Otakon AMV Dinner Thursday

[Squancho]

I'm all for a meetup Thursday night. AMV nerds UNITE!

[Gaelstrom]

I'm definitely up for Thursday. I'd be up for another dinner Saturday too, but chances are there'll be stuff I want to see, so Thursday is ideal. I'm not too familiar with area restaurants, I just tend to default to Five Guys with my buddies who come with me every year, so I'll follow whatever is recommended. California Pizza Kitchen may crumble under a larger group, but if we just get several pizzas or something, that should streamline things for them in general.

The big thing I'm curious about is how do we coordinate a meeting/find each other in the restaurant we go to since at least in general we don't know what we look like ^^ I guess there could be a reservation put for "AMV Creators" or something and then we just ask the host which table it is, but that would only work for certain places.

[Honou_Miko]

I've gone totally nuts recommending this place in the Otakon forums, but if you're willing to walk a good bit north, there is an AMAZING Chinese place that is pretty much ideal for large groups. They have massive tables with lazy susans in the middle for sharing purposes, and fantastic food. As I mentioned in the forums (sorry if anyone has seen me rave incessantly about the place there as well, I must be annoying) they have a good amount of authentic stuff, and dim sum all day... but the Chinese-American stuff is also extremely well prepared. So, you can order chicken feet or you can order General Tso's chicken; either way it'll be delicious. (though I guess technically I can't speak for the chicken feet as I have not tried them YET but their sticky rice served in a lotus leaf is also amazing if you're going for authenticity)

Damn, now I'm hungry.

But yeah, I've raved enough about the food - my main point was originally that they are completely ideal for a large group (but still, I'd bring cash to avoid bill confusion). So, throwing it out there. It is, however, a good walk from the harbor. Here's their site (unfinished but still lol): http://mysite.verizon.net/biz124o3t/

I'm always sort of hesitant to commit to dinners where I have not met anyone, but I think fellow AMV makers are a different story. I'm all for it.

[Parodic Productions]

Oh! That place on Park Avenue. There's a Chinese convenience store right next to it, I sometimes go there to buy noodles or rice. Lady there always watching Asian soaps. Other than that, don't know much about the place.

Park Avenue, however, can be pretty risky. Lots of barren spots and stores. I mean, it's pretty safe to walk, in fact I walk it just about everyday, but I've only done so during the daylight. All in all, it depends on your mileage and how willing you are to walk there.

I'll check it out, though, at least to gauge the place itself. And if we're talking places north, I'll dig up some info on some other restaurants around the area. Maybe even south. Hell, maybe one of them places inside the hotels; they sometimes have good food. Here and there. We'll see.

I'll be in Ocean City this coming weekend, so it may take a while. Feel free to share more ideas amongst yourselves. And PM me if you can commit to meeting up on Thursday.

[Honou_Miko]

Oh! That place on Park Avenue. There's a Chinese convenience store right next to it, I sometimes go there to buy noodles or rice. Lady there always watching Asian soaps. Other than that, don't know much about the place.

Park Avenue, however, can be pretty risky. Lots of barren spots and stores. I mean, it's pretty safe to walk, in fact I walk it just about everyday, but I've only done so during the daylight. All in all, it depends on your mileage and how willing you are to walk there.

I'll check it out, though, at least to gauge the place itself. And if we're talking places north, I'll dig up some info on some other restaurants around the area. Maybe even south. Hell, maybe one of them places inside the hotels; they sometimes have good food. Here and there. We'll see.

I'll be in Ocean City this coming weekend, so it may take a while. Feel free to share more ideas amongst yourselves. And PM me if you can commit to meeting up on Thursday.

I live further north in Mount Vernon, go to school at the Peabody Conservatory over by the monument... so I'm very familiar. I'd say walking up Charles or Cathedral and then crossing back over is a good bet. (and yes, LOL at the lady watching the soaps!)

I learned all about walking the safe streets and crossing over the hard way - wanted to find Patisserie Poupon with my friend, in the middle of the winter, and ended up walking through the red light district on East Baltimore Street (the bakery is significantly further east than that, but still on that street), with a bunch of guys asking us "hey girls, you must be cold, come on inside" ffs we just wanted cake. (cake is a lie?)

But yeah, I will let you know - I am actually waiting to hear back from that friend to make sure she is absolutely coming to the con (she is at home in Europe), and I'll ask if she's willing to join me for the dinner.

Another place that MIGHT accomodate a group pretty well is Iggie's Pizza, but it's pretty far north... but everyone can order their stuff separately, and they call out your number to grab it. Both places (this and the Chinese place) are BYOB... but Iggie's doesn't accept reservations, so it's a gamble for a big group. They have a big long table in the middle but it's entirely possible that may be taken. But, throwing it out there along with any other ideas. If I can think of more group-friendly places I will post!

[Gaelstrom]

Ya know... reading that reminds me of when I brought a friend of mine to Otakon for the first time a couple years ago. He's a rather Otaku-looking guy, and his movements and such mimick that stereotype. And while I'm originally an east-coaster, but grew up in Connecticut, I'm generally comfortable in cities (my aunt's in Manhattan).

As it was getting darker and we were making a jaunt to a Subway for a sandwich, this rather attractive blond woman in a mid-length skirted business suit waiting at the cross walk with us looks at the two of us and says, "Be careful around here at night guys, it's a bad neighborhood" and walked off. Now I must say, in that moment, I just grinned ^^ The dangling Otakon badges probably didn't help, but I remember turning and seeing my friend looking really... out of place. I'm sure I wasn't the most in-place myself, but I just facepalmed that a beautiful woman who I would be worried about in that area warning us to be careful. In that regard, I guess the point is I decided not to travel too far into the city. I must say that last anecdote of yours Miko definitely makes this "traveling north" journey not very appetizing I'd prefer a place that's easily identifiable and not a tremendous distance from the con, but as long as we can make sure we know where it is, I can google maps it and find my way. Let's just make sure it's not too long a walk for those of us with no transportation, or knowledge of which streets are the good ones

Heh, and on our way back from the Subway, my friend was walking behind me a bit and we were coming up on a few black guys, some walking slower in front of us, and another few just hangin' out on the side of a building. Nothing threatening, but then of course his dumb ass chose that exact moment to decide to say "We should head back so we find more of our kind" (meaning anime fans). Well I generously told him to shut the fuck up as harshly and quietly as I could before we stopped by the 7-11 to grab drinks and I could explain to his stupefied expression, "Would you consider that two clean-cut white dudes meandering around this neighborhood talking about 'our kind' might perhaps be a really retarded thing to say?" I promised him I'd never let him live that one down ^^

Ah, memories...

[Gaelstrom]

Has there been a consensus on which restaurant would be most appropriate? I'm good for anything within walking distance of the convention center and the hotels.

[Honou_Miko]

I must say that last anecdote of yours Miko definitely makes this "traveling north" journey not very appetizing

Hahah, see, that's the problem with Baltimore. It's SO spotty. I have to travel north to get home anyway (and yes I have walked it, in my Misa cosplay, but I know which roads to take - however I did NOT do this at night O_o). The fact that the red light district was so close to that wonderful, harmless French bakery... yeah. It really is a question of turning the wrong corner. Going straight up Charles street is pretty safe, though, especially if you're with someone.

[Davis 51]

I would LOVE to join a bunch of fellow editors on Saturday after Iron Editor (it's usually the last event I go to anyway on Saturday evenings, and I've never had a chance to make one of these dinners before).

[Squancho]

I'd do the Saturday night thing but AMV Salad is set to premiere at 10pm and I don't wanna miss it this year.