Princeton Class of 1994: 15th Reunion Blog

Reunions: Everything You Need to Know

Here's a reprint of the email you should all have received on 5/22.  Hope to see you in a few days!

Is your hair stringy? Is your flannel rumpled? Are your jeans
second-hand?

CAN YOU SMELL IT?

Yes, SMELLS LIKE FIFTEEN SPIRIT is almost here! This is the email
you should save in your inbox or print up because it’s got almost
everything you need to know in it. 

WHEN & WHERE:

Reunions starts on Thursday, May 28, at noon, and lasts until Sunday, May 31. General Reunions details are available on the main Princeton Reunions page – it is really a wealth of information:
http://alumni.princeton.edu/main/goinback/reunions/reunions_2009/. 

The 15th is very conveniently located in the LITTLE/EDWARDS COURTYARD.
All of our events will take place on site. A map is available here:
http://alumni.princeton.edu/main/volunteers/reunions_volunteers/Reunions2009HQMap.pdf

WEATHER:

Experienced Reunions-goers know that the weather can be unpredictable.
Stay informed by checking
http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/coldandflu/tenday/08542?from=36hr_topnav_flubefore you finish your packing. And because things can change quickly, you might want to pack layers.

REGISTRATION AND CHECK-IN:

Online registration is now closed, but you can still register – you
just have to do it in person at Reunions. Come to the Little/Edwards
courtyard during the following hours to get your buttons, costumes,
wristbands, and on-campus housing (if you have been notified that you
received it):

Thurs., May 28: 12 noon to 11pm
Fri., May 29: 9am to midnight
Sat., May 30: 9am to 1pm and 5pm to 11pm (closed for P-rade)

If you still need to register, you can do it on site. Payment by
check or cash is preferred, but we will be able to take credit cards.

Walk-in ticket prices are as follows:
Classmates: $375
Adult guest: $375
Children (1-20): $100
Children under 1: FREE
Child-care giver: $50 (does NOT include meals, drinks, costume, etc.)
Walk-in tickets (other than child-care giver) include all meals,
drinks, entertainment, and activities, as well as costumes on a
first-come, first-served basis until they run out.

Walk-in SATURDAY-ONLY ticket prices are as follows:
Saturday-only adult: $180
Saturday-only children (1-20): $55
Saturday-only children under 1: FREE
Child-care giver: $50 (does NOT include meals, drinks, etc.)
Saturday-only tickets (other than child-care giver) include all
Saturday meals, drinks, entertainment, and activities. They do NOT
include costumes. Leftover costumes will be available for purchase
until they run out.

TRAVEL, SHUTTLES, and PARKING:

The university has information on travel, hotels in the area, local
and on-campus parking, and hotel shuttles:
http://alumni.princeton.edu/main/goinback/reunions/reunions_2009/travel/

Got a hotel room you want to unload? Are you in need of one? Barter
on our blog at
http://princeton1994.typepad.com/princeton_class_of_1994_1/2009/05/hotels-barter-here.html. 

For questions about on-campus housing, contact smbrodbeck - at - yahoo .dot. com or
miro.pasic -at- morganstanley /dot/ com.

COMING WITH KIDS?

We are excited to meet all the little tigers coming to campus! Here
are a few key details if you’re traveling with kids. (And please
see the full schedule at the end of this email for details on our very
fun kids’ activities!)

The university does NOT have high chairs, so if your child eats best
when strapped into a chair, please bring your own TRAVEL BOOSTER
SEAT/CHAIR or a STROLLER. 

We will have an INFANT/TODDLER LOUNGE with changing pads, a mat for
crawlers, and space for nursing mothers. But please bring your own
TRAVEL CHANGING PAD (the kind that comes in a diaper bag), WIPES,
DIAPERS, etc. We’ll have some extra supplies on hand but not
enough to provide for everyone all weekend.

Other items to bring: STROLLER, good WALKING SHOES, SUNSCREEN,
BOTTLES/SIPPY CUPS, SNACKS, SWIMSUIT and small TOWEL (for water
slide), DRY CLOTHES, and LAYERS.

Luckily, our Reunions site is very close to the U-Store, the Wa-Wa,
and downtown, so don’t panic if you find you’ve forgotten
something.

COSTUMES:

Your costume includes a lightweight FLANNEL SHIRT, a T-SHIRT,
SUNGLASSES, and a BANDANA. We recommend bringing your own RIPPED
JEANS, CUTOFFs, or CARGO SHORTS to wear with your costume. 

