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BBQ in Chiba (it's not *that* far)

BYOBBQ
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 3:25 AM on July 17, 2013

Family members are more than welcome, misozaki. You could always try to tempt your husband with tales of meat. You never know, he might waver. Seriously, though, if people want to bring family, that's perfectly okay. We even have boardgames and a playstation for anyone who wants to retreat a bit. There's also a washitsu in the back where kids could take a nap if they need one (not that your high school aged kid would need a nap, I'm thinking of younger kids).
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 4:39 PM on July 17, 2013

Any and all drinks are more than welcome. Looking forward to seeing you all again.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 6:36 PM on July 17, 2013

Food, and food related things will be pretty solidly taken care of. Sausage-wisea possibility of some or all of the following: Plain Bratwurst, Chipotle Garlic Bratwurst, Smoked Bratwurst, or Andouille Sauce-wise: I usually make up three sauces, Spicy Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce, South Carolina style mustard BBQ, and Alabama style mayonaisse/vinegar sauce for the chicken. Buns will be had, as our savior Costco is a loving god. Sadly, the PS3 is mostly used as a media center/DVR these… [more]
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 7:47 PM on July 17, 2013

Woodblock, have I got a deal for you! I spoke with the Mrs., and if you need it, we've got the washitsu and spare futons. If it helps get you to the meetup, you're more than welcome to crash with us the night before.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 5:09 AM on July 18, 2013

Such barbarity! Chopping vegetables? Vegetables? We'll have none of those at my BBQ.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 3:00 PM on July 18, 2013

I seriously can't wait to see you guys. I've just spent the evening trying to explain to people that my dislike of their casual use of racist language isn't PC, it's just basic human decency. As in, in expressing my dislike of racist language used in my house, at thanksgiving, I'm being called reactionary. It's evidently my obligation to let people know that they shouldn't be racist around me. In other words, I miss communicating with adults.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 6:01 AM on July 19, 2013

A Midsummer Meetup!

For anyone who hasn't been (like me) the website is here. I don't know if I can go, but I will say their Kurofune Porter is pretty tasty, and I've got a bottle of their Angry Boy Brown Ale waiting at home in the fridge.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 12:12 AM on June 28, 2013

August... in Chiba... if we pin down a day, and manage to get a decent number (I'm going to set the bar at 12-15), I'm just sayin' BBQ IN CHIBA.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 6:10 PM on July 7, 2013

3-4 is no good for me. Ichikawa Fireworks. 17-18 could be possible.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 8:26 PM on July 7, 2013

GoingToShopping, I'm not sure you understand, I was volunteering my house (which has air conditioning) to be the site of the meetup, and to cook for everyone. The reason I said Chiba is that's where I live, and that's where I keep my grills, comfy chairs, ice cold beer, and air conditioning. As for convenient, standing next to a grill all day while other people cavort and drink? It's not the most convenient thing for me.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 10:59 PM on July 7, 2013

Well, on the off chance that there are people who would have to work on the 19th, maybe the 17th would be best? That way people don't have to worry about getting up quite so early the next day. Usually, when I do a BBQ, I supply the food and ask people to bring the drinks, but if anyone wants to bring something to eat, feel free. Family and such are more than welcome. As a warning if you're allergic, we've got cats (which will be hidding upstairs). If we are going to do it, like I said,… [more]
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 12:07 AM on July 11, 2013

15 or more, is what I meant to say. I've had nearly forty people at the house before*, so a decent size crowd isn't impossible. *it was more than a bit snug, and hopefully not to be repeated, but doneable
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 1:03 AM on July 11, 2013

So, what should we do? New IRL to alert people who've stopped paying attention? Go with the BBQ as the main plan, with the Nakameguro Taproom as the fallback in case of not enough members?
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 11:11 PM on July 11, 2013

Damn, I'm sorry you'll be leaving us. On the other hand, congrats on the new job. I enjoyed meeting you, an I hope you manage to have some meetups in Hong Kong. Hong Kong? My jealousy rages. Have a great time.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 6:50 AM on July 12, 2013

going back to new job in HK nope. just reading what's there.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 4:36 AM on July 16, 2013

I'll get to it. Been a bit busy.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 2:57 AM on July 17, 2013

Hey Tokyo, I'm visiting again!

