So...., I was watching the screensaver flash sunshine meet pictures on my laptop last night and started thinking about our gatherings....
I'm thinking that if we follow past form and have another meet in March, we are entering that "six months out" time frame where it becomes timely for us to start discussing logistics and such.
Are we even planning on having a meet in 2011? If so, are we going to try to do another Sunshine Mix in Sorrento, or change up the location / venue??? I remember thoughts circulating about a meet in the Kentucky / Tennessee area. Whaddupwiddat?
For that matter, does anyone have any thoughts on timing and location???
Before I go any further with what's been on my mind, I do feel that I should say that Tony and Linda have spoiled us rotten with the Sorrento location... They were great hosts who provided great food, no cost for using the awesome space and there was plenty of light from the windows and plenty of tables for our boomers... If they are willing to host again, that should definitely be considered as an option. Those have been outstanding gatherings and I'd support doing another one if that is what the group wants!
But, do we want to keep it as a relatively closed group as it's been in the past, or open it up to the public a bit and tie-in some music to the event kinda like the Dessau meet went down? I seem to remember there was a lot of "we should do our next meet kinda like that" discussion in the wake of the German gathering.
So, I've been giving that some thought and If we try to go that route I may have a location option in the Dunedin Florida area at my parent's beer & wine bar. It's not as large as the clubhouse in Sorrento, but my old man has a bunch of those 10' x 10' collapsible tents he uses for outdoor events and there is a 30-plus car parking lot where we could setup some of those tents and tables. There is no real time limit and we could conceivably hang out until 3am, which is the latest possible official closing time for the bar.... The weather is usually pretty mild in March, so setting up boomers outside should be a viable option. I can confidently say that it wouldn't cost us anything to rent the space. The store/bar would be open to the public in the evening and they usually have some form of music going on, but it's not a rowdy clientele at all and I could arrange it so that we control the music. Maybe even set up a DJ lineup and tie it in to our event??? Might even be able to get some of my house-head buddies to come check out the boomers.
I know budgets are always an issue, but if wives are traveling along, we could also discuss the possibility of engaging a hotel with a more appropriate banquet facility and making it more fun for our "better halves?" More of you may actually be able to attend that way.. I have some ideas in that regard which may make it appealing for the other half, such that the trip might even be considered a mini-winter vacation that just happens to have a boombox meeting at the same time.
I wouldn't mind a road trip up North, either....
Anyway.... those are just some of my thoughts I thought I'd throw out there for consideration.
I'm thinking that if we follow past form and have another meet in March, we are entering that "six months out" time frame where it becomes timely for us to start discussing logistics and such.
Are we even planning on having a meet in 2011? If so, are we going to try to do another Sunshine Mix in Sorrento, or change up the location / venue??? I remember thoughts circulating about a meet in the Kentucky / Tennessee area. Whaddupwiddat?
For that matter, does anyone have any thoughts on timing and location???
Before I go any further with what's been on my mind, I do feel that I should say that Tony and Linda have spoiled us rotten with the Sorrento location... They were great hosts who provided great food, no cost for using the awesome space and there was plenty of light from the windows and plenty of tables for our boomers... If they are willing to host again, that should definitely be considered as an option. Those have been outstanding gatherings and I'd support doing another one if that is what the group wants!
But, do we want to keep it as a relatively closed group as it's been in the past, or open it up to the public a bit and tie-in some music to the event kinda like the Dessau meet went down? I seem to remember there was a lot of "we should do our next meet kinda like that" discussion in the wake of the German gathering.
So, I've been giving that some thought and If we try to go that route I may have a location option in the Dunedin Florida area at my parent's beer & wine bar. It's not as large as the clubhouse in Sorrento, but my old man has a bunch of those 10' x 10' collapsible tents he uses for outdoor events and there is a 30-plus car parking lot where we could setup some of those tents and tables. There is no real time limit and we could conceivably hang out until 3am, which is the latest possible official closing time for the bar.... The weather is usually pretty mild in March, so setting up boomers outside should be a viable option. I can confidently say that it wouldn't cost us anything to rent the space. The store/bar would be open to the public in the evening and they usually have some form of music going on, but it's not a rowdy clientele at all and I could arrange it so that we control the music. Maybe even set up a DJ lineup and tie it in to our event??? Might even be able to get some of my house-head buddies to come check out the boomers.
I know budgets are always an issue, but if wives are traveling along, we could also discuss the possibility of engaging a hotel with a more appropriate banquet facility and making it more fun for our "better halves?" More of you may actually be able to attend that way.. I have some ideas in that regard which may make it appealing for the other half, such that the trip might even be considered a mini-winter vacation that just happens to have a boombox meeting at the same time.
I wouldn't mind a road trip up North, either....
Anyway.... those are just some of my thoughts I thought I'd throw out there for consideration.