Re: [boost] BoostCon 2011 Dates and Hotel Discount (this week only!)

Subject: Re: [boost] BoostCon 2011 Dates and Hotel Discount (this week only!)
From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-05-18 19:52:27

Rene Rivera wrote:
> On 5/18/2010 4:50 PM, Stefan Seefeld wrote:
>> On 05/18/2010 05:35 PM, Nelson, Erik - 2 wrote:
>>> Anyway, I'm just curious what people think about Aspen or
>>> alternatives for a BoostCon venue.
>>
>> I agree with you. Even if the venue is very nice, it's also very
>> inconvenient, at least for many of us.
>
> Same here.. And I've volunteered my time to do the on-the-ground work
> if the conference moved to the Chicago area in the past (after the
> first year we organized the conference).

Some time ago - within the past year - I suggested that another venue
be considered.

Having been to my first BoostCon - I don't think there is any better
place to have this conference.

a) The place was spectacular.
b) I love being able to tell people I gave a talk held at the Apspen
Institue for Physics.
c) I love the architecture
d) I love the gym/swimming pool
e) I love renting a bike for $50/week and riding around down and
going on excursions on the surrounding bike paths.
f) Denver airport is a hub and I don't see that anywhere would
be much less inconvenient at least for me.
g) The hotel is expensive by my usual standards and this is a factor
for me.  There are other rooms in town at about 1/2 the cost.  So
this shouldn't be a major obstacle.  In my case, I shared a room with
Vicente so the cost as quite reasonable.  The room is really a suite
with a "working" area separteed from the sleeping area + an outdoor
patio.  Also has microwave, fridge, coffee machine, etc.  So in practice,
it's plenty comfortable.
h) I found that eating more than one restaurant meal/day at 8000 feet leaves
me with a large ball in my gut.  So having some fruit/snacks in the fridge
along with the free pastries between morning sessions worked well out for 
me.
And of course saves a ton of money since restaurants are very expensive.
(note to hotel, they could make a lot more money if they gave out discount
coupons (25%?) to boost attendies to eat in their restaurant).

All in all, the altitude, bike rides, restaurant situation, etc.  resulted 
in
a net loss of 3lbs for me over the week.

Some of the conference sessions were also interesting.

Robert Ramey