Monday, June 23, 2008

Hotel Locations for Reunion Packet Pickup

I will have family reunion packets available at the front desks of the Fairfield Inn and Days Inn--but I don't know who is staying where.

Please email me at tldiaz_99@yahoo.com with the name of your hotel by THIS THURSDAY, and I will have one with your group's name waiting for you at the front desk.

If your group is NOT staying at the Fairfield (or surrounding Marriot hotels) or Days Inn, I will have a packet at the Friday evening informal gathering at Beethoven Mannerchor---SEE BLOG for directions/map, or CALL someone on the previously sent cell phone list, like one of the main Diaz elders.

Mike, I know you all are staying at the Marriot Courtyard, which is right next to the Fairfield, so I will leave a packet with your madre.

Also, please feel free to print out anything from this blog and bring it with you, since the information is accurate and includes directions and maps, too.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Reunion Cost Breakdown

The costs per person are as follows:

T-shirt: $10.00 each (except for the toddler shirt that Victor ordered, which is $5.00).

Saturday Evening Dinner: $43.00/person. Children under 15 in your group: pay what you can. This is a catered multicourse buffet dinner at Rio Rio Cantina on the riverwalk, which is a lovely place. It will be in a private room with our own bartender--there is a cash bar for alcoholic drinks, which is not included in the per person price. For more on what the restaurant looks like, please see the Website: Rio Rio Cantina.

Dinner time: 6 -9 PM (We will need to be out of the room by 9 PM, or be charged for additional time.)

Sunday Picnic: $15.00/person, which includes the catered barbeque lunch, sodas/small snacks, and park pavilion rental fee.

So, for one adult person who also ordered a t-shirt, the total cost is: $68.00.

Please have the money via check or cash, payable to Teresa Diaz, at the Saturday evening dinner.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Reunion Schedule Overview

When you check into the Fairfield Inn or the Days Inn, there will be a reunion packet that includes all the weekend information.

If you are staying at another location, check in with the Fairfield Inn for a packet. I will also have additional packets at the informal Friday evening gathering spot, Beethoven Mannerchor.

There is a computer and printer in the Fairfield Inn lobby with Internet connectivity, in case you need to print out anything.

I recommend printing out anything on this blog and related links beforehand to bring with you, just in case, such as maps, other Web page links, and location information.

Reunion t-shirts will be distributed at the Saturday evening dinner, to be worn on Sunday at the reunion picnic, if you want.

I will be posting what the total per person cost will be soon...just finalizing the details.

I will also send out the cell phone list via email attachment for printing out beforehand; I will also include it with the reunion packet.


REUNION SCHEDULE OVERVIEW

Friday, June 27th

Day Excursions: See hotel packet for details

Informal gathering during day:


Teresa and Jay’s House
144 Harriett Drive, SA, TX 78216
210-254-9410 home number

Evening

Dinner on your own (see previous blog entry for dinner ideas)

After 8 PM: Informal gathering at

Beethoven Mannerchor

422 Pereida St., 78210 {See map that includes hotel locations}


Saturday, June 28th

Daytime

Day Excursions: See hotel packet for details

On your own—see cell phone list for contacts


Evening

5:00 pm: Mass @ Fairfield Inn (ask Ed Diaz Sr. about details; optional attendance, of course)

6 pm—9 pm: Reunion Dinner

Rio Rio Cantina

421 E. Commerce Street, 78205
(On the Riverwalk—see map}


Sunday, June 29th

EAT a big breakfast! Lunch will be served at 2 PM!

11 AM-7 PM: Family Picnic

Landa Park: Pavilion #16 (park map)

{New Braunfels, Texas—see directions from San Antonio}

BARBEQUE LUNCH served at 2 PM!


Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Friday Night Gathering: BEETHOVEN MANNERCHOR!



For Friday evening, June 27th, feel free to gather informally at the family-friendly spot, Beethoven Mannerchor.

It is an old German biergarten with a large outside patio, and usually has a band on Fridays. It is very casual, and kids are welcome. There may be a piano available, so if anyone wants to contact them to see if it could be used that evening, feel free!


Beethoven Mannerchor is located in the King William/Southtown neighborhood, a good walk from the Fairfield Inn.

Gathering time: Anytime after 8 P.M.!


Beethoven address: 422 Pereida St., San Antonio, 78210 (Includes hotels)

There may be food for sale at Beethoven, it just depends--usually some volunteers cook food to sell. There are also some neighborhood restaurants within walking distance in the King William & Southtown areas:

Southtown Dining Guide
Rosario's (Mexican)
Tito's (Mexican)
China Latina (Asian/Mexican)
Azuca (Mexican, Carribean, Latin American)
La Frite Belgian Bistro
La Focaccia Italian Grill
Madhatter's Tea House & Cafe
El Mirador (Interior Mexican)

There are also many many restaurants along the riverwalk.


