Daily Kos

NYC Kossak Meetup: the Welcome to the Big Apple Edition!!

by JaneKnowles

Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 04:42:48 PM PDT

Hi New Yorkers, how's it going? Beautiful weather today, no? How about another meetup? It's been beyond eons since the last one and I've been getting gentle nudges that it's time for another one goddamit!

I figured we could meet at Yafa again, the very place where we had our first meetup. Yes, being in TriBeCa, it's sort of out of the way, but there's a meeting room in the back that suits the number of people who usually come, there's food and alcohol and Yaffa herself is friendly with a Kossak (who helped her build the joint).

More below

Here are the details:

Yaffa's Tea Room
353 Greenwich Street (at Harrison)
Take the 1 or 9 to Franklin or the 2 or 3 to Chambers.
March 22 (solstice!)
6:30 until whenever

Who is welcome? EVERYBODY! Rabble rousers, lurkers, liberals, centrists, your friends, you name it, we want all of you. It'll be great to see old faces and some new ones as well. (I have a list of email addresses from past meetups, but if I don't have yours now and you want me to send any updates on this meetup or ones in the future, please email me at janeknowles@gmail.com)

And since Markos will be visiting New York as part of his book tour next month (no, I don't have dates--hint hint, Kos), I figured we could make give this diary a Welcome to New York theme so that Kos knows where to go and what to do with the oodles of free time he is sure to have when he is here.

So if you would, please answer the following questions:

  1. What is your favorite NY restaurant, cheap and expensive?
  2. What special spot do you send visiting tourists?
  3. What's the best museum the average tourist doesn't know about?

My answers are:
  1. Restaurant: Mama's, a cheap soul food restaurant on 3rd St. in the East Village or the cafeteria in the MOMA and for expensive, my friend's restaurant, Mary's Fish Camp, which is in the West Village
  2. Special spot: the Staten Island Ferry followed by a visit to the former site of the Towers (still breaks my heart--strange how it's been in limbo all this time).
  3. Museum: the Brooklyn Museum or FIT's museum, which often features fashion installations.

And that's it. Look for more updates and perhaps special guests as the date draws nearer.
Poll

The towers

31%14 votes
38%17 votes
20%9 votes
9%4 votes

| 44 votes | Vote | Results

Tags: Meetup, New York City (all tags) :: Previous Tag Versions

Permalink | 87 comments

  •  Any New Yorkers in the house tonight? (none / 0)

    Or is everyone out enjoying the beautiful night?

    by JaneKnowles on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 04:46:47 PM PDT

  •  woo-hoo!!! (none / 0)

    I will be flying back from Chicago that day and haven't booked my flight yet.  Looks like I will make it an early PM flight and start my evening a bit earlier.

    Why John W. McCain is an unstable, crazy, angry, clueless, hypocritical, lying, pandering douche.

    by clammyc on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 04:53:40 PM PDT

  •  Love to be there but depends on my school schedule (none / 0)

    Restaurant - Blue Water Grill, particularly when it is warm enough to sit outside.  Also like Haveli on Second Avenue for reliably good Indian.

    Special Spot - Pier 63/The Frying Pan (even if it has become disappointingly commercial over the last year)

    Museum - The Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum - great shows, never too crowded, excellent gift shop, and the garden is a haven.

    by conchita on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 05:13:38 PM PDT

  •  Glad to See That We're Getting Together Again (none / 0)

    This will be just about a full year since our first meetup at Yaffa's, if I remember correctly.  Even if this date doesn't coincide with Markos' book tour, we can certainly plan another one for when he is in town.  Don't forget that he'd offered to buy drinks for anyone who'd pre-ordered Crashing the Gates, so that might make it an expensive night for him!

    I'm hopeful that the "old" crowd all shows up, as well as a whole lot of newer faces as well.  Certainly the overall dKos membership is a lot larger now than it was even last summer.  It'll definitely be good to see everyone again, as we bash Bush & the Republicans, and debate whether the Dems have a realistic shot at taking back Congress in November.  I'm looking forward to it!

    Can you smell the Constitution burning?

    by The Maven on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 05:35:30 PM PDT

    •  Hey there! (none / 0)

      I mentioned to Markos in the open diary that there are plenty of beers at Yaffa to buy all us pre-book buyers drinks. I'm not sure if he's going to be in town that week, but maybe we'll know by the 22nd.

