Long Island Pen Show

[scrivelry]

Is there already a thread for this that I am blindly not seeing? Saturday and Sunday, March 12 and 13, at Hofstra University - the website is here .

For some reason everything that happens to me in March seems to happen that weekend, but I am trying not to miss it this year. Hope to see some of you people there!

[Crazyorange]

Hi everyone
I'm trying to arrange for a meet up on Saturday March 12th. This is the problem. All the hotels are booked up. Appears there's something big going on.

Earthdawn and I have been brainstorming. We're thinking of doing a post show meet up at the university. We can stay there and hang out. I was also thinking of doing a lunch time meet up. Generally there's tables in the middle of the room which we could utilize.

Would anyone be interested in meeting up and which time? Both Carey and I are unfamiliar with the area thus we don't know where to meet off site - like say for dinner meet up. If anyone has ideas where to eat please post.

Thanks so much

[scrivelry]

I would love to meet up if I can manage it - the world tips over on my head that weekend, I have no idea why.

Hofstra is on Hempstead turnpike, which is no big thrill - there may be one decent restaurant relatively nearby, there is one pizza place relatively nearby, otherwise you really have to drive a bit - not necessarily a huge bit, but the roads just behind Hoftra - which would be the direction I know - form a sort of oval going in one direction - fun if you are in the mood to laugh at possibly missing your turn, not so much fun if you are hungry and getting, er, less patient than you are when you are not hungry.

Going East on Hempstead turnpike you will eventually go past a Hooters and a Friendly's and a few other restaurants - probably the best bet. Nothing particularly special but less chance of getting lost.

If an actual decent place is wanted I would be glad to look one up and get decent driving directions.

(I am somewhat familiar with the area.)

[Crazyorange]

Thanks for the info. I had a feeling it's no mans land in that area. Nothing around. I have a feeling we are just staying at the school. I hope some folks can make it. Carey has an impressive collection of pens. He'll make sticking around worth the time.

[Wile E Coyote]

It's far from no-man's land. If you can't find anything suitable in Hempstead, Garden City is close by with lots of really nice places.

[Crazyorange]

Easy to get to?

[scrivelry]

Nothing difficult, but how long are people willing to drive, to get to the place, if it's not just right down the street, or how do they feel about following directions/programming the GPS, whatever?

Wile E Coyote, do you have specific suggestions for places in Garden City?

And if we stay at the University, is there a place there? I think the food court closes at some point.

[Crazyorange]

Truthful not sure. There's a study lounge down the hall.....but food wise....not sure when the food court closes. Though I would think it might stay open for dinner serving. The food court is quite large...so hoping something stays open. I believe the show finishes around 5pm, so we should be able to get "food".

I'm with you scrivelry...I got lost last year going to the show. It took an hour to get back the college. Get lost and you're doomed.

[Wile E Coyote]

It depends on how many and what everyone would like.

As for the student center; it's a bit limited on Sat and Sun. Some vendors are closed all day, some close at 2, others close at 5 and everything is closed by 8.

[scrivelry]

People want to go somewhere that does not have as early a close time as the food court, which is more important to everyone - a fine dining experience, or easy directions?

By easy directions I mean as few turns as possible, and staying on as large and well marked streets as possible.

Within what I would consider striking distance you probably have both - I am more familiar with the places that let you hang out forever over the food you carried to your own table than with the better restaurants, precisely because of meet-ups of other hobbies of mine. I really can't advise much on fancier places.

Of course, the soup, salad sandwich places may be a better bet for a crowd that has just spent half next month's rent on fountain pens, ink, paper, repair supplies...

I have had things that needed taking care of in that immediate area for well over a dozen years and I just last month figured out how two particular roads go together... it is not necessarily obvious.

[Wile E Coyote]

Would a Panera work? We've done it for local pen meets. There's one 3 miles and 4 turns away.

[scrivelry]

Panera is always fine for me - are you thinking of the one on Old Country Road, or a different one?

There is a soup/sandwhich sort of place called Country Kitchen or something like that on Merrick, (the Merrick which runs along the outside edge of Eisenhower Park's Western edge) which is maybe one or two turns and miles closer, not all the same choices as Panera, but the food there has not yet killed me.

To get to that Panera I think the simplest directions are "Exit University Campus going East on Hempstead turnpike to Merrick. Left on Merrick to Old Country Rd. Old Country Road past way too many stores to Panera on right, right into Panera Parking lot. I know the Meadowbrook is right there, but on and off highways like that often gets me turned around the first time or two. And the Country Kitchen thing is on Merrick, so left turn into Parking lot before you get to Old Country Road. Or into the parking lot of the TGI Fridays or several other places, but frankly, they tend to be loud and crowded on a weekend and I presume we want to talk pens, show each other pens, try pens, etc as well as chat generally and eat - crowded and loud does not help me in those cases...

Of course you may have an entirely different Panera in mind. They're all over...

[Crazyorange]

Sounds good to me.

[Wile E Coyote]

Of course it was a different one. The Panera in Garden City is about a the same distance, but it doesn't matter. I'm just more familiar with Garden City than the rest of the area.

[FredRydr]

Rick Krantz, Tom Heath and I will share a table there Saturday only.

If you like inkwells, especially crystal, please stop by.

Fred

[Giovanni Abrate]

I'll be there both days. Come and say hello!

[Frank]

I'll be set up at the show (and sleeping in Garden City during the weekend).....



Frank

[fountainpenkid]

I think I'm finally going to make it again after a 2-year hiatus! (my sister wants to look at Columbia University on the way, and that is justification enough for my parents )
I'm totally in for meeting up at lunch or something!

[pilgin]

I would suggest Borellis on Hempstead. Just head east on Hempstead Tpke. for about 2 miles, just past the Meadowbrook Pkwy. It's on your right. The food is good and the route is direct. Borellis has been around for over 50 years and has standard Italian fare. You can order pizza, sandwiches, pasta, or pretty much any other Italian staple. Quality is good and it is fairly casual. (I have no affiliation with them. I'm just a guy who sometimes eats there and who often purchases pens, but rarely posts)
Vin

[Crazyorange]

Due to a low response for a post meet up....we're going to "wing it". I'll be around for the day. I'll probably park myself at the tables in the center of the room.

Fountainpenkid - if you want to do lunch I'm up for it. We can share pens. I'm the lady with the over the shoulder blue leather bag. I inked up some pens with bung box inks for others to try. Meet around 1230? If anyone else wants to join us for lunch, more the merrier