Midwest GTG

[monarch64]

Hey Midwesterners...is there any interest in a get-together for us? Both coasts have gotten theirs together at some points here, and I would love to be involved in a Midwest type of thing even without a gem show, etc. Anyone? Anyone? I''m 13 miles outside of Chicago proper...but willing to travel a couple of hours!

Heather

 

[Tacori E-ring]

oh..monarch I visit my family in Milwaukee lots (that''s where our wedding is).

 

[monarch64]

Hi Tacori, long time no speak, lol!

Your wedding is coming up in a month or so, right? I know it is this summer, anyway. I would love to meet you! Milwaukee is not too far away from me...about 2-3 hours, dependent upon traffic. Anyway, I am hoping some of the midwest gals or gals like you who are not living in the area but will have their weddings here will be interested! I''ve been on this board for almost a year and after seeing a few GTG''s in other regions I would love to participate in one here!

Btw, how are your wedding plans going? And how is the Vera Wang Grosgrain china and your flatware, lol! I will just die if you end up getting all your place settings! Just kidding, DH said he will get some more for us either this month or in August.

Take care! I hope everything is going well for you!

Heather

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Well I haven't got a single setting yet....but I have only had one shower so there is still hope! The wedding is on Aug 12. I am so excited. I go "home" to visit a few times a year so if a GTG is around that time count me in! We are having a mini NC GTG tomorrow. Lunch and Tiffany's. What could be better?

ETA: We could always meet half way!

 

[monarch64]

We definitely could always meet halfway. On a coincidental note: my DH''s b-day is August 12!

 

[jas]

I''m just outside Chicago and would travel as well...I''m in!

 

[Catmom]

I''m in the northern burbs of Chicago...............count me in!

 

[Dee*Jay]

In in downtown Chicago and very willing to make a trek!

 

[perry]

I live up the cost of the lake.... about 1.5 hours north of Milwaukee.

I''d be willing depending on schedule and - given the time of year & my allergies - the level of pollen.

Can''t let all of you gals have all of the fun withoug one of us guys....


Perry

 

[glaucomflecken]

Date: 5/20/2006 11:11:34 AM
Author: perry
I live up the cost of the lake.... about 1.5 hours north of Milwaukee.


I''d be willing depending on schedule and - given the time of year & my allergies - the level of pollen.


Can''t let all of you gals have all of the fun withoug one of us guys....



Perry

Perry what neck of the woods are you from or near? I went to college in Milwaukee and I just love Wisconsin! (Although they made fun of my Illinois born and bred self on a daily basis esp being a Bears fan)

I hope you all have fun! I miss Chicago so much.

 

[Blue824]

I''m in the northern burbs, i''m in and out of town a lot this summer but I''d try to make it

 

[perry]

PunchNPie:

Two Rivers (Just north of Manitowoc).

At least you got to enjoy life north of the stress line during your college years.

Bears fans are welcome. I view it as a freindly rivalry - and wish the Bears the best of luck and skills - except when they play the Packers (and I know many who view things versa visa).

To all us midwestern folk (although if you look at a map it might be better to call us upper east centralist):

It seems to me that there has to be a midwest gem show every now and then.... I know that a lot of gals like Tiffinies... But wouldn't it be fun to look at the other gemstones out there as well?

Of course - as with all of you - I am sure it will be a ballance between work, vacation, and other schedules.

Perry

 

[monarch64]

So...should we try to find a midwest gemshow as an occasion for which to hold our get-together? I personally am not all that into Tiffany''s....but wouldn''t turn it down as an excuse to meet up, either!

Perry, what season is best for you? Winter, lol?!

Just kiddin'', I seem to have grown out of my childhood allergies and had forgotten that it causes problems for some of the population. Glad to hear you''re a Bears fan--so is my DH, with a passion. Hey, if the Bears were a gemstone, which one would they be? I''m thinking sapphires and something orange, maybe like spessarite? Hee hee. I''ve spent waaayy too much time on PS!

PNP, it would be so nice to have you at a midwest GTG, sort of a "homecoming" for you...if you ever decide you can make it that would be fantastic!

Everyone else: I''m so excited to see there is some interest here! The only weekends I would not be able to come this summer are 6-3/4, 6-10/11, 7-1/2, and 7-8/9, FYI.

Any other times would work for me. Here''s hoping we can do this!