      And yup, I'll bet there'll be a bunch of new faces. It'll be fun to see everyone.

      by JaneKnowles on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 05:41:52 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  I might be moving to NYC... (none / 0)

    ...in the summer of 2007.  Hopefully you're all still meeting up by then! ;)

    Swing State Project: A sexy, sassy look at the 2008 elections. Get a four-digit UID while you still can!

    by HellofaSandwich on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 05:38:23 PM PDT

  •   Frequent business traveler. (none / 0)

    EATS: Tony Luke's (somewhere in the W 40's) Garlicky roast pork sandwiches imported from Philly. Or the Ear on Spring. No deep fryer and great prices.

    OFF the BEATEN TRACK:
    Coney Island. Ride the Cyclone.

    MUSEUM:
    Museum of the City of NY.

    I've never been to a meet up, but I will be there.

    You only regret the things you don't do.

    by DailyLife on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 05:50:03 PM PDT

  •  My schedule's chaotic at the moment (none / 0)

    but I'll plan on it...

    Favorite restaurant: Le Pere Pinard on Ludlow b/t Houston & Stanton - best steak tartare in town, affordable & consistently good [also a great wine list & they have a 3 course $15 prixe-fixe before 7 pm].

    I don't really send tourists anywhere... They usually just go out drinking with me. I suppose they should at least go look at the most beautiul building in town, i.e. the Flatiron Building.

    Not so known museum: definitely The Cloisters - I love that gory medieval art.

    by lucid on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 05:50:51 PM PDT

  •  NYC meetup (none / 0)

    I'm fairly new to the area, but I'd like to come (I think that date works for me).  

    by AKTup on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 05:54:23 PM PDT

  •  moved here this year (none / 0)

    new member to kos too, so I figure this thing might be fun.  hopefully i'll see you all there.

    by MattyDubs on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 05:59:57 PM PDT

  •  yaffa (none / 0)

    Is that Yaffa in any way linked to the Yaffa on St. Marks Place? They've got great seating outside behind the restaurant. It's between 1st Ave and Ave A.

    Similarly, for when it's warm, there's the Cloisters on Stuyvesant between 2nd and 3rd Ave.

    Can you tell what neighborhood I like to hang out in?

    Now I'm not one for torture, but this rendition is extraordinary.

    by kbse matt on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 06:05:11 PM PDT

  •  hope to participate.... (none / 0)

    in the meantime:

    1.  Clark's Diner in Bklyn Hts is my local hangout; love Bouley for expensive place
    2.  Always send tourists to Chinatown, especially if they like dim sum, or just walk across the Bklyn Bridge
    3.  The Pierpont Morgan Library is a great place, depending on the exhibits

    by Silverleaf on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 06:31:04 PM PDT

  •  I'm There. (none / 1)

    Good on you Jane.  Bout time we had anudder one.

    Yes, it's the same Yaffa, she built that one on the LES before she sold it & built the new one in Tribeca.

    Restaurant;  Le Pain Quotidien, big, long table, not cheap, cheap; Katz' Deli, lol, actually Yaffa's is pretty cheap, too.

    Special spot; Brooklyn Bridge never lets ya down.  People who visit me still want to see Ground Zero, unavoidable.

    Best Museum: Museum of the American Indian, Old Customs House at the foot of Broadway.

    Lemme know what i can do for the 22nd.  Thanx, Jane!

    by jbilger on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 06:49:46 PM PDT

  •  (Groan) (none / 0)

    that's a bad night for me - I must attend a co-op meeting - especially since I'm the secretary, and I brokered the date for the meeting, which took a lot of effort and negotiating.

    I'll swing by for a drink early, but as usual, I'm going to miss all the night crawlers in the group. Glad you set this up though - it's been a while. Or did I miss one?

    OK, for Markos:

    Favorite expensive restaurant: Union Square Cafe
    Favorite cheapie: Cafe Steinhof - on Mondays le tout Park Slope turns out for the $5 goulash (but it's in Brooklyn).

    Special spot: same as yours, the ferry. Another possibility at this time of year: 5th Avenue and 74th Street; hang out on the park side of the avenue and look up at the building across the street. Pale Male and Lola are on the nest, and there are reliable reports of eggs.

    Museum: The Bard Grad Center on West 86th,which is about applied arts, and the Museum of the American Indian, worth it just for the building, and the exhibitions are fine too.

    Also, advisorjim is going to be in town on May 23 in support of his book - maybe we should think about getting together that night too, and giving him a NYC welcome?