There will be PRIZES for best grunge interpretations – these will be
awarded at our class dinner on Saturday.

For more information and inspiration, see
http://princeton1994.typepad.com/princeton_class_of_1994_1/2009/04/grunge-fashion.html.

REUNIONS GOES MOBILE:

Reunions Mobile allows reunion-goers to access a range of important
information on their web-enabled handheld devices. Reunions Mobile has
the following features:

· An abbreviated version of the Reunions schedule of open events

· News alerts and live weather conditions

· Information about parking, campus shuttle and hotel bus schedules

· Nightly entertainment at the HQ sites

· The P-rade map, showing classes where to muster

· Information about the lawn concert and fireworks

· A listing of HQ sites for major reunions and satellite classes

Check it out at: m.princeton.edu/reunions 

Simply enter this URL into your mobile web browsers, bookmark the
page, and then return via the bookmark throughout the weekend.
iPhone/iPod users can add the URL to their home screen and a shortcut
icon will be installed.


FINALLY, THE SCHEDULE!

The heads of our 24 sub-committees have been working hard for more
than a year to bring you a fabulous weekend. Here are all of the
details:

THURSDAY, MAY 28

12 noon to 8pm: Children’s activities (arts and crafts, ball pit,
mini bouncer, scavenger hunt)
12 noon to 2am: Beverages under the tent
8pm-10pm: Assorted music under the tent
10pm – 2am: DJ playing grunge and other hits under the tent

FRIDAY, MAY 29

8am-10am: Breakfast under the tent
9am to 8pm: Children’s activities (arts and crafts, ball pit, mini
bouncer, scavenger hunt)
9:15am: Classmate Amy Holmes participates in the forum “Is There a
Post-Racial United States?”
10:30am: Classmate Sarah (Hermanson) Meister participates in the forum
“High Culture: Maintaining Relevance in the 21st Century”
Noon-2pm: Lunch in the courtyard
1pm-5pm: Smoothie station for kids and adults in the Children’s area
1pm-5pm: Bouncy water slide for the kids in the Children’s area
2pm: Community service project: tour of Arial Homes (Broadmead, east
of stadium)
2pm-4pm: An afternoon of magic, hosted by the class of 1969 in
Dod-McCormick courtyard
3pm-5:30pm: Career workshop, Frist Campus Center
4pm: Class memorial service, September 11 Memorial Gardens
6pm-7pm: Cocktail hour and nacho bar, Little courtyard (with a
cappella grunge favorites at 6:30pm!)
6pm-8pm: Kids’ dinner buffet, Little courtyard
7pm-9pm: Mexican buffet, Little courtyard
8:30pm-10:30pm: Cross-class singles mixer, Chancellor Green
9pm-11:30pm: Seattle espresso bar, Little courtyard
10pm-2am: Dancing to RIGHT ON! under the tent

SATURDAY, MAY 30

8am-10am: Breakfast under the tent
9am-1pm and 5pm-8pm: Children’s activities (arts and crafts, ball
pit, mini bouncer, scavenger hunt)
9am-1pm: Water slide in the Children’s area
10am-1pm: Face painting for kids in the Children’s area
10:30am-12 noon: Seattle espresso bar, Little courtyard
10:30am: Classmate Keith Elias participates in the forum “Should
Athletes Be Role Models?”
11am-1pm: Lunch in the courtyard
1pm-5pm: Special kids’ celebrity appears to entertain before and
during P-rade
2pm: P-rade, including a mobile grunge concert
6pm-8pm: Kids’ dinner buffet, Little courtyard
6:30pm-8:30pm: Class dinner, Pan-Asian buffet
7:20-7:35pm: President Shirley Tilghman visits our class, Little
courtyard
8pm-9pm: Orchestra concert, Finney and Lambert fields
9pm-9:45pm: Fireworks, Finney and Lambert fields
10pm-2am: Dancing to BREAKFAST CLUB under the tent

SUNDAY, MAY 31

8am-10am: Breakfast under the tent

NOTE:
There are numerous other events open to the entire Princeton reunion
community. The entire schedule of open events is available on the
Reunions 2009 website:
http://alumni.princeton.edu/main/goinback/reunions/reunions_2009/events.


STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? Email us.

gomez at alumni dot - princeton - dot - edu

jasonhollandermd -at yahoo- dot com

ninapots at gmail dot - com

serogers at yahoo -dot -com

Budget Travel Blog 5: 14 Day alert for last minute planners

Fellow classmates ... here's your official 14 day reminder for our 15th Reunion.  What?   You didn't remember to set the alert on your Crackberry/iPhone/Treo?  Not to worry, we're always looking out for you.

