Ask HN: Is there a good remote alternative to inviting someone for a coffee?

As many of you probably know a tried and true standby for networking is to offer to buy a coffee or lunch for the party you wish to meet so that you can pick their brain, break the ice, and get to know them a little better before you blithely proposition them for career help or advice while offering nothing in return. In my opinion, a little appreciation for peoples' time can go a long way.<p>However, this is just not feasible if you're not in the same city as them. I was curious if anyone had ideas or strategies for remote alternatives. I'd like to get some recruiters for companies I'm interested on the horn, for instance, and see what they are looking for as well as warm up the lead a little bit. Just wondering if there's anything I can do while cold e-mailing to make it a bit more friendly. Thanks!