Fodorites will gather about 11AM on Saturday Ocotber 7, 2006 at the Hotel @ MIT, 20 Sidney Street, Cambridge, MA (617-577-0200)... Based on previous comments, we have decided on an earlier starting time to allow for more mingling and exchange of ideas and general conversation...

We have no planned program...ALL ARE WELCOME..!!

We will be asked to be seated, in our private room at the rear of Sidney's Restaurant, about 1PM. Lunch, as in the past, will be either a choice of the week-end brunch buffet (2005 cost $17), or selections from a limited lunch menu, tailored for us, which will include salads, burgers, chicken, etc... Bar service is also available...

Generally we can use the room until about 3PM (its free), and then they ask us to leave...There is an adajacent lounge area for those who may wish to continue their conversations after 3PM...

Lunch is on a cash only basis, with an 18% gratuity added on...NO CARDS SORRY... We do one bill for the entire group for simplicity... We pass the bill around in case you have forgotten prices...

Gpanda (Andy) has, again this year, arranged a banquet dinner at a local Thai restaurant (Similan on First Street in Cambridge)...It is excellent thai food, some spicy, some not... We will gather there at 7PM...It is in the former Lechmere area of Cambridge (east end of the city) and near the Lechmere T station... He has planned a banquet menu so that there will be something for everyone's tastes...This will also keep the price down...

Transportation: As mentioned above the evening restuarant is close to the Lechmere MBTA station (5 minute walk).. There is some on street parking, on the side streets, and there is a huge parking garage at the Galeria Mall, just across the road from the restaurant...

There is limited on street parking at the Hotel...The MBTA stop (Central Square) is a 5 minute walk from the hotel...There is pay parking at a garage attached to the hotel...The hotel is located one short block SW of Massachusetts Avenue, near to the MIT campus and the Charles River...

In addition to local Fodorites, and some from MA, RI and CT, we are expecting some of the 'knowledgeable and famous' from as far away as HI, CA, IN, IL, NY, MD and even Canada...
It's looking to be a fun day...PLEASE JOIN US...We look forward to welcoming back old friends and to making new travel friends...

LASTLY, I WILL NEED TO HAVE A COUNT OF WHO IS COMING, AND HOW MANY OF YOU: SEPERATE NUMBERS FOR LUNCH AND FOR DINNER PLEASE.

PLEASE E MAIL ME (BOB) AT: [email protected]
BY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2006 WITH YOUR INTENTIONS..

thanks and we look forward to seeing you..

Bob and Andy

For those of you staying over Saturday night, there are several hotel options. I expect that many will stay at the Hotel@MIT, although I checked the website (its a member of the Hilton/Doubletree family of hotels) and it is full on the 7th. Nearby (walking distance) to Similan (the evening dinner venue) are the Royal Sonesta whose upper rooms overlook the Charles River and a Hampton Inn which has received good reviews on Tripadvisor. The Hampton has a $200/nt AARP rate which includes breakfast versus $300+ for the Sonesta and almost $400 for the Hotel@MIT. For those that also plan on exploring Boston, all of the hotels are close to the "T". There are suburban hotels with rates closer to $100/nt - the Hampton and Marriott Courtyard hotels right off the Mass Turnpike in Natick are of this ilk. Jeane and I are leaning toward staying at the Hampton in Cambridge, BTW.

For those that wish to stay at the Hotel@MIT, there is still availability if you book Friday 10/6 to Sunday 10/8. I spoke to Hilton reservations about this. They said it is due to "the way the rooms are blocked" and confirmed that there is no availability if you only want to book for Saturday night. If you really want to stay there for just the one night, it might be worth trying to contact the hotel directly.

Before we all get caought up in the excitement of the day, I'd like to say a big "Thank you" to both Bob and Gpanda for organizing this!

Excellent summary,I'll be carrying this with me! I'll be at the Commonwealth, so the T info is very helpful.

Craig- thanks for the hotel tip too.

Count me in for lunch and dinner!

I used Priceline to book a hotel for Oct. 6 & 7. Thanks to Bob for the tip.

glad this is creating some interest....the responses so far are great....this could be the best ever...

fyi...i have a posting on usa and europe as well...

For the out-of-towners, it's always a good idea to have alternate plans for the afternoon. One based on our sometimes glorious fall weather and another based on our sometimes cold and rainy autumn weather. B

ttt

Bob is gone this weekend. Court-mandated community service. Beth and I will be venturing to Similan to test various dishes for the dinner portion of the GTG. Anybody have favorites that they would like us to try?

Gpanda,

Cashew chicken, green curry with chicken, mango sticky rice--please.

I'm not a seafood lover!

Rob

R-Mac-I think we've tried those and found them to be very good. They actually have a better curry dish, called Brown Sugar Curry, it's super.

Andy,

Thanks for the input.

I didn't mean to post that quickly.

The Brown Sugar Curry sounds intriguing. Do the Rolling Stones play along with the meal?

"Sympathy for the Panda"

or perhaps "You Can't Always Get What You Want"

"Under My Thumb". Panda's Thumb? Bob, will never get this "joke".

I just hope that after the GTG nobody says "I Can't Get No Satisfaction".

Don't worry - they'll be saying "Wild Horses couldn't drag me away" from another Boston GTG...

which symphony are those from??

I'm not even going to mention anything about "Beggars Banquet".