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Tag: Lunch2.0

Lunch 2.0 at the Eclipse Foundation

Rick Turoczy on August 18, 2008

The Lunch 2.0 beat goes on into the late Fall with the Eclipse Foundation set to host on November 5.

Did you know they had an office here? It’s in downtown, conveniently located on the MAX at the Oak Street stop. Tough to think about November now, but by then, you’ll be excited that it’s so close to MAX. No parking worries and no long walks in the rain.

eclipse_home_header.jpgHere are the details:

Hosts:  Eclipse Foundation

Where: 308 SW First Avenue, Suite 110, Portland, OR 97204

When: November 5, 2008 from 12:00 to 2:00 PM

RSVP on Upcoming

Thanks to Anne Jacko for coordinating this and arranging for extra space. The building is a bit confusing, and the Eclipse office is itty-bitty, by office standards. Happily, the building has allowed them to use a conference room and an adjoining open area. Should be perfect for networking and in-depth conversations.

If you’re not familiar with Eclipse, here’s the About.

I almost forgot to include the upcoming section, so you can plan your lunches.

Upcoming Portland Lunch 2.0s

  • September 17 at SplashCast: The guestlist is closed, since the space is pretty small. Don’t despair.
  • 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

Just a Cozy Lunch with Rick

Rick Turoczy on August 14, 2008

And 200 of his closest friends.

According to Eva, that was the count for yesterday’s sixth installment of Portland Lunch 2.0 hosted at CubeSpace by our good friend Rick Turoczy, a.k.a. the Silicon Florist.

Rick had reason to celebrate because this blog is now one year old, which is like 10 human years or something. Anyway, Rick’s hospitality brought out the largest crowd yet for a Portland Lunch 2.0. The event was really inspiring for me, as the Lunch 2.0 guy, and for Rick, as the guy everyone came out to see.

At most points during the lunch, there was a line three to six people deep to talk to Rick. Bram and I joked that he needed a “Now Serving” sign to keep track of who was next in line. Rick was so busy chatting up his guests, he forgot to eat. That’s why we all like him so much though. Because he doesn’t eat much.

Anyway, enough about Rick. Other highlights.

  • Nicholas catered the lunch, always a good day when you eat Nicholas, especially for free.
  • There was a Marshall Kirkpatrick sighting. He even blogged while he was there, simultaneously standing on one leg, eating, chatting with two people and doing his taxes.
  • I got to see about half the people I follow on Twitter IRL, and I met several new people including a bunch interested in keeping the Lunch 2.0 train rolling.
  • Ryan Snyder of recently launched Shizzow and his fellow Shizzites (Dawn, Mark and Sam) introduced their new service and handed out a bunch of beta invites.
  • A good time was had by all, even Rick.

All-in-all, it was a highly successful and entertaining lunch. Thanks to all who made it. Thanks to Rick for picking up the lunch tab. Thanks to Eva and CubeSpace for providing the space. Thanks to you for reading all the way to here. Keep going, there’s more.

In typical Portland fashion, the party didn’t stop at 2 when Lunch 2.0 ended. Shizzow hosted their first Shizzup at the Green Dragon (on the brand new patio and place for Beer and Blog this Friday). After that you had to choose between the monthly game of Werewolf and Back Fence PDX. Someone should have hired a party bus. This is one (of many) things I love about Portland. Always so much to do.

Anyway, if you love Lunch 2.0, there are more on the schedule. We’ll be at SplashCast on September 17; please only RSVP if you’ll be there for sure because the space is a bit small. And then, on October 15, the Art Institute of Portland opens its doors to Lunch 2.0. RSVP on Upcoming.

I have a definite date for November and several solids for the next few months. So, it looks like we’ll keep this thing going for a while; maybe I’ll pencil Rick in for another Silicon Florist birthday party/Lunch 2.0 next August.

Can’t believe it was that much fun? Or maybe you want balanced coverage? Check out a few other accounts of the Lunch 2.0 and Silicon Florist birthday that was.

Photo courtesy of Aaron Hockley used under Creative Commons.

