Welcome to the info on Kevin and Mary Anne’s upcoming 25th anniversary party! We hope you can join us for a fun and fancy shindig; we’d really love to celebrate with friends old and new. Kids will be welcome.
Saturday, May 20, 2017
Garfield Park Conservatory
Chicago
5:30 — cocktails and appetizers begin; English country dancing for those who would care to join in; they’ll teach! Featuring callers Mady Newfield and Tammy Bretscher, with musicians Tim Macdonald and Jeremy Ward
7:30 — buffet dinner and break for a few brief remarks
8:00 – 10:00 — contemporary music (probably iPod!) for more dancing
Location
The main event will be at the Garfield Park Conservatory, which is about halfway between our house and downtown, and is easily accessible by either the Green subway line, or by car.
It’s a great place to take family photographs, with many gorgeous backdrop, including a small waterfall, so bring your cameras! #kandm25
Kid Stuff
The Conservatory is a great space for kids to run around in, with several large interconnected rooms full of neat plants, and a small dedicated kids’ area with a slide. Mary Anne is planning on having a table set up with plant coloring pages and washable markers, and a box of dress-up accessories for fun photo-taking.
Dress
Festive attire requested — dress up or down as you please, whatever makes you feel happy and comfortable. Mary Anne and Kavi will be in fancy dresses and Kevin will likely wear a suit. We’ll try to make sure Anand actually wears clothes for this.
Out-of-Towner Schedule
We’re organizing some optional activities before and after the main evening event, for those out-of-owners who’d like to make a little Chicago vacation out of it.
Our address:
332 Wisconsin Ave.
Oak Park, IL
708-434-5069 (h)
312-399-2896 (MA cell)
Thursday: If anyone’s in town that early, do let us know — Mary Anne’s sister Sharmila and her husband (and their toddler twins) will be here, also Karina, and we may be up for joining you for a meal. (MA is on vacation that week! Kev may be at a conference that day, TBD.)
Friday: Please come by the house whenever you arrive in town — we’ll feed you! Pizza for dinner, board games starting whenever people arrive and feel like playing. (If you know your flight info and can send it to MA, that would be great to help with planning.)
Saturday breakfast and lunch: You’re on your own, although we can certainly help people coordinate meals together in the neighborhood. We may join you!
Sunday: Starting @ 11 a.m. Sri Lankan luncheon at our house (casual). If you want to come by earlier (anytime after 9), feel free, though you may be pressed into helping with cleaning and/or cooking. More board games in the afternoon?
Lodging
There are currently only a few suites still available at The Carleton, in Oak Park, just a block away from us. There are more rooms at The Wright Inn (not quite as fancy), still walking distance, but a bit further. (Sadly, they wouldn’t give us lower group rates unless people were committing to at least three nights, and I think most of you won’t be staying that long.) There are also two lovely B&B’s in the area: Harvey House and Bishop’s Hall. Other hotels a short drive away include big hotels (like Marriott) in Elmhurst, Oakbrook, or O’Hare (a little further). Oak Park is a quick 10-minute drive (except during rush hour) from the heart of downtown Chicago, or a 30-minute subway ride. There are some beautiful (if pricey) hotels downtown, if you’re thinking of doing tourist stuff there and want the convenience.
Tourist Fun Activities
If you’re staying in Oak Park, we particularly recommend the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio tour; Mary Anne has been on it three times, and has enjoyed it each time. Saturday 5/20 happens to also be the date of the Wright Plus House Walk, a rare opportunity to see a host of Frank Lloyd Wright interiors. (I’m afraid that’s why local hotels are a bit booked up.) Pleasant Home and Hemingway House is also worth a visit. All of these are walking distance from our house!
For tourist activities in Chicago, we particularly recommend the Architectural Society river boat tour, the various museums (Art Institute, Planetarium, Field Museum, Aquarium, Museum of Science and Industry), the two zoos (Lincoln Park (free!) and Brookfield), and Navy Pier, which offers a few amusement park-style rides, along with a boardwalk and other attractions. The latter is right next to the Art Institute and the river, so is easy to combine them for a full day of activities.
More soon!
ATTENDING (in vague order of how long we’ve known you):
Family:
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Whyte
Mirna Mohanraj, Gian Gandhi, and Savreen
Sharmila Mohanraj, Ryan Murray, with Tagore and Veera
Kaitlin Murray
Romala Emmanuel
Nimmi Emmanuel
Pamela Emmanuel
Pradheep Sivakumaran
Dharshini Sivkaumaran and Janan Rajaratnam
Sharlini Selva
Jedediah Hartman
Karina Roberts (all the way from Australia!)
Elementary and High School:
Jeff and Kirsten Madden
Max Schireson
Carmela Diosana and Dan Schuknecht
Sri Lankans:
Tania Alexander
Roshani Anandappa, Tom Edwards, with Zoe, Margot, and Griffin
Sugi Ganeshananthan and Guest
Lakshi Jeyakumar
Angie Martyn
Elaine Martyn
U Chicago and Utah:
Kira Berman with Miriam
Daniel Brighoff
Alex Gurevich
Bryan and Elissa Clair with Ben and Becca
Adam Coffman, Kori Engdahl (possibly), and toddler Daphne
Miriam Fuller with Ellen
Aaron Lav and Heather Blair
Curtis & Claudia O’Neal with Corwyn and Eowyn
Terri Hudson and Charles Duffy
Katherine Riley, Adam, and kids
Michael and Linda Schiffer
Erin Sweeney and Jason Murray
Shannon Clark, Usha Mishra, and toddler Avi
SF/F Folks:
Kat Beyer with Tasmin
Susan Lee
Valya Lupescu and Stephen Segal
JJ Pionke
Ben Rosenbaum
Michael Damien Thomas, with Caitlin
Michi Trota and Jesse Lex
UIC Colleagues
Alex Furman and Alina Brodskaia and two children
Daniel and Anne Groves
Rachel Havrelock and 2 Guests
Anna Kornbluh, guest, and child
Oak Parkers, Chicagoans and Other Recent Friends:
Alison Baxter
Devi Bhaduri
Julie and Brent Chyna, with Lindsay
Michelle and John Coleman, with Naimah and Olivia
Amanda Daly and family (2 adults, 3 kids)
Greg Day and Lori Rader Day
Venu Gupta, Sendhil Revuluri, with Karthik and Meera
Susheela and Peter Bhat Harkins
Samanthi Hewakapuge and Guest
Ron and Liz Klein, with Otto
Katy Okamoto and Tiffany Tawzer
Kelly O’Keefe and Rusty Gundrum
Kat Tanaka Okopnik with Michael and Alex
Lena Palmer and Esala Sumanadasa
Michael Pereckas
Angeli Primlani
Vipanchi Raghu with Ishani
Manish Shah and Guest
Michael Uzquiano and Jarmila Alanez