Write-In and Kickoff Party Locations?

Hi Dana,

I still like The Harvest coffee house, though if we plan either a kickoff or write-ins there we'll need to nail them down on being open. They tend to be a little flaky about closing early. The Chocolate lounge is great but they usually close even earlier than The Harvest.

The Steinhous, where we had our end-of-NaNo celebration, is good. If you're looking for someplace new, Harvey's in Bay City is great.

This year I have an AlphaSmart Neo so I'm completely wireless. Yay!

At the end of October I'll be away on a business trip, but will return on the 30th.

Thanks for your input. I am so happy I'll get to see you at some write-ins this year with your Neo! :)

Anybody else have any suggestions? I am located north of Midland, so I'm not really familiar with Bay City or Saginaw locations. If you've got a favorite spot, please speak up!

Well, I live in Saginaw, I used to work at the mall in Midland, but I don't really know any other area than Saginaw. There are two places that I know of in Saginaw that would work. There's the Magic Bean Cafe on State st, it's on the way to midland i know that much. There's also Crumbs on Gratiot, I'm not sure if that place has WiFi or not, and I'm not exactly sure how long they're open, I haven't been there in a while. But I do know that the Magic Bean Cafe has WiFi, and they have a separate meeting room with tables, and other chairs and couches, you might have to call ahead to hold the meeting room, but it's really nice.

I'm not really sure about a place for the kick-off. The only other time I went to a kick-off I was in Detroit, so I'm not quite sure of where to have it.

--Megan

I know from experience that Crumbs has Wi-Fi. (And great coffee & snacks!) My writers' group in Saginaw loves to hang out there, and at Barnes & Noble too.

I'm familiar with The Harvest in Frankenmuth... I know the owners, actually. But I've never been to the Bay City location.

The Harvest is indeed awesome. The Bay City location was first, but the owners recently sold it to his younger brother to focus on the Frankenmuth one. But still amazing. Nov. 1 works for me almost anywhere, unless I get the job I'm out begging for. Of course, I've been doing my begging at B+N recently...

The Harvest is a nice location, in either Frankenmuth or Bay City. Crumbs sounds very nice, but I've never been, which basically means that I'm all for meeting at Crumbs. Writers seem unanimous in their praise of its accommodations.

I'm teaching 5 classes this semester at two campuses (Delta & SVSU), which makes me an adjunct scab and a very cheap one to boot. In other words, I'm busier than I've been in quite some time. I'll give it my best, though.

Charles Davenport

Magic Bean Café sounds good—it’s not exactly on the way to Midland for all of us (I live very far north of Midland so nothing in Saginaw is on the way, lol)—and it would be a shiny new spot for write-ins. The meeting room sounds fantastic!!!

Crumbs was the Saginaw NaNo write-in spot last year, and as Poohba says, they definitely do have free wi-fi.

The Harvest in Bay City was a great place for write-ins last year, but as Grace says, they need to be pinned down on times.

Here’s my “TRI-cities” note: As the name of the region implies, we’re made up of three cities, and I am really excited to have all three cities represented and would love to see everyone out there.

Yes, unfortunately, there’s a but… :(

Last year, everyone on the message boards said, “We’re in Saginaw!” “The place to be is Saginaw!” “I’ll show up if we have the write-ins in Saginaw!”

Except…no one ever showed up at the Saginaw write-ins. Midland write-ins were attended. The Bay City write-ins were the best attended. But no one showed up at the Saginaw ones.

And those were the ones that I drove almost an hour and a half each way to be at (I’m in Gladwin County). My commitment to be at these was 3 hours driving plus 2-3 hours write-in time—for a total of 5-6 hours—plus gas (the cost of which I thought was bad last year!). Every week, I begged people to attend, every week people promised they would, and every week I was the only one (besides Oxling who gets a perfect attendance record for all write-ins in all cities) who did. This year, I just don’t have the time or gas budget to do that. I LOVE being there with other Wrimos to cheer them on, but if no one is going to be there, those 3 hours in the car can translate into a LOT of words in front of my computer—at a fraction of the price, lol.