 

[Dee*Jay]

I was having a random thought at dinner... Not sure how the location would work for everyone, but what about a rendesvous at Pearlmans? (Battle Creek, Michigan.)

As for weekends, anything but the weekends of 6/3 and 7/8 is good for me.

How exciting -- I'm really looking forward to this!

P.S. - Are we bringing our significant others? I mentioned this to my happy hubby and he got a panicked expression on this face, but I'm not sure he would leave me and my American Express card in the company of so many PSers without proper supervision!

 

[perry]

As far as what is best for me due to my allergies:

Right now is the worst time of the year: I have 7 large HEPA air filters in my house - so it is protected; but starting in early may the pollen could knock me down to very tired in a couple of hours (I can control the other symtoms - but I have a large exaustion componenet with allergic reactions). I have trouble at work as I cannot get through a normal day without "running out of gas" as it were. It takes at least 8 hours to start to recover once I am in my house.

Mid summer can be better - but I take a 2 week vacation out west where it is dry in July just to get away from the allergies.

Many times in the summer I come home from work on friday afternoon and don''t even leave the house untill monday am.

Things usually get really good in September/october when pollen season ends. Thus, I do most of my running arround in the late fall through April.

That does not mean that I can''t take trips and do things. I just have to be carefull. 8-10 hours out of the house is often all I can do without getting into more problems than I can normally handle.

I did a little digging on Gemshows: There is a smaller one next weekend (May 27//28 in Chicago) - but I am not sure if I can make that at this point: But encourage the rest of you to take advantage of it (schedule and location listed below).

There is a major one in Minneapolis/St Paul (State Fair Grounds) June 9/10/11. This one is interesting as I will be in a training class west of Menneapolis the week of June 5-9 (work related). Perhaps I delay driving back a day and take in the Gemshow (and I may not be in good enough shape to drive back Friday after the training finishes anyway due to the allergies - nominally a 7 hour drive). I worked a booth at the Minnesota State Fair back in the 90''s for 3 years in a row and know where this is at.

There is usually a major one in Chicago in November/December: But the schedule that I saw has only been published to July.

There are several listed for Michagan as well I am not sure where these are at: Take a look and see.

www.intergem.net/ps-shows-main.html

I wonder what the "Summer" schedule will show; and I wonder if Milwaukee ever shows up.

Hope this helps.

Perry

 

[Blue824]

How far is Pearlmans from Chicago? Lol... or ok, from a Michigan standpoint... how far is it from the New Buffalo area, cuz that's all I know! If we did it in Battle Creek does that make it more accessible to some other people? Or is Chicago easier?

The weekends I def would not be able to come are June 17/18 (Bf's bday, don't think he'd think that was a good reason to ditch him! and Fathers day...), June 24/25 and July 1/2.

 

[Dee*Jay]

According to Yahoo maps, Pearlman''s is 2-1/2 hours from Chicago, 1-1/2 hours from New Buffalo, and 4 hours from Milwaukee (Yikes!).

(It was just a thought--please don''t anyone feel like we have to go there.)

 

[perry]

To give an idea of where I am:

I routinely travel to a hotel just off of I290 due west of downtown for business meetings.

This normally takes about 4 hours during daytime with normal trafic in Milwaukee and Northern Illinois and North of Chicago.

In bad weather - or traffic problems (with good roads) this trip can easily take 5 hours. Worst case; bad weather and trafic problems was about 7 hours.


Return trips late at night (leaving after 10) - with good road and no trafic takes about 3 hours.

If I were to come to a Chicago Gemshow - I''d probably spend the night in a hotel (which is not normally a problem - especially if I can coordinate other things). Only under ideal weather and health (allergy) conditions would I drive down - spend the day - and drive back in the same day.

Perry

 

[Blenheim]

I''m moving to Michigan in less than two weeks, living about 4 hours away from Chicago. Equestrienne already lives in Michigan, a little further away, but I''m not sure if she''s seen this or not.

I was thinking it might be fun to go to Chicago sometime this summer anyway. I''ve been to the airport twice, but that''s it. I could try to coordinate with a Pricescope gathering.

Wisconsin might be a bit far though.

 

[pebbles]

Hey! Count me in as well!

As far as going to Pearlman''s, that sounds great, but there isn''t there a lot of contruction on the Dan Ryan expressway right now? A 3 hour trip maybe more like a 4 hour trip.

I seem to have more weekends tied up than you all so let me know what works best for everyone.