In just two weeks, Old Nassau will be filling up with revelers of all ages.  Hopefully you'll be among the crowds.  If you're still making last minute plans, here is some useful info to help you get to campus as frugally as possible:

TRAIN TRAVELERS:

Amtrak offers a group discount for Princeton University Alumni, specifically for reunions.  Receive 10% off the lowest available fare.  Offer is good between May 25 and June 6.  Here's the link for more info and the all important discount code you'll need when you buy your ticket:

http://www.campustravel.com/university/princetonreunion/amtrak_ltr.pdf

AIR TRAVELERS:

Either it really does pay to procrastinate, or this is indeed the summer of the friendly skies.  Airfares are landing within reasonable range, so don't assume you've missed the boat.  Plane.  Whatever.  Here are the latest prices quoted by Kayak.com, from some of our largest alumni hubs:

• LA - lowest fare currently $219
• Bay Area (SFO/OAK/SJC) - lowest fare currently $219
• Chicago - lowest fare currently $199
• Houston - lowest fare currently $152 (Hobby), $217 (GB Int'l)
• Seattle - lowest fare currently $316
• London - lowest fare currently $450
• Atlanta - lowest fare currently $260

(Above fares are to/from either EWR, JFK, LGA or PHL for travel 5/28-5/31.)

Hotels -- Barter Here

We have received emails from classmates trying to get out of hotel reservations while other classmates are looking for last-minute hotel accommodations.  Therefore, we have established this thread for classmates to post these types of requests to the broader class -- post your requests in the comments, along with your contact information so that others can reach you.  

Please note that this is NOT a forum for on-campus housing, as all on-campus housing cancellations and requests should be directed to our housing chairs, Sheila and Miro Pasic (smbrodbeck at yahoo - dot - com and miro.pasic at morganstanley -dot- com).  Thanks and happy bartering.

Grunge Fashion

Or is that an oxymoron?  Since 1994 for may be receding into the distant corners of your memory, let's review.  (Did we mention there will be PRIZES for best grunge interpretations at Reunions?)

OVERVIEW

The style was unisex, unflattering, and low-maintenance, but it worked well for us undergrads who liked to roll out of bed and go to class. Clothing? Throw on a pair of ripped jeans and a faded t-shirt layered with a plaid flannel shirt, and there you are. As for the hair? Keep it simple. Long, straight, and stringy. No brushing – or washing, for that matter - required. But be careful. Like any devil-may-care style, if you tried too hard, then you were just another poser, which was uncool.

COSTUMES AND STYLING

With that as context, let's talk about our costumes.  As you could probably guess, there will be a FLANNEL SHIRT, and it'll be orange and black plaid.  You'll also get some other grunge staples, including T-SHIRTS, KURT COBAIN SHADES, and BANDANAS.

So how can you pull it all together at Reunions?  Here's a quick reference guide.

1. Don't shower.  Or look like you didn't shower.  But don't try too hard; you don't want to be a poser.  You still have time to let your hair grow out, too.

2. Wear ripped jeans, cutoffs, or cargo shorts.  And we're not talking Diesels or Sevens -- break out the ratty Levi's or stop by a thrift shop.

3. Speaking of thrift shops, you might want to pick up some broken-in t-shirts, too, so you have options.  Haven't you heard?  Thrift is back in.

4. Don some Doc Martens or Converse sneakers.

5. You can wear the flannel over your t-shirt or tied around your waist -- or you can wear one flannel over your t-shirt AND another around your waist.  

Need more info?  Here are some descriptions and how-to guides:

* Wikipedia entry on Grunge Fashion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grunge_fashion

* 90s 411 on Grunge Fashion: http://www.90s411.com/grunge-fashion.html

* eHow - How to Dress Grunge: http://www.ehow.com/how_2071930_dress-grunge.html

Need more glamour?  

Marc Jacobs and other designers reinterpreted grunge in recent years.  Here's some inspiration.

Reunions Highlight: Food and Drink

Wondering what food you can eat to soak up those Reunions drinks? Worried about "Smells Like Fifteen Spirit" themed dining options? Don't be! We've taken a liberal interpretation of the theme and gone international with our meal choices this year. There will be something for everyone. Our seven reunion meals begin with breakfast Friday morning and end with breakfast on Sunday. You can look forward to a cookout for lunch on Friday. Join us Friday night for a cocktail hour before dinner, and then Mexican fiesta. Saturday features hoagies for lunch before P-rade, with box lunches for the kids. And Saturday night is our class dinner with guest speakers and a Pan Asian buffet. Kids have their own special buffet dinners each night, too. Don't forget to let us know if you want vegetarian or kosher meals, or if you have any other dietary restrictions so we can accommodate your needs.  And there may be a surprise or two in store if we get enough registrants (as if you needed another incentive to register!).

