January Stratford Meetup?

Back in November Laura rightly suggested we move discussion of a possible January meetup in Stratford off the Duplicates thread. I couldn't see any further discussion of this, so I've created this new thread.

I'm still up for a meeting - who else is interested?

25th January was suggested - but Luci pointed out this clashes with a London meet up (it also clashes with something else I'd hoped to attend in London) - so if there was another suitable date for Stratford, that would be great.

What would be best for those of you who are interested? If we can fix a definite date before the end of this month, that would be very helpful.

The 25th was a good date for me, but I'll understand if people prefer a different day. Thank you for raising this again, Genny, as I need to have a date fixed sooner rather than later due to work commitments.

I think the 25th was also a good day for Elaine, who I think was only free for a few days. I can certainly make it then, as well (as part of my extended birthday celebrations!) and I think Heaven-Ali, also.

I suggest that people either go direct to Stratford or meet in Birmingham. If people are planning to stay overnight in Birmingham at all, we could arrange a Kings Heath charity shop crawl on the Friday ... tempt tempt ... tempt tempt ...

Jan 25 is the best date. How wonderful it will be to see everyone again.

Elaine

PS. Anyone going to be in London Jan 18 or 19?

If 25th is going to be it, I won't book my other thing in London - I was only possibly interested in that anyway.

I don't know Stratford at all, so I'm looking forward to my first visit there. Would be happy to do something with charity shops on Friday afternoon too. (I'll be in an art class at the MAC Friday morning so quite handy for Kings Heath later that day...)

Elaine, I will be around in London on the evening of the 18th (working during the day).

I last visited Stratford when I was about 15, so it will be pretty new to me too.

yay - I'm up for the 25th - I will of course be at work on the Friday - but should be free by about 4.00 - could maybe get to KH by 4.30 - though you will all be shopped out by then I should think.

I think any Saturday could work for me - it's been way too long since I went to Stratford, and I'd love to join.

6 Claire, maybe we can get together for a bite to eat (or a drink in a pub or something). I'm good in the evening as long as the location is near a tube stop.

Stratford meet-up. Liz and Ali, what train might you catch? Then we can set a meet-up time for everyone.

Elaine

PS the more the merrier...

When I looked a couple of days ago the best cheap train from London Marylebone (for me and perhaps Claire? not for Liz and Ali) was about 9 am getting in to Stratford about 11.15, returning to London after 5, fare £21 (£6 + £15) - is Stratford beyond the Network Southeast remit for a Network Railcard?

I wish I could come, but there's nothing remotely direct for me. :( The best I can find has 3 changes and would take 8+ hours.

>9 Liz1564:: That would be great. I finish work at 5pm, so having a meal would suit me.

>10 elkiedee:: I can't check the NSE boundary at the moment, but I do know that the railcard can be used even if the destination is outside the area; the discount is applied to the portion of the journey within it. It would be good to travel together, as we did to Oxford.

I am checking the train times and prices now :)

Oh weird, I'm sure I posted about train times in here but can 't see it now. Ali and I can get the 10:39 from Hall Green which gets to Stratford at 11:21.

Is anyone up for the Kings Heath charity shop shopping experience on the 24th? I think Genny was talking about that ...

I'll meet you at the station. I'll probably be in the snack bar if it is really cold. (Today in Chicago it is minus 14 degrees F). Any train times for Oxford and London folks?

I need to try and buy tickets, but I think around the same time as Birmingham - 11.15 and 11.21

Luci, let me know which train you book and I will try to get on the same one.

Claire, I've just booked - £24 now (£9 morning, £15 for the evening train) but maybe you can get a discount with your Network Railcard (I really should get one but I'm never sure how much I'm going to travel without the kids in tow (I do have a Family Railcard) and within the region)

9:09 from London Marylebone arr 11:15 Chiltern Railways
17:35 from Stratford arr 19:24

Hope those work for you - they're the only times that make sense for me without a huge hike in fares, and it looks like we can all arrive in Stratford within a few minutes of each other (ok, I don't know about Oxford but hopefully so).

http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/

And I can get the 10.31 from Birmingham Moor Street which is the same one that Ali and Liz plan to catch a couple of stops further on.

I remain possibly tempted by the Kings Heath charity shop expedition on the Friday afternoon - but I do have to be careful not to overdo things physically (never mind the bank balance) so if most people are not coming via Birmingham but heading direct to Stratford on the Saturday, perhaps I should save the Kings Heath experience for another occasion rather than have two consecutive days of delightful but tiring outings.

