November 09, 2006
November to Remember: The NYC Meetup, 11/18Blog
The election is over, and it leaves our community divided. We have happy macacas, upset macacas, indifferent macacas, and those who object to the term macaca. But surely the one political development of the last couple of days that has won broad-based approval is the apparent defeat of Sen. George Allen, for the reasons we all know. And in response, there have been calls for a party.
We’d love to fly all of you out to the bunker, where we could throw an outrageously debauched event away from prying eyes. Maybe someday. But for now, we offer the next best thing. On behalf of the whole crew, Vinod and myself invite you to The Sepia Mutiny “November to Remember” New York City Meetup, Saturday, November 18, 5:00 - 7:00 PM, at Epistrophy Cafe, 200 Mott Street (between Spring and Kenmare).
We’ve chosen this timing so that folks can join us and still go on to their fabulous New York evening activities, so no excuses! Epistrophy is a low-key, high-quality wine-oriented cafe with small food, both veg and non-veg, and reasonable prices. It’s owned by a couple from Sardinia and named for a Thelonious Monk classic. After 7, those who are so inclined can move on to dinner somewhere, but in the spirit of Monk, we’ll improvise.
FAQ: Regulars are welcome. Lurkers are welcome and encouraged. Aunties and Uncles are welcome. Aishwarya Rai, Kal Penn, M. Night Shyamalan, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Bipasha Basu, Jhumpa Lahiri, Arundhati Roy, Dr. Vijay, Salman Rushdie, Laloo Prasad Yadav, are all welcome. Macacas and non-macacas are welcome. Exotifiers and orientalists are welcome. Those who aren’t welcome are velcome.
Please to kindly RSVP in the comment thread, so we get a sense of numbers and whether we need to move the party to Bungalow 8 or Madison Square Garden. Zindabad!
siddhartha on November 9, 2006 11:35 AM in Blog · T·r·a·c·k·b·a·c·k address · Direct link · Email post
I vill attend
Wow, Siddhartha, what a big tent you've set up. Is George Allen welcome? I think he may have some time on his hands. Also, what about Lou Dobbs? Can Dr. Sanjay Gupta bring him along as his date?
I am so down..even tho not a wine drinker but beer'll do.
R. S. V. and P. me ....bungalow 8 is gonna be packed
Steven Colbert had the ultimate solution to the only two things Lou Dobbs ever discusses (outsourcing and immigration). Since immigrants cross the border in search of jobs, if we outsource all the jobs in America then they won't cross the border....
Isn't Gupta a neurosurgeon? He seems entirely too pleasant and not quite arrogant enough for a neurosurgeon, but maybe that's because he's in front of the camera and not actually sucking blood clots out of people's brains.
Little Rootie Tootie, this lurker and her friend shall attend - 2 please.
Ooh, misterioso!
Ok, so this time, for real-for real, I'm down. Count me in! No last minute cancellations!!
What the hell? Tony Kanal's not welcome?
Sounds like fun to me.
Count me in as a probable attendee. Or something like that.
Siddhartha,
I don't know about the word "macaca", but we should definitely try to promote "Zindabad !" as the desi gangsta version of "Peace" when signing-off.
Doing the "z" letter with one's fingers is a little tricky, though.....
I propose that we use the new term as frequently as possible here on SM and start the revolution right now, in order to commemorate yesterday's events.
Zindabad !!! *Gangsta scowl*
There's an 80% chance I'll be in NYC that weekend. If so, I'm there, and might bring a friend.
anyone from the DC/Bmore area wanting to carpool?
This'll be my first
Are SM meets good for singles?? if yes let me know, one of my gfs wants a nice boy (i am too young for her) to live with happily ever after....
ps. anybody from Jersey wanna carpool??
I'll be there
I, the Missus and a cousin shall be there.
ah I reach NYC on nov 23rd..!!
Um, eep, would you like to move it to DC? We could invite some Virginians. ...
