A bit on the high side for those in Eureka.
We are definitely spoiled in the San Francisco Bay Area. LOL We are usually 10-degrees higher than SF.
<We're in a colder "pocket" right here. 35 miles inland it can be 105 in the summer, and we still hang at 63...>
I got some answers to my questions but some of them were only half answers and I need to follow up.
Quote:We will continue to hold the space for your group until we receive another inquiry. If that should happen, we will give you first right of refusal on the space. At that point, we allow 48 hours for you to provide a financial commitment towards the space. If we do not receive this within 48 hours or hear from you at all, we will release the hold.
We normally allow 2 hours for all events. This is what the minimum is based on. We can be somewhat flexible with the timing of the event to accommodate your requests.
You can charge more than one card at the completion of the event.
We can charge more than one card at the completion of the event, but that doesn't indicate it can be 50 cards or any answer towards multiple inputs to make up the deposit. I'll ask again....
We now know we have 48 hours to decide on keeping the space if another request comes in and that our quote is based on 2 hours. There are plenty of other places nearby where the group can move to including some of the hotel lobbies or Millenium/Grant parks if the weather is nice. The Art Institute is literally next door so some might choose to visit there after lunch.
When I was in Chicago a few weeks back, I was walking from the Shedd Aquarium to the Navy Pier. At first glance it appears that the walk would be an uninterrupted one, about a mile or two, but as you near the Pier it becomes painfully apparent that there is a river blocking the way. My companions and I stood and stared at the obstruction, then looked around, trying to ascertain how to circumvent this unexpected blockage. We noticed a pedestrian bridge about fifty yards back that spanned the river, and headed toward that. As we were walking that way I noticed a small wiry, very energetic woman of about fifty years of age. She had been behind us pretty much since the Shedd and now she continued to follow us.
As I glanced at her she asked, "Are you going to the Navy Pier?"
"Trying to", I replied, and she laughed and said, "I thought so. I've been following you guys and hoped you were going there."
I didn't quite know what to think of that, smiled at here, and continued on my way. Upon arrival at the Pier, every time I stopped to look at something... she would stop and linger close by. This went on for quite some time and the thought occurred to me that this might be an A2K member. I don't know why I thought that, really, it's just that some Chicago people knew I was going to be in town and also knew that I would be in that specific area.
The woman continued to follow me until I became unnerved and jumped on a trolley to escape the Pier. I glanced out the back window and could see her standing there, staring at the departing trolley.
I have this gnawing suspicion that that may have been Joe, the Chicago lawyer, dressed in drag.
But why was he following me? What in the hell did he want?
These questions have been weighing heavily on my mind.
gus, I enjoyed your narrative until the Joe in drags, then I really had a good laugh.
gustavratzenhofer wrote:I have this gnawing suspicion that that may have been Joe, the Chicago lawyer, dressed in drag.
But why was he following me? What in the hell did he want?
I wanted to get on that damned trolley but you kept screaming at the driver "go go GO!" and it left without me. And there was no way I was going to run after it in those high heels.
i'm glad things are humming along.
That's just 'cause we're not sure of the words, exactly. We're all doing the same tune.
I wasn't hmmmm'g o'er naught, but naught is there, evermore.
How many A2K-folk have signed up to descend upon Chicago?
I don't think there's a sign-up, per se -- the poll can give you a rough outline, but it's pretty rough.
I'd say 20 is a safe estimate at this point, but who knows. The total who have voted continues to creep upwards, too, so I bet the number will increase between now and then.
I think at this point we're waiting for J_B to get back to us with more Millennium Park Grille info -- not certain, though. (J_B, if you'd like me to take over the inquiry phase, just say the word. You're doing wonderfully, just don't want to pile too much work on one person.)
Zane, any recommendations for what to do while there?
Did you see the latest email from Millenium Park, soz? It's on the previous page...
here
http://www.able2know.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1690934#1690934
Right, I was going by this part:
J_B wrote:We can charge more than one card at the completion of the event, but that doesn't indicate it can be 50 cards or any answer towards multiple inputs to make up the deposit. I'll ask again....
I think we're trying to figure out whether it's feasible for Millennium Park Grille to handle the financial aspect directly, rather than needing a middleman (as the middleman stuff opens up several cans of worms...)
The 48 hour turnaround on the deposit makes it difficult to have the inputs come from individual participants. If the group is ready to commit (it sounds as though that might be the case) then we don't need to wait until we're up against a 48 hour time crunch and we can think about deposits trickling in. Fifteen people prepaying $35.00 will establish a $525.00 deposit. That will be difficult to acheive in 48 hours if you wait until the last minute.
Here's my thought... Someone who zero balances their credit card every month so there's no interest charges accrued (me, for instance) agrees to front the deposit and then at the meeting people pay off the balance except 14 people who each give someone $35.00 (or whatever the amount works out to) to hold on to that can meet up with me on Monday or can send me a check when they get home (I'll donate the remaining $10.00 to the cause). If someone else fronts the deposit then 13 people can pay that person back and the rest can pay towards the balance. This assumes they'll take multiple inputs into the balance.
I just sent the followup e-mail, I should hear back in the next day or two.
J_B wrote: Here's my thought... Someone who zero balances their credit card every month so there's no interest charges accrued (me, for instance) agrees to front the deposit and then at the meeting people pay off the balance except 14 people who each give someone $35.00 (or whatever the amount works out to) to hold on to that can meet up with me on Monday or can send me a check when they get home (I'll donate the remaining $10.00 to the cause). If someone else fronts the deposit then 13 people can pay that person back and the rest can pay towards the balance. This assumes they'll take multiple inputs into the balance.
Makes sense to me. I could also PayPal you my $35 in advance if you want me to. (PayPal works best in international transactions, but I'm not religiously devoted to it.) That way you'd have fewer people to run after during the meet-up itself.
Thomas wrote:I could also PayPal you my $35 in advance if you want me to.
I think, this is the easiest way, namely using PayPal.
I'd like to find out what the options are with Millennium Park Grille before we go that route. For example, 48 hours might not come into play... if a) they accept small amounts to add up to a $500 deposit, b) they give refunds, and c) we decide we want to go with Millennium Park Grille for the venue, we can just get started with the deposit amounts going straight to them.
Then, if another request is made before we've finished making the deposits, we would have 48 hours to make up the difference rather than starting from $0. IF another request is made -- it seems feasible that all $500 worth would get there in a reasonably timely fashion.
