iolaire

Now I requested two @ 7 on Facebook - but we are happy to join a DR table if such a think is created (at any time).

I RSVP's on facebook but didn't see how to put two people... Susan and I will attend. thanks

Susan and I would join you on the 23rd or 16th - voted for the 16th.

My wife and I attended this last time - I strongly recomend it!

Thanks for posting; its always generates a smile on my face to read a good Patch article with comments.

My wife and I are interested by our availability is extremely date dependent... So I cannot commit until the group has a specific date in mind. We are out of town on May 16 – 21.

Just sent PM to confirm iolaire + 1 @ 2 PM, thanks

My wife Susan and me would be intersted in attending if there is a third date - or on the 12th if space opens on that day. Thanks

My wife Susan and me would be intersted in attending next time around - or on the 9th if space opens.

Im good with Bethesda As long as you plug Matuba's lunch time rotary sushi:-) More $20 Tuesdays sound good, I'm on the form to benefit from member orgaized events...

That's it, I hope it gives the members lots of warm and fuzzy feelings...

That was fast, not quite working yet: Good job getting the link up there in a few hours!

I'm a member of another site with a more modern forum software, with thinks like likes, status points and such using the http://xenforo.com/ forum system. I have to say adding some interactivity and recognition for posts and comments is a huge motivator to be active in the site. The site: http://milepoint.com/forums/ allows people to "like" your posts and you get a nice stats. You also get alerts when someone quotes your post! Another nice feature is to be able to "subscribe" to a thread, via alerts or email - your choice. Note that the account shown is a secondary account with no activity, I feel much better about the 2,600 likes on my primary account - but I did not have any active alerts on that account right now. The site also has membership levels, and actually gives out prizes (shirts, Starbucks gift cards) to high point based members. (Keep in mind this is business, not a hobby site, from someone who founded an earlier forum based miles/point site, successfully sold it and restarted the same type of business after his non-compete ran out.) To me the likes are highly motivating to post – just like other sites it feels good as people recognize your contribution. So if you want to play or look at Xenforo they do have a converter for your forum software: http://xenforo.com/help/importing/ Also it looks like IP.Board also has the likes functionality: http://community.invisionpower.com/blog/1174/entry-5844-ipboard-320-new-reputation-mode-like/ Turning that on and getting someone to help make the "likes" very visiable to the user would help get people more active.

It may be a casual/sports bar-ish, but Crystal City Sports pub is open as usual for Christmas and has special menu's including Prime Rib for $17. I no longer have the email with the x-mass offers, but I'd expect this page to be updated tomorrow: http://www.ccsportsp...m/Specials.html Most likely they have some sort of brunch/breakfast bar with traditional items in the AM. Call it basic comfort food for a basic price. The pub is huge so I doubt space will be an issue, but it probably will be lively.

I let darkstar965 know that Susan will not be coming with me, so the count is down by one. Thanks, iolaire

My wife Susan and myself would be intersted in Dec 8th - but may still ask to join if its another date.

Ok - since there are no other takes and I'm busy I'll remove my RSVP. Thanks for trying.

Given the lack of response should I assume that this will not happen? I'm fairly busy at work so I don't mind skipping it.

I plan to be there, unfortunately my wife is out of town so I will be one...

I picked up a few bags of ice for free from the Harris Teeter on Glebe, I was very appreciative. They obviously got the ice trucks heading up here early and were making an effort to assist the community. At times I think they were also giving away dry ice. There were various corporate looking “suits” in polo’s standing around that appeared as if they had come up from some HQ location.

We will have a third person and some sort of dessert.

My wife Susan and myself will be there. Most likely I'll bring a flavored non-water, non-alcoholic beverage + some sort of side. My standard drink is ginger lemonade but I think this would be a good opportunity to try another simple flavorful drink.

The class was tasty and informative. I especially enjoyed Jason's efforts to share positive information about his local business. The two best business take away facts were that corporate sales help him succeed and that he has learned over the years to save earnings from peak times (Christmas) for the lean times (over the summer).

For those of you who plan to volunteer I hope that they are more flexible than in the past. A few years ago my wife and I volunteered for this event they were EXTREEMLY firm about no sampling by volunteers and such. Probably because it was staffed with college kids. Given the restrictions and overall experience we did volunteered for this event a second time.

My biggest pet peeve relates the marketing or use as an ingredient of “salmon” especially the use of “wild salmon” without recognition of the species. (I grew up in AK salmon fishing.) There are five species in Alaska with a per pound values (off the boat, prior to huge distribution markups) that could range from $0.10/lb. to say $5.00/lb. (prices fluctuates by year). Even on the better quality scale you might have Coho at say $1.50, Sockeye at $2.50 and Chinook (with two different meat color/flavor variations – red or white) at say $5/lb. Plus of course you have the Atlantic salmon – the species that is as farmed all over… So when people use the generic term “salmon” they usually mean cheap farmed Atlantic salmon – but then when you see “wild salmon” you really don’t know what you are getting and the relative quality of the species being served.