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| Should we have an SST Meetup event to see John Williams live in Chicago April 26-29, 2018 |
| Yes, most definitely! |
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45% |
[ 10 ] |
| Maybe, if I can make it. |
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45% |
[ 10 ] |
| No, it would be too difficult to make it. |
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9% |
[ 2 ] |
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| Total Votes : 22 |
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 Morg 
Admiral (Administrator)
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Joined: Apr 20, 2002
Member#: 57
Posts: 428
Location: San Francisco, CA
     
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 Posted:
Thu May 11, 2017 4:42 am Post subject: |
 
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So, we were talking in chat this morning (EuroSST crew) about the upcoming FMF event in Krakow, when DieTeeFee gave a wonderful suggestion.
I know a lot of us who are planning on going to the JW concert series enjoy drinking tea. And I know that we have been tossing around some ideas of places to go for food and drink.
So I got to thinking (after Fee implanted the idea in my head) that maybe we could take in afternoon tea as a group on one of the afternoons that we are there.
I was doing some research on tea houses in Chicago, and just happened to find one that is literally around the corner from Symphony Hall called Russian Tea Time, and they have a wonderful afternoon tea service from 2:30pm to 4:30pm. Check out their website at http://russianteatime.com
I am still constantly checking the Chicago Symphony Orchestra website for more details about the concert series. I will update as more information becomes available.
Also, for those of you who have expressed interest in joining us for this event, who among you is good at calling hotels to find out about group rates? I have never had to do that, and feel somewhat daunted by the task. I mean, I will do it if nobody else is willing, but I am sure there is someone out there who has more experience than I 
_________________
“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols |
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Morg
Admiral (Administrator)
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Joined: Apr 20, 2002
Member#: 57
Posts: 428
Location: San Francisco, CA
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Posted:
Tue Jun 06, 2017 6:31 am Post subject: Hotel group booking |
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Hey all,
So I am starting to look into group hotel booking rates for the meetup. As this is my first time doing this, I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions.
I am wondering how many rooms I should look at booking. Also, do we want to me pay for the rooms and be reimbursed, or do we want to pay for the rooms individually? Either way, I know that most hotels will want a 50% deposit for the group bookings.
I have found a couple of nice hotels near the Chicago Symphony Center with some decent prices, starting around $150 per night per room.
Thoughts and ideas welcome!
-Morg
_________________
“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols |
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 Dragonel
Vice Admiral (Moderator)
Joined: Jul 16, 2008
Member#: 21881
Posts: 411
Location: Dragonia, US
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Posted:
Tue Jun 06, 2017 10:35 am Post subject: |
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As some of us will probably have different arrival/departure dates, I'd think it's easiest to do individual payments. I believe you can usually talk to the hotel and get them to assign an identifier such as "SST" for the group rate. Then anyone booking can use that identifier to get the discount but still pay themselves. At least, that's how it seems to work for conventions.
But you'd need to talk to the hotel directly to get that sorted out with them.
I don't have much experience with calling hotels either, but I'm willing to help if no-one else has stepped up. Or did you start that already?
_________________
If you can't stand the heat, don't tease a dragon |
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 SiriusCreations
Admiral (Administrator)
Joined: Aug 26, 2007
Member#: 18704
Posts: 4419
Location: Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Posted:
Wed Jun 07, 2017 1:43 am Post subject: |
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Put me on the maybe list for the meetup. I need to see if I can fit it in my schedule of next year. Not needed to book anything for me.
_________________
That's the beauty of music. They can't take that away from you. (Andy Dufresne)
Sirius' Concerts
NUTs & RATs |
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Morg
Admiral (Administrator)
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Joined: Apr 20, 2002
Member#: 57
Posts: 428
Location: San Francisco, CA
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Posted:
Wed Jun 07, 2017 1:45 pm Post subject: Update from Chicago Symphony Center |
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Hey all,
So I got a reply from the Chicago Symphony Center with answers to some of the questions we had regarding this concert series. Ticket sales for non-subscribers go on sale on August 11, 2017.