I'd love to meet up, but I don't know that I can do much to help organize. Saturday nights should be all right, but other than that, it's right at the beginning of the school year, and things will be a bit hectic. Where are you staying this time?
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 12:07 AM on March 15, 2013

I'm good pretty much anywhere around Tokyo. Shibuya isn't too far, though I kind of like the Yurakucho/Tokyo/Ueno area. I'm a little partial to the earlier weekend, but either are fine with me. There are a couple places that might be worth checking out in Kanda, but are a little pricey. There's Tokyo Butchers (which I've only seen from afar), and Devil Craft which does a pretty good Chicago-style pizza in addition to having really, really good beer. (there's also a really cool, tiny little… [more]
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 4:33 PM on March 16, 2013

With Devil Craft, reservations are absolutely a must. Mrs. Ghidorah and I went there without, just two people, and we had to wait about thirty minutes to get a table. It's usually pretty packed out.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 5:16 PM on March 17, 2013

6 in Kanda is doable for me. And, honestly, I was just thinking of a decent place I knew of, which, when it comes to Tokyo, really isn't much. Given how busy the place is, we should really do our best to get a solid number of who's in and how many seats we'll need. I, too, am okay with an earlier start. It makes the possibility of a second drinking more likely.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 4:31 PM on March 18, 2013

Yeah, we should definitely reserve soon, possibly today. 10 sounds good.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 6:36 PM on March 18, 2013

Ten people, 4/13, from 6 pm, reservation has been made. On Saturdays, they get a lot of business, so we have a 2.5 hour limit, which should be okay if we want to find a second place to fight off any lingering sobriety. They did recommend Pre-ordering pizzas for a big group. I held off on that, since I've got no idea what all people would want. They asked that we call and let them know by at least the day before (4/12). So, I guess, take a look at the menu and see what looks good.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 11:14 PM on March 18, 2013

They have two basic sizes of pizza, personal size, with four slices, and large, which has eight slices. Mrs. Ghidorah and I got a large Abe Froman when we went, and there was a good amount leftover. Maybe four pizzas? It depends on how hungry everyone is. Take a look at the menu. The Abe Froman was pretty good, and I've heard good things about the Meatzza. We can organize some sort of feats of strength style contest to figure out what to order, or we could do something boring and grown-up,… [more]
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 11:41 PM on March 18, 2013

I've checked their site, and they don't seem to have a party menu. It didn't really seem like that sort of place when I went, but I'm pretty sure all the stuff is good. Do we have any vegetarians? Allergies? Dire hatreds?
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 1:02 AM on March 19, 2013

Misozaki, congratulations! I remember you said you were deep into jukenbenkyou last time, I'm glad you can make it this time. I'm going to be out of town or about a week, I'll call in and set the order after I get back. I was thinking one each of the Meatzza, the Abe Froman, the Veggie Works, and then either the Big Cheese or the Devil Daddy. Thoughts?
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 10:50 PM on March 19, 2013

Hey all, It looks like we might be twelve instead of ten, so I probably need to call again and let them know. More people means more pizza, too, I think. If you can think of anyone who might be interested, but maybe didn't see the notice, send them a memail, and I'll call probably Thursday or Friday.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 3:36 AM on March 26, 2013

Sure, Gotanda. Just click on the attending button, so we get a solid number for me to tell them.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 4:13 PM on March 26, 2013

So, it looks like fifteen? I'll call tomorrow morning, just in case anyone else chimes in. Should be fun.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 4:08 PM on March 27, 2013

I've called in and changed the reservation, so it's fifteen people now, from 6-9 on Saturday, 4-13. I pre-ordered five pizzas, a Devil Daddy (mushroom and sausage), an Abe Froman (sausage, pepperoni, and salami), a Veggie Works (lots of veggies), a Devil Works (supreme), and a Meatza (lots of cheese and meat). There are also appetizers and salads and such, which we can order when we get there. The beer is pretty fantastic, too. Looking forward to seeing you guys.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 9:48 PM on March 29, 2013

No worries. I'm just glad I had the time to do it. From Monday, I'm back to school and trying to prepare to launch a business at the same time. This meetup might be my last bit of downtime for a while.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 1:39 AM on March 30, 2013

Glad you made it okay. I can't imagine the landing was all that fun. Don't worry, the winds should subside soon enough. Somethings else is sure to pop up. C.H.U.D.s perhaps?
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 4:23 PM on April 7, 2013

I think Gotanda is still coming, so we should have 13, which I believe means there must be a betrayal leading to death and the founding of a new religion. That, or more pizza to go around. I'm I'm Akihabara now, and I'll probably be in Kanda between 5 and 5:30, if there's anyone else around.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 12:37 AM on April 13, 2013

Thanks do much to everyone who came. It was good to see you all. Hopefully we can do this more often. It's nice to drink with interesting people.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 7:21 AM on April 13, 2013

If schedules mesh, I would still love to have you guys over for a bbq some time this summer. Somewhere between July 20th and August 25th. I'm all for meeting up before then, though. It's too much fun to do this sort of thing once a year.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 3:37 AM on April 14, 2013

That's pretty much how BBQs go at Chez Ghidorah. I feed you, you get me drunk. That, or BYOB, and bring a bag of ice to toss in the cooler. I hope we can make it work this year.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 11:31 PM on April 14, 2013

Drinks, anyone?

