National Book Festival - 1 Sept 2018

The National Book Festival is coming up on Saturday, Sept 1. Does anyone else who is going want to get breakfast beforehand as we have in the past?

http://www.loc.gov/bookfest

I admit, since they moved it indoors, it's lost its appeal to me. Was much more fun (and easier on the claustrophobic and agoraphobic) when it was on the mall. More spread out.

>2 gilroy: Yeah I wouldn't bother except that I'm cat sitting for a friend who lives 2 blocks from the convention center, so I might as well.

I haven't thought about it yet - will see what mrsdrneutron has on the calendar.

I won't be able to be there but will be thinking of you and all the lovely books. Have fun!

I'll be there!

Thanks for the reminder, Nora! I probably would have missed it otherwise. Had a good time last year. Am totally up for breakfast beforehand if y'all want. Hopefully Metro will be somewhat back to normal by then, haha.

>7 omargosh: Unfortunately, the red line isn't going back to normal until September 3rd.

Logistics:

Last year we met for breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien at 5th and Massachusetts. Previously we have met at First Cup Cafe at 9th and M. Does anyone have a preference?

Don't really have a preference, but I just googled First Cup Cafe and Yelp says it's closed. :/

>10 omargosh: Oh no! I was just there in March.
Le Pain Quotidien it is, then, unless someone has a different suggestion.

Unfortunately, mrsdrneutron and I have a wedding that day - daughter of close friends, so it's hard to pretend to be sick or something...

Big day for weddings. I will be at one, too. You'all have fun.

>11 norabelle414: that works for me. I'll be starting from the red line, so hopefully won't have too much of a challenge getting there.

>12 drneutron: and >13 WildMaggie: sorry to miss you guys, but hope the wedding are fun!

>14 bell7: A section of the red line has been closed for several weeks, but they have buses that take passengers between the closed stations. In this case you could just take the red line to Fort Totten and switch to the green line and get off at Gallery Place, avoiding the closed section completely.

(Note this is not the Le Pain Quotidien that we went to in March, it's a different one nearby)

>15 norabelle414: that should be doable. Thanks for the heads up!

What time does everyone want to meet? The children's stages start at 9:30 and the adult stages start at 10. We could meet at 9 if no one is planning to see the early children's authors (Brendan Wenzel and Matthew Cordell)

I don't have plans to see the children's authors, so 9 works for me.

I'm good with 9 too

I'm not particularly attached to any of the 10am authors, if you guys want to meet later than 9. Looks like it's just four of us (I'm also bringing my friend Soraya71)

>20 norabelle414: I'm fine with nine and then having the possibility of getting there in a leisurely way if we aren't all that interested in the 10 a.m. authors. But if others want a later start time, I'm fine with that too.

I'm not sure I'll make it down there for the NBF, but I would love to see all of you again. Is it possible to have a different meetup in the future? Perhaps a quieter one that is not book festival-centered so that we could just hang out? Perhaps when Zoe and Mark come in for the Thanksgiving weekend?

For me, because I am hard of hearing, I just find the convention center too difficult a venue to hear. All of the rooms are usually packed and ring with echoes. Outdoor venue sound systems are much easier for me. I find the experience at the Convention Center disheartening and frustrating. I might come down later in the day (you know I hate getting up early!) to check out some lesser known authors. It depends on how the Red Line is running that day. :/

I really loved our BC/LT meetups on the national Mall mid-day in the heat of the sun (or in the pouring down rain). I miss those days.

I miss you guys!

P.S. Nora, my BookCrossing group is coming the National Zoo on Sunday, September 15, for a wild release of animal-themed books. Any chance you're working there that day? It would be funt o get you involved in this in some way! Let me know.

P.P.S. Are there any Little Free Libraries either in or near the National Zoo?

>22 SqueakyChu: Hi Madeline, let me know if you do decide to come down. There have been many changes to the book festival in recent years and it's possible their sound systems are better now (though I am not sensitive enough to notice). Definitely in some of the less popular author talks it is easier to get a seat near the front. I had an unexpectedly good time last year, probably mostly because it was pouring rain all day and I think attendance was way down.

I'll reach out to Zoe and see what her plans are for Thanksgiving time.