Lunch 2.0 at the Art Institute of Portland

Rick Turoczy on August 3, 2008

Hot on the heels of SplashCast’s possibly haunted Lunch 2.0 announcement, comes another Lunch 2.0. I told you I had a busy Friday.

The Art Institute of Portland will be opening its doors for Lunch 2.0 on October 15, just over a week after their Fall term begins. It’s in the Pearl, right across the street from the Portland Armory.

Big thanks to Bram Pitoyo for making this happen. Did you know he is a graduate of the Art Institute, as is Lunch 2.0 veteran Gaia Borgias Brown? I’m sure there are others you follow on Twitter who will be happy to return to the hallowed halls.

OK, the skinny:

aiipdx.pngHosts:  Art Institute of Portland

Where: 1122 NW Davis, Portland, OR, 97209

When: October 15, 2008 from 12:00 to 2:00 PM

RSVP on Upcoming

Thanks to Allena Baker and Lulu Hoeller for securing a gigantic space for this Lunch 2.0. Bring your friends and colleagues and look forward to learning something new about the Art Institute, meeting some new people and seeing your old Twitter pals. Oh, and check out the exhibit on your way in or out or both.

One last programming note, I’ve spoken to a few potential hosts who were interested in September and/or October lunches. Fear not, there’s no clause in the Lunch 2.0 bylaws requiring no more than one event per month.

So, we can work around the upcoming lunches, no worries, or we can look ahead to November.

Lots of lunches coming up, so here’s the quick and dirty schedule:

SplashCast to Host Lunch 2.0, Friendly Ghosts Invited

Rick Turoczy on August 3, 2008

Last Friday I signed up two more Lunch 2.0 hosts at two very cool places in Portland.

First, SplashCast wants to show off its new(ish) office space in Old Town, and not just any building in Old Town, the old Merchant Hotel.

You know, the same building that Old Town Pizza inhabits, directly above the infamous Portland Shanghai Tunnels, the haunted one. That building.

While the Merchant’s old lobby is the home to OTP now, SplashCast is up on the third floor, presumably occupying space that once was one or two guest rooms way back in the day. Kim Ramage has done a great job fixing up the space, and she’s eager to have you all come by for some lunch. So, now the skinny:

splashcast.jpgHosts: SplashCast

Where: 226 NW Davis, 3rd Floor, Portland, OR, 97209 (we’ll have signs and spirit hosts to guide you)

When: September 17, 2008 from 12:00 to 2:00 PM

RSVP on Upcoming

The space isn’t huge, so the RSVP if you’re definitely coming. We’ll turn off the list at 60 or so; if you’re not sure, decide on that day and cruise by later. The crowd generally thins out after 1:00 PM as people head back to work.

As always, if you want to nom veggie or vegan, add a comment on the Upcoming event indicating your culinary desires.

In case you missed it, Rick is celebrating his first birthday as the Silicon Florist with a Lunch 2.0 on August 13 at CubeSpace. RSVP for that event here, and stay tuned for another Lunch 2.0 announcement for October.

Did You Know Seattle Has Lunch 2.0 Too?

Rick Turoczy on July 26, 2008

seattle.gifAnd not Lunch 2.0.2, but rather Lunch 2.0 also.

Josh Maher started a chapter in Seattle a little over a year ago, and they’ve been very active at both large and small hosts. I contacted Josh early this year for any tips and advice he could share before starting a chapter.

If you travel up to Seattle a lot, or are headed there soon, check out their wiki and for details.

Josh and I spoke recently about our the Portland chapter, which apparently is one of the few that hosts regular events, along with the Silicon Valley/Bay Area orignial chapter and the Seattle one. He also invited any Portlanders/Vancouverites up to enjoy the Seattle flavor of Lunch 2.0. So, if you’re going to be up in the  Emerald City, check out their take on Lunch 2.0 and report back with your thoughts.

Otherwise, it’s a roadtrip. I guess if anyone’s up for that, you could carpool up there on a diplomatic mission. Of course, as Rick pointed out, the beauty of Lunch 2.0 is that it’s local and convenient, neither of which fits a trip up to Seattle.

