June 17, 2008
Atlanta SM Meetup ... Sat, Jun 28 [Canceled]
No, that’s not a typo. Yes, Atlanta, Georgia. No, no, none of us who live in Atlanta (err… or in the boonies around it like me) refer to it as Hotlanta. Please stop using that particular illegitimate noun for good and read on …
In the spirit of spreading some Sepia to the South I’ve decided to do my part by hosting a meet-up.
I know there are tons of you , including me, (I know, I know - commenturbation, hehehe) in and around Atlanta that point your browsers here daily from both work and home (and do your actual work while taking a break and waiting for the next snarky comment), but eggjactly how many brownz live on the Southsyyyyde? I want to know. Who are you? Why do you have so much time? Where do you hang out? How long have you been suffering spring allergies in Atlanta? I have many more pointless questions. Any takers?
Please RSVP here or to chaitan at sepiamutiny dot com so I have an idea to find a place for Brunch for that day. Suggestions welcome. I’ve been behind the scenes as the site admin for too long and its time for me to get out of the bunker.
Date: Saturday, June 28, 2008.
Place: TBD
Agenda: Brunch (and whatever we feel like doing after)
Caution: I will be bringing my camera and I’m not afraid to use it.
Update: Due to an utterly bad guess on my part while imagining the schedules of my fellow SMers in Atlanta, this meetup is canceled. Looks like it’s just a case of bad timing. No break for me. Back to the bunker then. Another time perhaps …
chaitan at 10:23 PM in Meetups! · 28 comment(s) · Direct link
May 27, 2008
Toronto Meet-up Recap
Props to the “Hogtown” mutineers who showed up at Epicure Café this past Saturday. My insult (calling Canada “America Junior” because the RSVP count was low) was certainly uncalled for as over 20 readers and lurkers (and even a few commenters) represented. Neha did an outstanding job picking a place as we had an entire upstairs section to ourselves at a restaurant that overlooked Queen St. in the fashion district. No posts were discussed and no issues debated (except Obama vs. Clinton is a popular topic in Canada as well). To clear up a common misconception, SM Meet-ups are not about who knows the most about topics on the site. Instead, liquor was consumed and a good time was had by all! If you attended and want to see the rest of the pics then email me.
The monkeys in the basement of our North Dakota world blogging headquarters have been throwing around rumors of upcoming DC and NYC meet-ups (in addition to throwing their feces).
abhi at 11:06 PM in Meetups! · 2 comment(s) · Direct link
May 22, 2008
Final Reminder: SM Toronto Meet-up is Saturday
We have received quite a few RSVPs for this Saturday but I honestly expected more from Canada’s most populous city. On this side of the border some people refer to Canda as “America Junior.” I hope this won’t be a “junior-sized” meet-up as well. Neha is primed to make reservations for us. How many will it be for? Just a reminder:
abhi at 10:59 PM in Meetups! · Add comment · Direct link
May 19, 2008
SM Toronto Meet-up Saturday! North of the border love
You say you are pissed because there hasn’t been a north-of-the-border SM meet-up in 3 YEARS in 2 YEARS, eh? Well we are going to have to do something about that now aren’t we, eh? My passport is ready and Neha (a.k.a.Currylingus) is coming out of hiding to co-host (I know, I am excited about that too). There will be a Sepia Mutiny meet-up this Sat at 5p.m. in Toronto!
When: Saturday May 24th at 5p.m.
Where: The Epicure Café. Neha says, “It ain’t desi but the head chef is Sri Lankan so that counts for something ;-)”
Who: Abhi, Neha, and SM readers from Toronto or elsewhere in Canada. Readers, lurkers, commenters, and their friends/family welcome
What: Food, drinks, mutinous socializing, torrid affairs. Don’t be nervous, none of us are intelligent in person.
Why: We can’t tell you until we see you.
How: Hell, ride with a Mountie if you need to. I don’t care, just find a way.
RSVP to abhi at sepiamutiny dot com
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179,470 visitors in the past year (20,093 from Toronto alone). We know you are out there. Come for Canada. |
abhi at 11:01 PM in Meetups! · 20 comment(s) · Direct link
April 07, 2008
Post Vegas Wrapup
Hey folks - A quick note to say thanks to the mutineers who came out last week for the first ever Las Vegas SM Meetup.
Our first target, V-Bar, turned out to be a bit too loud and over the top for my / our convention weary self. So, we grabbed a drink across the way at David Burke and hung out for a couple of hours….
In attendance -
- Chi_Diva - representing Chicago and new to the depravity that was Vegas.
- Arun - like a total Roca, he’d just flown in a few hours before but couldn’t let a meetup go by.
- Amit - An Old Skool friend whom I hadn’t seen in a few years and managed to get married and have a baby girl in the interim.
- Sandhya - who joined us at the beginning but was swiftly whisked away by coworkers who feared our swarthiness.
- Dale - Amit’s friend / co-worker there to keep the peace
It was good seeing you all and particularly impressive that you guys came out on such short notice. Chi_diva in particular gets props for suggesting the meetup in the first place… 
vinod at 12:05 PM in Meetups! · 2 comment(s) · Direct link
April 02, 2008
Vegas ; V-Bar ; 1030pm ; TONIGHT
Hey CTIA-ing mutineers - Just a quick note that it looks like our impromptu Las Vegas Meetup will be 1030pm - midnight, Wednesday night @ the V-Bar in the Venetian hotel.
No cover, no line, no list. And may I add, no pretension, snobbery or attitude. V Bar recently went where precious few clubs have gone before by celebrating its five-year anniversary. Many a Vegas nightspot’s lifespan can be clocked from grand opening to grand closing in mere months or in the time it takes to enjoy just one cocktail. But as with a fine wine, cheese or an unpaid parking ticket, this small bar has gained complexity over time.
Sounds perfect for a bunch of convention-weary mutineers
vinod at 10:19 AM in Meetups! · 8 comment(s) · Direct link
March 30, 2008
Vegas Baby
Hey folks - I’m shipping off to Las Vegas this week for the annual CTIA wireless show. As much as I hate trade shows, they are FANTASTIC at bringing together an interesting mix of people from all across the world (while we’re at it, I’m not a fan of Vegas either but it has grown on me a bit over the years).
Tech shows, in particular, tend to pile a LOT of desis together. In the past I’ve run into so many old friends & mutineers that I’ve had to explain to my coworkers that “yep, most desis really do know each other.” For ex., and on a somewhat sadder note, Sameer & his lovely wife Reena were a couple of those CTIA “regulars.”
This time around, I got a note from mutineer Chi_Diva that she was planning to hit CTIA as well so I figured we should get ahead of things and try to do the first ever Las Vegas SM meetup.
So, 3 questions for the mutiny -
- Who else is gonna be there?
- Given tradeshow chaos, and perhaps in grand Vegas tradition, I think our best bet is to try to do the meetup late Wednesday night, Apr 2 around 10 pm or so.
- Anyone got a recommendation for a bar, ideally at a hotel in the middle of the strip, that we can meet up at?
Since we’re in Vegas, of course, we oughtta make sure this is the most Glam meetup ever .
vinod at 02:35 AM in Meetups! · 16 comment(s) · Direct link
March 06, 2008
Salmagundi
In this edition:
1) I buzz the hive mind, about Jackson Heights
2) a cool event in DC next Friday, for a good cause
3) mentions of a NY meetup
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I get a lot of different requests from you mutineers, and though I am usually not able to write back, I try to help whenever I can. I’ve also noticed that sometimes, I have a few things I’d like to bring up, but they don’t seem worthy of an entire post— asking what days might be good for a New York meetup, for example. So, every so often, I’m going to put up a post called Salmagundi [I like the word so much, it used to be an entire category on the right sidebar of my personal blog :)] and it will contain a few utterly unrelated but mutinous things. Either that, or I’ll use SM’s newly-created Twitter account to ask questions like the one below:
Dear Anna
I was wondering if you knew when Jackson Heights would be closed if they close at all? We are planning on coming to NYC for 2 days as my husband needs a visa. So I thought we would go to Jackson Heights when somebody mentioned that they were not sure but it may be closed on either Monday or Tuesday.
