TWENTY-TWENTY-TWENTY-FOUR HOURS AGO--O-O...I WANNA BE SEDATED...

I surveyed the Lodge area (adjoining The Hilltop which adjoins the La Quinta Inn) @ Hwy. 10 and I-39/51.--Other side of the street, btw, has a hotel that's about a 1 1/2 to 2 star and price is JUST as high as La Quinta...no amenties). I got there about 8P to shoot some pics & be reminded of dimensions. I was immediately attacked by WI's bumper-crop...of mosquitoes. It's been really wet up here and they're just freakin' everywhere. Even though we might be out of there about 8, it is really unlikely we won't get attacked by these vampires.


The fact-finding mission is complete. After discussion w/ some other peeps in here...we've got a conclusion on the hotel and venue for the actual event: Sat., August 7th @
Comfort Suites; 300 Divison St., Stevens Point; 715.341.6000, code phrase for our rate is "The Flame". All rooms (double or single queen) are going at $82.95. I got this rate from 3 hotels, give or take 2 dollars. (Not including the Ramada which would invariably be more).--I did some research on why they seemed to be locking in at around the same prices. It turns out the Suzuki music education group has a convention in Point that weekend & things are GOING to get booked, so they don't really care much about me saying 'we'd like to block out 10 rooms'. ...I think we should consider ourselves a bit lucky. The manager is holding 10 rooms for us (knows they will not all be singles or doubles...a mixture) until August 1. After that, you can call & she'll offer you the rate IF they haven't booked the rooms by then.

On the 'plus' side...they have a meeting room that's about 28' x 32' which normal rents for $75 which she will throw into the package if we knock out 10 rooms.--We're taking it, either way. ;) We will now have a roof over our heads, temperature control (read: 'A/C'), lights, power (yes we can play music up until about 10-11P and we can start @ 3P), and NO bugs.

Within 2 blocks of this hotel are: Perkins, "Four Star Restaurant" (used to be a sushi place), McDonalds, Subway, China Buffet, Rocky Rococco's, KMart, KwikTrip (gas & beer...possibly more of the former if too much of the latter, he-he). This hotel also has a pool w/ conjoined hot tub, the usuals (TV, micro, reefer) and also a breakfast.

One block from this hotel is another restaurant/pub located in the Ramada. The Tilted Klt is supposed to be a Scottish-themed bar that serves pub food. The one here in IL isn't real convincing, but the bartenders do wear kilts, and the waitresses/ waiters wear something akin to a kilt. (Read: 'really short plaid skirts'). Prices are not too bad, food is good and they have a decent line up of beers. So, SHOULD we want to go elsewhere for drinks when it gets later, we are within STUMBLING distance from the hotel. Also, we can obviously go back & forth from ou rooms to the party if we want. There is a bathroom immediately outside the door from the room, and the manager says she 'likes' 80s music... ;)


I Wanna Be Sedated: The Ramones