So, if people want to have a Saginaw write-in—which I hope they do!!—just announce the time and the place here, but I won’t be able to attend with the goodies from NaNo headquarters. I am VERY happy to mail them to anyone or arrange pick up. Everyone who attends a NaNo write-in should get NaNo stickers and stuff from headquarters!

Yes, I know I have babbled on for too long, and I hope I haven’t scared anyone off. I am just explaining why I can’t attend the Saginaw write-ins this year—but I hope you guys will arrange to have some that will be well attended. We’re in our second year as a region, and I just know we’re blossoming into something big!!!!

Well, you KNOW I'll be at the Bay City ones.

Fantastic!

I just spoke to the people at Harvest, and they are open later on Thursdays (9 pm) than on Monday-Wednesdays (8 pm), so how about Thursdays at Harvest for our Bay City write-ins?

I forgot to ask in my original post what days were good for people. If Thursdays are absolutely rotten, then we can switch it. This also means that there will be no write-in Thanksgiving week, but we can change the day that week if we want.

Last year, the Midland write-in was at Espresso Milano on Sunday mornings. Coffee Chaos in Midland also has free wi-fi. Anyone have experience there? Espresso was okay, but kind of crowded, and the service was hit-and-miss.

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~~Dana~~
Municipal Liaison, U.S. :: Michigan :: Tri-Cities
Co-Moderator, Military Lounge

The beautiful part of writing is that you don’t have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon.--Robert Cormier

what, no gold star for perfect attendance, lol. also the Mudslide Mania at the Espresso Milano was to die for mmmm, lol. unfortunatly, Thursday is no good for me :(

I can make Thursdays at the Harvest.

No gold star, but didn't you get a certificate for your perfect attendance? *g*

I spoke to the owner of the Harvest tonight about us hanging out there weekly, and he said that Thursday is blue grass night. I just don't see productive noveling happening with a blue grass band there--not to mention it might make it hard for us to talk during our breaks in writing.

How's Wednesdays for everyone? That's when we had it at the Harvest last year, IIRC.

Harvey's sounds good to me! I've never been there, but it looks like a good place.

Wednesdays are better for me for write-ins. I'll be at the kick-off party. My husband will push me out the door if he has to!He'll have the kids all to himself and he has football!! He usually works Saturdays, but for a few weeks he'll be off. The timing couldn't be better!!

Depends on what time it was on wednesdays, I'm at delta until 7 30, and i drive someone here so I have to drive back to saginaw to take her home. I would like to attend at least one in Bay City though.

But is anyone else wanting to meet in Saginaw? Cause I would still be willing to meet in Saginaw even though our lovely ML won't be able to attend (with understandable reasons).

-- Megara

Wednesdays are no good for me in Bay City. I don't get out of clas til 7, and the Harvest (if that's where we meet) closes at 8. And I totally agree about bluegrass night. Although, I was there 8-9 last Thursday, and had no problem reading or talking at low volumes. We'd just have to take over the back of the store.
And since I'm at SVSU, I could meet in Saginaw too. I'd just have to have a time that I could come and a place that I could get to.

as for the Saginaw one, I was just looking it up and the Starbucks on Tittabawassee has wifi. We could even meet there, it's close for the Sagianw people, and Stephanie 1588, it's close to SVSU for you too, :). That's one possibility. I'm good for thursdays through Sunday. I'm not quite sure on their hours, but that's easy to just stop by on one of my many drives. Anyone else interested in attending the Saginaw ones, if you have any other options, feel free to list them. If it's alright with pipermaru, I'll just temp take over getting things organized for Saginaw since she can't make it, :D

--Megara

Okay, we've got two people saying Wednesdays are no good. Which in a group this size constitutes a large portion of potential attendees. *g*

How's Tuesdays? Or a venue that closes later on Wednesdays? I looked at the Wirt Library, but they close at 8 pm also. There's the Stein Haus--the one time I was there it was pretty empty (Saturday, late afternoon), but I don't know what it would be like on a weeknight. No wi-fi, but sometimes that's a good thing! *g*

I just did a Google search and missed a coffee house I didn't see before--Espresso Express on Water St. Anyone know it?

