Yes, you can cook next year too, Rae. A year from now is better than six months, for me. It's all a bit tentative right now, anyway.
The months sound right...I'd like for more members to respond before I let my brain speculate. I have no axe to grind re place and date. My thing is the people...in that area IMO, we are in good shape.
Rae, do you like the ideal of going elsewhere? Misti?
What kind of area do you envision? Do we need outside distractions? Is communications the main concern? How do we enhance communications? In Cocoa Beach, the motel and the apartment were helpful. Diana wanted to encourage opportunities for in-depth one-on-one interactions. What kind of setup would help with that situation?
To answer your question ~ no, Mom and I don't mind going somewhere else, if that's easier for other travelers.
Phoenix, put on your thinking cap...hopefully, over the next couple of months, you may discover the THE PLACE.
Rae, maybe you Florida folks can have some mini-meetings during the year, perhaps coming together halfway.
Phoenix, me, Mom and Letty are going to make camp at Diane's soon. We still have to get together and discuss it.
Rae, for those who might be willing to consider doing the detailed planning, will you list those things you had to do to get ready for the first meeting?
Okeydokey.
1. Hotel rooms
2. Pick-ups and returns for people who didn't have cars
3. Planning at least one night for everyone to get together
4. Having a list of local restaurants that I though everyone would enjoy.
WOW C.I. I wasn't aware yet that a plan is in the works for an April California get together - I will be VERY, VERY
interested in that - so I will have to find your thread. As for
the Florida 2004 meeting - by all means, the only thing
that kept me from attending THIS spring was my health. I
am certainly counting on making it to the next one. Where
to have this gathering? There are so many wonderful places
in Florida to host such a get together, we can go for the small
and intimate, like this year ... or perhaps shoot for a larger
area to conquer, such as South Daytona Beach - which is
also very nice, or Orlando and its many attractions - such
as Disneyworld, Epcot Center, SeaWorld, MGM Studios,
Universal Studios and yada yada yada. Though it is quite
crowded once summer gets here, it is less so in the spring,
but has the drawback of NO BEACH. Or we could go really
wild and head for Key West, the southernmost tip of Florida,
once the home of Ernest Hemingway & known for some of
the most awesome sunsets - though I have heard that it is an
area that has a larger crime rate than any of the other Florida
locations. It's probably a great snorkeling spot. I have yet to
visit Key West because it is a 2 day drive from where I live in
the northernmost tip of Florida. There aren't too many places
in Florida that I have not visited. There is a southwest coastal
island called Tiger Beach I think, that is beautiful & has weather
you can count on - even in April or March. There is Sanibel Island
with more seashells. and is small and intimate. As for my own
home, Amelia Island, it's also quaint, quiet and lovely - although
dates would have to be May ( except for the first weekend, when
we host our annual Shrimp Boat Festival & all restaurants, hotels,
motels and condos increase fees. There's access to the intercoastal waterway & the north or south beach areas. Plenty of boats to
take you out for a day of deep sea fishing. Our weather isn't quite
as warm as Cocoa Beach in April, we are very NORTH Florida.
Guests would be flying into the Jacksonville International Airport.
Amelia Island is chock full of quaint bed and breakfasts in the
historic district, two Hampton Inns (one at the beach & the other
downtown near the marina) a few very nice motels & literally tons
of condo units on the beach available for rentals at widely varying
price ranges. We also have a Ritz Carlton hotel (for those who have money to burn) as well as the Amelia Island Plantation, home of
The Bausch & Lomb Annual Womens Tennis Tournament each year.
It really depends on the size of the 2004 gathering and locating
a place to house ALL guests in one location would be crucial, wouldn't
it? As for rates - you can't beat Cocoa Beach, since Rae can
get discount accomodations for the gathering.
babs,
I like your detailed posting.
Here's a planning calendar to assist you for our next gathering:
Planning Calendar
I just mentioned on the Gathering thread to BigDice that our plans are dependent on his and Urs trip back to Florida and asked him to give us a date!
Oh, I didn't realize they were actually coming back. Don't they just have one big vacation a year?
Mapleleaf, we just talked to BigDice on the phone, and they probably won't be back until late spring, maybe!
Urs53 is in France until Wednesday, and BD misses her terribly!
Wow! A phone call! Did they actually express an interest in returning to Florida? I thought they might go to some other place in the states. Of course, they could stay with us three days and spend the rest of their time out there somewhere.
ML:
They would love to come back here, and the next time they are able to get away, they are coming right back.
Stefan is mush. Complete mush, I tell ya!
That was such a GREAT phone call!
Stefan and Ursula ~ love you to pieces!!!!!
