A Friend is celebrating a birthday next month, and because her favorite band is playing in Chicago she's celebrating up there. And she's invited her friends to join her, though lo they are legion and scattered to the far corners of the earth.
You realize this is a chance to travel while leaving the dog at home to stay with Gary.
Hotel. First, I get to pick a hotel. This means I get the list of hotels off Concierge.com, Jetsetter.com, and fivestaralliance.com, and then I cross-reference only hotels that appear on all three lists to make a Master List, then I look through Google images to find actual traveler images of the hotel rooms at their worst.
I then make a spreadsheet of the finalists with columns detailing the square footage*, price, airline points, and if there is tea or not. And only then do I decide on the hotel I had in mind when I started, and not just because it has a personal motorized watercraft on site. (I don't even know what that means.)
*This time I ruled out two hotels because the rooms were 600 square feet. I don't need a room that big. I'd much rather have a tiny well-appointed room. They both have the same beds and tvs. Why pay for air?
Travel. I am joining the road trip to Chicago, but I'm staying an extra day then flying home. If you again take the Gary discount (in that I'm not paying for his ticket), then the extra night in the hotel almost pays for itself.
Events. Every time I go to Chicago with Gary we spend all our time in museums. I'm planning non-museum events. For example, in addition to hanging out with the Friend and her far-flung friends, I'm sitting front and center for Book of Mormon. Gary said he didn't want to go when it came to Saint Louis, so I just sank the money for Gary's ticket into my own. I thought about going to the Sunday Gospel brunch at the House of Blues, but I've read some bad reviews.
I am liking this so much.
I always love planning a trip, although I'm less rigorous about choosing the hotel--generally just check TripAdvisor.
I hope you can get in to see The Book of Mormon. Maybe not a problem in Chicago. I had wanted to see it in NYC last October. In August, I tried to book tickets and found those available to be really expensive--over $600 per ticket. Something to do with the Presidential campaign? Supposed to be a great show, but we ended up with the Jersey Boys--also very good.
Posted by: Arlene | January 11, 2013 at 05:53 AM
I'm so jealous. I want to see The Book of
Mormon.
Posted by: hattie | January 11, 2013 at 11:43 AM
I'm hoping to get to Chicago for a first visit sometime within the next year, so I shall be watching with interest.
I really enjoy travelling without my husband.
Posted by: Big Dot | January 11, 2013 at 02:09 PM
Sounds like a wonderful plan. I'm going to copy your hotel selection protocol in future.
I like traveling alone.
I went to the House of Blues Gospel Brunch (but this was probably 7 or 8 years ago) and I was disappointed at the food and the music. And I really wanted to like it.
Posted by: Lena McGill | January 11, 2013 at 09:58 PM
Arlene - Most of the seats that are left are obstructed view - but there's exactly one dead center six rows back. Insane!
Hattie - It's coming to Saint Louis in February, to a better theater with no obstructed views, but I wouldn't have an excuse for ditching Gary. (Instead I'm ditching the birthday girl. Cold.)
Big Dot - Art galleries are on every corner. And they've cleaned it up a lot since I went in seventh grade. Back then clumps of dirt would blow off the buildings and hit you in the face.
Lena McGill - Well, after I picked the hotel I read frightening reviews on TripAdvisor, so I don't know if I'd recommend it. And yes, reviews of the Gospel Brunch are 50/50.
Posted by: TheQueen | January 12, 2013 at 12:01 AM
That sounds like so much fun! Hope you have a blast :)
Posted by: Autumn | January 14, 2013 at 01:48 PM
Autumn - I think I will. I found out the reason Libby's friends are far-flung is because they're internet friends, so that makes them fun right there.
Posted by: TheQueen | January 14, 2013 at 11:49 PM
You're not supposed to use my name, dammit. I'm Hot Mom. And my friends are far flung because it's more fun that way.
Ditch me for Book of Mormon. I'm a heartless cow; I'd do it to you.
Posted by: Hot Mom | January 21, 2013 at 08:02 PM
Hot Mom - I know. Happy Birthday, I've got something better to do.
Posted by: TheQueen | January 22, 2013 at 11:20 PM