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Tag: Lunch2.0

Lunch 2.0 at OpenSourcery

Rick Turoczy on December 10, 2008

Have you sensed something missing in your life this month?

It’s Lunch 2.0.

Usually, this is about the time when I remind you to check out the monthly Lunch 2.0, generously hosted by one of the many great Portland (or suburban) hosts who open their doors for good conversation, networking and free food.

Not so this month, since I’ve decided to take a break. Fine maybe you’re too busy with Holiday stuff or watching Rick on KGW Live @ 7 (w00t!) to notice, but in case you were jonesing for that sweet Lunch 2.0 nectar, here comes another announcement.

Thanks to Amye Scavarda and the good folks at OpenSourcery, you can plan on another Lunch 2.0 in March, the 11th to be exact.

opensourcery.pngHere are the details:

Hosts: OpenSourcery

Where: 1636 NW Lovejoy St, Portland, OR 97209

When: March 11, 2009 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

Please RSVP on Upcoming so the hosts can get an idea of how much grub to get. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, drop a comment on the event page for planning, unless you don’t want to eat.

OpenSourcery recently moved into new offices on NW Lovejoy, and they want to have an office-warming, Lunch 2.0. From their About page:

In December of 2008 we moved our offices into the Lovejoy Building at SW Lovejoy and 17th Street. The Lovejoy Building is LEED Gold certified, with a host of design features that reduce OpenSourcery’s impact on the environment. Originally built in 1910, the edifice has since been renovated by Opsis Architecture so that every feature — including lighting, mechanical/electrical systems, heating, cooling, nightly air flushing, and the materials that went into construction — contributes to our commitment to sustainable practices. The ample bike parking and easy access to public transportation don’t hurt, either.

I’m pretty sure it’s NW, not SW. Anyway, the new digs reflect OpenSourcery’s commitment to open and sustainable business. Check them out here if you want to do some research before March.

Upcoming Portland Lunch 2.0s

How-to Lunch 2.0

Rick Turoczy on November 11, 2008

A comment left by Branden Johnson yesterday reminded me to do what I should have done ages ago, write a post on what it takes to host a Lunch 2.0.

Maybe I skipped this in the past because it’s really easy to do, by design, but it seems like a good idea. Plus, I can point prospective hosts to this primer in the future.

The short version is: provide some space and some free grub for lunch and people will come. What happens beyond that is purely optional. There aren’t many requirements, as you’ll see.

So, here goes the longer version. I like a good mnemonic device, so let’s think in terms of Ps.

Planning
This step is easy. Find me here, on Twitter, Facebook or IRL and tell me you’re interested. I like to keep Lunch 2.0 as a monthly event; this spaces them out pretty evenly, and so far, it’s been very scalable for me and the hosts. This isn’t a requirement, though, and I’ll work around a host’s schedule.

I also like to do Lunch 2.0 on Wednesday to break up the work week, but again, this isn’t a requirement. I also like to do Lunch 2.0 at lunch time, surprise. Usually 12-2 works, but that’s not set in stone.

Months are typically first-come, first-served, and I may have an interested host that hasn’t been officially announced. There’s no science here; I usually chat with prospective hosts about dates and work out a mutually beneficial one with ease.

Preparation
Once a host picks a date, I announce the event here and create an Upcoming event for RSVPs. I usually remember to add them to Calagator too, and typically, if I forget, someone else remembers.

I like to take a look at the space in advance to get an idea of how many people it can fit. If it’s a smallish space, I can set expectations early, which will help people with the RSVP process, and if need be, I can close the Upcoming guest list to keep it under control.

Catering is entirely up to the host; the only ask is that the host provide a vegetarian/vegan option. Also, beer is fine. Some hosts have provided swag; others have raffled off swag. These are extras, entirely up to the host.

The last piece of preparation is what (if any) self-promotion the host wants to do. We’ve kept it very light so far, which I personally prefer; Lunch 2.0 in the Valley can get a bit over-produced. However, since the goal of Lunch 2.0 is to introduce or promote the host to the Portland community at large, some self-marketing is expected.

