exc911ence

We need a Cars & Coffee meet in Ottawa. Toronto has one, why don't we?

Thinking: Central location, Sunday morning... not the usual musclecar-fest that the local cruise nights have become but something more for the European enthusiast.

Suggestions?

EDIT: Thought I should add our current C&C info for those who don't make it past the first page.

Every Sunday, weather permitting. 10:00am at the Trainyards Starbucks (off of Industrial Avenue). Google Map: 45.41231,-75.645633.

StyleLab

I'll will likely be in town this Sunday. C'mon Ottawa/Gatineau people!

Nick

Targatoo

The Ferrari guys had something going a week ago. I happened by Preston St and saw about 20 cars pulling out of St Anthony's, including some Porsches and others. I haven't googled to see if that is a regular occurance.

BBgun

Would people come to Gatineau for a meet. I can fix something close to the casino for example the Mcdo on St-Joseph

Bruno

exc911ence

Sorry Nick, it was too hot this weekend to do anything but lounge in my pool.

Hmm, McDonald's? As much as I do like their coffee (way better than Tim Horton's these days, but that's a topic for a different thread), McD's lacks the certain ambiance I was thinking of.

There has to be an independent coffee shop that would love to have a parking lot full of exotica every week.

Targatoo

An independant coffee shop with a parking lot? hmmmm.

All the independants seem to be downtown. At Bank and Alta Vista there are two restaurants in the plaza (cora's and bella vista) with a huge parking lot. Bella Vista might agree to serve coffee in take-out paper cups but don't count on it being fair-trade, organic, premium brew.

Is there still a Second Choice in Bell's Corners? Their parking lot is 'shared' with Local Zeroes.

McD's is looking better all the time...

exc911ence

My wife and I checked out this new place:

http://twomonkeyscoffee.foodpages.ca/

Coffee was nice, homemade goodies looked delicious and the parking lot is a decent size, although it's shared with many other businesses. It might not be too busy early on a Sunday however...

The downside is that it's not even remotely central...

exc911ence

This is an excellent independent with a huge, rarely filled parking lot:

http://www.brewedawakenings.ca/

It's all the way out in Kemptville however, but taking River Road out is a fun and scenic drive. It's one of our favourite bike ride pitstops.

Targatoo

Starbucks on Coventry? Very central. Shares the lot with Best Buy.

BBgun

D'oh! I did not even think about our PCA coffee run meet.
Starbucks at IKEA is another suggestion.

Bruno

exc911ence

That's tomorrow, isn't it? Been meaning to join one of these... too bad my car is still sitting ***-high in the garage without a fuel pump.

BBgun

Yep, it was yesterday.It was a super nice run, we were 23 cars .
Next coffee run is August 6th, you won't want to miss this one.

Ok!, have we decided yet to where and when we meet.


Bruno

exc911ence

August 6th? Probably won't make that one either... the fuel pump they sent me was the wrong one so now I have to wade through the mess of returning the wrong pump (that I paid $40 shipping and $70 duty on) to them and having the right one sent up from Florida. I expect a discount to cover the second duty extortion I'll be facing as well as the shipping both ways as it was their mistake.

I'm guessing minimum two weeks to sort this all out.

exc911ence

I was chatting with a friend and he suggested the Starbucks at the Trainyards off of Industrial as a possible location.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=45.4121...8&z=16&vpsrc=0

I think this would really work since it's somewhat central(ish) and boasts an abundance of parking. If we made it for 8:00am on Sundays, the lots would still be empty and would give the group a couple of hours to hang out and chat before the great unwashed descended on the area for their daily retail therapy.

There is a Tim Horton's nearby for those wishing to have a breakfast sandwich, plus a recent Pioneer gas station with 94 at the pump in the event that a post-coffee drive is planned.

Thoughts?

theiceman

Getting a meet going like this is very difficult and it is difficult to keep momentum. it would be great if you guys could get something going and keep it going. Our Toronto meet has been going over 5 years now and the times there have been no-one there i would say less than 5 and thats usually coz of xmas day or something.

a few tips.

1. make it a place where you will have limited flow through trafic .. ours is is a big parking lot behind chapters.. no one really drives back there unless they are looking for us and the buiding provides some shade for the scorcher days.

2. make it a place you would want to go anyway even if no one shows , there will be those days so make iet a place you can relac and have a coffee for an hour.

3. Make it consistent. once you have decided the place you need a regular cadance so even non Porsche people will know its there and come just to look at the cars ..

4. Dont make asses of yourselves and atract the wrong attention ( sorry just had to be said )

5. Have a core group of guys and provide regular updates on a thread with pics .. that will tell others where it is who just want to drop by

Good luck ...