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Hmmm... now that I think about it, isn't Oregon, WI (where Tom lives) down on the south side of Madison? This is on the North side. I wonder if it will work...
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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I'll be staying in downtown Madison. It looks like my hotel will be a block from the capitol (If I'm reading the map right).
Hotwire has a "Central Madison" hotel that has a 3.5 star rating for $77. That rating is pretty good, and there is a good chance that the room is actually at the Hilton, I just don't know if that is true.
Here's how Hotwire works: They don't give you the exact name of the hotel at the time you make your reservation. The reason being that they want you picking hotel rooms based upon price, not name. This way, lesser known, nice hotels have a chance to compete with the big chains simply by the value of staying at that hotel. The issue is that you have to take the hotel as is. The hotel will supply you with whatever room is available- so you may end up in a smoking room or a type of room you don't want (a single instead of a double), but in exchange, you get some outrageously low rates.
Here's an exerpt from Hotwire's website:
quote:Hotel Reservation Restrictions
Hotel reservations available through this Site are subject to the published conditions of carriage and rules of the applicable hotel. The following restrictions will apply:
a. All bookings are final and cannot be changed; b. The name and exact address of the hotel are not shown until after payment has been made for the booking; c. Reservations cannot be cancelled, refunded, exchanged or transferred to other individuals. Once you book a reservation, your credit card will be charged for the amount shown — regardless of whether or not the reservation is used; d. Room type will be determined based on the number of guests provided at time of booking. All rooms are booked as non-smoking (subject to availability). Hotel room assignments are determined at check-in and upgrades are not available; e. The maximum number of rooms that can be booked at one time is four. All hotel rooms will be booked under the same name and the guest under whose name the reservation is made must be present at check-in; f. Bookings made through Hotwire are not eligible for hotel reward or club programs; g. Hotwire's minimum age requirement for checking into a hotel is 21; h. Upon check-in, guests must present a valid ID and credit card in their name (the amount of available credit required will vary by hotel). Debit cards may not be accepted; and, i. Hotwire rates do not include special fees charged by hotels upon check-out (e.g., energy charges, convention fees, resort fees, parking fees). Customers will be required to pay these fees directly to the hotels at check-out time.
If you take that route, it is at your own risk, but could be rewarding. According to the Sales Manager at the Woodfield, there isn't anything going on in Madison that weekend, so the chances of getting lucky and getting a decent room are pretty high. It's up to you.
I think that staying downtown is probably a good idea. Then we'll be close to all of the cool stuff in Madison and we won't have to go quite as far once things break up at night. I am already staying downtown, I'm just trying to present viable options.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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Sorry, PC, I wandered off to do real work for a while (evil bosses)..
I've never used hotwire before, so I'll have to check into that a little more closely before I start bidding on rooms. Your comment that we have no say in what we get concerns me a bit.
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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I'm fine with hotwire, and I'm definitely coming, but I really want to see some more people posting. If we don't get more people commiting to coming, I'm just going to beg Tom & Christy for floor/couch space.
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I know, Goody, Hotwire is very intimidating at first. However, a little bit of detective work really circumvents the whole process. If you can determine whether or not it will be a busy weekend, you can really get away with a lot. It's very rewarding if you're looking for nice accomodations at cheap prices. A lot of times, the description of amenities gives away the hotel, if you know the area even slightly (or know someone else who does).
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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Hotels lose money in the short term with Hotwire, but the idea is that it gets people in the door who wouldn't otherwise. If you play the system, it works to the consumers advantage.
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I'm still planning on being there, as long as Carrie is. But I do hope some more people make it.
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If Nicole is still coming, then we're definites. If Nicole isn't coming, then I have a decision to make. My highschool choral director is retiring and the farewell party and concert is the 18th. I'd kind of like to go but I also want to meet everyone. So keep us as yes unless I say otherwise.
Good thing I didn't Hotwire...
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Room reservation is made (and if I end up needing to cancel I can do so same day with no penalties unlike some of the other hotels). We're staying at the Americas Best on Perry. Hopefully I won't regret going with price over name recognition...
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Tom, that's what Mapquest is for intersection of 14, 18 and 151 is what the Orbitz map is showing.... and dagnabbit, in the 4 hours or less since I made my reservation, the price has already dropped twelve bucks a night??
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Okay, so let's get moving on this. I'm happy to propose times and places to get together, but I'd like to hear from Carrie so I know what she'd like to do at her party.
Carrie, are you out there? Carrie, do you hear me?
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Well it looks like the financial Gods aren't smiling down on me this month. I can't make it... I'm sorry Goody, I had hoped to scrape the money together to go, but it just didn't happen.
And I'm staying as a definite. I decided against going to the farewell party. The kids are looking forward to getting out of state and doing SOMETHING for summer vacation.
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I'm still coming! And I'd still like to hear from our guest of honor... whatcha wanna do next weekend, Carrie?
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Sorry about not being around that much. I've been dealing with a) a move to AZ and b) a potential family crisis, but thankfully my mother doesn't have cancer. *heaves HUGE sigh of relief*
So, yeah. Next weekend, eh? What normally goes on at one of these gathering-type things? I trust some are more well-versed in activities than I, but leaving campus sounds FANTASTIC, as I am without a car. Hint. Hint.
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Is there anything in particular you'd like to do? Otherwise, we'll just let Tom and Sara make suggestions. (Sara isn't around here much, but she's planning on being around at least part of the weekend.)
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I can't think of anything off the top of my head (though I will keep thinking about it), so let's hear the suggestions!