    The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

    by sidnora on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 07:45:13 PM PDT

    •  I didn't know that about Jim (none / 0)

      Any chance he might be in town on the 22nd? We should think about gettting together. Can you email me him, Sidnora?

      by JaneKnowles on Sat Mar 11, 2006 at 04:20:25 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  That's (none / 0)

        May 23rd, not March. But I'd love to get together again, with him as our "Kossack of honor". He'll be doing a book-signing at the B&N in the Village, which I hope to attend. I don't know the time of day yet. I'm a huge fan of his writing, he cracks me up. Let's talk about it at Yaffa's.

        BTW, from what I can see Kos is going to be interviewed by Leonard Lopate on March 22, so unless he's leaving town immediately afterwards he will be in NYC that evening.

        The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

        by sidnora on Sat Mar 11, 2006 at 09:47:43 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

  •  Great to be out today (none / 0)

    Union Square was packed with the usual suspects — you could tell everybody was just glad to be outside!

    1. Cheap (well, relatively): Saravanas, Indian vegetarian restaurant on Lexington. South Indian food, not the 6th Street Bangladeshi fare. "Expensive"? What does that word mean?
    2. I like taking them through Central Park (Belvedere, Bethesda, Dairy, Zoo, Literary Walk, Ramble), especially if the weather's nice and it's busy with performers and smiling people. Nice to kind of counteract any crabby New Yorker encounters they might run into elsewhere.
    3. Although they obviously know about it, Museum of Natural History never disappoints; plenty of odd corners to explore. If it's gotta be obscure, maybe the Frick, which most people don't seem to get to. Or Moss, which is kind of museumish for designer types. Haven't been to the Museum of Television and Radio, but that might be fun. And the Museum of Sex just hasn't seemed right for the relatives. :-)

    by CJnyc on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 07:57:40 PM PDT

  •  I'll have to settle for "Whenever" (none / 0)

    I have a standing dinner appointment (www.dinner-group.com) that evening, but will come by afterwards if folks are still hanging around.

    by cbastian on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 08:07:17 PM PDT

  •  Uh oh (none / 0)

    Looks like I might just be able to make it.

    by kos on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 08:44:53 PM PDT

  •  Both places (none / 0)

    are in my usual path. I should also like to go. I may be out of town, but will try.

    come see my home on ManyTribes!

    by joseph rainmound on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 09:24:09 PM PDT

    •  oh, and: (none / 0)

      Grif's Dogs (f'in awesome hot dogs, and yes, vegan dogs too)

      Battery Park - you can walk north up the west side and go through all these gardens and little... i don't know... constructions... it's very pretty.

      As for museums - spend an afternoon wandering through the galleries between Hell's Kitchen down to the Village... various art galleries open all day. You can just wander and dive in to whatever meets your fancy...

      come see my home on ManyTribes!

      by joseph rainmound on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 09:26:51 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  Ok guys (none / 0)

    I can't be there, but you have to promise a toast to mcmom, because the 22nd is her birthday.

    "There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty." - John Adams.

    by mcjoan on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 09:25:12 PM PDT

  •  I'll be there! (none / 0)

    With bells on! (and my "BBQer" shoes that Jane loves so much...)

    Here are my answers:

    1. What is your favorite NY restaurant, cheap and expensive?
    CHEAP: Taqueria y Fonda la Mexicana (Amsterdam/108th). Good Mexican food served by REAL Mexican's. A rarity in NYC.
    EXPENSIVE: If I ever have enough money to go to one, I'll let you know...

    2. What special spot do you send visiting tourists?
    Empire State Building. Touristy, but never fails to impress even the most jaded.

    3. What's the best museum the average tourist doesn't know about?
    Museum of Radio & Television. For those afternoons when you're too beat to run around a museum, but still want to do something fun.

    by mrd in nyc on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 09:57:29 PM PDT

  •  meetup! hooray! (none / 0)

    I am so ready to do some good drinkin' and chattin' with my fellow kossacks. Yay!

    Favorite restaurants: tough call, and I've been eating in and saving $$ so I've got to let this question pass me by, though in my nabe I like Al di La (yes, I am still Slopian)

    Place to bring people--Brooklyn Botanic Garden. I'll even arrange a private tour ; ).

    Museum--I really enjoy the (still pretty new) Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art.

