[Semibug] Planning meeting place and time

[Josh Grosse]

On Fri, Nov 06, 2015 at 04:41:31PM -0500, Michael W. Lucas wrote:
> 
> Two good planning meeting locations have come up:
> 
> 1) Josh investigated the Goldfish Tea Room
> 2) Paul has checked out the Hazel Park Raceway

 [snip]

> If the HPR falls through for any reason, we hit the Goldfish Tea Room
> instead.

Back from the Goldfish.  I'll supplement my earlier off-list comments
with this summary.  I think it's a good backup -- but a backup only.

Negatives:

1) No private room.  They're OK with people pushing tables together, 
   but a reservation is needed to avoid conflicts between groups.  We
   wouldn't want to be their during an Open Mike event, for example.

2) It's very much like a coffee shop.  Limited food menu: salads, 
   sandwiches, and yogurt are the predominant items in their cold
   case.  

3) The tea is expensive. They have cups, small pots, and large pots.
   A small pot of a premium tea was $7.70.

4) Parking is available nearby but expensive.  $5 flat rate after 5pm
   at the nearby Center St. deck.  
   

Positives:

1) The small pot was fine for two people, and resteepings at any
   size are free.  Resteeps are self-serve, with water held at
   three different temperatures.

2) It's next door to a bazillion restaurants, being downtown.  Just
   walking the short distance from the parking deck took me by
   three of them.  A Thai restaurant, a sushi bar, and a raw food
   cafe.  

3) The parking deck attendent didn't charge me when I left.  I don't
   know why, I owed for two hours ($0.50/hr before 5).

4) Their music was eclectic.  Techno. '40s big band.  Hip hop.  '70s
   rock. 

5) Board games.  My son taught me how to play Mancala and beat me
   soundly.

6) The tea is served on tea boats, so that you can move the infusers
   out of your pot/cup and not make a horrible mess.

7) Free WiFi.  There's no way we could do a projected presentation,
   but we could screen share.