That’s a question from one of our faithful readers. I want to help, because next week is spring break and that’s when they want to go, but I don’t know the answer! I went to Jackson Heights a few times when I lived in NYC, but I never did anything useful, like pay attention. I usually bought pista kulfi on the street (blew my mind, every time…I could do this in America? Don’t hate, I grew up somewhere 98% pale), looked for Hema Malini DeeWeDees and then got back on the subway. So, what’s up Jackson Heights-area mutineers? When, if ever, does brown-town shut down?
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Next chunk of stew-y goodness: A special event, NEXT WEEK (thanks, Kenyandesi) at the historic Bohemian Caverns in DC (now home to SubDrift), starring Cheb i Sabbah, someone I tend to associate with home (yay urrea).
Legendary DJ, producer and global electronica icon Cheb i Sabbah returns to DC for the first time in many years with his special blend of outernational beats and lush organic soundscapes at electroganic 001 on march 14 @ bohemian caverns!
Joining him on the decks will be one of San Francisco’s best DJs, Janaka Selekta, as well as DC’s own v:shal kanwar, mr. darko and julez.
Proceeds to benefit local women’s shelters through Race Against Domestic Violence…
event details:
Friday, 14 March, 2008
9pm - 3am | 21+
$15 at the door
$12 advance tix (tba march 1st)
Bohemian Caverns / Liv
2001 11th St, NW (at U St.)
Washington, DC
Get your advance tickets here.
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Finally, because residents of my favorite city have waited long enough…what…about…a…NY meetup? :) Stop jumping up and down, I need your help with planning. In the past, we’ve done meetups in conjunction with events, i.e. Central Park’s SummerStage. Is there anything fun going down in the next few weeks? I’m pondering early-April, but if something extraordinary is happening in late March, I’ll see what I can do. Discuss. :)
anna at 04:41 PM in Events, Meetups!, Music · 20 comment(s) · Direct link
March 02, 2008
The 9th DC Meetup is TODAY :)
That’s the Freer Gallery pictured above. Beautiful, nah? :) That is where I’ll be meeting some of you, in just over an hour! If you can’t make it there for the 2pm movie* we are going to watch, try and attend the second half of the meetup, which will occur at 5pm, at Vapiano restaurant (near the Caribou Coffee on M street which no one goes to). We’ll leave from the Smithsonian at around 4pm.
The movie is just under two hours, but I’m allowing an hour for metro-ing back to the unholy triangle, since it’s the weekend and recently, they’ve been doing more maintenance, so there could be slight delays.
Vapiano is veg-friendly, not pricey and a lot of fun. I went to the DCist photog/DC Flickr meetup there last week and it’s an excellent choice for such gatherings. :) We’ll be there from 5-7pm, though if past performance is an indication of anything, that could easily be something like 8 or 8:30. See some of you soon!
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Achtung: if you’re interested in attending the whole meetup, and you want to watch the phillum with us, you must procure FREE tickets for the show, which are given out at 1pm.
anna at 11:52 AM in Meetups! · 9 comment(s) · Direct link
February 29, 2008
Twenty-two more hours until the L.A. Meetup! There's still time to flee!
Ennis wanted me to remind you that tomorrow night is the L.A. meetup.
I briefly toyed with the idea of not posting this, just because I like intercoastal chicken* and I’m hyper-competitive about everything. Then I realized that even if the L.A. meetup was dazzling, glorious and fornication-laden…it would still occur in Los Angeles ;)
Please take lots of pictures, the SM Flickr group has been woefully neglected, as has our Facebook album for the SM “group”. Really, you have no excuse, since you’re all going to have your cell phones with you and even the lamest o’ phones now takes pictures, hokay?
So.
Twenty-two hours from now.
316 W. 2nd Street, Los Anjalis, 90012.
Got that?
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*Why chicken? Well, it can’t be beef, because lots of desis don’t eat red meat. Can’t be pork, because lots of desis think it’s
…
gross
…you thought I was going to say “haram”, didn’t you? HA. Suckers.
anna at 09:15 PM in Humor, Meetups! · 20 comment(s) · Direct link
February 26, 2008
DC Meetup: Sunday, March 2, 1pm [UPDATED]
UPDATE: I just got off the phone with the Freer Gallery— they apologized profusely for sending us on a wild ticket-chase. It is only possible to reserve "free" tickets for CONCERTS. Never for films. They weren’t supposed to include the ticketmaster information with this listing.
The good news is, the official I spoke with said we should be fine IF we show up at 1pm for truly free tickets. We are allowed two per person. He said that the Sri Lankan films generally don’t "sell-out", if such a thing can be said about free events. :) The reason Born into Brothels did is because it won an Oscar. Got that? No reserving tickets— it’s not possible. PLEASE GET THERE EARLY TO REQUEST FREE TICKETS AT 1PM, ONE HOUR BEFORE THE SHOW.
= = = =
After our left-coast counterparts paint the town Sepia on Saturday night, DC is going to get its culture on via our ninth meetup. Quality AND quantity…that’s how chocolate city do. ;)
First, we’ll head to the (Smithsonian) Freer Gallery, which is screening the Sri Lankan film “Against the Tide” in its Meyer Auditorium. Tickets are FREE. Once we’re spiritually nourished, we’ll head to Vapiano restaurant (1800 M Street N.W.), where we can drink wine, poach the free gummi bears or actually order Italian food (and the strawberries and cream, because it’s the best dessert there):
Vapiano is an innovative European concept serving made-to-order fire roasted pizzas, fresh, house-made pasta and hand tossed gourmet salads. [v]
The unique thing about Vapiano is that everyone who walks in gets a card, which tracks what you choose from the various salad, pasta, pizza, dessert/bar areas; when you leave, you return the card, they scan it, and voila— separate checks, no muss or fuss. :)
That’s an extra welcome concept considering what happened at our last meetup, at the underwhelming Nirvana. Three of you forgot to leave money before you left (though one of you realized this and apologized profusely and tried to make it right). That is the ONLY time that has EVER happened at a DC meetup, though, and all the remaining mutineers immediately chipped in and covered for you so I wouldn’t have to. See? Vapiano. Brilliant.
Okay, more to this post soon, but here are the barest details, so you can sharpie this in to your schedule:
Meet at 1 pm (that’s when they distribute the FREE tickets to the film).
See “Against the Tide” at 2pm.
Meet outside at around 4pm.
Take Metro to Vapiano (red/blue/orange lines) and eat. :)
More info re: the ticket situation:
Free tickets are required for most performances in the Meyer Auditorium…Two tickets per person are also distributed (for no service fee) at the Meyer Auditorium beginning one hour before showtime, on a first-come, first-served basis.
I think I’m going to reserve tickets in advance, just becauseI’m going to be there at 1pm to snag two tickets, because I want to make sure I see the film. Has anyone attended one of these programs at Meyer? Any advice to us museophytes? :)
anna at 08:45 PM in Meetups! · 33 comment(s) · Direct link
LA meetup Saturday 7PM @ Redwood
Our meetup has been set - we’re meeting at the desi-owned Redwood Bar and Grill at 7PM on Saturday March 1st. It’s downtown, across the street from a metro station and it’s … pirate themed.
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Arrrrr or Arre, you decide |
I’ve heard left coasters talk a lot of smack about how the LA meetups are the biggest and best we ever hold, yadda yadda yadda. All I can say is: bring it. I’d love it if we could have the sort of turnout we saw in 2006, as in September 2006 and December 2006.
Here’s the location:
The Redwood Bar and Grill
316 W. 2nd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Vinod, Taz and I will all be there, so there will be a lot of mutiny all in one room. I’m looking forward to meeting the best and brightest that the LA mutiny has to offer.
ennis at 02:25 PM in Meetups! · 14 comment(s) · Direct link
February 20, 2008
LA Meetup Saturday March 1st
I will be travelling to the City of Angles (when you’re that skinny, the only curves are silicon) over leapday weekend, and thought a meetup would be in order, hosted by yours truly and Taz. I’ve heard stories about the LA meetups, so here’s your chance to show me that you can party better and harder than your brethren and sistren in NYC, DC, SF and Chicago. The meetup would most likely be on the westside, at a location TBA.
