December's Feast (no reading required!)

UPDATE: We are moving the date to 12/15 because of the storm and freezing rain expected on December 8. We apologize for any inconvenience, but your safety is important to us, and we'd like this to not end in tragedy. Please update your RSVP if your availability has now changed. Thank you!

Come join us for our end-of-year dinner! We take December off from book discussions, but every year since 2009, we've gotten together for a fun meal before the madness of the holidays descend upon us all. Spouses, significant others, and guests are definitely welcome. It's a great chance to celebrate all the fun times we've had at meetups throughout 2013, and to break bread with the amazing friends we've made and welcome in new members for the coming year.

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This year, we'll be eating at The Majestic. a historic restaurant that recently underwent a reinvention into one of the most exciting dining spots in Old Town Alexandria, focusing on classic American cuisine, using wholesome locally-sourced meat and produce. The restaurant is also known for fresh-baked bread, amazing house-made sodas and craft cocktails. And on Sunday nights (which is why we chose this venue), they offer Nana's Dinner (served family style) for $22/person.

December's theme is 'A Christmas Dinner' featuring Roast Beef with Red Wine & Horseradish Sauce, Scalloped Potatoes, Sautéed Wild Mushrooms, Mixed Greens with Blue Cheese & Sherry Vinaigrette, and Chocolate Cream Pie for dessert.

If you have dietary restrictions, you can still order off the regular a la carte menu (http://majesticcafe.com/MajesticCafeWebsite/assets/File/Dinnermenu.pdf) (a new menu will be launching in a few weeks, we'll update the link when it's available). They have some great vegetarian and vegan options. We will need to know how many are planning on Nana's Dinner vs a la carte so their kitchen can plan for a group of our size, so please indicate your preference in the RSVP questions. We'll check in again closer to the dinner to confirm your preference.

Metered parking near the restaurant is free on Sundays (but check for 2- or 3-hour limits), and there's also several surface lots and garages nearby. If you go a block or 2 north or south of King Street, you'll find plenty of free parking as well. We're eating dinner on the early side, so that the restaurant can accommodate a group as large as ours, but if we want to continue to hang out afterward, there are a number of great pubs and bars within walking distance in Old Town.

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Please keep your RSVP updated and accurate!* This event is space-limited, but we'll work with the restaurant to increase our reservation size as needed to accommodate everyone possible, so please add yourself to the waitlist if interested.

Lastly, we ask that you please bear in mind that this is a large group reservation, and that it takes a lot of work on the part of the restaurant service staff to accommodate our needs (as well as to prepare and process individual checks). We ask that you please be polite and understanding with the restaurant, and please treat our waitstaff with respect and consideration.

*Since dinner meetups require reservations and commitments to the restaurant, and since missing one of these meetups may take a spot away from someone else who wants to go, we'll need to have a stricter attendance policy than normal. For dinner meetups, a no-show will prohibit you from attending another dinner or limited-access meetup for 4 months after the no-show. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation!