Kansas City Pre-PAX Meetup!!!

MASeffect

UPDATE: 3/27: -Added times to itinerary -updated list of peeps -***I would like to collect everyone's phone numbers and e-mail address so I can let you know about important info and also so you can call me if you have questions/get lost/anything else...! Please PM me and I will make sure that you have mine as well!
UPDATE 3/15:
Thanks! to those who filled out the food survey! It seems the majority who voted would prefer to [1] eat Local Goodies, [2] hit up a bar(I'm going to go ahead and say we are going to an 18+ bar because I know a couple people under 21 who will be joining and would not want to be left all alone!), and then [3] hang out and play some games(we will have Munchkin, Penny Arcade Gamers vs. Evil, Dominion, Catan, and more to enjoy =D ) rather than go to Westport/PnL and hit the bar scene more heavily.

[The survey is now closed. If you have comments, post them here.]

With the results in mind, I have decided that it would be most comfortable for the group to avoid the downtown confusion/traffic/etc to save us some time and frustration! So, we will be meeting up in Overland Park, KS (My, as well as a few other KC Pre-PAXers', home sweet home!) OP is a fun and safe suburb in the south-western region of the KC area(Don't worry! Directions to the meetup will be posted here soon!)

I am waiting for confirmation of our reservation at [1] The Blue Moose Restaurant & Bar (with our back-up being Talk of the Town Bar & Grill, which has a less diverse, but similar, menu) sometime between ***5:00-8:00CST (Does anyone planning on attending have a specific constraint/preference? Post/PM!). Afterwards, [2] we will head to one of the 18+ bars in town (which include Talk of the Town, Johnny's Tavern, Tanner's[if they allow 18+, I'm not 100%], etc). A note on transportation: because it looks like there will hopefully be around 15+ with us in our party, carpooling may be the most practical option once in town! We have numerous PAXer homes nearby at which you can rendez-vous after dinner to park your cars safely, if you wish to do so! Once we are ready to quit having fun at the bars, [3] we will head to a PAX-Gaming House(one of the local's homes =D ) nearby (T.B.D. options include: my home, chibi_emily's home, britishseal's home, ...anyone else wish to add their name?) for board/card games, DnD*(If there is interest Creamsteak has offered his GM expertise), and other fun shenanigans!!!!

So! Here is what the current plan looks like for the gathering on Wednesday, April 4th! [EXACT TIMES TBD, waiting on reservation]
[7:00] Blue Moose Restaurant & Bar for delicious food! Blue Moose has a very wide menu and everyone should be able to find something they will eat! (Here's Blue Moose's Website!)
[~8:30/9:00] Talk of the Town for drinks, visiting, and getting to know one another! (Here's TotT's website. We will be going to the Overland Park location!)
[...whenever we want!] PAX-Gaming-House for games, fun, and all the other escapades!!! (location TBD)

...Please continue to post here/PM me if you haven't already to let me know you will be joining us for the first ever.....

KANSAS CITY PRE-PAX 'East' Meet-up!!!

Thanks guys! You're the best! MAS




UPDATE 3/2:
[EDIT:::SURVEY IS CLOSED! Thanks for your responses!]Take this poll to help decide where we will eat/drink!!! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HY9SZ55


UPDATE *February:

WEDNESDAY
THE 4th IS OUR OFFICIAL-TENTATIVE-PERMANENT--PROBABLY DECLARED DAY FOR THE 2012 KC PRE-PAX MEET-UP!

Help me determine what we will be consuming and post below if you are interested, so I can add you to the list!


A few restaurants that are fun in KC:
The always traditional KC BBQ is an option if we want: Oklahoma Joe's, Gates, Arthur Bryant's, KC Masterpiece, etc.
If you like pizza: Spin!, Waldo, D'Bronx are some options
Steakhouses/Japanese Steakhouse: Houston's, J. Alexander's, Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse, Kokoro Maki
Other fun places to eat: Blue Moose, North, Buca di Bepo, Fogo de Chão, Jalapenos
The places that are everywhere: On the Border, Applebees, Chilis, Old Chicago, etc.

ORGINAL POST 12/30/2011:

Hey folks! I know some of the people from Kansas City that will be attending PAX East 2012 (or other nerds who wish they were going but would like to hang out anyway!!!), but I'd love to meet more! I would like to start gauging interest now, so if meeting up around KC somewhere for dinner/games/drinks/fun sounds like something you would be interested in, post here!

Got ideas? Post them below, and I will sort them into the categories, and I will make a survey soon to decide which we will pursue!
(Keep in mind, I want to make our dinner location somewhere that friends under-21 are welcome)

Drinks: Power & Light, Westport(Ernie Bigg's Piano Bar), Talk of the Town(18+ option)

Other fun options.....: Board/Card Games(Munchkin, Arkham Horror...), Video Games(3DS, PS3, DS....), DND, anything you can possibly think of!

