Check out the calendar for this year's JHB NaNo stuff.
I chose the Mugg & Bean Rosebank since its the most central to all parts of JHB. I'll go scout parking and let you all know where it is, it will come in handy for Sundays with the market being there too.
I went back to Rosebank and spoke to the manager again who finally understood what I was talking about. He seemed reluctant to farm out prime location to a bunch of writers who will more than likely just drink coffee and munch muffins than letting as many people on their way to the movies spend more money and rushing off creating more bums in seats.
Thus, I went to Melville and the manager was super-nice and she will be delighted for us to use their venue at the times that will work for most of us.
So, its all moved. Melville is still the more central place in all directions. There is a lovely lounging area with couches and armchairs, which to me makes for more fun writing space than a bunch of tables shoved together. I get the feeling we can take over that whole space.
All the events will be at the Melville Mugg & Bean now. You will also note I've made all the Saturdays and Sundays for write-ins. I just need to call the manager in the morning and she will be more than happy to keep the space for us. Personally, I plan on doing a lot of my writing there so I won't be bothered by the people at home.
Join me Saturdays and Sundays from 14:00 to 17:00, it can only be fun!
The Map
Routes indicated on the map.
GPS co-ordinates: S26 deg 10' 32", E28 deg 00' 28"
EDIT:
Directions from M1:
Take the Empire Road off-ramp and turn right (from PTA side) or left (from the city side) and head towards Melville/UJ/SABC. Watch out for the roadworks and choose your lanes carefully. Pass under the fly-over bridge, crossing Barry Hertzog Drive. Follow the road past Debonair's / Steers, around the curve up to the T-junction and turn right. Stay in the right-hand lane.
Follow the road, crossing two intersections, one immediately after you turned right at the SABC and the next one at Media 24 (don't go into the turning lane). The next set of lights is where you will be turning right, going down the side of Media24. There is an enormous ABSA call centre on the one side and Media24 on the other. Follow the road up to the top where there will be a circle. You are now in 7th Street, mistakenly marketed on that Afrikaans local soapie thing on SABC2 as 7de Laan. The circle is at 1st Avenue. Go down the street towards the set of lights at 4th Avenue. You will want to turn left there if you plan on parking in the street.
If you want to park off the street, turn left at 3rd Avenue where there is construction work happening at Buzz9. A little bit down the street there is a parking lot on the right. They charge money but your car is secure and its right behind the M&B. Entrance to the building from the parking lot.
Directions from N1:
Take the Beyers Naudé off-ramp and head towards Cresta. Keep going down Beyers Naudé, passing Cresta, Northcliff Corner, Wespark Cemetary, crossing Judith Road and heading up the hill. The UJ sports fields will be on the right. At the lights, turn left. Fiasco is on your left, Spar on your right and May's Chemists opposite right. Go down 4th Avenue, crossing two circles. There will be a park on your right, Terenzo's hairdressers on your left and up ahead on the right, M&B.
To get to 3rd Avenue, go to the set of lights, turn right up 7th Street and right again into 3rd. The parking lot is on the right-hand side.
The TGIO will be quite cool with a picnic at Emmarentia Dam and Botanical Gardens. Other suggestions welcomed.
----------
~~~~
"Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult."
53,661 / 50,000
Oct 19, 2009 - 22 51
No suggestions from me, just a very loud SQUEEEE from a happy new nano writer who has no transportation(embarrasing, I know) and has managed to squeeze a lift from her father for the even on Saturday the 21st. Considering how stingy they are with the lifts, I consider that an accomplishment, and simply CAN'T WAIT TO MEET YOU ALL!
That is all.
----------Nothing like impossible goals, sleepless nights and aching, bleeding fingers.
2 / 50,000
Oct 25, 2009 - 21 56
Any place willing to support us gets my vote..too bad. Rosebank gets the thumbs down from me in future...
----------___________________________________________
Don't let common sense stop you....
Instant Human - Just Add Coffee
896 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 04 38
Melville is even better for me. We can officially complain to the Mugg&Bean franchise about Rosebank. The franchise people are very strict on not providing a service.
I still have no idea where Melville M&B is, how far is it from Outer Limits or Cats? Those are my main points of reference.
30,198 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 04 44
I will post a link to a google map and supply GPS co-ordinates :)
----------~~~~
"Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult."
25,000 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 07 36
Melville is way more convenient for us and I love the atmosphere.
This means we need to print out those thingies that read "Novelists at work" and hopefully snag a few more people while we are sitting there.
Transport and word count allowing, I will definitely be joining you on weekend write-ins/meet ups, Lyonza.
----------TygerKatt
___^..^___
"There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein." ~ Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith
"Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia." ~ E.L. Doctorow
22,048 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 15 45
Thanks for the update... will try to attend the kick-off, but cannot confirm yet because Melville is a bit more difficult than Rosebank.
The friendliest M&Bs I've been to are in Cresta and Eastgate. Dunno how they would feel about wrimos taking over, though.
Are there really gonna be hordes of mad writers at these events? If memory serves correctly, in years past the anticipated hordes failed to materialise.
N.O
in shorthand mode tonight
*edited at 1.44am for clarity, sort of
0 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 05 31
Hey there,
New to this whole thing!!! Writing included....But I have always wanted to write a novel, so here goes!
Would love to meet up with you guys @ Mugg&Bean Melville. How will I know its you???
2 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 05 34
New to this whole thing!!! Writing included....But I have always wanted to write a novel, so here goes!
Would love to meet up with you guys @ Mugg&Bean Melville. How will I know its you???
Lyonza is forced to wear a glow-in-the-dark-putrid-luminescent-yellow shirt.....Can't miss it...but the easiest way is to trip up a waitron and demand the writers of Nano table
----------___________________________________________
Don't let common sense stop you....
Instant Human - Just Add Coffee
30,198 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 05 36
I will only be wearing the putrid glow in the dark yellow from next year.
We'll be in the lounge-like area, the upper bit where there are couches and things.
Glad there will be someone new :)
----------~~~~
"Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult."
22,048 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 16 43
Upper bit????
Don't say there're stairs... I don't do stairs. Well, not by choice, anyway.
N.O.
2 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 22 05
what?
----------___________________________________________
Don't let common sense stop you....
Instant Human - Just Add Coffee
42,790 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 22 35
Melville is kickass YAY. Will be there on sat and suns, can't wait :D This is my first NaNo, I have no idea what I'm getting myself into..hence the giddy excitement
----------2 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 22 42
You may want to stay in touch for when you hit the middle phase of Nano....the part when you start throwing laptops around the room :D
Don't just plan on kick-off...plan for a whole whack of writeins too ;)
----------___________________________________________
Don't let common sense stop you....
Instant Human - Just Add Coffee
30,198 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 22 50
I think there are three steps up, pretty much like the two "levels" at Rosebank.
----------~~~~
"Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult."
42,790 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 22 51
yeah I know all about throwing laptops. And staring at one for days on end with no words added. haha. i have a cool outline this time round. hopefully won't feel the need to break my laptop with my head. Sure it will be made easier having other nano's around :D
----------22,048 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 23 53
You may want to stay in touch for when you hit the middle phase of Nano....the part when you start throwing laptops around the room :D
Far more rewarding to throw bricks at Telscum, who've broken my phone again. Or better still, hand grenades. Anyone got an RPG launcher I can use?
22,048 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 23 57
Ta, will check it out. Sounds like it might be manageable.
32,047 / 50,000
Oct 30, 2009 - 05 56
My first NaNo!!!! (i guess it's a sign of how busy i've been that i'm only checking here now)
----------I'm coming from Pretoria-East, and my bakkie has one seat open (unless you're willing to sit on the back), so anyone that doesn't have a lift, give me a shout. See you guys there!
When in doubt, blog
When not, get some doubts
http://www.timtang.com
http://cate-in-a-hat.xanga.com
0 / 50,000
Oct 30, 2009 - 14 04
I hope I'll be able to come...
