Our schedule is already pretty tight, since we can't really afford to take this trip, and are going for a specific purpose, rather than as a vacation, so it might not actually be possile to meet any jatraqueros, but I just thought I'd mention it in case it can be done.
We will be arriving at LAX around 10 pm September 4. September 5 and 6 we are going to Disneyland. We are not going all the way out to LA and missing Disneyland! September 7th we are going to San Diego, we will spend one night there, and return to LA on September 8. On the morning of September 9, we will fly back to Florida.
So, given the fact that there's not a lot of spare time built into that, anybody wanna try to get together? Lord knows when we'll next be out West!
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
We must figure out how to get together during that time. Else I'll be upset, and we don't want an upset Moose, now do we? I don't know of any plans that we already have during the entire time you're here (other than Mama working and stuff), so we must be able to figure out something.
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Don't you go to Disney World in FL all the time anyway? I always thought going to both would be a bit redundant. Plus there is plenty of other stuff to do, so why go to Disneyland?
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Disneyland is about 20 minutes from my apartment. I believe your duties as President include a meal with the Vice-President whenever both are in the same area. I'll need to check our charter, but I'm pretty sure it's in there.
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Hm, if you're going from LA to San Diego, there's a big chance you're going to be within 5 miles of me part of the way there.
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It costs HOW MUCH now??? Yikes! Not that it's something I could fit in on a Friday or Saturday (do you know how long it would take to walk to Anaheim from my house?! ) anyway . . .
Darn, I really would like to meet y'all.
quote: return to LA on September 8
Well, it doesn't take all day to drive from San Diego to L.A. -- anything else scheduled that day?
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I may have salespeople from MD in the 8th and 9th. If I'm free and the dates work, I'd be happy to host a get-together. I'm about 20 minutes NE of Disneyland.
Also, because I don't want to miss an opportunity for us to get together, we might want to consider meeting at Downtown Disney. It's fun and it's FREE. If we can't do a normal Shinda, maybe we could meet at a restaurant in Downtown Disney. ::sends out hopeful vibes::
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Indeed! Downtown Disney is only about 15 minutes from our apartment and the first three hours of parking are free (and the restaurants and movie theater validate parking).
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How about Downtown Disney on Friday night, September 5?
On September 8th (Monday) we don't know what time we'll get back, because we will be busy with family obligations during the early part of the day. We also have to get up very early the next morning to fly home . . . the rental car is due back by 8, I believe, and our flight leaves like at 10. We also don't know our way around LA. If there is interest in having dinner at our hotel (the airport Westin, IIRC), e-mail me and we can exchange phone numbers and play it by ear, but we won't be up for anything more involved than that on that night.
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From a traffic standpoint, I'm not sure how aware you are of the difficulty of getting to Downtown Disney on a Friday night for anyone who lives far enough away that freeways are necessary. If, however, that is our only chance to meet you, we will figure out a way (I hope). Do you normally eat dinner around 8PM? (I exaggerate, but what would be an hour-and-a-half drive at normal times becomes a three-hour drive on a Friday afternoon/evening in L.A. Saturday lunch might be a better idea.
Out of curiosity, what exactly are your San Diego plans? With family down there, it's possible that we might head down there for the weekend (after Friday night dinner or Saturday afternoon lunch?) and see my parents and my sister and her family and my brother and his newly-affianced girlfriend (yes, my brother is the man) and her ring. Maybe we could figure out a time to see you there as well.
Also, saxon didn't mention it here, though I think he did at Shinda-3B. Since he lives extremely close to Downtown Disney, and since the things there are pretty much more expensive versions of chain restaurants, he talked about opening his home for a small gathering. I don't know if that offer still holds -- you'll have to get him to verify.
<Wants to meet Icky and family.>
<All plans must be approved by Mama Squirrel, so nothing is being confirmed by me at this time.>
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Sure, our place is still available if that's what folks would prefer. I just figured that since Ic and Cor would be at Disneyland already it'd be easier to meet them there. Mmmm... The 101 to the 405 down to Huntington Beach shouldn't be any worse than usual on a Friday night.
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Anyone and everyone is welcome at our place. It's not very large but we can squeeze in. Also, we don't really have any toys so if Mooselet comes he may want to bring some of his own. We do have some movies that he might like though. Let us know what everyone would prefer. Downtown Disney might be more fun but our place is certainly cheaper!
