I'm trying to figure out how much it would cost me to go to OSCon. I don't need to stay at the Marriott for $129/night, so I'm wondering what are some good alternatives. Important considerations: transportation to conference (may or may not rent a car), cost, food, and amenities. I don't need anything fancy, just a decent place to sleep.
Also, I would be going alone so I'd also be interested in a roommate. I noticed on the OSCon page there is a roommate list, so perhaps I'll subscribe to that as well. Any one going that wants to bunk w/ a boring non-smoker/drinker like me? (I'm really not boring, I just abstain from a lot of things. :-)
Also, I know I'm going to be hitting Powell's Books. What other attractions are "Must See" in Portland? How much spending money will I need? I'm planning on $50-100 for the bookstores (my wife will kill me)...
And only $50? Maybe you'll make it out for only that much. {grin}
Re:Powell's and Powell's Technical
ajtaylor on 2003-04-10T14:00:29
Well, in my defense I mentioned a range for my book budget.So you're telling me I'm going to have to stay away from 2 great bookstores? Why did you have to go and tell me that? Did I say only $50? I meant to say $150. My wife is REALLY gonna kill me. If the extra weight from the books doesn't do me in first.
:-)
You can get away without a car pretty easily. The MAX runs from the airport right by the hotel and all the way out to blissful suburbia in the west and less-blissful suburbia in the east. There's a stop just a few blocks from Powell's and Powell's Technical, and they're in the free downtown zone. (To and from the airport isn't free, but $1.55 or so each way is cheaper than a taxi or a rental car.)
This town's nice to pedestrians.
Re:Transportation
merlyn on 2003-04-10T00:20:01
A few corrections.MAX's closest approach to the conference hotel is about six blocks (and I don't call that "right by"). If you're rolling your roll-a-board, it's probably OK, but if you have checked luggage without wheels, it might be a bit of a drag. (Note to chromatic: were you confusing the Marriot Marquis on Broadway with the waterfront "downtown" Marriott? The conference hotel is the latter, and less centrally located, unfortunately.)
MAX doesn't go close to either of the Powell's. However, once you've found the bus mall (about 4 blocks from the conference hotel, and in a perpendicular direction to the MAX line), many frequent busses go north/south in the mall toward the Powell's Tech store, and yes, the busses are free in that area. You're still about 5 blocks from the nearest free bus to Powell's City of Books, and 2 blocks to Powell's Technical, but that's closer than walking the 18 blocks from the conference hotel.
Re:Transportation
chromatic on 2003-04-10T05:59:19
Yeah, I had confused the two hotels.
I do count Powell's as fairly close to MAX, though. It's a five-minute walk from the station at 9th -- that's my preferred stop!
Re:Things to see in Portland
merlyn on 2003-04-10T00:13:10
It's moved into boxes. Stephanie probably ran out of money.
Re:Check out my journal
ajtaylor on 2003-04-10T13:56:33
Ah ha! I thought I had read a journal entry that mentioned this. I'll take a look.(reads journal entry)
Great info. Thanks! I like the wireless access, but I'd have to swipe my wife's windows laptop for a few days & buy her a wifi card. Oh wait, I wanted to get one anyway.
:-) Now I have a couple more months to make her see the light of OS X so she can have access to a computer while I'm away... Re:Check out my journal
autarch on 2003-04-10T15:35:21
The hotel does rent out wireless cards, apparently. But they're damn cheap, so buying one might be worth it.
Anyway, $79/night is a really good deal for a downtown Portland hotel, whether or not you use the free wireless.
