Hello ladies and fellow hobbyists,
 
In my 2 years living here, meet-and-greets in the bay area are non-existent for whatever reasons.  Maybe everyone is too busy tweeting or updating their Facebook and Instagram pages that they are not interested in meeting new friends the old fashioned way – in person.
 
The last time meet-and-greets were active here on TER was 5 years ago.  Those events were hosted/organized by a provider, who has since retired.  
 
So – as a military veteran, I’m going to take charge and carry out the plan of the day!  And get it done!
 
I’ve attended numerous meet-and-greets in FL and LA.  I’ve seen what worked well and what didn’t work well, so I’m going to borrow their ideas and not reinvent the wheel.  The best meet-and-greets I’ve attended were small affairs.  They were more intimate to have conversations and connect with the human element.  So here is my action plan:
 
FIRST and FOREMOST:  Safety and privacy of all those attending is first and foremost.  If you break the rules, you don’t get invited.  It’s that simple.
 
TWO:  Keep it simple.  Meet-and-greets I’ve attended have been in private residences, rented houses, hotel suites, aboard boats.  Ideas on TER have included costumed affairs.  Whoa, whoa, slow down cowboy!  You gotta crawl first before you walk, let alone run.  SF meet-and-greets are not even crawling.  They’re dead and underneath the ground.  So the simpler it is this first time, the easier it will come together.
 
COST:  Re-read the last paragraph.  With that said, this meet-and-greet can be as simple as a lunch, happy hour or dinner event like we’re a MeetUp group.  No-host bar rules apply.  If you can’t afford $30-$50 for drinks and/or food (it’s so expensive to live here), then perhaps you’re not the target audience.  Look for a cheaper hobby, like watching TV.          
 
LADIES:  I’ve noted about 6 ladies in the past year who have expressed interest in attending a meet-and-greet.  I hope they see this post and reply with the same interest.  Ladies should be on TER, P411 or similar boards, and be active and established for, at least, the past 6-12 months. This ensures that you’re not undercover LEO with a brand new profile looking for a bust.
 
Also, you are key because YOU invite the gentlemen, as many or as few as you feel comfortable.  This ensures that the gentlemen attending are respectful, discreet and well-mannered, and not undercover LEO looking for a bust (oh, I’ve already mentioned this once).  This is an opportunity to make new friends, so would you refer an unsafe friend to another provider?  I hope not.  
 
Visiting ladies, please join us if you’re in town
 
GENTLEMEN:  Only ladies get to invite you.  You don’t invite yourself.  This worked VERY WELL from my past experience.  This is NOT the only screening, but it does serve as additional screening in and of itself.  So get your ATF to attend and then she can invite you!
 
DATE:  July 24 or 25 or 26 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) works for my life.  After that, Aug 7 or 8 or 9 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) looks open on my life calendar.  Beyond that, we need to avoid the heavily-attended SF conventions, such as VM World in late August or Dreamforce in September.  Ladies will be busy and venues all over the bay area will be pre-booked for those conventions.  
 
TIME:  Lunch, happy hour or dinner hours.  
 
VENUE:  A restaurant in the South Bay (Palo Alto, Los Gatos, San Jose) for this first event.  We're just another MeetUp group meeting, right?  
 
So what’s next?
 
LADIES:  Please reply which date (July 24 or 25 or 26) works for you.  After I receive replies, I will contact you all via email with logistical details (I do not want to post them here for safety reasons).
 
GENTLEMEN: Get your ATF to attend so she can invite you.  Suggestions or scouting of possible restaurants would be helpful.  Maybe one with an outdoor patio or deck.
 
LAST but NOT LEAST:  Safety and privacy of all those attending is utmost.  This also ensures that attendees are not undercover LEO looking for a bust (oh, I’ve already mentioned this twice already).
 
Repeated, the best meet-and-greets I’ve attended were small affairs.  They were more intimate to have conversations and connect with the human element.  I welcome positive and constructive comments only.  Anything that kills my sunny SoCal vibe dude, well – it’s my party and I can just ignore you!

-- Modified on 6/19/2015 1:50:13 PM