Well, it's a tie. The clear winners of where we want to meet are either Chicago or Boston. They each received 30% of the vote in the earlier poll. So now to choose. I have written down a few of the fun things there are to do in Chicago and Matt was kind enough to do the same for Boston. Just to kind of give everyone ideas. If you would only come if it was in one city or another, please let us know that as well. If it's a close vote, but we have several people who can ONLY go to one city, that might change where we go.

So if we go to Chicago....

~ We can go to Navy Pier which has lots of shops, restaurants, Ferris Wheel and a Childrens Museum. It's right on the river.

~ We can take the Chicago River tour which tells you all about the history and architecture of the city

~ We can go to the top of the Sears Tower

~ We Can shop the Magnificent Mile which has Marshall Fields, Nike Town, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales just to name a few!

~ There are many mueseums including the Art museum which is right dowtown.

~ The night life is great with great bars and restaurants

~ If we plan ahead enough we could go see a great show like the Blue Man group or Tony and Tina's Wedding.


Or if we go to Boston...

~ There is the harbour area (Faneuil Hall) which is very beautiful with lots of shops and restaurants. There are street performers outside weekends and evenings.

~ We can Walk through Boston common

~ We can Walk the "freedom trail" (goes to many historic sites including the Old Stone Church, USS Constitution, and many museums).

~ We can go Biking, walking around the Charles River.

~ We can Go to Symphony hall or seeing a play in the theater district

~ We can Go to the North End (Italian restaurants and an historic old part of the city.

~ We can go to the Art Museum which is excellent

~ We can go Shopping in the trendy "Newbury Street" area.

~ We can go to the Aquarium is amazing (on the harbour).

We can go to the "Hatch Shell" (an outdoor ampitheater) often hosts free concerts in including performances by the Boston Pops.

~ There are plenty of cool dance clubs and concerts around Kenmore Square.

~ There are Many great bookstores.

In general, Boston is a very small walking city

I think we'll have a great time no matter where we go! We just need to decide. Happy Voting! Please feel free to comment!!!!

Shedd Aquarium is in Chi-town.

There's no category for "I don't care, as long as I'm invited". Both sound like fun. Boston being more fun since I can go to Chicago whenever I want.

Hmmmmm. Tough decision.

I would love to go to Chicago! I have never had enough time to enjoy the museums there.

Miss Chris

never been to either place. oooh, what to pick? i think chicago counds more glamorous.

Truthfully, it would be much easier for me to get to Chicago, but I could manage Boston with enough advance warning.

Been to Boston several times, and only passed through Chicago once so it's got my vote. Especially if we can get on the Oprah Show!

Forgot to ask--what's the weather like in the spring in Chicago? When does it start turning hot and humid?

We were in Boston last year in April when it was 100 degrees. I think that's a bit unusual, however, but I know it gets hot and humid in the summer.

I'm from the Pacific Northwest so I'm wimpy about heat. . .

Depends on the year. July & August are our hottest months.

BUT!!! don't take that as a hard and fast thing. i chose chicago because i've never been there. but i LOVE boston. [one of the museums has a fabulous shoe exhibit, and i love the science museum and the museum of fine art. and salem is a short train ride out of town]

and i'm SHOCKED!!!! that no one brought up the kind of food to be had!!! Both cities have great ethnic food, and boston is known for seafood. chicago for meat.

i love both. happily.

sorry that i'm not much help here. i'll willingly and quickly go to either, especially since i now fit in airplane seats!!!!

CHICAGO!!! hehe... I LOVE Chicago.... and I've never been there long enough to see anything but an N Sync concert.. hehe.... anyway, Chicago would be easy for me to get too since it's like a puddle jump, but I think I could get to Boston with enough time to plan.

I'm one of those who don't care either way. Chicago would be great! Can you say 1 hour 10 min!! But my heart said Boston! I was there once for training and I loved it!! Have ALWAYS wanted to go back!!

This is sooooo exciting!! Are we actually going to meet?!?!?!!?!?!

gosh, it's still such a close race. i'm wondering if somewhere we could start getting a list together of people intending to come?

I am coming! Goal or not I have some hugs to give in person :-)

Miss Chris

Holly and Chris -- what beautiful new avatar pictures!!!!! You're so beautiful!

My life is in flux right now between family issues, moving out, adjusting my job to make more money for increased expenses, so it's hard to plan so far ahead. Not sure where I'll be financially or how much it would cost to travel. Boston would obviously be very easy for me as it's just 1 hour away. I could absolutely make that one. Not sure about Chicago yet. It would depend upon the expense. I can't plan for that yet. I would be fun to meet you guys though --- of course you'll all be so skinny by 2004!

awww, thanks jeanne. i'm actaully trying to find a better pic for my avatar cuz it's got this whole sun-lightened issue. heh. and my hair's shorter now anyways. i keep changing!

i will make an effort to go to either place... it'll be about the same for me, don't think the cost of a flight will be drastically different from CA to either of those places.

maybe a mini-goal (ok, not mini!) for me will be to be at goal by then! i would love to be! i have 64 pounds left and it's over a year away. that is SO doable, people lose over 100 in a year sometimes.

but even if i've fallen off the bandwagon and gained a ton, i'm still coming. i want to meet everyone. =)