Shakespeare's Peddler

Registration for Shakespeare's Peddler's "Weekend Away" 2004

Name:

Address:

Phone:

E-mail:

Special dietary/medical needs:

Emergency Phone Number/Contact:

CIRCLE DATE OF RETREAT TO BE ATTENDED:

JUNE 11-13 -- JULY 9-11 --OCTOBER 15-17

Payments (check all that apply):

______ $25 deposit due at time of registration to hold spot. Remainder due by May 1st, 2003 (please indicate on your registration if you would like the remainder automatically charged to your credit card on May 1st.) I will begin accepting registrations November 1, 2003.
______ $195 TOTAL per attendee (note, hotel fees are an extra $75/night for a double and $67 for a single, and are the responsibility of the attendees). You may pay for the entire retreat up front.
______ $40 Super-Size per attendee (for those staying until Monday)
______ Massage (optional). $15/15 minutes, $30/30 minutes (circle one).

Credit card number (may also pay by check or money order):

Room/Roommate Information:

_____ My roommate is: ________________/I have no roommate (circle one)
_____ Non-smoking _____ Smoking

I will make your room reservations, so please indicate here which nights you will require:

I cannot accept responsibility for any loss, theft, injury or illness. Travelling to and participation in this event is voluntary and at your own risk. Please sign here to acknowledge that you accept responsibility for yourself and your possessions.

Signature _________________________ Date: ________________

Send this form and payment to: Shakespeare's Peddler, 624 Main Ave., Fargo, ND, 58103. Phone: (701) 282-6569 or toll-free (888) 333-5246. E-mail: [email protected]

General Information:

I hope you will think about coming to join me for my fourth year of weekend retreats here in Fargo, ND. Since the year 2000, women from all around the country (and Canada!) have spent weekends getting to know each other, stitching, eating and LAUGHING. Please read the following information carefully. There's a lot that goes on, and a lot to learn about these retreats.

I am making a few changes in the way the retreats are run this year, partially for my own sanity, but mostly to give attendees more options.

Registration begins November 1, 2003. Hopefully this will help everyone secure their vacation time for next summer. I am not officially holding spots for previous attendees this year, since I've never found that to be a problem (in terms of a previous attendee not being able to come, because the retreats were full.) Do get your registrations in early, though, because once I have a new limit of 20 spots at each retreat for 2004. The hotel has redecorated the space we use, which means bulkier chairs, tables and couches, and fewer seating areas.
The price of the retreat has gone down, because now those attending will be responsible for their own hotel expenses. Figuring my bill after the retreat got to be complicated, depending on people checking in or out early, phone calls made, or other changes in the reservations. I will make your COMPLETE reservation for you with the C'Mon Inn, including extra days you may need. Make sure to include those on your registration form, and let me know who will be staying in the room which days. Rooms of three can be accommodated by way of a roll-away, saving everyone a little cash for stash. Before you check out, make sure you pay your bill. Rates are $75/night for doubles and $67/night for singles.
I am not doing "themed" retreats anymore, since I found people came no matter the theme (and sometimes in spite of it.) We all end up having a lot in common, anyway, so this should help me avoid discouraging anyone from coming.
In the past, I had given rides from the airport to attendees. Now that I have a shop, that little extra help is much more complicated for me, and either requires me to hire someone to cover the shop or to close the shop temporarily. I have found that attendees are sometimes able to double-up with rides home, especially for those who are renting cars at the airport. Before the retreat, I'll send an e-mail to the group to make sure everyone has a way to get to the hotel from the airport. If you need help finding a car rental, see below for more information.
Instead of kitting up a surprise package of projects for the weekend, each attendee will receive a $75 gift certificate to Shakespeare's Peddler. Now, you may spend that at the retreat or later, or you may send me a list of things you'd like to have ready when you arrive. If you would still like to receive a "surprise" package of projects for the weekend, I will be happy to work from a list you send me. Ask for more details, if you're interested.

For those of you who haven't attended before, Friday is usually spent getting to know each other and stitching in the "Library" at the hotel (a wonderful room with couches, tables, lots of windows, a sink, and a homey feel).

Saturday's fun starts with a needlework gift exchange in the morning (bring a needlework-related gift valued at $7-$10 -- we'll draw numbers for the gifts, and open them with everyone). Massages will begin before lunch (if you choose that option). Door prizes are handed out Saturday night.

Sunday is when goodie bags will be handed out for everyone (even those staying the extra day). Goodie Bags are donations from my distributors/suppliers, and often include things like buttons, charts, fabric, magazines, and the like. Sunday meals are not part of your retreat fee. We can go out as a large group, or in smaller groups. For those of you who have Super-Sized, your extra day's fee includes beverages and snacks for the extra day.

Rates:

$195/person with a $40 extra fee for those staying Sunday night. A $25 deposit is due at time of registration, the remainder is due by May 1, 2004, except for those attending in October. The remainder for October retreaters is due September 1. You may pay by check, money order, or credit card (VISA or Master Card). Please, no cash. See the registration form for the Super Size option and massage option prices.

With those rates you get: $75 gift certificate to Shakespeare's Peddler, lunch on Saturday, dinner on Friday and Saturday, a constant supply of snacks (healthy and not-so-healthy) and beverages, a directory of attendees, door prizes and goodies from my suppliers and other extras.

You are responsible for your own transportation to Fargo, your hotel room fees for all nights, and meals not included in the fees (breakfast is provided by the hotel. Lunch on Friday and Sunday and Sunday night dinner are your responsibility). The hotel is new-ish and accommodating -- the rooms are nice, and there are swell areas for us to hang out, including FIVE hot tubs! (Be sure to join the gang for hot-tubbing before they drain the tubs at 11.)

