good times in wicker park at the TB MEET & GREET

meeting so many like-minded individuals with many "war stories" to share about various travels to near and far flung places made me brave the whipping winds of chicago.  (yeah yeah, i know you all thought it was a "warm" night -- but not for this island girl!)

i got to people lounge around 7-ish when i heard mark (travelman's) booming voice say "sybil!!!"  so that was how my evening started.  throughout the evening, mark's enthusiastic "are you a travbuddy?" greeted everyone who walked through that door.  it was quite hilarious.  :D

someone also brought name tags for everyone.  everyone was a sport and wore them.  ;)

when i got there, carolyn (Apache_Rose_Peacock) and alicia (Agarcia) already ordered sangrias.  and i was all about the sangrias, which was tasty by the way! 

everyone was in a very festive mood and chatting with everyone.  we took lotsa pictures (although not me personally .

.. i know, shocker!)  and we were all in awe of raul's (Raularanda2001) height... who towered over alicia and sylvia!  :)  i also amused them with my brazen wearing of the ucla santa hat to show love for my beloved bruins who beat michigan in basketball that day (and sadly lost to byu in football.  UGH!)

but i digress, it was real good meeting lovely, lovely people over tasty sangrias and yummy food.

i think about 15 folks showed up.  mark has a list (as he carried his nifty organizer).

later, when everyone took off because some had to drive back home.... to kansas or indiana (i know, craziness!), raul, juan (John1112), carolyn, luke (Juniorcbr) and i went to plan b for shots (yes, plural) of vodka (although in luke's case, jaggermeister.  ugh!)  hahaha!  it was a good night.

mark's blog about the meet can be found here.  while juan's blog can be found here.  david's blog can be found here.  and tim's blog can be found here.