Posts: 38 | Registered: Aug 2003
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We're going to San Diego for a funeral service, and we're meeting family down there. So if we take time off to visit friends, it might cause significant friction with our family. I can keep that option in the back of my mind, but even if it can be done, it could probably only be a spur of the moment thing. The nice thing about Downtown Disney is that our hotel is right there that night. Cor is not much of a night person, so if she wants to hang out for a couple of hours and then go to bed, I would still be capable of staying out as long as people want, and we wouldn't need to drive back to our hotel through an unfamiliar city. And neither of us has ever spent any significant time in California, so I know absolutely nothing about traffic patterns or anything like that.
I know we're being difficult, and I'm sorry about that. I hate demanding things or imposing my will on people! The thing is that this is not a vacation or a social visit for us. If it were, we would make meeting you all a top priority. We are taking advantage of the trip to hit Disneyland, because I have never been and Cor has only been once. (If you need to ask us why this is important to us, you don't know us very well! It's like if you were in Utah for some random reason the weekend of Endercon--would you miss it for anything?)
So, I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope that we can make something happen . . . but if not, I'll hope that someday I'll be in California again and be able to do things right.
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Pop- If you want to avoid peak travel hours and if it makes it any easier for you, you're welcome to hang-out at my place until the meeting time. My husband and I will be at the office, but I can leave the door open for you.
Or you can come and hang with us at the office in Fullerton.
And it would be just TOO COOL if Squirrel could make it. I'd really love to meet her.
posted
Hmmm... Mama Squirrel probably can't make it on a Friday -- she has to take a pretty decent amount of time off work for doc appointments, so we can't afford to use more for things like this. However, spending the earlier part of the day at either Ladydove's home or work could be a possibility. It will probably depend on whether or not I can find someone to watch Mooselet. I hate taking him on long long drives all the time, then keeping him up past his bedtime, or allowing him to fall asleep in the van and then waking him up only to put him to bed again.
Anyway, we'll figure out something, Icky. When do you need plans finalized?
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If we exchange cell phone numbers, then I guess there isn't a deadline, though I still would prefer knowing, given a choice. Is Downtown Disney over there conducive to toddlers?
btw, we won't have the girls with us . . . Grandpa's keeping them while we fly out.
We could always create an AIM chat next Wednesday or so . . . That might be fun in and of itself! Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
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I've never been to Downtown Disney, so I have no idea. I do know that I have to leave much earlier if I have Mooselet with me (with traffic on a Friday, I should really leave by around 6:30, and I don't think that would leave much Ick'n'Cor time).
I may be able to find out tonight whether or not I can get someone to watch Mooselet next Friday. I'll let you know.
posted
I know you and Cor are Disney fanatics. I had a good friend in CA who was one himself. I would give him a hard time about it too. In fact if you want an inside tour guide I might be able to hook you up with Anthony if he still has his season tickets. (He just got married so he MIGHT have given them up for a year because of finances.) He was threatening to get married at Disneyland France, but settled on Hawaii instead. He went to Long Beach State because it was one of the closer colleges to Disneyland, and lived right down the street from Disneyland for a while.
I lived about 2 hours away and only have been to Disneyland twice to my knowledge. (Maybe I'm bitter because I don't think I've been there since age 12 and don't have a lot of chance to see it now.) I have however gone to Six Flags Magic Mountain more times than I can count.
Also don't forget to eat at In and Out Burger. It is another California institution akin to Disneyland.
AJ
P.S. I know Anthony and his brother knew all the back ways to get around the park for seeing the most things the most efficently.
quote:In fact if you want an inside tour guide I might be able to hook you up with Anthony if he still has his season tickets.
While we love to play Disney Tour Guide for others down here, I think the thought of exploring a Disney park that's completely new and unknown to us is pretty exciting, so we really don't want a tour guide on our first visit. If you have tips ou can post here, though, that would be pretty cool.
Speaking of weddings, though, Cor and I were married in the Magic Kingdom!
We can already see that our biggest hardship here is avoiding the temptation to spend all day playing Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, because that's one of our favorite things to do down here!
