Constant Reader discussion

Updated September 12

For our convenience I've made a shorter version of our schedule here. Some further details available in the thread "Information for the Minneapolis Convention." I will also be happy to send more private details by email to anyone planning to attend - simply send me a message through the Goodreads system.

PLEASE check for updates!!

Thursday Sept. 16

7 pm Dinner at Brit's Pub -- 1110 Nicollett Mall, phone 612-332-3908

Friday Sept. 17

9 am depart hotel for Birchbark Books & Native Arts -- 2115 W. 21st Street, phone 612-374-4023

10:15 am depart Birchbark for Walker Art Center sculpture garden --1750 Hennepin Avenue

11:30 am lunch at 20.21 restaurant at the Walker

4 - 6 pm workshop at Minnesota Center for Book Arts -- 1011 S. Washington Avenue

7 pm dinner at Sea Change, a restaurant housed within the Guthrie Theater on the Mississippi River -- 818 S. 2nd Street, phone 612-225-6499

Saturday Sept. 18

10 am depart hotel for sidewalk tour of F. Scott Fitzgerald sites and Garrison Keillor's bookstore, based on Western and Selby Avenues in St. Paul.

11:45 am lunch on patio at W. A. Frost -- insert good weather vibes here! -- 374 Selby Ave, phone 651- 224-5715

2:15 pm business meeting /dessert /readings at my home, email me for address and phone

4 pm book reading and discussion with Gayla Marty at Micawber's -- 2238 Carter Ave. in St. Paul, phone 651-646-5506

6 pm dinner at Muffuletta -- 2260 Como Ave., phone 651-644-9116

Sunday Sept. 19th

9:30 am Brunch at Hell's Kitchen -- 80 9th Street S., phone 612-332-4700

This looks great, Philip. I'm raring to go.

For some reason mysterious to science, I got quite hungry posting all this information!

I'm going to have a hard time deciding when to spend time with you folks and when to spend time with my family! When does everyone arrive?

Thank you, Philip, for putting all this together. Looks great!

That's easy, Sarah! Show up at Brit's Thursday night and we'll kidnap you till noon on Sunday! I mean, we'll keep you busy and happy!

I'm getting in on Thursday afternoon. I'll show Tom the schedule and let him decide what he does with the group. I want to do EVERYTHING with the group.

How many autos will be available? Does anyone plan to rent a car while here? I can ferry three others about town, and I think Lynn will have a vehicle too.

I've been assuming about 10-12 people per event based on responses to the event invitation - adding Leif but not figuring on Tom, actually. But most of the plans are pretty easily expandable by a couple of people here or there.

This looks like a great schedule. I should arrive in time for dinner Thursday night (for a change) and plan to participate in everything you've got planned Philip. Yes, I'll have a car and can take 4 others with me when we need to drive. (I'll have to remember to clean out the back seat before then, though!)

I'm really getting excited to see my old friends and meet some new ones!

Tom will only be at the dinners, except for Thursday, when he's meeting our friends. I'll let you know if that changes.

Okay, thanks Sherry. It will be good to meet him -- he wasn't in Santa Fé unless my memory is even worse than I suspected!

No, he wasn't. He doesn't usually come to the conventions (that's MY thing), but he wanted to visit our friends in Eden Prairie. I wanted him to meet you, too. I encouraged him to come this time.

It'll be nice to see Tom again. I wish he'd hang with us just a bit more.

I'll see what I can do. The Tighes are in the middle of moving, so he'll be helping them pack up. Maybe he'll tire of that for an afternoon and join us for something.

I'm checking with my family, but I'm thinking hard about coming to dinner with you all on Friday night at Sea Change. I've peeked at the menu and I'm salivating. I've been to Muffaletta before so I'll probably do dinner with my family that night. My stepfather is a gourmet cook, so I shouldn't be missing out. :) Perhaps I'll be with you in the middle of the day on Saturday, too.

Philip,

That looks wonderful! I can hardly wait.

I will be there in the afternoon also, but I won't have a car. Is it possible to walk between locations?

Sarah,
You have to be there for the business meeting and the readings. I am requiring it!!

Jane, some of the things are within walking distance of each other, but not everything.

For example, Brit's Pub is about five blocks from the Marquette Hotel for the Thursday dinner.

Sea Change restaurant at the Guthrie Theater is three blocks from the Open Book (Minnesota Center for Book Arts) for our Friday events.

But other things are going to require some transportation.

Bus? Taxi?

Bus would work for some things, though it can take a while, especially on weekends. A taxi or two might be best here or there, if Lynn and I are the only ones with cars.

Tom's going to have a car, but I don't think we can't count on him for anything except maybe a ride to the restaurants from the hotel, if needed. He'll be using it to drive himself to our friends' house.

We have an extra car that perhaps someone could borrow or use to shuttle people about. Let's talk about that by email if it sounds like a good idea.

I wish I could offer some transportation, but I'll be borrowing my mom's car and am (obviously) not even sure which events I'll be attending yet, so I'd hesitate to tell anyone to count on me for transportation. If it all works out, of course, I'd be happy to be the wheels during some events.

Jane--good to know what my obligations are. :) Truly, since I've yet to have the wonderful experience of attending, I didn't know which were the "too good to be missed" events! What if I met you at Frost's for lunch and stayed through the afternoon, then went back to my family? I think that would get me where you want me. If I did that, then I'd be happy to taxi some people from Frost's to Philip's, then back to Micawber's.

That sounds great, Sarah. Thanks!

Jane and Sarah, I think we get there around 2 in the afternoon. This time I gave my travel agent (Leif) orders. No more skidding in late for dinner like we did in Santa Fe and San Francisco.

At least you managed to get there in time for dinner, Ruth, even if it was at the last minute. I usually end up flying after I've taught my Thursday classes, so I don't think I've ever been there for the Thursday dinner. THIS time I'll finally be able to join you all, since it's only a 3 hour drive up there!

Glad to hear so many people will be on hand for dinner Thursday! Brit's Pub doesn't take reservations, but that's actually good since it would be difficult to predict an accurate number if I remember our Santa Fe experience correctly.