DC on Aug. 6 - Aegean Taverna - After the MR Class
 

There will be several FT'ers in town on 8/6 attending a MR class at the Arlington library hosted by VJ.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=441606

We are planning to meet at http://www.aegeantaverna.com between 6 and 6:30 pm. Here is the menu:

http://www.aegeantaverna.com/2282.pdf

Want to join us? Please RSVP by 7/31, so I can make reservations.

Confirmed
Flygirl555
GoingAway
rci98
bhatnasx
VJ
deliad
mcrt
mot29 +1
KathyWdrf
dcgators
bostonbali
Purpleeagl
the_nomad
thezipper
bostonbali
bobovespa
danceswithsunlight
OnaMileHigh
HR8473
Gorrack
Queenreds
Mikey110890


Drinks Only
See Ya
Tazi
zsmith2
Sumo1222


Maybe
lawgirl28
MileageAddict
gleff + mrs. gleff
Chtiet
Izzik
Chrisw
jaymay

I should be able to make it out for dinner. Lauriol Plaza would be great again but I'll let one of the more local locals pick a place.

I will be able to make the dinner.
Thanks!

We'd definitely need reservations for Lauriol Plaza.

The MR Seminar will be held at the Arlington Central Library (in Ballston off of the Orange Line between the Ballston & Virginia Square Metro stops) - I'm thinking it would be best to go somewhere in that area that is walking distance from the library. There's the Rio Grande Cafe, The Front Page (iDine location that offers miles on Saturdays - good food & beer - they can accommodate groups), and a couple of other bars. One thing we've found for the DC happy hours is that we need to find places that are willing to take reservations for a large group.

Rio Grande would be great! They don't actually take reservations but I have had very good luck taking large groups there if I notify them ahead of time. It shouldn't be too busy at 6pm. They will want to wait until all persons in the party have arrived before seating the group.

Another option (and there are so many in that area) is Rock Bottom Brewery in the mall. We'll be trying out Flat Top on Wednesday this week, so that is another potential location.

My two cents alone - Rio Grande would work. It just isn't a personal favorite since I found out they put pork/pork stock in just about everything they serve, including their rice and their beans :(

btw, VJ - it will be nice to see you in DC again ;)

FlatTop is great - try the roti as one of the sides - it's really good. I don't think FlatTop would be laid out to accomodate all of us through. Rockbottom can be a true madhouse & they may have issues making room for a group of our potential large size with advance reservations. The food's not too bad there & apparently the beer's pretty decent for a brew chain.

Let's see.... That's located in a part of town called Ballston. Lots of restaurants in that area. Closest to the library is Tara Thai, which is pretty good Thai food and about a block from the place http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp...pe=restaurants . and it's an iDine resturant. LOL

Other restaurants are about a 4 block walk or so from the library. Front Page - American Pub Food (also an iDine restaurant),
Flat Top Grille (Mongolian BBQ type http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp...e=restaurants), Rio Grande (Mexican, http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp...e=restaurants), Rocklands BBQ (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp...e=restaurants),

If you are interested in Indian food, about a mile away from the library is Delhi Club (www.delhiclub.com). I know the owner thru another friend and another forum, I can find out if he can extend a special promotion for us. The owner is a renowned chef from Delhi.

Cheers!!

I've experienced Flat Top and definitely agree that it's not set up for large groups. I would suggest Front Page, Whitlow on Wilson (requires a one stop metro ride for the attendees to the session) or if its the metro accessible, the Indian restaurant mentioned above.

Flygirl555 - this is your thread, you get to pick the place.

Thanks for all the great suggestions. Let's go with Lauriol Plaza. From their website, it looks like they have terrific food, great atmosphere, and margaritas! :D

My experience at laurial plaza which is walking distance from my house is it is loud and I'm not sure on whether they take advance reservations. I don't believe so, but I'm not sure. The food is good

however next door at 1825 18th st. is a wonderful place called the caravan grill, which is persian, has a wonderful buffet and also a lovely outside garden if the weather is nice. It also handles groups and it would be much easier to talk there 518-0444

Lauriol Plaza does take reservations as a group of about 30 of us were there in May for the baseball DO. If it was loud, I didn't notice since it was probably our group making the noise. :D

But quite a trek from the Virginia Square metro in Arlington . . . with plenty of choices nearby.

Hmmm...put me down as a "maybe" for this one. I'm gonna try my hardest to make it.

About 30 minutes tops on the subway and then a short walk from there. The margaritas alone are worth it :)

Done..sure hope you can make it. We will miss you if you don't... :cool:

Wow, You're going to make dinner for all of us? Sign me up.

Actually I see the dinner is now at a Mexican place. Sign me up for that. See you all in DC.