Below is the email I received from CSO Group Services regarding group pricing. I personally am leaning towards the upper balcony or main floor tickets, but want to see what other people are thinking first.
| Quote: |
Thank you for your interest! We would love you to bring your group.
Groups of 10 to 20 have the advantage of paying on invoice rather than immediately and groups 20 or over receive a price accommodation as well. All groups save on service charges.
For this concert the best bet would be the Thursday or Saturday performances, then Sunday. Friday is almost taken by subscribers and more expensive. For the other concerts that accommodation would be $45 in the gallery, $65-70 in the upper balcony, $120 and up in the lower balcony, and $65 to $130 on the main floor.
Exact availability and pricing will be possible after our subscribers are sat (and before single tickets go on sale) in midsummer.
If you would like I can place your group on pre-season list to be contracted and sat first. Let me know your seating and price preferences.
After contracting tickets can be held for 2 weeks and then a non-refundable 15% deposit is needed to keep the holds in place. Up to 20% of the original number held can be dropped until the final payment which is due 60 days before the concert. |
Let me know what you guys think.
-Morg
_________________
“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols |
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Dragonel
Vice Admiral (Moderator)
Joined: Jul 16, 2008
Member#: 21881
Posts: 411
Location: Dragonia, US
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Posted:
Wed Jun 07, 2017 3:27 pm Post subject: |
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Great, Morg
I agree with upper balcony, if others need to watch their budget (I usually prefer that to the cheap seats at the back of the main floor). Or main floor near the front if we can all splurge!
Any day works for me.
_________________
If you can't stand the heat, don't tease a dragon |
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Gert
Lieutenant
Joined: Jul 24, 2003
Member#: 2563
Posts: 228
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Posted:
Wed Jun 07, 2017 7:03 pm Post subject: Re: Update from Chicago Symphony Center |
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| Morg wrote: |
Hey all,
So I got a reply from the Chicago Symphony Center with answers to some of the questions we had regarding this concert series. Ticket sales for non-subscribers go on sale on August 11, 2017.
Below is the email I received from CSO Group Services regarding group pricing. I personally am leaning towards the upper balcony or main floor tickets, but want to see what other people are thinking first.
| Quote: |
Thank you for your interest! We would love you to bring your group.
Groups of 10 to 20 have the advantage of paying on invoice rather than immediately and groups 20 or over receive a price accommodation as well. All groups save on service charges.
For this concert the best bet would be the Thursday or Saturday performances, then Sunday. Friday is almost taken by subscribers and more expensive. For the other concerts that accommodation would be $45 in the gallery, $65-70 in the upper balcony, $120 and up in the lower balcony, and $65 to $130 on the main floor.
Exact availability and pricing will be possible after our subscribers are sat (and before single tickets go on sale) in midsummer.
If you would like I can place your group on pre-season list to be contracted and sat first. Let me know your seating and price preferences.
After contracting tickets can be held for 2 weeks and then a non-refundable 15% deposit is needed to keep the holds in place. Up to 20% of the original number held can be dropped until the final payment which is due 60 days before the concert. |
Let me know what you guys think.
-Morg |
I think the balcony would be neat too, but is it accessible by wheelchair? And I can't vote on a date until I know if I'm coming, but Saturday may be best- you'll have already met everyone at other things, and the entire concert atmosphere will have a more easygoing feel as a result. |
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Morg
Admiral (Administrator)
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Joined: Apr 20, 2002
Member#: 57
Posts: 428
Location: San Francisco, CA
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Posted:
Fri Jun 09, 2017 5:56 am Post subject: |
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From what the Group Services rep told me, the main seating is the best place. We can also get the furthest back seats in the upper balcony without stairs.
If we are wanting to sit together in a group, I would suggest getting seats in the main seating section, just to make sure that accessibility is not going to be an issue.
Thoughts?