...at least it isn't kanada.
is there a desi connection to epistrophy that's lost on me? there's certainly lots of us that tend to hang out there.
i'll be there.
it's probably as desi as greco. ;)
I'm there. Did you extend an invitation to George Allen?
Only after the Mutineers see who is asking.
how do the introductions work?
do we need labels to display our pseudonym/name - kritic/my name
ANNA banana are you coming? Please please please please????
Razib,
Paaji please. It's spelt "Kaneda".
Zindabad !!!
Sardinians are kind of brown...
Oye, zindabad is not enough, you have to say "Inquilab zindabad!" with a red (sepia?) salute....
do you guys intend to have another meet around Nov 23/24/25?
We're far too cool for that (and "Macaca Zindabad" is too obvious).
The last NYC meetup was in August. What do you think?
lol, probably not then...
im in. how do i know how to find you all?
The best thing about being Sikh..easily spottable!
Count me (regular lurker) in.
Zindabad!
I might come if you promise not to talk about politics and macacas the whole time.
only if thanksgiving was on the 18th..*sigh*
"Vinod and myself"? Echoes of Government College, Ambala?
And Jai-praji, onnu lekhden kaneyda, nawt kaneda.
Enjoy the party, y'all.
Z'bad!
No promises, no regrets. Brown is a battlefield.
Let me rephrase: Vinod and my fine, beige, mixed-race, callipygian macaca self.
Z'bad!
I'm there and bringing my larkha. Cheers!
Look for brownz. Or make like the rest and ask "SM?? "SM??" and risk being hazed that way!
I'll be there to talk about nonpolitical mcacaness Sonia don't worry :-)
J -
she better be!
Jeet:
I'm most likely taking the train in from Jersey - where do you live?
Sona-Mona: Can't wait to see you! And your manz! :D
I live in North Brunswick, but i'll be in Jersey City so if you wanna make a grand entrance together..email me ur locashoon
Hi, I will be in New York for a movie shoot for the next two weeks. Can I come too?
I love Monk's stuff!
All are welcome, I think...
are you THE sameera reddy????
Oops, sorry people (Jeet). I was the one pretending to be Sameera. It was supposed to be a joke. Stupid of me. I should have put in a smiley or something to indicate so. Sorry to raise false hopes.
I'll be switching trains at Newark - did you plan on taking the Path in? I can meet you at a Path station. :)
I wish that I could be there, but I have shamefully scheduled a trip out of town for that weekend. What is wrong with me?!
Fuerza & Puliogre
I was gonna drive there...so if you guys want, you can meet outside the PathStation at Newport, JC at 4:30?
ashas dad:
gupta is indeed a neurosurgeon... graduated from michigan in their 7 yr program then continued on for residency...finished up by being a white house fellow during clinton years..then made his way down south to Emory where he operates once a week (supposedly)... i've never seen him in 5 years.. who the hell knows where he is.. (although a good friend of mine who is a neurosurgery chief this year swears he operates)... surgery is an art of practice...i'd want someone who operates all the time...not one who does it sporadically...also he just got board certified this summer.. a few years after he graduated...don't know why...most places don't hire unless you are board certified... i guess he smiled and blinded/dazzled with those overly pearly whites..
the bean (who admittedly knows WAY too much about this nonsense ;))
done. ill be standing next to the sign for the courtyard mariott wearing a black mens fedora. my cell is .
vaat - puliogre is an east coast tambram.. :-o ... and i thot puliogre was some hairy dude from california via patiala.
this is very confusing. i need to chew this over a samosa and a chai.
and folks, i got to 'fess up. i'm the real sameera reddy. i break coconuts in my thundrous thighs (de-pillated of course).
done....pimp!
p.s: i have it saved :P
Puliogre,
It isn't smart to put your email or phone number on a comment board (in the text of a comment). I edited your email so internet spiders can't grab it and spam the hell out of you. Are you sure you want to leave your number up?
this may be a dumb question, but what does "zindabad" mean and how is it pronounced?
zindabad : u can relate it to 'hail' as in 'hail the victory'.
pronounced as: zin-da-baad (someone can do a phonetic translation).