Anyway, it’s an open invitation, and obviously, Josh is welcome to come down to do Portland Lunch 2.0, assuming I can convince someone to host one.

Lunch 2.0 Needs Hosts

Rick Turoczy on July 25, 2008

Lunch 2.0 just finished its fifth iteration last week at souk. Let’s take a minute to look back at the five lunches and thank the hosts:

February 28, 2008: AboutUs
April 9, 2008: eROI
May 28, 2008: Vidoop
June 30, 2008: Wieden+Kennedy
July 16, 2008: souk

Ah, good times. Thanks for the memories.

So, now that we’re done basking in the afterglow of tasty eats and good conversation, let’s get back to business.

I have a few leads, but nothing solid for the next Lunch 2.0. So, gentle reader, I need your help.

Does your place of work have what it takes to host a Lunch 2.0? Not that it takes much, as Rick previously documented.

Do you know a great place that would love to host a Lunch 2.0?  Ideally, you have a contact there, so I don’t have to walk in like Michael Corleone.

If so, I’d love to hear your ideas. Find the comments and let me know, or tweet at me.

Bot Recap of Lunch 2.0 at souk

Rick Turoczy on July 17, 2008

souklogo.jpgLunch 2.0 happened yesterday at flexible workspace provider souk in Old Town, and even though I didn’t make it, the accounts I’m hearing are overwhelmingly positive.

Dawn and Todd graciously agreed to MC the event, in my absence, and approximately 75 people came through during the two-hour lunch.  Julie, the gracious host, had Thai food for everyone with lots of vegetarian options. The food was well-received and completely gone by the end.

heathertodd.jpgDawn tells me souk’s space was great for conversations, the wheeled tables and chairs allowing for spontaneous rearrangements to accommodate the constantly morphing threads of discussion. While people sat to eat, they had in depth conversations, but as eating finished, people stood up to mingle, cocktail party style. Apparently, the chatting went right up to the end, which is awesome

Sounds like a great time. I’m bummed that I missed it.

If you hurry over to Summize, newly acquired by Twitter, you can catch the tweets from yesterday about Lunch 2.0 to get a running chronology of how it went.

I caught a few “what is Lunch 2.0” tweets in the mix. So, we still have some collective education to do. Dawn reported that in addition to the usual suspects we see at Lunch 2.0 (and Beer and Blog, Barcamp, Ignite, Legion of Tech Talks, you know the hardcore community people), there were a lot of new faces. This is good.

soukbooth.jpgAaron Hockley, the default Lunch 2.0 photographer, has posted some great (as usual) shots in his photostream. Julie has an album as well. Check these out if, like me you didn’t get there.

Thanks again to Julie for hosting a great lunch.

As of now, there aren’t any solid plans for the next iteration of Lunch 2.0 Portland. I have a few leads, but nothing definite. If you want your company to host one, or you know a place that would love to have the Portland community in for lunch, let me know in comments.

Photos courtesy of Aaron Hockley used under Creative Commons.

Lunch 2.0 and OSCON 2008 Like PB and J

Rick Turoczy on July 11, 2008

[Editor: Like PB and J, so long as you like your peanut butter on one sandwich one week and then like to have your jelly on another sandwich the next week.]

As you get ready for OSCON 2008 the week after next, don’t forget Lunch 2.0 at souk on Wednesday next week.

If you’re planning on attending OSCON—and have accidentally shown up a week early or just happen to live in Portland—and have some time on Wednesday, why not get out and see the Rose City a little. Just head over the Burnside Bridge and into Old Town, the Lunch 2.0 hotspot. As with previous Lunch 2.0s in Old Town, if you decide to drive, have a good time looking for parking.

If you think you can make it, head over to Upcoming and please RSVP. Julie from souk needs as accurate a count as possible, so no one will go home hungry. Also, if you’re vegan or vegetarian, please leave a comment on the Upcoming event; I’ve failed to remember that too many times when planning these things (sorry).

