Chicago Area GTG Saturday Aug. 25th

[monarch64]

Wanna meet at Harey Carey''s for a bite around 1 on Sunday, then? Irish, how did you swing free admission? Oh, and does anyone know where there is free or cheap parking--I don''t feel like paying $18 for the hotel lot again, that was a waste of perfectly good bling money!!

 

[IrishAngel7982]

Ok DJ, I hope you can work it out. If not, we''ll plan something else!

Monnie...I''d love to meet up on Sunday...it sounds like everyone else is out!

I get free admission coupons from the place I bought the earrings from at the Dec show last year. As for parking, I think free is out of the question unless we want to hoof it. Last time we all parked at Harry''s and then Chauffeur DJ drove to the show and parked in the garage...I think it was around $12 but we split the cost b/w the 4 of us.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Wasn''t there some trick though where the valet right at the door of the show was the same price as parking W...A...Y across the street in that parking structure?

I can''t remember why we didn''t do that--maybe it was full?

(Or maybe you all just love riding around me with so much that you didn''t want to end the ride too soon?

)

 

[IrishAngel7982]

Well, OF COURSE we love driving around with you! A road trip would be a riot...

But yeah, the valet was full when we got there.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Slight threadjack, but Irish are you OK in all this crazy weather? My walk home today was pretty treacherous and I was just looking at some pics on the Trib site and the whole metro area is a wreck.

All you other Chicagoans too -- is everyone doing OK?

 

[IrishAngel7982]

Isn't it insane? Yes, we're fine, thanks for asking! The dogs were panicking but what else is new, right?

My drive home from work today was a delight...school got out 5 minutes before the storm pounded the area. I couldn't see a dang thing because of the massive sheets of water that were blowing everywhere, and my fastest windshield wiper setting wasn't fast enough! Not to mention, as soon as I got in my car the sirens started blaring. That's always fun. AND I got to zig zag my car through the streets pretty much all the way home (only about 7 miles) because trees were uprooted and enormous branches had broken off and landed in the middle of the road. Our street flooded halfway up our driveway and I was absolutely drenched running from the driveway to the garage...but it's all good! I think it finally stopped raining...for now...HAHA!

I definitely don't envy you for having to walk home...yikes!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Does anyone plan on going tomorrow?

 

[monarch64]

irish and deejay, glad to hear you made it through the stormy weather alright! We''re fine as well, but the area where I work now is one of those which was hit hardest as far as huge old trees down and still no power, etc. Funny, our side of the st. lost power yesterday and we left early, but today our power was on and the opposite side of the st was out whereas it had been fine y;day when we left. Weird...

Irish...do you want to just meet me and maybe whoever else shows up at HC''s at 1 on Sunday and go to the gem show from there? No pressure, if you''d rather wait for a group outing I totally understand. I figure since it''s our first week of work (you going back and me just starting this week) we deserve a blingalicious day so I''m game if you are. However, you won''t hurt my feelings at all if you want to wait until we can all get together. We''ll have fun, though! I promise to wear flat shoes, hee hee...

Not only because I won''t seem like such a giant, but because I''ve been standing on my feet all week and my legs and tootsies are still aching from getting used to being under pressure all day.

 

[IrishAngel7982]

Dee, I''m so sorry! I didn''t see your post until just now...I must have just missed it last night. Were you able to make it today? I thought we were off since I haven''t heard from Catmom either...I wish we could have seen each other this time!

Monnie, that sounds fine. I gotta find that eternity ring! I can''t remember the vendor''s name though. You''re absolutely right about deserving a bling day! Remind me to bring the admission coupon. Now I have to remember where I put it...

 

[Dee*Jay]

No problem Irish! I acutally did go today for a few hours. One reason was to return a loose stone that I bought yesterday (I know I know... I let my best jewelry girlfriend from the office talk it into taking half a day off yesterday and going out there). I got an emerald cut white zircon that I had almost instant buyer's remorse for, but the vendor was kind enough to take it back today with no hassle what so ever. Not that it would have *killed* me to keep it because it was less than $500 and it was a pretty stone, but I realized early on that it wouldn't look right in what I had envisioned it for when I bought it.

Bad news though; the eternity band people aren't there this time. My girlfriend and I were super bummed too because we were going to stock up on every color. I wonder if the bad weather played a part in their absence because there were several spots vacant and a lot of vendors were talking about the stuggle of getting there, not to mention most of them were staying in the hotels right across the street, some of which had no power. As a matter of fact when we and I went there yesterday there was no power in the parking garage and they made us park in some REMOTE lot and we had to take a shuttle over to the convention center. Today when I got there I was about the last car in the garage before the power went out again and they weren't letting any more in, so don't be surprised if you all have to park somwhere else tomorrow.

I did get some earring jackets that fit my studs PERFECTLY (what are the chances of that?!). I'll have to post pics at some point.

I do have to say though the show ain't as much fun without my PS friends. We definitely all have to go together in December!!!

 

[IrishAngel7982]

SHUT UP!!!! I''m so bummed. Total buzzkill. I seriously have been thinking about that dang ring since we left the show last time (don''t ask me why I didn''t just order it then). Grr. Oh well, at least now I have my December purchase lined up. A Christmas present to myself I guess. I''m glad you were able to make it though. What kind of project were you envisioning for that zircon?

And definitely post pictures of your new jackets!!!

 

[monarch64]

Wow DeeJay, sounds like you got your gem show fix for sure, lol!

Irish, too bad the eternity ring vendor won''t be there... So I''ll see you at HC''s at 1, then?

 

[Catmom]

Oh DJ, I didn''t see your post either although I don''t know if I would have made it through the flooded streets. I usually come up river road. We definitely have to do December. I''m sad the eternity band people weren''t there. That''s one place I wanted to hit again.

 

[IrishAngel7982]

Yes Monnie...I'll see you tomorrow around 1!

 

[monarch64]

Irish and I had a fun day...the weather was gorgeous so we sat outside HC's and had a bite while chatting, then headed over to the gem show. We thought maybe we'd see DeeJay there again since she already made it to the first two days of the show, LOL! Alas, we didn't, but we had a good time anyway.

I tried on a gorgeous square emerald cut emerald ring with traps on the sides and (I think) pave on the shank...it was really pretty but for a 2c emerald I thought the asking price was a little too good to be true....$5600? Hmmm...the guy said it was not lab created/simulated but I wonder, it was the most eye clean emerald I've ever seen and had great color saturation and was a beautiful grass green. Anywho, I didn't buy it but sure had fun trying it on!

Sorry no pics...I brought my camera but apparently someone (DH, lol) used it last and didn't charge the battery so it was dead when I checked it before lunch. I think Irish forgot hers (correct me if I'm wrong), next time we'll have to be better prepared!

Missed everyone else, hope to see you all at the December show or sooner!

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 8/25/2007 7:21:34 PM
Author: Dee*Jay

Bad news though; the eternity band people aren't there this time. My girlfriend and I were super bummed too because we were going to stock up on every color. I wonder if the bad weather played a part in their absence because there were several spots vacant and a lot of vendors were talking about the stuggle of getting there, not to mention most of them were staying in the hotels right across the street, some of which had no power. As a matter of fact when we and I went there yesterday there was no power in the parking garage and they made us park in some REMOTE lot and we had to take a shuttle over to the convention center. Today when I got there I was about the last car in the garage before the power went out again and they weren't letting any more in, so don't be surprised if you all have to park somwhere else tomorrow.

I did get some earring jackets that fit my studs PERFECTLY (what are the chances of that?!). I'll have to post pics at some point.

I do have to say though the show ain't as much fun without my PS friends. We definitely all have to go together in December!!!

HI:

DJ, did you find any colored stone dangles for your diamond hoops? Too bad about no ETR's tho...

P.S. I thought of you while I was trying on that 12c. natural yellow cushion while in PS lately...while it wasn't an oval, I thought it might interest you anyway.....

cheers--Sharon

 

[Haven]

I ended up making it to the show Saturday afternoon--it was my first show, and I loved it! I didn''t make it there until after 3, and I stayed until 6 just wandering around and trying on beautiful jewelry. I didn''t buy anything, but I did try on some whoppers. One vendor had a 70+ carat yellow radiant in a halo, it reminded me of Jessicam''s yellow radiant.