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I am not working at the zoo on September 15th. Normally I would love to come up even on days when I'm not working, but I'm getting back from overseas at 7pm on the 14th so I expect I'll be exhausted all day on the 15th. I hope you guys have fun! Let me know if you need any tips. I am also now running a book club for zoo volunteers so I will let them know that there will be books around the zoo.

I have heard there are little free libraries at 2940 Newark St. (behind the Cleveland Park Library), and 2901 Cleveland Ave. (west of Woodley Park Metro) but I've never been over to check them out. There is also one on the east side of the zoo in Adams Morgan at 2817 18th St. that I have walked past.

>23 norabelle414: Thanks for the info. I'll let you know if I decide to come down.

I will not be attending the NBF. My sister-in-law from Honduras just came into town so I’ll be visiting with her that day. Have fun at the NBF, everyone!

I hope others will take advantage of visiting the Little Free Libraries you’ve listed above. There are now 75,000 Little Free Libraries world-wide!

I'm in favour of a Thanksgiving meetup! I imagine our plans will be similar to the last couple of years, flying in to DC rather than Richmond. We'd then return to DC on Sunday and have the rest of the day there before flying out on Monday morning.

>26 _Zoe_: Sounds good to me!

A bit late! At McPherson Square.

No worries! We're hanging out at the big table in the middle.

Hi everyone! Have a great time! Pictures, please. :)

All of the videos from this year's festival are now available online
https://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/results.php?mode=s&cat=88

So, since it was last discussed here, is anyone interested in a meetup on Sunday?

I have family dinner on Sunday, I'm not sure what time. As soon as I find out I'll let you know if I'm available.

Let me know. I’ll try to make it if it’s during the daytime and I can get there in reasonable time on the Metro. If not, also let me know as I have a friend here from Israel who is leaving Monday so Sunday might be my last chance to see her.

Hope everyone is enjoying a fun Thanksgiving Day!

Sunday... Sunday ... Sunday... Um... Not sure?

We're scheduled to get in around noon (with the caveat that Amtraks are always late), so we have the whole afternoon and evening free.

I need to get back home before dark so I’d have to head home from DC by latest 3:30. Is that at Union Station? What were you planning to do that day?

It really depends what other people want to do, and when. We're arriving at the Alexandria Amtrak and then dropping our stuff at the hotel, but then we can take a Lyft to wherever. Lunch is probably the first order of business. I also want to go to the main Politics & Prose, but we can do that afterward if it doesn't fit your schedule.

I will just need to know where to meet you and at what time. A place that is Metro accessible, of course.

Okay, let's see if anyone else has any preferences. I don't really know any DC restaurants. Somewhere near Politics & Prose?

Politics & Prose has some light food in the basement (https://www.politics-prose.com/the-den). There's also pizza at Comet Ping Pong (which we've gone to before, I believe) and a few other restaurants on that same block. There's also some restaurants by the closest Metro station, Tenleytown.

I'd vote for the Pizza place again

I'm having lunch with my family around noon, very far out of town. I should be back in DC by dinnertime. Are you guys staying near National airport again?

Yes - the Sheraton Pentagon City

So how about if I meet you guys at Comet Ping Pong for lunch and then we amble over to Politics and Prose for a bit? I'm not up for buying any more books (maybe one), but I'd love to browse there and hang out downstairs over coffee.

Nora, I'll be missing you since you'll be getting there after I leave. We'll need to try to set up another meetup date at some point. I miss the old crowd! :D

Brett, any chance you'll be joining us? Anyone else?

Zoe and Mark...if this is good, what time? Let me know.

I think it'll take us 45-60 minutes to get from the train station to the hotel, and then over to Comet. So if the Amtrak is on time (a big if), that would get us there around 1:00-1:15 PM.

I'll try to get to Comet Ping Pong about 1pm then. There's that big IF re the Metro red line...but I'll get there eventually!

Great! We'll also get there eventually. And we'll let you know when our train actually leaves, so you can adjust accordingly if necessary (or just get in some early book-shopping ;)).

That would be a no for me today. :( Things have happened that are keeping me close to home.

We're currently expecting a 30 minute delay (still waiting for the train)

And we actually left ~45 minutes late

Mark and Zoe, I’ll be leaving from home in about half an hour. We’ll see who gets there first! I’ll stop in Politics and Prose first until you arrive. Message me here or text me on my phone when you get here. I’ll then run over to the Pizza Place. See you soon!

Brett, I’m so sorry you can’t join us today. I hope you can make it to a future meetup.