Are we sure we want to do a 6PM dinner at Lauriol Plaza? I agree with others that it's a great place, but it's pretty inconvenient from where the seminar is being held. The drinks there are good & they can handle a group of our size, but before we commit there, we should confirm that they'd be willing to take reservations - especially on a Saturday night in summer time - in the past, we've been told various things by their management. Just a thought...

Depending on when the MR seminar get's out, 6PM may be a little too early for Lauriol Plaza since it will take at least 30 minutes via Metro to get there from the library - and that's assuming that we all don't just sit around & shoot the shiznit after the seminar & we're motivated to leave in a timely manner. I'm thinking that 6.30 may be better - but that's jut me. I personally will be driving & will be willing to give some folks a ride (although I drive a pick-up truck & it's a little tight).

I think it may be a better idea to do something closer to Ballston - but as always, majority rules & I'll be wherever I need to be. :)

Sorry.

Bhatnasx - Thanks for your reply. Since I am from out of town, I quickly read everyone's suggestions, visited websites for restaurants people suggested, and picked a location. After I saw "margaritas" and "patio", I was hooked. I should have read the replies more closely. :(

I did more research and came across this Greek restaurant. Since they've been in business since 1972. I figure they must be doing something right...

http://www.aegeantaverna.com

It got a good review (editor's pick) and the menu looks delicious:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp...pe=restaurants

I think it is a 5 minute walk (or a quick metro ride) from the library. They have complimentary parking, a Greek band that starts at 7 pm, and let me reserve a private room for upto 60 for free. :cool: (Now MileageAddict is going to have to make it!)

The owner suggested we select a price-fixed menu because it's a win-win (easaier for them to plan and 20% discount for us). I am recommending this menu because it has a selction for everyone - chicken, beef, veggie. Hope I can sweet-talk him into adding "Bakalava" as one of our dessert choices ;).

http://www.aegeantaverna.com/2282.pdf

What do you think? Should we go for it?

I agree that 6 PM seems kind of early for dinner, especially if it's not that close to the seminar location. Seems like at the very least, there should be some "buffer time" to allow for "shooting the shiznit" as bhatnasx so eloquently put it. ;)

I'm interested in going, but don't particularly care for "loud" places. I like to be able to carry on a conversation without shouting. But maybe that's just because I'm an old fogey, and younger folks just love to shout and don't really care if they are able to hear themselves or each other. :D

Oops..forgot to mention that I changed our reservation to "between 6 and 6:30 pm".

VJ indiated the MR seminar will end around 5 pm - so assumed one hour would be plenty of time. For those who arrive early, the room will be ready...if you arrive closer to 6:30, we will be waiting. The band starts at 7 pm and he said he will open the windows (if we wish).

Sorry, it looks like you and I were posting simultaneously, so I didn't see your update on the venue, etc. until after I posted. :eek:

The Greek place looks great! I don't eat Greek food or listen to Greek music that often (but enjoy both), so (to me at least) it would be a nice change of pace. And I see it's only a mile from the seminar location as well. ^

The fixed-price menu looks good too.

I'm going to try to make it either restaraunt ole or oopah or is it more correct to say yellow rose, or oopah

Count me in for the class and dinner. I may bring my SO as well but he is not really into the FT stuff. Actually, he thinks I am loopy ... :p

Aegean Taverna is, I think, and iDine... (but with the way restaurants seem to pop in and out lately, I make no warranties that it will be when folks get there!)

It is on iDine but they only give rewards M-T according the iDine website.

Hi all! I am relatively new to FT and am so excited that I am going to be able to attend the mileage run seminar, and the dinner afterwards as well - I was supposed to be down in TN for work that weekend, but the case was dismissed last week. :) As a local, I'm happy to help out in any way possible - I've never eaten at Aegean Taverna, but I have heard good things. Look forward to meeting you all in person!

I'm in for the MR Seminar and dinner afterwards. Location doesn't matter, as long as I can easily get to the Metro, so that I can catch the bus/shuttle for my 10:20pm flight back to BOS... :cool:

I'm in for Aegean Tavern - I don't think it's walking distance (especially with DC heat in the summertime), but it's really not that far & it's almost directly across the street from the Clarendon metro stop, so it's about 2 stops down from the Central Library.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in a few weeks!

I'm still in for the dinner. The restaurant sounds great ... should be a really good time. Looks like I'll be making a rare trip to Virginia ... hope my visa is still good :D

I am in for the greek food and the new choice looks great. While I enjoy all cuisines, for me it is more important to meet and know the people than the food.

See you all there
Cheers!

Btw, Aegean Tavern has great food! ^

I am a definite for the after party. I will have no guest.

Maybe here too.

Hm, put me down as a maybe. *waffle*

another waffler
 

Please put me down as a maybe, but not part of the group count.
If I get there I will just have drinks, or perhaps just order off the menu.

It will be just me for the class and the dinner.

Since SeeYa will be traveling with me, the same goes for me. We'll certainly at least make it for drinks.