    Join the party! Help us build the Netroots platform!

    by DemocracyLover in NYC on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 10:05:52 PM PDT

    •  Botanic Gardens are gorgeous! (none / 0)

      I used to go there all the time when my son was a pup. Is is too late for the cherry blossoms? (They are cherry blossoms, right?)

      by JaneKnowles on Sat Mar 11, 2006 at 04:42:51 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  cherry blossom season ~ end of April (none / 1)

        They have sakura matsuri festival last weekend of April every year (I am out of town this year, alas). That draws a huge crowd and you can't guarantee the timing of the blossoms, so it can be better to come a week earlier or later. They have a "cherry watch" on their web site so you can find out when they're blooming.

        It should be nearly magnolia season right now, but the weather's been so strange I don't know what kind of display we'll get. I'm actually heading over there to check it out this afternoon.

        My favorite time (if I have one) is probably mid May--there's just a lot of blooming going on--esp. lilacs, bluebells. It's gorgeous.  But I just love that garden all the time (full disclosure--I'm a guide). So much fun. So beautiful.

        Join the party! Help us build the Netroots platform!

        by DemocracyLover in NYC on Sat Mar 11, 2006 at 06:59:31 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

  •  Well, well, well, about time Jane (none / 1)

    if that is your real name.  Wink wink.

    Jetfan will attend.  

    Favorite cheap restaurant:  any hot dog stand will do - I am a sucker for a knish or a pretzel, oh man do I smell a shishkebob?
    Favorite expensive restuarant (very!):  Sparks Steakhouse - 6 inch thick filet mignon about $35 bucks but worth every penny.
    Spot I send tourists:  Rockefeller Center - to me the quintessential NY spot - The elegant GE Building, the ice skating rink, the statue of prometheus, Radio City, (the Nintendo Store for the kids).
    Museum?  Easy, the Museum of Sex, natch.  Any city can have art museums and dinosour bones - NY goes 'em all one (maybe two) better!

    See ya at Yaffa's
    LET'S GO METS! (cause during baseball season I am Metfan, but I stick with the moniker Jetfan 'cause well, I'm known that way)

    Edwards/Edwards '08

    by jetfan on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 10:58:23 PM PDT

  •  Sure thing (none / 0)

    Greetings from Khartoum.
    Trying to maintain my perfect attendance record.
    See you all then.

    by ask on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 11:13:38 PM PDT

  •  For all NYC Kossacks...esp. Brooklyn folks (none / 0)

    My wife and I can't make Manhatten events during the week. BUT...a week from today, March 18th, I am having my monthy meeting for political organizers in Park Slope, Brooklyn. These meetings are highly variable depending on who shows up and there is no set agenda. It is designed for political organizers in NYC to meet, compare notes, collaborate and get to know eachother. If any Kossacks are interested, please email me (see my profile) and I will give details.

    Meetings are a bit chaotic because a.) leftist organizers are chaotic and tend to all talk at once, and b.) we have a baby and a cat to add further chaos. But the meetings are still fun and productive.

    Read the PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT Newsletter

    by mole333 on Sat Mar 11, 2006 at 05:31:43 AM PDT

    •  Hi Mole (none / 0)

      I'm going to do another diary on this meeting on either Monday or Tuesday and I'll include info about your meetup. You know I've been meaning to come, but this winter was very rough for me between my son's new and much harder school and a very heavy workload. But I am going to try and make it on the 18th unless there's a direct conflict with my son's baseball sked. One of these days we have to meet!

      by JaneKnowles on Sat Mar 11, 2006 at 06:23:37 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  yeah.... (none / 0)

    summin is a cummin....and the NY kossacks are coming outta hybernation....yay

    we (hubby and me) will definitely try to be at yaffa's....

    fav cheap eat....the empire seafood buffet in sheepshead bay....all the sushi and shrimp and crab (etc) you can eat for under 14$

    fer tourists...SUMMERSTAGE in central park or the cyclone in coney island

    fav museum..the hayden planetarium/rose science center

    The CONSTITUTION is MY Flag pin

    by KnotIookin on Sat Mar 11, 2006 at 06:27:42 AM PDT

  •  Funny how life is: (none / 0)

    How terrific!! Only yesterday I was thinking: jeesh,  I wonder what's up with the NYC KOS meet-ups...? And well, thank you Lois-- you delivered my answer.   It's good news for me, as I have not yet succeeded in making it.. grumble ... and it's been bugging me.
    COUNT me IN please!!
    NYC suggestions:
    Tourist event-- sunset drink in the bar on top of the  Rockafeller Plaza building (you get a violet, nuanced, 360 degree view of our divine city).. cannot remember the name of the bar specifically, but no matter, it's easy to find.
    FOOD-- very fancy, special, incredibly rare eating: my choice WD50 on the lower east side... It will destroy your wallet but you'll NEVER forget it.  I'd say it's modern art in food.
    Museum: The FRICK collection-- a must. quiet, chic, oldschool, great art and very new york.
    Cheap eats: Too Boots pizza-- the Mel Cooley slice. Bleeker street bet. lafayette and bway.

