Art Coloniests (grin) - I've been speaking to my hubbie about the group (telling him what a fabulous

Art Coloniests (grin) - I've been speaking to my hubbie about the group (telling him what a fabulous hour conversation I had with Janie today) and he told me that I just needed to arrange a trip for as many of us to meet up as possible. He said having this many wonderful artists together, discussing our art, our creative philosophies, and being together is worth any workshop price. So I'm biting the bullet and putting it out there. FIRST WEEK OF JUNE IN 2011 - CHICAGO - BE THERE! Hahaha. Actually, I was looking at a map and looking for a fabulous location in the middle of the U.S. to try to get as many together as possible (Iowa? Kansas? Missouri?) and I kept coming back to Chicago. discount travel to maui hawaii Well, its not right in the middle, but it is accessible from any airport, and since Mary and I know the area, we can come up with all kinds of ideas! (maybe even some kind of collective show in Oak Park?) So, here's my idea.... we can all stay at the Wright Inn in Oak Park (across from the Hemmingway Museum, location of Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio, birthplace of Hemmingway). I used to live in Oak Park and this hotel is only 2 blocks from a train station, and about 4 blocks from the Oak Park Art League and Gallery. Oak Park is a beautiful community and only 15 minute train ride into the heart of the City. There are so many things to do there, to sketch or paint there... to DRINK there (Mollie) and I think it would be just fabulous! We woudn't need cars to get anywhere since OP is a pedestrian community. The Wright Inn is a little pricey, but I don't mind piling in a room with several of you all and if we organize it right, we can get rooms that fit us. I'd love to do this for a week-long vacation!! Sunday discount travel to maui hawaii to Sunday... Saturdays there are free concerts in the park in Chicago discount travel to maui hawaii (a must see) and in June the city explodes with vitality and energy and the poppies, peonys, tulips discount travel to maui hawaii are all in full bloom... its gorgeous. There's all the museums... I can't even begin the list. So what do you all say? I'm willing to commit right here and now and I will organize it and make all arrangements. I will fly or I will drive with Mollie (if she goes) and I will take the year to put aside the money for hotel and meals. discount travel to maui hawaii I will dedicate 1/2 of every painting or class I teach or workshop I teach until I have the money to pay for it. I think it will be an opportunity of a lifetime to spend time with you fabulous women (and Guy, if he's willing) I've come to love... and an invaluable chance to live with so many beautiful artists, discussing art, being art, living creatively... I don't think we could get much more education than that!
Let s see how everyone feels about the location. I need a map with pushpins to see where most people are located. The Wright Inn has weekly rates are as low as $425. $425 for a whole week is very reasonable. I m not much of a big city gal on my own, but if I have a good guide I would really enjoy it. There would be lots to do there. Vegas is also very easy to reach and affordable. My high school friends are going through the same exercise right now trying to come up with a centralized city for 15 gals to get together discount travel to maui hawaii at about the same time in 2011. Maybe I could connect the two trips.
Way to pick an out of the way exotic place Debbie! (I ll look into airline tickets.) Actually, (as you already knew) I m thrilled! Chicago and Oak Park are wonderful places for the arts and imagaination. We would have such a creative blast! And Diane, it s not ALL about the city either. There are beautiful parks all around. We have the Morton Arboretum ,the Garfield Conservatory, The Chicago Botanical Gardens...there s something for everyone here. Debbie is a fantastic guide! And if things get too pricey we can always hang out at my place and munch on yummies, BBQ and boxed wine, (I d offer housing but our place is kind of small. I could kick a boy out of his room to sleep on the couch if it comes down to it. Wish I had a guest room!)We also have the Art Institute which is a MUST SEE for those who have never been! And wouldn t it be fun, Debbie, to get a group photo of everyone under the Bean ? I d treasure that!
I m in wherever the group decides to go. Chicago suits me just fine as long as we have a guide (Mary and Debbie). Actually, discount travel to maui hawaii I ve been known to get lost in Manhattan when all by myself and I actually found my way back to Pennsylvania 65000(or wherever discount travel to maui hawaii that fancy hotel was we were staying for Westminister!) And, when I run out of money...there discount travel to maui hawaii s always plastic (Oh..the bill does come later though discount travel to maui hawaii doesn t it???) Sounds like a week long slumber party and lots of fun. Mary..can you find Franzia Crisp White boxed wine up there in Chicagoland?
Wow...Chicago? Sounds exciting! Would someone meet me at the airport? I would need to know the cost and what I would need for spending money...meals, etc before discount travel to maui hawaii I commit. That is my birthday week too. I sure hope that I can do it. I would love to meet everyone and see Chicago. I have never been to the windy city.