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
I received two maybes on the babysitting front. One of the two has a job interview tomorrow, and if she gets the job she can't watch Mooselet. The other is willing, but has to check her carpool schedule, because if she's on duty she has six kids already, and her van only seats seven total. And Mooselet can't drive yet. I should know more Sunday afternoon.
quote:I lived about 2 hours away and only have been to Disneyland twice to my knowledge. (Maybe I'm bitter because I don't think I've been there since age 12 and don't have a lot of chance to see it now.) I have however gone to Six Flags Magic Mountain more times than I can count.
Why?
I've never liked Magic Mountain much. Too hot, and not enough rides that don't bother my queasy stomach.
I remember when they were building it, and we couldn't figure out what they were doing in the early stages. About all you could really see was the tower. It reminded us of an airport control tower, but there were too many mountains for it to be an airport.
Posts: 2454 | Registered: Jan 2003
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<Bump.> Are we still talking dinner on Friday at Downtown Disney? I'm still waiting on plan #1 or #2, but my second backup plan is a firm availability, so I'll definitely be there. I just don't know where exactly Downtown Disney is, or when we'll be meeting, or who all will be there, or much of anything else. Icky, I've sent you a couple e-mails -- have you received them? Are things still a go?
posted
One entrance to Downtown Disney is smack in between the entrances to Disneyland and California Adventure. The other entrance is in the parking lot. If you take the 5 you'll go south on Harbor, then west on Katella and then it's a right turn to take you to the parking lot entrance. There's plenty of signage to help guide you.
Downtown Disney isn't all that geared toward toddlers. It's mostly an outdoor mall/shopping center type deal: restaurants, movie theater, shops. Still, you will see plenty of people there with their small children.
So are we on, or what? Ic, Moose, I'll email you my cell number.
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Why did I go to Magic Mtn instead of Disneyland? Well the most obvious reason is that the church groups I belonged to would go to Magic Mtn. but were boycotting Disneyland. A lot of the kids still got to go to Disneyland through school, but since I didn't go to school that ruled me out. The second reason is the rides, I like big rides and roller coasters. The Disney rides are more "entertainment" than a "thrill". Plus my mother got sick on spinning rides of which there are a lot of at Disneyland.
posted
I like the parking lot entrance too. There's a Rain Forest Cafe at that entrance, which makes for an easy to spot meeting place.
Posts: 2425 | Registered: Jan 2002
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Ok, so we're talking Downtown Disney, we're talking dinner, and we're talking Rainforest Cafe as a possible landmark. Is there a better place to eat? Or are we gonna wander around for a while before getting food? Is there a time we're shooting for? We've traded some cell phone numbers, but should we aim for something specific, and maybe use the phones for adjustments to the plan?
posted
As I said, I've never been there, so have no idea. If we do dinner at 8, I won't be around to do much else -- I'll still have a 2-hr drive home, and I'm an old man now, you know. Is 6 not workable for you, Icky? You're sorta the main attraction at this Shinda, so you need to make the decision. Maybe at six and much time with the SoCal Hatrackers, or maybe at eight and less time. You'll still have Saturday for Disneying, so it shouldn't cut away too much of your trip, I wouldn't think.
I'm starting to fear there may be no way to avoid coming off like a jerk here . . . I probably shouldn't have said anything, and waited in the hoped of someday being in CA for a more extended period of time. We are going to CA for a funeral. We can't afford to take this trip in terms of money or time. Since we've never really been out there (other than touching down in LAX on our way somewhere else once), we've tried to cram in a bunch of fun things in this trip. Unfortunately, though, that means our schedule is pretty rigid. You don't know us well enough to understand why--or maybe I just don't know you well enough to put it in terms you will understand--and I hope you won't feel slighted by it.
It is very unlikely that we will be able to meet people until at least 8:00, maybe closer to 8:15 or 8:30. I do have everyone's cell phone numbers in case something changes that, but that's the way it looks now. Maybe those of you who wanted to start earlier could start without us, and then we could meet you at that time. With any luck, we can still cram in a late bite to eat and some social activity. I'm sorry it's not a lot of time, and I feel horrible thinking that I am offending you, but the truth is we don't have enough time for anything on this trip.
posted
Me: Not offended. Not slighted. Understanding. Maybe disappointed, but that's a comment on your worth, not on me.
You: Overscheduled. Pinched. Not a jerk. Worth the time, however much that may be. Needs to stop feeling horrible.
