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Post by billhammond on Mar 25, 2009 12:40:20 GMT -5
With May being my surgery month, and June being MorganJam in Canuckia, I was thinking about hosting a gathering some weekend in July. Most of the snow is usually melted by then and it can be quite pleasant.
Sketchy ideas ...
Friday night -- informal gathering in the back room of Ol Mexico, just down the street from my place. There is an attached patio, for those who might wish to grab a smoke. Good food, tap beer, margaritas, wine, root beer, you name it. This could be pass guitars around, or even plug in and play, I reckon.
Saturday -- Morning trip to Dinkytown -- Al's Breakfast, anyone? Podium opens at 10 ayem. Maybe we could get in early with Marty's Magic Key.
In the afternoon, we gather at the beautiful lakeside pavilion of St. Paul's Como Park, less than a mile from my place. The pavilion has a nice attached coffeeshop/deli counter. There are paddleboats for rent. There is a golf course across the street. There is lots of free parking and walking/biking trails around the lake. There is a pedestrian bridge that provides easy walking access to the nearby (FREE) Como Zoo and conservatory. There is a small amusement park attached to the zoo, and a magnificently restored old carousel with real carved wooded horses and a real calliope. There is a Japanese garden.
So spouses and kids who might not find a song circle too scintillating could trot off and do lots of other stuff, much of it free. I foresee this afternoon thing to be alcohol-free.
For the evening meal, maybe we could walk up the hill next to the pavilion and have a Kafe 421-catered picnic.
Saturday night -- open mike at the nearby Coffee Grounds. We'd have to wrap that up by 10 p.m., but then could all repair to Ol Mexico's back room again for post mortem, more music-making, drinks, late-night food (they serve until midnight).
Sunday -- Lunch at Kafe 421, goodbyes....
If this appeals to you, please tell me which July weekend would be best for you.
All still very much in the brainstorming stage, understand....
Please POST your preferred weekend on this thread.
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Post by billhammond on Mar 25, 2009 12:56:16 GMT -5
Lakeside pavilion -- the portion with the windows contains the coffeeshop/deli. Conservatory (three huge rooms) Sparky the Seal show at Como Zoo (free) Carousel (fee charged) Paddleboats (fee)
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Post by Supertramp78 on Mar 25, 2009 13:08:02 GMT -5
Is shag central off limits?
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Post by billhammond on Mar 25, 2009 13:09:49 GMT -5
Is shag central off limits? Well, I like the idea of using ShagCentral more as Crash Zone/hostel/triage. If we spend most of the time elsewhere, there is really no worries about accommodating even a large number of people.
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Post by Marshall on Mar 25, 2009 13:17:30 GMT -5
Paddleboats, you say ! !
Hhmmmmm. That changes everything. Let me think about this.
(It's surely a lovely idea, . . . , Shirley.)
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Post by billhammond on Mar 25, 2009 13:21:01 GMT -5
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Post by dradtke on Mar 25, 2009 13:26:21 GMT -5
You mean I have to drive all the way into St Paul?
Pretty much any weekend works for me.
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Post by billhammond on Mar 25, 2009 13:30:38 GMT -5
You mean I have to drive all the way into St Paul? Pretty much any weekend works for me. No, no, Dave, I wouldn't ask you to do that. Marshall/Kari or Cyndy can pick you up.
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Post by billhammond on Mar 25, 2009 13:56:39 GMT -5
I see the Uptown Art Fair is Aug. 8-9 this year.
That is the Minneapolis show to which Millring has been invited in the past .........
Hmmmmmmmmmm...........
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Post by John B on Mar 25, 2009 19:05:52 GMT -5
Both the weekends of the 24th and the 31st I will likely be in Michigan. But don't let that stop you from scheduling something then.
To answer the question you asked, 11th or 18th would work.
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Post by billhammond on Mar 25, 2009 21:29:17 GMT -5
I am liking the 18th weekend myself, for various reasons.
Let's ask those who might be interested, would anyone be unable to do so on that weekend?
Mosquitoes should be around the size of pigeons by them, which makes them a lot easier to hit with a shotgun.
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Post by Russell Letson on Mar 26, 2009 0:25:27 GMT -5
Last week of July (26-Aug 1) is now Augusta Swing Week, which has my eternal loyalty. Other weekends that month are, at this point, open.
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Post by Marshall on Mar 26, 2009 11:00:33 GMT -5
I would say I'm 50-50 at best at this point. I heven't talked to Kari (or Sue) about it yet. But the 18th is definitely out for both Kari and I as a mutual friend's daughter's wedding is that day.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2009 11:28:32 GMT -5
Beautiful! You all have a terrific time and please send pictures.