Only one vendor allowed me to take a picture, it''s of a huge peridot halo ring, east-west setting. The designer is Roger Benatar, I think he''s from LA. The ring is beautiful, although my photography skills are not that great.

Anyway, the only thing I bought was some jewelry cleaner. I was pretty close to buying the peridot ring, but I have no idea how peridots are priced so I didn''t want to make the purchase.

Here it is:

 

[Skippy123]

Wow, Haven; that is a gorgeous peridot halo!

 

[IrishAngel7982]

Cool ring Haven! I''m glad you had a fun time...hopefully you can come with us in December!

Monnie and I had a riot of a time today, despite my still being bummed about the eternity ring people''s absence. We found a few nice alternatives, but they weren''t quite what I was looking for. We were surprised because the show was so much smaller this time (DJ wasn''t kidding). I was able to make it through the entire show without any bling overload!

Monarch was right, I left my camera on the table before walking out the door so I''ll have to work on pictures. My memory card is full so I need to make sure everything is backed up before I can take pics of my mom''s bday present...a citrine pendant (it''s her birthstone). It was a fun but interesting day...we made it through the show pretty quickly (skipped "Chinatown" hehe) and after one of the obnoxious vendors grabbed my wallet and jokingly hid it behind the counter we high-tailed it out of there. Very odd...but the rest of the day was fun! I''m looking forward to December already!

BTW...the emerald ring Monnie tried on was to die for...DJ and Catmom would probably remember the vendor!

 

[Catmom]

Date: 8/26/2007 10:35:10 PM
Author: IrishAngel
BTW...the emerald ring Monnie tried on was to die for...DJ and Catmom would probably remember the vendor!

Oooo, I was going to ask if it was the same one. He''s had some gorgeous stuff in the past!!! I''m glad you guys had fun. I can''t wait for the December show!

Haven, that peridot ring is gorgeous!!!

 

[Gypsy]

That is a stunning peridot ring. Truly. Wow.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 8/26/2007 11:54:02 PM
Author: Catmom

Date: 8/26/2007 10:35:10 PM
Author: IrishAngel
BTW...the emerald ring Monnie tried on was to die for...DJ and Catmom would probably remember the vendor!

Oooo, I was going to ask if it was the same one. He''s had some gorgeous stuff in the past!!! I''m glad you guys had fun. I can''t wait for the December show!

Haven, that peridot ring is gorgeous!!!

I don''t think he was the same guy as when I went last December, but Irish said he was a charmer and knew DeeJay on a first name basis! He was a really sweet younger middle eastern guy, verrrrry charming and good looking, lol! Anyway, the emerald was SO beautiful, I couldn''t believe the asking price. I will have to really get some concrete knowledge under my belt if I want to buy something like that from a gem show, though. It was gorgeous, thank goodness it didn''t fit over my knuckle or I''d have been tempted to call DH and try to negotiate a purchase, ha. Still, the more emeralds I see set the more I think I''m better off finding a really beautiful loose stone instead and finding a setting at a later date, ya know? Fun trying on stuff at the gem shows, though.

Michelle, missed you and can''t wait for December...I won''t be able to make the Saturday show though, maybe we could meet up Sunday instead? hee hee, just planting a seed....

 

[perry]

Sorry I missed it folks. Sounds like the few who went had a good time.

Good for you.


I hope to see you all next time.

Perry

 

[Catmom]

Ha, Ha, Ha, don''t all jewelers know DJ on a first name basis?!!! I really wish I had been there but I had to see my hubby off on another of his trips. It was our 27th anniversary on Thursday so I really had to see him off. I can''t wait now for the December show. I''m in serious withdrawal here. I usually don''t have a problem with Sundays especially during football season! I''m up for a Saturday and a Sunday excursion if it comes to that, LOL.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Date: 8/27/2007 9:16:03 AM
Author: Catmom
Ha, Ha, Ha, don''t all jewelers know DJ on a first name basis?!!!

My husband certainly seems to think so!