San Francisco / AES - Gearslutz dinner! Organisers required!

[Jules]

http://www.aes.org/events/117/

The 117th Audio Engineering Society Convention (AES) will take place at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, California, USA from Thursday, October 28 until Sunday, October 31, 2004

Thursday, October 28 _____ Noon - 6:00 pm
Friday, October 29 _____ 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday, October 30 _____ 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sunday, October 31 _____ 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

OK we need some Gearslutz regulars to help organise an evening Gearslutz AES dinner.

I've assisted in organising these before! So here is a check list of things to watch out for.

1) Favorite is - a private room / area - with no music (music makes it very hard to hear each other)

2) Food - not too exotic or expencive - (not everyone would be happy with Indian food for example)

Important - THE RESTAURANT HAS TO BE ABLE TO COPE WITH SEPERATE "CHEQUES" (Bills) So every one can pay for themselves....!!!!!!!

3) Location - should be within reasonable reach from the convention centre for out of towners (i.e. not just downstairs from the "organizers" apartment )

4) Bear in mind that a rolling attendee list can be organized in a separate thread to keep track of numbers

5) Quite a few manufacturers may want to attend, and so it's probably a good idea to NOT hold the dinner on the same night as the Tech Awards. But if a cool bar we can walk to afterwards is designated - then perhaps that could work - (tech party folks could join us later for drinks).

Post up ideas here if we get stuck I can help referee....

[dave-G]

I think I can help... stand by... will post some ideas later today or tomorrow.

-dave

[David R.]

Let me put a few brain cells on this as well.

And as a side note, tickets - anyone got a ticket?

[juniorhifikit]

Sadlly, I'll be out of town then. But, the Thirsty Bear is a big brew pub a few blocks from Moscone with good food and lots of space for private party-type things.

[JohnnyTooLoud]

I'm happy to help out.

I'm downtown a lot so I can drop any suggested places to scope out the facilities and test the booze.

I'm willing to sacrifice here.

--Giovanni

[Jules]

The party planner team looks good so far!

[David R.]

Eddie Rickenbackers is a fun hang. Old motorcycles dangle from the walls and ceilings. Not too far from the convention center.

Review here.

Another idea is Gordon Biersch

La Rondia, in the Mission district. Cheap Mexican food and pitchers of Margaritas. Loud.

Jules, would you guesstimate 20 to 30 people? More? Less?

More suggestions on the way.

[David R.]

No one else with ideas?

I am leaning towards Eddie Rickenbackers.

Any objections? Suggestions?

[JohnnyTooLoud]

I thnk Rickenbackers would be a fine place to hang out.

Haven't been there for a bit but I don't thnik that place changes much.

I'm alos in the area often so I can go by and talk to them if need me. Scope it out more.

--Giovanni

[JohnnyTooLoud]

I just spoke with Norman at Rickenbackers and he said they would have no problem handling our loose group of folks.

I described it would be individual tabs and folks coming and going throughout a rough block of time.

---Giovanni

[Dave Martin]

Excellent! But what night?

[Bob Olhsson]

If Rickenbacker's is anything like its illustrious fern-bar predecessors, it isn't likely to be quiet enough for people to hear anybody who isn't right next to them. Definitely ought to be checked out before committing.

I still don't know if I'm going.

[JohnnyTooLoud]

Originally posted by Bob Olhsson
If Rickenbacker's is anything like its illustrious fern-bar predecessors, it isn't likely to be quiet enough for people to hear anybody who isn't right next to them. Definitely ought to be checked out before committing.

I still don't know if I'm going.

I'll drop by over the weekend and see what it is like.

I've only ever been there during weeknight evenings.

--Giovanni

[Jules]

Yes folks - a TOTALLY SILENT restaraunt is what we really need - a private room - even better.

Dont get me wrong we can all move on later to a bar and that can / should have music (just not a live band please god!)- but music while we eat and try to chat for the first 2-3 hours will really piss folks used to using their ears for listening - off.

grudge

[dave-G]

I lived for 7 years a block behind the Moscone (2 doors from the former site of the Automatt, Bob)

Anyway, here's a few thoughts:
All within walking (or short cab) of Moscone Center:

Henry's Hunan @ 110 Natoma Street
yes it's Chinese, not super fancy, and typically more busy with lunch-crowders than it is at dinner... And it's good. Could pack in food and TsingTao beers in relative quiet (excepting the din of gearsluttiness).