If you are resisting registration because all you remember from prior reunions is the smell and taste of stale Budweiser or because your think the only drinks they have in Seattle (birthplace of grunge) are Starbucks and Rainier Beer, delay no longer!  While there will certainly be gallons of coffee to be consistent with our theme and to help us survive the weekend in our old age, we will have a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to satisfy both your sophisticated palates and your desire to be 22 again in the mosh pit on the dance floor!  First, we'll set the grunge mood all weekend with Dark and Stormys from Bermuda (tempered by Seattle Summer Coolers, of course), and then we'll go south of the border as you sip on margaritas on the Playa del Little Courtyard.  If Bermuda and Mexico aren't your thing, how about a Tempranillo from Spain or a Belgian beer?  

What about the kids?  Smoothie bars, drink boxes and vitamin-rich orange juice and milk will ensure that they will be running around campus all day.  

Questions?  Email melissaf at -alumni- dot- princeton- dot - edu or fordmary at -mac -dot- com.  

Have you registered yet?  Go to http://www.princeton94.org/ now and join the 300+ classmates (and 300+ spouses/guests/kids) who have already registered!

Reunions Highlight: Children's Activities

On the fence about bringing your little tigers to Reunions?  Don't be.  We'll have activities galore to amuse them -- as well as subliminally persuade them that they simply must go to Princeton.  This will, in turn, lead to well-behaved children who do all of their homework.  And where else can you get seven meals, costumes, and this much entertainment over three days?  It's a bargain!

So what's on deck?

ALL WEEKEND:

Arts and crafts, ball pit, play area, scavenger hunt with prizes.

Kid-friendly meals and drinks.

A changing/nursing room for those with babies and toddlers.

FRIDAY:

Bounce house or slide, smoothie machine.

Tiger Camp.

SATURDAY:

Face-painting, P-Rade!

Tiger Camp.

To register for Tiger Camp, go here.

Reunions Highlight: Entertainment

This is the first in a series of posts highlighting the fabulous features that await you at SMELLS LIKE FIFTEEN SPIRIT (May 28-31, 2009).  Here's a note from our savvy Entertainment chair, Cecily Kovatch:

---

You might be wondering what to expect at our 15th reunion.  Well, as Entertainment Chair, I can tell you to expect a rockin' time with a little something for everyone!  

Thursday night starts with a wide variety of your favorite hits.  Feel free to write in with any requests.  

On Friday, we have Right On!, an authentic ten-piece show band with a full horn section. They have performed all over the world including in New York for New Year's Eve, at the inauguration ball at the White House, and at the 15th reunion last year for the Class of 1993!  They were such a hit at the 15th last year that many '94s requested we have them for our reunion.  We moved fast and secured their spot under our tent.  As you can see, while our theme is Grunge, there will be a variety of music throughout the weekend to keep you on your toes, and on the dance floor.  Right On!  will play Motown, Disco, '70s Funk, as well as some '80s Retro.  

Saturday night will bring the '80s tribute band Breakfast Club.  For those of you who were at our 10th reunion, Breakfast Club played then, and people were literally dancing on the tables.  They rock!  Expect a little Journey, The Cure, the Police, Billy Idol, Rick Springfield,Van Halen, etc.  

At our Friday Class Dinner, expect an a cappella singing group.  I won't tell you which one yet, so you'll have to come to find out!  

And Entertainment continues with something novel: we're working with some of the other major reunions for the FIRST-EVER SINGLES MINGLE at Princeton Reunions.  For those who are looking to meet that special tiger or tigress, come out on Friday night of reunions from 8:30 to 10:30 PM to mingle with the singles of the Classes of '89, '84, and '79.  To help us plan food and beverage for the event, it would be great if those interested could RSVP at http://Princeton79.org/index.php?Page=MingleRSVP.php?Event=Mingle.   Feel free to invite other Princeton singles even if they are in a satellite class.  

It should be a great weekend with something for everyone.  See you there!
Cecily (cecilyk2000 -at- mac.dot.com).  

REGISTER TODAY FOR SMELLS LIKE FIFTEEN SPIRIT at www.princeton94.org.  Early registration has been extended to 3/31/09.  Don't delay!

