I’m in.
As to location: Does anyone have a strong preference for CC or West Philly, or for a particular type of food? I’m flexible myself (I’ll try pretty much anything that isn’t raw fish, kidneys, or marked “hot & spicy”). I know I’m the one who dissed Philly Diner, but if the group wants to go there, I’ll be there.
CC is easier for me, though West Philly isn’t exactly a problem.
Olives, what works best for you and el senor?
CC works better for me, though I can make it to west Philly.
Diner food is fine with me. I’m more interested in the company than the food when it comes to Dopefests anyway.
Fine – where in CC? There’s the DownHome Diner at Reading Market …
I’m just checking in to make sure we’re still on.
Reading Market is fine. Worst case scenario we can park at Penn and take the subway.
I’m still in. Reading Market is fine. Have we picked a time yet?
Do you want to do the diner there, or let everyone hit whatever stand they want and just eat together at one of the tables in the middle?
I’d suggest 1 PM for a time.
1 PM works for me.
Down Home Diner has its own seating area, which on a Saturday might have advantages over trying to grab a group table somewhere. If it should be rammed we can always take our chances out on the floor.
Hey, I’m kind of new to this whole thing, so how do Dopefests work?
I would love to go, but having some background knowledge would be nice.
We’d love to have you!
How it works – a bunch of people figure out when and where they’re going to eat a meal together. (In this case, the Down Home Diner at Reading Market, Saturday, 1 PM.)
They then meet and have a meal, with everyone paying for him- or herself. We hang out and talk and laugh. Some of it is about Board stuff ("Did you see that Pit thread about …? ") and some of it is just normal chitchat.
Very friendly, very low key, very low risk.
Let us know if you’re coming, so we’ll be sure to wait for you/save a seat for you. If you’d like my cell number, PM me. (That goes for anyone who’s coming who wants a contact person for last-minute whatever.)
Speaking of meeting – how about on Filbert Street, just east of 12th, outside the door to the Market right by the Down Home Diner? (Inside is so jammed, and we probably shouldn’t get in line till we’ve at least got a quorum.)
Not too sure about Saturday for me (life is still chaotic) but put me down as a maybe 
So lemme get this straight: you steal **olives **from us and then have Dopefests? Have you people no shame?
Ooh, also, ask **olives **to do her famous amoeba impersonation.
It’s like any get together, except with more Monty Python references. When I attended my first Dopefest, I wasn’t sure I would fit in. Then, the Doper who was driving me compared a certain series of underpasses to the run on the Deathstar.
Personally, I love to mine Dopers for more knowledge. Twickster for example, is an expert on the sociology of religion, and crosswords.
Turns out my availability is a little iffy – I have to work (!!!) Saturday morning. (After 21 mos. of unemployment, I just started an office job with the Census Bureau … which includes 9-1 on Saturdays.) I won’t be able to get to CC till 1:45 or so. See you then, I guess.
Okay, I would love to go. Only problem is, I don’t know where anything is. I’m a student at Swarthmore college; how would I get to the dopefest from where I am?
Reading Market is downtown just northeast of city hall. If you have access to SEPTA, you’re good to go.
Take the train to Market East. When you get off the train, go up the stairs “behind” you (in the direction the train just came from) up to the main station floor. Keep walking in that direction to the flight of stairs at the back of the station (labeled “12th street” – they’ll take you up to Filbert Street, right across from the exact place we’re meeting. Train schedules at septa.org.
Someone else may be willing to give you a cell number – since I’ll be arriving late, I’m probably not the best contact person.
It looks like I’ll be back in Philly in time to make this, so put me down as “probable.” Hopefully the weather cooperates.
Cool! Haven’t seen you in eons.
Not entirely clear whether I’m working tomorrow or not – yesterday was a half day, we’re not going in at all today, and they’ll call and let us know whether or not to come in tomorrow – so I may be able to get there at 1. If not, I’ll head down anyways, and if anyone wants to go for coffee, we can do that. (The table turnover at the Diner is brisk, they’re not going to let us linger.)
Turns out I am working tomorrow, but will head down after – should be there before 2.