psst... wouldn't Stockton or Merced be better destinations then Fresno?

MMS, you little devil, you! :) Do you think the ***star*** of this board will turn herself in? Naw, not a chance!

We went to the JellyBelly with our kids, imagine their "delight" when they walked in to a portrait of Shwartzenegger made of jelly beans? I don't think they've snapped that many pictures, ever!

LoveItaly~ you are sweet. I hope we get to meet at a real gtg someday:)

Faina~ lol! (in my spy girl voice): I am building a new condo at my local beach. It has an exclusive water view and multiple spas on the richly wood grain decks.
My dh and I adore making new friends from everywhere while we compare winery notes.. in fact, I was able to visit Stellenbosch, South Africa years ago, and I can talk more than just the **local** wineries of the U.S.A.
I admit, I was a cheerleader in h.s., but not to worry, it was wrestling, and I was called a "mat maid". I did it mostly for the swell gold and blue jacket, so flattering to my pale skin.. as always, J.

i dont have anything to add... other than i REALLY want to be part of this GTG. if i wasnt heading west this weekend for a wedding, i would hop out to GA to meet you Starrs.. i think a small GTG would be a good way to get started .. befor the FULL BLOWN one that is ... C O M I N G !!
Also.. as a relative newbie.. where is Stacia's island? i vote for there!

* a random and useless thought occured*

~How would the comfort class seats be distributed fairly? Military experience? certainly. check yes.

~ We can all claim that the seats are too narrow and confining, so which physical limitations, besides long legs, would qualify?

a. Entertainment abilities, excluding karaoke? Just not "99 bottles o' beer on the wall/in the mall/covering Paul/with my rubber doll/under my shawl/it makes me feel tall/ I may have to crawl/I'm sick of y'all".

b.best gift of chocolate

No, I've got it!!(hyperventilating)..
**only those with $16 underpants get to ride up front. case closed.**

The entire plane would be first class.
No coach.

JAGIRL~ brilliant idea, you win!!
A paper poll could ask discreetly, La Perla, Jockey, Hanes or....Depends?!

Another reason I should have listened to my husband. He tried to warn me in fairness that our lawn was heavily limed....
So what do I do? Drag the rim of my big party cup on the lawn and look for tequila. tgif, J.

LoveItaly--No, he flies down on the 8th. Then they go to Monterey for a short trip. Should he do a trip report on where he dines down there? :D LOL! I am pretty sure our DD has put her in Jelly Belly order with him already.

well..jetset...
I don't know what to say...
I have so many people to thank...where do I begin?
I'd like to thank my mother for inspiring me to always be drunk when she got out pf prison...which was so very frequently.
My father for always reminding me to tip the pilot.
My brother...and my fans...how could I forget you all...:">

JaGirl, don't forget to thank the Vikings who are really bad in Scandinavia in September ;)

Sonoma, dear friends, not Napa.
<i>&quot;Friends don't let friends drink in Napa&quot;</i>
You heard it here first.

R5

Good one razzledazzle! I also believe friends don't let friends shop at Napa. It's one of the few places where I wait on line and feel the estrogen leaking out of my body.
There's always the one odd yoohoo who needs to have the guy find an obscure part for a &quot;78 Pinto.
By the time I reach the counter, I ask for a step stool and a rope, then I stand on tippie toes, so they see I mean business!

For those with self control, an open bar will be provided.
Anyone acting rudely will be required to wear spaghetti filled rubber boots for the duration of the flight.
Those seeking more of an extreme ride may opt for one of two &quot;seat pods&quot; located on each wing. It will be see through. Perhaps those with chronic flatulence would prefer this option.
I'm sorry. The inner child needed attention again. Time out.

Lastly, all you Mensa members, answer me this:

&quot;What do you do with a drunken Fodor earl-eye in the mornin&quot;?

Lash them with a luggage tag.

R5

or maybe <i>Leash</i> them with a luggage tag
and an address to ___________ ?

