Hi SC!!

The only argument or point at least for me, as far as the rooms go, is the fact that Becky went thru trouble to get the room and rate. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't hesitate to switch.

This is why I thought if Becky could check into the other Hilton (which has smoking), and we could simply change from one of the Hilton chains to another,and it'd look good for her, since she was pushing for these reservations at these prices, instead of our 10 cancellations at one time.


You make an excellent point, as far as drinking and having to travel afterward. Who's gonna want to drive? As does SB as far as smoking in the room. Can't disagree with any of it.

I didn't realize there were so many smokers. How many rooms did we book and how many were smoking rooms. SB named at least 5 I think. Do we outnumber the nonsmokers?

TIS

SC, I think that under the new law, smoking is no longer allowed in ANY bar or lounge. Just like in New York and Jersey. So for that matter I don't think it matters what lounge we hang out and drink in.

I'm with you though on the traveling part. Who the hell wants to shlep back to the hotel, be it by cab or our own car, after drinking? First of all I won't drive when I drink. And secondly I like having the ability to just stagger back to me room when I've had enough. ( Geoff taught me that trick).

For me, no matter where we wind up staying, I prefer that we drink and party in the place where we have access to our rooms, right upstairs.

And yes, I think that we need to all stay together in the same hotel. That's the whole idea of our having a get together. This way none of us will have to worry about getting back to our hotel, or have to worry about someone being too drunk to drive.

WE NEED TO HAVE ONE BIG PARTY..... TOGETHER!!!!!!


Don Cardi

Someone pack one of those fold-up tables. We'll grab a couple chairs and make our own smoking lounge right outside the hotel door.


TIS

Wadda ya think we're stayin in Brooklyn?


Don Cardi

Ha ha!! Why? They do that in Brooklyn?


TIS

Look, I tell you what!! Bring some sleeping bags, Mama Babe will cook the spaghetti, we'll put the trilogy on the bigscreen TV, we'll have some wine, and you can smoke on the patio. In case of rain, I will allow the smokers to smoke in the garage. I will only charge $50 per night, and we'll have a great time.

JG, as cabana boy, will distribute towels and bring the drinks poolside. Plaw will have a poker game going. TIS and I will coordinate the shopping trip. Becky will be the DJ. DC will head up the blackjack table. And SC and Mr. Babe will try to figure out how to break OUT of the pool.

In the meantime, get your cheesecakes in the freezer. We're in for a rip-roaring good time!!

Hey, SB, you just gave me an ideas!


Why don't we all chip in and rent a Suite for Saturday night where we all can just hang out and party! We'll hire a Bar Maid or Tender. We'll bring our own booze and snacks! And a bottle of Air Freshner for the smoke!


Don Cardi

I guess DMC won't be there

You kidding me? When we were kids the old people on the block used to sit out in front of their houses, on the stoop, smoking, drinking and playing cards while the kids played stickball in the street.

Where do you think the idea of 'Block Parties' came from?


Don Cardi

Yes you will DMC. Your the "blue Jean model"


TIS

Wadda ya takin about? DMC is da bouncer of da joint!


Don Cardi

I say screw the hotels we'll just go camping instead. I have 2 big tents, a kitchen tent, a camping toilet, a shower tent and a water heater for the shower, coolers, Lanterns, camping stoves, a fire ring. Just bring your chairs and sleeping bags.
PROBLEM SOLVED. See now you can smoke and drink around a bon fire so you won't have to shlep back to anywhere.

I don't think anyone is treating smokers a second-class citizens, trying to make them feel guilty, or saying that they shouldn't enjoy themselves. I don't think anyone mentioned terms like 'ruining plans' and 'spoiled brats' and 'dirty nasty habit'.

Did anyone say anything like that anywhere in this thread?

I happen to agree that the smokers got a raw deal here. If this were a personal vacation, set up individually with our families, then it would be perfectly understandable and RIGHT for anyone who doesn't like this ban to cancel and go find another hotel, another city, another whatever.

The difference and I think it's a BIG difference...is that this is a GROUP OF FRIENDS who have made plans to get together for a weekend. A close relative of one of these FRIENDS put quite a bit of effort into obtaining accomodations in a nice place, at a very good price. So that approx 10-15 people who most of the year only converse through cyber-space can see each other, relax and have a good time together for a single weekend.

Not a week, not a month. A weekend. Two, maybe 3 nights out of a year.

And for some of us, one stinking night.

The ability to smoke itself has truly become small potatoes here. IMO it's now a different issue.

