# NoVa Dopers: Let's have a beer! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 10, 2005, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611 "2005-10-10T18:49:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/41 "2005-11-01T00:17:18Z")
Three weeks out (thanks for the bump!), we have: **Attending:** [ul][li]Misnomer[/li][li]QuickSilver[/li][li]brownie55[/li][li]ultrafilter[/li][li]mcott[/li][li]Johanna (yay, I won’t be the only girl!)[/ul][/li] **Interested, But Not Sure:** [ul][li]BlueKangaroo[/li][li]Hello Again[/li][li]Roland Orzabal[/li][li]dwalin[/ul][/li] **Enigmatically Noncommittal:** [ul][li]Wendell Wagner[/li][li]Triskadecamus[/ul][/li] > [@mcott](#): > > Well, upon internet investigation\*, I think I’ve come up with an economical, workable plan to get to Jimmy’s (and on my own too!). Sounds good! Sorry it will cost you so much to get there before you’ve even had a drink … how 'bout I buy you one to help defray your expenses? 🙂 Also, sorry that I couldn’t commit to picking you up from a Metro station. It’s good that I didn’t, because now it looks like I’ll be at Pentagon City that afternoon and I’m not sure when I’ll get back – I’ll definitely have my butt on a Jimmy’s barstool at 7pm, though! ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/42 "2005-11-01T03:09:27Z")
Well, if anyone cares, it is now officially unofficial that I will definitely most likely be going somewhere in the general direction of other-than-south on that weekend. Which means I might just show my face with a buddy of mine to say hi and have a couple (a couple of Cokes, seein’ as how I ain’t the drinkin’ type and I’m drivin’ the party wagon anyhoo, but a couple nonetheless) with you fine fraternizing folks. It is possible that this is almost certainly a commitment, but only in the sense that, without a doubt, it is not. I trust I have made myself clear. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/43 "2005-11-01T04:03:02Z")
Dammit, **Tris** , look what you and your “I want to be enigmatically noncommittal, too!” movement have done to **Roland**! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BlueKangaroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@BlueKangaroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueKangaroo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/44 "2005-11-01T04:39:38Z")
Don’t worry **Misnomer**. The **Kangaroo\_in\_Black** and I are still “Interested, But Not Sure”. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/45 "2005-11-01T05:19:30Z")
Unfortunately, I am not able to improve my status, and must remain enigmatically noncommittal for now. **Wendell Wagoner** on the other hand seems to have drifted into the realm of mysteriously silent. I would like to say that this entire trendsetting thing is a bit more tension producing than I was prepared for. I need a drink. Tris ---
**Author:** ![mcott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@mcott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcott)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/46 "2005-11-01T05:39:16Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > Sounds good! Sorry it will cost you so much to get there before you’ve even had a drink … how 'bout I buy you one to help defray your expenses? 🙂 > > Also, sorry that I couldn’t commit to picking you up from a Metro station. It’s good that I didn’t, because now it looks like I’ll be at Pentagon City that afternoon and I’m not sure when I’ll get back – I’ll definitely have my butt on a Jimmy’s barstool at 7pm, though! Well, being one who won’t say no to a tall cold one being bought for me, thanks. Although I have to say it really isn’t all that costly. All but two of the museums I want to visit are free, and the only other expenses besides meals I anticipate are two stuffed pandas at the zoo, and a possible insane shopping spree at the Discovery Channel Store. Budget wise, that ain’t bad at all. The interesting part will be getting back to ye old Marriott, but if I can get delivered to a Metro Station at the end of the night, that won’t be that bad. As an aside, **Misnomer** , I see that you’re in Reston. Anywhere near _the Ebola Monkey House_? Not on most tourist lists, but having read a few books about it, I’m quite interested. MC ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/47 "2005-11-05T04:06:56Z")
Okay! I am now removing myself from the category of enigmatically noncommittal. Please put me in the new category of: “Stopping by the Vienna Metro station both before and after the get together, and definitely attending.” Damn. This whole trend setting thing is getting habitual. ## Tris PS: It’s a Toyota, let’s not get all that trendy, you know. Three is plenty, unless most of them are very small and very intimate. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/48 "2005-11-05T04:58:36Z")
[QUOTE=Misnomer] [li]Johanna (yay, I won’t be the only girl!)[/list][/li][/QUOTE] Back atcha, girlfriend. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/49 "2005-11-05T05:22:32Z")
Alas, **Tris** , I am unable to jump on this new “making of plans” bandwagon, for it is a strange and frightening thing that disturbs me to contemplate. I must therefore remain enigmatically noncommital until such time as I either do or do not show up. Rest assured that if I do happen to be in the area, I’ll be certain to make my presence known. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2005, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/50 "2005-11-06T00:33:11Z")