WANTED: Group Excursion Leaders!

Coming in a day or so early for the reunion?

Interested in day trips/excursions on Thursday, Friday or Monday surrounding the reunion weekend?


See a list of potential excursions below...if you are interested in joining one of the following excursions, and/or are willing to be the leader [basically the person whose cell phone number people have and contact for the departure location and date/time] for one of these group excursions on Thursday 6/26, Friday 6/27, or Monday 6/30, make sure to complete the EXCURSION SURVEY!

Sea World, Fiesta Texas,
(water slide park located near Sunday picnic location)
List of Potential Excursions & Links:

Head Count for Saturday Eve Dinner by MAY 28

I just need to have a good idea as to how many people are coming for the Saturday evening dinner, so I can figure out how much food and what the cost per person will be. It is OK if more people come than originally estimated, since that will reduce the cost per person! However, I'd like to know sooner than later! Scroll down to the original post for more information about the dinner location.

Please submit--only if you have not already done so--the number of people (adults and children) in your party (as well as other friends and guests you expect to come) by clicking on this link: Family Reunion Dinner Count.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Reunion T-Shirts


Please click on the following link to "order" your t-shirts for the family reunion--see graphic above for T-shirt image.

I need to get a number count for sizes: T-Shirts for Reunion

SOFT Due date for submitting T-shirt order: MAY 15th

Cost of T-shirts: TBA

Add this Blog to Your Daily RSS Feed!

If you want to keep up to date on the reunion planning and details, add this blog to your RSS feeds. Just for those who aren't sure what a feed is: It is a way to get updates right at your virtual fingertips, without having to log in to each site.

Microsoft's Internet Explorer has a feed feature where you can save feeds inside a folder to access whenever you want to via Explorer's Favorites toolbar--but you have to be inside Explorer on your own computer to get to it.

One free web site you can use for creating a feeds page that you can access on any Internet-connected computer is Google Reader and also iGoogle.

To Add This Blog to a Feed:
  • Scroll down to the bottom of this blog and click on "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)" and then click on "Subscribe to this feed" at the top of the next page, under the feed description.
  • Look for the RSS feed icon in the toolbar above this Web page (see orange icon inserted above).
  • Click on that icon to add the reunion blog to your computer's feeds folder (located in the Favorites Center--Just click the Favorites star to locate the feeds folder)
  • Or add this blog to whatever feed site/software you use (like Google Reader).

Monday, March 17, 2008

Sunday Picnic at Landa Park (New Braunfels, TX)


The Sunday family picnic will be at Landa Park in New Braunfels, TX.

Pavilion #16 is reserved for us; look for "Diaz Family Reunion."

Menu to come--most likely barbeque and fixings.

Coolers are welcome--cans or plastic only.

Time: 11 AM - ? (we have the space reserved until midnight that day).

The park has many amenities, including:
swimming
bike riding
paddle boats
playgrounds
sand volleyball areas
sporting areas (soccer, softball)
tennis (not sure about this)
mini-golf
mini-train
golf course (make reservations ahead)
nature trails

Close by: Schlitterbahn Water Park

Directions to Landa Park (including link to park rules)

Park MAP(look for Pavilion #16)





Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Basic Headcount for Sat Eve Dinner (June 28th)


Hey everyone,

I am planning the Mexican dinner event for Saturday, June 28th, and am trying to get a basic head count for that event.

Please submit
the number of people (adults and children) in your party (as well as other friends and guests you expect to come) by clicking on this link:
That way I can figure out how much per person it will cost.

My original plan was for Mi Tierra, but it is not available on the weekends for large parties. However, I have found a fabulous location on the riverwalk, with a balcony that overlooks the river: RioRio Cantina.

Map of hotels in connection with Rio Rio Cantina

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Pre-Reunion Activities Ideas

If you and your family are planning to come earlier than the Reunion weekend to soak up the scenery, culture, and fun of San Antonio, then let me know, or post a comment on this posting.

I was envisioning some day trips and other organized activities on the Thursday, Friday, and Monday surrounding the weekend. That would leave Saturday open, with the opportunity to create your own agenda, or do smaller group activities before the big family fiesta Saturday evening, and the picnic planned for the following Sunday.

