THE BOSTON GTG 2009 IS ABOUT TO START

a supply of books and goodies arrived yesterday from fodors, thanks katie...

bookchick has also brought some books from borders...

Have a great time at the panda's and Punjab tonight - Jeane and I look forward to seeing everyone at the GTG tomorrow...

Can't wait to see everyone! it's been too long.

Leaving for NYC unexpectantly on some urgent family business so it looks like I'll miss everything as I get back late Sat. night. Anything happening Sunday???

Help, Help, my house is being invaded.

If you feel hemmed in and overwhelmed by all the festivities, go take a spin in the Pandamobile.

Enjoy yourself tonight. Looking forward to tmw.

Best wishes to all and know we are thinking of you in Boston here in Japan. Just about ready to dive into the hot springs and then we'll have a toast to you all. Wish we were there with you. It is a treat to see the Bob and Andy show live in person. Or was that a trick......hmmmmm

Aloha!

it was fun last nite... panda, or rather mrs panda, rolled out a nice spread last nite.... Dinner was good, but service was a bit off.... the post dinner GTG in the rhk's room lasted till 1AM...

looking forward to today

Karen & Bob are the most amazing host and hostess ever. Panda's wife Beth, a stunning and delightful lady destined for sainthood was a wonderful hostess last night at the wine and cheese hour at their place prior to heading to Punjab. Loved the food and Punjab and Travelribbon joined us there which was a delightful and unexpected (by me anyway!) surprise. Craig I am expecting you to really give Panda and laurieco the business over the Yankees most recent win! So good to see Lcuy here after her rathering harrowing voyage on her way here.

Much more news to come. I can't believe I'm back here with all these (mostly) delightful people. Laurieco videotaped Panda's "muscle trick", and we'd put it on public display, but have realized that would merely serve to feed Panda's insatiable ego...

Classic Bob. Instead of having a report about the GTG, he starts a thread about the start of the GTG. Does this make any sense?

Chez Panda survived the onslaught of Fodorites. It was a nice mingle. Of course, once they were drinking wine and talking, it took all my panda powers to move them to the dinner restaurant.

These GTG's are really fun. The conversations are interesting and Laurieco always has a few stories to keep us laughing.

city---nothing planned for sunday.... unfortunately i think we will have to pay for your meal

If Beth is destined for sainthood, there's great hope for the rest of us.

Decent hosting by Les Panda at Chez Eux, although Himself seemed disappointed that no one wanted to join him in the hot tub. Karen insisted that all taste some sort of dip substance that she claimed to have made, and it was actually pretty good. Too early to report whether or not illnesses ensued. Beth mentioned that some Roquefort cheese was available, bu Mr. Beth consumed all of it before the rest of us had a chance.

Dinner at the always-reliable Punjab was decent enough. I was at the end of the table where brilliant and fabulous conversations were taking place. Bob and Andy were at the other end of said table. Some trouble developed at the conslusion of the meal the bill was being apportioned and no one confessed to having ordered the Diet Coke, but laurieco apparently sentenced someone to the stocks so we took the money out of their wallet. lcuy also created a ruckus by complaining to several nearby tables that they were making too much noise,but the Arlington Police did not intervene. (They were called, but they apparently go off duty at 9pm.)

See you tonight at Similan.

Thank you very much for your story! It seems that I also was there with you

<<lcuy also created a ruckus by complaining to several nearby tables that they were making too much noise>>

I know she is such a quiet, demure person herself.

much of the above is misreported...

lol lol lol I wish I was there. Keep reporting for the tragics stuck at home.

This years's guest of honor was Agent Hanuman. He sat quietly in the corner observing the proceedings.
We may have gotten lucky and there will be a few photos of him.

Rhkkmk: just got back from NYC. I'll reimburse you for the cost of my meal! No prob. Just tell me how. I'm glad everyone is having a good time!

I had a great time at the GTG and would like to thank both Bob and Gpanda for paying for my plane ticket(why one way?) and meal. Toward the end I got a bit drunk and I must apologise if I offended anyone with my hula dance.

H-it wasn't the hula that bothered us. It was your skulking around in a fedora and speedo that was troubling.

BTW, Jeane, Craig's wife, has a very amusing set of party tricks. She can balance a spoon on her nose with great ease. Panda had to pull out all the stops to participate. Both of us can tie the cherry stem. The toothpick trick was necessary to put an end to the competition.

