OK. This is a little early, but I wanted to put it out there before I forget. I'm scheduled to attend a conference at Missouri State University in October and I might try to free myself one night to meet some of the fine PC people in that area. The conference runs Sunday, 10/5 through Wednesday 10/8. From looking at the schedule, the most likely time I'd be free would be Tuesday, 10/7. Sunday night is the opening reception. Monday night there's a tour of the Springfield Brewing Company (which I am NOT going to miss). Tuesday is and excursion to the Discovery Center ... that I could skip. Wednesday I'll be heading back to NJ. As I said, I just thought I'd throw that out there to give y'all advance notice. Once I know where I'll be staying I'll update this.
Since you'll only be meeting with the "fine" PC people in the area I'll be sorry to miss you....! I don't have my Oct. Schedule yet, but can probably try to get with you on Tuesday. Springfield Brewing Co. is OK...but there are better bars in town. The Discovery Center is great for kids...but no big deal for adults. What's the conference? Where are you staying? Send me a PM w/your digits and we'll be sure to get together.
I have to admit, you're one of the ones I had in mind. I even did a Google map to see how close you are to Springfield. :spy: The conference is HighEdWeb 2008. It's for technical education professionals. I'll most likely be staying at the University Plaza Hotel. That's the host hotel. I just have to convince my director that it's better to book it now & guarantee the price. Our higher-ups sometimes wait a little too long on stuff like this. If not the University Plaza, the overflow hotel is the Holiday Inn Express. The trip to the Brewing Company will be more of an opportunity to chat & network with folks from other colleges. Of course I will be sampling whatever they have to offer. I looked up the Discovery Center and it seems a lot like the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia (which is only an hour and a half from here). Once my plans are more firm, I'll PM you.
My house is about 30 minutes (40 when hypermiling!) from the Plaza Hotel...I work about 5-10 minutes away from there.
May I assume the Brewery is going to offer free samples? If it was me, I'd skip the Brewery but wouldn't miss the Discover Center. But then, that's just me.
The Brewery is really just a bar that brews some of it's own beer. It is nice though, lots of wood, usually a live band, decent eats, good local downtown.
Oh. Kinda a let down. I've toured the breweries in Hamburg, Germany. I stood on the largest beer barrel in the world. I'd rather play with the experiments in The Discovery Center. I'm assuming it's like San Francisco's Exploratorium. But I can understand why guys would want to hang out there. I'm sure it's a local landmark. When I was in Monterrey, I went to Cannery Row. (Also the Aquarium, which was more fun.) That [FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica]Tomato Basil Bisque looks good. And I see they use the spent grain in the bakery. The Chicken Pub Pie looks pretty good too. You don't see Pot Roast on a menu too often. At least not in San Diego, unless it's a Mom and Pop restaurant. CHOCOLATE SEDUCTION CAKE! Man. Too bad I have no reason in the world to ever visit Springfield, MO. [/FONT]
Evan - quick question about Springfield (specifically the area around the Plaza hotel). I might be bringing my wife along with me. Are there things to do & inexpensive places to eat in walking distance in that area so she's not stuck in the room all day? Last year this conference was in Rochester, NY, but the area was completely dead except for the hotel we were in. And when I say dead, I mean there were no shops or anything ... maybe one small coffee shop. And there were too many shifty characters floating around for our liking. I would guess that, being close to MSU, it would be a bit livelier than Rochester was. Thanks! Mike
Yea, there's plenty to do. Downtown is maybe 1/2 mile or less away to walk to with coffee houses, a little shopping, reasonably priced but nice restraunts, a couple book stores, etc. It's a pretty safe part of town as well. The Discovery Center is right there as well. Missouri State campus is close by if she wants to check that out. There are a few art shops along Walnut street...on the same block as the Plaza Hotel. Several of the best restraunts in town are in the vicinity.
