Phoenix Phiesta XXXVII: “The After AG / RG”
Mommy Letter
General Information about the location and your packing needs:
Directions to the hotel - Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Midtown, 4000 N Central Ave Phoenix, AZ 85012
• From Interstate 10 coming from the west, exit on I-17 North. Then follow I-17 instructions below.
• From Interstate 10 coming from the east, exit on SR-51 North. Then follow SR-51 instructions below.
• From Interstate 17 exit East at Indian School Road (Exit 202). Then turn South on Central Avenue from Indian School Road. The first right hand turn off of Central Avenue is Clarendon, from which point the hotel is 1/2 block ahead.
• From SR-51 exit West at Indian School Road (Exit 4). Then turn South on Central Avenue from Indian School Road. The first right hand turn off of Central Avenue is Clarendon, from which point the hotel is 1/2 block ahead.
• From Sky Harbor Airport: If you are flying in, there is a train from Sky Harbor to the 44th Street Light Rail line -- see this Light Rail Connection LINK, from where you take the Westbound train to Montebello and exit the train at Indian School Road. From the station, walk South (the direction from which the train was coming), cross Indian School Road on the right sidewalk. The first street on the right is Clarendon where you turn right to get to the hotel.
• For day trippers who are interested there is a light rail station at the intersection of Indian School Road and Central Avenue, approximately a 2 block walk to the hotel.
• Self-Parking is free for RG attendees. If the parking lot is attended get your ticket validated at the front desk.
• From Interstate 10 coming from the east, exit on SR-51 North. Then follow SR-51 instructions below.
• From Interstate 17 exit East at Indian School Road (Exit 202). Then turn South on Central Avenue from Indian School Road. The first right hand turn off of Central Avenue is Clarendon, from which point the hotel is 1/2 block ahead.
• From SR-51 exit West at Indian School Road (Exit 4). Then turn South on Central Avenue from Indian School Road. The first right hand turn off of Central Avenue is Clarendon, from which point the hotel is 1/2 block ahead.
• From Sky Harbor Airport: If you are flying in, there is a train from Sky Harbor to the 44th Street Light Rail line -- see this Light Rail Connection LINK, from where you take the Westbound train to Montebello and exit the train at Indian School Road. From the station, walk South (the direction from which the train was coming), cross Indian School Road on the right sidewalk. The first street on the right is Clarendon where you turn right to get to the hotel.
• For day trippers who are interested there is a light rail station at the intersection of Indian School Road and Central Avenue, approximately a 2 block walk to the hotel.
• Self-Parking is free for RG attendees. If the parking lot is attended get your ticket validated at the front desk.
RG Registration
RG Registration Table opens on Thursday, November 22nd, after the Feast.
Posted hours are:
• Thursday: 5:30pm - 6:30pm
• Friday: 8:00am -10:00am, 1:00pm - 2:00pm and 5:30pm - 6:30pm
• Saturday: 8:00am - 10:00am, 1:00pm - 2:00pm and 5:30pm - 6:30pm
If you need help between registration hours, please find a Committee Member.
Posted hours are:
• Thursday: 5:30pm - 6:30pm
• Friday: 8:00am -10:00am, 1:00pm - 2:00pm and 5:30pm - 6:30pm
• Saturday: 8:00am - 10:00am, 1:00pm - 2:00pm and 5:30pm - 6:30pm
If you need help between registration hours, please find a Committee Member.
Name Tags
Name tags must be worn at all times when in the ballrooms or hospitality. If you are not wearing a name tag with the proper dates, you will be asked to leave by security.
Hospitality:
Opens at 5:00 PM on Thursday and will remain open 24 hours, but if you are the last one to leave, power down and lock up behind you. Hospitality will be closed during the banquet on Saturday night. Snacks will be available at all times. For meal times check out the WEB site or your program when you arrive.
Clothing Suggestions
Expect clear skies, temperatures around 80 in the day and around 55 at night. Bring a sweater or light jacket for the evenings, some evening activities may be outdoors. If you tend to get chilly, please bring a sweater to the meeting rooms.
Pool and Jacuzzi
A heated outdoor pool, Jacuzzi and huge exercise room is available for hotel guests - Swimsuits must be worn in the pool and Jacuzzi at all times.
No Smoking
This hotel is a 100% non-smoking hotel. You will be fined $300 if they find that you have smoked in your room. A designated smoking area is located outside of the hotel.
No Firearms:
Hilton Garden Inn requires that all firearms be secured in the safe at the front desk. There is no charge for this service.
Questions and Security
If you have any questions or concerns about the hotel or RG, please go directly to one of the RG Committee volunteers or to RG Chair Jim Giunta ... not to the hotel staff.
Volunteers
Yes! We need you in almost any capacity! We need help with Shepherding speakers, the Registration Table, and Hospitality. Sign up in Hospitality or find RG Chair Jim Giunta. But keep on the lookout for spur-of-the-moment opportunities. We especially need an electrician named Many Hands. Because he makes light….never mind.