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your perspective, both Rick and I will be out of town for work that day. I know, how rude of work to intrude on our Lunch 2.0 plans.

Never fear, Dawn Foster has graciously agreed to MC the proceedings. So, if you were hoping to hear me ramble on about “what is Lunch 2.0”, sorry. Next time.

Speaking of next times, if your company wants to know more about hosting the pageantry that is PDX Lunch 2.0, please drop a line in comments. I’m always looking for prospective hosts to keep the lunch train rolling.

Photo courtesy Thomas Hawk used under Creative Commons.

Update: As Rick has kindly pointed out, I have lost my mind and confused myself about what week it is. My only excuse is I’ve been sick as a dog all week and have lost track of time. Sorry.

Acquisition, Lunch 2.0v4 Recap, souk is Next

Rick Turoczy on July 2, 2008

lunch20.jpgRick has kindly agreed to let me do Lunch 2.0 stuff here on the Florist. This makes a lot of sense, since this is the place to get the lowdown on technology companies and the tech scene here in Portland and nearby.

Oh, and the people who go to these lunches actually read and comment here, big plus.

So, my first post-acquisition content is the recap of Monday’s Lunch 2.0v4, held at Wieden+Kennedy, and a reminder that the next iteration is coming up soon at souk.

W+K Recap
img_0257.jpgThis Lunch 2.0 was a little different than usual, which ruffled a few feathers, at least initially. Everyone has since hugged and sung Kumbaya.

Gaia Brown, the mastermind behind the W+K format, put together an ice-breaker activity that paired attendees with W+K people. From what I observed, people took the advance packets in varying degrees of seriousness, but the conversation flowed freely, regardless.

The lunch was held in the atrium at W+K in the Pearl, and I’d guess the attendance was probably more than 100, but less than 200. Yeah, I’m not a very good estimator. The raffle of swag went over well; gift baskets from several W+K clients were given away, and the final prize was several tickets to Inverge.

After chatting as pairs for a bit and listening to the raffle, people got up and milled around and talked, others played Rockband.

Next up, souk
souk.jpgAs Rick previously mentioned, the next Lunch 2.0 will be held at souk in Old Town on July 16, so pretty soon. RVSP on Upcoming if you plan to make it, and yes, we’re returning to the old format, with no work and no packets, just free grub and good company.

Old Town has been very good to Lunch 2.0, thanks to eROI and Vidoop and now souk. I guess this begs the question, are you a real company if you’re in Old Town and haven’t hosted a Lunch 2.0?

Your thoughts?
After four Lunch 2.0s here in Portland, I’m pretty happy with the progress. The event is dominated by Tweeters, which (sadly) is the primary means of promotion, yet another reason why I wanted to move here to the Florist.

So, fellow Florists, what do you think of Lunch 2.0 so far? Sound off in comments and stay tuned for more Lunch 2.0 action here on the Florist.

Portland Lunch 2.0: Five reasons to attend

Rick Turoczy on April 7, 2008

Jake Kuramoto gives us five reasons (well, six, really) we should all consider attending Portland Lunch 2.0:

  • You enjoy meeting new people in Portland, some geeks, others not, all Portlanders, all the time.
  • You like learning about cool companies doing cool stuff in the Rose City.
  • You can’t make the evening and weekend activities like Barcamp, Startup Weekend and Startupalooza, but you really want to do 1. and 2.
  • You like good conversation with smart people over tasty eats.
  • You really need to break up your day by getting out of the office/house, seeing the sky, and checking out a new locale with some new people.
  • And bonus, you can’t pass up a free lunch.

Sound interesting? Well, you’re in luck, my friend. The next Portland Lunch 2.0 will be held Wednesday, April 9, at eROI.

More than 70 people have RSVP’d already. So it promises to be quite a crowd. And, unfortunately, it looks like Jake has had to close the RSVP list due to space constraints.

But, I’m still going to encourage you to show up, anyway. Because that’s just how I am. And because some people will not be able to make it. And the way I figure it—worse comes to worst—we can always peel off and overwhelm Backspace.

I’m looking forward to seeing you there.

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