick!

Bummer ... but that's ok , you can still join us, Rdear ! *mischievous giggle*

Scarpina sounds good to me!

Scarpina sounds fine; appreciate the flexibility. Didn't realize there was a PM vote; hadn't seen this thread for a while...

Just a quick note on Scarpina. According to their phone message, they will be open either from 11:45 (if they are treating the day as a regular weekday) or 11:00 if they are treating it as a Sunday and serving brunch. I'll check, and let them know we are coming on the 26th -give them an approximate headcount. At this point, it looks like nine, right?

There's a chance I'll be running late as it turns out that is also the day for the exterminator's visit, but I will either do my best or just decide to miss one of the latter's visits... He usually shows up at 11. That said, University Place is a very quick trip for me from home.

>64 Chatterbox: Uh, Suz...keep in mind you won't BE home on the 26th...unless plans have changed...?

*wishes she could be there *

:(

Richard, I would have had to zip home in the morning first -- but turns out upstairs neighbor won't be here either, so there's no point to the visit! So all is well... As long as I member to feed to critters before I leave, of course...

Madeline, we wish so, too! Think someone in Florida should just charter a bus & drive up the E. Seaboard collecting 75ers en route...

>66 SqueakyChu: *wishes Madeline could be there too* :_(

>67 Chatterbox: Like you'd forget your little Minions of Satan! Ha!

> 67

Think someone in Florida should just charter a bus & drive up the E. Seaboard collecting 75ers en route...

Wouldn't that be fun! How about if we all charter a bus, picking up everyone along the eastern seaboard of the US and visit Zoe either at Berkeley (preferred) or when she gets back to Toronto (if she does)?! :D

*light bulb*

What if we make a surcharge, say $5-$10, on t-shirts sold, and use it to charter a bus to bring all & sundry from cheap-flight-point (Atlanta, NYC) to the National Book Festival in 2012?

#63 : Like minds, Judy. I called Scarpina this morning and made a reservation for 9 of us. They are open only at 12 noon on Monday Dec 26.

Ok gang, the reservation's been made.

See you there!

66: *wishes she could be there *
:-(
71: Oh, good, noon should give comfortable leeway w/ my train schedule.

#66 : :-( Wish you could be there too, Madeline. When's the DC National Book Festival in 2012?

#72 : Yay... glad you won't have to stress over the train schedule thingy. Looking forward to seeing you next week, Katherine.

Oh good - all the work done now. Thanks. Truly can't wait to see you all.

I've been here a year now, and I still overlook NY threads. Just as well, as I'll be catching a ride home on the train noon time.

If nothing else I will add Strand and 'big B&N' near Union Square. The two I go to are in Battery Park, and near Court Street station. Court Street one is quite annoying. Always people sitting on the floors, and they especially like sitting against the New bookcases blocking my access.

> 73

The date for the next National Book Festival has not been posted. Here's the Library of Congress link, though. It's usually scheduled the last week of September.

Heavens, Mike, you must live very near me. I'm just up Atlantic Avenue, near the Target Store.

I didn't even know there was a B&N in Battery Park; have spent v. little time there since 9/11, the last day I worked down in that 'hood.

Oh, I live in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, but Court St is on the way home. There is a good theater there, good compared to the theater near me in Bay Ridge.

The Battery Park B&N is nearish, give or take ten or so blocks, to where I work. There is a theater there also but I haven't had a chance to try it. I work in the City Hall area.

I love the idea of a huge 75-er road trip. And we should all go to the UK someday.

Also, the New York Antiquarian Book Fair is April 12-15, and I suspect that Jeremy will be in town for that, so maybe we could have another meetup then (Saturday the 14th?).

I assume that everyone is still on for Boxing Day. I'll be coming via PATH train from Jersey City, and I'll walk to Scarpina from the 14th St station (@ 6th Ave). From what I can tell, Scarpina is on University Place near 12th St.

Well I'm committed to Amtrak tickets... and I'm all set with maps. (And a couple of empty sturdy bags.)

Katherine, next time bring some of those extra empty sturdy bags when you come to DC! ;)

In DC empty bags are at the mercy of BookCrossers dispensing books.

Ha! I'll bring some along next time...

Darryl, that's right - 12th Street and University, but not on the corner. It's pretty easy to find.

Have a good time! Wish we could be there...

>81 qebo: Do you know how to get there from Penn Station, qebo? University Place runs north-south, between 5th Ave and Broadway. The closest subway station is Union Square. If it was me, I'd exit Penn Station on the 7th Ave side, walk east on 32nd or 33rd St a little over one block to B'way, and take a southbound B'way Local or Express (N, Q or R) to 14th St/Union Square.