Other folks -- do we want to meet at six, get something to eat (either full meal, or snack to tide us over until meeting and dining with Ick'n'Cor), and hang around doing stuff until 8-8:30? I'm up for it. I could sit around a table sipping iced tea for hours on end with you folks, and never for a moment consider it time poorly spent.
posted
Pop- That sounds good to me. I will turn into a pumpkin at 11P, but aside from that, I am completely free of obligations Friday night.
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posted
I have to work tomorrow. I get off between 5 and 6, so I think it would be really hard for me to get to Downtown Disney before about 7. But I'll see what I can do.
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quote:I get off between 5 and 6, so I think it would be really hard. . . .
Another priceless out-of-context.
I'm way cool with spending time with Paul & Christine, then you and Juliette can join us later, then Joe and Lisa after that. Are any other SoCal folk attempting to make it? I know rivka can't. What about Lalo and his bad self, or maybe flish? Emp, due to my odd plans, I'll actually be driving to San Diego, then back up to Disney, then back to San Diego, so if you'd like to go I can probably swing 5 minutes out of the way and get you. Heck, I could probably grab AndrewR from SD if he wanted to go, too. I know there are others, but none are appearing in my brain right now. I need more coffee, and maybe a few additional terabytes of RAM.
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Ok, so Ladydove and I (possible GentlemanDove?) are meeting at 6PM at Rainforest Cafe, saxon & Juliette joining us around 7PM, Icarus & Cor arriving around 8:15-8:30PM -- all of us have exchanged phone numbers at some point, right? If anyone else wishes to join, you should try to catch one of us via e-mail or AIM so we can exchange info. I'm leaving early tomorrow, and won't have access to my e-mail after about 8AM.
Please tell me this is all good, as I don't really want to drive for 7+ hours tomorrow without seeing you folks.
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Hey Pop- Paul will try to make it, but John and he have a standing date with the local Lazer Tag arena. Paul is going to take Jake with them tomorrow.
I'm trying to talk Eddie WS into joining us.
Where and when do you think we should eat. Since it's a Friday night, I'd like to make reservations. Especially for a party our size.
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Haven't a clue. I don't know what's there -- the only place I've heard mentioned in Rainforest Cafe. And why can't I see you on AIM? And I have your home and work numbers, but no cell, just as an FYI. Yeah, get Lalo to show. He owes me a kiss.
Posts: 6213 | Registered: May 2001
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House of Blues Featuring live music and a restaurant serving Memphis-style ribs, salmon and Voodoo shrimp. Styled as a low-roofed plantation estate from the Carolina low country.
Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen Recreating the non-stop party atmosphere of Bourbon Street and serving Louisiana cuisine in either the upstairs jazz balcony or the courtyard. Entertainers perform nightly in the authentic French Quarter ambience and enjoy the distinctive flavor of New Orleans. Live music served up 6:30-10:30PM.
La Brea Bakery - Restaurant and bakery famous for mouth-watering beachs, pasteries, sandwiches and dinners.
Catal Restaurant & Uva Bar - Created by the world reknowned chef of the Patina Restaurants. Exotic delights include Greek chicken and lemon kabobs. Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria - Taste of Southern Italy baked in old-style wood-burning ovens.
Rainforest Cafe - Lively tropical forest is setting to a menu of Mexico, Asian and Caribbean dining fare.
Disney’s Grand Californian
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I'm good with any of those -- I leave it to a local to decide. You make the reservations, you choose the spot. (Of course, any of the others might want a say, too.)
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Mike and I had a really great time with you all last night. It was fun meeting Joe and Lisa for the first time and of course seeing Christine and Moose again. You know, So Cal people, we don't have to wait for someone to come in from out of state to hang out. We should get together more often.
Posts: 38 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Amen to that! How about tonight? The smoothie machine arrived on Wednesday. The slide is fired-up. I have 5 salespeople from the Carolinas in, but the more the merrier. (BTW- I'd rather hang-out with you guys than talk furniture ANY day. )
Posts: 2425 | Registered: Jan 2002
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Wow, thanks for the invite. Unfortunately we already have plans tonight. The smoothie machine sounds intriguing though. We'll have to work something out soon. Posts: 38 | Registered: Aug 2003
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