R5

razzledazzle~ silly goosey. Then they run bawling to customer service and demand condensation! Then they rent a car and end up decaffeinated.
well, back to work on my home liposuction kit....

stereo selections while en route to our Silligan's island:
* Fly me to the Moon (big Frankie S. fan).
* &quot;I started a Joke, which got the whole board laughing&quot;
* &quot;Leavin'(meds) on a jet plane&quot;

Tabloid headlines:
*I wasn't strong enough to be in the emergency row.
* I followed the blue and red lights straight to your heart.
* I tampered with a smoke detector who never told his wife.
* Lavatory horrorstory.

I have suggested this in the past, but how about a &quot;GTG&quot; or convention somewhere located very central such as........ St. Louis!!!!

It is smack dab in the middle!!!

$1,000,000 question: what is the geographical center of the US?

NO GOOGLE PEEKING!!!!

It's in Lebanon!!! We can't even have our own geo-center! :((

Yeah Faina, in the middle of a hog farm, but not all scientist agree where the exact center of the US is located.

But we all know the most important &quot;center&quot; is Northern California. ;;)

I can't bring myself to read all of this, but I just want to say that if we are all traveling together, I insist that the oxygen masks be filled with laughing gas -- just in case! :D

I have nothing to say, but must add a #101 post :)

SeeTheWorld, imagine Jetset after sniffing that laughing gas? She's wild enough as she is! Please withdraw your proposition!

Definitely laughing gas. May I make a suggestion? Since this is a fodorite flight, should it be a red eye flight from SF area to Statia's island(I know it is a dutch one but that is it). So, we can party all night on open bar and laughing gas.
About the flatulence problems, no beans will be served aboard this flight.
Definitely some real food will be served. Not the usual astronaut food that they nuke up for us. :)
jetset you are a riot! If you are going to be Captain Kirk on this ship, then we definitely need someone stable like LoveItaly to be your first mate. :)
LOL.....

Girlonthego, STABLE..ME? Oh just because you like the restaurant in SF for you and your darling family..but dear one, stable?

Well OK, maybe in comparison to jetset I am, but then again I don't think anyone on the left coast is considered stable. What say you jetset?

Girlonthego, I know Statia's island is a Dutch Island too..but what exact island is it? I think dear Statia said her island whas the very first country to acknowldge our USA. Hmmm, guess Google would have all of the answers.

And KSWL, about the manicures and the pedicures n, your idea sounds perfect but may I suggest that when you give pedicures that you plan on putting gold flowers or stars on the big toes (there is one of each foot as I am sure you know since your DH is a physician) as that is what so many women in my city have done when they get a pedicure..it is considered &quot;sooooo darling&quot;. Just a &quot;gentle&quot; thought. Baci!!

St. Eustatius (Statia for short).

Discovered in 1493 by Christopher Columbus, Statia is located in the north eastern Caribbean, 150 miles east of Puerto Rico. Statia is an island of 11.8 square miles.

Statia remains part of the Netherlands Antilles. The Dutch government assumes responsibility for Statia's foreign affairs, but the island has its own lieutenant-governor and internal autonomy.

English is spoken everywhere on Statia but Dutch is the official language used in government administration and schools.

St. Eustatius is pronounced &quot;SINT U-STAY-SHUS&quot;. Statia is pronounced &quot;STAY-SHA&quot;.

Yes LoveItaly I vote with my stomach!!! We did love the restaurant in SF. I can't even remember it right now. :)
Does Statia have a clue about our plan? Oh and will we all fit on an island of only 11 square miles? St. Eustasis is one I have never been to. Any good beaches there? :)

girlonthego :)

A little while ago, I notified her on the Caribbean Board...go see for yourself.
I thought it only appropriate that she know she's hosting this *lovely* little GTG :))
You know...so that if she wanted to run away and hide before we get there...

girlonthego,
Apparently they have all of 3 beaches there! :) Mayhap Statia might advise us further! :?

JAGIRL, you sure did, LOL. Well our dear Statia cannot say she wasn't warned can she

If Statia posts about a long trip she has planned within the next week we will all know why.

This thread has been hilarious!! Really enjoyed reading all the crazy responses!!!