The KC Pre-PAX Elite Squadron Members:
maseffect +2
creamsteak +1
Skyliner12
Cynthetic +1
Chibi_Emily [no longer attending PAX =*(]
britishseal[no longer attending PAX =*(]
ElementCY
Zelkova

Creamsteak

This would be within my travel range.

I have a handful of friends that have been to a PAX, will be going to a PAX, or want to some day go to a PAX.

I consider myself a fairly experienced GM of all sorts and a fairly skilled player of various games. This I can bring. I have games for all sorts of sizes of group from 2 to ~30, and I can probably come up with ways to expand further if the opportunity ever came up.

I am not familiar with Kansas City in the slightest, however. I have no comments on food, drink, or local entertainment.

cynthetic

OMG Yes. MAS, you know Raparth and I will be there ...depending on work schedules though. Would be easier if it were St .Louis but it's a cheap bus fair.

Edit: Wait... under interested it says "masansgaard" ... which confuses me, as that is who I thought MASeffect was, but now... I'm very confused.

Creamsteak

I'd also point out that Columbia is at pretty-much the half-way point between St. Louis and Kansas City (and happens to be where I am at).

MASeffect

@cynth... yea... i forgot what username i used lol

chibi_emily

I'll be in KC Wednesday evening, am flying to Boston the next morning. The mother person is saddened by not seeing me Easter Weekend Proper, so I am loathe to spend much of Wednesday not hanging out with her, but I could be down for an hour or two of hangouts wherever getting to know some people. Alternatively, I can shyly posit the note that I'll be in Kirksville the weekend before PAX, and we've got a rather awesome tabletop group up here (cynth and Raparth can surely attest to this). I might be convinced to stop by Columbia 'on my way' to KC Wednesday evening, or making that drive the weekend before. Or some other weekend. Maybe.

Relatedly(ish), I see that Creamsteak and MASeffect are flying out of MCI... do you know if there's any way to coordinate being on the same plane? I've eyed a couple possible tickets online but haven't bought any yet; it'd be pretty awesome to know I'm on the same plane as another PAXer.

Creamsteak

My crew of two is flying out on Frontier airlines early in the morning on Thursday.

Looks like they are calling it F9 0700 on their website. Departs at 7:00 AM and arrives before noon.

Returning on F9 0701 Monday.

Every time I've flown out of a major airport towards pax, there was someone that I was able to recognize as a PAX'er somewhere.

Skyliner12

I would totally be up for this! I live in the KC area and I always see PAX-ers at the airport and want to say hi, but can never muster up the courage.

KCP&L is fantastic, I love going down there. Sounds great!

MASeffect

It seems like Wednesday night is the strongest match for everyone here, including myself. [Edit: location's are decided]Anyone have food suggestions? PnL is fun, but may have to be an after-dinner activity, as it is 21+.

chibi_emily

I am a bad citizen and have not really explored much of the KC area despite living there my first 18 years of life : P Liberty has the usual franchizes plus The Dish which is some pretty awesome pizza (and probably other stuff I'm not thinking of), but I imagine if people are going to truck to KC they'd rather not spend the time in a snooty suburb thereof.

Creamsteak

Keep me informed about stuff, I'll have to work with my friend on scheduling around things. If we're going to be in KC on Wednesday, we're probably going to get a hotel just so we don't have to make two trips.

MASeffect

Let's reserve Wednesday the 4th as our official-tentative-probably-the day for our meet-up!

Creamsteak wrote:

Keep me informed about stuff, I'll have to work with my friend on scheduling around things. If we're going to be in KC on Wednesday, we're probably going to get a hotel just so we don't have to make two trips.

Is your crew of two including yourself? Hotels are abundant near the airport, and it may be possible to work out some overnight lodging with myself and some other KC folk depending on how many people there will be.


[Edit: location's are decided]A few restaurants that are fun in KC:
The always traditional KC BBQ is an option if we want: Oklahoma Joe's, Gates, Arthur Bryant's, KC Masterpiece, etc.
If you like pizza: Spin!, Waldo, D'Bronx are some options
Steakhouses/Japanese Steakhouse: Houston's, J. Alexander's, Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse, Kokoro Maki
Other fun places to eat: Blue Moose, North, Buca di Bepo, Fogo de Chão, Jalapenos
The places that are everywhere: On the Border, Applebees, Chilis, Old Chicago, etc.


leave your comments if any of these stand out to you or you have some other suggestions.

Creamsteak

It is just me +1.

