Ok. Here’s the thing. ValerieBlaise was asked to accept responsibility of planning CD3, and she accepted.
If you are interested in going, email her at: VBlaseC@aol.com
Make sure you specify your date preference(s). Either October 7, October 14, or October 21.
Once we figure out a date, we’ll figure out a location. Since there are some young’ns who want to attend, there will be a pre-gathering for dinner and stuff before the drunken debauchery ensues. It’s just a matter of where, and we’ll figure it out then.
Let’s try to keep things organized by doing this, as in the past, by email. Feel free to bump this or whatever, but do send an email to VB so she can get the planning underway.
21st works fine for me. I like the 7th because it’s sooner, but realistically I have 2 field trips on that day, so I’m out from 8-6 or so and then I’d have to hit the city. So let’s go with the 21st (which also gives people time to prepare and work a schedule around it).
OK, wonder why I wasn’t on the orginal e-mail list? You trying to tell me something?
Anyways, I can most likely do the 7th or the 21st. 14th if some other plans fall through, but thats not too likely.
If I track down VBs email, i’ll send one to her.
My only opinion is that this gathering would be best in the city, and not the suburbs. I know logistics are usually simpler there and hotels are cheap and plentiful, but it’d be a nice change to actually have a gathering in someplace with style. And I feel bad for the out of towners who may or may not have been to the city before, flying in to see Palatine. Just one mans opinion. Maybe I’ll elaborate more in the e-mail.
Not that I would accuse Uncle Beer of being a “loser” or any of the more colorful things being said by some psycho in the Pit, but why did he close the old thread? I’d guess because it was long, confusing, and full of misinformation, but that doesn’t get any of the other threads in MPSIMS closed.
LMAO. As a resident of the NW 'burbs, I must concur. We do not want to hang out in Palatrine. The absolutely only reason I live in the 'burbs is because that is where the engineering jobs are.
Well, I’m voting for the 21st since I will be in Chicago then. I’ll be staying in the city, in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, but I can borrow a friend’s car and get anywhere. Smell you later!
Just in case you haven’t checked in with VB yet, there are a bunch of us wond’rin’ if either of you are gonna make an appearance. Y’know things just won’t be the same without ya.
It’ll still be a rockin’, kickass, killer good time…just a very different kind of rockin’, kickass, killer good time.
[Jay]
Silent Bob, lemme know what date is best for you and I’ll relay it to Valerie. She’s got a hot ass.
[/Jay]
I know when I talked to him in Norfolk, UncBeer was planning on making an appearance. I believe the exact quote was “I can’t let you get to more Dopefests than me.”
Just for dropzone, I’m quoting from the damn title (bolding mine):
Now, I may be (insert colorful caricature of your choice), but I think this one was opened because the old was getting confusing with all the dates that were thrown around. So, I ask you, do you think it’d be more or less confusing to have people posting to two threads? And I did place links in both of them so you’d know where to go.
On to the real question. Am I planning to attend? I dunno yet. You guys pick a date and then I’ll decide. I have something else scheduled for the first weekend of November. I’ll have to see what the checkbook says in early October before I make a final decision. But if Milo and SaxFace are going to be there, I’ll just eat beans until then so I’ve got enough cash.
I need to make one more comment to Omniscient. You don’t need to “track down” Valerie’s e-mail addy, it’s been placed right in the OP by the kindly and helpful sweetheart of the SDMB, ChrisCTP. Omniscient, my shiny white ass.
Yeah? Well, I’m not accepting your apology…
…since it was unnecessary. The old thread had me confused, which isn’t hard, but also had other folks confused.
If we have ours on the 21st, like the CODopers, will the folks at the two parties be whispering and giggling on the phone at each other, like at simultaneous slumber parties?
I think someone mentioned that the Chicago Marathon is on the weekend of the 21st. We could still try to hold our Dopefest then, but the out-of-towners are going to have some problems with hotel accommodations.
I e-mailed VB but haven’t heard back. Not surprising since I told her anytime/anyplace is fine with me and I don’t need a hotel room.
So…anytime…anywhere.
I also agree wholeheartedly with Omni’s opinion on having it in Chicago. The burbs just don’t come close to measuring-up when it comes down to partying (and I speak from experience since I grew-up in the burbs…it’s why I live in the city now). Indeed, most Chicagoans know where the suburbanites go when they attack the city on Friday’s and Saturday’s. Rush and Division was created as a sort of suburbanite fly-paper so the rest of us can relax at the good bars. If a suburbanite does manage to walk into the better bars that’s ok since they were clever enough to separate from the heard and strike-out in search of adventure elsewhere. Occasionally one stumbles in by accident and that’s ok too since usually the next morning they can’t remember where their vision of Shangri-La came from and can’t find it again to bug us.
In the old thread someone mentioned Joy Blue Club. It’s actually on Southport and Irving (I live around the corner from there now although I’m moving in two days). Joy Blue is alright but I’d suggest Toons if we’re in that neck of the woods (Toons is on Southport about a block south of Irving). Toons is a nice bar although it lacks that special ‘Chicago Something’ that places like Sheffield’s has. That said they have a decent beer selection, a pool table and mini-shuffle board and EXCELLENT food ($6-10 range, burgers, wraps, buffalo wings, etc.). My wife and I eat there all the time. It also is only a few blocks from all the bars along Clark near Wrigley Field for those who want to explore other places.
I’m giving the voting another day. I still haven’t gotten mail from a few people, so I’m holding out a little longer to get everyone’s input.
Jeff, Omni - Look, I’m not deciding where we do this yet. Yes, I agree doing it in the city would be nice, but I make no promises until everything else is sorted out. Trust me, you guys’ll know when it’s time to start barraging me with suggestions.
Shadowfox - One thing that might be in our favor if the gathering is the 21st is that hotels take reservations for blocks of rooms separately, and they set aside rooms for that purpose. We might get lucky. However, the chances of a hotel downtown having even group rates that everyone would be able to afford are slim. I’ll call around, but I’m betting we’ll have more luck with the O’Hare area for the hotel, in which case the marathon won’t be as much of a factor.
So, those of you that have not emailed me with the dates you prefer, please do. I’m sending out a mass email tomorrow with the date and any more info I have. After that, I’ll be finding the hotel. Once we get the hotel nailed down, there is NO changing dates, so it’s really important that you speak up now.
Yeah, the O’Hare area would be a better choice–close to public transportation and many hotels.
Maybe I’m confused about the purpose of these fests, though. As far as I’m concerned, I’m going to it to meet with you people and have an enormous gabfest. None of the bars on Shefield meet the basic requirements of big and reasonably quiet. A noisy and crowded singles bar is directly contrary to the concept as I understand it. You people are the attraction, not the coolness of the venue.
dropzone, I assume you haven’t been to any of the bars mentioned such as Joy Blue and Sheffields. We’re very aware of the point to these meetings, and won’t pick a “singles bar” unless we find the Regal Beagle is available. Yes the main point is to converse and hang with dopers, and if the city is the choice it will be one of the many many low key bars with some atmosphere. Read the threads and you’ll see the local lushes have taken care to bong overly active and crowded settings. Fact is, some people are visiting the city for the first time, and it’d be nice to give them the slight bonus of seeing something a little unique along with hanging with us. And the reality of the situation is alot of the suburbs’ bars aren’t much less crowded or loud than the suggested city venues. It’ll all be discussed in due time, but keep an open mind.