I'll be there.
When is it gonna be a DC thing?
When is it gonna be a DC thing?
I'm not sure about that but am sure it's gonna be hard for it to be an Austin thing..
i'll also be coming in from Jersey City. Meet up with rockstar? ;)
A regular lurker..first time attending a meetup! :)
Sweet!
I missed the LA meet and now just by luck will be in NYC for the weekend.
Love to meet all you guys and maybe can get some info on a nice place to hangout on saturday night!
jainrockstar
Done Jeet. :) See you then.
I can just see the comedy sketch from this... a few desis standing outside the station attracts the attention of more desis who begin to stand around that group [thinking that something cool is up or perhaps free items will be given out] quickly snowballing in size...And then, Jeet drives up and voila...more people than can fit in the vehicle!
good call. pl kill it. thanks.
He owns a lorry, dont ask - I just know that.
NO Desh
Right now I have three (plus me) and it can fit five nice-sized-macacas. But your theory might come true...especially at Newport all you see is desis!
I'm down - I won't need a ride back either. Jeet, do you still have space? ::: batting eyelashes :::
I can be there waiting w/ a little more cleavage out than necessary if it helps...
Then you might never actually make it into NYC!
how can i compete with that?!
LMAO..i am just gonna ignore the cleavage comments and others
Right now it is me, Puliogre, Fuerza and a jain rock star
puliogre is a classic madrasi dish - is it not ? every time i see the name puliogre i can almost taste the real thing :)
Right now I have three (plus me) and it can fit five nice-sized-macacas. But your theory might come true...especially at Newport all you see is desis!
Jeet, I just wanted to let you know that it'll just be moi and no guest. :) My guest will meet us at the venue.
Hell, if she got the cleavage, then I got some legs...;) hehe
..... too easy.
Aw Deepa, just read your message. I'm excited to see you too.
And to meet everyone on this thread, of course ;).
Hopefully more than 1 person will take pics at this event...(and watch the whereabouts of the cameras!)
FROM COMEDY CENTRAL's website:
The man who inspired George Allen to utter the word "macaca" and galvanized his fellow South Asian Americans to deliver the Senate to the Democratic party. At least, that's how they're calling it at Pakistan's News:
"Pakistanis and Indians living in Virginia apparently returned the 'Macaca' insult by defeating Senator George Allen on Tuesday, costing President Bush and his Republican Party the all-important control of the new Senate . . .
"It would be one of the costliest loss to the ruling party and President Bush and it appears the Indian and Pakistani community of Virginia have taken their sweet revenge," a Republican Pakistani community leader commented."
I think SM should write to Comedy Central to protest against this blog entry. How dare these Pakistanis feel insulted by a slur against an Indian like Siddharth. No slur against Siddharth can apply to a Pakistani and vice versa. Dont they know that? Do they think they are similar to us in ANY WAY or something?
S.R. Sidarth. The man, the myth, the legend! He deserves to be interviewed by the Sepia, if not a famed guest blogger spot. I mean, he's the king macaca, for pete's sake! Does this kid have any idea, what he's done?!
Macaca Zindabad!
ALM,
Simple things first: Did you notice they always use "Pakistanis and Indians"
Did they ever use the term "South Asian"?
Me know nothing, Me know nothing. I know no English. Only Bhojpuri.
relax man. have a joint or something.
Sorry for threadjacking in the above comment. I just can't love this macaca enough!!
yes that can be very relaxing indeed - pc out
He's getting a lot of sex offers in the comments here. Where are the sex offers for the bloggers who kept this going?? I hope "Yo Dad" isn't reading this.
Can we get an LA meetup up in here?
oh HELLZ no. Y'all in NYC can party it up for Macacagate? No way, Jose. This is a local DC matter. AJP, where are you? There's booze to be drunk, dammit.
