Ideas Thread for where the Large FL Yearly GTG should be.

[Vanessa]

Some thoughts on this.


First of all, while people may think there is an unfair advantage to being always held on the west coast....that would lead one to believe that people closer by would participate. Since, in all honesty that did not happen, and even the 'locals' for the most part came for one meal instead of the whole weekend, really does not pan out that it gave a large advantage to locals.

Part of the allure of the QM is to -stay- in basically one place with your fellow loungers....to -talk- and socialise. This is something that an event in almost any other place would lack, due to the 'oh lets go see this, quick everyone in a cab' or almost everywhere else.

I say this with the pedigree of having been to the New York event in 06, (see people -do- travel for these things!) and having spent quite a bit of the weekend herding around, instead of relaxing socialization. It was lovely, but it was not the easy everything in one -classy- place of the QM. In essense, it was a different event.

The joy of the QM is that it is not -conventiony- feeling, for the most part. One can come aboard, and not leave for the weekend, and pretend it is the Mid Atlantic 1937. That ability to spend the weekend in the time travel machine we all keep clamoring for...is -why- the QM event is -the- Event...rather then a rotating Shriners convention.

What she said, with an added: shore excursions could be arranged for those cursed with boredom aboard the ship, similar to this year's jaunt over to Ft. Mac or previous year's trips to Disney or shopping.

 

[mike]

I think the Queen Mary sounds wonderful! And I look forward to affording and working it into my schedule hopefully soon!

Did I miss something, was there talk about one event replacing the other? I didn't mean that in talking about NYC possibilities.

 

[dhermann1]

The problem is that there is a widespread bias towards POVERTY among most of us. That's why I think it's interesting to see a couple of regional "factions" growing up in the Lounge. There's a London gang, a New York/Pennsylvania/New England gang, an Arizona gang, a Seattle/Portland gang and a quiet but seemingly very cool Southeastern gang.
If we New Yorkers, or Northeasterners, want to arrange somerthing (and we obviously do) then let's get our heads together and do it. If it's a success, then we can think about doing it again. As New York-o-centric as I am, there's something about the QM that sort of makes it the FL Mecca, and that really shouldn't be messed with. You really can't change your place of birth.
Why don't we New Yorkers plan a get together some time during this holiday season and, aside form doing a little partying, maybe we could talk about this whole idea. A Montauk Club Friday night, or maybe even Sunday brunch?
Or anywhere.

 

[scotrace]

Zemke Fan has a swellegant idea here.

(And yes, whatever we do will have to be on a shoestring budget - nobody makes any up-front $ outlay. )

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

Why don't we New Yorkers plan a get together some time during this holiday season and, aside form doing a little partying, maybe we could talk about this whole idea. A Montauk Club Friday night, or maybe even Sunday brunch?
Or anywhere.

This sounds like a great idea.

 

[Feraud]

Vintage Train ride.

Mike and I will probably be doing the vintage train ride on 12/14.
Who else is in?

 

[Barbigirl]

Coordination and finances

Now, my perception is that the organizer of events that require downpayments is going to get the short end of the stick when that money comes due. If someone in NYC, L.A., or Des Moines has a way to deal with that, then we should do something. If not, I can't imagine anyone wanting to take the risk.

NYC is expensive (Boston just as, I might add) but there are lot of Loungers here that could certainly share their places for a night or two. That leaves just subway costs and entertainment costs, after the cost of a flight.

I am not sure if the cost of staying overnight is prohibitive for some people (I have family in the area I could stay with, but the QM event is only moderately appealing to me for the money), but if so, maybe free lodging would help.

Just my .02
We didn't put up a deposit for any of the QM group activities. It was all about coordination and building a rapport with the QM folks to get them to accomodate the group without additional financial benefit to QM.
We didn't have a band or an official dance floor, because that would have been so cost prohibitive but my sense is the folks enjoyed the impromptu dancing on Saturday night. I think everything else went off smoothly.

The reality is these days, traveling anywhere is expensive and things must be planned suepr far in advance.

 

[dhermann1]

Vintage Train Ride

Unless I get struck by lightning or step on a land mine, I'll be there!
And I'd like to see their Holiday Train Show at Grand Central. And since I'm right across the street, I expect I'll check the Holiday Train Show at Bronx Botanical Garden this year, at long last.
So . . . if we do a train trip on the 12th, how about a brunch as well?

 

[mike]

Mike and I will probably be doing the vintage train ride on 12/14.
Who else is in?

and I actually do have a full gorilla outfit if we want to do a Charles Gemora 'mad ape on the loose' sorta thing

 

[dhermann1]

Mike, you're a sick puppy. That's why I like you.

 

[mike]

Unless I get struck by lightning or step on a land mine, I'll be there!
And I'd like to see their Holiday Train Show at Grand Central. And since I'm right across the street, I expect I'll check the Holiday Train Show at Bronx Botanical Garden this year, at long last.
So . . . if we do a train trip on the 12th, how about a brunch as well?

ought we move this to the NY thread?!

 

[Feraud]

and I actually do have a full gorilla outfit if we want to do a Charles Gemora 'mad ape on the loose' sorta thing

Bring it. How can we not have fun with a gorialla suit?

Brunch is a fine idea.

 

[mike]

Mike, you're a sick puppy. That's why I like you.

I picked up a garage/trash band from LaGuardia Airport one early morning dressed in it with a big sign saying "Monsters! Welcome to NYC! Follow the ape home!" haha
AND this was post 9/11 AND I didn't get arrested lol

 

[dhermann1]

I can just see it. Mad ape on the loose, sitting quietly in his seat on the train, reading the Times, and nobody noticing anything out of the ordinary at all.
As far as which thread this should be, I think we're discussing more than just a New York meet up here, aren't we? I mean, gorilla suits notwithstanding?

 

[mike]

Bring it. How can we not have fun with a gorialla suit?

Brunch is a fine idea.

Well, it's in storage still, I used to dj in it often before I headed to LA. In all seriousness, I would bet dollars to donuts it would be considered too suspicious on the subway during the holiday season. Whaddaworld :rage:

 

[Feraud]

Well, it's in storage still, I used to dj in it often before I headed to LA. In all seriousness, I would bet dollars to donuts it would be considered too suspicious on the subway during the holiday season. Whaddaworld :rage:

Actually, I will guess if you told people you are headed to the "Rockefeller Center Biggest Gorilla in The Big Apple holiday contest" no one would say otherwise.

 

[mike]

Actually, I will guess if you told people you are headed to the "Rockefeller Center Biggest Gorilla in The Big Apple holiday contest" no one would say otherwise.

maaaybe... I'll see when I can get it out of storage lol

 

[FedoraGent]

Okay so this is weird...

I started the thread...and yet it says that Lady Day started it. Weird. Oh well, good discussion on this one. Regional vs. Large Event...either way we shouldn't miss the point that we are getting out into the REAL WORLD to socialise and not just stuck in the ether.

FG.

 

[scotrace]

FedoraGent, when I merged the others into this one, those posted before your initial one here got inserted first. Posts always merge in chronological order.

I tried to fix it, but... [huh]

 

[John in Covina]

I started the thread...and yet it says that Lady Day started it. Weird. FG.

********
WHat's weird is her post is a response to something I wrote, so it sounds like it came out of nowhere. People must wonder who's this John she's replying to?lol