Okay, what is this about a party and why wasn't I invited?

[MdmeAlbertine]

I've obviously been living under a rock (read: not monitoring the WD Party forum before it disappeared). I think I can come, as that weekend I'm between conferences in Chicago, and it's just as easy to fly to LA as to drive back to Iowa.

What do I need to know, and who can help me work out the details?

[CassyLee]

Woohoo! You need to know that I'm hosting the party & you absolutely should come (all the cool l kids are) . The big party weekend is Oct 24-26, but I'll be on vacation the following week to host folks who want to stay longer. You're welcome to stay at my place (so long as you don't mind air mattresses/floor space at this point), or there are tons of hotels/motels nearby (I live in Huntington Beach, California). The nearest/most convenient airports are:

• Santa Ana (SNA) - also called Orange County - it's about 10 miles from me & a 20 minute drive.
  Long Beach (LGB) - about 18 miles & a 30 minute drive (which, if you like, can be scenic as you can take Pacific Coast Highway from there to here
  Los Angeles (LAX) - about 30 miles & anywhere between 45 and 90 minutes away, depending on traffic conditions.

LAX is usually cheapest, but you might check around - I think Jet Blue flies into LGB, so there might be deals there. Depending on when/where you fly in, I'll either pick you up, or suggest you take SuperShuttle or similar service down here (or of course you can rent a car if you like.)

I've been meaning to put together a list of hotels/motels that are convenient (some within walking/stumbling drunk distance ) for folks who like to have their own bathroom in the morning, but I haven't done it yet. The two absolutely closest are the Hyatt & the Hilton...but I'm pretty sure they're also the absolutely most expensive (they're both on Pacific Coast Highway & face the beach.) I'll try to pull together a real list this weekend & post it.

Finally - thank you for reading my mind! I've been thinking that I should make a "Don't forget my party while the WD is down" post, but I usually think about that when I'm far away from my computer [doh].

[BigEvil]

Yay! Now we have a substitute party thread!

[MdmeAlbertine]

Awesome. Please reserve some floor space for me, thank you. (Or if someone would be interested in sharing the cost of a hotel room with me, let me know.) I need to find out when my conference ends on Friday in order to book tickets, but will have to go back Sunday evening. I'll let you know as soon as I find out specifics.

Eek!

[MdmeAlbertine]

It's official: I'm there.

I'll be flying into SNA at 7:00 Friday night.

Double EEK!