Please RSVP so we have a sense of how many people will be coming, and also suggest good venues. I’m not from LA, and Taz is hyper-busy with the election season and all, so while we’ll be there with bells on, we need your help in choosing a location and getting a head count.
UPDATE:
We’ll be meeting at 7PM @ the Redwood Bar and Grill
The Redwood Bar and Grill
316 W. 2nd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
ennis at 10:45 AM in Meetups! · 31 comment(s) · Direct link
November 16, 2007
SF: Movie & a Meetup; Sat Nov 17
Hello SF Mutineers, just a gentle reminder that the SF South Asian Film Festival kicks of today. Our movie + mini-meetup is tomorrow, Saturday, November 17.
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The Movie -
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2:00 pm, Saturday, November 17th, Castro Theater, San Francisco Synopsis & Tickets |
The Meetup - After the movie, a drink at Samovar Tea Lounge, just a couple blocks around the corner.
vinod at 12:12 PM in Film, Meetups! · 5 comment(s) · Direct link
September 24, 2007
DC Meetup: Noon, Saturday the 29th, Nirvana [Updated]
With hazaar apologies to Information Society, Spock and everyone else who remembers 1988 (which is when I graduated from Junior High— I throw that in because one of you recently lamented that you were like, the oldest person? On, like, Sepia Mutiny? So put that in your Bengali and smoke it). Behold, an unforgivably mangled version of that unforgettable dance classic with the Star Trek sample (you know you had the 12”…don’t lie): What’s on Your Mind (Pure Energy)
Here I am in silence, Looking round without a clue. I find myself alone again without input from you. I see 89 comments but there are things that I don’t know. If you hide your thoughts from me, How can our meetups grow?
I want to know What you’re thinking. There are some things we can’t hide. I want to know What you’re feeling. Tell me what’s on your mind.
I know I could be bossy, But what good would it do? I would really like to know what you’d prefer to do. Homecoming is this weekend It’s a game they have to play. But you and I want dosa. On that very same day!
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Okay, my inner, uber-alienated, blue-square-toe-doc marten wearing radio-station volunteer wants to throttle me for desecrating such an ancient, adhesive song, so I’ll stop now. No need to send thank you notes or comments for such small mercies. ;)
Seriously though— I’ve written this post because we are FIVE DAYS from the meetup and we haven’t resolved two things something:
what time we’re meetingNoon on Saturday, the 29th it iswhat, if any, obstacle Georgetown’s Ho-coming presents
Amma opens at 11:30 am. I am so concerned about Hoyas bleeding blue all over M street, that I am almost willing to have our meetup elsewhere. Since I put up dosa pr0n, I feel like it’s only right that we know dosa-afterglow. BUT, the other place in DC where we can dosa is at Nirvana, which one of you says is better than Amma…though the reviews I’ve read are mixed at best (and most troubling of all— the word ketchup is constantly mentioned, by both amateurs AND Sietsema!).
Nirvana is not too good to be true. The breads I’ve tried are invariably heavy and dull, and the vindaloo, while admirably fiery, comes off like ketchup with a swagger, just a thick red paste slathered on chunks of vegetables that could stand more cooking. The rice-and-bean-flour pancake known as uthappam is unexciting a few bites in. But these are minor distractions in a restaurant of so many unexpected pleasures. [sietsema/wapo]
Nirvana is very metro accessible; it’s at 18th and K streets NW and thus far enough from Georgetown/hungover Hoyas/parking nightmares. From what I’ve read, it’s an all vegetarian, Gujurati restaurant run by Jain people. Many diners compliment Nirvana’s lunch buffet, which thoughtfully and creatively serves a different cuisine each day (including street food and Rajasthani stuff!)— the only problem is, that’s a WEEKDAY thang. So no help to us, eh?
I know that none of you (except for three of you, whose identities I shall not reveal, even if I’m tempted with theeyal…mmm, vendakka theeyal) loves Amma as much as I do, or thinks they are quite as yummy, but after all my online research, I feel like it’s a safer bet, in terms of satisfaction. Thoughts? I’m totally willing to try something new, especially if it’s with all of you. :)
And is meeting at noon okay we ARE meeting at noon. Both restaurants are open by then. I’ve heard from Karthik, Msichana (whose husband is tagging along- he is a sex and relationship therapist…kinda), Mr. Wise, Kenyandesi, Buddhuram, Coffeeface, HappyNoNoPlace, Shaad, Coconut Oil and MuraliMannered. Ylrsings, who told us about Homecoming in the first place, Skeptical Desi and Lion, I wasn’t sure if you were in…so please let me know. Our count is anywhere from 14 to 18 at this point. All right— speak up or I’ll destroy more 80s music and torture you with it.
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That picture is from the first meetup at Amma; it’s their yummy chole bhatura. :)
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Update # 1
In case it wasn’t clear, we’re meeting at Noon. Thanks for decision number one. Now let’s pick a place already! Any more info about homecoming? Or if Nirvana is delicious?
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Update # 2
Nirvana it is. After the way some of you have talked it up, it’s going to have to live up to some ridonkulous hype, mutineers. Expect a writeup AND a review. ;)
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anna at 08:06 PM in Food, Meetups! · 85 comment(s) · Direct link
Mutineers in London?
Hey folks - my notorious volume of biz travel continues & I’m going to be across the pond this week for a conference + some meetings in Central London.
Because one of the oft-repeated requests has been more meetups in more cities, I thought I’d post a shoutout and see if we had any readers over there to try and schedule a pub night or something.
Anyone up for drinks on Thursday night? Suggestions for locations?
I’m staying at a hotel off of Oxford street but know London pretty well and can travel just about anywhere.
vinod at 12:11 PM in Meetups! · 26 comment(s) · Direct link
September 19, 2007
DC Meetup: September 29th?
anna at 06:03 PM in Meetups! · 90 comment(s) · Direct link
August 26, 2007
SF: See Y’all @ Greco
Meetup starts in a few hours. Can’t wait and perhaps this time around, I’ll bring my camera.
| Sunday, August 26 | San Francisco |
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3pm — ??? Café Greco |
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I’ll try to stake out a claim to the “side room” @ Greco & we’ll use our numbers to reinforce our control over this strategic territory.
West-siiiiiiiide!
PS- some logistics info here.
vinod at 12:08 PM in Meetups! · 5 comment(s) · Direct link
August 23, 2007
Countdown to SF: T-Minus 3 Days
After a very well attended meetup in NYC, the Meetup Road Tour makes its way to San Francisco this weekend.
| Sunday, August 26 | San Francisco |
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3pm — ??? Café Greco 423 Columbus Ave |
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Parking’s a pain in North Beach but, Brimful (bless her soul) pointed out a nearby parking garage for the folks driving in. Other places to find a spot include the many garages in Union Square and / or street parking in SOMA / Fin District. From there, it’s easy to walk / taxi / cable car it over. It ain’t that far.
Incorporating some cues / feedback from NYC, we’re going to experiment a bit with the format of the SF meetup…
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Desi Boyz in SF apparently need a lot of dating advice. That topic will surely come up… |
- Location — SF’s meetup is going to be at a relatively good sized coffee house with a far more open layout
- Time — The meetup will be on a lazy Sunday afternoon; our contention for the space (if any) will more likely be against random North Beach tourists vs. focused, club-clad New Yorkers
- Nametags — I’ll be distributing ‘em and you folks will decorate ‘em with your RealNames and/or Handles ; a nametag in a coffee house isn’t quite the dorkbadge that one would be at an NYC bar.