After looking at those photos, suddenly I'm feeling a bit sheepish about my BBQ abilities. Yaki-niku and yaki-soba for all!
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 12:23 AM on July 13, 2012

Sorry to hear you can't make it, Misozaki. Then again, all study and no BBQ makes students go crazy. Surely his concentration levels would be higher after a little pulled pork and grilled chicken!
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 3:56 AM on July 13, 2012

Well, to be honest, the taunt was aimed mostly at Misozaki. Did I mention the homemade bratwurst?
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 2:25 PM on July 13, 2012

I guess I'm lucky in that I don't fully understand the ordeal you're going through. However, if I read that right, he'll be at juku all afternoon, right? Plenty of time to step out to Chiba, and we can even set you up with a little BBQ bento to take home, some pulled pork, a little potato salad, a couple chunks of grilled pineapple. of course, I do understand how deadly serious the whole thing is, and I hope he does well. Don't worry too much, there will be other meetups.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 12:12 AM on July 14, 2012

I'm actually about to go hack up three pork shoulders to make some sausages for another friend's barbecue on Monday, but just for you, woodblock, grilled pineapple: melt two tablespoons butter in a pan add one tablespoon of brown sugar, and one teaspoon of powdered ginger simmer, then add two tablespoons dark rum marinate chunks of pineapple in the glaze, thread onto skewers, grill until soft, try to imagine how lived for so long before you first tasted the wonder that is grilled… [more]
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 7:10 AM on July 14, 2012

I'm just checking in to see if people are still interested. The cutoff for the bbq is next week, and so far, we've got 2, including myself, attending, and one maybe. If it ends up being a night in Tokyo, that's fine, but if it's going to be a bbq, more people need to sign on, or else it becomes an awkward afternoon of a couple people standing around a grill...
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 11:50 PM on July 18, 2012

Well, I was holding out hope for a midweek retreat to the backup plan, but as of yet, there's been no word from a bunch of folk, but there's no telling who's got their alerts for irl set up. I'm not really familiar with Tokyo, aside from a couple of areas.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 7:54 AM on July 22, 2012

Well, it's the twenty-fourth, and there's still just two people confirmed and one maybe, so I think it's time to declare this BBQ dead. I'd avoid the Sumida Fireworks, personally. It can be an all day slog, finding a place to sit and watch them, and there are usually around a million people (seriously) packed along the river. Then, right after the fireworks, there's the mass exodus. Personally, I'm a fan of the Yurakucho izakayas, but if anyone else has an idea, feel free to chime in.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 9:58 PM on July 24, 2012

Having not really heard anything from anyone, I'm going to suggest that Flapjax's gig would probably be the best meetup point. That said, I doubt I'll make it, as it is a bit far. Apologies to hoyland, I hope you have a great trip.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 3:56 AM on July 27, 2012

Tokyo, anyone?

I just checked this thread last night to see if anything had happened. The 28th seems doable.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 10:23 PM on July 7, 2012

I hesitate to throw this out there, if only because it's a bit of a hike, and for anyone visiting Japan, obviously, you'd want more of a traditional Japanese experience, but... BBQ at my place? Sort of from the afternoon to the evening, food, booze, fun for all ages. Warning, it's in Chiba, about 40 minutes from Tokyo Station, and about a 20 minute walk from the station. I'd mentioned it before, at a previous, more aquatically themed meet-up as a way of actually getting mefites to get… [more]
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 12:58 AM on July 10, 2012

I was thinking of maybe opening this as a new thread, if for no other reason than getting a new round of memails sent. As for an address to use in the googles, JR Inage Station is a good starting point. It's not Tokyo, but it's not difficult to get to (can be reached by two different train lines running from different spots in Tokyo). What do you think?
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 2:29 PM on July 11, 2012

I got the okay to create a new post, which I'll do after work tonight. Honestly, though, I'd like a decent crowd, since a bbq for four or five people is a pretty sad affair.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 5:03 PM on July 11, 2012

I'll do that. When I make the post, I'll set a minimum number (which feels pretty weird, honestly) and failing that, we can set up a fall back position. In that case, Tokyo would probably end up being the best bet.
posted to MeFi IRL by Ghidorah at 8:40 PM on July 11, 2012