Gwych! Ydy saith o’gloch yn rhy gynnar?
Bydd hynny yn berffaith i fi.
7pm is great for me – others?
I would be interested in joining you on August 9th, although I don’t know if I will be able to work out the logistics. Any recommendations for parking? A google search shows a municipal parking garage on 86th and 5th. However, I feel such a long walk would make for a short visit with you all since the garage closes at 10pm.
I may ask my husband to accompany me, but he doesn’t speak a lick of Welsh. Do you think he would be bored to tears, or will there be others there in the same boat?
Diane/Tahl, you have helped with questions I’ve had on the forum - it would be nice to meet you in person!
I am just beginning Lesson 15, fyi. If you are all way ahead of me, no worries, I am looking forward to picking out the words I recognize in your conversation! – Lisa
Lisa,
I am not sure where you are traveling from, but I am taking the train from LI.My wife is also happy to come in with me with a friend of hers… They don’t speak any welsh either, if that would help your husband and others to feel more comfortable and less bored! Gobethio gall eraill yn ymuno a ni hefyd (others can come too?)
I don’t know anyone in the SSiw community yet, but maybe others on the forum do and could perswadio them to come? Dwi’n siwr gallen ni’n cael noson neis iawn. Meetings are a good way to try out your Welsh in a really supportive environment!
I’d be travelling in from NJ. It’s a half hour drive to the train station, then 1 hour 15 minutes from there to Penn Station in Manhattan - if I can catch a midtown direct. (They don’t run often on the weekends.) I figured I’d be better off just driving in. Google claims it will be about an hour and 10 minutes drive time, but I’m betting on closer to two hours. (After all, has anyone ever crossed Staten Island without traffic or construction?) 
I just re-read my last response, and thought it might not read clearly enough. I believe I would have to take the train to Penn Station, then figure out from there what rails I would need to take to get to Brooklyn.
You know what, I just looked at the subway map and you are right …driving will be quicker… For me too,I think. Anyway, if we get there for 7 we will still have 2+hours for a chat and a bite to eat…
So longbow at 7 Saturday the 9th August yeah? Or would Manhattan be better for commute reasons? Just wondering.
The commute to Manhattan would be easier, but I was just looking at the Longbow’s website, and I have to say, the food looks really good. I’ve never had British food before, and I’m excited at the prospect!
I was intrigued by the phrase “British Food” so I checked out the Longbow’s website. Pleeeeeeeease don’t take their menu as representative of British food - it really isn’t. That’s not to say their food mightn’t be good though. In good hands, a steak and ale pie can be delicious and fresh fish cooked in a light beer batter and lard is worth tasting. Forget British “chips”, though American French Fries or Belgian Frites are much nicer.
Have a great gathering anyway.
Huw, thanks for the heads up. I was had actually been eyeing the Welsh Rarebit along with Bangers & Mash from the menu. I especially liked the photo in the upper right hand corner of the website consisting of eggs, fries, beans and what I believe might be ‘blood pudding.’ However, it seems like it may be a stock photo, and not something that’s actually served there.
Lisa, (with apologies for the continued off-topic wandering). Even in the UK, Welsh Rarebit is often offered up as nothing more than what you guys call grilled cheese. Properly done it can be scrummy. Here is one of my favourite recipes:
You are right that the photo includes a “blood pudding” which is called black pudding over here and is indeed often served with the “Traditional” Welsh/English/Scottish/Irish breakfast. There are variations of black pudding all over the UK and nindeed all over Europe. My wife’s grandfather (a Derbyshire pig farmer) used to make his own. 
Huw Jones: was intrigued by the phrase “British Food” so I checked out the Longbow’s website. Pleeeeeeeease don’t take their menu as representative of British food - it really isn’t.
I haven’t been to the Longbow yet – but in one sense, at least, I have to disagree with you, Huw. The Longbow’s menu lists a bunch of things that to us very much are ‘British food’ in the sense that they are common in Britain and very uncommon in the U.S. We don’t eat Shepherd’s Pie, Bangers & Mash, Bacon Buttys (our bacon is very different, as you know), Curry & Chips, meat pies, etc. The only place you’ll find any of those is at an Irish pub or a British-themed restaurant/pub.