- Intros — After badging in, we’ll announce the new folk’s presence and get ‘em to toss up a tidbit or 2 of introductory trivia
- Discussion— Expect some focused discussion of the more fun, recent SM posts including the 1000commentMonster (there were few commentors who had, uh, interesting opinions on the SF scene that I’m hoping to meet). It shouldn’t be anything too intense, just scan the past couple of weeks of posts and hopefully a few will pique your interest enough to be Sepia literate…
Of course, above all we’ll just try to have fun with our fellow geeks-in-arms. And don’t worry, if the structure starts getting oppressive, we’ll quickly abandon it and resume old fashioned small talk. Desi’s know small talk.
vinod at 08:35 AM in Meetups! · 195 comment(s) · Direct link
August 14, 2007
DC SMeetup: a Tardy Writeup of Lucky no. 7
Those who are persistent eventually defeat even the steeliest resolve to procrastinate. I keed. DC’s last meetup was massive and most definitely fun. We descended upon Amma like a Mongol horde, pillaging every bit of delicious Southie food we spied. Oh, wait…the Mongols ate North Indian foo-…never mind.
Amma made like old skool Vanessa and went and saved the best for last— even though he wasn’t there, YoDad arranged dessert for everyone at the meetup. We gobbled gulab jamuns, much to our collective surprise and delight, thanks to his thoughtful planning. New York may have the cool factor, SF may be hipster heaven, but DC has Abhi’s father, a.k.a. the Grandfather of the Mutiny. Take THAT, other cities!
And now, the moment one of you named No Desh has been waiting for: tabla roll, please…the Flickr photoset for D.C.’s seventh meetup has been hurriedly finished (i.e. the pics were split between two cameras, and for the last 20 mins, I was frantically DLing two dozen files, only to immediately upload them to the “official album”).
All evidence which could destroy potential Senate campaigns is available for your amusement via this “public” link. Aw, come on, people…it’s only six weeks late. Unless you’re a girl and in college, that’s never a huge problem. ;)
SM Meetups in DC— hot like your Amma’s meen kari, ya heard?
anna at 07:15 PM in Humor, Meetups!, Photos · 71 comment(s) · Direct link
Countdown to NYC - T-minus 4 Days
A gentle reminder that the Eastside leg of the Mutineer Road Tour is this Saturday, Aug 18 in NYC. Come one, come all - lurkers, commentors, straight, gay, white, brown, yellow, purple, macaca, married, single, polygamous, polyamorous, uptown, downtown, lovers, haters, and all in between.
Festivities start a tad on the early side (5pm) so you have time to visit the meetup and duck out for dinner if you don’t want your RealLife friends to know about your Real friends.
| Saturday, August 18 | New York City |
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5pm - ??? 110 Rivington St Special Bonus - this meetup will be co-sponsored by our good friends at Ultrabrown. |
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And for those who can’t make it to NYC, hopefully we’ll see you in SF next weekend…
vinod at 03:25 PM in Meetups! · 38 comment(s) · Direct link
July 27, 2007
Sepia Mutiny Eastside / Westside Road Tour
It’s been way too long since we’ve done meetups in two of the most desi-licious cities in the US. So, mutineer A N N A and I have joined forces to coordinate our travel scheds and bring you the Sepia Mutiny Summer Road Tour - a back to back meetups in NYC & SF.
The following dates & places are still tentative but we wanted to pass y’all the heads up ASAP -
| Saturday, August 18 | New York City |
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5pm - ??? 110 Rivington St Special Bonus - this meetup will be co-sponsored by our good friends at Ultrabrown. [The last NYC meetup? - back in Nov ‘06!] |
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| Sunday, August 26 | San Francisco |
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3pm — ??? Café Greco 423 Columbus Ave [Last one in SF? Sept ‘06] |
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You’d better believe that we’ll do our part to Help Vinay & Sameer at the meetups. Special prizes to anyone else who manages to attend *both* meetups. And, as usual, we’ll do our best to document the depravity in our flickr group.
vinod at 01:45 PM in Meetups! · 72 comment(s) · Direct link
June 25, 2007
Maybe a DC Meetup This SUNDAY? [Updated]
[Instead of Saturday at noon, the meetup will be on SUNDAY at 12:30. It is still at Amma. Please be noting date and time change— thanks. :)]
But first, a rushed write-up of what went down last time:
- Icebreaker: The battle of the Jessicas- who is hotter, Alba or Biel? There were two poultry-submitted abstentions.
- Adorable Munish changed his vote when he realized he was, in fact, supporting an Alumna of Seventh Heaven: “I thought you meant the woman from Flashdance!”
- Once we started playing, “Who has the tiniest apt” after one of you suggested having meetups in our homes, Jay said we should have used THAT as the icebreaker—“Hi, I’m ___ and I have 400 sq ft!”
- It was the reverse of our college years— Southies Reprazent!
- There was a minor TamBrahm crisis when we discovered that Amma had run out of vada, for the first time in nine years.
- I was smacked. Thrice. By our waiter. You can’t put a price on that kind of abuse.
- Two of the above three spankings occurred as THIRTEEN more people than the sixteen we expected showed.
- Once we ran out of table space: “Start sitting on laps. Sigh. I guess I’ll begin.” Plop.
- What is UP with the lack of RSVPing, meetup-crashers: “This isn’t a wedding, people!”
- Murthy’s Law: Next time, we should reserve the entire restaurant. That way no one will show.
- We actually had to turn people away, for lack of space. :(
- Can’t make it to the bathroom to wash your hands? Use the “Indian Faucet” a.k.a. a poorly-approximated finger bowl via drinking glass
- Subcontinental Drift (we love you!)‘s MySpace page might induce seizures.
- Me to Jay (of the blog Weaselplasty) “All our friends are apparently stand-up comics (and they performed at SD)”
- Said one, “Tortoise porn is available on YouTube.” Said the Terp, all dismissively, “I know about THAT”, as the rest of us exhibited the proper reaction to that statement, which is shock and horror.
- One attendee confessed that while this meetup was fabulous, they had “hobbit envy” about Houston.
- Library Science: it gets no respect
- Second Best line of the meetup: “Why are men always giving me money and then leaving?”
- A Tamil girl who was raised in Bombay tried to reconcile her identities by saying…she was like a “paneer dosa”
- Paneer Dosa has said she will be at the June meetup; that way you can mock her for her metaphor in person! ;)
- I ordered two Salt Lassis and four Madras Kappis. I received ONE Madras Kappi.
- Lemon Rice for me, dosas for EVERYONE ELSE
- Best line of the meetup: “Your picture on Shaadi.com was so much better!”
- More on Sunny Leone and the greatness of snuff films.
- Despite our most obnoxious attempts to be porntastic in order to clear the restaurant, so more of us could be seated, the packed place wasn’t bothered at all by our antics. Contrast this with Heritage India, where we sent them screaming out the door. It would appear that South Indian families are immune to our offensiveness. :)
Now, after reading the merriment-filled minutes of our last meetup, who feels like getting together again for more? :) I’m craving dosa and you, well, after I published this post, I learned that you are ALL craving dosa, ALL the time.
WHERE: Amma’s Vegetarian Kitchen, 3291 M St. NW, Washington, DC 20007, 202-625-6625
WHEN: SUNDAY, JULY 1. 12:30 PM.
WHY: Because you nosy little monkeys want to pepper me for non-existant gossip about the Mutiny.
Think of it as a post-Subcontinental Drift “survivors’ brunch”. Kill your hangover with Madras Kappi and Rasam! :D
::
As for New York…Maybe mid-late July? :)
::
San Francisco? End of August, we’ll keep you posted.
anna at 07:49 PM in Blog, Events, Humor, Meetups! · 180 comment(s) · 1 reader(s) linked · Direct link
May 21, 2007
Nice Meet-up Y'all!
A big thanks to everyone (~20 people) that made it out to the first southern meet-up (Texas-sized) that Sepia Mutiny has had. I kid you not, a few readers drove in from Austin (2.5 hours drive) and San Antonio (3 hours drive). The weather was as absolutely perfect as it ever gets in Houston (we sat outside) and the Hobbit Cafe had great beer that kept coming (as you’d expect in The Shire). The official meet-up lasted until 9 p.m. but the unofficial meet-up went well past 1 a.m. It might be a couple more months until the next Texas meet-up, but it will either be in Austin or at the SM Bureau Offices in Houston. Hope to see some more of you next time.
abhi at 12:10 AM in Meetups! · 30 comment(s) · Direct link
May 16, 2007
Reminder: The DC Meetup is THREE DAYS Away!