It’s only two weeks away now! Here’s the updated list: **Attending:** [ul][li]Misnomer[/li][li]QuickSilver[/li][li]brownie55[/li][li]ultrafilter[/li][li]mcott[/li][li]Johanna[/li][li]Triskadecamus[/ul][/li] **Interested, But Not Sure:** [ul][li]BlueKangaroo & Kangaroo\_in\_Black[/li][li]Hello Again[/li][li]dwalin[/ul][/li] **Enigmatically Noncommittal:** [ul][li]Roland Orzabal[/ul][/li] **Mysteriously Silent:** [ul][li]Wendell Wagner[/ul][/li]I have a proposal: in order to make it easier for us to recognize each other at Jimmy’s, I’m willing to set up a photo album on Flickr. The name of each picture will be our Doper names, and the comments will contain our first names. If you’re interested, e-mail a picture to me via my profile: two days before the event I’ll send the URL to everyone who sent me a photo (you don’t have to have an account with them). You can also send me a link to your photo instead of the photo itself, if you want. Make sure that both your Doper name and your first name appear somewhere in your e-mail. 🙂 > [@mcott](#): > > As an aside, **Misnomer** , I see that you’re in Reston. Anywhere near _the Ebola Monkey House_? Not on most tourist lists, but having read a few books about it, I’m quite interested. I’d never heard about it until you asked. 🙂 But I’ve only lived here for 7 years – is it something that happened a while ago? > [@Triskadecamus](#): > > Okay! I am now removing myself from the category of enigmatically noncommittal. Please put me in the new category of: > > “Stopping by the Vienna Metro station both before and after the get together, and definitely attending.” Um, “attending” is close enough, right? 😉 > [@Roland Orzabal](#): > > Rest assured that if I do happen to be in the area, I’ll be certain to make my presence known. Perhaps … but will we know that it’s you? :dubious: 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2005, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/51 "2005-11-06T03:48:29Z")
[Me](http://www.alwaysbackup.com/~michaelk/images/Triskadecamus.jpg) Tris ---
**Author:** ![mcott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@mcott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcott)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/52 "2005-11-07T04:50:03Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > It’s only two weeks away now! Here’s the updated list: > > **Attending:** [ul][li]Misnomer[/li][li]QuickSilver[/li][li]brownie55[/li][li]ultrafilter[/li][li]mcott[/li][li]Johanna[/li][li]Triskadecamus[/ul][/li] **Interested, But Not Sure:** [ul][li]BlueKangaroo & Kangaroo\_in\_Black[/li][li]Hello Again[/li][li]dwalin[/ul][/li] **Enigmatically Noncommittal:** [ul][li]Roland Orzabal[/ul][/li] **Mysteriously Silent:** [ul][li]Wendell Wagner[/ul][/li]I have a proposal: in order to make it easier for us to recognize each other at Jimmy’s, I’m willing to set up a photo album on Flickr. The name of each picture will be our Doper names, and the comments will contain our first names. If you’re interested, e-mail a picture to me via my profile: two days before the event I’ll send the URL to everyone who sent me a photo (you don’t have to have an account with them). You can also send me a link to your photo instead of the photo itself, if you want. Make sure that both your Doper name and your first name appear somewhere in your e-mail. 🙂 I’ll do you one better. Here’s my upcoming blog that I set up to record this trip for the folks back home. My pic is in the profile, and FYI, it was taken on “The Line” at Greenwich earlier this year. All part of my goal to visit at least one country capital per year. This year is good - live in one, visit two. > [@Misnomer](#): > > I’d never heard about it until you asked. 🙂 But I’ve only lived here for 7 years – is it something that happened a while ago? Look for the book _ **The Hot Zone** _ by _Richard Preston_. It’s an interesting account of how a variant of Ebola that thankfully didn’t transmit to humans came to a Hazelton Research Products quarantine facility for monkeys in Reston. USARMIID was involved in the decon. > [@Triskadecamus](#): > > Stopping by the Vienna Metro station both before and after the get together, and definitely attending. I think I’ll be good for the “before”, but if you can swing by Vienna “after”, that would save a cab ride. Looking forward to this, folks. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/53 "2005-11-07T07:40:20Z")
Cripes, I work in Reston. Where exactly in Reston was the Ebola? One of those office-park streets named after scientists? ---
**Author:** ![Anita\_Vacation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Anita\_Vacation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anita_Vacation)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/54 "2005-11-07T11:47:29Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Cripes, I work in Reston. Where exactly in Reston was the Ebola? One of those office-park streets named after scientists? Maybe something like “Isaac Newton Square” perhaps? Your set-up was too cute, Johanna, I love it! 😉 I haven’t been in the [neighborhood](http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Reston,+va&ll=38.952993,-77.336390&spn=0.002925,0.010274&hl=en) in years but I lived nearby for about a decade and show no ill effects _twitch_ _twitch_ that I’m aware of. Last time I heard, there were plans to tear down the building which stood on the west side of the park facing east. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/55 "2005-11-07T16:38:38Z")
> [@Anita Vacation](#): > > Maybe something like “Isaac Newton Square” perhaps? Looks like I guessed right. And to think I used to take my kids to the ice skating rink right next to there… My company’s office used to be around the corner from there… ---