BTW, I'll probably take NJ Transit back to Trenton, which is close to my parents' house, so I'll also go to Penn Station after we're done.

Caroline, are you up for a trip to Russ & Daughters? If so, should we go before or after lunch (I'm thinking before)? Does anyone else want to join us?

87: Yup, I'm fine. I've been traipsing around New York for decades, not often but enough for general familiarity.

>89 qebo: Cool. I had a suspicion that you were familiar with the city, but I thought I'd post directions just in case.

Darryl, I was thinking of popping into Russ & Daughters before Scarpina's ... so yes, I'm up for meeting you before lunch, if you've of a mind to load up with tubs of the fishy delights. What's a good time for you ? I'm unlikely to be online again for the rest of the day ... so I'll text you, if that's ok and we can make arrangements that way.

Anyone else up for good smoke salmon and white bait salad?

Merry Christmas everyone! Can't wait to see you all tomorrow!

merry merry! i'll probably foo out early b/c the non-working right arm and very troubled left heel combine to make me a duller-than-usual boy.

*** non-working right arm **** Yikes! May I offer to be your book-bearer at the Strand?

>93 ffortsa: lolol

mush! bring me the oscar wilde from the top shelf! quick sticks, bearer woman!

lol

and then when they find my teeth in astoria and my nose on the staten island ferry, all here will know why!

>91 cameling: That sounds good, Caroline. Maybe 10:30-11 am? I'll send you a text message in a bit...once I find my cell phone.

>92 richardderus: Sorry to hear about your nonworking (!) right arm and bad heel, Richard. I won't be staying long in NYC either, as I want to get back to PA in time to have dinner with my parents, brother and his GF. I'd like to get back to Penn Station by 4-5 pm, at the latest.

>94 richardderus: That was book-bearer, not book-fetcher. And really, what use would I be for getting books from the top shelf!!

bearer, loader....

xoxo

The LT NYC Boxing Day meet up was a success. It began at 10:30 am, when Caroline & I met at Russ and Daughters, the legendary Lower East Side appetizer shop close to the 2nd Ave/Lower East Side station, where we bought smoked sturgeon, pastrami salmon, whitefish salad, and bialys (bialies?). The shop was amazingly empty, and we got out far sooner than we had anticipated.

From there we took a northbound F train to the 14th St/6th Ave station, and stopped at Strand Books on 12th St & Broadway, as we had an hour to kill before lunch. Caroline proceeded to load a shopping cart with books (despite my dozens of visits there, I had no idea that the Strand had shopping carts), and I came away with 11 books, about half of what was on my wish list.

At noon, the gang (consisting of Suz, Judy, Jim, Richard, Katherine, Caroline and myself), met at Scarpina Bar & Grill, a lovely fusion restaurant specializing in Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine that was a stone's throw away on University Place between 11th & 12th Sts. I had guacamole with the most unique corn chips I've ever had, along with a massive and delightful lamb burger with fries. The group then proceeded to the Strand, where several photos were taken. Suz took this photo on my BlackBerry (which doesn't have a great camera):



Most of the group entered the Strand; Caroline, Richard & I split off after that. Hopefully someone else can pick up the story from there.

I hopped a cab to come back to Long Island via Penn Station since I'm still in recovery. But let me tell all y'all: 75ers aren't just chatty online! I m, of course, a yak-a-saurus, but I got some competition in these folks. Which might be a bad thing except for the fact that they're all really interesting people with a wide knowledge base and a tremendous stock of erudition. I, spoiled child, get to see and chat with Suzanne, Jim, and Judy every few weeks at our RL book circle. Adding beloved Caro and freshly met deep thinking friend Katherine made it that much more fun for me! Darryl, well, you see...he reads these damned depressing soul-annihilatingly grim sob-fests to counteract the abounding joy he gets from his life-saving work among sick children. The man's just not hard-wired right.

LOL! As they say down South, "He ain't right."

back: kidzdoc (Darryl), magicians_nephew (Jim), richardderus (Richard), cameling (Caroline)
front: ffortsa (Judy), qebo (Katherine) / Chatterbox (Suzanne) switching camera duty

I continued on to the Metropolitan Museum of Art where I had about an hour and a half to breeze through Islamic Art and Master Painters of India. After a detour for food, arrived at Penn Station a half hour early for the train, wandered randomly into a book store, and since I already had a bag of books from the Strand, what the hell, may as well add a few more. Arrived home a bit before midnight.

