Getting in to Evening at Adler
If you're coming to the LiveTable, there are a few things you need to know. Some are super-important, and others are just things to keep in mind if you're coming from out of town...
- You need to use the south entrance to the planetarium, not the big front doors. To make sure there was no confusion, Thom sent me a lovely illustration which should make it amusingly crystal. Basically, don't go up any steps to get into a door.
- There's a password, and it's telling the armed guards you're there for the "Open Source Developer Roundtable." This is basically just the initial name that got put down on the sheet and never got changed because there was no reason to, and you'll understand why its important to remember the above momentarily.
- You may have to cross picket lines. I'm really not making this up, and you really have to be aware of it. Basically, there are two events going on at the Adler on Friday evening, the other is a corporate event for The Family Firm Institute. I've recently been informed that a protest has been scheduled by Unite Here from 5-9pm. Don't know how many people or what form, and while there is an amusement factor, I need you to be cool.
The planetarium has a neutral position on the whole deal, so do I, and for the evening, so should you. If you need to cross a picket line to get in, I'm asking you to be courteous and let them know that you are there for an entirely different event.
You had to know this event was going to veer into weird somehow, so roll with it. Just be cool.
- Don't get there right at 6:30pm, as excluding the situation with the mob outside, we won't want to be waiting and you'll be annoyed if you came all that way to find the doors locked. Give yourself 15-20 minutes at least to get from downtown to the talk. If you're walking, give yourself longer, as the trek is deceptive.
- I'm compelled to remind those coming from out of town that it may be chillier than you think it is. Even going a few hours north can drop the temp noticeably at night, and it's called The Windy City for a reason. There won't be snow or anything, but bring a jacket kids.
- If you're driving, I want to remind you that parking is really expensive for that area, and you'll be looking at ~$13. That's just how it is. Cabs are another way to get there from around the city if you're taking a train in or something. There are also buses: The #12 (Roosevelt), #127 (North Western / Madison) and #146 (Inner Drive / Michigan Express) buses all run down to the Adler (maps and schedules are available).
Four days, poor Thom is trying to scrounge enough microphones, and now a protest. Fun times.
Posted by drunkenbatmanOctober 18, 2005, at 09:31 AM
Comments (13)
Posted by: at October 18, 2005 11:00 AM
200 geeks with no social skills confronting a picket line. That will go well.
Posted by: mikeash at October 18, 2005 11:01 AM
Wow, you managed to swing armed guards for your get-together. You're the best. Wish I could be there, say hi to Paul and Rosyna for me, and enjoy. :-)
Posted by: Evan Schoenberg at October 18, 2005 11:06 AM
After reading the Jack Thompson fun and games today, all I can think when I see "armed guards" is "baseball bats." Maybe Jack is right after all.
Posted by: Andrew at October 18, 2005 01:00 PM
As for "staying near the Adler", if any intrepid readers coming from out of town (like myself) are looking to split lodging, contact me so we can try to get coordinated (and cheap) lodging.
adlerlodging AT high earth orbit dot COM
Perhaps a posting with request for comments on the matter? Or am I one of the few traveling?
Posted by: Derek at October 18, 2005 01:37 PM
Another note:
Don't stay at a hotel that is less than 10 miles from Midway Airport or south of highway 55. Find something that says "magnificent mile" or "city loop" and you should be okay.
Posted by: Andrew at October 18, 2005 01:45 PM
Yep - my mother-in-law lived in Chicago, 2 blocks from Navy Pier, until about 1.5 months ago (d'oh!) so I know the area around there pretty well and already have a place scoped out for reasonable price.
Obviously the more people that want to split the lodging the better. And who needs to use it much except to crash for a couple of hours after the post-meeting meeting.
Posted by: Robert at October 18, 2005 02:06 PM
the Drunk man says:
Don't get there right at 6:30pm
Wait, do you mean get there early? or get there late?
well, you probably mean get there early, but the sentence " and you'll be annoyed if you came all that way to find the doors locked" makes me pause. they plan on locking the doors after 6:30? it makes more sense for them to lock the doors until 6:30 and then we can enter, but then that means you mean get there late so that the doors are unlocked when you get there. but that doesn't make sense either.
Err, um, I'm thinking about this to hard, you mean get there early - everybody always means get there early.
right?
Posted by: nick at October 18, 2005 03:31 PM
I actually heard once that it is called the windy city not because it is windy (and it is), but because people from chicago were so extroverted about professing how much they love chicago they were declared "full of wind".
Posted by: matt at October 18, 2005 05:57 PM
actually...origin of windy city does have to do with the weather.
"The name dates to at least 1885, and clearly refers to the breezes off the lake. 1885 references include "city of winds" as well as "Windy City." This isn't new information either. Mathew's Dictionary of Americanisms, published some 50 years ago, includes an 1887 quotation of "Windy City, but the myth persists--largely due to newspaper reporters and editors who repeat the tale without checking the facts."
Posted by: Sandy at October 20, 2005 04:47 AM
I'm compelled to remind those coming from out of town that it may be chillier than you think it is.
Being from the north woods myself, even I have been caught off guard by the difference the wind in the Windy City makes. Believe me, you do not want to find yourself staring at the prices on the Golden Mile if you thought no big deal and didn't bring a jacket.
(Insert story here of following drunk guy around downtown late at night who eventually gets you into Uno's after closing where they take pity on you and give you a free sweatshirt - and jacket if I remember right. Love the stories I bring back from your town.)
Posted by: Tim Allison at October 21, 2005 12:02 AM
If anyone coming has not already made arrangements for lodging/crash space, I would be willing to provide floor space to anyone that needs it, in my apartment in Oak Park (first suburb straight West of Chicago. Note that Oak Park is often pronounced as "Don't Park", so if you are driving, you _MUST_ provide me with your license number before noon on Friday the 21st to get a parking permit for you. Please let me know if you will want crash space even if you aren't driving, so that I can make sure I have enough space for people. Again, this offer is for crash space only. I can't provide any mattresses/couch space, and can't gaurantee pillows or blankets, so plan on bringing your own.
Posted by: Chad at October 22, 2005 11:12 AM
Didn't notice any lovely protesters, but the cops did a lovely job in making sure that I ended up getting directed the wrong way out when I left last night! But it was all good, I still ended up getting turned around and getting home OK.
OMFG 11111111
Honestly, can't wait. PUMUG reprazent, yo!