I am going to threadjack like a mofo and suggest this Saturday, y'all DC / VA / MD / SM macacas join me for a beer at Whitlow's in Clarendon around 7pm.
Who's in?
ok. In December.
i bet there are droves of unclejis and auntieji's (maybe even your parents) who're making like rabbits right now.
i'm sure June-July next year is going to see droves of littel macaques into the world.
the world as we know it has changed. etc.
go out ye little monkeys and sow those million mutinies now.
Bee:
Ask, and ye shall receive.
wooohooo!!!! I have a very special request to have it in the first 1/2 or 2/3 of the month 'cause I'm going out of town to see the fam at the end of Dec and I TRAGICALLY missed the last la meetup and i really want to go!! (please?)
It will have to be since SM is closing down its LA Bureau just before Christmas and relocating to the South because the City of Los Angeles would not give us a tax break for building a new office building.
living up to the rep indeed.
virginia is for lovers.
Whitlow's? I hate to be a DC snob, but can't we do this in the city? If not, I'll try to make it out to NoVa, but can't guarantee.
I am in.
I would gladly have suggested a DC hangout, but THIS WAS A VIRGINIA COUP!!! Ergo...
We can all put aside our B&T aversions for an evening, dammit!
do it during xmas/new years end of december time abhi and i might even be able to make it out to the city of angels..;).. nothing before the 18th however...
Fair point. I woke up at 4AM on Tuesday and hauled my butt out to NoVa to stand outside a polling precinct all day on behalf of the Webb campaign, so I'm feeling the love for VA. My request had less to do with B&T aversions than with logistics -- have plans in DC that evening and it would be easier to do both things if they were close by. If others respond and there's a Whitlow's consensus -- although there's no reason for them to be reading this thread, is there? -- I'll try to drag myself out to NoVa again.
a) Anna has been out all day
b) I think she was already planning a DC meetup for this weekend IN THE CITY.
stay tuned...
ok, well, don't keep us hanging, AJP. I'll defer to whatever plans she comes up with. Whitlow's can wait.
@jeet and his entourage - it's a desi's car. It will fit more people than it's rated for.
I'll be there.
inquilab zindabad.
eddi, nee vaadi. ninne kandittu ethra naal ayi.
is Sendhil Ramamurthy invited?
puliogre is a KANNADA DISH!!!!!!!!!!!
sad i don't live on the east coast to meet all of you! hope you have a fabulous time.
when is the next SFBAY meet up??
I hope Sidarth did use/is using his brief fame to 'get some'; but with his being a shy, 20 yr old desi kid, somehow I doubt it.
I hope Sidarth did use/is using his brief fame to 'get some'; but with his being a shy, 20 yr old desi kid, somehow I doubt it.
"let brown turn your world upside down."
I will be delighted to attend.
If someone is still counting through all that...count me in. Usually simply lurk...
41 tambram male married with kids NYmetro since fob 93 CA banking
I Consume: NyTimes, New Yorker, Economist, Time, Colbert, occasionally Jon Stewart, Saat Phere ;)
Thamizh movies, epaper.thehindu chennai edition, & of course, SM!
If you are going, 'how predictable!!'....that's exactly the expression I'm shooting for.
I had to see who owns macaca.com. I was hoping something like santorum.com.
Alas. It belongs to some Spanish people.
But if you hurry up, some interesting variants (...net/web/blog.com etc.) are still up for grabs.
It's been interesting following the US election news from Europe (Prague, Frankfurt, and now Paris). I just struggled through today's Le Monde (my French is intolerably bad for having studied it to fluency, albeit 15 years ago) and one of the headlines roughly translated to Bush Beat Down. As a recent Californian, I love that Pelosi is speaker, but no one knows her outside the US. I wonder/hope if that will change.