Again, it’s up to the host, e.g. Bjorn didn’t do anything official at the Lunch 2.0 hosted at the Eclipse Foundation other than walk around and chat with people.

As an aside, people often ask me how they can follow the Portland Lunch 2.0 announcements. There are several ways:

  • Read here regularly (you should anyway). If you follow the tag “lunch2.0“, you’ll get all the Lunch 2.0 content.
  • Use Upcoming and add me as a friend. You’ll see the Lunches 2.0 as they’re added.
  • Check Calagator, which you should also do anyway, to keep up with Portland tech events.
  • Follow lunch20 on Twitter. This account is maintained by the originators of Lunch 2.0, and they usually announce lunches in other cities.
  • Follow Rick and any of the other heavy-duty Portland tweeters.
  • Find me IRL and ask me. This isn’t as dependable, but it works pretty well.

Promotion
I don’t do any promotion aside from blogging here (an announcement, a reminder and a recap) and tweeting. The host does the heavy lifting, so any additional promotion is optional.

We tend to attract pretty large crowds, so unlike other tech events, you can usually bank on drawing the number listed as attending on Upcoming plus 10% or so. This is due to the lunch time effect, e.g. when people leave for lunch, they often bring along coworkers who haven’t RSVP’ed. Even when the weather is bad (like it was for the Eclipse Lunch 2.0), we still can draw 70 people easily. Rick’s Lunch 2.0 at CubeSpace still holds the attendance record with more than 200 attendees.

That sounds like a lot of people, and 200 really is. However, 70-100 is very manageable, since people tend to mill in and out over the course of two hours.

Party
The last bit is to have some fun. Portland Lunch 2.0 is a networking event, and we like it that way. Because it’s during the day and not as tech-focused as other Portland events, you’ll see new faces. But never fear, you’ll also see the familiar faces you also see at the myriad of evening and weekend events.

That covers it. Drop a comment if you’re interested in hosting or have questions, or maybe you can chat me up IRL.

Lunch 2.0 at AboutUs, Again

Rick Turoczy on November 7, 2008

Lunch 2.0 Portland began at the end of February 2008 at AboutUs. Since then, we’ve had nine, and our first trip to the ‘burbs at the new OTBC digs will make it an even ten.

Fittingly, AboutUs has agreed to host their second Lunch 2.0, as luck would have it, right around the Portland chapter’s first anniversary on February 11, 2009. OK, so it wasn’t luck, I planned it that way, with Steven Walling‘s help.Even though it’s contrived, you’ll want to come by and hang with the AboutUs crew. Here comes the skinny:

120px-aboutuslogonew.pngHosts: AboutUs

Where: 107 SE Washington Street, Suite 520, Portland, OR 97214

When: February 11, 2009 from 12:00 to 2:00 PM

RSVP on Upcoming

February seems like a long time from now, and still, this could be one of the first events you put on your brand spanking new 2009 LOLcats calendar.

Never heard of AboutUs? Hard to believe, but just in case, here’s their about.

Upcoming Portland Lunch 2.0s

It looks like we’re taking December off, in case you’re wondering, unless something comes up last minute.

Thanks to all the hosts and people who’ve made Portland Lunch 2.0 a success. If you want details about hosting, let me know in comments or drop me a tweet. I’m @jkuramot.

Lunch 2.0 at Eclipse Foundation: Mission Accomplished

Rick Turoczy on November 6, 2008

Yesterday afternoon, about 70 people came to the see the best kept secret in Portland Open Source, the Eclipse Foundation office.

3009107289_2c9cfda184.jpg

Turnout seemed a bit lighter than usual, probably due to the lovely Portland weather, but those who did swing by were treated to a casual networking session.

If you’ve attended a Lunch 2.0 in the past, you’ll know we typically do a very short introduction of the host and what they do. Not so this time.

