Re: Hivemind Activate!

1

I wasn't present at the previous one -- did AWB's 35th street bar work out well? Another place in the 30's that is supposed to be good is Gingerman; also Under the Volcano.

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2

Speaking of which -- if you are the person I was talking to at Bohemian Beer Garden who was telling me about a semi-regular meetup at Gingerman, I have forgotten who you were and the meetup details you provided me with. Care to recapitulate?

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3

(How's that for a biscuit conditional, Ttam?

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4

That's an interesting case. If you were addressing a single person and said, "If you were the one who told me about a semi-regular meetup at the Gingerman, I've forgotten the details about the meetup," it would be a straight-up biscuit conditional. As it is, it combines that bit of biscuit conditionality with some peculiar features of a speech act directed to the multitudes; Andy Egan uses the example of (approx.) a motivational speaker saying to an auditorium full of people, "You have the power to take control of your life, even if the rest of these schmucks don't." And "I've forgotten who you were" is an interesting locution, since it clearly doesn't mean "I've forgotten who you, the person I'm speaking to, are" but "I've forgotten who was telling me." Combine all this, and I'm not sure whether it is a biscuit conditional or something weirder.

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5

A McMuffin conditional, maybe.

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6

It was Scott Lemeiux of LGM, the semi-regular meetup is on Mondays at 6 at the Gingerman, IIRC. And the Gingerman would be a fine place for Teofest 2006 as well.

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7

Aww, I'll be in NY August 12-16... no way for another meet up, huh?

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8

*delurking*
Gingerman/Under the Volcano are actually quite good choices for that stretch of neighborhood, especially for the beer snobs. Also, most of the bars around there end up full of the irritating post-frat-boy midtown professional types -- this is much less the case at GM/UtV.

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9

7: Eh, no reason why we couldn't round some people up for a drink after work. Idealist should be back in town by then, so if he can make it you'll have some ideological company.

8: No reason a lurker shouldn't show up, if you'd like. If this were meant to be private, we'd do it by email.

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10

Thanks, LB!

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11

Okay, so where are these places exactly?

(Thanks everybody.)

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12

The Gingerman is on 36th St. between 5th Ave. and Madison Ave. (this is very close to Penn Station and PATH trains to NJ if that's how you're getting back and forth). Under the Volcano is right next door. The Web site should have directions to both.

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13

The Gingerman looks good to me.

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14

Cool! what about the time? I would get over there around 5:30. Is 5:30 or 6 good for everyone?

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15

I'll be later than that, but no one should schedule around me.

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16

Also: does anybody know if The Gingerman is named after the Donleavey novel of the same name, or is the similarity of names a coincidence? Is there any relationship between the books The Gingerman and Under the Volcano (which latter I have not read)?

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17

Any time is good for me.

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18

Clown. @ 16: Yeah it is as far as I know; I think the MNH pub offshoot of the original in Dublin (there's also a Ginger Man in Houston, which I went to often when my girlfriend was living there, and which is also connected). Under the Volcano, which is owned by the same folks and is next door, is also named after the Lowry novel (and hence the mexican/tequila theme).

I am not in the paid employ of either of these places, so I'm not sure why I know this.

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19

I do not know if either of these places has outdoor tables, but it occurred to me that what might be pleasant seating on a cool May evening might be a rather sticky, humid experience in early August in the armpit that is midtown Manhattan.

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20

They're both indoors.

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21

Let's go with a nice, round number--six o'clock. Is somebody going to post the finalized info, so that putzes like me will have no excuse for getting lost/being late/wandering into the wrong bar and shouting "Who wants to sex Motombo"?

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22

Six sounds good. I'll post the final info a couple days in advance.

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23

Dang. Not that I'm in any position to come down to NYC (though it would only be 2-3 hours of driving..... rationalize, rationalize, rationalize), or any kind of a regular, but I *am* a beer snob, and Gingerman has been on the to-do list for a while.

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24

Hey a special treat is in store for those who arrive on the early side, i.e. between 6 and 7 -- my female companions will be on hand to receive your adulation and sign autographs.

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25

Oh and Felix, will you be present? I am longing to meet you.

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