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If we're thinking party games, I have Trivial Pursuit 20th Edition, and I seriously want to hit the game aisle to replenish my stock. When we moved out of an apartment 3 years ago, the ex screwed with my room-check system and we ended up leaving a couple dozen party games behind. Needless to say, I was quite upset...
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Party games on State Street would be fun. The Olbrich Gardens are great, too, and I think our membership is enough to get y'all in for free -- which is especially nice since the new Rose Garden is opening on the 19th. There's good canoeing on Lake Wingra, with a very inexpensive boathouse. There's also a laser tag center on the west side of town, and an excellent game store on Odana. There's also a reasonably impressive and completely free zoo downtown on the lake.
Shopping along Willy/E. Johnson or the Monroe/Dudgeon area is nice, too.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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We love zoos =). I'd be interested in laser tag too, if someone's willing to keep an eye on the youngins while we're getting shot at LOL
And I'll bring Trivial Pursuit, and if I manage to start restocking, whatever else I pick up by then.
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I've not been to the Zoo, but on Saturday it will cost for admission (if that's a factor at all) - it's some special event or something.
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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Oh, that's right! It's "Feast with the Beasts," which is $5 admission (or $15/family) and features live music on two stages and a bunch of food vendors (which, sadly, are not donating their food; it costs extra to eat.) Figures. *laugh*
That said, there'll be jugglers and face painting and other family-friendly weirdness. I don't know how popular that'll be with this crowd, though.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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"family-friendly weirdness"? Gee, that sounds about right for this group...
I'm still open to the zoo, even at that price. We can always stop at the grocery store and pick up sandwich fixings and drinks, and pack a cooler, right? We always bring our cooler on road trips, I'll make sure we bring the wheelie cart too.
And we could potentially get creative with some of our "family" groups... <heeheee> Carrie, do you know what they consider to be a family? Like are adult sibs still considered one family?
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I don't know what constitutes a family, but I'd be willing to try their limits as long as we've got a couple (actual) kids with us.
The event starts at noon on Saturday - and will have an interesting selection of Madison-area restaurant cuisine, though I am definitely not averse to bringing our own.
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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I want to go sailing. I've been meaning to take Jess out- even if it's just in a butterfly or something.
Lasertag may be fun, if the equipment is in good shape. Too often something is broken or missing and someone doesn't have any fun.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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I've been talking with Sara off-list... here are some suggestions she had:
1) Saturday morning: humongous Farmer's market at Capitol Square ( http://madisonfarmersmarket.com/ ), easily takes hours to do one pass around
2) Saturday afternoon: zoo, arboretum, and ZuZu Cafe (all within walking distance of one another, right by the lake)
3) Saturday night: Dancing, for those up to it? (I only know about the local LGBT Club 5 -- http://www.club-5.com/ -- but there may be others. I've never been dancing here)
4) Sunday morning: brunch at the Firefly ( http://www.foodfightinc.com/firefly.htm ), with their ohmygod marscapone-stuffed French Toast with apple-ginger compote and mimosas
Other good restaurants: Mexican -- Casa de Lara (out by Tom & Christy's way) Mediterranean -- The Kasbah (Morroccan) Fancy/expensive-er -- L'Etoile ( http://www.letoile-restaurant.com/AboutLEtoile.php -- organic local foods, featured in Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines, founded by Odessa Piper) or Crescent City Cafe (French with Cajun overtones) and lots more
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It's worth noting that finding a good restaurant in Madison is like trying to find hay in a haystack.
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I'll probably pass on dancing because of the kids and the need to maintain at least semi-reasonable bedtimes, etc. And I think I'll let the experienced ones pick restaurants. =)
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Though I'm sure you all realize this by now, I can't come. Over this and last month I realized that I couldn't really afford to go anywhere much further than work if I wanted to get enough money saved up to go to Japan.
So I'm sorry if it disappointed you all.. I wanted to have a fun time with you guys near my birthday, but I guess I just have to make sacrifices. A lot of sacrifices.
Posts: 4816 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Speaking of mail, if anyone wishes my phone number for strategeric and/or planning purposes - or even just to talk, really - drop me a line.
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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Tom I sent it to the address in your profile, and I haven't gotten any kind of bounce-back yet... let me know if I should use a different email?
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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So everyone knows my plans... Sara has graciously offered me couch space and I've accepted, so fugu and I won't have to arm-wrestle for Tom & Christy's couch or anything. I have to work on Friday and will be leaving straight from work. It's a 5 hour drive, so I'll be getting in relatively late. I don't know if PC and Goody reserved their rooms just for Saturday night and are planning on coming in Saturday morning or if there is anything going on Friday night, but I'll probably be just joining the party Saturday morning.
Has anyone heard from Vana and Lime lately? Or SO and JG? I know they had posted as possibles... I think I'll change the thread title again...
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Vana and Lime have been quite busy lately and not really on Hatrack. I'll shoot them an email asking if they're going to come.
Posts: 1777 | Registered: Jan 2003
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I can't believe this is coming up so quickly. I should probably provide my cell phone number and work number just in case.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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Unfortunately, we're not going to be able to make this one. We've got more than a full day on Saturday, and the likelihood that we would be able to make it up there with any energy left over is next to nil.
Have a good time for us - and someone drink our share of any alcohol that might be around. Congrats , Carrie! Sorry we couldn't make it.
Posts: 753 | Registered: Mar 2001
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I reserved for both Friday and Saturday. I took Friday off work. I'd rather take my time driving up and maybe track down a cross-stitch shop or two in the area than be frantic Saturday morning getting there in time. I wouldn't mind getting together somewhere Friday night with the caveat that it be something from which the kids and I can break away easily if Missy hits her limit.
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