Chicago/Midwest GTG

minskat30

Alrighty ladies of the Midwest.  Who wants to have a get together in Chicago?  Any times that really don't work for people?  Are week nights out?  Weekends better?  I'm pretty open whenever. 

loves2shop4shoes

Raises hand.  I'm there!

I am starting a new job either on 9/23 or 9/30, so before then, I'm always free.  I can be pretty flexible though.  I'm always flexible on weekends.

Also, FTR, @buggle2 will be in Chicago visiting me this weekend, if you all want to do something then.

Any ideas of where we should have it?

minskat30

I could do this weekend!  I'm the absolute worst at picking places to go...seriously, it drives my friends nuts.  I vote for something near the El/bus line so it is easy to get to.  We could do something downtown like Quartino or something similar.  I live on the North side (near Wrigglyville) but I'm game to go to any neighborhood.

Stina51286

Not cool How about you all drive up here and get me wasted for my bachelorette party this weekend? We have a bus! lol

loves2shop4shoes

Stina51286 said:

Not cool How about you all drive up here and get me wasted for my bachelorette party this weekend? We have a bus! lol

Stina, where do you live?

CASK85

@Stina51286 lives in Wisconsin, near-ish to Green Bay if I'm not mistaken. 

I'm out for this weekend. I have a big committee meeting next week and I have to bust my ass to be ready. The weekend after that is DH's bday. So probably out too. After that I am more free, but if you all want to do a G2G without me, I promise  I won't be hurt. 

loves2shop4shoes

cschiano said:

@Stina51286 lives in Wisconsin, near-ish to Green Bay if I'm not mistaken. 

I'm out for this weekend. I have a big committee meeting next week and I have to bust my ass to be ready. The weekend after that is DH's bday. So probably out too. After that I am more free, but if you all want to do a G2G without me, I promise  I won't be hurt. 

YOU WILL NOT GET OUT OF OUR G2GS, HOAR!

minskat30

Agree with @loves2shop4shoes.  I suppose a week's notice is not enough anyway.  How about the second or third weekend of October?

Stina51286

@cschiano you are correct. 20 mins south of Green Bay.

I wont be able to do anything for probably at least a month or more with the wedding and then our honeymoon after that.

suzie211

YAY!!!  This makes me happy!   The second weekend in October works for me!   The third a friend is getting married, but I could meet up for lunch before heading to the burbs.

As long as I don't have evening customer appointments, week nights work for me.  Saturdays in the Fall are pretty much all day football fests for H, so I usually find something else to keep me occupied.  I like football but nowhere to the level he does! 

lennonkdc

with enough notice I might be able to come in from CLE for a GTG (thats is if @loves2shop4shoes could put me up for the night, I'm small, I clean up after myself and I promise to cook at least one meal as payment) 

suzie211

I am also game for something like Quartino's.  I live in Bucktown, but will travel:)   I'm currently obsessed with Webster's Wine Bar in Lincoln Park which also has small plates like Quartino's, and would be more in the middle of everyone here.

minskat30

@suzie211 - I hear you on the football.  I'll watch a game now and then (especially it if involved some gluten free pizza) but H watches nearly every game it seems.  I love him so I put up with him being a remote hog during the fall/winter. 

@lennonkdc - It would be awesome if you could make it.  I'd offer to put you up if you can tolerate a huge, loud, slobbery, monster of a dog. 

@stina51286 - We could always push it out to November but I don't want to try to plan something around the holidays.  Lets see what works for anyone else that wants to chime in in the next few days.  Are you all set for the wedding?  Where is your bachlorette party going to be?

loves2shop4shoes

I'm game for 2nd week in October!  I believe MIL is planning to visit the 3rd or 4th week in October, so whenever that happens, I can't.  2nd week should be fine for me though.

@lennonkdc, as long as you don't mind crashing on my UBER comfy couch, and are not allergic to cats, you're more than welcome to come stay with me.  I'd recommend taking a bus from Cleveland though...as parking can get expensive in my area.

I live directly in downtown, right near where Streeterville touches the Gold Coast.  I'm game for anywhere near a subway...or obviously anything downtown.

CASK85

I'm fine with the second or third weekend in October, preferably a Saturday as I am glued to the TV during NFL games. Of course I could probably be dragged away. lol

ETA: I live in Uptown, but I can travel easily wherever the CTA goes. 

suzie211

loves2shop4shoes said:

I'm game for 2nd week in October!  I believe MIL is planning to visit the 3rd or 4th week in October, so whenever that happens, I can't.  2nd week should be fine for me though.

@lennonkdc, as long as you don't mind crashing on my UBER comfy couch, and are not allergic to cats, you're more than welcome to come stay with me.  I'd recommend taking a bus from Cleveland though...as parking can get expensive in my area.