Creamsteak

Nobody has weighed in, but I will say my #1 priority is socializing, #2 would be food unique to KC. If someone more knowledgeable about KC would suggest a short-list of options within that domain, I'll ask some friends of mine from the area and weight in more specifically then. Being able to play some games is a slightly-distant #3. I won't be transporting most of my gaming collection (usually I just bring a few dice, and some stuff that will fit in a folder).

chibi_emily

I'd have to double-check with the parent-people that they wouldn't be entirely too weirded out for me to bring home peeps they've never heard of before, but there does exist a house in Liberty wherein there are many board games that like to be played. Also an extra bed. And lots of floor space. Just sezzin.

(As a side note, if they are indeed cool with me inviting people over, the playing of board games would in fact be mandatory payment.)

MASeffect

@Chibi_emily that sounds like adequate pay.

Creamsteak

I'll have to sort-out things closer to the actual events. I have to discuss our driving, (potentially) sleeping, and parking arrangements for everything.

My most portable games are probably the Penny Arcade card game and Werewolves of Miller's Hollow if we can get ~10 players. How many people are going to be around?

MASeffect

At the moment, it looks like we have about 8-10, hopefully that number will grow as the event approaches. I'm sure we would all enjoy playing the PA game before PAX!!!

MASeffect

I need some input on what part of Kansas City works best for everyone, if there is a preference. I am from overland park, and know at least 3 others who are here who will be attending. This presents some options for a location to play games after dinner, but if it is more convenient for a significant number of others to have dinner on the Missouri side, that is an option also! Thoughts?

Creamsteak

I know nothing of the area. >_<

chibi_emily

*shrug* I'm on the MO side, but that doesn't really matter a whole lot to me. If we decide to go somewhere else after eating for games, I might drag my mother person along. She'd be a little bummed if she knew I was less than three hours away and yet not hanging out with her all evening lol. Plus she loves board games (cause, ah, board games are awesome and such) (also she's a cool lady, I promise). Though, to that end, if we want to go anywhere especially loud/skandalous/whatnot, I might vote that we do so closer to Liberty than farther away, because in that case I might go back to pick my mom up after dinner if we're going elsewhere afterward to play games.

Also, it has been confirmed that the parents would be totally cool letting people crash at their place if anyone needs somewhere to stay in the KC area. We're about half an hour from the airport, and as previously stated, have an extra bed (that can easily fit two, three-four if you're snuggly), and loooots o floor space.

They'd also love it if we went back to their place to play board games, but in the interest of full disclosure, our game-playing table comfortably seats six. We can squeeze in 8. I'm not sure about 10. On the other hand, once we get up to 10 we might be splitting off into multiple games anyway? There's another table that can seat 4-6, assuming we have the chairs (I'll have to check on that).

As a side note, I'll have Arkham Horror(base and Innsmouth), Agricola, Settlers of Catan, Robo Rally, Wise and the Otherwise, Killer Bunnies(but only Blue and Pink), and a ton of old-timey games like Clue, Careers, and Acquire.

MASeffect

@Chibi_Emily That all sounds fantastic!!!!!!!!! Bring your mom along! All nerds are welcome! Thank you, also, for offering your place for games! As I get a more concrete feel for the numbers, I will contact you to see if your location will work, or if another one is easier!

On another note... Everyone please take this POLL to figure out where we will eat/drink! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HY9SZ55

Creamsteak

Any updates on the where and specific time of the when?

MASeffect

[Sorry for this repetition, I posted here before I copied it to the main post]

Thanks! to those who filled out the food survey! It seems the majority who voted would prefer to [1] eat Local Goodies, [2] hit up a bar(I'm going to go ahead and say we are going to an 18+ bar because I know a couple people under 21 who will be joining and would not want to be left all alone!), and then [3] hang out and play some games(we will have Munchkin, Penny Arcade Gamers vs. Evil, Dominion, Catan, and more to enjoy =D ) rather than go to Westport/PnL and hit the bar scene more heavily.

[The survey is now closed. If you have comments, post them here.]

With this in mind, I have decided that it would be most comfortable for the group to avoid the downtown area/traffic/etc to save us some time and frustration! So, we will be meeting up in Overland Park, KS (My, as well as a few other KC Pre-PAXers', home sweet home!) OP is a fun and safe suburb in the south-western region of the KC area(Don't worry! Directions to the meetup will be posted here soon!)