Town's End (Townsend at Embarcadero), nice food, maybe a hair pricier. (short cab ride, or long walk)

Anabelle's on 4th St.

There's also a very good Thai restaurant behind the center on Folsom, called Cha-Am.. also should be easier to hold conversations there.

A very good possibility is Jillian's--in the Metreon (very close to Moscone), and I'm pretty damn sure they have private room(s) available. They have good grill-fare, every beer imaginable, pool tables, enormous TVs with sports, etc.. . . My very good cousin-in-law is a bartender there, I'll ask him if there's any nepotistic hook-up possibilities.

Everything else I can think of would be a zoo on those nights, and loud, or at least expensive.

I'll check a few of these things and post back soon.

-dave

[Jules]

Silence is golden!

Sports bar tutt
rock n roll bar tutt (OK for a drink after)
Private room

See, one Gearslut will be be yakking about something and 7 others might want to listen, if you are in a rock n roll bar or sports bar only the few folks will get to hear the felow and the rest will get pissed off! We will probably have folks like Eve Anna Manley, Wade from Chandler Dave Derr who designed the Distressor Dirk Brauner, Klaus & Dave from ADAM, Paul Wolf from Tonelux and many other designersfolks wanna hear what these cats have to say....

Gear, gear and nothing but the gear!!!!

I estimate we will be between 30-40 people

[TonyBelmont]

So, what are you gonna do when 200 people show up????

[Ted Nightshade]

Well I aim to be there, and trying to hit a number of SF Jazz Festival things too, happening at the same time. Figure I could miss just about any of it for a Gearslutz dinner- what night are you thinkin' about doin' it?

[Bob Olhsson]

Nepotism rules in SF!

[David R.]

Well, I am off for a week. But when I get back, I am Mr. Organization.

Bob, nepotism rules only for San Franciscans.

[RoundBadge]

I might be up there from LA,keep us posted

[Jules]

My uncle lives in SF does that qualify me a nepotian? Seriously we can monitor number via an attendance thread....

[Tim Farrant]

Well it's about 99.9% sure that I will be there, which will be my first ever AES show AND my first ever visit to the USA so I am really looking forward to this dinner, count me IN!

Cheers
Tim Farrant

[Ted Nightshade]

Originally posted by Bob Olhsson
Nepotism rules in SF!

All yer nephews live in SF and that's why you hang yer hat in Tennessee?

[esteso]

Originally posted by Bob Olhsson
If Rickenbacker's is anything like its illustrious fern-bar predecessors, it isn't likely to be quiet enough for people to hear anybody who isn't right next to them. Definitely ought to be checked out before committing.

I still don't know if I'm going.

C'mon Bob, I'd love to meet you since you'd done such a great job on the "Little Tin Gods" thing for me. I'll be there for sure. Love to meet all the guys actually. I haven't had much to say lately but I am listening to y'all.

regards
Michael

[Bryce]

Originally posted by David R.
And as a side note, tickets - anyone got a ticket?

I may be able to help out with some show tickets. PM me if you need them.

dB

[oudplayer]

I'm not far from San Francisco - could help out a bit with things, too. Of the places mentioned so far, Cha-Am the Thai restaurant is the only one that immediately speaks "quiet," despite their lack of a private room.

Looking forward to meeting some of you folks I've been talking with for years and never have run into face-to-face! Welcome to San Francisco! I'll look for some good eclectic Indian sitar-hip hop-burlesque fusion shows for the after-party.

[Dave Martin]

Originally posted by oudplayer
I'll look for some good eclectic Indian sitar-hip hop-burlesque fusion shows for the after-party.

Be still my heart...

[RKrizman]

Originally posted by dave-G


Henry's Hunan @ 110 Natoma Street
yes it's Chinese, not super fancy, and typically more busy with lunch-crowders than it is at dinner... And it's good. Could pack in food and TsingTao beers in relative quiet (excepting the din of gearsluttiness).

Somebody in Beijing just recommended Henry's to me as the best Chinese food in S.F. But she also said is was vegetarian.

That said, don't a lot of these Chinese restaurants have private banquet rooms designed exactly for this sort of thing?

-R

[EveAnna Manley]

Ah but if I am there I could be prone to passing out, uhm, I mean TAKING A NAP. I will require a napping bench.



Hey, P.S. Manley Labs is co-hosting a party with NHT Speakers on Thursday nite at the show... it's a secret. shhhhhhh don't tell.