Actually, it’s less than three days away, but who is being pedantic…not me, especially not when there is gluttonous dosa and vada consumption to anticipate in my near future.
D.C.’s sixth meetup will occur this Saturday at Amma’s Vegetarian, in Georgetown at 1 o’clock isharp. Since none of you read that, I’ll restate it, this time with formatting:
WHERE: Amma’s Vegetarian Kitchen, 3291 M St. NW, Washington, DC 20007, 202-625-6625
WHEN: Saturday, 1pm
WHY: Because you asked for it!
Lakshmi, MuraliMannered, Ashu, Arun, Coffeeface, Portmanteau, Sriram and at least three others have all tentatively RSVP’d— what about you? For all of you who are thinking, “There’s always next time”, don’t. There may not be. Besides, brunch this weekend sounds enticing, doesn’t it? Yum. Carpe dosa!
anna at 06:20 PM in Meetups! · 103 comment(s) · Direct link
May 13, 2007
HOUSTON meet-up, Sat May 19th
I’m a little nervous about hosting my first meet-up solo. So far every meet-up I’ve attended has been co-hosted by Anna or Taz (who are far better organizers and bring name tags). I think my fear is that at the meet-up I will be expected to give a speech like William Wallace did right before he yelled FREEDOM! I can’t be expected to sound mutinous on demand. In truth, we don’t really talk much about Sepia Mutiny at meet-ups. We do share good eats, merry drinks, and take scandalous pictures (none of which shall ever see the light of day) with good peoples. All bloggers, commenters, and lurkers (and friends of the three-aforementioned groups) are welcome. The meet-up details have finally solidified and it is time for Texas to represent.
Where: Hobbit Cafe
When: Sat, May 19th @ 6.p.m.
PLEASE RSVP BY THURSDAY SO I CAN MAKE ACCURATE RESERVATIONS:
abhi [at] sepiamutiny dot com
The reason for meeting relatively early in the evening is so those that want to (count me in) can move on to a second venue to continue the good times in a less “Shire-like” environment. Perhaps something more like the dive bar at the “Inn of the Prancing Pony.”
Now, the real question is have I scared people away by all my Lord of the Rings allusions?
abhi at 05:14 PM in Meetups! · 18 comment(s) · Direct link
May 03, 2007
Should DC Meetup on May 19th or 20th?
…because one date or the other, it’s going to happen. In solidarity with the twangier mutineers who are going to paint the dirty dirty all Sepia and whatnot, DC will be hosting its sixth meetup on the very same weekend. If you missed the last one, you are lucky because that means you didn’t laugh so hard that you wet your pants a little and really, who wants to smell like soo-soo? That’s a trick question; you TOTALLY do. I’m practicing my Sunny Leone-impersonation right now, just so I can treat everyone, new and old, brown and white, pre-pubescent and post-pubescent to the goodness of PORN.
You have the choice of Saturday, May 19th or Sunday, May 20th. If it’s the former, we’ll probably do thayir sadham and sambar vada (and MADRAS COFFEE!) at Amma’s; if it’s the latter, brunch at Heritage sounds nice enough to do thrice. Unfortunately, Heritage India only does brunch on Sunday or we’d be contemplating just one venue and two dates.
I’m open to other suggestions beyond Amma, but if you hate on that venerable font of Malayalee goodness, when I give you your inappropriate hug at the meetup, I’ll cut you. So be nice. And just so you know— I stick with these two places not because of the food, but because they are the most indulgent of rowdy-kundi’d mutineers and they have always treated us so graciously.
You may not realize it when you’re sitting there, giddy from giggling and happily making new friends, but doing so would be much more challenging and far less fabulous if we were constantly getting interrupted or badgered to shut up or, well, leave. After hosting nearly a dozen of these in three different cities, I can truly appreciate how special such a chill attitude towards us is (ahem…La Lanterna in NYC) and I want all of you to stuff your pretty faces and be worry-free…that’s how these six-hour marathon conversations work best.
So, vote for your preference in the comments below. 12:30 pm on either May 19th or May 20th (or much later on a Saturday), what do you-all say?
anna at 06:32 PM in Meetups! · 37 comment(s) · Direct link
April 30, 2007
A Texas-sized SM meetup
Question: What is hotter than the Rodeo?
Answer: The first ever Houston, TX meet-up!
When: Friday, May 18th or Saturday, May 19th (TBD)
Where: Suggestions welcome
Who: Texas boasts the third highest concentration of Sepia Mutiny readers in the world after 1) California and 2) New York. I expect y’all to represent.
Why: Because you should never underestimate the South’s mutinous potential
This is the first time I am ever hosting a meetup alone. I have always had either Anna or Taz co-host with me. Sepia Mutiny’s Houston Bureau Offices have been up and running now for four months so it is time for the bureau chief to cease with his shut-in ways. Commenters, lurkers, randoms, all welcome. And remember…everything is bigger in Texas.
Check back at this post and our Events Tab for the final date and location. I will post another reminder a few days before.
abhi at 10:14 PM in Meetups! · 52 comment(s) · Direct link
April 27, 2007
Come on Sirils!! (aka the CRICKET MEETUP)
Each player, of course, matters in every match. Jayasuriya is the most-capped one-day cricketer in history, a flamboyant opening batsman whose fearless stroke play can give an innings unstoppable momentum, and a useful spin-bowler as well. Vaas is the master of new-ball bowling who can destroy an opponent’s innings almost before they start. Murali is the unorthodox wizard of spin who bamboozles the most gifted, in-form batsmen.
Their importance on Saturday also rests on their presence in a match played 11 years ago: They are the three survivors of the team that beat Australia in the 1996 World Cup final in Lahore, Pakistan.Link
When: Tomorrow, 4/28, at 12:30
Where: Eight Mile Creek, NYC
Why: To watch SRI LANKA KICK ASS!!
The game starts around 9am EST, and a Sri Lankan crew will be there, holding it down, if you don’t want to miss a minute.
FYI: Eight Mile Creek is an expat Australian bar/restaurant, so we’re taking the meetup into enemy turf. Should be a screaming, cheering, hair-raising good time. Come ready to show your colors!
cicatrix at 02:09 PM in Meetups!, Sports · 42 comment(s) · Direct link
April 26, 2007
DC SMeetup V: The Belated Writeup
Sixteen of you showed up to one decadent brunch at Heritage India in Dupont on Sunday afternoon; afterwards, most of us meandered over to the Cosi across Connecticut Avenue because we couldn’t bear to stop listening to and laughing with each other. What a FANTASTIC meetup (click the picture above to enlarge it, if you’d like proof of that). DC’s fifth was easily its best and that’s saying a LOT.
That makes what I have to type next even worse. I know. You mutineers are disappointed in my lack of prompt meetup writingup; if it is any consolation, you can’t possibly be as irritated as the actual attendees, some of whom came all the way from New Jersey and Florida, all of whom watched me type furtively and furiously, only to later wonder, “WTF?” as references to one of the BEST events we’ve ever hosted in any city popped up on my diary blog and my ancient fotolog. Will you reduce the number of spankings I deserve if I point out that I flickr’d the album of photographs from the meetup that same night? All 72 of them? No? Damn.
Well, here’s the cringe-inducing story, morning glories. I am an idiot. I am so used to Microsoft word saving, checking and wiping my kundi for me that I have become ridiculously lazy. I no longer do any of the above on my own (okay fine, maybe I do one of them) because I just assume it will all be taken care of…and by assuming…oh, how I’ve made an ass out of you and me. Or maybe just me.
I lost everything, because I no longer HAVE MS Word on my uber-adored iBook. I have whatever no-nonsense word-processing crap it comes with…and while it worked just dandy for my purposes, it taught me a very expensive lesson by not spoiling me via auto-save. Le sigh. If only I had been able to get online to liveblog all the mischievous merrymaking…
I’m not exaggerating— this was one of the funniest seven-hour conversations this website has ever inspired and it’s awful you won’t get to read any of it.
Here’s an example of what went down:
PORN!
This still reduces me to giggles. Ok, I’m going to summarize for the benefit of the poor people who were unable to share in the joy that was Sunday’s DC Meetup. Be warned, the following description is NSFW or children.
