Honolulu Planning Thread

May 7, 2009 10:56 AM

We need to pick a date and time between July 17 and July 19 and a location. A place with outdoor seating / something resembling a view and WiFi would seem ideal, and around here that shouldn't be too hard!

As in infrequent reader of the Grey, I just missed the last (first? only?) Hawai'i meetup. Not sure what attendance was like then, but let's see what we can muster up for July.

posted by kanuck to Honolulu, HI at 10:56 AM (19 comments total)

Whew. Someone else is stepping up to plan this?!

Apologies, Kanuck, I am feeling guilty for the fizzling out of the recent almost-meetup here. (The weather turned really sunny after a long cold spell =] -- someone did post that it is difficult to get a mefi turnout in tropical settings. )

I still want to bump up with mefite sarcastic wit and loud guffaws, so count me in. The anniversary is a great excuse.

I suggest we get rafts, boards, and inner tubes (with coolers attached) and meet in a secret lagoon. Food, drinks, water and sun -- and mefi talk -- ... can't beat it. We may need to work on finding waterproof laptops.
posted by Surfurrus at 3:09 AM on May 12, 2009

Sunday brunch, with reservations, at someplace like Shore Bird in Waikiki? Pupus and dinner at Gordon Biersch at Aloha Tower? Or something more remote and exotic, say in Haleiwa on the North Shore, or someplace in Kailua/Kaneohe?

Outdoor seating and a casual atmosphere would get my vote, as I may or may not bring my family (provided it's a family-friendly meetup, which I know has yet to be determined!).
posted by pzarquon at 5:49 PM on June 15, 2009

Pending further inspiration, the Gordon Biersch @ Aloha Tower works for me -- pretty central, outdoor seating, easy to get a reservation. Anyone else want to weigh in?
posted by kanuck at 1:11 AM on June 18, 2009

Aloha all!

We are talking venues - very cool. I like the idea of "outdoor and casual atmosphere" and brunch sounds a good time (10/11/12?). I request a place that is not too noisy (no tvs blaring or loud music) - it's nice to be able to talk. I also like the idea of family-friendly. Is parking an issue? That could make Waikiki hard - although there are some great on-the-beach places (like Dukes) there.

I offer one suggestion ChaChaCha in Hawai'i Kai - outdoor seating on the water, very casual, Mexican food. I go there often after swimming. I don't know if they take reservations. I haven't been to Gordon Biersch (don't get downtown much) but am curious.
posted by Surfurrus at 2:23 AM on June 20, 2009

Whoops - one more thing. Are we looking for a place with wifi?
posted by Surfurrus at 2:24 AM on June 20, 2009

Gordon Biersch is great. Usually quiet (unless it's live music night), reasonable (but not great) parking, decent food, open air, family friendly (at least before sunset).

Never been to ChaChaCha. Have rarely found Mexican in Hawaii that's worth a drive (we live in Mililani!), but the company would be what matters. What about Kona Brewing Company, also out thataway?
posted by pzarquon at 12:45 PM on July 1, 2009

Good call, I forgot that it's typically valet parking @ Aloha Tower.. and if we're gonna do a brewpub, KBC seems like a more fittingly local choice. Lots of parking in the Koko Marina shopping center, lots of outdoor seating, and it seemed pretty family friendly & not too noisy the last time I was there.

Since we need to nail down specifics by July 7th, I'm going to don my trusty organizer's hat and make a specific proposal:

Kona Brewing Company, Sunday July 19th @ noon

If you think you can make it, please add your name to the attending list -- if we can get 3 names on there, we'll get some beer money out of it (see Matt's post).
posted by kanuck at 4:12 PM on July 1, 2009

Any wives and offspring tagging along with attending MeFites?
posted by pzarquon at 10:29 PM on July 1, 2009

Is this the 'attending list' or do we post again at Matt's post? (I'm attending!)

Pzarquon: I might bring my moopuna - they love to feed the ducks there - but it depends on my daughter's 'soccer mom schedule' =]
posted by Surfurrus at 11:38 AM on July 2, 2009

pzarquon: my (non-MeFite) GF may be persuaded to show up..

surfurrus (and everyone else for that matter): to RSVP, go to the Honolulu meetup page while logged in, and there should be a "Joining Us?" form for y/n/maybe.
posted by kanuck at 1:19 PM on July 2, 2009

Ooh. Ducks? I'd like to bring my (non-MeFite) wife and kids. If the conversation or mood is more adult, I'm sure we can just become a meetup annex at the next table. A MeFi meetup in Honolulu is way overdue, I'm glad this is happening!
posted by pzarquon at 1:24 PM on July 2, 2009

Location set. My attempt to provide more context in the location information screwed up the site's generated map -- use this if you need directions.

I've got us 2 tables, though they require a single check for the party, so here's what I propose: I'll put a bunch of food on the table check and use Metafilter money to pay for that, everyone gets their own drinks at the bar and pays for those themselves.
posted by kanuck at 1:41 PM on July 2, 2009

[I fixed up the map, so the preview should be correct now.]
posted by pb at 1:47 PM on July 2, 2009

Hey Folks! I am so glad you're holding this and will be up for a meet-up in the future, but this summer is totally packed for me. That said, my sincere thanks to kanuck for organizing this. I hope you folks have a fabulous time and look forward to hearing about it!
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:32 PM on July 2, 2009

Hi everyone! I'll be finding a way to be there and will bring my wife with me. Mahalo kanuck for doing the setup.
posted by scottymac at 5:58 PM on July 5, 2009

I'll try to make it.
posted by GooseOnTheLoose at 3:22 AM on July 6, 2009

Any of you Hawaiian folk planning on doing a live reading of the Metafilter Collab Novel, given that it's set there?

Cos' that'd be cool.
posted by Effigy2000 at 11:13 PM on July 10, 2009

Good times! Glad to meet everyone, sorry I wasn't around to close things down -- did I miss any later arrivals?

I've added my photos to the meetup page.

Let's do it again sometime.
posted by kanuck at 2:10 AM on July 20, 2009

Really enjoyed getting to meet all of you. I do hope we can meet again one of these days. Thanx, kanuck for the pictures.
posted by scottymac at 10:19 AM on July 20, 2009