Budget Travel Blog 4: Fare Updates

Just a quick update since our 3/9 posting.  Kayak has alerted us that airfares from SFO-EWR have gone down to $289 on United & Continental today.   Great opportunity for all our Bay Area classmates to book their trips!

We'll post more fare updates as we find them ...

Budget Travel Blog 3: Airline Fees

Thinking about booking your flights to Reunions soon?  Good plan!  How very proactive, Princetonian and patriotic of you. A friend recently told me that spending money is everyone's national civic duty, so here's your chance to party with old classmates and stimulate the economy in the process.  However, let's not forget this is a budget blog.  We certainly don't want you over-spending on that trip.  After all, these times call for fiscal responsibility.   So before you buy your tickets, make sure you follow these important steps.

Step 1:  Communicate With Your Constituents

Translation ... change your Facebook status to "(your name) is booking a flight to Princeton Reunions." God knows we can't do anything these days without micro-blogging it. Plus, it will signal all your P'ton friends to get their travel on as well.  (Did I just say get their travel on?)

Step 2:  Seek Bipartisan Input

Translation ... don't just tap your usual travel resources. Cross the aisle and consult some new experts to help you find the best deal. (This is really just a self-serving plug for you to read this blog.)

Step 3:  Avoid the Pork (ironically, the only meaty section of this post)

Translation ... don't let hidden airline fees turn your "deal" into a deficit.  From checked baggage to extra leg room to speaking with a live human, these little extras are a big annoyance.  Especially if you're not expecting them.  So before you grudgingly book that red-eye flight to save $50, double check the fees.  Your total cost may be the same with a carrier that offers a more sleep-friendly schedule ... and doesn't charge you for a pillow in the process.

For handy reference, we've included a comprehensive chart compiled by USA Today.  It was published back in August, so we'll cross-check some of the info and post any corrections to this blog in the coming days. Even better, if any of you have more accurate info, go ahead and note that in the Comments section. (Just pretend this is a Wiki if that makes you feel more hip.)

Airlines' rising fees confuse and anger their passengers

USA Today 08.18.08

Click here for full article.

From booking to on-board snacking, rising airline fees add up

These charts shows fees that U.S. airlines commonly charge coach passengers on domestic flights. Fees may be different than shown, depending on an individual traveler's circumstances. For instance, ticket-change fees can vary depending on whether a ticket is changed online, through an airline's telephone-reservation system or through a travel agent. Preferred-seat charges may be higher on some routes or some types of planes, or may vary for different kinds of seats. Many airlines reduce or waive certain fees for very frequent fliers or for passengers who pay full coach fares. The information in these charts was up to date as of Friday, August 8. 

RESERVATIONS
Airline	Book ticket by phone	Preferred seat	Ticket change fee3
AirTran	$15	$6-$20	$75
Alaska	$15	NA	$75-$100
American	$20	NA	$150
Continental	$15	NA	$150
Delta	$25	NA	$100
Frontier	$25	NA	$150
Hawaiian	$10 or $201	NA	$150 or $200
JetBlue	$15	$10-$30	$100
Midwest	$25	$25-$502	$100
Northwest	$20	$5-$35	1504
Southwest	0	$15-$20	0
Spirit	0	Up to several hundred dollars	$80-$90
United	$25	$14-$149	$150
US Airways	$25	$5-$25	$150
Virgin America	$10	$50-$100	$75
1 — Begins in September; 2 — On Boeing 717s that begin flying this fall; $65 on McDonnell Douglas MD-80s that will cease flying Sept. 8; 3 — Ticket bought from a travel agent may have different fee; 4 — Some routes may have smaller fee

FREQUENT FLIERS
Airline	Book free frequent-flier ticket on phone1	Book free frequent-flier ticket on-line1	Change free frequent-flier ticket	Fee for buying frequent-flier miles/credits
AirTran	0	0	$75	$39/credit
Alaska	$15	0	$100	$27.50/1,000 miles; $275/10,000 miles
American	$20	$5	$150	$27.50/1,000 miles; $250/10,000 miles
Continental	$25	0	$150	$32/1,000 miles; $320/10,000 miles
Delta	$25	0	$100	$55/2,000 miles; $275/10,000 miles
Frontier	$25	0	$35	$28/1,000 miles; $250/10,000 miles
Hawaiian	$10-$20	0	$30 -$150	$32.25/$1,000 miles; $322.50/10,000 miles
JetBlue	$15	0	$100	$5/point
Midwest	$25	0	$50	$29.38/1,000 miles; $293.75/10,000 miles
Northwest	$25	$25	$50	$28/1,000 miles; $280/10,000 miles
Southwest	0	0	0	Not for sale
Spirit	Can't book on phone	0	$80-$90	Not for sale
United	$25	0	$150	$67.25/1,000 miles; $357.50/10,000 miles
US Airways	$55 ($80 Hawaii)	$30	$150 ($250 Hawaii)	$50/1,000 miles; $275/10,000 miles
Virgin America	$10	0	$75	Not for sale until 2009
1 — A fee may apply or could be higher if booking is made close to departure