Please know that these weekends are very casual, and meant to be fun for everyone. If you ever want to duck out to go run around town, feel free. If you need a nap, go ahead. This is to be a weekend for stitchers of all abilities -- encourage your fellow attendees. We stitch for the love of it, don't we?

What to bring:

_____ Comfortable clothes. You can spend the weekend how you like, sitting and stitching, or out and about. Also make sure to bring comfortable shoes. The hotel has five hot tubs and a nice swimming pool (all indoors), so a swimsuit is also suggested (some of us tubbed-it every night, but the hotel shuts off and DRAINS the hot tubs at 11, so you won't have to worry about that kind of noise in the hotel). Weather here in the summer can be hot or cool. So, bring pants and shorts (and a jacket or sweat shirt is also not a bad idea.)
_____ Camera
_____ Basic sewing supplies (scissors, needles, illumination or magnification if needed). Lighting is actually very good with many overhead lights in the library and a wall of windows.
_____ Needlework gift worth $7-$10 for gift exchange (Saturday morning -- this is optional.)
_____ Needlework projects to work on.
_____ Items for "Show and Tell" on Saturday afternoon (can be finished projects, photos, or works in progress).

Things we've learned:

Transportation around town isn't too tricky. Fargo is set up like a grid of perpendicular lines, and most of what you will want to see is in the general area of the hotel. Most of last year's attendees drove or shared rental cars, so getting around town to do sightseeing, eating and shopping was aided by these good-natured stitchers who let us all pile in. Some local rental places include AVIS 800-831-2847, Enterprise 800-736-8222, Hertz 800-654-3131, Natinoal Car Rental 800-227-7368, and Generic 701-232-2600. Check on-line, too (often, rates are much cheaper on-line.)
Taxi services are available in Fargo, but you must phone for cabs. (They're not just hanging around waiting at the airport as in some larger cities.)
Our hotel is within walking distance of several restaurants (Space Aliens (a hoot), Bennigan's, McDonald's, Wendy's and a truck stop diner.
The C'Mon Inn is a two-level hotel. There is no elevator, and we are on the second floor. Ask a hotel staff member for help with bags if you need it. (We don't want to sprain any stitching muscles.)
I will be bringing stitching music for your enjoyment. Movies (tapes) will also be an option for all nights. I'll bring a few, but feel free to bring your favorite movies or VHS tapes if you like.
You can read about previous retreats in the Archives.
Each year, some attendees bring goodies (candy or small gifts) for everyone who attends. This is NOT expected, but always very appreciated for those who like to do that kind of thing, so remember that there will be about 20 attending.
Some attendees MADE their gift exchange gifts. This also is NOT expected (but, the appropriate amount of drooling and oohing and ahhing takes place in such an instance); a $7-10 gift is what is recommended. Homemade gifts are, of course, always welcome. Please do wrap your gift, or at least put it in a little bag.
Come with empty space in your suitcase. You'll be going back with more than you came with.
Retreat-ers have made some great friends here in Fargo, and some have come back every year. Bring an open mind and a sense of fun (we can get pretty silly. Group water ballet on the carpet at 3 a.m.? Yes!) Some stitchers have used the weekend as a mother/daughter get-together, meeting place for old classmates, and vacation for friends.

Cancellation Policy:

You may cancel your participation in the event up to May 1st, but you will lose your registration fee. After that date, there will be no refund for a cancellation, except in the case of an emergency like the death of a loved one, a serious personal illness, and the like. Anyone canceling with no refund will receive the $75 gift certificate and any other freebees from the weekend.

Information about Fargo, North Dakota:

The Fargo area is a fast-growing community of over 170,000 people, and I think you'll find its residents to be friendly and helpful. If you choose to go out and about, there are fun things to see in Fargo.

If you're looking for a bite to eat outside of the retreat, I'd recommend Paradiso or Guadalajara (Mexican fare), Santa Lucia's (Greek/Italian), Bennigan's (Irish chain -- get the baked potato soup!), Kroll's (a 50s style diner), and for Chinese food, The Giant Panda (across the street from the Nordic Needle and an all-you-can eat, five buffet lines restaurant) or The Mandarin, which is a little classier and closer to the hotel. We also now have our very own Krispy Kreme, which is just three minutes from the hotel. Glazed or frosted?

Our mall is also newly renovated, and very nice, with a beautiful big food court now. If you're not from this area, Marshall Fields (formerly Dayton's) is nice shopping, and don't miss Creative Kitchen if you're a cook (these are both in the mall). We also have all of the regulars like Bath and Body Works, Eddie Bauer, The Gap, etc. If you're more of a bargain shopper, our TJ Maxx is the nicest I've ever seen. A person can regularly find all of the top brands (Coach purses, Waterford crystal, Tommy Hillfiger, Polo/Ralph Lauren, etc.) at prices you won't believe. It's also very clean and nicely organized.

Since it can get cold here in the winter (really!), we have our share of crafty shops, including Michael's, Designer Fabrics (quilting), Mill End Textiles (bargain fabric), Fargo Hemp and Bead (beads and charms), Yarn Renaissance (knitting), and of course the Nordic Needle. There are many other little fun shops -- ask me for ideas for your favorite things to look at.

I also do recommend getting out to see the countryside. If you haven't been in this area, I bet you don't know how flat the ground can be. We have breath-taking sunrises and sunsets. You don't have to get too far out of town to see fields and farmsteads.