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Just got the contract. They require a $150 non-refundable deposit by May 7th on the hospitality room. I guess I'll go ahead and pay it.
The reservations for the con MUST be made by 7/15/04 and guaranteed with a credit card. The direct line to Wendy for reservations is 847-763-3009
I'm reading the fine print on the food policy and have a couple questions. I was under the impression it would be ok to bring kosher food in from outside but the fine print makes it a little more touchy but not impossible. Has a lot to do with health codes. I suspect a blind eye will be turned as long as we don't trash the room. Also we can't bring booze in from the outside to the hospitality room because they have a liquor license. I don't think libations were planned in any major sort of fashion but I think that they will need to be restricted to individual rooms if so desired.
Oh yes and we aren't allowed to use smoke or fog machines because it will mess up the delicate smoke detection system.
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Serious question: is there a place I will be able to light candles? (Either in my (and the two Ks) room or in the hospitality room.) Just a couple little tea lights . . .
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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Hmm...honestly, I doubt it, rivka. I can't imagine any hotel agreeing to open flames for guests.
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The fog machine is refering to the main activity room. So considering that this is hotel is located in a dense jewish population I'm sure that as long as you don't proclaim it in the streets lighting a candle in the privacy of your own room would not be a problem.
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Unscented candles do not stink up the room the way cigarettes do. (They're designed not to smoke.) I wouldn't worry about it.
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NO smoking room! I will DIE! Ack, the very thought is making me cough!
I have NEVER had a problem with lighting candles in a hotel before -- not that I generally scream it from the mountaintops -- I only asked because of the fog machine/"delicate smoke detection system" comment.
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It looks like I will be able to privately order kosher food and not have to go through the hotel service. The lady that I'm currently playing phone tag with gave me a couple of names. So how many meals will we actually be in the hotel for? I'm thinking we need at least one meal of coldcuts and sandwhiches. I can bring a cheese platter from Sam's for those of us who aren't kosher.
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Yes!!! They won't enforce this page of restrictions that I was faxed on the upstairs like the downstairs "big banuqet" halls for 100s of people. So I can bring in food, but I will have to bring in paper plates and stuff for us to eat off of. Sams and Costco Here I come.
Rivka is it non-kosher to eat off of paper or styrofoam plates? I can order cold cuts from a kosher place called Bagel country. I also have a couple other names if you are interested in having more food catered for you specifically.
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AJ, please make sure to find out whose supervision they are under the CRC is fine; any others I will have to inquire about.
If it's simpler to NOT have group meals, I can arrange for stuff for myself for Shabbos. No worries -- I'll be there all day Friday, and I can order things in advance too.
[Edit: cross-post!]
Bagel Country is great! Their menu looks pretty extensive, too.
Paper/styrofoam is fine -- but could you check that they have an O-U on 'em? (The vast majority of them do. Thanks! If a prob, just let me know.)
Here's a partial list of places in Skokie. I just called Bagel Country asking about Rabbinic supervision. THey are CRC approved, they cater almost exclusively to Orthodox clientele and have a Rabbie through normally at least twice a day.
THe other two places the hotel lady metnioend are Slice of Life which is on that page, and Kosher Gourmet which isn't, but maybe you can find it.
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Oh yes and Ken's Diner on that list in Skokie is the diner I've seen written up in a paper for being a CRC aprroved diner that is great to take kids to.
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Better link -- and note that at top, has menu that links to other info. But yeah, Slice of Life looks yummy too. And Saturday night or maybe sometime Sunday, I want to go to Mit Su Yun with whoever wants. I hear their Chinese is excellent.
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you are stealing my words! like I said travel to the chineese place might be a bit more difficult.
have you found a congregation to visit yet? IF you have a couple possibles I can give you a better idea of walk time, though you might do just as well on yahoo.
quote: have you found a congregation to visit yet?
Not yet. I have to check out some possibilities. One thing I know for sure -- if the closest option is >1 mile away, I'm not going. Not in August in Chicago! Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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rivka you may be in Chicago in August but you aren't going to melt of the heat even if you are coming from CA. I promise. It might be a little hot and sticky but it is bearble, it isn't oklahoma or washington dc. If you go to the art museum you are going to have to walk farther from the train station. And it depends on the weather patterns at the time but it could be in the 80s What time are the services usually held?
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Morning. And the good thing about being female is that I don't have an obligation to pray communally (just to pray). So I'll go if it sounds like I'll enjoy it, and not if it doesn't.
Over two miles in 90 degree weather does not sound enjoyable. Yep, I'm a wuss. Anyway, my mom grew up in Chicagoland, and she keeps laughing at me when I mention this. Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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quote:So I can bring in food, but I will have to bring in paper plates and stuff for us to eat off of.
Correction: Someone can bring in food, but someone will have to bring in paper plates and stuff. Not you. You've done plenty already.
I can do the paper plates and napkins and stuff. My parents are in Sam's club. And knowing me, I'll likely end up bringing some snackish stuff for grazing throughout the day.
I forget--does the hotel have continental breakfast? Most do, these days, but not all of them. Also, are people looking to do group lunches/dinners at the hotel, or do folks want to go out and play it by ear? Preferences?
Posts: 1805 | Registered: Jun 1999
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AJ, there's a reason that I live in L.A.! The year I spent in NY, between the weather and my allergies (which both extreme cold AND high humidity worsened) I was utterly miserable a large percentage of the time.
Winter: it's nice to visit, but after a week, I wanna go HOME! Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I don't think the midwest is as bad as the northeast, but that is my opinion... ;-) I'd love to go back to CA myself... It may be in our long term plan...
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xnera the food and paperplates really aren't that big of deal, but thank you for volunteering. Steve and I go to Sams and costco sometimes as often as twice a week.
about the holiday inn food. Kids eat free. I know the holiday inn expresses have a continental breakfast, but there is a breakfast resturaunt too. so i'm not sure. Ask when you reserve your room. If not we will get someone to order krispy creme and muffins for the non doughnut eaters.
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Oh my this thread dropped to page seven. I just sent the contract in, and am reserving the room for $150 of my own $$. You can be sure I'll collect on it at the Con though!
All info has been updated in the first post on pg1
Don't know how much more I'll be posting on hatrack for the next week since I'm on VACATION!!!!
Side note: Annie thinks she probably can't make it to this, and as a direct result, I will also probably not be coming. If that effects anyone's plans at all, which it probably doesn't since I was already listed as "maybe" and I don't think anyone worked out room sharing with Annie.
And I know that Annie is too, if we can come we will, but I don't think Annie can come, and I'm not spending money on travel that doesn't involve spending time with my precious Annie.
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Juliette and I are in. Just got the plane tickets. We'll get the hotel reservations tomorrow probably.
Posts: 4534 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Annie promised a friend she'd go to Mexico with her and consequently will be totally and utterly broke. Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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No fog machines? That changes everything.![[Wink]](wink.gif)
-- I only asked because of the fog machine/"delicate smoke detection system" comment.![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
I'm going with that.![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
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Now I have to choose between Chinese and Thai??![[Kiss]](graemlins/kiss.gif)
Banna
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