Official A2K Gathering in Chicago, May 7th, 2006!

Oh, that's cool about the White Sox!

I bet I'll be wanting to take the Trolley Ride someone posted about earlier, and/or a River Boat ride. Depending on how big the Art Institute is, I might be going two days, or else take one to see some other museums & galleries.

I guess I need to figure out my timing - I want to go see my old area of Evanston one day, and when that is depends on if I can rassle up some of my childhood friends, or just go when I feel like it by myself. I land in Chicago late Thursday morning, and could theoretically see Evanston on Thursday afternoon, thus leaving the weekend free. What I don't want to do is take, say, all of Sunday to see old childhood friends and Evanston, thus losing a prime day to meet some a2kers. Kind of a strange situation - I do want to see my old childhood pals, of, gag, fifty years ago (some of whom I've kept up with), but my a2k associations are equally or more strong.

FYI

I stayed at the Four Point Sheraton this weekend and it was a really nice hotel. Nice rooms, indoor pool, reasonable cost (parking is an extra hidden cost but you do have in/out privileges) and close to everything.

On Saturday/Sunday the 8th Annual Mayor Daley's Kids and Kites Festival is on at the Museum of Science & Industry . might be of interest to some children.

I'd like to do the architectural boat tour as well.

Cinco de Mayo!

http://chicago.citysearch.com/roundup/40074/

http://www.planet99.com/chicago/events/155011.html (last year's, couldn't find info on this year's...)

http://www.planet99.com/chicago/events/155009.html (same idea)

Maybe we can catch the same boat ride, Walter..

Check out The Mambo Grill for the best mojitos in town. The food is pretty good too.

Sure, and we stay in (longer) walking distance, too.

Ooh! Ooh! Rick Bayless, who owns Frontera Grill and the new Topolobamba, grew up a few blocks from me. We went to high school together. I doubt he'd remember me, though, now that he's a big star. Still, it would be fun for me to see the places he's started.

I've seen them but never eaten there. Part of the "River North" redevelopment. Very nice. Reservations highly recommended as they get very busy.

Woohoo! (((((((Brooklyn))))))) :smile:

Awesome view Sublime, thanks for the link!

The Museum of Science and Industry was fascinating as a child and I think I'll want to visit it again. I am so looking forward to this! (Especially with the latest development :wink:)

You don't consider to wait until you've reached puberty? :wink:

Nah, why wait?

True.

Spendius, I will make a toast for you with a nice single malt, for sure...

I'm answering dag's question here:



It's so easy for that other thread to get lost in BM'ing and chat, would really like to try to keep it to just informational posts.

I like the idea of tallying it up, Thomas-style, and putting it in one post.

Some people might not want that broadcast, but the hotels themselves should be fine/ useful. (I.e., not "soz is staying at the Hyatt Regency", but just "Hyatt Regency" and some info.)

I do think it's a good idea to get some hotel info together and put it there, thanks for bringing it up.

Soz, I don't mean to add to your workload... but since you started the other thread perhaps you could use the edit feature and copy pertinent info, like Thomas's updates, or Joe's recommendations into the original post. That would make for one stop shopping for the important stuff. Just a thought. Also, rather than book marking that thread, I just added a shortcut to my desktop so as not to clog it BMs.

It's been responded to (in terms of edit function), but can maybe ask Jes or someone to do so.

Can also ask to clean up/ remove the non-informational stuff -- does anyone who has posted there mind? (The "BM"s and such.)

If we did that, then it'd have the same effect, but would be easier to read/ better organized. (Maybe that's just my bias, I start to glaze over at any really long post, and there'll be a lot of information by the time we're done.)

Hotels people are staying in (so far)

Essex Inn ( http://www.essexinn.com )

Travelodge Hotel downtown ( http://travel.hotels-and-discounts.com/index.jsp?pageName=hotInfo&cid=59562&hotelID=143237&city=&stateProvince=&country=&hotel=1&OVERACCT=1419216325&OVRAW=Travelodge%20downtown%20Chicago&OVKEY=travelodge%20downtown%20chicago&OVMTC=standard )

Millenium Knickerbocker (higher end)


Suggested:

Carleton Hotel-Motel (budget)

Motor Inn in Oak Park (budget)

"Rock and Roll" Days Inn downtown (middle of the way)

Palmer House Hilton (bit more pricey)

Cass Hotel in Near North (budget)

International Hostel (cheap; http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php )


AND SOME RESTAURANTS

umm, whoever bothers to go through the previous hundred pages will easily find out who's where. it's not a secret.