San Francisco Bay Area Meet (June): Summer Meet! UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens

[vanie]

Hello Again!

Update: April 19th -- planning for a June summer time meet!

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When: TBD (June)
Where: UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens
What to bring: You and your dollies!

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Where to Meet: 11:00AM

How to Get There: Driving directions here

What's Planned: Meet and greet, initial photos and then elore the gardens for fun pics!

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It's time to plan another meet guys! How about one for Springtime themed?

Let me know what works best for everyone!

Open for any suggest locations for the next meet?

Suggested locations:

San Francisco: San Francisco Japanese Tea Garden

East Bay:
Oakland: Jack London Square
Berkeley: UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens
Hayward: Hayward Japanese Tea Garden
Hayward: Golden Tea Garden (For drinking tea & desserts)
Fremont: Ardenwood Historical Farm**
**Not much to look at in Fremont, but you're welcome to come to my condo if you want since I live pretty close by.

South Bay:
Saratoga: Montalvo Arts Gardens
Saratoga: Hakone Gardens

Previous Locations:
San Francisco Japan Center/Japantown
San Francisco: Yerba Buena Gardens
San Jose: Downtown

[Lolibear]

I've never been to any of these places...so I don't have a strong opinion one way or another. It'll be better for me this time around since I'm not in school or working night shifts this time around so I'm just happy about that =)

[vanie]

Oh, it would be great to see you again Lolibear! <3

[dms_a_jem]

Thanks again for organizing this, Vanie!!!!
I'm lucky to live right in the middle of the Bay Area, so whatever location is most convenient for everyone else is fine with me. And I'm pretty much free every Saturday in February and early March, so again whatever works best for the masses.

Oh, and ETA: I'd love to see you again as well Lolibear, with you and Vanie on board I've gotta say the Bay Area has most stylish Dals in the world!

[vanie]

Aww, no problem! It's fun planning these, and great to meet dolly friends in the area!

Also, my Dals thank you too, they are getting rather big headed now! XD

[dms_a_jem]

Hmmm, I wonder if we should push the date back a bit to March or April since we haven't heard from half the group yet? March 5th is out for me but I'm pretty sure I could make any other day work. Thoughts?

[vanie]

Pushing the date back actually works better for me too since around Valentine's day is still around my Lunar New Year celebrations. I'll update the thread and maybe poke some people! XD

[RacerGT]

Hiya all - sorry I have not been on the DM lately - between Christmas and winter clean up - applications to universities - oh, the list goes on and on. I am definitely free in March. My February is major booked for now. I have two birthdays and a custom car convention in Sacramento with the hubz. However, from early March and onward I can pin a date, place and time down.

I will check in here more often now that I have time back "shrugs"

Thanks again Vanie!! You are awesome <3

[vanie]

Hi Everyone,

I've created a poll for what dates work best for everyone. ^^ I unfortunately I can't make end of March/early April because I will be in Hong Kong during that time. But please vote for your best dates! And location preferences/ideas!

[dms_a_jem]

I'm good for any of those dates except Mar. 5. How exciting that you're going to Hong Kong Vanie!!!!

[RacerGT]

I just looked at my calendar - March 19, April 26th and 30, look really good for me. Congrats Vanie - Hong Kong - oh got to get some major pullip and dal outfits!! lol <3

How long will you be away? Are the dates you posted the ones you can come to?

Exciting thought - who is the lucky Dal family member who gets to go with you?

On places to go for our Springtime meet: Jack London Square or the SF or Hayward Japanese Tea Gardens - sound good. The SF location is gorgeous and Jack London Square is nice too.

[Parton]

Thanks again for organizing! Congrats about your upcoming trip, Vanie. It will be awesome to see everyone again. IT's going to be hard choice in deciding the location.

IF we were going to go tea garden, I can also highly recommend: Villa Montalvo (gardens/trail/villa), and/or Hakone Tea gardens (right down the road in Saratoga). But then again I haven't been to those other tea gardens you mention so any of them should be good to see.

Ardenwood Historic Farm sounds rather interesting. Never been there. Have gone berry picking in Santa Cruz county once, which was fun.

I really like visiting UC Berkeley too, and haven't been to their botanical gardens. I say a great idea would be to start at Golden Gate Fields for an hour or two in the morning (and you can't go wrong with $1 day Sunday!), and then head over to the gardens afterwards. The races could then be optional.

I remember Lake Elizabeth (Fremont) being nice. Or if it were going to be Oakland, it would be fun to venture to parks from the Square.

My vote goes towards Berkely (optional races then gardens), or other gardens (Villa Montalvo, Ardenwood, oakland, etc). Wherever, I guess!

[vanie]

Thanks guys!

Yea, the dates listed are the dates I can most likely go to. We haven't confirmed our dates yet, but we are pretty sure we are going to HK during that time. I will be gone for at least 2 weeks. But I will be sure to be searching for some pullips/dals and clothes! <3 I don't think I'll bring anyone with me, especially if I plan to buy a girl (or two!) there. Last time I came back from Japan with a lot of loot, so we'll see!

Thanks Parton for the suggestions, I'll add them to the list. (It's good to have a list in general just for ideas!)

I'm good with Jack London Square or the tea gardens. I haven't been to either in a long while, and they are accessible by BART and bus, which is important for me, since we only have one car. ^^;

[Parton]

Some of us could carpool anyways. I want to if its somewhere far or parking costs money like SF or Oakland. But if its in Saratoga, I can taxi from the downtown for the carless.

[Lolibear]

The 12th is my mom's birthday so I wouldn't be able to make it that day.

Again, I have no preference for locale...just make sure I can find it easy or I might have to bribe one of you to let me catch a ride from SJ =)