February 3 Central Illinois Meetup - Champaign-Urbana

[Rhini]

Either works for me! Theyre about the same distance.

[babelglyph]

How about we just do Champaign, then? between Jane and myself, we know plenty about the area.

Also, January 27 is no longer an option for me (family birthday party) if that helps narrow down the dates at all! Though I think the first weekend in February works better for most of us? Would that Saturday be good for everyone?

[Rhini]

Sounds good to me! ^^

[sceimhiuil]

Saturday is a maybe, I might be going to a dinner of some sort. Sunday is fine for me though.

[babelglyph]

Sunday, February 3, then?

[TrueFan]

Sunday, February3, in Champaign. What time shall we meet, and where?

[babelglyph]

Hmmm. 11am seems to always be a good time to start off the day. As for where, I'm not really sure - a coffee shop or something perhaps?

[TrueFan]

Where sceimhiuil can get bubble tea?

[Rhini]

Oooh yes Bubble Tea!

[sceimhiuil]

Yes please

[TrueFan]

The only place I ever got bubble tea was very near campus - Evo - and it sounds like from the Yelp reviews that it has really gone downhill.

[Rhini]

I searched google maps real quick and it looks like a couple places offer it, including the one mentioned.

[babelglyph]

There are lots of places...I had a milk tea bubble tea from Spoon House during the Corn Festival that was awesome, but Spoon House is on Green Street. Parking is not fabulous there, but there is a pay-to-park lot that's only 75 cents an hour. (There are LOTS of options for places to meet up on Green Street, too! Starbucks and Panera Bread and Potbelly and Chipotle and presumably somewhere that isn't all about food...) If you don't mind parking a little further away, there's a garage by the library school building that's free on weekends (5th and Daniel), and free on-street parking is scattered around in various places. SOME University-marked lots and spaces are free on weekends - not all. Check before you park!! (For example, the library school shares a parking lot with the Speech and Hearing Building. The spaces next to the library school are free evenings and weekends, but the spaces next to the Speech and Hearing building are reserved 24/7.)

Does that sound like a place to start? There are other bubble tea places in downtown Champaign, too, and probably a few in Urbana as well, but parking is on the street there (and still not free most of the time).

If it's warm enough, we can go to a park or two for photo opportunities, or wander around the UIUC campus. There is a landscaped water basin I've been meaning to go to for pictures, and the quad is RIGHT there off of Green Street, too. There's also a park in Urbana - I can't remember the name, but it's quite large and forest-y, with a small lake/river/something running through it.

[sceimhiuil]

Spoon House sounds good for a starting point!

[Rhini]

Sounds good to me too I'm used to city parking so it isn't an issue.