Thanks for the confirmation. It is nearly as weird to see him there as it was seeing an old friend singing on that terribly funny Big Issue ad of a couple of years back.
As it is Australia Day I thought I would give this thread a bit of a bump and see if any Melbournites were doing some public holiday doping.
Okay so we have interest from enough people to get something happening.
From a quick survey of the thread it seems Sunday might be best.
How does the end of February look for everyone?
Or alternatively - Monday the 8th of March is Labour Day Public Holiday. Does anyone have plans for then?
I’m going to be a right pain in the bum and say that typically Sundays don’t work for me at all well.
Start of March would be better than end of Feb, but end of Feb might be OK - I don’t know yet.
Otherwise, you can all just meet without me - that’s just the way it goes sometimes.
If someone will just tell me where to be, when, I’ll do my best
We used to be ambivalent, now we aren’t so sure 
I have my roster now, except for the on-call roster :smack:
Anyways, it looks like Sundays are generally a good thing for me, Saturdays late afternoon/evening are good too, unless I am on call.
I vote NO for the labor day long weekend because staying in melbourne will be infernally expensive should I not want to drive back the same day, and traffic will be nasty. The weekend before that has my vote.
Time to start pinning a date down. How does Sunday the 28th of February sound to everyone?
If travel becomes an issue phraser how would you feel about staying overnight at casa del Leech? I promise that my baby is a good sleeper and shouldn’t wake you up?
I’m assuming you mean Sunday the 29th of February?
That’s fine with me (a leap-year date dopefest!)
Saturday the 28th is fine with me too, as long as it’s in the afternoon/evening.
How’s that weekend for everyone else?
How about venues?
Leechbabe, thanks for your offer of a place to sleep, but I usually try to get home the same night, because I don’t like leaving my cat alone. She should be here by then crosses fingers
I will probably attend.
I’ve never been to one before and it would be good to see some faces to go with the names.
I have no schedule problems (I work for myself and I’m pretty generous with my days off).
Preferably not evening, but arvo is OK.
That weekend is fine for me, either day.
Somewhere easyish on the old public transport please.
*Phraser gets extra points for wanting to be home with the cat. * 
I don’t know a lot of Melbourne, but I’m going to jump in and suggest places anyway. I don’t know what kind of place you people usually meet in - the BrisFest I went to was in a cafe.
So, in that vein, I can suggest two nice cafes I know, both in Brunswick St, Fitzroy: The Hideout, and Joe’s Garage.
The tram (I think it’s the 96) stops directly outside the Hideout, and about 20m down from Joe’s Garage.
If a pub is more Melbourne style, there is a rather cool pub called The House of Fools in Footscray (or there was 6 months ago). Can’t remember the exact address, but it was walking distance from public transport.
Thylacine, I’m not allowed to have favourite animals… but if I was, I think my cat would top the table.
A cafe would be a good place to meet up. We can always move onto a pub later if the punters want to.
I give my vote to The Hideout 
OMG a Victorian doper who can take charge! Do you also have a huge moustache and have you seen The Full Monty on stage? We have suffered greatly since redboss took leave of organising us
That’s ok, you haven’t met my cat yet, you can have your delusions about who is your favourite until then.
Hideout is fine with me wherever it may be, have you got a specific date and time in mind?
I am yet to grow any kind of moustache - in fact, i’m at the stage where I am androgynous enough to present as whichever gender people are expecting to see. I have seen the full monty on stage, but not, I suspect, in the way that you mean grins
Even once I meet your cat… My loyalty is given.
I don’t know the number on Brunswick St of the Hideout, but it’s on the left if you’re coming from the city, and it’s in the bit where all the cafes are. It’s quite brightly coloured.
As for date and time, Saturday the 28th of Feb in the afternoon/evening, or Sunday the 29th, late morning or lunchtime. Or afternoon, even. I’m not fussy, and I can’t make all the decisions.
389, between Leicester and Rose Streets, just over 3 blocks south of Alexandra Parade, I can’t make decisions but I google
Can we get a quick vote from Melbourne dopers which they would prefer?
Saturday afternoon - 28th Feb
Saturday evening - 28th Feb
Sunday afternoon - 29th Feb
And I prolly should cast my vote -
I’m easy, any time is good
I’m cool with Saturday arvo or evening, or LATE arvo on Sunday ('cos I have to work until 4.00’ish on Sunday so unless at least some of youse are going to kick-on, I’ll be left alone, bereft of scintillating company 
).
But I am pleased that you have chosen The Hideout or Joe’s because they are just within five-minutes staggering distance of my joint.
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee…I get the easy way out AGAIN!!
Ah, the joys of living in the highest concentration of ‘cool places’ in Melbourne.
… I hope we can set up a little phone conference like we did last time y’all met. I talk to my friend Icy from time to time, but it sure would be nice to talk to my other Kiwi/Aussie buds again as well.
Looking forward to it! Please let me know date and time, okay?
Love
Q
My vote is for Saturday the 28th in the late afternoon/evening.