What I don't understand is why Gpanda kept sticking dollar bills through my hula thong strap? Oh well - money is money so I didn't mind.

ok you've all been partying long enough - where are the photos?

Yes, where are the photos? We are sorry we missed this year but, I fear if photos were to surface of this year's bachanal and had we attended it would damage my future Presidential bid.

And, was Pook really there . . . ?

thanks to those who came back to my place after lunch to celebrate my birthday, tho it is actually today. Loved those funny cards!
And thanks for the bagged goodies at lunch.
mimi

(hello from Tilton NH)

What a wonderful GTG this has been. It was great seeing everyone once again, plus I got to meet a few new fodorites as well. Everyone is so nice, and so welcoming. Thank you thank you thank you. I promise to return next year!!

And to Laurieco... I went to Coach in Tilton late this afternoon. Wow... I see what you mean about bargains. I bought two new bags so far, and will probably buy one more tomorrow at N Conway. (it's all YOUR fault..haha) Actually, I'm taking two of them to BKK with me (gifts for Maeng and Pong) and then having to pick only ONE for myself.... tough job, but I think I can handle the task.

Color is lovely up here in northern New Hampshire. Hope the weather remains pleasant (cool but sunny).

We'll chat more when I return home.

Carol

Greetings from DC. Sounds like everything went off without a hitch...not that I would've expected anything less from our favorite speedo-clad and long-suffering Bostonians.

We're just back from a long day of marching from the White House to the Capitol Building and, although exhausted, feel more alive than I can remember.

Today may be one of those few days in life I'm not obsessing about Asia, but about something far more important.

Hope you guys all had a fantastic time--and from the sound of it, it was! Congrats! We're sorry we missed everyone this time 'round.

Jeane and I had a great time this year. This is a wonderfully supportive group: Lucy, Carol, Bob and Karen, Laurie and Eric - great conversation kept us up until 1:30 AM on Saturday night - we all managed to make it to breakfast by 9:30 AM to continue the lively banter...

Good seeing Andy and Beth too earlier in the day...

Hope to see all again soon, including attendees in spirit, Hanuman and Dogster.

I'm so annoyed I did not make it - stupid Hartford police closing the streets early for the marathon! Bob, sent you an e-mail yesterday AM - let me know how I can send you $s for my lunch!!!

we just got home now with a full afternoon of riding along the shore of n. massachusetts and s. nh.....some nice foliage is coming...

lucy missed her train so is staying at our place tonight and will take the train to ny tomorrow

more later and pics

It is truly amazing to experience the great organization and camaraderie of the Boston GTG. Thanks to Bob and Andy (and Karen and Beth) for the outstanding weekend. Also to Carol for the wonderful goodie bags--what a nice touch.

It was such fun seeing old and new friends. The Fodors community is really something.

I'm off to Morocco next week while Karen and Bob are on the other end of the continent in south africa. Have fun rhkkmk. Look forward to seeing you live trip report! Lunch at Similians after the holidays, OK?

Good to see you too, Patricia -

Do let us know when you post on Morocco...

What a great GTG! My first and I so enjoyed the lunch and meeting lovely Fodorites and putting faces to “names.” Thank you, thank you, for organizing the event and for the wonderful goodie bags to bring home. Your hospitality was wonderful and made a first-time attendee feel very welcome.

carole, I'm at hotmail. would love to chat more

All in all, it was a very pleasant time. Bob did not ruin it the way he has in the past. After getting stuck next to him on Friday night, I successfully avoided him at lunch and dinner on Saturday. I do note again that Jeane was the life of the party on Saturday night. It was great to have a few new attendees and see the regulars. Maybe, we should establish a Fodors GTG circuit. Why waste my time on my job? Already, planning for the Guest of Honor for next year. Would it be wrong if I made myself the G of H?

HERE ARE THE PICTURES I HAVE:



share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8BauXDJw2aqPPo

Man I look good in that cobra outfit!

You look smoking, Hanuman.

we are all set on the money, but thanks for offering.... they did not charge us for the no shows which is very unusual...

Bob, refusing cash? Is he going to vote for Democrats? Is the world coming to an end?