Sucks. I don't have a laptop. I'll bring my big blue notebook, ten sharpeners and about a hundred pencils.
If I don't come, I'll sit at home, sighing at my blank computer screen and wishing that I could be sitting in comfy couches with all the other people who are insane enough to take on this madness that is NaNoWriMo... T_T
What would be positively perfect though, is writer's block. How I would love that...
Wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
*shudders*
But it'd be cool. Popping up in Mugg and Bean and demanding to know where the Writer's table is. Hopefully there will be hordes of people. I don't want to beg my dad to take me and see that there are tumbleweeds floating around....
Happy "Day Before The Madness Begins" everyone. : )
----------Put all your sanity in a jar, and when Novemeber ends, and all that coffee has worn off, you can have it back. I'm quite sure you'll need it.
Every writer I know has trouble writing. ~ Joseph Heller
The coroner will find ink in my veins and blood on my typewriter keys. ~ C. Astrid Weber
30,198 / 50,000
Oct 30, 2009 - 14 09
Well, this Sunday won't really be write-in kind of thing going on, but you can bring your big blue notebook if you want ;)
This week we'll take a poll to see if Saturday or Sunday will be the main write-in day. Which one will suit better, etc. If you get to Mugg & Bean, you will immediately know who the writers are - over-caffeinated stressed looking people... and its only day one.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
----------~~~~
"Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult."
0 / 50,000
Oct 31, 2009 - 01 17
This week we'll take a poll to see if Saturday or Sunday will be the main write-in day. Which one will suit better, etc. If you get to Mugg & Bean, you will immediately know who the writers are - over-caffeinated stressed looking people... and its only day one.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
Hahaha, I was wondering about that :P
Awesome.
So I guess I'll be seeing you guys straight away then ;)
:)
----------Every writer I know has trouble writing. ~ Joseph Heller
The coroner will find ink in my veins and blood on my typewriter keys. ~ C. Astrid Weber
25,000 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2009 - 08 58
Photies up, go tag yourselves.
----------TygerKatt
___^..^___
"There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein." ~ Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith
"Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia." ~ E.L. Doctorow
38,083 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 08 01
Wooh, sorry I didn't get to come to the opening write-off - my sprog turned seven so it was birthday parties all round. :D
So how did things go?
0 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 05 14
What? How? When? Where?
So how did things go?
It was mega fun. If you come next time, maybe we'll consider sharing some cheescake with you :) ----------
Every writer I know has trouble writing. ~ Joseph Heller
The coroner will find ink in my veins and blood on my typewriter keys. ~ C. Astrid Weber
53,661 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 06 42
So how did things go?
It was mega fun. If you come next time, maybe we'll consider sharing some cheescake with you :)
Cheesecake? SHARE?
You must be nuts.
----------Nothing like impossible goals, sleepless nights and aching, bleeding fingers.
25,000 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 07 37
What? How? When? Where?
Here:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=6044061582
----------TygerKatt
___^..^___
"There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein." ~ Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith
"Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia." ~ E.L. Doctorow
15,605 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 10 06
Umf. Missed the Kickoff, halloween and Nano's start.
----------Making up for lost time - hope I can at least make the Write In!
_
spysays: I write to see my pen dance
36,059 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 21 32
The kick off rocked, but my writing isn't. Just can't seem to stay on the button, attending a conference on video streaming, brought my Iburst today so that I can at least try and get some of the posts you guys are doing, it might inspire me... (sad face)
Bonster
----------Bonster
Johannesburg
Gauteng
"There's ink under my skin, and words on my tongue."
2 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 22 29
Bonster
Come to JHB writein this week and I'll smack some sense into you
----------___________________________________________
Don't let common sense stop you....
Instant Human - Just Add Coffee
2 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 23 12
Do we have any confirmations yet for Sunday in JHB?
TK and I will definitely be there....I'll be there more to help kick people's novels along so if you struggling, come armed with your problem so I can try sort you out...
Signed: Brabs - Gimp in Charge of Kicking Novels over the 50k mark
----------___________________________________________
Don't let common sense stop you....
Instant Human - Just Add Coffee