    contribute to the Democrats!! http://www.actblue.com/page/you.blue

    by jdbrooklyn on Sat Mar 11, 2006 at 10:03:35 AM PDT

    •  Hi JD (none / 0)

      Yeah, I went into hibernation once it started getting cold, plus it was just a crazy busy winter for me.

      But cool, glad you're gonna make this one. I'm loving all these suggestions people are throwing out about restaurants and tourist spots. I really didn't think I'd learn anything new, but I am definitely going to take some notes here.

      For all those still reading along, you'll notice that JD referred to my real-life name, which is Lois. JaneKnowles is a screen name. I try to get that fact out as much as possible before the event, but I still get called Jane a lot at the actual meetings (which is fine and kinda cute--oh the power of a screen name!).

      by JaneKnowles on Sat Mar 11, 2006 at 10:17:03 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  LOIS: (none / 0)

        Oh dear,
        I'm overly sharing by posting this response, but now it's looking like I won't be able to make it.  I own an apartment in Paris and the tenant's "petite amie" tried to commit suicide last night... Too awful, really just horrible.  SO, I'll probably fly over there to "help" sort out this crises d'hysterie...  Even worse, they haven't paid rent in 4 months... Oh jeesh, the whole thing is just too sordid.  
        BUT, for what it's worth LOIS, I'll keep you posted. Be well.

        contribute to the Democrats!! http://www.actblue.com/page/you.blue

        by jdbrooklyn on Sun Mar 12, 2006 at 02:34:06 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

  •  I'm in! (0+ / 0-)

    Thanks for doing this, JaneKnowles. Wonderful. My office is around the corner from Yaffa so I will be there right at the start.

    What is your favorite NY restaurant, cheap and expensive?
    Cheap: Florent in the meatpacking district. Go at midnight on a weekday. Expensive: Babbo in the Village. Yummy Italian!

    What special spot do you send visiting tourists?
    New observation deck on top of Rockefeller Center is amazing!

    What's the best museum the average tourist doesn't know about?
    The Queens Museum of Art simply to see the incredible 3-D model of the entire city. Every building is represented (as of 1992, the last time they updated it, so yeah, the WTC is still standing....), so you can find your apartment building, your office, etc. Worth the train ride.

    Get bonded.

    by vancookie on Mon Mar 13, 2006 at 10:56:04 AM PDT

  •  I;m in (0+ / 0-)

    I'll be there; I am new here (couple months on kos).  Just happened to see this mentioned on another thread.

    Restaurants
     Reasonable - Freds  83rd and Amst.  Good American food, friendly people.  
      Expensive.  Grammercy tavern.  Ouest.  Telepan

    Spot
      If it's nice, Central Park
      If it's not nice - Reading room of the NY Public Library.

    Museum people don't know about
     Thr Frick     OK, the man was a jackass, but he knew art

    As for the towers -  I was in the building when the plane hit.  Interesting morning it was.  

    I look forward to seeing people!

    Now up: What are you reading?

    by plf515 on Wed Mar 15, 2006 at 01:20:38 PM PDT

    •  So glad to hear you're coming (0+ / 0-)

      Wow--in the Towers. Interesting day AND year to follow I imagine. Looking forward to meeting you.

      by JaneKnowles on Thu Mar 16, 2006 at 07:54:36 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  Thanks! (0+ / 0-)

        Yeah, it was interesting.  

        I was on the 16th floor of the second building hit.  WHen the plane hit, I was already in the lobby, I then ran to the subway and got home safe and sound (but with glass in my hair) and watched the collapse on TV.  My family was plenty worried about me!

        No one where I work was hurt (worst was a twisted ankle) but we lost a lot of data, and, since we are a research company, data is a lot of what we do.

        But we have recovered pretty fully.  Of course, now Bush and the rethugs are trying to end our business by cutting NIH funds, but that's another story.

        Thanks for the welcome, see you next week!

        Now up: What are you reading?

        by plf515 on Thu Mar 16, 2006 at 08:27:06 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

Permalink | 87 comments