At a certain point in the conversation, our beloved ANNA decides to STAND UP and wax eloquent about this great new reality show she’s discovered…”Debbie Does Dallas Again.” She relates this great moment wherein our favorite brown porn star, Sunny Leone, is seeking career advice FROM HER BROTHER, and actually begins to mimic a certain act. “Should I start doing boy-girl?” our Anna yells, “because if I do, it’ll mean I have to do double-penetration,” and here she pantomimes with her hands…um…well…fellatio and spelunking the small hole, if you will. One hand forward, one hand back, so to speak.
Now, this wouldn’t be so bad if we’d had the restaurant to ourselves, which we did right up until roughly that moment. But fortuitously, a largish gaggle of desis wandered in at JUST THAT POINT, children in tow. While the parents were discussing whether to park themselves at a table, two or three 8-to-10-year old boys walked to the door, then froze there, utterly stunned, mouth agape, transfixed by Anna’s enthusiastic rendering of her new favorite TV show.
This led some of us to comment that Anna had more-or-less kick-started puberty in a few kids that day, and that there would be some interesting Q&A sessions with the parents in the Accord / Camry on the way home that night. “Mommy, I feel funny…in my pants.”
I still get the giggles when I think of the total expressionless intent stare on the faces of those kids while watching you, AJ. Pure gold!
Here’s what I remember:
When I did that aforementioned Sunny Leone impersonation which set the tone for the entire day, the one person who was supposed to photograph this (or more appositely, wideo tape it!) was so concomitantly astonished and appalled, he never turned on the camera. You can see a shot of my, ahem, very vivid acting in the center pic/bottom row of the collage above.
When SJM mentioned that his botched last name was his clan name, I asked about his tartan. Oh, shut it— you had to be there (and why weren’t you? Hmmmm??)
We got a brief introduction to parkour, which I associate with my favorite Bond flick (DBS! DB5!)of all time. There might be a meetup organized around THAT opportunity to break every bone in your body— wheee! I will NOT be hosting that. ;)
While at brunch at Heritage India, I ordered chai then watched as everyone else got…SODA. Was I the ONLY DESI PERSON there? I might have been, but it was the awesome gori who ate with her hands, sending me in to a shame spiral because I lack such skillz.
“May I give you an inappropriate hug?” was asked at least a dozen times. Two of you were baffled as to why they were inappropriate in the first place. Well, anything I do tends to be and besides, ve are South Asian. No touching hanky pankies betveen the boys and the girls, vokay?
And the ONLY memory I have worth sharing is the following convo:
Mutineer: “Well, you know…you could always just get sperm frozen”
Me: “I don’t know why that isn’t more popular in the desi community…such a no-brainer…”
Mutineer #2: “Excuse me?”
Me: “Yeah, like I don’t know why brown parents don’t schlep their mortified 12-year old son to the clinic and go, ‘okay beta, make shame shame in the cup please?’ as soon as its physically possible…there is such an all-consuming obsession with passing on one’s genes, with having an heir.”
All mutineers: (Horrified and yet intrigued)
Me: “This way, if something happens to their precious royal beta, they still get to sire grandchildren. It’s so pragmatic— freezing spare heir juice.”
Mutineer #1: “SPARE HEIR JUICE?!”
:D
::
So someone asked me via flickr what exactly occurs at these meetups and I did an impromptu list, which I am going to past here, since it contains a few relevant highlights:
So what happens at these meetups ?
Yo, your fault for asking! ;)
1) Far too much inappropriate hugging
2) Laughing which makes hyenas feel embarrassed for us
3) Eating. And more eating. Especially the part of the dal makhani which had a creamy yellow butter crown resting atop it. Sweeeeet.
4) Chai drinking. Plenty of that, of course.
5) Marriage arranging…except everyone forgot their bloody biodatas, yaar. Vat I am to do?
6) Talking about anything and everything, with everyone, even though you didn’t know them from Adam 15 minutes ago. :)
7) Porn. ;)
8) Storytelling of the, "you think THAT is bad"-sort. In other words, it’s a quest to see who can one-up whom while regaling us all of how severely and creatively they were punished for doing anything besides studying and breathing.
9) Lots of number-exchanging and plan-making. I think former strangers are hiking next week! I’m taking someone brown-grocery shopping.
10) Pure, unbelievably awesome, long-lasting (seven hours!) FUN.
When do I get to meet YOU at one? :D I host them in DC, NYC and SF.
::
I’m hoping our attendees add their own impressions/memories, beyond those they kindly typed here…? :)
anna at 09:32 PM in Meetups! · 64 comment(s) · Direct link
April 19, 2007
DC: Brunch Meetup THIS Sunday? [UPDATED]
We’ve had some rough times in the bunker…when Manish and Vinod first broke up…when Ennis was told he couldn’t smuggle anymore adoring groupies in and pass them off as interns…when Manish and Vinod broke up again…when the lemurs went on strike to protest the lack of parties…when one of our guest bloggers developed a very rare allergic reaction to…ah, never mind.
My point is, what we faced before were minor challenges; this has been a rather difficult week, as we confronted far more sobering matters, which affected us all. This week, we dealt with real pain, as tragedy reminded us of how fleeting life actually is. Such “big news” always means more traffic, which means more moderating and more possibilities for this or worse, this.
So, I’m a little down right now and I know many of you are, too. This is what I propose to lift our sepia spirits: an eleventh-hour sort of meetup at reliable and hospitable Heritage India this weekend. Perhaps what this community needs is…more community. Let’s bond, y’all! You know you want to. All are welcome: trolls, lurkers, smurfs and elves included. Vogons, however, will not be tolerated, since it’s highly possible that they might be feeling poetic and no one deserves that.
We can do brunch like we did the first time we were there, at the third DC Meetup or we can have dinner like we did the last time we were there, at the fourth DC meetup which was also our first-ever SM Channukah extravaganza. No, that wasn’t convoluted at all. ;) The more significant issue is that we haven’t met up in FOUR MONTHS.
Dinner on Saturday, April 21 at 8ish
or
Brunch on Sunday, April 22 at Noonish it is!
Either way, I feel like it is an apposite time to revisit Heritage; I’ve had a sad sort of craving for Golgoppas and I’d like to sate that, in memory of someone else who loved them.
FYI: Heritage is Metro accessible (Red line).
Heritage India Brasserie
1337 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 331-1114
anna at 08:46 PM in Blog, Events, Humor, Meetups! · 95 comment(s) · Direct link
December 18, 2006
So long L.A., and thanks for the Meet-up memories
As of Wednesday SM will be closing down its L.A. offices. But…not before we had a rockin’ meetup in a den of vice.
As usual, the West Coast represented the best. We had at least 40 people show up including Sunny of our British cousin Pickled Politics. You can see all of the (non-censored) pictures here. That isn’t a pink shirt I am wearing in the photoset by the way. It is Sepia. And if you think it’s ugly, too bad…because the rest of my clothes are in boxes. To all the bloggers, commenters, lurkers, people who we’ve blogged about, and groupie that showed up, thanks for making LA such a great city to live in (except for the traffic)! Keep representing. West siiiidddeee.
abhi at 05:53 PM in Meetups! · 46 comment(s) · Direct link
December 14, 2006
50 Hours until the D.C. Holiday Meetup
“This is Rasika, who were you holding for…”
“Hi, my name is Anna— I had reservations for this Saturday which I was just discussing with—”
“Ah yes, for 10:30 pm.”
“Well, I was told that it would be closer to ten and that we could do drinks in the lounge for an hour before.”
“A group of ten? You may try, but I don’t think that will be possible—”
“But the hostess just suggested that very course of action, since the lounge empties around then—”
“I can’t hold any tables in the lounge for your party.”
“I didn’t ask you to, I’m sure we’ll be fine there, at that hour.”
“No, I don’t think so, I’m sorry.”
“What do you mean ‘no’?”
“It’s a Saturday evening, it will be very busy, very full.”
“Okay…FINE. I guess we’ll try our luck and just look forward to dinner, which again, I thought was at ten.”