Great pictures Bob. Looks like you all had a good time. Enjoyed seeing the faces of old friends and also to see the ones we haven't had a chance to meet yet. Was Andy wearing contacts in LA? Don't remember seeing that Clark Kent look before,lol
Well time to jump back into the hot tub, Sayonara for now!

Aloha!

No contacts, Peter. My prescription is very light. I've just decided to go with the icognito look. It makes me look respectable.

All RS fans are going with the incognito look today. Respectable, I don't think so... The team just mailed it in in the 2nd half. What happened with Papelbon yesterday?

Who? He's dead to me!

Thank you again for organizing this. I had a blast and it was so great to meet so many of you! Also, thank you for all the wonderful and thoughtful gifts from several of you. My husband had this surprised look on his face when I returned home with a whole box full of gifts & goodies! I promise I'll drag Mr. yk along next year.

I have just arrived back home after this delightful weekend. Every year I say "this year's GTG was even better than last year's!" and oddly, every year I'm right! Bob & Karen pulled out all the stops for Lcuy and me. Lcuy did manage to catch her train this morning so is on the third-to-the-last leg of her ongoing voyage right now, I believe. (She's still got Las Vegas and California to go.)

I'd like to thank all the kind locals in greater Boston who arranged (mostly) fabulous weather and pretty good displays of colorful foliage for us. Cigalechanta was a delightful hostess on Saturday, and a good time was had by all.

Hanuman, your appearance at the GTG was even more stunning than Dogster's appearance last year. Your hula-dancing offended absolutely no one. Next year's special guest at the Boston GTG is going to have to go some distance to outdo the appearances made this year and last. However, for the record I would like to emphatically state that GPanda is NOT permitted to be the "special honored guest star". While no one who's met GPanda would dispute the fact he's "special", I think most of the Boston GTG attendees would agree that he's not "special" in the "honored special guest" way, if you know what I mean.

Thank you again to the organizers of this event who work tirelessly each year to ensure all of us who attend have a great time, get to our destinations on time, and have enough (and usually MORE than enough) to eat and drink.

BC

it was a fun weekend for us too....now we can leave for south africa tomorrow knowing that most everyone had a good time...

i'm going to be looking out the plane window tomorrow expecting to see lcuy fly by on her way someplace....who else would fly: HI to houston to tokyo to singapore to tokyo to newark to boston to ny to las vegas to CA to HI just to attend a boston GTG (flight cost btw was an amazing $1500)..
plus she slept on our living room floor last nite after i made her miss her train...WOW!!!

on to next year's GTG!!!

bob

Have a fun trip Bob and Karen. You are truly fodors traveling couple.....besides lcuy of course. Say hello to Tarzan.

Aloha!

Yay for the pictures! It took me awhile to find this thread.

Dinner on Friday at Punjab was a lot of fun. It's been long time since I laughed that hard! Thanks to laurieco, lcuy, gpanda, simpsonc510, and bob for the laughs.

Seafox, I was bummed to hear that you couldn't make it. Nikki told me on Saturday.

It was great to see old friends again and meet some new ones. Great job Bob & Andy!

TR

rhkkmk on Oct 10, 09 at 08:19 AM
.... the post dinner GTG in the rhk's room lasted till 1AM...


Ah, NOW I know why locals stay at the "official" GTG hotel!

Thanks to everyone for making this year's GTG the best yet. I really liked the new Saturday afternoon location. Much more relaxing than the old Hotel @ MIT.

Special thanks of course to the rhks and Gpandas for organizing. And to Carol for those fabulous goodie bags. I think I'm going to be selfish and keep that beautiful bag for myself!

Once again, Eric and I had such a great time. It was nice to see old friends and meet new ones. I'm especially excited that we are going to meet up with Stacy in Paris this November. Oops, is this post going to get the axe from Katie because it mentions Paris on the Asia forum???

Bob, you sure do have a talent for getting people at their worst. You should be banned from using a camera!

I'm also back home, safe and sound, now. Lucy, hope you finish all of your travels and arrive safely back in HNL.

How do we top this year's GTG??? I have NO idea!

Carol

Carol, your gift bags were lovely and so thoughtful. As a number of other attendees have stated, I'm keeping the bag itself because it's so beautiful. And the contents are terrific and very useful. I just got a request to make Karen's dip for a friend's little gathering over the weekend, so I'm looking forward to trying it out and seeing if I can replicate the splendid edition she produced for the Friday night gathering at Panda's place. Glad to hear you're safely at home, and that you enjoyed NH.

