631406 Wed Jun 24 22:46:27 -0700 2009 18 30 Site Talk 0 4804137 Okay, so I am an occasional reader and poster to CH. I love learning about restaurants in my area and about current trends in the " foodie" world. As I read posts, I notice posters who keep showing up and those who get an immediate response. It seems to me that many of you have a CH relationship. Here is my question: Have any of you ever met? What is the connection beyond CH? I love that people all over the globe seem to connect over food! Many people seem to add very long and in depth posts. How are you able to do this and maintain your life. Please don't misconstrue my question....I am curious (I am going through a little insomnia right now.) Thanks to anyone who responds. Wed Jun 24 22:46:28 -0700 2009 46220 pesto 1 4804363 If you look at the post on the New England board, you will see that there was a recent CH dinner on Cape Cod. Several CHers have posted about dining together. Last week, I had dinner with a fellow CH and spouses in CT. Thu Jun 25 02:53:23 -0700 2009 4804137 274541 bagelman01 1 4804462 nope never met any other CHers, but would love to meet other Florida peeps, maybe at Bamboo Fire for those of us in the Boca Delray area. Thu Jun 25 05:06:04 -0700 2009 4804137 22559 smartie 1 4804466 Though I have not met other Chowhounds - yet - Boston area hounds have had a custom of what might be called Chowdowns. Many of us have been on these boards since the 1990s, so we have what might be called established reputations (for good and ill) - or at least people have gotten to know our pet issues and food skills. Thu Jun 25 05:07:40 -0700 2009 4804137 13819 Karl S 1 4806127 We're visiting NYC and Cape Cod from NoCal right now. We're going to meet a couple of Manhattan 'hounds, one or two from CT and possibly one from *south of the border*. I also have non-specific plans to meet one who lives a few hours away from us. There are also a couple from Boston who might make it out this way. This isn't unusual behavior for me. My husband says I go all over the world picking up people! And what a great bond food is, isn't it? Thu Jun 25 13:19:20 -0700 2009 4804137 131001 c oliver 1 4807249 Thanks for the insight! I can't think of any better way to connect with people than with food. Thu Jun 25 20:31:31 -0700 2009 4804137 46220 pesto 2 4828606 The Western Canada board covers such a huge geographic area that I find myself gravitating toward the posts/posters from Vancouver which is where I live. Last year we started organizing Chowdowns for the local denizens and we've had half a dozen so far. The next one is a "nose-to-tail" pigfest (mmm, brains) in a week's time. Tons of fun, great opportunity to meet like minded food fanatics and eat things you might otherwise not try. I also visit San Francisco twice a year and was honoured to have some of the SF Bay Area 'Hounds put together a Burmese Chowdown when I last visited. Before that, I met up with one of the Bay Area 'Hounds for a brilliant dinner at a fantastic regional Italian restaurant in Noe Valley, so I actually met my first Chowhound in real life "overseas" :-). Fri Jul 03 22:31:47 -0700 2009 4807249 169233 grayelf 3 4845183 Don't forget you and your fellow hounds hosted me for a north of the border dim sum lunch for me. I hope I can do the same for you soon. Thu Jul 09 21:11:42 -0700 2009 4828606 10686 yimster 1 4837751 To add to what others have said, one thing might be who's been added to more people's 'reading list' - you click on a person's name, like if someone clicks on on 'pesto' from your post above, they get this page.. and at upper right can click to add you to their reading list. http://www.chow.com/profile/46220 So then when you click the 'hey, pesto' link you should see at upper right of your screen when logged in, it should show you who has you on their reading list, and also who you've added to your reading list. OK, you probably knew all that, but just in case. Tue Jul 07 17:02:00 -0700 2009 4804137 40486 Cinnamon 2 4838315 Yup, I haven't met any of my regional board's hounds yet in real life (although I am finally going to this weekend), but I didn't start to really feel at home until one of our more prolific posters (and unofficial welcome wagon to tourists and visitors) started reading me. And you can't help but pay more attention to the opinions of those who seem to value yours. What I find most interesting, though, are those folks who might not "read" you, but still pay enough attention to figure out what you like, make insightful, personalized recommendations, and connect you to other posters with the same tastes. These are the people I would most like to know in real life because a) they get me and b) I am convinced they give really good presents. Tue Jul 07 20:29:08 -0700 2009 4837751 139230 Wahooty 3 4838724 Though I have people reading me, and people "I read", I actually don't use the function that allows you to see what the people you are reading have recently posted. This is accessed through the "Reading List" link on your My Chow page, if you are interested and haven't used it. Hope you have fun at your "chowdown" - I've always enjoyed meeting other hounds, including one who recognized me b/c she recognized my dog from my avatar. Wed Jul 08 04:33:00 -0700 2009 4838315 10985 MMRuth 4 4839458 As much as possible, I'll read every post on my regional board, because it's not uncommon for non-prolific posters to come up with good tips on where to find something delicious. Just like we find off-the-beaten-path restaurants that can surpass highly rated mainstream restaurants, we can find off-the-beaten-path tips that can surpass their mainstream counterparts. Thus, rather than marking down posters to follow, I try to pay attention to everything on my local board, so that I don't miss anything. The site is a place to share tips so that we can all go out and try things for ourselves, and I'm happy to find new places to try even if they don't turn out to suit my taste at the end. Wed Jul 08 08:54:34 -0700 2009 4838724 10076 limster 5 4839466 Yes - that makes a lot of sense - I don't know why I even started to mark posters as my "reading" them, since I don't follow them specifically in any way. Wed Jul 08 08:56:58 -0700 2009 4839458 10985 MMRuth 6 4839631 Oh no! My already-fragile ego is now crushed. I was soooo excited when you were the very first one who started *reading* me :) I read some most of the time and some a little of the time. But on the non-regional boards most of my *buds* are posting on the things I'm looking at anyway. Wed Jul 08 09:40:08 -0700 2009 4839466 131001 c oliver 2 4839110 Thanks for the info. I did not know about reading lists! Wed Jul 08 07:18:13 -0700 2009 4837751 46220 pesto 1 4852872 Scargod and I met on this site, had lunches together, corresponded and took a Chowhound trip together last April, driving a Miata from Las Vegas through the south west, the south and up the east coast to New England; 4300 mi of fun& food (and putting air in some Scotch bottles as Veggo says), here seldom was heard a discouraging word. Plans to *meat* 2 others. Check out the trip on our "favorites" posts. Chowhounding at its best! Mon Jul 13 05:03:06 -0700 2009 4804137 93538 Passadumkeg 2 4859253 Can't wait to read about your trip. I went to it real quick and it seems delightful. Too late now, but something to look forward to. Thanks. Tue Jul 14 18:40:17 -0700 2009 4852872 46220 pesto 1 4866046 Since posting 'meetups' does not seem to be allowed, links to offsite meetup forums can be added to the sticky board specific topic by the CH staff; the topic is usually called 'New to [whatever] ... Read This First'. Y'all did, DIDN'T YOU?? For instance, the LA board topic http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/462512 has links to SCARF and PleasurePalate. Thu Jul 16 19:38:55 -0700 2009 4804137 23712 DiveFan 2 4866234 We do allow people to post information about chowdowns and other meetups -- we just ask that they don't plan them, gather RSVPs, decide on times and dates, etc, here. That sort of stuff sees threads bouncing back to the top of the list constantly and is deadly dull for the vast majority of our readers, so we ask that it be handled off-site. Here are the guidelines for posting about individual events: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/367605#2975390 Thu Jul 16 21:05:22 -0700 2009 4866046 10021 Jacquilynne