“Madame, I will have to push two tables together. It will take time. I cannot seat you until 10:30, I have to use two tables.”
“Oh…well, would it help if it was just a party of eight? Some of my RSVPs weren’t firm…”
“Is it a party of ten or a party of eight?”
“Well if it’s so difficult to do ten, I’m willing to make it eight.”
“I will still have to use two tables and that will take some time to set up. 10:30pm.”
“Oh—”
“I will also need to insist that you adhere to a pre-set menu.”
“Oh…you want us to…do something…family-style? That’s fine, it’s nice of you to accommodate us.”
“No, not family style— a pre-set menu. So the chef knows what to expect, since you ARE such a large party and you’re coming so late. I will fax you—”
“I’m familiar with your entire menu, that won’t be necessary.”
“I will also need your credit card, standard practice for a party of ten or more.”
“It’s a party of eight.”
“I still need your credit card to secure this reservation.”
“I have to tell you— I’m a bit surprised; I had my birthday at Rasika, my sister’s birthday there and at least two other dinner parties…I’ve never been asked for my CREDIT CARD, not even when I initially made this reservation with your hostess.”
“Very well, but I will not hold your table then—it is only a tentative reservation, if someone else—”
“I also want to be straightforward and let you know that since we seem to be so difficult to accommodate, I quite understandably will be looking at other options, which is the OTHER reason I don’t feel comfortable giving you my credit card.”
“Very well.”
“Good-bye.”
:+:
“Hi, Zaytinya…”
“Hello, I realize this is very short notice, but I was wondering if you could accommodate a large party for dinner on Saturday?”
“How many?”
“Around 8-10…”
“We do take parties of that number, yes, but unfortunately, we are no longer accepting reservations for that night. You are welcome to try and walk-in and if we can, we’ll seat you.”
“Do people actually do that? Roll in with ten people and then nail a table?”
“Mmmm…sometimes. If they’re lucky.”
“Thanks for all the information, but I think I need something confirmed. I appreciate your help.”
“I understand. Have a good day!”
:+:
“Heritage India, how may I help you?”
“Hi, I’d like to make reservations for Saturday?”
“Of course! For how many?”
“Ten.”
“Excellent, what time?”
“Uh…8pm?”
“Very good—”
“Sorry, is the private dining room free on that night?”
“Let me…ah, yes. Yes it is. Shall we reserve that for you?”
“YES! How many can it accommodate?”
“Up to 14, madam.”
“FANTASTIC. Is there a minimum we need to guarantee if we want that room?”
“Minimum…? No…not at all. Has someone asked you for such a thing?”
“Yes, they have. They asked me to guarantee $2,000 for their semi-private room and they were rather unreasonable about everything else, too, which is why I’m calling you. I’m just sorry I didn’t call you first.”
“Oh my, well I’m happy you have called. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday.”
“If I need to increase the number of the reservation—”
“No problem! No problem at all. We will take care of you.”
“Thank you so much.”
“Thank YOU, Madam!”
:+:
Heritage India Brasserie
1337 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 331-1114
8pm.
The dining room is behind the giant Buddha pictured above. And yes, CoffeeFace— you plus your “one” can be our final two, to make our party exactly 14. :)
anna at 05:20 PM in Meetups! · 110 comment(s) · 1 reader(s) linked · Direct link
December 11, 2006
Reminder: (a formal) D.C. MEETUP- This Saturday
Before any of you mutiny-lovin’ right-coasters befoul the L.A. Meetup thread under Abhi’s last post with questions about D.C. events, I thought I’d create a separate and more relevant space for my fellow chocolatiers. If, however, you are befouling the L.A. meetup thread by saying something less than sweet about my least favorite city, foul away with my Northern California-bred blessings. ;) I keed, I keed.
Anyway, Channukah is almost here and that obviously means it’s time to wear desi clothes to a meetup!
Iron that kanjeevaram, dig up your favorite lengha and find that sherwani your cousin made you buy for his wedding, which you didnt think youd get to use again. This is the Mutinys first holiday party and I want you to glitter as much as the fantastic setting.
Can you picture it? Sepia lovelies in silk, the chime of bangles as crystal flutes are raised and the food my goodness, you should come, just to try the bhindi and the saag. At YoDads request, Msichana showed up to the last DC meetup looking luminous in a sari which fought the sunset for that nights Best use of Pinks and Purples-award, so you may thank her for inspiring this request for your best dress. How down are you with looking brown? :)[linkery]
A month ago, I asked you to save December 16th on your cluttered social calendars and several of you kindly did so. Now I need a final head count so that I can either make reservations or find a different venue— I’m sad to report that I’m having some issues with the luscious, gorgeous Rasika. But, depending on how many of you RSVP, those issues might be moot so hop to it my little bunnies. I need a number and I need it soon!
anna at 08:12 AM in Meetups! · 103 comment(s) · Direct link
Reminder-(a scandalous) L.A. MEET-UP this Friday
The time and venue has been set. You have my personal assurance that this might not be the best, but definitely has the potential to be the most scandalous SM meet-up EVER. The last L.A. meet-up was planned by Taz and was a great success (and quite wholesome). This time around…well, I’m in charge. Since we are closing down SM’s Los Angeles Bureau within 10 days, this is a “can’t miss” event.
Who: Bloggers, readers, commenters, lurkers, and…groupies
Where: Nirvana Lounge in Beverly Hills
When: Friday Dec. 15th at 8p.m.
So what does this venue have to offer that isn’t evident from the picture I provide above? I’m telling you, this place has mangoes and peacocks all over the joint (not to mention an enormous Buddha head in the back there). It also provides us with three levels of gastronomical service:
* FOREPLAY
* LOSS OF INNOCENCE
* SENSUOUS PLEASURES
My philosophy as an event planner has always been that in order to host a good party you need to first properly envision a good party. You need to think to yourself “this is what I need to do to throw a good event AND this is how it will “look” if the event is to be successful.”
The painting below (found on one of Nirvana’s walls) epitomizes in my mind what a successful SM meet-up would “look” like:
But really folks, the beauty of SM meet-ups is that everyone has a good time, even if their vision of an ideal meet-up does not match mine. In the end it is really about about chillin’ with good new people and talking about the important issues of our time while lounging on beds and eating.
If you can make it then PLEASE RSVP: abhi [at] sepiamutiny dot com
abhi at 02:03 AM in Meetups! · 40 comment(s) · Direct link
November 17, 2006
See you macacas tomorrow
Social life: Macaques troops average 20 with many males and females. Separate troops may sometimes join to form temporary groups of more than 100. All members in the troop have a well-defined rank. In many, the rank is inherited from the mother. … Females form the permanent core of the group, while males transfer from among groups at least once in their lives, usually before they breed. They are fierce primates and will offer stout resistance to potential predators. [Link]
Your final friendly reminder for the NYC meet-up.
siddhartha at 10:21 AM in Meetups! · 35 comment(s) · Direct link
November 14, 2006
T Minus 5 Days: November to Remember
A gentle reminder that the NYC Mutiny Meetup is this SATURDAY at Epistrophy Cafe. I believe it will be Siddhartha’s first meetup and probably number 4 or 5 for me. 
Macaca’s far & wide, commenters & lurkers, bloggers & illiterate are all welcome to attend.
Based on the comments to the original announcement post, this one’s got potential to hit new heights of attendance. I’d give it even money that we’ll beat out September’s record-breaking LA meetup.
In contrast to the Desi fast food joints we’ve hit for past NYC meetups, Epistrophy is a wine bar. Siddhartha will be the honorary sommelier for the evening and I’ll be tossing my hat into the ring should the subject of California reds hit the fore.
Because of other evening engagements, we’re “officially” scheduling this one a tad on the early side at 5-7pm. So, you should be able to stop by without tipping off your cool crew that you met your other, ‘real’ friends on a blog. Of course, if prior NYC meetups are any indication, there’s likely to be a good sized group lingering till the wee hours engaged in senseless acts of debauchery.
What: Sepia Mutiny Meetup: November to Remember
Where: Epistrophy Cafe, 200 Mott Street (between Spring and Kenmare)
When: Saturday, November 18, 5-7pm
vinod at 07:10 AM in Blog, Meetups! · 33 comment(s) · Direct link
November 13, 2006
DC Meetup #3: L'CHAIM!
