A two-part nodermeet in the Big Smoke!
Part Zero
It has been five years since The E2 Toronto Invitational & Scavenger Hunt ...of Peril was arranged, at the behest of some outside visitors. There have been a few smaller gatherings since then, we haven't had a general gathering in all the intervening time. The formation of the eh2 usergroup has given us a place to gather in virtù, but once again we needed a visitor to goad us into a physical meet.
Part One
On Thursday, August 3rd, 2006 we will be blessed with the presence of grundoon in the Greater Toronto Area, and in celebration of this we'll be gathering in Toronto at the Pauper's Pub (web), just one block east from the Bathurst Street station of the Bloor/Danforth subway line. This being a work day for some of us, I'm not sure about the start time, but presumably late afternoon and (at least) early evening will feature prominently.
Attendees are expected to include grundoon, myself, Cletus the Foetus, Andromache01, unfettered, and kerawall. WaldemarExkul may be able to join us for the early part.
If you'd like to attend and want to be added to this list, just message me.
Regrettably I can't provide transport, having still not replaced the car I wrecked three years ago, nor can I offer accommodation to out-of-towners. I can provide navigation hints to anyone coming from outside Toronto proper.
Andromache01 can offer crash space to a limited amount of noders on the 'Merican side. (Andromache01 lives in Buffalo, so the drive to T-O is relatively short.)
A possible itinerary
For those coming early, or staying over, there are a number of attractions within a reasonable walking distance of the meet. These include:
- The Royal Ontario Museum, 2 subway stops east of the Meet. Open until 6pm on Thursday, admission is free after 5pm. (web);
- The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, across from the ROM, open to 6pm on Thursday. (web);
- The upscale Bloor-Yorkville shopping district, also near the ROM. Hours vary by store. (web);
- The Bata Shoe Museum, a block west of the ROM, coincidentally free on Thursday evenings from 5-8 pm! (web);
- The downscale Honest Ed's discount store, right near the meet. (web);
- Casa Loma, 2 subway stops north of the meet, open 9:30am to 5:00pm (last admission at 4pm) (web);
- The Art Gallery of Ontario, 2 subway stops south of the meet, open until 9pm (web).
Further afield are the CN Tower, Harbourfront, and the Toronto Islands. The Toronto Blue Jays have an afternoon getaway day game with the New York Yankees at 1:05pm, but sadly this is an away game, so we can't get into the Rogers Centre.
My initial suggestion is to meet at the ROM at 5pm and do a quick one-hour tour. Then we can head west to the Bata Shoe Museum do another quick tour. Total cost so far: $0. Continuing west we would head to the pub for nosh and libations. If there's interest in seeing Casa Loma or the AGO or something else downtown, I might be able to wiggle out of work early Thursday, or could perhaps do something on Friday. Be warned that the following Monday is a statutory holiday here in this part of Soviet Canuckistan, so Friday traffic threatens to be horrendous.
Part Two
As Timeshredder can't make the August 3rd date, we're also thinking of a follow-on meet the next week, with details to be determined. Attendees are expected to include Timeshredder and myself, with others welcome as well.
If you'd like to attend and want to be added to the list, just message me.