Were you wondering what to do on the evening of May 2, the day before The Embedded Systems Conference — ESC Boston 2017 — kicks off? Well, fear not because I have you covered.

Do you recall my earlier column in which I mentioned some of the folks I'll be visiting with at the conference (see Prepare to network furiously at ESC Boston 2017 ). Well, over the years, we've established a tradition of meeting up the evening before the conference to grab a bite to eat, quaff a few drinks (quaffing is similar to regular drinking except that you tend to spill more down your chest), and generally catch up while regaling each other with tall tales of derring-do and the systems that got away.

Well met, old friend! (Source: pixabay.com)

This year, we're going to convene at The Whiskey Priest , which bills itself as “A big, boisterous hangout with spectacular views starring mega whiskey selection and pub eats.” The great thing is that this establishment is just a few minutes' walk from the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center where ESC is to be held.

We'll aim to arrive around 7:00 p.m. We may end up downstairs or upstairs or out on the deck. We'll be there for a couple of hours, but we won’t be staying out late because a lot of us will be presenting the next day. If you're in the vicinity, you are more than welcome to come down and join us (we're a very friendly crowd and we don’t bite). As always, I'll be the one in the Hawaiian shirt. All you have to do is shout “Max, Bacon!” or “Max, Beer!” to be assured of my undivided attention.