Laurieco, it's okay, Stacy and I "represent" on other boards from time to time. (This was one of the reasons I stayed with Karen & Bob--my European balanced out the prevailing Asia in their household, bringing a whole new meaning to feng shui!) I think it's wonderful that you & Stacy have made plans to meet in Paris!

BC

Sounds like this may be something that I'll have to do next year. You all and particularly Hanuman look like you had a great time. What's with him anyhow, did he drink too much or is that inside scoop.

Mimi and pastis look stunning, btw.
You may want to post for voyeurs such as myself in the lounge.

Hanuman can definitely handle his liquor. He was trying to look out of it, so he could observe without drawing attention to himself.

Bob
I just had time to sit down and s-l-o-w-l-y look at the GTG pics. You managed to "catch me" with my mouth open or making a funny face in nearly every photo of me!! Is there a delete button?? haha

Thanks for sharing your photos. I was sharing them with my office colleague and telling him about our fantastic fodorite group.

Carol

i have posted the first segment of my south africa trip report on the africa board for anyone interesed

Carol: I'm so sorry I missed you both in Bangkok in August and at the Boston GTG! I had been planning to be there but had to go to NYC on fairly urgent family business at the last minute. Maybe we'll have a beer in Bangkok next year.

Chook dee krup.

OK, I'm totally confused. Who are you people? And what is a GTG?

barefoot
We are fodorites (about 30 of us) who get together (GTG) once a year in Boston. We just met last weekend, so this is a sort of GTG trip report. It's a fun group of people! Maybe you can attend at GTG sometime. They are held all around the world, in various places. Watch for announcements on the various fodors forums.
The BOS (Boston) GTG is always announced on the Asia forum because the majority of us who attend are Asia travellers.

Hope you will join us sometime.

Carol

greetings from capetown where it is in the high 60's and sunny... our room looks out directly on the ocean... we had a mini GTG here yesterday.... watch for my report on the africa board

The Boston GTG is about to end.

Bob will start planning next year when we're in Thailand. The lunch reservations will be made by Christmas. He'll start bugging me to call Similans in January.

And YOU will start phoning him at 9 o'clock on the morning of the GTG asking "Where the hell are you?"!

BC

Good morning, BC... do you have snow on the ground this morning? It's quite chilly here in downstate Illinois, but no snow. (yet) Glad I'm getting out of town Wednesday for a much warmer climate in BKK.
Carol

No, Carol, thankfully no snow, but it's pretty chilly. We've had several mornings of frost and Thursday morning my department was groaning because we had a staff meeting in a conference room where icicles were about to form. ALLEGEDLY we're going to see 60-degree temperatures some time next week, but we all know if we do that will merely be but a brief respite...I envy your ability to return to your beloved BKK where a warmer climate will greet you.

BC

I keep thinking we're really in for it this winter... but weather forecasters are saying "warmer" temps, but a number of "heavy" snowfalls are on the way. Ugh... Hoping to be able to escape it a few times! I hate cold weather!!!

How does the Boston GTG relate to bad weather in the Mid-West? We always have beautiful autumn weather for our out-of-town guests. Not to mention the stunning colors and my birthday. It snowed in Boston on October 16. I don't want to hear any complaints about frost.

"We always have beautiful autumn weather for our out-of-town guests."

Ummmm... I recall a couple of years in a row where we sat inside at the Saturday GTG @ MIT and watched it rain outside. The weather last year was gorgeous; this year's weather was not quite as nice, but do-able.

We now have a warm up in the midwest. No snow yet. So BOS beat us to it this year.

We tried some of that Boston 2009 GTG Indian Dip last night - whipped cream cheese, sliced almonds, Major Grey's Chutney and curry powder...YUM!

Exxxcuuuuusssse me, Monsieur Panda, but I vividly recall attending a Boston GTG in winter, in which the sun shone brightly upon the several inches of snow that had fallen, and Indytraveler and I barricaded ourselves in our rooms in the Hotel @MIT at one point, counting the provisions in the mini-bar and wondering how long we could survive if need be. The streets may have had a cursory salting, but hadn't been plowed, so to venture into them was akin to wading through slop which came up above the ankles. Also, while I cannot argue that the weather for the 2008 GTG was anything less than picture-perfect, this year it was too windy and cold to enjoy sitting in Mimi's beautiful garden. (This was done in 2008 and all attending enjoyed it thoroughly.) Do not speak to me of your beautiful autumn weather, sir--ha!