The issue is NOT who the majority of smokers is...it is the majority of who feels it would be a good idea to switch hotels. And if enough do want to switch, then believe me those who do NOT want to switch WILL lose the special rate. And the party will be split up.

So please don't try this reverse guilt crap. As I've said...it goes both ways. Anyone need more time to think about it? Do we need to hear from other attendees who might not yet have been filled in on the story?

Fine...let's make a decision by the end of the week.

Really looking forward to seeing y'all...

AppleOnYa

Tsk Tsk Tsk Mig!! I am not a camper. I went once and got laughed at because I brought my electric frypan with me. And all those creepy critters of the night!!

TIS

Well said Apple, I must admit. But you should have ended it right there. That paragraph alone was good enough on it's own to get your message across.


Don Cardi

TIS,

Thanks for reminding me I have a electric skillet also. Oh yeah I have a grill to. That way we can have Filet Mignon steak. You and SB can bring the frozen cheesecakes.

Not only will the rates be higher if my Becky can't work her magic like she did before. God Bless her. Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't the other hotels farther away which means we will have to use our cars. And I wasn't planning on using my car unless I had to. On a personal note I have to foot the bill for Becky to. She can't afford it now so I have to. So I can't afford higher rates. So on that note I might not be able to come. But whatever.

You're probably right...just so happens I was on a typing JAG!!

Call it a 'Sonny' reaction to a preceding post.

I suppose I can play nice & edit a bit. Am sure most have had the time to read the whole shebang.

Bullshit! (sorry Mama )

Who put dis ting togetha? Chu, das who! Who do I wanna see besides TIS? Chu, das who!


This has gone far enough in my opinion. When someone as sweet as MIG begins to get so upset that she considers not attending, then that tells me that it's gone a bit too far.

Bottom line is that TIS is traveling across country to see ALL of us, Mig, by the time she's done driving, is traveling around the country to see ALL of us, and Becky was nice enough, after meeting some of us for the first time, to put something together for us to have a get together and get us a great rate.

So I think that at the very least we owe it to the three of them to make an effort to stay together at the same hotel and not turn this into a fiasco of 4 people staying at one place and 3 people staying at another.

To let that happen would defeat the WHOLE purpose of having this GangsterBB get together in the first place!

So let's cut out the selfish bullshit now and do what we originally set out to do : See each other, be together for a weekend and have a really good time!


Don Cardi

Oh, Apple, please climb down from that very, very, very high horse and don't try your reverse crap on ME. I made a point and expressed my feelings. If it wasn't for the fact that this was a group, that Becky had gone to trouble, etc., my reservation would've been canceled already. As I've said many times, I will go along with the majority. However, I have every right to state my preference without being made to feel like a selfish bitch, which I'm fairly certain was your intention.

DC, it's a shame we can't use your idea and get an extra room to use. DMC, what would a party be without you??? However, I figured you would be busy sucking up to Mr. Babe, doing dishes, etc.

Mig, I did go camping once. I was, alas, not very good at it. I sucked at making fires and setting up the tent. But if you need a resident clown to entertain you on your camping trip, I'm your gal!!

Whenever you get a large group of people together, it's difficult to make everyone happy. As far as I'm concerned, Mig and TIS are coming the farthest (or is it furthest, JG), and as DC suggested when it was time to choose the restaurant, let those two ladies decide via PM, and I will abide happily by their decision.

Darnit!!!

There goes my idea of riding into Philly on a very, very, very high horse!



See you guys in August .

Apple

Can't wait!!!

Well it'd take me forever to get there by horse, so I think I'll fly (in a plane of course :p )


TIS

So are we going to Shula's, La Veranda or The Moshulu?

:p :p


Don Cardi

So the camping is out then huh

SB,
Does that mean you're not bringing the frozen [img]http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:ol...-cheesecake.jpg[/img]

"So are we going to Shula's, La Veranda or The Moshulu?"

Depends...whichever is closest to the hotel.

:p

The heck with the dessert, bring me either pasta and meatballs, or a nice juicy steak, potato (Sourcream, chives & butter) and salad and I'm a happy camper. :p


TIS

Just give me a plate of biscuits and gravy and I'm a happy camper.

I went to Philly with my son's school back in 2002.

We saw most of the historic sites in the city, the liberty bell, independance hall, etc.

But I thought that this place was pretty interesting :

http://www.fi.edu/


This time though, I want to get into the MINT. When we went on my son's school trip in 2002,the MINT was closed to the general public because of 9/11, so we were not able to see the MINT.


Don Cardi

DC- Going to the mint sounds good to me. Col. Slade is a coin collector and I could find some Christmas presents.