I thought you might find the following story interesting. I flew into Charles de Gaulle airport this evening, and my cousin and her husband who live here picked me up. We were just about to pull out of the parking spot, when a huge black van pulled up blocking our path, and half a dozen black vested Frenchie police jumped out and surrounded the car. They immediately separated us and started asking questions. My US passport was soon extracted and examined (it has not served me well in the past - in Tunis's Med port, they found the combination of my Nigerian birth, Arabic name, American passport, and Bangladeshi good looks to be wholly unbelievable and insisted I produce my "real" passport). This time, it appeared my blue jeans and blue hair was the right combination to dissuade further questioning. However, my poor cousin, dressed in a lovely shalwar kamis unfortunately obscured by a puffy down coat, was so nerve wracked by the experience that she couldn't speak properly. I was then pulled into her line of questioning to ostensibly translate their awkward English questions (about her visa, legitimacy, and papers) into my (shitty) Bangla.
We found out late into ze affaire that there is some illegal private taxicabbing going on, and we had parked inconveniently close to the taxi area. Once they determined that we were related and legal and so on, they let us go with a unsatisfying "desole."
What's interesting is that the whole time I had disturbing thoughts of being hauled off and decitizenised and so on. And my cousin and her husband, while upset and frazzled, were not afraid, at least not in that vein. Why did I expect the worst so quickly? Is it so bad in America? Well, really, it can't be, not with sharp silly sexy blogs like yours. I'm sorry I won't be there for your NYC party. I'll be (sort of) keeping an eye on y'all from Dhaka (my next stop). Keep up the good work. Abeer
Will be there. Dare someone stop me !!
Can i bring Dada Kondke too ?
Which of the SM blogmeisters are going to be there for sure...just so I know how many bullets to carry !!
I'll shag SR-71 Siddarth. Be there at the meetup you silly scruffy boysie woysie.
We are strong
No one can tell us we're wrong
Searchin' our hearts for so long
Both of us knowing
[brown is a battlefield]...
Thank you Pat Macacatar.
I might be there, if I can get this song out of my head for long enough to concentrate.
Simple things have simple answers. The Comedy Central blog omitted the SA quote from the original News article.
are the under 21 (but 18 or above) welcome?
Scandalous! :)
This is turning out to be a potentially severely cheeky meetup, innit.
YES!
Yes, Allen has been "macaca-nated"!
In the words of the great rap artist Chris Bridges (aka "Ludacris"), "MOVE b#*ch! Get out the way!..."
Sidenote: Just saw the menu - it's cash only. Make sure to hit those ATM's pre-meetup!
oh My! Looks like this meetup is going to be huggggggeeeeee!
Take lots of pictures for Sepia Mutiny and everyone smile :)
Vait, vait, vait. What's all this about? ARE YOU LEAVING US??? And does that mean there will be no more LA meetups after December?
*sigh* I don't know how many times I've said "I wish I lived in NY" on SM, but it has to be said again: I wish I lived in NY :(
Ech, I don't even live in LA right now...
Take lots of pictures, you East Coast mutineers!
I still crave for the Austin meetup which would never happen and am gonna miss this NYC meetup :(
>>7 · Desi In Seattle on October 30, 2006 06:39 PM · Direct link
>>Hmm... no one from Seattle here? There are days I hate living here for more than the weather !
So the above comment was actually from a 10/30/06 post that I just read in response to the Chicago Meet-Up, but I just had to post it here in hopes that the author (and other Seattle desis) might actually see it. I was so excited to come across it!!! I second the sentiment that there is a serious lack of macaca community in this town. I know there are microsofties peppered around (mostly on the eastside), but what about everyone else? (I'm a med resident, btw, but don't hold it against me for not having deviated from the proverbial beaten track...topic for another day)
So I propose a meet-up of our own. Is anybody else down? I'm happy to organize...target date 11/18. (sorry to interject in this thread...but this is a serious issue in the emerald city, with no real other way to access people...)