The Longbow does appear to draw the line at offering ‘half and half’ (potatoes & rice) – a completely foreign concept here that would draw a ‘huh?’
Let me complain that they don’t have any lamb dishes on the menu. Lamb isn’t the best thing about Wales, but it’s near the top of my personal list!
Sh’mae Diane
What I meant to convey was that the Longbow menu did not represent “British Food” and I stick firmly by that. I agree that various parts of the UK are portrayed (not only in the US) by sterotypes and that applies to the cuisines of many countries (frog’s legs from France, spaghetti from Italy, sauerkraut from Germany). I think it would be a shame if anyone left Longbow’s thinking they had eaten British food any more than anyone leaving a KFC or Macdonald’s should believe that they had sampled American food. (Soft-shelled crabs in Baltimore, New York steak - Lobster in New England - Cajun catfish - Jambalaya - Blackened turkey burgers - NOW your talking - slurrrrrrp)
In the 21st century, I’d like to see “Welsh/English/Irish/Scottish Food” defined in terms of excellent local produce cooked with love and inspiration and I look forward to preparing something for you next time you visit.
Tahl, The shepard’s pie on the menu is made with lamb, if that helps.
Huw, For the briefest moment, I was taken aback that you would send me a ‘scummy’ recipe…then I noticed the letter ‘r’ in there. I still had to look it up to be sure it was something positive, haha!
Simon, I emailed Longbow about parking. They responded saying they would not recommend parking in the municipal parking garage on 85th and 5th. Street parking is hit or miss, plan on circling the pub a few times. Lastly, if you are able to get a spot on 3rd Ave., bring quarters. $2 for 2 hours.
@Huwjones "was that the Longbow menu did not represent “British Food” and I stick firmly by that. "
Huw,
From a US perspective this is pretty typical (blue collar) British Pub grub…Actually, from a welsh perspective too!
Y dafarn ei hun yn unigryw, os nid yw profiad Prydain braidd yn ystrydebol. (the pub experience is valuable in and of itself. although somewhat cliche from one perspective.)
I for one would not be going to a pub looking for anything fancy (well a good pint is first and foremost)
Nid oes dim o’i le gyda bwyd ‘comfort’ bob hyn a hyn yn fy marn i! Yn enwedig os yw’n cael ei paratoi yn dda. ( A good bit of comfort food occasionally, goes down very nicely)
Ni’n mynd yno (To the LongBow) ar y 9fed wyf yn meddwl, felly bydd i adrodd yn ôl. Ond mae’r rhan fwyaf o’r adolygiadau (online) yn edrych yn eithaf da. (we’ll let you know how it was after our visit on the 9th)
I do agree with Diane completely about the lamb… shame that is not on offer!
Perhaps we need to do a better job marketing the ‘new welsh/British cuisine’ to the US market? Of course the same could probably be said about US food in Britain, efe?
Bon appetit, pawb
Yn fwy pwysig, mwynhewch 'ch cyfarfod
(BTW my son is currently with his cariad Americanaidd at the other end of NY state in the only part of the states where you can’t get Buffalo Wings - only wings )
Hope we are still on for our gathering! 7pm next Saturday (9th)at the longbow in Brooklyn, yeah? Just trying to get my weekend planned!
Tan hynny!
Simon
British food also includes a lot of stews and soups. Sure, it’s not stereotypical British food, but it’s very much traditional British food. Corned beef hash, for example (basically a stew of corned beef, potatoes, carrots, onions and so on), and beef stew and dumplings were among the highlights of my school meals. Sure, they don’t look very posh, but they’re always tasty - and very, very easy to make too.
Mmm, now I’m hungry. Simon, I’m certainly up for next Saturday night at the Longbow!
My husband and I will be there so long as I can lock in a babysitter.