JJ5, is it OK if I bring 2 people with me who are visiting from Orlando? They are travelers, just not Fodorites (yet). :-)

wow, this looks like it is actually coming together.

Kristi,
Not JJ here but the more the merrier IMO...

Oh sure, I love this.

Funny, the older you get, and the more friends you have had, some VERY good friends etc.- the more I tend to like to meet and greet NEW friends.

Just think of all the stories I haven't heard ten times each, ahead of me. And the ones I can finally tell again. LOL!

Can't wait to hear some of the travel tales.

What an excellent thought JJ5. By the end of a 2 week vacation my traveling companion and I have started badly repeating ourselves. It will be fun to hear new stories!

JJ5, indytravel,
heh. why do you think I joined this board? I can finally talk travel and not have my have to know if someone's eyes glaze over. And there's always someone who'll came back and say "good job" or "glad you had a good time" or "thank you for your report", however boring or windy or oft repeated the topic is!

I've made the reservations.

Dec. 10 at 12:30pm Cafe Iberico
749 North Lasalle

It's under my name- Jeanette.

I'll post it in a separate thread as well next week.

Thanks, JJ5, for organizing! It's on our calendar. We'll see you there.

JJ5... My calendar just opened up and my husband and I would love to come. I am not the most active contributor here, but I am a frequent reader. I can't wait to meet other Chicago fodorites and Iberico is such a great choice. Can't wait.

Please come, you are very welcome.

I made the number 17, but I am sure that it may be more or less- but I did have to make it in the Non-smoking section, guys and girls.

Rocky, I am sure that some who have said they would come, won't. This is the kind of thing that always circles these kinds of gatherings, and especially with "strangers" in December in Chicago. (Doesn't that sound like
crossing the River Styx?!)

But we shall play it by ear and if we have less or more, we will deal with it at the time. I absolutely believe that there will be at least 15, and if the weather is good- 20.

They tried to push me toward Noon. So I hope we all REALLY try to get there by 12:30.

The reason why is that they have immense business by 2pm and will not even take any reservations beyond 2:30pm right now. I think they want to get our order in by 1.

OK, for anyone who's able to make the mini GTG on Saturday, December 03, 2005 at 6:30 PM...

It's a Chicago get-together with MelissaHI joining us from O'ahu. ((R))Please join us.

For ressie contact Lisa at makaiguard-alohaatyahoodotcom

Restaurant: Osteria Via Stato
620 North State Street, Chicago

http://www.metromix.chicagotribune.c...ning_top_promo

sure wish there were an edit button here... let's try this one:

http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/d...ning_top_promo

VOILA!! >:D<

JJ, can't wait for the 10th also... all this excitement in Dec!

so what is the status of this?

Sorry Vitrad, you must have missed the several announcements.

ALERT TO ALL:

December 10
12:30pm - try to be prompt as the restaurant wants to seat us at that time.
Cafe Iberico
749 N. Lasalle

We are 17 for absolute sures and we ARE going to be there.

Please come, Vittrad. Although I have two people in the hospital now and 1 coming out Thurs. and one Friday- I'm going to make it unless the Metra derails again. LOL!

Oh also

CALLING ALL GTG CHICAGO DEC. 10 FODORITES:

The reservation is posted under the name: Jeanette.

That info got posted before, but not on this thread.

Ugh, I am so ticked! I definately won't be able to make it and am very disappointed. We have 3, yes 3, other parties that day in the swburbs. Have fun everyone! Drink some sangria for me!

We will miss you.

Maybe we could have a Christmas drink (not you, me- Ha!HA!) at Harrisons or somewhere before the arrival date???

email me at [email protected], if you can, and I'll tell you all about it.

Say a prayer for my baby sister today, swalter518, she has a hard surgery today and a long road ahead of her. Also, anyone who reads this. All the more reason to have fun while you can.

It's the Holiday Season!

Hey can you count me in on that drink at Harrisons. As it turns out I will not be able to make it on the 10th. My girlfriends made arrangements for us to go to the Lawry's Dickens Christmas lunch on that day. I am so sad I will miss it.