_________________
“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols |
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Morg
Admiral (Administrator)
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Joined: Apr 20, 2002
Member#: 57
Posts: 428
Location: San Francisco, CA
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Posted:
Mon Jun 12, 2017 3:31 am Post subject: Hotel Room Information Form and Contact list |
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Hey all,
So, I am starting to gather information from folks to see how many hotel rooms I will need to reserve for the meetup. I am trying to get us rooms close to the Chicago Symphony Center.
For those who are interested in joining us for this epic meetup, I have created a form to fill out so I can better gauge how many rooms to reserve.
Please head on over to https://goo.gl/forms/ic17QaFARuBHuhwA2 and fill out the short form there. This will better help me to coordinate hotel rooms and logistics.
I plan on having it arranged to where I reserve a block of rooms, and have individuals pay for their own rooms upon checking in.
Istagi, I know you have already filled out the form, so this does not apply to you 
_________________
“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols |
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Dragonel
Vice Admiral (Moderator)
Joined: Jul 16, 2008
Member#: 21881
Posts: 411
Location: Dragonia, US
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Posted:
Mon Jun 12, 2017 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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Morg - I didn't fill out the form before as it is a little hard to put in my current position.
I need a hotel room, and may be bringing a friend so wouldn't share with any other SSTer. But exact dates is tricky until we know which day (or dates) we have (or aim to have) concert tickets for.
And PM'ing me through SST is fine for contacting me at the moment.
_________________
If you can't stand the heat, don't tease a dragon |
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Morg
Admiral (Administrator)
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Joined: Apr 20, 2002
Member#: 57
Posts: 428
Location: San Francisco, CA
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Posted:
Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:16 am Post subject: |
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Hi all,
So it looks as if it is going to be the same program for each night. I was thinking maybe we can change the dates of the meetup to April 27th to April 30th, as it does not make too much sense to attend the same program 3 times in a week.
If we switched the days, we could arrive on Friday, maybe do dinner or something, go to the Saturday concert, and then figure out something to do on Sunday, with people heading home either that Sunday or Monday, the 30th.
I also think this is wiser financially wise, as I don't think we should spend more on hotel rooms if we don't need to
Thoughts?
_________________
“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols |
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 Istagi
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: May 15, 2004
Member#: 6652
Posts: 303
Location: ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
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Posted:
Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:31 am Post subject: |
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That sounds great.
all I will need is Airfare food and tickets.
_________________
Try SCE to AUX! |
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Dragonel
Vice Admiral (Moderator)
Joined: Jul 16, 2008
Member#: 21881
Posts: 411
Location: Dragonia, US
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Posted:
Fri Jun 23, 2017 10:12 am Post subject: |
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That sounds great Morg - I"ll start looking into flights |
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Gert
Lieutenant
Joined: Jul 24, 2003
Member#: 2563
Posts: 228
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Posted:
Sat Jun 24, 2017 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Morg wrote: |
Hi all,
So it looks as if it is going to be the same program for each night. I was thinking maybe we can change the dates of the meetup to April 27th to April 30th, as it does not make too much sense to attend the same program 3 times in a week.
If we switched the days, we could arrive on Friday, maybe do dinner or something, go to the Saturday concert, and then figure out something to do on Sunday, with people heading home either that Sunday or Monday, the 30th.
I also think this is wiser financially wise, as I don't think we should spend more on hotel rooms if we don't need to
Thoughts? |
Yep, pretty much the way I was thinking. That was my biggest critique (not a complaint! the event planning was no small undertaking, and was handled well) of the Ghent meet-up: I really didn't know anyone/who anyone was until just before the press conference. Then I was able to speak with a few more people when we walked to the restaurant and then sat down to eat. At the concert venue, not a ton of conversation was easily had. Luckily my cousin was around, but I think I would have appreciated a little more before-hand socialization with the rest of the group otherwise. |
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Morg
Admiral (Administrator)
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Joined: Apr 20, 2002
Member#: 57
Posts: 428
Location: San Francisco, CA
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Posted:
Sat Jun 24, 2017 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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So we hopefully still have your interest? 
_________________
“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols |
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