I want to be able to walk to see cool stuff. I'd prefer a B&B but maybe not possible. I'd love to be near to the water. Maybe clost to all that touristy stuff.

I'm not sure how possible that all is but mostly I just want to walk around with Sammy and hear the ocean.

I think most of the places I've stayed were kind of expensive (I mean, not for SF, but in general). There's a few decent places near Union Square I stayed--there were two hotels by the same company (Orchard Park and...something else?) The one across from the sushi restaurant was great, but the one down the block was gross. (The sushi restaurant was also yum).

In Oakland I usually stayed in the Courtyard in Downtown Oakland--convenient for meeting with Consuela, and the BART, but not super exciting on its own.

...and if you really want cheap, the Monarch near the Holiday Inn at California and Van Ness was cheap and not actually too gross. (I think it was like, $75 a night). Not sure how close it was to anything.

Stephanie, the Hotel Carl is a couple blocks away from us, right on a Muni line and walkable to the Haight and Cole Valley and GG Park.

It's relatively cheap, clean and not-fancy. Vortex has stayed there a few times, I think, and a few other Buffistas.

Are there NC-istas besides Amych, Amyth, and Calli? To them and anyone else I've forgotten, I'll be somewhere in the Raleigh-Durham area from Mar 11-16 (get in Sunday night leave Friday eve). For training for the new job. Should have details later this week, but maybe some dinner?

Was wondering if any localistas wanted to meet up Friday the 16th in SF for dinner/drinks?

Just checking in again. Lee and I are trying to get an idea of who can join us at Park Tavern. I sent an e-mail, but I think I'm missing some e-mail addy's.

I'm totally up for dinner between 3/11-16, meara. If your new job has an office around here, does that mean you might be coming by semi-regularly?

Calli, probably not (I missed training at the old company and therefore never saw their offices!). I'm supposed to know more tomorrow (like where I'll be staying) and I doubt I'll have a car.

but mostly I just want to walk around with Sammy and hear the ocean.

Generally, an SF trip isn't conducive to a beach trip also, unless you have a car and some time, but FYI, friends of mine have a beach cottage at Stinson Beach. It can be rented for a very low price. You have to go through me for the friends-of-friends price, and I'd have to see if it's available, and it's An Amazing Deal. So if you really want quiet beach time, get in touch.

People who can speak about the cottage: Sparky and her DH, Katiebee, Deena (or was that the Dillon Beach place? alas, I no longer have a key to that place.)

Hey Kristin, do we have any further word from the Pasadena hotel(s) on available dates? My bosses are sniffing around to see when I'll be free for the next project, so I want to get vacation time requests locked in soon.

I actually FINALLY have a date from the hotel and some GREAT deals. I tried the two weekends we had initially proposed, and they are majorly booked. SO HEAR YE, HEAR YE, the Pasadena 2012 F2F will b June 29th-July 1st at the Sheraton Pasadena Hotel: [link] .

Our room rate is $109/night for 2 queen beds. You have until a month before the event to book at that rate (if it looks like we are selling out, we have the option to expand; I started with 15 rooms). The hospitality suite is $189 per night; we have that reserved from Friday the 29th through 1PM on Sunday the 1st. I am waiting to hear back about the Prom room, but they have a number of small ballrooms available. ND will, of course, provide the sound system; we should get the event room free if we book an open bar for a couple of hours and some finger foods. More on that in a bit.

So....I hope this is all right?