LET’S TALK TURKEY!!! Thanksgiving Feast
Yes, the year has flown by and yes, Thanksgiving is almost upon us – two facts that fill me with anxiety and the best calming solution is…..FOOD!! and in particular: TURKEY with all the trimmings.
It wouldn’t be a Greater Phoenix Mensa Thanksgiving-weekend RG without our traditional Patricia Hull Memorial Thanksgiving Dinner. Pat was a generous Mensan who tirelessly opened the door of her home each year so Mensans who might otherwise eat alone on Thanksgiving could gather and have a good time with their “family”. The tradition now continues at the RG hotel, but the spirit is the same: come and share your Thanksgiving Day with your Mensa family.
Whether you plan to attend the RG or not, you are welcome to join us at our buffet meal. It is set up for GPM members and their guests.
The Particulars:
WHERE: The Hilton Garden Inn, 4000 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ
WHEN: Thanksgiving Day, 2pm – 6 pm
Turkey, ham, beer, wine, soft drinks, tea and coffee will be provided. We are looking for a few more people who will cook a turkey and bring it, already sliced, to the venue by 1:30pm.
We ask that all guests pitch in for the side dishes and desserts. We want to make sure we don’t wind up with 10 green bean casseroles and NO CHOCOLATE, we ask that you note the following breakdown using the first letter of your last name:
A – D: Cold vegetable or Salad (eg, a green salad, cole slaw, macaroni salad, cranberry sauce)
E – K : Dessert (pie, cake, cookies, brownies, fudge)
L – R: Hot vegetable(inc, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, baked beans, green bean casserole)
S – Z: Side dish or Appetizer (eg, fruit salad, chips, crackers/cheese, olives, pickles, rolls & butter)
Please email Helen Goldman at helen.goldman@cox.net or call at 602-404-8284 and let her know 1) if you plan to attend (so we can get an idea of how many will be there) and 2) what you’re bringing, to ask for a suggestion of what is needed or to volunteer to cook a turkey (you will be reimbursed for the cost of the turkey). If you have a special dish you’d like to prepare, but it’s not the category you were assigned, don’t worry – we won’t be checking credentials. We just want to make sure we have a good distribution of different types of food.
See you all on Thanksgiving!
Whether you plan to attend the RG or not, you are welcome to join us at our buffet meal. It is set up for GPM members and their guests.
The Particulars:
WHERE: The Hilton Garden Inn, 4000 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ
WHEN: Thanksgiving Day, 2pm – 6 pm
Turkey, ham, beer, wine, soft drinks, tea and coffee will be provided. We are looking for a few more people who will cook a turkey and bring it, already sliced, to the venue by 1:30pm.
We ask that all guests pitch in for the side dishes and desserts. We want to make sure we don’t wind up with 10 green bean casseroles and NO CHOCOLATE, we ask that you note the following breakdown using the first letter of your last name:
A – D: Cold vegetable or Salad (eg, a green salad, cole slaw, macaroni salad, cranberry sauce)
E – K : Dessert (pie, cake, cookies, brownies, fudge)
L – R: Hot vegetable(inc, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, baked beans, green bean casserole)
S – Z: Side dish or Appetizer (eg, fruit salad, chips, crackers/cheese, olives, pickles, rolls & butter)
Please email Helen Goldman at helen.goldman@cox.net or call at 602-404-8284 and let her know 1) if you plan to attend (so we can get an idea of how many will be there) and 2) what you’re bringing, to ask for a suggestion of what is needed or to volunteer to cook a turkey (you will be reimbursed for the cost of the turkey). If you have a special dish you’d like to prepare, but it’s not the category you were assigned, don’t worry – we won’t be checking credentials. We just want to make sure we have a good distribution of different types of food.
See you all on Thanksgiving!
Other information you need to know:
Games Room:
Our games tables will be set up in the area outside the program rooms. As always we have dozens of games and jigsaw puzzles. See the RG schedule for some specific games and times.
Feel free to put your request for players to join you on the Games whiteboard.
Spend an hour, spend the weekend, we have something for everyone.
Feel free to put your request for players to join you on the Games whiteboard.
Spend an hour, spend the weekend, we have something for everyone.
Banquet Tickets:
If you purchased a full registration or a banquet ticket your ticket will be given to you when you register. Please remember these tickets are the same as cash, do not lose them as they will not be replaced. Your ticket will be collected as you enter Macayo’s.
Speaker Products:
Some of our speakers will bring supplies of their books and other wares to sell after their presentations. They have donated their time and expertise to be with us this Thanksgiving weekend; please support them. Their displays will be at the large granite table across from the program rooms.
Music:
Instruments, voices, CDs and cassettes are welcome for planned and impromptu sing-a-long/play-a-long events. Bring what you have or just come and listen.
Sunday Door Prize Drawing:
There will also be a drawing for a variety of door prizes, AKA stuff we need to part with. If you are not able to attend but want to participate in absentia give you name tag to a friend who will be there and coordinate which prize you want if your name is called.
Like minds who like minds