IN THE AIRPORT
Airline	Check bag at curbside	First checked bag	Second checked bag	Third checked bag	Annual fee for airport club lounge membership3
AirTran	0	0	$252	$50	No lounges
Alaska	No curb service	0	$25	$100	$375 new member; $275 renewal
American	0	$15	$25	$100	$450 new member; $400 renewal
Continental	0	0	$25	$100	$450 new member; $400 renewal
Delta	$3	0	$50	$125	$450 new member; $400 renewal
Frontier	0	0	$25	$50	No lounges
Hawaiian	No curb service	0-$151	$17-$25	$25-$100	$150
JetBlue	$2	0	$20	$75	No lounges
Midwest	0	0	$20	$100	$250
Northwest	$2 at 19 airports; no fee at others	$15	$25	$100	$450 new member; $400 renewal
Southwest	0	0	0	$25	No lounges
Spirit	No curb service	$15-$25	$25	$100	No lounges
United	$2	$15	$25	$125	$500
US Airways	$15	$15	$25	$100	$390
Virgin America	No curb service	0	$25	$25	$40 for access to one lounge
1 — Begins in September; 2 — Effective Sept. 18; $10/$20 until then; 3 — Lower fee may apply for very frequent fliers

IN-FLIGHT SERVICES
Airline	Headset	Non-alcoholic beverage	Alcoholic beverage	Snack	Meal	Unaccompanied minor age 5-7	Pet aboard flight
AirTran	0	0	$6	0	No meals	$39	$69
Alaska	$5-$10	0	$5	0-$5	$5	$75	$100
American	$2	0	$6	$2-$4	$6	$100	$100
Continental	$1	0	$5	0	0	$75	$125
Delta	$3	0	$7	0-$3	$4-$10	$100	$150
Frontier	0	0-$3	$6	$3	$6-$7	$50	No pets allowed
Hawaiian	$5	0	$6	0-$51	0	$35-$75	$35-$175
JetBlue	$1	0-$3	$5	0	No meals	$75	$75
Midwest	No headsets	0	$5	0	$6-$11	$50	$100
Northwest	$3	0	$5	$3-$7	$10	$75	$80
Southwest	No headsets	0	$4	0	No meals	0	No pets allowed
Spirit	No headsets	$2-$3	$5-$7	$2-$4	No meals	$75	$85
United	0	0	$6	No fee (testing $3 snack on some routes)	$5-$7	$99	$1252
US Airways	$5	$1-$2	$7	$5	$7	$100	$100
Virgin America	0	0	$5-$6	$2-$3	$7-$9	$75	$100
1— $15 fee begins Oct. 1 on mainland U.S.-Hawaii flights; 2— $100 until Aug. 18
Sources: Airlines, USA TODAY research by Gary Stoller

Budget Travel Blog 2: Airfares

Ok, time for more SMELLS LIKE ... A DEAL:  REUNIONS TRAVELS TIPS FOR THE RECESSION-WEARY.

There are only 80 days until our 15th reunion, so no better time than now to start planning, pricing, and purchasing your trip to the Garden State.

Let's start with airfares, shall we?   

After several years of purchasing airline tix via OTA's (online travel agencies) such as Expedia or Priceline, I have personally made the switch to Kayak.com, an aggregator (or meta-search site) that is easy to use, doesn't charge fees, and has killer controls for users to manipulate their search results in real time.

As an aggregator site, Kayak doesn't actually sell tickets, it simply searches all the airline sites + several of the OTA's to find and display the lowest fares available.  Its other value-add is the ease with which you can filter and further narrow the results dynamically (e.g. takeoff time, layover time, type of aircraft, etc.).  Once you've found what you want, Kayak clicks you through to the actual site (e.g. AA.com, cheaptickets.com, etc.) to make the purchase.  Kayak also offers email alerts and airfare history data to help ensure you are finding the best deal.  Oh - and also - their prices include all airline taxes and fees, unlike other sites which 'surprise' you later on.

If you're unfamiliar with Kayak.com, check out this How-To article that walks you through the process:

http://www.cheapticketlinks.org/how-to-search-kayak/

Meantime, because we are here to help ... your friendly budget travel blogger has signed up for several daily email alerts to track airfares to Newark from the cities listed below.  Watch this blog for updates on prices:

• LA (lowest fare currently $290)
• SF (lowest fare currently $299)
• Chicago (lowest fare currently $257)
• Houston (lowest fare currently $304)
• Seattle (lowest fare currently $299)
• London (lowest fare currently $347)
• Boston (lowest fare currently $159)
• DC (lowest fare currently $119)
• Atlanta (lowest fare currently $209) 

(Above fares are to/from Newark for travel 5/28-5/31. We will also periodically check Philly and NYC airports as well as alternate travel dates.)  

Stay tuned for our next post coming soon ... meantime, don't forget to share your own travel savings tips with classmates by commenting on this blog.  

Smells Like ... a Deal: Reunions Travel Tips for the Recession-Weary

Hi folks.  Welcome to the first installment of your official Princeton Class of 1994 15th Reunion Budget Travel Blog.   Budget travel blog?  Seriously?   That sounds kinda depressing.  But it's true. Even our mighty and beloved Princeton reunions aren't immune to the ailing economy.  We all know that going back to old Nassau can be costly.  But since we don't want that to stand in the way of great attendance this year, we are here to help with some money saving tips and reminders! (cue super hero music)

Now, when I say "we" are here to help ... I am not just referring to yours truly or even to our Reunions committee members, but rather to the "collective we."   Even though I will do my best to scour the internet for the best, most jaw-dropping, miracle-working, mind-blowing travel bargains, I am humble enough to know that I will never be as savvy as our collective community of seasoned travelers.  So consider this your invitation to make this an interactive, participatory blog!   Please use the Comments section of this blog to post your own money saving ideas.  Who knows?  The information you share could make the difference between seeing that long lost classmate at Reunions (yay!) ... or not (boo!).

So let's get started, shall we?  Stay tuned for the next blog post in which we'll focus on planes, trains and automobiles ... oh yeah, and Kayaks.

Online registration is now open!

Online registration is now open for Smells Like Fifteen Spirit!  Please go to www.princeton94.org to get early bird pricing and request on-campus housing.

Registration is open!

Standard Mail Registration
for our 15th Reunion: Smells Like Fifteen Spirit is now open.

 

Sign in at our class website and click on the "Registration" link in the left margin to download a PDF registration form and instructions for where to mail your check.  This form will allow you to indicate which meals you will attend, costume sizes, if you would like on-campus housing, and more.  For a list of off-campus hotels, please see "Housing" on this blog.

Online registration, with electronic payment, is coming soon!

Housing

Note: On-campus housing request will be made at the time of registration. 

Below is a list of hotels we have secured for our class.  A link to the website is included in case anyone needs additional information. All of these hotels are on the Reunions Shuttle route.

 

Unless specified below, most of the hotels offer both singles (usually a Queen or a King bed) and doubles (usually two Queens or two Full beds) for the same price. 

 

Room reservations are made separately from Reunions Registration.  You will need to call the hotels directly to make a reservation.  Also, you must mention the Princeton Class of 1994/Fifteen Reunion block of rooms to secure the group rate. 

 

Some cut-off dates for securing the group price are quickly approaching, so please make reservations ASAP!
 
 
MARRIOT AT FORRESTAL VILLAGE - 100 College Road East (4 miles north of campus)
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/ttndf-princeton-marriott-hotel-and-conference-center-at-forrestal/
Rate - $269 per night (single or double)
Cut-Off Date - March 29, 2009
 
 
HYATT PLACE AT MARKETFAIR - 3565 Route 1 (2 miles south of campus)
http://princeton.place.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/place/;jsessionid=HL3XPBGDIFCS2CTEAGDSFFIKMQAYIIV0
Rate - $349 per night (single or double)
Cut-Off Date - February 28, 2009
 
 
WESTIN AT FORRESTAL VILLAGE - 201 Village Blvd (5 miles north of campus)
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1440
Rate - $329 per night (single or double)
Cut-Off Date - April 28, 2009
 
 
MARRIOT RESIDENCE INN AT MARKETFAIR - 3563 US Route 1 (2 miles south of campus)
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/ttnww-residence-inn-princeton-at-carnegie-center/
Rate - $329 (studio), $349 (one bedroom), $419 (two bedroom)
Cut-Off Date - March 31, 2009
 
