Hey Guys...... Friday at Belwood would be great.....there probably won't be a lot of people playing golf anyway......and those that do, will play early tee times ( if it's hot that's what you do anyway) and be done by noon or before......then the rest of the day at the pool, grille, and dinner......believe me...a facility like Belwood is VERY conducive to a gathering for good conversation......with  great choices of places to hang out, walk around, and just relax and talk, have a few drinks, good food, some might like to play cards, some watch sports on TV....Hang in the Grille, swim in the pool,whatever.....that's how you mingle in my book....

I can't see renting a big room and standing around staring at each other and drinking, with someone playing The Platters rendition of "Smoke gets in your eyes" on a turntable, while we munch on vegetables and chips, and three kinds of dips.............sounds pretty dull and parochial to me.....

The club allows us to mingle in several different environments  (pool, clubhouse, grille,etc.)  which as I see it, makes for a much more conducive atmosphere for casual meeting and conversation, and re-introduction to each other.....plus you have the beauty of nature all around if you decide to just cruise out on your own or with some old buddies for a while and just take a "walk and talk".... We also have our choice of inside/outside...... if it's scorching we have AC....if it's a beautiful day (and it will be) we have all the options.......,.......I mean really......this isn't a convention......it's a gathering of old friends....comfort and convienience is the key. To me, the Club on Friday would be the perfect "icebreaker"........we'd all be comfortable from there on for the rest of the weekend.....

.....Saturday, I agree, a day cruise on the river would be awesome.....and lunch/dinner on the boat.....and maybe a nightclub for the evening?

Sunday, maybe Coney Island......and dinner or lunch at a nice place as suggessted....Maggiano's, Ferrari's......and I agree.....gotta get Skyline, United Dairy Farmers (remember their chocolate malts??), and Graeters in there somewhere!........Jim

Heck, for Old Times' Sake, we should all descend on Frisch's for a Big Boy Platter!

Jim

 I think planning the events for the weekend is really important - to make sure we have a good time and to attract the maximum number of classmates.  I agree that if it seems like it will be a Holiday Inn rubber chicken business luncheon, fewer people will come.  

So, we need volunteers to jump in and spend some time figuring out what will be lots  of fun and relatively inexpensive.  Here are some of the ideas so far:

Golf, tennis, swimming, barbecue - great if we can get a place where can spend all day.

Picnic, softball, volleyball, a nice park.

Skits, memorabilia,  music, old films, back at the school

Nice restaurant, nice dinner.

Cruise on the river

Reception at the art museum

Moonlight Gardens

Drive by Frisch's

Skyline 

Graeters

Trivial pursuits game from 1960-1964 for prizes

Kareoke - tunes from 60-64, preferably later at night...

Sunday brunch

Scavenger hunt or other large group game.

We should all think back on large group events (50+ people) we have been to that worked really well.  Think what would attract the most people.

And join our conference calls to express your ideas and volunteer.

Larry.....I forgot something.......gotta make time for a bag of "sliders" at White Castle......wonder if it's still a $buck for a bag of 10 sliders??.......( yeah, right)......boy, those things went down well with a six pack of Schoenling's Little Kings Cream Ale!!.........or gettin' "moody with Hude"........

Hey Barbara Southerland.......does Friday sound doable at Belwood as per my monologue??......again, I'd be happy to supply the PGA TOUR WINES (gratis) for the day......we just released Duffy Waldorf's brand, so I'll have some of that as well......very nice wines.....top rated......whaddayathink about Friday??.......( put me down for a 7:15 tee time )

Also......should we make sure we do things where casual attire is fine?.....I'm sure Belwood is "no Jeans".....but that's cool....casual slacks or shorts and a collared shirt are fine for the guys, and the gals always look good!.......am I correct Barbara?.....'Nite All........Jimmy

The date is great! Yes, Skyline! And the pig roast sounds like a bunch of fun. This is getting pretty exciting. Don't make it too expensive... gotta save some bucks for my facelift, tummy tuck, gray back to brown hair reversal and ...

Just thought I would give you my ideas regarding Belwood before your conference call on the 4th.

I was thinking that Friday,  those that want to play golf could....those that want to hang out at the pool in the sun could do that........others could go to the high school and visit, etc.   Then we could have a meet & greet with hors d'hoeuvres and cash bar & Jimmy's wine at 5:00pm (could be any time really) at the club on the patio, weather permitting, in the grille otherwise.  Then we could go upstairs to the ballroom for food served casually....maybe, buffet stations....grazing, etc.  That is a good room for skits, awards, announcements, etc.  Bottom line if we do this on Friday.....we could do it for about $25.00 per person excluding golf.  That would cover the hors d'oeuvres and food......and the facility usage. 

I'm not going to participate in the call so you can talk candidly and not worry about me.  No problem with whatever you decide but if you do want to come to Belwood, I would appreciate a committee to make food selections and plan the evening activities.  I am open to any and all suggestions.....let's make this weekend special!

Barb

Barb, this sounds great.  This might be much more comfortable than the school anyway - and I guess since this is Friday, we don't have a conflict with the wedding or other scheduled events.

Basically we could spend the entire day and evening at the club on Friday.  Right?

Basically, yes.  The club will be open to members during the day so we will be working around them....but the pool doesn't ever get crowded....most people are there to play golf or eat.  If we have a large group, I will close the pool for our party and the ballroom will be reserved for us.  Obviously, we really need pretty weather to make it great but we can always be inside and if it is really bad weather, we'll have the whole place to ourselves!

If people do swim, there are a couple of showers in the poolhouse (not fancy)....and there is one shower in the ladies locker room and 3 in the men's locker room in the clubhouse.

If we start early, we would need to cost lunch.....could do burgers and hot dogs at the pool but would be easier, I think to start food in later afternoon.  Talk with the others and get their ideas.  We don't permit any food to be brought on the premises although I'll make a special exception for Jimmy's wine!

Barb,

That all sounds really nice.  Do you have tennis courts too?

Jill

Hi Jill,

So nice to hear from you.  No, we took our tennis courts out this year!  They were never used and a pain to maintain.  Sad part is tennis is my sport.....I play golf but my love is tennis.  Shows how much I rate here!  Actually, I am a fair weather tennis player.....play indoors usually.

We are around the corner from the local high school and they have great courts that probably would be available.

Hope to see you in June.

Barb

Larry....When I quoted your per person cost, that does not include sales tax and 17% gratuity.....brings it to about $30.00 per person.   Didn't think to add that originally.

Barb

 Jim, Barb,

On the call yesterday we basically came to the consensus that we really want to use the club for as much of the entire day Friday as you will let us :  perhaps some tee times at 7:15 AM – all the way to burgers for lunch and finger foods for dinner plus skits and awards after dinner  -if that ends up happening.   At this point,  I am pretty certain the number of attendees will be between 50 and 100.  Your fees seem entirely reasonable and Jim’s wine offer will be the icing on the cake, so to speak… or the vin vendange sur les hors d’ouevres…. Miss Allen notwithstanding.

Sounds great, Larry.  We can work out the food details as we get closer to the date and know actual numbers.  I might need a nap if we start at 7:15 am and go all day and night though!

I spoke with our chef today and $30.00 all inclusive per person should give us whatever we want as far as food.  We might break it down so that lunch is covered and those that just come for the party only get charged $25.00!...... Just throwing out ideas. ..... If the number is small for lunch, people could order off the menu and pay cash or credit card.

We'll work it all out.....I am considering June 25th, 2010 booked!  Looking forward to a memorable time.

Barb

 Sweet!