Our hosts, Anne Jacko and Bjorn Freeman-Benson, just wanted to mill around and get to know people. As Bjorn says:

Our goal was to get over the “I didn’t know that Eclipse had an office in Portland” and we met out goal: people know that Eclipse is here in Portland and that we’re nice people and we’re here to help.

All-in-all, it was a successful lunch, and now you know where to find the Eclipse Foundation.

Lunch 2.0 continues to attract a diverse crowd of interesting Portlanders, which is exactly how we like it. Aaron took a bunch of photos, but hasn’t uploaded them to Flickr yet. Watch his Lunch 2.0 set if you’re interested. Update: They are posted now, excellent work as always by the unofficial Lunch 2.0 photographer.

Upcoming Portland Lunch 2.0s
It looks like we’ll be taking a break in December, which is just as well considering a) the weather and b) all the seasonal activity everyone no doubt has planned. We’re back at in January at the OTBC.

  • January 14 in the ‘burbs at the new OTBC offices in the Beaverton Round
  • February?
  • March?

Thanks to all the hosts and people who’ve made this a success. If you want details about hosting, let me know in comments or drop me a tweet. I’m @jkuramot.

And don’t forget that Seattle also has a Lunch 2.0 chapter, organized by Josh Maher. If you get up that way frequently, check them out and report back to me. Their next Lunch 2.0 is November 13 at RocketDog Communications from 4:30-6:00 PM. You can RSVP on Upcoming, natch.

And now for something completely different:

Some of you may know that there’s an Open Source (Bridge) conference brewing for next July to help us all get over the loss of OSCON.

Both Rick and I are assisting with the organization, and the whole crew of organizers will be in Beaverton today at the new OTBC digs in the Beaverton Round hosting a townhall meeting. The meeting starts at 11:30 and should go until about 1.

The townhall is your chance to hear what the conference is all about, meet the organizers and add your two cents. Oh, and if you like, sign up to help us. This conference will be volunteer-driven, start to finish, so we’ll need loads of help.

See you there?

Lunch 2.0 at the Eclipse Foundation is Wednesday

Rick Turoczy on November 3, 2008

Did you know the Eclipse Foundation has an office here in Portland?

They most certainly do, but you might not know this because only four people sit in that office. This Wednesday, the 5th, they’re opening their doors for a Lunch 2.0, and never fear, even though they have a small office, the building they inhabit has graciously agreed to allow us to mix and mingle in a larger area.

This will be more cocktail-party style than the lunchroom-style lunch we had last month at the Art Institute.

If you want to swing by and meet Anne, Bjorn and the good people at Eclipse, make sure you RSVP on Upcoming, so they can plan the catering accordingly.

Incidentally, their building is conveniently located on the MAX at the Oak Street stop. So, take the MAX and avoid the parking worries and the long walks in the rain. Hope to see you there.

Upcoming Portland Lunch 2.0s

  • December? Nothing planned now, want to host one?
  • January 14 in the ‘burbs at the new OTBC offices in the Beaverton Round
  • February?
  • March?

Thanks to all the hosts and people who’ve made this a success. If you want details about hosting, let me know in comments or drop me a tweet. I’m @jkuramot.

Lunch and Unexpected Careers at the Art Institute

Rick Turoczy on October 16, 2008

Yesterday, the Art Institute of Portland graciously hosted what looked like about 175 people in their aptly titled “open space”.

We came for the lunch, but got an unexpected bonus, a career fair. Turns out the “open space” is so ginormous it can house two events at the same time, very nicely.

Some explanation: the AI was holding a career fair for their students in the same space as Lunch 2.0, overlapping us by about an hour or so. Aside from a little confusion, sharing the space, separated by portable wall-boards worked really well. It may have been fortuitous for at least a few people attending Lunch 2.0, since I heard one group mention they were looking for design interns.

The format was a bit different this time, mostly by accident. This was the first lunch table style setting, which seemed to work well for conversations, even though it crimped the milling around time we usually get.