It's more than all right, and I am thrilled that you want to plan some write-ins! Anyone can organize a write-in! If they're organized ahead of time, I will go ahead and put them on our regional calendar of events. I just ask that any write-ins that are organized don't conflict with ones already on the calendar.

Another thing you can do is head to the forums and post, "Hey! I've got some unexpected time, so I am heading over to Joe's Coffee House on XYZ Street today at 5. Hope to see some of you there!" You never know who might have some free time, see the post, and join you. Write-ins can be very informal.

I have goody bags to hand out to those who attend the KO party and write-ins I organize, and I can try to get some goody bags to the Saginaw folks as well, so you're not deprived. I'm sure we can work something out.

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~~Dana~~
Municipal Liaison, U.S. :: Michigan :: Tri-Cities
Co-Moderator, Military Lounge

The beautiful part of writing is that you don’t have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon.--Robert Cormier

Tuesdays are actually really bad for me. I have class at Delta from 6 - 10 PM. So unless anything's before six, I'd have to opt out.

(That class already gets me missing House every week. :( It's tragic.)

Since I live in Saginaw, I'd like to do Saginaw write-ins. I didn't know who else was from around here and interested. Just let me know the time and place and directions (I just live here, just like I lived in NE for a year, I don't know whrere a lot of places are).

I can't make Tuesdays, but I can do Wednesday or Thursday easily.

They did have blue grass playing at The Harvest one time last year, and it really wasn't so bad was it? I'm not crazy about Espresso Express. I haven't been there in ages because a few times I was in there I didn't like the treatment. I'd be willing to give it a shot, though.

Anyone go to The Red Eye in Saginaw?

That's awesome! I know that I'll definitely be going to the kick off party, so i can take some tot he Saginaw write-ins for anyone that shows up!

As for the red-Eye in Saginaw, I've only been there once, which is surprising since I live so close, but that's definitely an option for a write-in, too. a couple options for Saginaw Write-ins are Crumbs on Gratiot, Magic Bean Cafe on State, Starbucks on Tittabwassee, and the Red-Eye on Hamilton.

Some possible days could be Thursday or Friday, or the weekend if anyone wanted to do it then. Sunday's would be a little iffy, and I would be able to make it then if it was after 3. I don't have classes on Thursdays or Fridays, so those days work best for me, and Saturdays are toss up days for me, lol. What does everyone else think?

--Megara

Bay City - Espresso Express always seem really dark when I'm in there, not to mention its pretty small. The libraries are (sadly) open til 8 at the latest. The Stein Haus could be good. Never been in there when there hasn't been some kind of big event going on. And does anyone know if Tim Horton's has wifi? Cause that could be a place too.

Saginaw - Starbucks is fine ( I know where that is), but I'm up for going other places too.

As it turns out, Crumbs does have free WiFi. I am in Saginaw as well and I do like the Magic Bean. This is my first time so please be gentle. :)

Any night is okay for me, except... Tuesdays, I teach computer classes until 8:30 pm.

Due to being on night shift all week, anything from Sun-Thurs is out for me. Friday and Saturday nights would be the most likely to see me out, but I am not going to turn down overtime if they ask it, its been getting hard to find lately. I will try to make it to at least one write in and I will always make it to the TGIO party, wherever will be.
Josh

wednesday sounds great for me, yay.

Ooh, just noticed the post about the Red Eye. I've been there a couple times, but each time the smoke got to me. Is that still the case, does anyone know? I prefer to be able to write without coughing like an asthmatic.

And I checked at the Tim Horton's on Wilder/Euclid in Bay City, and they do have wifi. So that's always an option for write ins. And in the afternoons/evenings, its not really packed. Lots of retirees and coffee clutches in the morning though.

I am very interested in meeting in Saginaw. The other cities are okay, but being part of a one car family means staying close is a plus.

My sources tell me that the Red Eye can still get pretty smoky, but I guess it isn't as bad as it used to be. But smoke tends to bug me anyway, lol.

Okay so anyone planning to attend the Saginaw Write-ins it looks like we've got a few choices. Crumbs on Gratiot, Magic Bean on State, or Starbucks on Tittabawassee, or any other place someone can think of. And how does Thursday nights sound? around 6 or 7?