LOL - what's a few books more?

Jim and I escaped the Strand with only a moderate haul - I found three mysteries, two from the Camilieri series and one from the series by the late, very much lamented Batya Gur. Jim bought one book. I think it was A Visit from the Goon Squad - at least I hope it was, because I'd like to read it.

After that we went home and more or less collapsed on our last day before work - again. Sigh.

Great pictures! Sounds like you all had a good time.

Despite the pull of the Strand for a second visit, I didn't think my will.power would be able to resist another assault within the same day, so I walked down a couple of doors to the Forbidden Planet and did my best not to come away with more than a tote of graphic novels.

So with a backpackers full of yummy smoked herring, whitfish salad, wasabi roe and pastrami salmon, and 3 tote bags filled with books I hoofed merrily down to .... St Patrick's Cathedral on E.51st St. Where I was to meet the family .

The merry hoofing held.out only until I got to 36th street after which I wondered if my now somewhat aching arms may have stretched by a good 5" from the now less than joyful weight of the totes. A quick stop at a cafe was made to rest my arms and get a warm cup of green tea and off I went ...bravely throwing myself into the seemingly maddened crowd that swelled rather alarmingly.
Bags of books, backpackers with yummy treasures intact, I arrived at St Pat's only slightly battered by the crowd with 10mins to spare.

Thanks for posting the epics, Darryl and Katherine. And thanks everyone for a wonderful chatty time.

12 street to 50th street! That's a good two-mile hike with books and backpack. good for you!

Thanks guys for sharing the pix! What a great looking bunch! Glad you had such a good time!

Nice pictures of your meet-up. Thanks for posting them.

Great pics!

Jealous to death guys to be honest! Great pictures don't know what the New York guys have been eating but either there is a hell of a slope of they are superhumanly tall!

>110 PaulCranswick: Neither Jim nor I could be coal miners. We'd be hopelessly stuck in the rafters ~10sec in.

It sounds like a good time for all :)
Great pics and wonderful story telling!

Thanks for the pictures and the description - sounds like you had a great time together!

Oh I LOVED seeing the pictures of all of you! Just so .... nice to see. Lovely.

Great pics and write-ups! LT meet-ups are the best thing.

On the other hand, as you might have guessed, I'm not quite 5 feet tall. So I always get to stand in front of Jim for these group pix. Not that I mind!

I think this group has the potential to be a formidable basketball team. Judy and Suz would have to split time as point guard, as we couldn't have two 5 foot guards on the court at the same time. Caroline and Katherine could alternate as the shooting guards, I could play small forward (and Caroline could serve double duty in that position), and Richard and Jim could be our "bigs", playing the power forward and center positions, respectively. We wouldn't be the quickest team in the league, but we would be a physical and hard nosed bunch.

Cripes, I look like a midget compared to the bigs in these photos!

and we'd play for books rather than a trophy.

They tried to teach me how to play basketball every year from 4th grade through 12th grade. I never learned.

Okay, so Katherine will have to be our cheerleader.



Better yet, she could coach this motley crew.

Could I be your cheerleader? I was a cheerleader for my nursing school's basketball team. Our team played those team of other Baltimore area nursing schools. One of those years our team lost every single game! :)

Okay, she can be the head cheerleader then!

Oh please be the cheerleader! I'll sit in the bleachers reading a book.

LOL!!

Is basketball the one with men in skimpy shorts kicking the doo-wah-diddy outta the funny little black-and-white ball, or the one with men in skimpy shorts flinging a teensy-witsy little ball-ette around in those butterfly-net-lookin' doohickeys?

Either way, I'm wearin' a burnoose, I just want to have the appropriate mental picture.

it's them long baggy pants that keep me away. That and because one tall man in my life is enough.

Better yet, she could coach this motley crew.
Hmm. Do you want to win? * wrinkles brow in confusion at peculiar attitudes *

Yes, I remember the skimpy shorts era, and it was MUCH more appealing. The latter, Richard.

Yikes. Our shooting guard would rather read books than face Kobe Bryant, our power forward doesn't know the difference between a basketball and an Easter egg, and our cheerleader is a living bad luck charm. Maybe we oughta stick to reading books...

LOL!!

129: Yikes...
Our athletic recruiter searches in book clubs...

We could start by reading books on basketball ..wearing the little shorts, long socks and bball jerseys.

Hey! I just remembered one of the few books that I haven't read by Pat Conroy, a favorite author of mine. It just happens to be My Losing Season. And, yes, it *is* about basketball.

So, is anyone interested in another NYC meetup on April 14?