I know convention weekend (July 13th) is packed with pre-parties and after-parties, workshops, and even some sort of convention tucked in there. But I thought it’d also be a great opportunity to meet up with fellow bloggers, readers and commenters from across the state. As I am a resident of the host city, I decided to take the initiative. So if you don’t have to skedaddle out of Lowell on Saturday after close of convention (and workshops, etc), how’s about we meet up at one of Lowell’s awesome restaurants to hang out?
My first inclination is to bring you all out of downtown – not too far – to this really great Cambodian restaurant I love (if you don’t know Cambodian food, they love to tell you about it). Second to that would be to pick some place downtown, closer to the convention, workshops, and after-party (aka reception at the UMass Inn and Conference Center) for convenience’s sake. Anyone chiming in with preferences will help me make up my mind. Anyway, right now it’s tentatively scheduled for 5:00pm, as the workshops close at 3pm and the reception begins then, but we could also move that time back if people decide that’d be better for them (depends how many people want to schmooze at the post-convention reception, I guess!)
The Facebook event is here, and it’s open to anyone who wants to join (I made it a public event). If you don’t want to RSVP on FB because you’re an anon commenter and want to keep your ID semi-secret, that’s fine too. Just post a comment here instead, so I can have a rough idea of numbers.
Hoping to spot a lot of old friends, and make some new ones, whether that’s at dinner, or at the various events planned at the convention! đ
Is for Cambodian. I’ll admit as a Catabridgian I haven’t gone out to the Lowell area much but the Cambodian place either Bourdain or Zimmer went to looked good and it’s one of the few ethnic groups that doesn’t have a big presence in either Cambridge or Chicago. I was real picky right through college but have really savored trying new kinds of cuisine, it seems like the progressive choice!
And yes, that is the place I was thinking of. Though it is not the only Cambodian restaurant in town, it’s one of my fave right now. Not much to look at (in terms of location) but I have tried many things there, loved every one of them! And the staff is so helpful in explaining the cuisine.
This place is also literally walking distance from my house, not THAT far from downtown, and I’d be happy to arrange caravans to the place from the convention for those with no car or who don’t want to drive there, as well as drive people down the street to the train station after (which is also reasonable walking distance as well) if people are taking the commuter rail home. There’s a 7pm and a 9pm train from Lowell to Boston.
Welcome to Lowell, we like to eat!!
Who has RSVP’ed. Awesome!
I’m also inclined to stay downtown.
Sounds great. Send me details if you do this; Bernstein@eastgate.com http://markbernstein.org/.
Sounds great. Send me details if you do this; Bernstein@eastgate.com http://markbernstein.org/.