How many of your clubs get together for dinner after the meeting?
I have been a member of several rings that did this. I always look forward to this "after meeting" get together. During these late night dinners we would relax and really have a ball sharing magic, stories, ect. Does anyone else seem to enjoy these extentions of the meetings more than the meeting itself?

In Lansing, we hold our meetings in a large group room in a local restaurant. We usually meet for dinner first, then have our short business portion, then on to the night's event.

After every meeting a group of us go to a resturant just down the street from where we meet. It is always great fun and I look forward to dinner just as much as the meeting.

James Adamson
http://www.ring35.org/welcome

I agree with James. The "after meeting - meeting" is often even more interesting than the "reported" meeting. We really enjoy it.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander
Ring 35

I have always enjoyed getting together with my "magical" friends outside of our regular meetings.

Dinner following a meeting is great because we can talk about ideas we might not have had time to discuss during the regular meeting. Also the informality of the setting allows for the ideas and routines to go in different directions because more time is available to discuss "at length."

I have also found it fun to meet with other magicians on different days, maybe go to a baseball game as a group or something, getting to know group members better in the process. It never fails that I have a great time and learn something new as well.

If your group doesn't get together, informally, for whatever reason, why not invite the members to "tag along" later? I think you'll like getting to know each other better and you'll probably learn some new magic in the process.

Why not give it a try? You'll be glad you did. Mark.

My ring (212) is like John's. Not everyone shows up for dinner, but those who do enjoy each other's company a great deal. The reported meeting usually doesn't get started until about 1/2 hour after it's supposed to, because people are having too much fun shooting the breeze.

I enjoy my IBM meetings.

Carrie

Our ring here in DC has a great location for socializing before and after the meetings. we are in a meeting room at the Holiday inn we are abliged to encourage our membership to attend dinner first as that pays for our meeting room then we adjourn to the bar after the meeting where there is always some very fun Ideas swapped. Our after meetings have frequently closed the bar after the meeting. if you stop in dc the first wednesday of the month drop in wed love to have a drink and see a routine.

James and Bob,

Let's give 'em a plug...

If you are coming through the Birmingham area, Nabeel's Café is a great place for lunch or dinner... and if you are here the first Tuesday of any month, that is where we hang out after the meetings!

Ask for Maria, and tell her we sent you!

~michael

Almost always coffee and dessert (if not dinner) here in State College, PA. Always hard to get up for work the next morning.

Jon

In pensacola (Ring 287) we always try to have dinner after any meeting and after a lecture as well. It gives us a little one on one time with the lecturer. Justa thought if anyone does not do this already.

Well, late dinner after meetings at Ring 328 is really Magical!

Eating at meetings is good for me too

After our Ring meeting in the Raleigh, NC area we usually go a few miles down the road to a Perkins Pancake House for a late nite breakfast (and some tricks for lay people).

We also get together at least one time other than our regular meeting night to have a "magic session" in a meeting room. Some eat at a restaurant before or bring food to the session, but the good thing is that there is "no meeting" - "no business" - "no cliques" - "no politics"... JUST DOING MAGIC, practicing our routines and helping each other!

The informal getting together is great for breakiing down personal bickering and lets us focus on the magic!