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Basenotes Worldwide Meet-Up Weekend 2009

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A place for people to co-ordinate their local meet-ups for Basenotes Worldwide Meet-Up Weekend on August 28-30, 2009. Each meet-up should create a subject thread » More

Chicago! Chicago! Chicago!
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post #1 of 16
4/4/09 at 6:02am
Thread Starter 
For pix and stories about previous Chicago excursions which will educate and excite, click here(s):
Tang & Ubu's Excellent (Scent) Adventure (April 2009)
Chi-cocoa Scentsation (September 2008)
Chicago Scent Me (May 2007)

I've built a Google map marking fragrance shopping locations in Chicago.
Link to interactive map.


Does a morning at the Aroma Workshop sound like fun? That would be one activity that we could make a group appointment for.
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Features on Basenotes

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post #2 of 16
4/9/09 at 12:31pm
Hey Quarry, Diana (exquisitely me) and I are coming, come Hell or high water. We're both interested in the Aroma Workshop, how many do you need for a group?

I'm so excited!
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post #3 of 16
4/14/09 at 11:03am
Thread Starter 
Oooo, Diana, it would be a real pleasure to be in your company, I can just tell. Any number of people will be workable, I'm sure. I don't imagine we'd get such a huge number that we'd need to break into morning/afternoon sessions.
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post #4 of 16
4/15/09 at 12:44pm
Probably not, at this rate. Do you have any tips or advice on hotels around there?
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post #5 of 16
4/16/09 at 8:32am
Thread Starter 
I'm not savvy about hotel accommodations. Sorry.

I've just learned that a newly expanded Barneys on Oak Street will now be carrying the full line of L'Artisan products (making up for the now-defunct L'Artisan boutique).

Link to grand opening blurb here. Barneys was great for perfumes as it was. Can only imagine how stupendous it will be now.

In updating my Chicago perfumes Google map, I see there's a Barneys on Halsted near the Aroma Workshop, but I have no idea how comprehensive their accessory offerings might be. As our group continues to coalesce and the date nears, we can fashion a more concrete plan of attack.
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post #6 of 16
4/18/09 at 3:53pm
*blushing* Quarry, you sweetheart! We're gonna have an awesome time! My nose is itching for August, with so many lovely perfumey places, so many houses I've never tried before... Daniel and I were particularly curious about the Aroma Workshop - I can't get over the prices!

Its a good thing its a little while off, it'll give us a chance to save up. They can cart me back to Cleveland a very fragrant pauper.
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post #7 of 16
5/19/09 at 4:20am
It's great finding this group! I'm a Chicagoan (Uptown) and new to Basenotes and collecting. I just finished putting up my wardrobe today. Count me in for a workshop or whatever.
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post #8 of 16
6/9/09 at 11:18pm
Hey all just made a few visits today and the new barneys smelly basement is awesome. Ione at Le labo is a total rockstar as are the other lovelies. Also the guerlain set up at needless markup is intense. Just fyi some big deal person from guerlain is scheduled to be in store there on the 25th if anyone wants to go.
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post #9 of 16
6/14/09 at 11:52am
Thread Starter 
Just heard from sweet-skinned Kotori. She's in. So our current head count, which also includes ubuandibeme, is seven.

Ubu and I are going to have to start formulating a strategy for where to go and what to do at what time.
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post #10 of 16
6/27/09 at 9:38am
Thread Starter 
Possible Aroma Workshop for Sat., Aug. 29: Your group of 6 to 12 will have a wonderful time creating Signature Scents. An event lasts about an hour. We usually host them at 7:00 pm weekdays or 5:30pm Saturdays. Groups smaller than 6 can schedule an event earlier in the day. Everyone is guided through the blending process as the structure of a well-made fragrance is explained-emphasizing fragrance families, complimentary notes and balancing essential oils to achieve the perfect effect. Each participant receives 1/2 oz. perfume oil & 8oz Custom-Scented Bodycare Product of their choice. COST IS $40 EACH PERSON [Alternatively, we could be walk-in customers. Store hours: Mon-Fri 11-7; Sat. 10-6; Sun. 11-5.]

Proposed Saturday itinerary (have to check with AW owner Ted): (a) Meet for coffee near Aroma Workshop; (b) Do the workshop 10-11ish a.m.; (c) Travel to downtown; (d) Lunch; (e) Hit Barneys & proceed south on Michigan Ave.
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post #11 of 16
6/29/09 at 9:18am
I went to aroma workshop this weekend. It was really fun and The owner and girl working their were both awesome. If it's gonna be a bigger group I'd stick to the later time and maybe end the day there. The store itself is kind of small and if you try to do things as walk ins I can see things getting crazy fast. He said if you were gonna be a big group and made an appointment for a group thing he'd try to have more staff.
m
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post #12 of 16
6/29/09 at 9:42am
Thread Starter 
Right-o, marczilla. Right now we're The Chicago Seven, which is probably just small enough to stay as one group.

I've heard from Mossant, who's game for anything.

Haven't heard from anyone else since I sent out PMs.

Ubu's on the road and away from her computer.
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post #13 of 16
7/2/09 at 10:03am
Thread Starter 
Still haven't heard back from Kotori, exquisitely_me or bluesoul since I PM'ed everybody.

Ubu writes: There is a small glitch in the works...according to The Westin Hotel Michigan Ave. sales staff, they are sold out at 100% occupancy for the last weekend in Aug. . Apparently there is a citywide convention, and rooms throughout Chicago are scarce to nil during that particular weekend. The good news is: the very next weekend, I think it's Sept. 4th and 5th., occupancy drops and we can get an 89.00 per night room rate at The Westin. We are still far enough ahead of schedule, I'm hoping to work this out for everyone...what are your thoughts? (The Westin is located at 909 North Michigan Ave., across from the Bloomingdales mall and next to the John Hancock. It is the best location (IMO) for frag shopping!
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post #14 of 16
7/2/09 at 10:04am
Thread Starter 
[THIS PARTICULAR FORUM LIMITS NUMBER OF CHARACTERS PER POST]

... and I responded: As marczilla said in a PM to me today about our get-together: It's like herding cats.

Marczilla, Mossant, and Kotori are Chicago locals, exquisitely_me and her boyfriend bluesoul will be traveling from Cleveland, I'll be commuting from Milwaukee, and of course you (Ubu) will be arriving from Indiana.

If I had my druthers, I'd wait until the weather cooled and the fall releases were available, but the August dates were set to coincide with BN's first global event.
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post #15 of 16
7/10/09 at 6:45am
Thread Starter 
Whoops, wait a minute ...
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post #16 of 16
8/24/09 at 7:03am
Thread Starter 
Okay, five days to go. Who's in for sure?

✔ Quarry
✔ Ubu

Optimistic about Mossant and Marczilla.

Seriously doubting Kotori, exquisitely me and bluesoul.

My cell # is (262) 894-1188 ~ Quarry (Joy B.)
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Features on Basenotes

Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Basenotes › Groups › Basenotes Worldwide Meet-Up Weekend 2009 › Discussions › Chicago! Chicago! Chicago!