Okay! Room contract is in and signed; it won’t be in their system until early next week, so I’ll post contact info at that time.

I’ve started with 15 available rooms (that can be expanded if need be) for June 29th and July 30th. All reservations must be made by 5/29/12 at 5PM to get these rates.

Here are the rates:
Single/Double Occupancy: $109 (standard double queen rooms)
Triple Occupancy: $124
Quad Occupancy: $139
Rollaway beds are $15
Hospitality Suite: $189

Check-in time: 3PM; Check-out: 12PM
Parking: $15 with in/out privileges
Complimentary internet in business center and lobby; high-speed wifi in all guest rooms for $9.94/day (or we can use our smartphones for free, of course...)

I will be talking with the catering manager this week to get details about the room for Prom and bar/appetizer info, but I’m guesstimating that we will need to raise about $1200 to cover our costs. The HS will be about $430 with tax, and I’m guessing we will need to spend at least $800 in food and drinks to get the Prom room for free. ND can take donations via PayPal: drew@drewdalzell.com if you’re willing and able to pitch in. I'm guesstimating that “tickets” would cost about $40 each if we were to divide it evenly, but in the past we’ve tried to let everyone donate what they can so that those of us who can afford a bit more can help out those of us who can’t. So it’s all honor system.

I would also like to start collecting names of people planning to come! You can email me (profile addy good) with the details (when you plan to arrive, if you’re bringing anyone,if you’ll have a car or will need a ride, etc.) or put that info here.

Local airports:

• The closest airport is Burbank (BUR); it’s tiny, convenient, and a quick drive. It’s not a hub, though, so it might be more expensive. It’s about a 15-20 minute drive from the hotel. You could conceivably take public transit to Pasadena from here, but it would be ridiculously convoluted (from the Burbank station, which the airport offers a free shuttle to, you’d have to take a bus the opposite direction to downtown Union Station and then switch the the Gold Line metro light rail up to Del Mar Station in Pasadena--it makes a 20 minute car ride a 90 bus/train ride).
• LAX is often the best option for direct flights, though...well, it’s a PITA to get in and out of by car. It’s anywhere between 35-90 minutes drive to the hotel depending on when you arrive. Public transit (bus and metro) will get you within walking distance of the hotel: take the FlyAway bus from the airport to Union Station; then take the Gold Line of the Metro to the Del Mar station; the hotel is only 0.2 miles away from that stop.
• Long Beach (LGB) is a bit further away, but again, a smaller airport. Not much in the way of transit options (car rentals or SuperShuttle, mainly); it’s about 45-90 minutes drive to the hotel depending on traffic.
• Ontario (ONT) is about 45 minutes to an hour away; nice airport--medium size and not too crowded, but again, car rentals or SuperShuttle.

So there ya go. It’s a start!

We are enjoying Chicago very much, but can't quite leave the hotel yet. They have no hot water! Lovely place, great room, great view, terrific health center on 42nd floor. Busted hot water. Oh well, they say soon.

Pix, is there a train station convenient to Pasadena?

A major train station....no, but you could conceivably take a train to Union Station in downtown Los Angeles and then switch to the Gold Line metro, which has a stop less than half a mile from the hotel. I have to warn you, though, that while the Metro is awesome and very reliable, Amtrak out here is the worst. They don't have first rights on any of the tracks and are known for ridiculous delays. As I said, though, LA's metro system is awesome. Clean, fast, and efficient.

Flying into LAX, taking the FlyAway bus to Union Station ($7 one way, no reservations required) and then taking the gold line metro up to Pasadena ($1.50 one way or $5 for a day pass) is the best way to avoid a car, I think. The Del Mar Station on the Gold Line is 0.2 miles from the hotel.

The bus is 30-50 minutes from Union Station because of traffic, but the metro is less than 15 minutes from Union Station to Del Mar Station; the walk will take you less than five minutes from station to hotel.

FlyAway Bus (you’d be taking the one to Union Station): [link]

LA Metro (the Gold Line takes you to Pasadena; hotel is off the Del Mar Station): [link]

Side note: the hotel is über walking friendly. The Paseo Colorado (a big, outdoor shopping/dining plaza [link] ) is right around the corner (including an Arclight movie theatre), and there are 50+ restaurants and tons of shopping (in addition to the plethora in the Paseo) within a mile radius. Unlike nobody walking in LA, everybody walks in Pasadena.

Thank you to all the Buffistas I was able to see during my whirlwind weekend. Smooches to those I missed. We are back in Colorado. Not sure when we will be back to the bay area again, but know that I miss you bunches.

I've been idly perusing craigslist ads for cabins/cottages to rent this summer in Wisconsin and Michigan. Am I right in thinking we have some people who vacay in and around north/west Michigan? (Not UP, or at any rate, not my current plan.)

Since I have no real preferences, other than not too far, it would be good to coincide where and if possible.

I've promised to visit friends in the Grand Traverse region, but I don't yet know when I'm going.

I'll be in the Traverse City area in early August. It would be great to see any Buffistas who are in the area! If you're looking for rentals around there, though, you might want to nail things down soon. I originally planned to go up in July, but all the cottages in my range were booked by the end of February.

brenda, we go to Pentwater with family.