Craig, I must concur, it's so delish, it makes me long for gatherings to whip this dip together. Karen did well for us. Feed the throngs dip, they eat well for a day--give them the recipe and some ingredients and they can eat well infinitely!

BC

Delusional memories to the side, the point was and remains that mid-west weather has nothing to do with the Boson GTG. Now, Karen's dip is another matter. It is great. Now that Bob is safely tucked away in the Southern hemisphere, we can let the good times roll. Laissez les bon pandas roulez!

Enjoy it while you can, panda... you're only weeks from your BKK adventure w/Bob and Karen.

Carol-don't rain on my Bobless parade.

BC - love your analogy to give a person a fish (or a recipe)...

<<Laissez les bon pandas roulez!>>

Let the good pandas roll??? Okay, what about the "other" pandas???

BC

it took him hours to compose that french phrase

Mais non, Monsieur. Ce n'est pas difficile.

Bob, he just produced two more French phrases above. I'm figuring that took him roughly 6 hours. What sap do you suppose is paying the 6 billable hours for this???

BC

Bob, how is SA? I'm afraid I've not been sneaking over to the Africa board to read up on your trip.... tsk tsk... shame on me! Too busy getting ready to leave for BKK!!
C

we are really liking it here... the people are friendly... i'm afraid that there is still a huge undercurrent of rage waiting to explode however

I'm back home! Finally. The GTG was the best one yet.. This is the first time I wasn't divinding my time between visitning daughter and the GTG, and also the first time I stayed out where the action was happening in the evening!

so many people to thank...Bob and Karen, Laurie and Eric, and Carol for letting me hitch rides to all the activinies, Andy and Beth for the lovely pre-GTG event in their home, Jessica for the cookbooks, Katie for the travel books and bags, Carol and Karen for the great favors, Bookchick for sharing her super housing arrangement with me (!!). and Bob and Karen for including me on the Sunday leaf-peeping excursion. I just love New England buildings and scenery and we even got to have a lovely dinner with their daughter and family. I'd grumble about missing the train to NYC and sleeping on B&K's floor, but even that was fun! Hopefully, I'll put up a trip report once I get some sleep...

lcuy---as usual the pleasure was all ours....NOW WHERE ARE THOSE TRIP REPORTS!!!!

Lcuy! How nice to hear from you! I was wondering if you'd completed your "odyssey". How was your visit with your daughter? How was the wedding? I'm so delighted I could spend some more time with you at this GTG. I was describing you to some friends here in MI and said "this lady has a smile that just doesn't quit!". It's good to know you're safely home now. What a trip you had! Do your dogs even remember you, or did they affectionately attack you?

Ignore Bob for the time being re: reports. After all, Andy always does, on every matter!

BC

Lucy, glad you made it home from your exciting trip! Jetlag must be a real bummer after all that zipping back and forth from time zone to time zone!

C

there is a stiff penalty for ignoring Bob...

What a terrific GTG, sounds like everyone had a great time.

Lcuy -- you have stopped in California (where?) already?

Penalty for ignoring Bob...Two weeks in Hawaii.

Penalty for torturing Bob...a speedo.

Penalty for talking to Bob...self-applicable, no additional penalty.

is 2 wks in HI a reward or a penalty??

Humor is lost on him. How did he ever become a friend of mine?

He's your friend? Really? Makes me wonder what your enemies are like!

Penalty for ignoring Panda...an hour-long diatribe from him
Penalty for torturing Panda...a photo of Panda in a speedo
Penalty for talking to Panda...an hour-long diatribe from him while he's wearing the speedo!

BC, not known as a peace-maker

Andy, I don't think the penalty for torturing Bob is severe enough. Now if it's YOU inside that speedo, well, that might do.

Lucy, glad you made it home in one piece after your around the world gig. It was wonderful to see you again and you can hitch a ride with us any time.

Laurie-Bob will see plenty of me in a speedo. We're spending six days at the beach with him in November. Plus, it's my intention to really embarrass him at thge marriott. Could be a thong in my future?