I am waiting for confirmation of our reservation at [1] The Blue Moose Restaurant & Bar (with our back-up being Talk of the Town Bar & Grill, which has a less diverse, but similar, menu) sometime between ***5:00-8:00CST (Does anyone planning on attending have a specific constraint/preference? Post/PM!). Afterwards, [2] we will head to one of the 18+ bars in town (which include Talk of the Town, Johnny's Tavern, Tanner's[if they allow 18+, I'm not 100%], etc). A note on transportation: because it looks like there will hopefully be around 15+ with us in our party, carpooling may be the most practical option once in town! We have numerous PAXer homes nearby at which you can rendez-vous after dinner to park your cars safely, if you wish to do so! Once we are ready to quit having fun at the bars, [3] we will head to a PAX-Gaming House(one of the local's homes =D ) nearby (T.B.D. options include: my home, chibi_emily's home, britishseal's home, ...anyone else wish to add their name?) for board/card games, DnD*(If there is interest Creamsteak has offered his GM expertise), and other fun shenanigans!!!!

So!
[1] Blue Moose Restaurant & Bar for delicious food! Blue Moose has a very wide menu and everyone should be able to find something they will eat! (Here's Blue Moose's Website!)
[2] Talk of the Town for drinks, visiting, and getting to know one another! (Here's TotT's website. We will be going to the Overland Park location!)
[3] PAX-Gaming-House for games, fun, and all the other escapades!!! (location TBD)

...Please continue to post here/PM me if you haven't already to let me know you will be joining us for the first ever.....

KANSAS CITY PRE-PAX 'East' Meet-up!!!

Creamsteak

I'm not sure on time, but depending on my friend later might be better, specifically 7:00 or 8:00.

MASeffect

Creamsteak wrote: »

I'm not sure on time, but depending on my friend later might be better, specifically 7:00 or 8:00.

that's reasonable

Zelkova

I will be riding to KC with MASeffect. It'll be a pleasure to meet all of you.

chibi_emily

I'm thinking 6:30 might be ideal for me? I'll be getting into Liberty at about 5-5:30 depending on how quickly I get on the road after my classes Wednesday, and it looks like it's about another 40 minutes to Blue Moose from there. Add in some lee-way for picking up the mother person(and probably spending a few minutes catching up), not to mention traffic and other extraneous circumstances, and I think that has me getting there about 6:30.

Creamsteak

This may be relevant for consideration in future years...

kck.st/y8L2Rn

MASeffect

@Creamsteak Yeah! That's awesome! Not in KC, though. Perhaps we will make it the 'midwest meetup' next time, because STL wouldn't be a terrible drive to make

MASeffect

Okay everyone! I am hearing 7pm as our starting time, and, hearing no other objections,......... 7pm it is!!!

I will set our reservation for 6:45 and plan to be there at that time! You are welcome to arrive then!

Creamsteak

I'm now planning that last/first leg of my trip. I'm intending to just load up my friend Mat's car and we'll drive out to KC right after work. Probably stop by whatever hotel (unless someone still wants to offer a place to sleep) to check in, then head over. Then head back at the end of the night and out to the airport around 6 am or a bit earlier. Is anyone else flying out Thursday morning?

MASeffect

Creamsteak wrote: »

unless someone still wants to offer a place to sleep

Zelkova and Aiursfallen have already seized up the open areas in my house. It may be possible to coordinate a sleep location with some others if they are in the same boat. Of course, it would be best if another person in the are has some space to offer

Creamsteak wrote: »

out to the airport around 6 am or a bit earlier

Are you on the 7:00am flight? That is the flight that Zelkova, Myself, Aiursfallen, and at least one other PAXer will be on! So, to answer your question- yes, we will also be driving to the airport in the early morning.

Creamsteak

Sweet. So we will have many companions should there be sky pirates.

I'm probably going to get one of the super cheap hotels right by the airport. I'm sure it'll suck, but being able to wake up a little later and only drive a couple blocks will make a big difference.

ElementCy

I will be leaving on that 7am flight as well...

MASeffect

@Creamsteak sounds fantastic!

@elementcy Great! It's a PAX PLANE

Skyliner12

Woo! I am super excited for this. Can't wait to meet you all!

RoughRaptors

My plane is Thursday, I won't be there because I am too lazy to drive from Lawrence to OP twice in two days.

MASeffect

The time is nearly upon us everyone!!! Reservations at Blue Moose and Talk are taken care of, and I can't wait to meet you all!

chibi_emily

Unfortunately.... I fear I'm going to have to bail. Various factors have converged to Responsible Me deciding that I really ought to not skip the two days of class I'd have to skip in order to make it ;_;

However, I should be in KC Monday afternoon, if anyone would be interested in some daytime post-PAX shenanigans.

MASeffect

@chibi_emily So sad to hear that you won't be joining us I will be around Monday, but not all day... at latest probably 3ish. Of course, that means Zelkova will be there as well. Perhaps a lunch before we all part ways?