Also, since the career fair was in full swing when we started the lunch, it was too noisy to do my usual five second, stumbing intro and the host’s welcome. So, we did them later, after people had eaten and the noise had died down a bit. I actually think this is a better format, not that there’s a playbook or anything, just an observation.

This Lunch 2.0 featured a swag drawing for Art Institute gear, won by Bill Jackson and Manuel Espino.

Thanks to Allena Baker, Lulu Hoeller and the Art Institute for hosting a highly successful and enjoyable Lunch 2.0, and to Bram for connecting the dots for us.

And finally, thanks to Don Park for providing some shots (and a video), in the absence of the unofficial Lunch 2.0 photographer, Aaron Hockley, who apparently is on vacation. If you liked the food, the event was catered by Kam & Kam Catering.

Upcoming Portland Lunches 2.0

  • November 5 at the Eclipse Foundation
  • January 14 in the ‘burbs at the new OTBC offices in the Beaverton Round

Looks like we may be unintentionally taking December off, unless someone out there wants to host a Lunch 2.0 in December. Interested? Let me know in comments.

Of course, other comments and inquires should also be directed to the comments.

Lunch 2.0 at the Art Institute is Wednesday

Rick Turoczy on October 13, 2008

It’s been a while since this Lunch 2.0 was announced, but the big day has nearly arrived.

aiipdx.png

So in case you’ve forgotten, the kind people at the Art Institute of Portland will be opening their doors to the eighth iteration of Portland Lunch 2.0 this coming Wednesday, the 15th, from 12 to 2 PM.

Ideally, you’ve already RSVP’ed on Upcoming, and you know where you’re going. It’s not too hard to find, right across the street from the Portland Armory, in the Pearl District. Parking may be a bit dicey, so carpool, MAX it, or bring your parking space radar.

As previously mentioned, the space is very big. So, feel free to bring along your coworkers, but if at all possible, RSVP with an accurate number to help with the food planning. The Art Institute’s Fall term just began, so perhaps some students will come by to mingle as well.

One person you can definitely expect to see on Wednesday is Art Institute graduate Bram Pitoyo, who convinced the Art Institute to host this Lunch 2.0. Bram recently had his bike and laptop stolen, and Amber Case has rallied the Portland tech community to come to his aid. Collecting small donations over the course of four days last week, she suprised him with $400 at Beer and Blog last Friday.

If you haven’t met Bram or Amber, take the opportunity on Wednesday over lunch.  Based on Upcoming, it should be a nice turnout, and I hope to see you there.

Upcoming Portland Lunch 2.0s

  • November 5 at the Eclipse Foundation
  • January 14 in the ‘burbs at the new OTBC offices in the Beaverton Round

Thanks to all the hosts and people who’ve made this a success. If you want details about hosting, let me know in comments.

The OTBC Brings Lunch 2.0 to the ‘burbs

Rick Turoczy on September 28, 2008

It’s official. Portland Lunch 2.0 is crossing over into the suburbs, Beaverton to be precise.

As Rick blogged back in August, the Open Technology Business Center, or fondly, the OTBC, had been searching for a new home. The search has ended, and on November 1, the OTBC will move into their new digs in the Beaverton Round.

But wait, there’s more. The OTBC will also be partnering with the Beaverton Round Executive Suites to provide office space for startups on the third floor of the Coldwell Banker building, just two quick flights of stairs to and from the OTBC business offices on the first floor. There’s an elevator too, but since the OTBC provides services to CleanTech (as well as Tech, BioTech and OpenTech), I figured I should mention the stairs first.

What does all this have to do with Lunch 2.0? Glad you asked. On January 14, 2009, the OTBC will be opening its doors to host the first Portland Lunch 2.0 chapter in the suburbs.

Here are the details:

Hosts: OTBC

Where: 12725 SW Millikan Way Beaverton, Oregon 97005, first floor of the South Office building

When: January 14, 2009 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

RSVP on Upcoming

Did I mention the Round is on the MAX Blue Line, specifically the Beaverton Central stop? Steve Morris of the OTBC says their office is 90 feet from the station. So, if you’re in Portland, it’s only about 20 minutes from downtown. Not too shabby. You won’t have to worry about parking, you’ll get to meet some new people in the ‘burbs, possibly some people you know from Twitter.