I really wish I could be there, especially to celebrate the macacas throwing George Allen out of politics, but I'm out of town that weekend :(
I will try to make it but, at the moment, it looks unlikely. However, my schedule might feel compelled to rearrange itself if we play games. Lets draw figurative self-portraits. We'll get to know eachother throughout the evening and at the end we'll play 'match the metaphor'! you know you wanna...
Seriously?
...
Is it going to be at the Griffith Observatory?
Ennis,
Can we have a Chicago meetup? I know we just had a meetup ... but everyone seems to be planning a meetup and Chicago shouldn't be left out.
Please please...
December 1st weekend anyone?
By the way, ANYONE can organize an SM meet-up in their city. Just place meet-up event (for a given date) on our Event Tab and include your email address using the form so other mutineers in your area can respond to you and you can coordinate. Nobody ever said you need a blogger for a meet-up. Go forth and mutiny. :)
my plane back from india lands at 3.30 -- if i'm on time, i'll be there.
Count me in (am sure I wont be sick this time!), and I promise to bring my camera :) It'd be fun to eat masala dosa's in chilly winter !
I canvassed those in attendance last time, and they indicated that they wanted to wait until Spring, and were less inclined to wander outside in the winter.
Finally someone got it! 1980s pop kulcha points for you, tamasha.
oh. i spoke too soon. mounam samadham. i won't be able to make it during the evening, revolutionaries, but if the celebration proceeds close to the witching hour, i hope to be in the vicinity by then.
just to keep this thread on track - though the tangents are entirely enjoyable - if you think you might attend the meet-up and haven't said so here yet, please do! and there will be a reminder thread a few days before the event.
Macaca please. If there's anything I know, it's ridiculous 80s music!
Its is not THAT cold and if you call, they will come.
Ravneet is in. Lets meet to celebrate macaca good over evil even if it is a handful of us. I am *CRAVING* some south indian food.
Abhi, thanks for the gentle suggestion to utilize the Events tab for this purpose...I'd forgotten it exists. Although seriously, I don't know who checks that tab with any regularity except maybe for folks from a few cities (ie NYC, Boston, SF, LA).... *Sigh*
Any Seattleites out there, feel free to check out the Events tab and give me a shout if interested in coordinating an Emerald City meet-up...
This is a Virginia victory, so shouldnt the VA/DC/MD area be celebrating....? hint hint. Wish I could be at the meetup, but its my birthday and I already have plans that day, other than that I would have had my Amtrak ticket in my hand! LOTS of pictures people! You guys should have a gigantic meetup with all the bloggers in attendance, I vote for it to be in DC, it is the nations capital, and this is an American blog! :)
I'll be there, along with a friend.
East coast browns and their meetups are over-represented. We need to redistribute browns, bloggers and the meetups for the sake of fairness and in proportion to total brown population. California wins.
Well, it won't be that cold, going by what we can brave all winter long. :) Let us try to ping people.
Well we did have some hot south indian y;day at Udipi @ Schaumburg, but yeah the hot sambhar and spicy chutney can draw me out once again.
I am coming. But I have a real Macaca that I carry around. Can I bring him too?
Salil, ANNA, SM Intern,
if you do do a DC/VA/MD meetup this weekend, can you do it for sunday afternoon....pwweeeeese :P
I agree!
Here is what the stats say about SM visitors since Sept. These are the top 5 states:
State Visits
California 74,000
New York 51,000
Texas 26,000
New jersey 24,000
Illinois 20,000
The point is that we HEAR you. These poll numbers say that we need to open an office in Texas right away. We already have offices in or near the other states. SM listens to its readers (but only when it suits us).
lurker here
im in! looking for to meeting all of you!
Well I understand that you need to spread the brownness but lets look at the facts. Most of the bloggers have an affiliation with DC, Anna lives here, Abhi's parents live here, Amardeep was raised her. And the N. Yorkers can drive down. Dont hate, DC wins, mega meetup in DC!:)
Kenyandesi, we cant have a meetup on Sunday, I cant have a hangover on Monday! :)