Hi everybody! I'm sure you're eager to get the location and date settled so you can mark it on your calendars. This is my first poll and first attempt at organizing an event like this, so please be gentle. The lib family spent an afternoon and evening going to every restaurant and bar mentioned in your posts, and then narrowed down the choices based on several criteria: location, AAR supporter, comfort, cleanliness, price, nonsmoking availability, days of the week requested by you, and the all-important and highly subjective "atmosphere." Lord lib, kid lib and I were in agreement that My Florist Cafe, Rosie McCaffrey's and McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park were the winners.
My Florist Cafe has beautiful modern decor, an excellent pianist, healthful menu, and is a nonsmoking restaurant. The pictures on the website make it look stuffy, but it's not. The feeling is more urban liberal, at the same time though kids are very welcome - some were happily running around without seeming to bother anyone while we ate dinner.
Rosie McCaffrey's Pub feels like a real Irish pub (see their website), has an area upstairs that can be reserved for groups, has very reasonable prices, there's outdoor seating available, and you can follow up those pints of Guinness with dinner (here's your chance to try Shepherd's Pie). Both places have salads, entrees, and sandwiches.
Scottsdale's McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park is beautiful and very kid-friendly with a carousel, train rides, and playground. The grassy areas are perfect for families to spread out and have picnics.
Websites:
http://www.myfloristcafe.com http://www.rosiemccaffrey.com http://www.therailroadpark.com/index1.html For fairness sake let's keep it to one vote for every DU member who seriously plans to attend. Of course, all members from outside the Phoenix area are invited as well! Please come, if you don't mind the drive. :)
Here goes: