Ok I just stopped by the hotel on my lunchbreak. Wendy showed me the hospitality room, and a sample guest room and we wandered around a bit.
Overall, I think the facility is Ideal.
The Hospitality Room is great, like a giant living room. It might be a little small for 45ish people but I don't think we will have all 45 in there all the time either. There is also a bathroom complete with shower and tub as well as a full kitchen complete with refrigerator, freezer and dishwasher. There is a coffee pot too but we may have to buy our own beans to brew.
The reason why I'm not too worried about the hospitality room becoming overcrowded is because there is a pretty Huge recreational area on the ground floor, this is what you can see partially in the hotel picture album. I suspect a lot more time is going to be spent down in this area than in the hospitality room. There is a badminton court in addition to the pool tables, as well as an arcade area with a surprising number of games. There is also a great kids play area with lots of toys and a playhouse and stuff for those of you traveling with youngsters.
The entire hotel is located in a pretty main shopping area. There is a Barnes and Noble half a block away and a McDonalds across the street in addition to several other nicer restraunts within a block. Two blocks away are two grocery stores, a Walmart, and Walgreens, as well as many other shopping stores, so if there is anything you need or forget there aren't a going to be lot of problems acquiring it.
There is also a huge Galyan's Sporting goods store about a block and a half away. I suspect the more athletically inclined (Mack? ) might enjoy their indoor climbing wall.
Now, the main drawback I just found out about is that there is no continental breakfast in the mornings. I'm sorry I just kind of assumed there would be at a Holiday Inn. There is a $7 breakfast buffet in their resturaunt where kids eat free, but no free danishes etc. I figure that I can probably buy the equivalents of a continental breakfast at Costco, with muffins and danishes and milk and orange juice and the like and we can have our own mini-continental breakfasts in the Hospitality room.
It is up to you guys if you want me to do this or not. Buying in bulk, I'm sure it would be far less than $7/person. Rivka, I don't know how much more or less this will be of a problem for you, let me know if there is anything you need or that I can do for you.
The other thing, is that we are going to probably need to network together with vehicles to get everyone to and from the nearby Metra station. While it is within walking distance, I don't think a lot of people are going to want to walk, especially if it is hot.
That's it for the scouting report!
AJ
PS. Wendy is trying to keep our rooms all grouped together on two floors. One group for the King size bed people and the other for the double bed people.
posted
AJ, you are complete doll for taking care of all of this. I'm so impressed. I'm only sad that KamaCon isn't going to be longer!
And that not everyone is coming! We'll have to set up some sort of phone taunting and pleading chain on Saturday night.
--
I've done some research for those LDS that want to go to church on Sunday. THere are two best options: 7 miles and 12 minutes away at 9:00am, and 15 miles and 30 minutes away at 2:50pm. I was going to start a thread and get opinions, but we can take care of it there. I suspect we'll plan on the 9:00 and end up tumbling into the back of the 2:50, just like last time. I haven't found a ride yet, but that can be taken care of on Saturday as well.
I DID find a Polish branch that meets at 1:00. It's about 35 minutes away, but it seemed somehow fitting for KamaCon.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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AJ -- don't worry about breakfast. You shouldn't have to do any more than you already have. We are all big kids, and we can walk down to Wal-Mart and get munchies and either meet in the Hospitality room together for breakfast, or have breakfast on our own.
I think you sort of have to do it that way -- because I noticed just that small gathering at Dana's -- everyone has a different idea of when "morning" is and when "breakfast" is. It is very unusual for me to eat breakfast LATER than 6 AM.
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Yes but I want to know what more people will prefer. It is a very simple and pretty inexpensive task to buy muffins and danishes at Costco at the same time I buy the cold cut platters.
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Farmgirl there is also a Starbucks a block or so down if worse comes to worse.
There is a coffee pot in the hospitality room. And while I'm less than expert at making coffee I can make sure we have the fixings for it. I think there may be coffee pots in the hotel rooms too.
AJ
I *think* there is a Baskin Robbins/Dunkin Doughnuts place nearby too. I have a visual memory of it as I was driving around the area but my brain could be lying to me too.
posted
A couple other notes. They do have internet access and wireless acess too. Don't know how much it costs though. I would imagine a local dialup for those people who actually belong to ISPs that provide local dialup numbers would be free.
And there is a TV in the hospitality room with a VCR. So if you really want to get an LotR fix you can.
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I agree with dkw. Let people fend for themselves for breakfast.
Less work for you.
Fewer stale muffins for those of use who sleep until noon. I expect to eat breakfast at Denny's at 5am, right before bed.
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Could nonLDS members who are interested go to church with the rest of you? I know there are certain things you're only allowed to do if you're LDS, but I don't know if church is one of them?
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Annie: I agree. Church at 2:50 will kill the afternoon.
blackwolve: no problem. You're very welcome to come. If you want to know what it will be like, here's a link. Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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Should I bring a spare wireless router for our own networking needs (sharing pictures, etc)? Satyagraha
Posts: 359 | Registered: Jun 2001
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I would be highly uncomfortable using a wireless router against the express wishes of the provider, and I GUARANTEE you the hotel won't permit it. As most such connections throttle their wireless bandwidth, anyway, a router connection is likely to be agonizingly slow. We can all pay the $10 a day or whatever to use the service HONESTLY, can't we?
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I'm not talking about for that, I'm talking about for incase we need to share pictures between computers. Satyagraha
Posts: 359 | Registered: Jun 2001
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You can just go Ad-hoc mode, unless of course the hotel has enough overlapping channels taken that nothing works, which could be the case. Perhaps a wired switch would be helpful instead.
Posts: 5422 | Registered: Dec 2001
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I just spoke to my cousin that lives in Schaumberg, Ill. about the possibility of hosting myself and my wife and daughter on the Kama Con weekend. It isn't a done deal yet and we won't be staying at the Hotel but I think there is the distinct possibility that I may be able to visit with all the Kama Coners on either Saturday or Sunday or perhaps both days. I'm still fleshing things out but I'm hoping this will be all right. Would I need to make a donation for anything if it turns out I can make it?
Posts: 2022 | Registered: Mar 2004
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AJ, the hospitality room has a full kitchen, you said? I assume that includes a stovetop? Maybe even an oven? Cool! I won't have to bring my little electric burner. (Might anyway -- doesn't weigh much.)
I was expecting to supply my own breakfast. So, while I'll happily drink (and chip in for) milk and/or juice if they're there, I'll also quite happily get some when I pick up other stuff Friday.
AJ, thanks for everything you're doing! Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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3 miles from the hotel, and near some other shops/restaurants I plan to visit: Zelda's. *drools*
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I guess this could be worked out later, but I wouldn't have to take communion, right? Because I really wouldn't be comfortable doing that.
Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002
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The hotel.. it doesn't care. I can assure you that none of the staff have any idea what's going on at any given moment with their wireless net access. They are not trained to handle it- no one is. It just sits there and runs. I've done all kinds of junk with ours and no one has ever called me on it- nor have I gotten any calls from our provider.
It helps that the access points, computer and mild technical support are the only things provided by Ethostream (the installer). We are the ones paying for the Frac T-1 that supplies the backbone.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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blackwolve: Nah - they'll pass a little tray down the aisle, and you just pass the tray on down without taking anything. *grin* This'll be fun. Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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Oh, I mayhap should mention... keedokes and I will be unable to attend the whole Con. We've got some pretty major stuff coming up, and we cannot afford the whole affair. We will, however, be sure to make an appearance one afternoon. I'd love to meet most of you face-to-face, and I'd be a fool not to at least stop by something so close to home.
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could i come with you guys to church? if can get up that early... i've never been to an actual church service before.
Posts: 1658 | Registered: Sep 2003
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Bob would have to leave Saturday night anyway, -- his flight leaves from Des Moines early Sunday afternoon. Since he's taking the entire previous week off, and will be on the road for a week the week before that, and at a conference the week before that, he needs to be in the office bright and early the Monday after KamaCon.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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Rats, though I remember the dishwasher I honestly don't remember if there is a stove. I'll call Wendy and ask today. For any showering overflow if someone wants a shower NOW and has too many people fighting over the bathroom in the hotel room, there is a full shower/tub bathroom combo in the hospitality room itself.
The hotel rooms are very spacious and there would be room for people on the floor without much difficulty.
There isn't one in the hospitality room. I'm sure it is because of fire and health codes. So I'm sorry rivka but you will need to bring the hotplate. Besides wouldn't we have had to kosher-ize the stove so you could use it?
However there is a microwave. Is cooking with a microwave allowed in kosher cooking?
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No biggie. The hotplate is small and light. Kashering a stove is easier than kashering a microwave; but it can be done.
*laugh* Ok, tell me I'm not the only one (fire codes and other practical issues aside) who thinks it's funny that there's a dishwasher but not a stove.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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yeah I think so too, but sometimes caterers do use real china and cutlery. Depends on how dressy you want the event to be. We are definitely going the disposable paper plate route
Annie Anna Josh (zevlag) Becky Russell Blacwolve rrr papa moose & momma squirrel
If anyone else wants to email me their cell my email is bernard@enguin.com, I promise not to sign you up for any credit cards, porn, or have any telemarketers call you unless otherwise requested Satyagraha
quote:Itinerary: Friday, August 13 - RALEIGH DURHAM(RDU) to CHICAGO-MIDWAY(MDW) Flight 1668 Q Depart RALEIGH DURHAM(RDU) at 10:10AM and Arrive in CHICAGO-MIDWAY(MDW) at 11:00AM
Sunday, August 15 - CHICAGO-MIDWAY(MDW) to RALEIGH DURHAM(RDU) Flight 780 Q Depart CHICAGO-MIDWAY(MDW) at 08:10PM and Arrive in RALEIGH DURHAM(RDU) at 11:00PM
Dunno how I'll be getting around Chicago but I'll have time to catch up on those other threads soon.
As far as accomodations -- I am very good at covert operations and sleeping on hard surfaces.
Posts: 1839 | Registered: May 1999
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I'm coming! AJ, I need you to e-mail me a driving map ASAP. Anybody have bedspace or floorspace available? I have my own sleeping bag, etc. Which page is the events itinerary on? I'll drive up late Friday evening, most likely.
I'm heading over to Hatrack Chat, so find me there or post here.
Posts: 3141 | Registered: Apr 2000
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At this stage, since we've added four more people, perhaps one of those four should get another room.
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