Welcome aboard, HySpeed!!
I can come too.
You can safely put me in the Maybe category.
I would love to come on down—I am about a four hour drive away—but gas is just expensive right now.
Ok, I just completed a scouting mission of potential locations. I want feedback on these as well as any other suggestions people may have. Here are the paramaters to follow. The location must be
[ul]
[li]Midtown[/li][li]Not stupidly expensive[/li][li]Relatively quiet so conversation can be heard[/li][li]Be able to have around 10 sit together[/ul]With those parameters I selected the following places:[/li]
Mars 2112
Location: 1633 Broadway, at 51st St
Pros: It is a science fiction themed restaurant for frak sakes. It starts with a spaceship ride that gets you to the restaurant. This place has a high kitch factor and if you have a sense of humor could be funny.
Cons: It is a science fiction themed restaurant off of Times Square. It is built for big groups and the reviews of the food are mixed. Tourists lurk everywhere
Menu: Entrees are around $20
My assessment: This place will be hit or miss. I have not eaten there so I can’t vouch for the food. I asked the staff there about crowds, and they said generally not an issue on Saturdays. Given the science fiction theme I had to throw it in the ring, but I can say this is not a place I would ever choose given any other situation.
Inside Park
Location: 109 E 50th St
Pros: Atmosphere…you are sitting on a terrace on Park Avenue. Awesome.
Cons: Limited menu.
Menu: Limited menu, entrees are mid $20s
My assessment: Atmosphere makes up for a lot of the cons. It is an easy location to get to and generally relaxed. You do pay for the atmosphere tho, literally.
Astons
Location: 208 E 50th St, Btwn 2nd & 3rd Ave
Pros: A “nice pub”. Good atmophere, can seat many.
Cons: Besides it not being a huge location, I can’t think of any.
Menu: $20s
My assessment: If I were forced to chose a place right now, this would be the safest bet. Good restaurant, good atmosphere. Clean and pleasant.
Muldoons
Location: 692 3rd Ave, Btwn 43rd & 44th St
Pros: This is a classic Irish pub. People are friendly and the bartenders know what to do when you simply ask for, “A pint” (I’ll give you a hint…you are in an Irish pub…).
Cons: This isn’t a dive bar, but it is close. It is not spic and span and can be a little dirty around the edges.
Menu: Under $10
My assessment: This is where I would go after work with colleagues ten years ago and still swing by occasionally. It ain’t pretty, but it feels like home to me. The menus are underneath the glass on each table, there is ample room to hang out, especially in the back. If you want a glimpse of New York from 30 years ago, this is the place to go.
As a follow-up I think I’ll perhaps take one for the team and swing by Muldoons tonight to recheck it out. It has been almost a year since I’ve been there and want to make sure it still matches my description. All in all I suspect the conversation will boil down to Muldoons v Ashtons, but I leave it to you fellow GWCers.
A good resource if you want to look at any menus (and prices) is menupages.com. I can’t link to the menus, so you will have to look them up if you are interested.
Let me say what has already been said. Solai is the best.
I’m leaning toward Astons also.
Well I am not real picky and don’t know much about the city, so what ever the locals (or those who are in the city every work day) decide is best I am game for.
CRAP!
Well, I just finished listening to Podcast 109 and learned of the meetup in NYC this weekend. And of course I’m leaving for Maine tomorrow for 2 weeks.
Wish I could be there! Have fun without me.
I’m in Jersey now and it would be a snazzy thing if I could stop up. Short notice, so I cannot say yes definitively, but I’m a strong maybe. Especially if I can convince a couple of friends to ride up with me.
Mars 2112 - bad food, not so bad drinks (And by then I will probably have eaten and want a beer). It would go with the theme, yes.
I won’t be able to attend, much as I’d love to…I’ll be at Tanglewood Saturday night watching John Williams conduct ! Damn…(ok, I actually quickly ran this past my wife…blowing off the concert and me driving into the city, as we’ll be in upstate NY this weekend…you can’t imagine the withering look I got)…So with much regret I must take a pass. Sooner or later though I’m going to have to meet at least ONE other GWC person, right??
Hey, who’s up for a Copake, NY meetup next week ??
I’m down for a “Maybe.”
I must agree with my fellow Jerseyan, 33MinuteMan, the food at Mars 2112 sucks and is overpriced.
I’m good with either Muldoons or Astons - both sound just fine, my kind of place (did you say Pub?). Though if Chuck and/or Sean would prefer 2112 I would be fine with that too, as it is a little more in-keeping with our Sciffi theme. Really I’m good with anywhere.
I’ll be driving into the city from NJ and parking at Port Authority, then cabbing to the final location. Anyone out my way that wants to carpool in is welcome, I’ll be leaving from Clifton, NJ near where Rt 3 and Rt 46 meet.
Really looking forward to meeting all of you - teriby sorry Solai can’t be there. Thanks for all your help on this, sir!
DarkTerritory
Same here, Muldoons or Astons sound good. OK, who do we have to bribe Solai for you to join us?
Ha. Big family weekend. Brothers and sisters coming in from out of town, the works. It is impossible for me to join, sadly.
Packing kidnapping equipment Oh more people…hmmm. Packing more kidnapping equipment
If you’re taking requests, swing by SD and kidnap me too!
Gonna need a bigger boat
Is that a fat joke? :D:D:D
I’ve got to pack more twinkies. That’s a fat joke!
Ok - just checking!