Maybe even the elusive Josh Bancroft will make an appearance, since we’re bringing Lunch 2.0 into his neck of the woods.

I asked around at the SplashCast Lunch 2.0, and everyone seemed very positive about cross-pollinating with the suburban tech/Twitter crowd.

So, come out to Beaverton and meet some new folks, and check out the OTBC. If you’re unfamiliar with them, they help Tech, Biotech, Cleantech and Opentech startups with a variety of valuable services. Here’s their about. Interested? Drop a comment or swing by Lunch 2.0 on January 14 and find out more.

Don’t forget these upcoming Portland Lunches 2.0:

  • October 15 at the Art Institute of Portland: This space is huge, plenty of room for everyone, so bring friends and colleagues.
  • November 5 at the Eclipse Foundation
  • January 14 at OTBC in the Beaverton Round

A Cozy Lunch 2.0 at SplashCast

Rick Turoczy on September 18, 2008

Yesterday’s Lunch 2.0 at SplashCast was nice and cozy. Maybe it was my warning that space was small, the closed guestlist, the slightly incorrect address on the Upcoming event (sorry).

Or maybe people just had other things to do, like work.

Whatever it was, in contrast to the last few Lunches 2.0, only about 70 people filtered in and out of SplashCast’s semi-new offices in the old Merchant Hotel in Old Town. This worked really well for networking, since you could navigate the entire room, bouncing between conversations, and not worry about missing anyone.

As has been typical with Portland Lunch 2.0, Kim Ramage, our host, made a brief introduction to SplashCast and welcomed everyone. Then the networking and nomming began. Unfortunately, Mike Berkley, SplashCast’s CEO and the Lunch 2.0 instigator wasn’t able to attend.

Again, there’s that pesky work thing getting in the way.

Aaron hasn’t posted his photos yet, but I’m sure they will rock, as usual. Check his Lunch 2.0 collection on Flickr if you’re interested.

Mark Colman tweeted several pictures he took, including this one of AJ and Doug in the midst of what looks like an interesting conversation about the finer points of the iPhone’s keypad.

lunch.jpg

Thanks to Kim, Mike and the whole SplashCast team for opening their digs to us.

Yearning for more? No worries about space in the next few venues, the Art Institute of Portland (October 15) and the Eclipse Foundation (November 5). In fact, they’re both large, so bring your friends and colleagues.

Better yet, if you can find uninitiated Lunch 2.0 people, bring them along to spread the goodness.

Lunch 2.0 at SplashCast in Old Town is Tomorrow

Rick Turoczy on September 16, 2008

splashcast.jpgSeems like ages since it was announced, so in case you’ve forgotten, the kind people at SplashCast will be opening their doors to the seventh iteration of Portland Lunch 2.0 tomorrow from 12 to 2 PM.

Ideally, you’ve already RSVP’ed on Upcoming, and you know where you’re going. The space isn’t huge, so we closed the guestlist a few weeks ago to avoid a crushing overflow of hungry Portlanders.

If you don’t feel like taking a chance and fighting a crowd, never fear, there’s always the October Lunch 2.0 at the Art Institute of Portland. That’s an enormous space, so bring your coworkers and friends. It’s still good to RSVP so they can plan the catering.

Anyway, I hope to see or meet you tomorrow.

Upcoming Portland Lunch 2.0s

  • October 15 at the Art Institute of Portland: This space is huge, plenty of room for everyone, so bring friends and colleagues.
  • November 5 at the Eclipse Foundation

In addition, I have soft commitments from hosts in the works for December, January and February. Looks like Portland Lunch 2.0 will see its first anniversary. Thanks to all the hosts and people who’ve made this a success.

If you want details about hosting, let me know in comments.

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