 

[Blue824]

While I think that a trip to Pearlmans would be awesome, I was thinking about how much I hate driving anything really over two hours on my own, and I don''t want to have to drag my bf, combined with the construction! and maybe I''m jsut a baby but I feel like if I''m driving 4 hours to get somewhere that I am not going to want to spend 8 hours driving in one day so then it turns into an overnight trip... I wouldn''t be opposed to that during the year, but this summer is getting tight and so meeting up for a meal or shopping in Chicago is just infinitely easier for me! Don''t know about the rest of you though. I don''t want to be the wet blanket so if everyone else wants to head out to visit them, I''ll just wait for the next gtg.

 

[Catmom]

Date: 5/23/2006 1:21:34 AM
Author: Blue824
While I think that a trip to Pearlmans would be awesome, I was thinking about how much I hate driving anything really over two hours on my own, and I don''t want to have to drag my bf, combined with the construction! and maybe I''m jsut a baby but I feel like if I''m driving 4 hours to get somewhere that I am not going to want to spend 8 hours driving in one day so then it turns into an overnight trip... I wouldn''t be opposed to that during the year, but this summer is getting tight and so meeting up for a meal or shopping in Chicago is just infinitely easier for me! Don''t know about the rest of you though. I don''t want to be the wet blanket so if everyone else wants to head out to visit them, I''ll just wait for the next gtg.

I so agree with you Blue! While I would dearly love to go to Pearlman''s, I have taken that trip to Michigan before and with all the contruction it is horrid! It takes half the trip alone just to get through Indiana. My summer is pretty tight too with vacations and softball tournaments. I''m just going to play it by ear and hope that I can go. If not, then maybe next time.

 

[eks6426]

I'm in South Bend Indiana---about 2 hours east of Chicago. Pearlman's or Chicago could work for me depending on the weekend. Summer is tight...but I'd try.

 

[Starset]

I'm now less than 200 miles outside of Chicago but I lived there for six years and know my way around both the city and west suburbs (Naperville area). I'd love to meet in Chicago - or even Minneapolis because my brother just moved there and I could hit two birds with one stone. Going farther North into MI or WI makes it less likely for me - but hey, that's just me.

 

[AmantdeChat]

Darn. I''m in the Kansas City area and Chicago may be too far for me!

I will keep checking to see if maybe I can wing it some how. It sure would be nice to be around similarly minded (aka diamond obsessed) people for a change!

Putting faces to avatars/names would also be nice.

 

[perry]

AmantdeChat

Putting faces to avatars/names would also be nice.


You mean that I was not going to meet a nice cat faced gal, several great dogs, flowers and rings, sparkly shoes, and all the others.... How disapointing..... sniff sniff !


It seems that the best stratagy would be a Chicago get-together timed with a gemshow.

For those at some distant - keep an eye on the link I posted above for a gemshow in your area (or closer - or at a place you have other plans to visit).

I''ll try to keep an eye open on the next major Chicago gemshow - and we should then have several months to plan for it. If I recall correctly there is a smaller one this weekend; but I doubt I can make that. For those who live in or very near Chicago - you might want to check it out.

Also; anyone in the Twin City area interested in the June 9/10/11 gemshow.

I would probably go on the afternoon of the 9th if I have it off (if traiing ends at noon). Otherwise I will probably do the morning of the 10th and head home (6 hours) by the mid afternoon. One of the nice things is that "D" lives in the Twin Cities - and she should also be able to attend with me (or us): assuming she does not have to work (her work schedule varies a lot).

Have a great week.

Perry

 

[Dee*Jay]

Date: 5/24/2006 8:43:39 AM
Author: perry
AmantdeChat


Putting faces to avatars/names would also be nice.




You mean that I was not going to meet a nice cat faced gal, several great dogs, flowers and rings, sparkly shoes, and all the others.... How disapointing..... sniff sniff !

Ha ha! I do associate people with their avatars, so it will take quite a bit of adjustment when we get together not to think of people as their pictures!

I agree that Chicago is sounding like the place (which is great for me since I live 7 blocks from the Sears Tower!) and really like the gem show idea. We'll have to keep checking the schedule.

 

[pebbles]

Chicago is definitely do-able for me since I live in the ''burbs.

You will all be disappointed to know that I do not have red hair like my avatar.

 

[Dee*Jay]

As long as you wear the bone in your ''do we''ll still know who you are!

 

[Starset]

I can wear my shoes - for good measure