Tentative Events Schedule:

Thursday/Friday or Monday Trips--take your pick:
  • Sea World
  • Fiesta Texas
  • Fredericksburg: Sightseeing, Winery tours (lots of good hill country wine); Enchanted Rock park
  • Missions Trail tour
  • Golfing
  • Corpus/Coast
  • Mexico-Border trip (Del Rio or other city)
  • Houston
  • Austin
  • New Braunfels: Tubing the river or Schlitterbahn water park (largest in Texas, maybe even the world!)
IF you feel strongly about being a group leader/contact person for one of these potential trips, please let me know!

Friday Evening:

Casual Gathering at location TBD (since some of us will still be arriving)

Saturday:

Open, or some informal activities

Saturday Evening: Fiesta dinner, then fun on the riverwalk

Sunday:

Family picnic at Landa Park



Monday, October 15, 2007

Fairfield Inn UPDATE

When reserving a room with the Fairfield Inn {located at 620 South Santa Rosa}, make sure to say you are with the Diaz Family Reunion, code DFR (for Diaz Family Reunion).

If you called before, the reason it didn't work was b/c they only had it under "Family Reunion." Duh!

Monday, October 1, 2007

SAVE the DATES: REUNION 2008

Diaz Family Reunion Dates

Friday June 27th to Sunday June 29th

Welcome to the Diaz Family Reunion 2008 Site!

Hello everyone,

I created this blog to give everyone easy access to the upcoming reunion information and its events. As the date approaches, I will post more about activities and other ideas as they develop. You can also post comments and questions you have.

REUNION DATES: Friday June 27th to Sunday June 29th

Thanks,
Teresa (Diaz) in San Antonio
tldiaz_99@yahoo.com

Lodging Information

Two Hotel Options, etc.

For either hotel choice, if you plan on arriving earlier than the planned dates or extending your stay, let the hotel know, because you may be able to get a discount for those nights other than the ones I negociated.

Any hotel directly on the riverwalk is very pricey, and even hotels close to the airport are almost as expensive as one downtown.
I called so many places, and based on a combination of rate and location, these I feel are the best bets.

Google Maps of two hotel locations


Hotel 1:
Fairfield Inn & Suites San Antonio Downtown/Market Square
620 South Santa Rosa, San Antonio, TX, 78204

This hotel is close to the riverwalk, El Mercado, and the King William historic neighborhood.

The standard room has two double beds; the suites have 1 king bed and a living area.
Included is a hot continental breakfast, free parking, and the plus of being walking distance to lots of downtown things without being overly expensive.

To reserve Fairfield Inn: Call (800) 228-2800 and ask for the Diaz Family Reunion rate.

See prices and room types below.

Date Day Standard Upgrade Total Rooms
6/26/2008 Thu 8 2 10
6/27/2008 Fri 20 5 25
6/28/2008 Sat 20 5 25
6/29/2008 Sun 20 5 25
Start Date End Date Room Type Single Double Triple Quad
6/26/08 6/30/08 Standard $124.00 $124.00 $124.00 $124.00
6/26/08 6/30/08 Suite $144.00 $144.00 $144.00 $144.00

Hotel 2: Days Inn Downtown Riverwalk (a misleading moniker--read below)
1500 I-35 South, San Antonio, TX, 78204

This motel is pretty close to hotel #1, and is less expensive. It is downtown, but not on the riverwalk.

However, does include a hot continental breakfast, is right next to I-35, and also includes smoking rooms if you want to reserve one of those instead. See rates below.

To reserve Days Inn:
Call 210-424-0115 Direct Sales Office and ask for the Diaz Family Reunion Group rate.

If not during business hours, call the sales manager's cell and leave a detailed message and she will get back to you:

830-743-7649 Cell: Stephanie Ramos

Email: stephanie@salodging.com

June 25, 2008---------------$63.71 Dbl / $59.46  King/night +tax
June 26, 2008---------------$63.61 Dbl / $59.46 King/night +tax
June 27, 2008---------------$93.46 Dbl / $84.96 King/night +tax
June 28, 2008---------------$93.46 Dbl / $84.96 King/night +tax
June 29, 2008---------------$67.96 Dbl / $63.71 King/night +tax
Additional Options:
The Fairfield Inn is next to two other Marriot hotels listed below, in case you are more interested in one of them--they are pricier, not part of the Diaz discount package, BUT do feature different amenities:

Marrriot Courtyard--king suites and doubles
Residence Inn--includes kitchenettes

King William Bed and Breakfasts:
For a more unique stay while in San Antonio, you could also try a B & B in nearby King William Historical district. This neighborhood is also very close to the two hotel options
(walking distance to the Fairfield Inn), and very beautiful.

Try the BnB Finder/San Antonio for some choices.