19 excellent, let's swap mobile numbers then we can get in to the same carriage as you! And I'm fine on the Friday thing as I need to not miss tooooo much work time in one week. Happy to save it - maybe till half term when Ali can join in properly.

>18 elkiedee:: Luci, I've just booked myself onto those trains, at the same price as you can't use the railcard on Advance fares. I'll send you a PM with my mobile number so we can find each other (although I will try to have an obvious Virago in hand like last time!).

I love all these railway rendezvous! We should all be clutching a Virago...

Hoping to come along but I have had more illness and am unwilling to commit £26 return fare at the moment. I presume that the idea is to meet at Stratford Upon Avon as opposed to the Stratford Upon Avon Parkway - sorry if I am being dumb.

It also beats me that I will need to change 2 or 3 times ..... in fact I may even drive my car!

Yes, Stratford on Avon. This is a very short walk to the center of town...passing two charity shops on the way.

NOT Stratford on Avon Parkway which is way out of town and is accessed only by car. (What we in the states call a boon-doggle...did some politician have land that he persuaded the railroad company to buy???)

Julie, I don't know if it's worth you looking at National Express coaches for fares/travel (I have a memory of travelling from Oxford to somewhere via Stratford, don't know where or why or when, a long time ago - my mum's parents lived in Oxford). I hope you have a better time of it healthwise over the next few weeks - it would be lovely to see you again if you can make it.

Thanks dear friends and sorry - my posts look a bit abrupt.

We will love to see you if we can, and see you another time if it doesn't work out for you. Yes, Stratford station, never been to the other one myself!

I am off to London tomorrow. A week of theatre (Duchess of Malfi at the new Wannamaker theater in the Globe complex), museums, book shops, and favorite city churches.

I'll be at the Stratford station (the TOWN station, not the parkway station) on Jan 25 to meet everyone. LizzyBee has my Stratford phone number if anyone needs to touch base with me. I'll arrive in Stratford Jan 20.

See you soon!

Elaine

Have a safe journey and have fun in London!

I THINK I have your Stratford phone number ... I'm sure I do somewhere, think you messaged it to me on here anyway. Safe journey and look forward to seeing you soon. Give my love to the Globe!

Still not sure whether or not I'll be free, but is there a definite time/place that people are meeting?

At Stratford Station around 11.10-11.25. If you end up coming up later we can give you a mobile number and can meet you in town or at the Station, depending on how well you know Stratford. Hope you can make it!

Sorry to say that I am probably not strong enough to be out galivanting next Saturday.

Oh, Julie, so sorry to hear that! Take care and get fully well soon x

#33 Very sorry to hear that - I was hoping to get to meet at last (and hear how everything is going). Do get well soon and hopefully next time a midlands-based meet-up is planned, you will be able to make it!

Re Saturday - beyond meeting at the railway station, do we have a plan for the day? Do those who know Stratford well have suggestions for an itinerary, or shall we just play it by ear? Presumably we will be having lunch together somewhere? Will people still be around in the evening? What time is everyone needing/expecting to depart? Trains back to Birmingham are frequent and run late, so from that point of view I am not in a rush, though I do need to be careful about energy levels. If there are enough of us still around, could we have an earlyish evening meal together - or should we go for a late-ish and filling tea in a nice tea-shop (I'm presuming Stratford has plenty of those) which will sustain us on our journeys home?

Elaine knows the second hand bookshops of Stratford very well. There is an excellent tea room where we can have a lunch (anything from soup upwards) which we both know. I am not bad at Stratford as have worked at the Birthplace Trust archive for a bit a few years ago. Early evening meal is fine although at very least Ali and I have some dietary requirement issues which means Pizza Express is best for us, or there are many tea rooms etc. Hope that helps!

re: the bookshops - I am allowed to buy no books :( I need a responsible adult to stop me.

Pizza Express is one of my favourites! That all sounds excellent.

re the bookshops, I will need some help in enforcing a ration myself!

I need to watch my spending as well, having just booked train tickets to and from Scotland on the sleeper ... ouch! A tea room lunch sounds lovely. I think Luci and I will be catching a train home before dinner though.

Lurking, and highly amused by all proclamations of book-buying restraint. I'll believe it when I see it.

I'm booked on a train home at around 5.30 - as the next one is about 2 hours later and it's going to take me around 3 hours to get home. The only support I can offer on book buying restraint is that I have no intention of exercising it over myself, and that I may be the one who buys more than you (I usually do!) I'm also hoping that all of you will be able to offer a book or 3 a new home (though you are also welcome to take anything I might get round to bringing and pass it on to someone else too...).