I live directly in downtown, right near where Streeterville touches the Gold Coast.  I'm game for anywhere near a subway...or obviously anything downtown.

Sad, but true parking is expensive.  I'm pretty sure the Mega Bus comes at least once a day. and if you do drive and want cheap parking there's plenty of free parking over by me.  Its a couple miles northwest of @loves2shop4shoes lives, but would be free.

minskat30

suzie211 said:

I am also game for something like Quartino's.  I live in Bucktown, but will travel:)   I'm currently obsessed with Webster's Wine Bar in Lincoln Park which also has small plates like Quartino's, and would be more in the middle of everyone here.

I love Webster's!  I'm sort of biased though as that is where H and I had our first date.    I'm also jealous that you live in Bucktown.  H used to live there and loved it but I had already bought a condo in Buena Park/Uptown while he was renting in Bucktown thus he had to settle for my neighborhood.

suzie211

minskat30 said:

suzie211 said:

I am also game for something like Quartino's.  I live in Bucktown, but will travel:)   I'm currently obsessed with Webster's Wine Bar in Lincoln Park which also has small plates like Quartino's, and would be more in the middle of everyone here.

I love Webster's!  I'm sort of biased though as that is where H and I had our first date.    I'm also jealous that you live in Bucktown.  H used to live there and loved it but I had already bought a condo in Buena Park/Uptown while he was renting in Bucktown thus he had to settle for my neighborhood.

Oh fun!  H and I's first date was at Wells on Wells, but we went to Webster's the night we got engaged to celebrate:)

One renter and one owner can complicate things!  H actually owns his place, but it's a one bedroom and I work from home most days.  It would've been too cramped for both of us and my work stuff.  So we're renting his place Lincoln Park condo to an awesome MBA student and are renting our house.  It works for us right now. 

We're actually trying to decide if we'll keep the condo as a rental or if we should attempt to put it on the market next summer.  We'll see!  If we sell, I'm not sure how much it will help with our down payment.  So I'm leaning as keeping it as a forever rental.  Ha!   We're also looking at buying a little closer to you in Roscoe Village.  I love Bucktown and will be sad to leave, but we'll probably get more for our money by heading north.

minskat30

@suzie211 - Actually we were a dual-owner plus renter when we were dating (H owns a tiny one bedroom condo even further north than where we are now, H was renting because it was too tiny for him and I own our place...thankfully H can always manage to rent out the place he owns for the amount of the mortgage/fees) You will definately get more bang for your buck here.  H's two bedroom rental (though one of the bedrooms was more like a big closet than a bedroom) had a great neighborhood location in Bucktown but his rent was equal to my mortgage payment for a 3 bedroom, 1600+ square foot condo with covered parking.  He was sad to leave but he does love how close we are to the lake now. 

suzie211

@buggle2 I'm on the West side of the expressway and shoes is on the East close to the lake.  There are plenty of transportation options to get you over there.  If I'm home, I could even drive you there.  If you want to PM me, I can give you cross streets that won't require a permit and are free all the time:)

lennonkdc

@loves2shop4shoes, I love couches and cats! I was planning on doing the megabus anyway. I just need to make sure we're doing ok wedding savings wise, but if I can swing it I will be there

loves2shop4shoes

@loves2shop4shoes, I love couches and cats! I was planning on doing the megabus anyway. I just need to make sure we're doing ok wedding savings wise, but if I can swing it I will be there

Oh good.  So you like couches and cats?  You're coming.  Bwahahahahaha.

suzie211

@buggle2 Back at ya!

minskat30

Ok, I'm resurrecting this thread.  It looks like the 2nd week of October generally works for most.  Can we plan for that Saturday (the 12th) at 7:30pm?  I think Quartino's is pretty easy to get to and centerally located so why don't we start with that? 

Head count of who is in? 

I'll make us a reservation....ready, set, go.

 

suzie211

Count me in!  So excited!

loves2shop4shoes

Done.  Saturday the 12th at 7:30pm.  @buggle2 is sleeping on my couch.

@lennonkdc is also welcome.

loves2shop4shoes

ETA:  OMG.  That restaurant is LITERALLY 4 blocks from my house.

So, needless to say, you'll all get a tour of La Casa De Shoes.

Edited for clarity.

minskat30

Sweet!  I've made reservations for 6 so far.  So far, I've got @suzie211, @loves2shop4shoes, @buggle2 and myself of course.

I'm hoping for more (including @lennonkdc and @cschiano if you gals can make it) and can always up the number of people on the reservation.

loves2shop4shoes

buggle2 said:

also drinking after at la casa de shoes, then?

Duh.

lennonkdc

Unfortunately I can't make it that day, the services for my 'third' grandpa are that day. But I will be there in spirit! 

CASK85

I will commit. My H will judge the hell out of me, but that's ok