Ellie, I d be more than happy to pick you up at the airport, (you have a choice of two- O Hare...which is monstrously huge but maybe more economical, and Midway...which is much smaller but better organized) When we all get together we could celebrate your s and Debbie s birthdays! Mollie can make a foamcore cake (and I ll find that silly boxed wine as an incentive to get her to come!)!
Ya know Diane, that may not be such a bad idea! If we could roughly coordinate airport arrivals I could ferry a pile of gals to the hotel in a rented van, (it would be my part of the deal since I wouldn t have to buy an airline ticket). Now...what do you think of this: Paul and Marla Jackson are wanting to come to Chicago discount travel to maui hawaii to do a workshop, (you guys know them better...I just said hello online). What if they were part of the deal? Debbie? There are a couple of places I know that might suit a workshop...Debbie knows the area better though...
Ellie...we ve got a year to work on our hubbies. You ve got a good start on Arvin. Next month shoot for a monosyllable response and we ll be on track, (at least this will indicate he will have heard you...)
Doris, it would be icing on the cake if you could come... and Christiane, too! Another thought is that one of us could train to O Hare and pick up the travelers and train back. Train would be an hour, but if we get in a crunch... that s always a possibility. I wouldn t want to connect discount travel to maui hawaii a workshop to this, Mary. It will be expensive enough just gathering, and actually, we have more workshop instructors gathering than we d ever need! We can find a way to have a painting session together... discount travel to maui hawaii maybe rent OPAL (isn t it just $50 for day or something?) and spend all day long painting from any sketches or photographs that we take around Chicago. discount travel to maui hawaii That s a leftover idea from when I had put together an itenerary for a trip there to bring my students discount travel to maui hawaii but the trip didn t fill...
Yep, you re totally right about that Debbie! After I wrote the suggestion I immediately withdrew it in my head. (I speak before thinking too...gets me in trouble every time!) We will be pressed for time as it is trying to see the sites and talking and eating and all! This venture should be just about us! I had thought about the train too. That s a possibility though I wouldn t mind renting a van and scooping a few of you up. The train gets old after a while...especially if you ve been traveling all day.
Hey all...just getting from painting all day with the Bullard group, We re trying to finish up our PJ architecture pieces. Whatever has happened to airport shuttles and taxi s? How far is this hotel area from O Hare anyway? I personally wouldn discount travel to maui hawaii t want you to be responsible for all of us, Mary. We have a good deal of time to work out all these little (or big) details before we would actually be coming. Let s not scare everybody off at this stage. If we plan our work, and work our plan, it ll work! That s all there is to that. Perhaps there is a less expensive discount travel to maui hawaii hotel arrangement we could investigate if that is a problem because I certainly don t have to stay at the Ritz! This is just a preliminary thought being talked about amongst us all...and I think we can make it work given some thought and time. I m like Ellie in that I d like to put a pencil to the costs and see what we re talking about and what I d need to put back in order to make this dream come true. I don t invest any money in Starbucks coffee, so maybe there d be some other place I could cut if I saw I was coming up short. Ha! And then, there s always my plastic!
discount travel to maui hawaii Ummm......and maybe I should fly instead discount travel to maui hawaii of taking the train. It might be closer discount travel to maui hawaii for the pick up person aka Mary. Ha! Doris and Christiane if I hit the lottery I will send you each a first class ticket! Like you said, Mollie, we have plenty of time to iron out the details but what a fun trip to look forward to :-)
Good for you, Mollie! Me to! I can fly to Dallas and maybe you can catch the same flight Dallas to Chicago. discount travel to maui hawaii That would be fun. Actually, regarding hotel, The Write Inn is quite reasonable considering this is the Chicago area. And we want to make sure we are convenient to the train line. I m all for other hotels if we can fine a good one that s clean and roomy and doesn t cost a fortune. The Write Inn has loads of character... it is filled with antiques and has a old fashioned lift elevator. Its a grand old place with a French Restaruant there.
Also, we ARE talking 17 months away, so we have LOTS of time to plan and to save. I used to take Dallas to Chicago 2008 for only $230 round trip. Don t know what it is now. And, this does not preclude camping in my yard!!!
I found out why I got the blank stare. Our 50th wedding anniversary is in August discount travel to maui hawaii 2011 and Arvin and the kids were planning discount travel to maui hawaii a trip to Hawaii to celebrate. I hope that I can save enough to go to Chicago too...we ll see.
The Wright Inn looks beautiful on their website and at $425 for a week I think it s a good choice...that discount travel to maui hawaii s on