I notice no-one has mentioned the most important part of the trip: the chocolate. *-:)
Should there not <i>be</i> <font color="brown">chocolate</font>?
If so, should we not schedule a stop in Belgium to get some?
Is there chocolate in Statia? We cannot have a GTG without chocolate...there are those of us who will be very grumpy without chocolate...X-(

okay you girls~ as you may have noticed, I can shift from sentimental philanthropist to lunatic in mere hours/minutes.
gimme an H, gimme an O, gimme an R, gimme an M, gimme anudder O, gimme an N, gimme an E, gimme an S...
(after landing a quadruple somersault in a flattering skort, so as not to reveal my $1.99 undies)....she then flares her scalloped nostrils, and goes after her local runaway newspaper editor..&quot;lady, my grandpa had less arm hair than you&quot;, and pushes her way to the front of the line for botox trials and the new gummy bear type implant!
&quot;I've been saving myself for my next husband, she pleads tearfully. Pump me up!&quot;

LoveItaly, what was your question? I was taking my evening call from the veterinarian. He says once the fever subsides, to wrap my tail in linen, after peeling the duct tape, of course.
Faina~ did you insinuate that I liked laughing gas? Let's just say that the reason I began to write freelance stuff was because I had a habit of driving around town and laughing to myself over nothing, just like the morbidly insane.
It became so bad, I had to pretend I was on my cell phone to ward off a free cavity search at our local prison!
And guess what? I'm drinking water. I am stoned cold sober. S..c..a..r..y..

jetset--ROFLMAO!!!!! But you gotta move up to the $16 undies:D

mms~in that varicose vein of thought, I will up my ante, hee hee.
listen sistah~ I don't spend endless hours on ye ole treadmill just for my heart and lungs, that would be boring.
Nope, I do that, plus my step aerobics, because I use my derriere to convince myself that I'm still 29.
If only I could convince my stomach now....it's just so not fair having small legs but dunlop disease.

Hi jetset, I knew what my question was..then I was on the phone with my stepson who is leaving Sunday for three weeks in Italy..a looooong conversation as you can imagine.

And now I can't remember what in the heck my question was.

But an answer..although there was not a questions..anyone in Portland should go to to the Blinn Restaurant at Lake Oswega where one of my grandson's is the head chef. The restaurant is right on the lake.. the only one that that is on the shoreline of the lake. Mangia!!!

OK, back to our Fodor's 2007 GTG...I will insist that my grandson prepare crab cakes that we can all munch on why flying to who knows where. Anyone that want's to &quot;crab&quot; about the oroma from the crabcakes will be dumped in the cargo space along with those other Fodorite's that are also annoying.

At least that is my thought.

But jetset is the Chairman..what say you jetset? Will you be a tyrant or will the majority rule?

Did you all hear that? No sillies, not Krakatoa starting up again? My tongue was hitting the bottom of the hot fudge jar.
P-please M-more S-sugar

&quot;dunlop disease&quot;
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
and I thought Fat Tire was a beer...
you are toooooo funny, jetset !

mms and I are laughing so hard we'll cause a west coast earthquake
:))
Now, off to treadmill...

R5

LOL! Sugar does sound REALLY good right now!!!

LoveItaly--I keep wanting to go to Blinns! It probably won't happen til school is back in though. One girlfriend has 4 kids...so I don't need to elaborate, lol! Maybe that will be where we go for lunch the first day of school. That is when every mom is smiling from ear to ear:D

Razzle--the TM?! I had a glass of wine...and am a total lightweight...I would fall off my TM right about now! (done that before and it hurts...I don't recommend it!)

LoveItaly~ okay, my chin is clean again. Kid, I am a true Aries, April 11th for the enquiring mind. So, who cares, you ask?
Well, I believe in having a wonderful and talented staff, sharing ideas and turning them loose, no supervision required.
Honest, I was president of a school board in an Alaskan village once, and it was fun. No one hated me then, and I try to be a good listener, unless I am around self absorbed whiners.. you know, the Myhusbanevah Syndrome.. say it slowly.
Okay, true confession. I can be quite shy in real life. It's easier to sit here and feel like I am Cleopatra, but quite another to be somewhere in public, with people expecting a really big show, before all the wine has kicked in.
Anyhoo, I have no need for power at this stage. Anyone with good organizational skills has my vote! J.

And if not typing properly keeps one from boarding the plane, I will not be on it..of course I meant aroma!