Cincinnati is not a very walkable city, I'm afraid. Downtown would be the best bet; you could walk to Fountain Square, restaurants, Macy's, baseball, Taft Museum, contemp. art museum, or the Freedom Center. Plus the oldest continuously operating bar in the city (since 1861). Teppy, do you remember where Kate and DH stayed? They stayed downtown.

We have about $585 for the F2F. According to Pix this will cover the hospitality suite and some snacks and give us about $150 towards prom. If we have prom at our house chances are the $150 will cover whatever we need. If we are having it at the hotel then we will need to pay for the room for Prom and for food and drink through the hotel. Pix should be getting an exact quote on what that cost would be tomorrow, but it will be at least a few hundred more.

Insent, ND.

Maria, we stayed at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Cincinnati. It was fine and within walking distance of at least a few restaurants and museums. We got a Priceline deal on it; I don't remember how much it was, but I know we are kind of cheap, so it must have been reasonably priced.

We are almost there! I finally got in touch with the catering coordinator at the hotel, and we’ve established the food/drink minimum for one of their rooms--I’m going tomorrow to check out our two options.

With the help of some very generous Buffistas, we are now only $315 short of what we will need to cover the HS and Prom at the hotel. ND and I will kick in $100 of that as well as provide sound and BBQ food Friday night.

I’d like to book tomorrow if you all think we can raise the final couple hundred dollars. That total will include two nights of the hospitality suite, open bar at Prom for 3+ hours (I’m working out details now) and snacks. What say you?

Thanks for all the hard work, Pix. Setting up an F2F is a lot, and I know you've had a busy year at work too.

Maria, I've been on vacation all week and only sporadically checked here. Please don't think I'm ignoring you. I'll be back home Sunday and can give you more info then. flea's suggestion to stay downtown is a good one.

I'm afraid that expenses related to my surprise ER visit last week are going to keep me from donating to Prom. I'm currently playing the "cross your fingers and hope things don't clear too fast game." I am sorry, I know I said I would contribute and I would dearly love to.

What say you?

Book it.

Truly not meaning to pressure anyone who can't afford to donate or chooses not to--that's why I've waited until now to book the Prom, honestly. I didn't want to put anyone on the board in the situation of feeling like they have to send money they can't afford.

That said, given a couple of emails from people mailing checks, I think we can come up with the remaining money (we only need to raise another $150 or so) so I'm going to book the Prom room today. Yay F2F! Yay Prom!