I know there is going to be a Bandster Bash in Las Vegas later this year, and I would dearly love to go but tragically it would cost me close to $1000 to get there, not including hotel/car rental! There are tons of cheap flights from Dublin to New York or Boston or anywhere on the east coast and I'm wondering if there's anyone who'd like to meet me there!!??!! I am prepared to go 5,000 miles to meet bandedkind!!! Anyone interested??? I don't mind when - preferably September or even the summer....!

Someone tell me what's meant by "bash," anyway. To my mind, we pick a weekend and a hotel, people come from wherever and we have a couple of collective meals and/or expeditions. No speakers, nothing fancy, nothing obligatory. Just a social weekend for people with something in common, right?

Wow - I'm thrilled! Yay yay yay!!!! Penni, those dates sound perfect!!!! Well for me anyway - I would love NYC as I've been there a few times - my hubby does a lot of work in Morristown, NJ too (Hello Alex!) so there would be good too - Wouldn't New York be the handiest for everyone to get to? So central and all? (grasping at straws....!) We stayed at the Roosevelt Hotel which is really handy - I have an uncle in NYC too (everyone Irish has a relative in New York!) so I could meet him too! Oh I can't believe i could actually get to meet you guys! I am so excited! Going to look up flights for those dates now............

That is a good weekend, indeed! Bright, the main negative for NYC is the hotel cost. Rooms at the Roosevelt (which I LOVE, btw) can go for upwards of $200/night. If we go somewhere in NJ we can save scads of money on the hotel, and it's going to have a restaurant and a pool and whatever anyway. And NYC is an easy commute in from here.

Bright, go ahead and book your flight. I know a few bandsters around here and if nothing else materializes, we'll get together to show you a good time.

Alex the bash definition is what we did in Vegas. IT was a blast. We meet that first nigth when we all arrived and ate somewhere. The next day we went to Lisa's house for an all day of socializing. The next day some of us met for brunch then we went our separate ways. So yeah no speakers or "planned" events. WE just sorta hung out.

Those dates are GREAT for me.

NEW YORK or NEW JERSEY either one is OK with me. If we stay in Hoboken we can take the ferry across the river to New York. That would be fun. LOL!!

Book to where? How far is that from Atlantic City? We could go as high rollers. I gotta have particulars before I book, I hate no refunds if this falls through.

IMO Newark Liberty airport is the best one to use. It's easily accessible from NJ and NY. But that's getting a little ahead of ourselves.

Hoboken and other towns right on the river are every bit as expensive as NYC. Doesn't anyone have budget restraints? I won't have to shell out for the hotel but even so I hate to suggest anything in three digits for one night's accommodation.

Pat, what does going to AC as high rollers mean? I'm certainly not a high roller in any sense of the word.

AC is just an hour and half bus ride from Manhattan

The link states that you have to organize the walk. I wouldn't mind participating but what are the specifics? How long is the walk? Where is it? What is the registration cost? I couldn't find that info. Too confusing.

While in NY that weekend we can do the walk for obesity on Sat Sept 24th. Last year the one in NY got rained out

here is a link to the site http://www.walkfromobesity.com/organize.php

A total aside: I was just looking around that Walk from Obesity website, and saw among the list of doctors' names the doctor who superrvised my Optifast program back in 1990. I would LOVE to see him again and show him that the band can do what an artificial starvation diet couldn't. (Though as an obesity expert, I hope and trust he's moved on from that by now.)

I'll be able to get details when this year's walk is organized. It's going to happen, we don't have to do anything except wait for announcements about it.

ok wow - that sounds fantastic - Alex, I would be totally led by any of your suggestions - just talked to David (hubby) and he says it's a brilliant idea to stay in NJ - he stayed in some Old English type hotel with steakhouse and he may be able to get some corporate rate there??? I have to fly into JFK but can bus it to wherever...

Hold on...a walk??? Couldn't we just vigorously shop?!!???

Alex - it'd be very cool to meet that quack face to face....

Donali.......any chance you could use up some of Indiana's airmiles and come too???

Please???

I am so excited. Bright can't wait to meet you. This will be such fun.