Constant Reader discussion

This is a thread to discuss plans for the 2010 CR Convention to be held in Minneapolis September 16-19. We can use this thread for general chat about our plans. I will open separate threads to discuss ideas for (1) our hotel (2) activities and (3) restaurants.

I'm so glad you're getting an early start, Philip. It's nice to have plenty of time to discuss these things.

I'm really looking forward this. I want to see Minneapolis for the first time (other than the airport), and it will be so nice to meet Kathleen.

I'm looking forward to it, too, Philip. There are so many good options for things to do in Minneapolis - and places to eat :) I hope we get a good turnout this year!

Plus, it's my hometown. Another high recommendation.

I wish I could go. I used to live in Minnesota, so would love an excuse to visit it again. And yes there's a lot of diversity in Minneapolis--more than one might expect from the Midwest--and good theatre and culture, too.

You are so right, Jenna, about the diversity (and tolerance) in the Twin Cities. People really don't expect to hear that about a Midwest city, but it's true, and part of my love for the place.

Maybe we can get lots of ex-Twin Citians to come meet up at this convention? That would be lots of fun. Some people could also use the time to visit old friends or family.

Ever since The Mary Tyler Moore Show ("Who can turn the world on with her smile?"), I have wanted to visit Minneapolis! Maybe this year I can work it out to come to the CR convention.

That would be great, Susan! It doesn't have the beauty of the original Herself, but if you do visit I promise to take a picture of you with this lady:

Mary Tyler Moore

That would be wonderful, Susan!

I have wanted to attend the CR convention for so many years. Perhaps this time I will actually get to do so - Minneapolis is fairly close. I'd love to see the city and reconnect with everyone. It's been ages since I've been active here.

Sadly, I will miss this meeting. However, I do plan to attend the 2014 one in Portland, Maine. All things in time, I always say.

NE: Don't joke - I think 2011 would be perfect for a Portland, ME CR convention - you may end up as host - so be careful what you wish for.

I think maybe 2012. New York is the plan, so far, for 2011. (Boy, we're getting ahead of ourselves.)

Al, I notice you live in Wellesley, geographically qualifying you as co-host (close enough). And my hosting abilities are limited to smiling and making small-to-medium-sized talk, so if there's more to it than that, fire me now.

New York? Yeesh. Overwhelming City, USA. Mucho dinero, too. (But that's me speaking... I'm no fan of big cities and Nuevo York is the prime offender.)

I'm easy I guess because I am huge fans of both Portland, ME and NYC. I also love Portsmouth, NH. I knew we had talked about NYC a bit (I think when Janet was visiting for the bookseller's conference) but I did not realize it was the front runner for 2011.

NE:

I love your true NE viewpoint - in that basically anyone who lives in NE is qualified to host in any one of the 5 states :)

I'm also really enjoying The Town That Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food - you are one of the few GR members to have read it - we will have to discuss when I am done.

Molly, it would be great to see you in MSP next fall! Are you really living in Waterloo now instead of Des Moines? I know you were studying at Hawkeye CC, but thought you were commuting for a while. Waterloo is my main "city" shopping area... maybe we should do a mini-convention sometime.

OK, can do, Al (re: The Town That Food Saved).

... anyone who lives in NE is qualified to host in any one of the 5 states :)

Did we lose one??? :-O

Even though I have lived in CT, I tend to exclude it from NE & throw it into the NY tri-state region instead - just a personal quirk.

That's my home state! And I am a Red Sox fan from same. Now we're getting personal! Connecticut = New England. Shout it from the parapets.

Five states in New England? If I were to exclude one as not truly part of the region, I would go with Rhode Island, which has always struck me as its own unique region. Most of CT is very New England; the exception is right on the southeastern border.
Yes, I am originally from New England, so much so that I set my first novel there even though I had lived elsewhere for years.

2/3 of CT is in NE - Fairfield County might as well be part of NY.

RI is NE no doubt. They just have a complex about being so tiny - Newport gives them bragging rights though.

Kenneth, I think you mean southWESTERN border, in reference to Connecticut. We called it "the Gold Coast" once upon a time. Almost another borough of NYC. Still, all the cool New Yorkers tried to insinuate themselves into the pastoral (but also expensive) Litchfield County, to the north. It makes up Connecticut's beautiful western slice, bordering upstate New York.

Anyway, I allow that all six states deserve the title. New England is what it is, despite its cousinly squabbles. In Maine, the license most despised is Mass. (and Maine used to be part of Mass, explaining why it's so late to join the union). In Vermont, the license most despised is New York.

And New Hampshire and Vermont are like yin and yang, black and white, in their ways, but we love 'em both.

Little Rhody? Due to Long Island Sound blocking all our surf, we Connecticutites used to go to Misquamicut for a good time (and a big wave to body surf). For me, that's what Rhody is. One giant wave.

Now where were we... Minneapolis, I think? Sorry, Philip. Carry on. The last thing we need is another King Philip's War....


P.S. Molly, by dint of your zip code (Flutie Town), you're a co-host, too.

Oh I don't mind the derail, NE - my dad was born in Hartford and grew up in Massachusetts, so I enjoy New Englanders talking about their identities. I've certainly heard a lot about the geographical fault line dividing Connecticut into Yankee and Red Sox territories, with debate as to where the overlaps or boundaries lie.

My mom grew up near Stamford, on Long Island Sound, yet I never in my life heard her refer to herself as a New Englander.

I grew up in Avon, CT - where I believe Sherry also lived at one point? Outside of Hartford, it was primarily Sox fans when I lived there in the mid-80's. But that was right on the dividing line.

I enjoy reading about the annual CR conferences. They always fall around my birthday so my plans are usually filled already. But NY or NE is easy to work with so maybe in a few years I'll be able to participate more than virtually!

You're right, Molly. We lived in Avon right after Tom quit graduate school at Berkeley and went to work for The Travelers in Hartford. I would love to meet you when we have the conference (such a fancy word for our get-together!) in New York.

Not to throw a wrench in your plans, Philip, but...in my new Bon Appetit I received yesterday, I saw a review for a (relatively) new restaurant in Minneaplis called Bar La Grassa. It's at 800 N. Washington. It looks fabulous and is getting great reviews. Could that be a possibility?

I've seen that too, Sarah, and it does look great, but Sea Change also a has great local rep, is right in the Guthrie Theater on the river, and close by the Book Arts place for our late afternoon workshop. The other place I had in mind (Azia) recently closed and his new shop has gotten scary bad reviews in its first week or so.

My two cents here is that the view from the Guthrie is really amazing and worth experiencing. But it could also be a place just for cocktails.
Wendy