You know, for a meetup which I invited you macacas to with thismuch notice, DC’s third attempt at getting mutinous was as satisfying as the results to a certain Senatorial race, which we toasted by the way, since that was the reason for the season.
Eight of us destroyed the buffet at Heritage India, while discussing everything from breaking gossip (“Wait— HOW did that macaca get his JOB???”) to female infanticide in Punjab (“No, it’s not just a problem for the lower classes…educated people do it, too.”) to who knew a jew (“Have you SEEN the synagogue in Cochin???”). Care to gnash your teeth enviously because of what you missed? Find an entire album of awesome on my Flickr.
Commenter “Vivo” gets a special award for putting up with my non-stop derision after he accidentally made noises which sounded vaguely anti-Kerala (“Ah,” you’re thinking…”NOW these comments make sense”). Kindly be noting that I did not apologize for carrying him relentlessly— I mean, he totally deserved that. I can appreciate his thick skin without relinquishing my right to thenga-flavored chauvinism. ;)
Lurker Leo also deserves massive love for coming to the meetup, since he lives in Raleigh. He and his friend, the unexpected guest star (of David) of brunch both said farewell to me in the middle of Connecticut Avenue while everyone else left for Cosi, since we had closed out Heritage India. I hope they had a safe trip home. :) Did I mention one of them was JEWISH??? :D
Oh, that reminds me— while everyone else dodged raindrops and bitter cold by running in to s’mores central, DTK chivalrously waited for me as I hugged the North Carolinians farewell. Isn’t he the sweet? I must say, though my man-harem was filled with brilliant, witty, bewitching (bewarlocking?) goodness, nothing makes a girl feel funny in the tummy like a seemingly insignificant gesture like THAT. ;)
Inside Cosi, things REALLY got crazy, as you can see from the picture above. :) It certainly didn’t hurt that three hilarious, very cute girls had joined us after brunch, two of whom were Kenyandesi and Barmaid. Jealous much? You should be. :) I felt like a kid in a conversational candy store— everyone was saying something fascinating and I almost got dizzy from trying to follow all the fast and furious banter.
Dynamically discussed: terrible desi “magazines”, how to avoid visible panty lines (complete with a live demonstration), libertarianism, $150 Taco Bell runs, Indian vs. South Asian (HA!), haters who feel the need to leave thinly-veiled personal attacks in our comment threads, $2000 minimums for certain mutinous holiday parties (gulp), whether our Siddhartha is really Jewish (yes!), Sriram’s hair and of course, in what is now a theme common to EVERY meetup I’ve hosted— a brief discussion regarding which mascara I was wearing at the time (L’oreal: Lash Architect in Blackest Black). The women of the Mutiny…we are girlie. :)
You know what else every meetup I’ve ever hosted has in common with today’s laughter and warmth? You. I say it often, but that is because I have reason to: I am filled with sublime emotion at how wonderful our readers are. On days like today, I feel like the luckiest girl ever, because I am able to meet you, eat yummy food with you and then giggle uncontrollably as you tell me something which I inevitably tuck away like a picture or ticket stub pressed in my diary. That memory will color your comments and presence online, which will make me so happy to see, eat and laugh with you next time there’s a meetup. It’s a viciously lovely circle, innit? :) I can’t wait until December.
:+:
Prashant-ji, Sriram, Vivo, DTK, Salil, Kenyandesi, Barmaid…was there anything I forgot? :)
anna at 12:03 AM in Meetups! · 26 comment(s) · Direct link
November 12, 2006
Have Brunch With the Mutiny!
Eight people are here at Heritage India and I’m thrilled to report that I’m the only girl…FINALLY, I have my man-harem! :D
Rollcall: Sriram, Prashant, Vivo, Salil, “context-specific” and his friend, DTK…and ME!
I told the story of the birth of the Mutiny…again. This meetup tradition continues.
WE HAVE AN INDIAN JEW AT THE MEETUP!!! I’ve always wanted to meet one (aside from the Baghdadi Jew from Kolkota I met once…who wasn’t very Indian).
Salil’s honeymoon story: the ONLY time the “slippery slope” argument was actually true!
anna at 02:03 PM in Meetups! · 50 comment(s) · Direct link
November 10, 2006
DC Meetup MADNESS
I’m so sorry that I’ve been Arular lately, but I promise that New York (as much as I adore it) won’t be the only Sepia city to get mutinous, especially after the glee-inducing events of this past week. I mean…come on…this victory was all about chocolate, not apples. ;) Besides, I won’t be able to attend the New York meetup and I want to celebrate just as much as Siddhartha and Vinod do.
I was originally going to propose something different: a meetup/workshop hybrid which would oocur at some cafe as we wrote and read 55s…sort of a mash-up of the Kahani writing gatherings I used to host and our regular SM melas. But, I think that after Tuesday’s triumph of relatively-good over the most-fumbled-cammpaign ever, zimbly hanging out and laughing our kundis off (which we did at the last DC meetup, pictured left) might be a more apposite goal.
So, while I don’t mind getting together Saturday night for potentially scandalous debauchery (especially if it ends in the wee hours with cheese-veggie-burgers at Fuddruckers), I’m wondering if Sunday afternoon will work for more of you?
How about brunch at Heritage India Dupont, on Sunday at 1pm?
Heritage India is near the blue/orange/red lines and it’s bang in the middle of everything, so if we’re having fun, we can sluggishly waddle off somewhere else after being sated by the best ma ki dal in DC. Brunch is served until 2:30pm, so IST can be slightly accomodated. :) RSVP in the comments below, so I can make reservations tomorrow, y’heard?
:+:
If you can’t eat the cutest aloo tikki EVER with us at Heritage this weekend (trust me, the presentation always delights), consider partying with us a month from now, during Sepia Mutiny’s first-ever Hanukkah meetup, on December 16. This could be the meetup to trump all meetups because…
1) It will take place at the sublime, gorgeous and flawless Rasika, one of Esquire magazine’s 20 Best New Restaurants in America.
2) We’re all going to wear our finest desi clothes. Iron that kanjeevaram, dig up your favorite lengha and find that sherwani your cousin made you buy for his wedding, which you didn’t think you’d get to use again. This is the Mutiny’s first holiday party and I want you to glitter as much as the fantastic setting.
Can you picture it? Sepia lovelies in silk, the chime of bangles as crystal flutes are raised and the food…my goodness, you should come, just to try the bhindi and the saag. At YoDad’s request, Msichana showed up to the last DC meetup looking luminous in a sari which fought the sunset for that night’s “Best use of Pinks and Purples”-award, so you may thank her for inspiring this request for your best dress. How down are you with looking brown? :)
anna at 06:39 PM in Meetups! · 36 comment(s) · Direct link
September 16, 2006
Morning After Recap of the L.A. Meetup
The rumors are true kids, and we have pictures to prove it (need to join as member to view pix). To quote Vinod, last night was "the BEST Sepia Mutiny Meetup EVER!"
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GujuDude and his macaca |
The quick run down- the place was hip, the people that came were cool, the drama kept at a minimum and the party was a great success. It started at happy hour time, and went late into the wee morning as 15 of us broke bread together at The Pantry at 1am. As you can see from the pictures, everyone was smiling and having a great time. Big ups to all the mutinous (I'd guess we had a posse of 50 throughout the night) that came: Abhi, Vinod, Sumit, Karthik, Rumi, Builder, Vinod (x2), Hanish, GujuDude (+1), Prashant, Lata, Payal, Ravi the lurker, Amar, Gaurav, Pawan, Sharat, Sachin, Rajan, Lavanya, Arun, Deep, Shivani, 1 /26, Satish, Thomas Kurma, Shruti, Dimpal, Vivek, Anu, Ami, Mad Guru, - and all those others that didn't sign in!
What exactly happened that made it so kick ass?
Though it started at 7pm, people were naturally on IST time. As people joined the mutiny, they had a sepia rakhi tied to their wrist to let them know they were now a 'part of the mutiny.' People s