ILLINOIS CLASSICAL CONFERENCE

2006 Annual Meeting

Springfield, Illinois

INFORMATION

Location.  All sessions except the Saturday luncheon and banquet will be held at the State House Inn, a Clarion Collection Hotel, 101 East Adams Street.  The phone number of the hotel is:  (217) 528-5100.

Lodging.   The State House Inn is holding sleeping rooms for participants through 12 September.   Mention the I.C.C. before the deadline to get the special group rate of  $74.99 plus tax for a standard guest room or $99.99 plus tax for a suite.  After 12 September participants will have to pay regular rates unless they can negotiate a discount through A.A.A. or senior citizen status but these discounted rates will be higher than the convention rates.

Included in the room charge are free parking and a full breakfast that includes scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, cold cereal, waffles, English muffins, miniature muffins, bagels, fruit, juice, 2% milk, and coffee.

The hotel was redone a few years ago at great expense.  The rooms are very comfortable  with terry cloth robes and feather beds.  There is a very nice fitness center on the lower level and a business center on the first floor.  If you bring a laptop, you can request a cable for internet access for your room.

Book Exchange.  In addition to the Book Exhibit, thanks to Marilyn Brusherd, there will be a book exchange table  where you can leave books you no longer need and, for a donation, pick up books that you can use.

Transportation.         
By car.  The people at the hotel which is located at 101 East Adams recommend going to:             http://mapquest.com  for directions.

By train.  The State House Inn is only two blocks away from the Springfield Amtrak station and the Illinois Legislature has recently voted money to increase the number of trains serving Springfield starting in October.  Steve Pilewski offers the following statement from Amtrak about a group fare.

Amtrak offers a 10% discount off the lowest available fare to Springfield,
IL. To book your reservation call Amtrak at 1 (800) 872-7245 or contact your local travel agent. Please refer to Convention Fare Code X50L-967 when making your reservation. Conventions cannot be booked via internet. This offer is not valid on Auto Train. Offer valid with Sleepers, Business Class or First Class seats with payment of the full applicable accommodation charges. Fare is valid on Metroliner and Acela service for
all departures seven days a week, except for holiday blackouts.

Please be advised the 10% discount fare has been approved for travel up to
three days prior to the convention start date and three days following the
last day of the meeting.

If you have any questions or need any further assistance, please feel free
to contact us at 1-800-USA-1GRP (1-800-872-1477) Monday through Friday,
6:00am-4:30pm Pacific Time.   

Menus.  Three of the best restaurants in Springfield will be providing our meals. 

Saturday Luncheon:  Maldaners Restaurant has been serving delicious meals in Springfield for over 130 years.  Our buffet will include:  roast beef with Madeira wine sauce, chicken breast with mushroom sauce, duchess potatoes, mixed green salad, two vegetables, bread, coffee, tea, and homemade apple crisp with homemade caramel sauce.

Saturday Banquet:  Sebastian’s Hideout is possibly the best restaurant in Springfield.  Our dinner will include :

I.Perrine salad (which I ate three nights in a row): romaine and mixed baby greens tossed with a sweet herb vinaigrette and topped with dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and English Stilton

II. Choice of entrees: 
A.  Pasta Provencal: cavatappi pasta tossed with fresh basil pesto, roasted red peppers, red onions, asparagus, and quartered artichoke hearts, finished with a touch of heavy cream and garnished with chevre and pine nuts

B. Chicken Pecan:  chicken breast encrusted with pecans and pan seared, paired with a mixture of wild and brown rice sautéed with apple wood smoked bacon, andouille sausage, and mirepoix.

C. Atlantis Salmon:  pan seared filet, a rich tomato tarragon beurre blanc and capers compliment the dish with sautéed julienne vegetables and mashed potatoes

D. New York Strip  Loin:  a hand cut strip loin steak grilled to order, served with a rich lyonnaise sauce with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

            III.  Dessert :  Triple Chocolate Mousse

Sunday Luncheon.   Augie’s Front Burner will cater this meal at the hotel.  The menu will feature pasta primavera, garlic bread, apple pecan salad, and German chocolate cake.

Local Attractions.   Springfield was chosen for this meeting in part because it is rich in attractions.

Arrangements have been made for a group entry into the new Lincoln Museum after the convention at 2:15 P.M. on 8 October.  You must sign up on the registration form and pay in advance in order to take advantage of this opportunity which guarantees that you will be able to enter the Museum at the specified time at a lower price than that charged normally.  This is not a guided tour.

Another special opportunity will be the observance of the 144^th birthday of Susan Lawrence Dana, the woman for whom the Dana-Thomas House was built by Frank Lloyd Wright.  There will be refreshments and music at the house to honor her.

For those who may bring young children to Springfield I am told that the Illinois State Museum’s first floor has recently been revamped and that the lower level has special activities for younger children.  The museum is within walking distance of the hotel.

Further afield, out by Lake Springfield, is the Henson Robinson Zoo which on Saturday, 7 October is advertising a free day with craft vendors and craft demonstrations.

While on the subject of Lake Springfield my husband and I on our recent visit to Springfield “discovered” the Lincoln Memorial Garden which has a nature center and lovely trails.

N.B. Please feel free to contact Alice Mulberry at (773) 288-1242 or by email at: Latinlives@aol.com if you need more information or have dietary or other special needs.