I'll see if I've got anything to pass on, Luci - I could certainly do with clearing some space on my one bookcase!

I have no restraint "booked" for myself ... I need to fill in my Century of Reading, and I know what those shops in Stratford are like!

I'm still hovering ..... and may still drive. Dr appt Friday morning ....

LizzyBee - I am really 'wanting' to come tomorrow and will use my car. I am concerned that people don't wait around for me so please would you PM me a mobile number so I may let you know. In addition, if I get stuck in traffic (or anything else!) I can ring and find out where you are!!! Thank you.

Hooray!

Julie has my number now and I have hers so that's all OK and so pleased she may be able to come.

Here is the list of who I know is definitely coming and who I think might be. Can everyone please confirm so we know who to look out for?

Liz1564 - already in Stratford, meeting us at the station
Me / Heaven-Ali - arriving from Birmingham 11.21
Gennyt - arriving from Birmingham 11.21
Sakerfalcon and Elkiedee - arriving from London 11.15

? Juliette07 - coming by car

? Stuck-in-a-book - coming? how?

Confirming plans - I think I have phone nos for Claire and Genny and will try to check that tonight so Claire and I can find each other and then maybe we can confirm that we've got our trains.

Have just put train tickets in my bag.

At present definitely coming by car but will text LizzyBee if not. Thanks Genny - pray for a cheap parking spot please!!!! Anyone know?

My friend Paul says "I'm not sure but I think the Bridgefoot car park is run by the council and pretty good value. It's on the gyratory opposite the leisure centre." and he lives in Stratford.

Yes, definitely still coming - I even turned down a ticket to see Henry V tomorrow afternoon! Have been carrying train tickets around for the last 2 weeks since I picked them up!

>51 Sakerfalcon:: I even turned down a ticket to see Henry V tomorrow afternoon
You few, you happy few, you band of Viragos ...

Thanks LizzyBee - we will be a very happy band indeed Laura heheheh!

Belatedly - I'm afraid I'm not going to make it. Have a great day!

That's a shame, maybe you'll be able to make London in March ... Thanks for letting me know so we don't leave anyone behind. See you all tomorrow!

Thanks LizzyBee - what a pity we won't be seeing Stuck in a Book!

Sorry to hear that, Simon. When are you coming to London in March, Liz?

Just confirming that I am indeed still coming - hoping to rendezvous on the train with Ali and Liz.

See most of you tomorrow!

#47 isn't it March people are talking about in another thread? Or have I got all confused. When laurakeet is over.

And see you in a bit, Gennyt!

>59 LyzzyBee:: Yes! March 22!! The more the merrier! Here's the thread for that one:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/167656

I hope everyone has a wonderful time today, and that someone brought a camera so we can all see your happy faces.

We had a lovely day today, brilliant seeing old friends and one new, and a few books may have been purchased ...

Wonderful Liz! Look forward to hearing all about it and seeing pictures of people and books!

I saw some photos on Facebook; it looks lovely and I wish I'd been there but I'm determined to make the London day out.

I didn't take pictures of US - but here's my little write-up and a pic of my book haul http://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2014/01/26/and-so-the-tbr-explodes/

Here's one of us outside the Shakespeare Hospice Shop:

And since I didn't manage to get everyone smiling at the same time, here's a different view outside the RSC Swan Theatre with some different smiles!



(This was after the heavy hail-and-thunderstorm which briefly halted our progression through Stratford's charity bookshops - the afternoon sun was shining serenely again by now, but there were 'haildrifts' lingering along the verges.)

How lovely - what super photos and also lots of heavy-looking book filled bags!!

This is what I acquired - I say acquired becasuse 2 were given to me by Luci - I got three others not pictured as they are for an upcoming giveaway on my blog in a coupk of weeks time.



The Mrs Miniver and The Misses Mallett are for my collection, I've read them already so not going immediately on to tbr - they don't count :)

A lovely haul and they all match quite nicely, too!

Lovely books Ali - well done! Mr. Fortune's Maggot is the only Sylvia Townsend Warner I've read so far and I liked it a lot.

We did indeed have a lovely day, hailstorm notwithstanding. Many thanks to Elaine for having checked out the bookshops ahead of time so we could prioritise and go to the best ones first. Also for the lovely morning tea/coffee at the White Swan. Luci was intrepid enough to carry sackfuls of discarded books from her library so that we could have a rummage before she dropped the remainder off at Oxfam. Here is the group photo, taken in the Oxfam bookshop by one of their lovely volunteers.

Just got home! A wonderful Saturday and we DIDN't get to one more charity book store and six more charity shops! Will write more tomorrow.

elaine