**Author:** ![mcott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@mcott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcott)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2005, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/56 "2005-11-12T06:43:25Z")
Well, less than a week to go. Still looking forward to meeting folks, although I have to note that the [Jimmy’s website](http://www.jimmystavern.com) lists Saturday as > [@Jimmy's](#): > > DJ Brian and Dancing which I really hope isn’t too loud. I’m a “pub” or “bar I go to to have a drink and read a book” kind of guy. Although, the > [@Jimmy's](#): > > featuring Jimmy’s famous “Midnight Mystery Contest!” could be interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/57 "2005-11-13T03:44:33Z")
I think I can come, given that District auditions were today\*. I may have to cancel if I get a lot of homework next week – I hope that’s not a problem. \*and I got in! Not that it’s hard, but it’s good for my self esteem. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/58 "2005-11-13T05:07:39Z")
> [@mcott](#): > > which I really hope isn’t too loud. I’m a “pub” or “bar I go to to have a drink and read a book” kind of guy. I think it will be fine – noisier than a place without music, but the dancefloor is a separate part of the bar and I’m hoping to stake out a table near the front door. It’s not a huge place, so the music will be unavoidable, but it’s really more of a neighborhood bar than a club or anything. There’s even a foosball table. {grin} > [@dwalin](#): > > I may have to cancel if I get a lot of homework next week – I hope that’s not a problem. This is totally casual: the running attendance list I’ve been posting is just FYI, and also to provide the occasional thread bump. If you show up, I’ll be there. If you don’t show up, I’ll still be there. (Though if _no one_ shows up, I probably won’t be there much later than 7:30 … at which time I will contact the people at Guinness and ask about the record for how many people anyone has ever been stood up by at the same time. ;)) Hope you can make it! And congrats on the audition. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mcott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@mcott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcott)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/59 "2005-11-13T05:40:59Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > I think it will be fine – noisier than a place without music, but the dancefloor is a separate part of the bar and I’m hoping to stake out a table near the front door. It’s not a huge place, so the music will be unavoidable, but it’s really more of a neighborhood bar than a club or anything. There’s even a foosball table. {grin} Well, that’s fine. Noisy really isn’t a problem - the bar that I visit most often is a “sports bar / restaurant” that often has ultimate fight cage matches on PPV. I’m quite able to have a pint or two and read despite the screaming fight fans raving about every headlock and punch to the face. The danger sign for me is a “boom shaka laka boom shaka laka” type of meat market dance bar. You’d have to ply me with the amount of alcohol I used to be able to drink when I was young and stupid to even get me in the door of one of those places today. Have a few beers, hell yeah - I’m up for that. Get sloberingly loaded and hit on people on the dance floor - oh no. I’ve even gone as far as booking a hotel room on the “gold” floor for my work christmas party, because it’s price pointed 75 bucks above what our block space is, and nobody else will have a room on that floor so I can sleep (and I get free breakfast and a shoe shine). Also, with my transportation plan to get there, I will certainly be at the Air and Space Museum Annex that day, so if anyone wants to see planes with a big kid at heart, let me know. MC ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611/60 "2005-11-16T23:03:15Z")
Here is the [Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern](http://www.jimmystavern.com/) website. Directions from 267:[ul][li]Take 7100 (Fairfax County Parkway), most likely north[/li][li]Follow signs for Spring Street; it will be a left exit (if driving north)[/li][li]At the end of the ramp (traffic light), turn right on Spring Street[/li][li]Take Spring Street into Herndon[/li][li]Turn left on Elden Street (next light after the Post Office)[/li][li]Turn right on Station Street (Jimmy’s will be on left corner)[/li][li]Turn left into the free parking lot[/li][li]Jimmy’s is directly across Elden Street[/ul][/li]Saturday, 7:00 PM. I look like [this](http://www.flickr.com/photos/misnomer971/26577380/in/set-603396/), and will be wearing dark blue jeans and a black sweater. I’ll most likely arrive a little early, and will do my best to secure a table near the front door, but worst case look for me at the bar. I doubt the place will be crowded that early, though. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone! 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nova-dopers-lets-have-a-beer/325611.md?page=4)