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Post by billhammond on Mar 26, 2009 11:34:17 GMT -5
I would say I'm 50-50 at best at this point. I heven't talked to Kari (or Sue) about it yet. But the 18th is definitely out for both Kari and I as a mutual friend's daughter's wedding is that day. Well, shoot, she still has plenty of time to change that! You want me to talk to her?
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Post by Marshall on Mar 27, 2009 11:33:28 GMT -5
Do they rent out the lakeside pavillion for weddings? Could work out nice. Get photos of the wedding party on a floatilla of paddleboats. Maybe re-enact the defeat of the Spanish Armada with bride's and groom's families pitted against each other.
And Rosejammers can fiddle while the pavillion burns.
Now THAT'd be a wedding to remember.
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Post by billhammond on Mar 27, 2009 11:42:55 GMT -5
Do they rent out the lakeside pavillion for weddings? Could work out nice. Get photos of the wedding party on a floatilla of paddleboats. Maybe re-enact the defeat of the Spanish Armada with bride's and groom's families pitted against each other. And Rosejammers can fiddle while the pavillion burns. Now THAT'd be a wedding to remember. Yah, yew betcha!
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Post by billhammond on Mar 27, 2009 14:04:10 GMT -5
Further research indicates that the Como Park Pavilion is all booked up on July 18 ... two weddings that day and a stage production that night ........ BUT! I can get a terrific park pavilion at the lovely and huge Roseville Central Park, about a mile north of my house and about two miles north of Como Park. It would have its own kitchen, two bathrooms, electricity, running water, the works, and I think I am gonna go ahead and plunk down the $87 rental charge today to reserve it. check it out here: www.ci.roseville.mn.us/index.asp?NID=190
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Post by billhammond on Mar 27, 2009 18:38:06 GMT -5
If I ever needed proof of how much Minnesotans appreciate their summers, I got it today in doing idle research on the logistics of a RoseJam in July -- Como Park picnic shelters and the pavilion are solidly booked through July ... so that option has been eliminated. I turned next to the wonderful parks department of the city of Roseville, in which I reside, and learned there was a glimmer of hope there -- the so-called Lions shelter in Central Park was available for Saturday, July 18, but would not last long. So I stopped at City Hall after work today and reserved it with full payment, and then I drove over to the site itself. I was familiar with the general area, but not this shelter.
ITS SO PERFECT!!!!!!!!It's less than 2 miles from my house. It is high on a hill, overlooking a very pretty lake. It's a tennis ball's throw from two tennis courts. A waterfall is nearby, but far enough away so as not to be audible. It is adjacent to a wonderful system of biking and hiking trails, but not so close that interlopers might be seen or heard. We'll have our own parking lot, our own men's and women's baffrooms, our own kitchen, our own big-ass BBQ grill, a perfect spot to set up a performance stage, lots of power outlets, NO SOUND SOURCES anywhere near us, no houses, just a great buffer zone all around. We have it from 9 ayem to 10 p.m., and our only restrictions are that we not use loud amplification and that we limit alcohol use to 3.2 beer. (But if you poured wine into a covered travel mug, how would I know that?) I'm thinking that Saturday the 18th will work kinda like this: Interested parties go to Dinkytown and Al's Breakfast 9-ish, visit nearly adjacent Podium when it opens at 10 ... late sleepers head to Podium later and have a fabulous lunch at nearly adjacent Kafe 421 .... Meanwhile at Central Park in Roseville, an easy freeway ride from Dinkytown, anyone who wishes can gather noonish and stroll the miles of paths, one of which leads to a wonderful and free nature center, with a wetlands boardwalk and lots of cool inside nature exhibits. Little ones will love the wonderful new playground equipment just downhill from the picnic shelter, on the shore of Bennett Lake. The afternoon is spent chatting, passing guitars around, ad hoc collaborations, song circle opportunities, soaking up sun, snoozing on the grass, whatever. We grill brats, or have a potluck supper (or a catered one from Kafe 421?) early, like 5 to 6, and after that, we set up a little stage and some little lights and a little sound system, and we have a little open mike show! Cap'n Donn, I am sure, would be only too happy to film and record it all, which would mean DVDs for all later, with appropriate compensation to him from us, of course! We go until 10, and those interested regroup for drinks and the telling of lies at Ol Mexico, less than 2 miles from the shelter. Sunday, lunch and goodbyes at Kafe 421 ..... Marshall and Kari, I am so sorry that this excludes you. But it was the only shot I had, and I grabbed it.....
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Post by Fingerplucked on Mar 27, 2009 20:05:33 GMT -5
Count me in. I thought I was going to have to sell it to the family, but since the family consists of two females and THE mall is up there, I didn't get get past "Hey, do you want to ..." before I got a yes. We're not sure yet when we'll leave here or when we'll be leaving there, but we seem to be in agreement that Saturday they want to get rid of me as soon as possible and head over to the mall.
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