I'll get back at you. email me at the above email and give me your contact, Nanopalos- I think it would be wonderful.

ttt for the night time people who may need to review or send regrets.

JJ5, just wanted to confirm that I will be there with 2 guests from Orlando :-)

So glad to hear it. I am happy you are coming and will bring some friends.

I'm off myself in just a few hours on a 3 day travel- so I won't be back here to reply. But we will welcome you regardless. We still should be at least 15 and the snow has held up as well- so I hope to see all of you there.

Have fun tomorrow everyone! Wish I could be there. Maybe a mini Harrisons GTG is in the works for anyone near the SW burbs! Post Monday with all the scoop!

And pictures ((p)), we want to see ((p)) ((b))

JJ5- Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it after all. I am committed to volunteer for certain Saturdays in December for the PAWS Home for the Holidays event, hoping to find homes for the many now homeless dogs. The group I work with is in bad need of volunteers tomorrow, so sadly, I cannot meet the members of the Chicago Fodors contingency. :-(

Maybe we'll have to do this again!

topping for Chicagoans

I just wanted to say that I had a lovely time on saturday :)

Ditto Vittrad! It was a great time! I'll have photos posted soon. I'm looking for your email addy as well as ms_go... I forgot to get them Sat. Please drop me a line at makaiguard-alohaatyahoodotcom.

Cafe Iberico was the perfect spot. We enjoyed great conversation... a wonderful assortment of tappas... a few pitchers of sangria... very tasty!

Those in attendance were ssachida, Rocky, mr_go, ms_go, indytravel, sfowler, Vittrad, Kristi and 2 guests from FL, and myself.

Good times everyone! >:D< Cheers!

I was devastated that I had emergency trip and couldn't go. I want to see the pictures.

And I picked the date!

We have to do it again in summer. I know Michigan won't freeze up then.

JJ, I'm so sorry about your missing this. We will have to plan something.

For photos go to:
http://p104.ezboard.com/feuropetogof...21&stop=38

It was a great pleasure to meet everyone who went... and I'm hopeful we can do another sometime in the future.

Merry Christmas everyone! @};-

I know it's been mentioned before, but did anyone notice that burned chocolate scent in Chicago this weekend? Was there a definitive answer on what it actually is? I noticed it around noon yesterday (Sunday) as I was walking on Adams Street toward Union Station....

It's the chocolate factory (I forget the name) but it's especially strong in the winter. I went to school in the Loop right by Union Station and would walk out to the smell of baking brownies...sometimes the smell is good, sometimes burnt. Some people swear they can tell if they are making dark or milk chocolate just by the smell in the air.

I'm so sad I missed Sat. It looks like such fun!

It was a great time on Saturday! I also hope a summer GTG in Chicago gets planned. It's great spending time with others who love to talk travel. Great way to spend an afternoon. Thanks to all.

You'll find pictures here -- thanks to makai11!

Scroll down to the Chicago GTG Dece. 10, 2005

http://fodorite.fisherfowler.net/

Just want add that I had a great time too. Thanks makai for the pictures. Thanks JJ5 for organizing it. Thanks everyone for making it fun!

JJ5 your sister will stay in my thoughts and prayers.

Sorry you missed the fun JJ5! I was looking forward to meeting you :-)

The chocolate factory is Blommer's, my husband used to get their cocoa shell mulch and our garden would smell like Cocoa Puffs!

Kristi, you had a garden smelling like chocolate and still are so skinny? I'm going absolutely green!

Hi everyone-

It was a pleasure meeting all of you on Saturday. We had a great time at the GTG (although not necessarily a great time getting home, which took more than twice as long as getting there...sfowler, you weren't too far in front of us, so I'm thinkng you probably ran into the same experience).

JJ5, I'm so sorry that you weren't able to make it, after all your effort to organize it. Thanks again for doing so!

makai1 - I'll drop you an email this morning so you have my address. And I'm off to look at the photos.

Looking forward to doing this again sometime soon.