Beer plus laptop plus talking about blogging equals a perfect night out. Am I right?
In case you haven’t heard of the idea, the concept is pretty simple: It’s an open invite to dinner for any local bloggers (or blog readers) to get together and put names with faces, talk shop about blogging, network, have a beer and generally get to know one another. It’s very all informal. We also try to rotate locations to support local businesses.
The main thing is that we try to arrange it so that as many local bloggers can attend as possible. We’ve had mixed luck scheduling these events on weeknights, so I’m open to trying it on a weekend. Maybe Friday or Saturday, July 10 or 11? Maybe around 7 p.m.?
Some possible locations that we have yet to support: Venue Pie, Miyako Sushi Group, Delaney’s, The Beacon, Brasserie Ecosse, Justin’s Steakhouse, Groucho’s, Gerhard’s, A Caribbean Sweetness and The Cellar. And those are just ideas off the top of my head. Other ideas are welcome.
If, in reading this, you think to yourself, “Spartanburg has blogs?” allow me to encourage you to visit SparkleCityBlogs.com, the Spark’s sister project which aims to be a comprehensive blogroll for all local blogs. (If we’re missing a local blog, feel free to e-mail me at publisher@spartanburgspark.com, and I’ll be happy to add it.)
Post ideas and suggestions for the blog meet-up in the comments below. We may have to haggle a little to get the biggest number of bloggers together on the best day.
Steve Shanafelt
Personally, I’m kind of leaning towards Venue Pie. That place is great.
July 10th works for me.
The Saturday one works much better for me, as I have to work until 9 on Fridays.
Venus Pie is good too.
What is sad is that your list of possible locations off the top of your head is actually close to including all the major restaurants in the Main St. downtown area. Last night after Red, White and Boom my girlfriend and I walked down Main St. from Converse to Church to get to our car. It was a very depressing situation. Basically a ghost town. It’s pretty much the same during the weekdays too. I’ve lived here for 20 years and thought Spartanburg would have improved Main St. by now but it doesn’t ever seem to go in that direction.
I’m game for the 10th or 11th. On the 10th, it’d just be me, but I could bring my husband on the 11th.
Venus Pie sounds fantastic, as it’s one of our favorite places. We have to keep in mind what time we go, too. A lot of those places are going to be booming with people and noise at certain times, so it’ll be hard to find a table to sit all of us (if there’s a big group…I couldn’t make it last time, so I’m not sure how many showed) and, we won’t be able to hear each other in certain atmospheres (for example, Friday or Saturday night at Delaney’s, you can crowd surf out of there at night because it’s so packed, and in my experience, they are trying to rush you out if it looks like you’re done with your food and drinks).
Venus Pie is also vegetarian friendly for me and Kyle. =]