 
RED ROOF INN - 3203 US Route 1 (4 miles south of campus)
http://www.redroof.com/reservations/inn_details.asp?num=111
Rate - $102.99 (single or double)
Cut-Off Date - April 28, 2009
Mention Room Block # B111R1994
 
 
HOLIDAY INN PRINCETON- 100 Independence Way (5 miles north of campus)
www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hd/prnnj
Rate - $209 (single), $229 (double)
Cut-Off Date - March 1, 2009
 
 
HAMPTON INN - 4385 US Route 1 (5 miles north of campus)
http://hamptoninn.hilton.com/en/hp/hotels/index.jhtml;jsessionid=B0NOQLNVTOHUYCSGBI1MVCQ?ctyhocn=PTNHHHX
Rate - $259 (single or double)
Cut-Off Date - February 1, 2009
 
 
HYATT REGENCY- 102 Carnegie Center (1 mile south of campus)
http://princeton.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp
Rate - $329 (single or double), $354 (triple occupancy), $379 (quadruple occupancy)
Cut-Off Date - February 28, 2009

Community Service Project

As our 15^th Reunion gets ever closer, it’s time to talk about our Community Service Project and how you can be involved.  This year, we’re going to be supporting the Arial Home Project, founded by Parent Class member Tom Pirelli ’69, and Princeton in Latin America (PiLA), run by our very own classmate, Claire Brown.  This is a great opportunity to help out and to be involved, either as a donor or as a member of the Princeton group that will travel to Ensenada, Mexico in March to build several homes and work on other service projects in the area.  This group will consist of ‘94ers, ‘69ers, and some current Princeton undergrads. 

Arial Homes is a non-profit which offers volunteers the opportunity to help build sustainable and low-cost homes for people in impoverished areas of Baja, Mexico and soon, Ghana.  Arial Homes are built for people currently living in one-room corrugated tin shacks or other homes self-constructed from scrap material.  An Arial Home is constructed of highly insulated steel panels that fit together like Lego's.  The home is pre-fabricated in a nearby Arial Home factory so that no on-site sawing or cutting is required.  A team of 12 volunteers can typically assemble an Arial Home in one day.  These homes provide the family with a living/kitchen room, a bedroom, a bathroom with toilet and shower, and a large, multipurpose sink in the kitchen area; the homes are solar-powered.  For most families it is the first time they have running water or an indoor bathroom.  For some, it is the first time they have electricity or slept in a bed.  For others, it is the first time they have a home that has more than one room.

Each home costs about $10,000, which covers all the parts.  The goal for ‘94’s service project is to raise at least $20,000 to build two homes.  The build trip will take place during Princeton’s Spring Break, which is March 14-22, although classmates are welcome to come for a shorter time period if necessary due to work and family constraints.  We hope that some people from our class will have the time and resources to join a group of undergraduates, ‘69ers and a few from ’68 as well on this trip.  ’69 has generously offered to cover most of the costs for the undergrads, so all the money that we raise will go directly to the homes.

As the houses can be built quickly, the remainder of the trip will be spent working on other service projects in the community, such as helping out in the medical clinic, the school, perhaps teaching some vegetable gardening techniques, and addressing other needs in Ensenada.

This will be a great opportunity for ’94 to partner with our Parent Class, ’69, and with current undergraduates on a very worthwhile and Princeton-founded public service initiative.  Reports from past home builds are glowing and speak of the great time people have as they join together in this very hands-on service project.  PiLA aims to turn the Arial project in Ensenada into a Summer of Service program for current undergraduates, so you would play a vital role in helping PiLA to establish this new initiative.  We also hope that this first Service Project will turn into a long-term project that ’94 maintains throughout the years and our many upcoming major reunions.

If you would like to support our Community Service Project, you may donate online, through PiLA’s PayPal account or via Google Checkout: http://www.princeton.edu/~pila/support/index.htm  

You may also send a check to:

Princeton in Latin America

194 Nassau St, ste. 210

Princeton, NJ  08542

 

Find out more about Arial Homes at http://www.arialhome.org/

Please contact Claire Brown with any questions you have: pila@princeton.edu or (609) 258-9200.  She looks forward to working with you on this terrific initiative!

Registration information -- the basic details

We've received many enthusiastic inquiries about registration for our 15th.  We're still hammering out the technical end of the registration process, as well as some details about what you get at each stage of registration.  But we can share with you the anticipated timing of each phase of registration:

Early-Bird Registration: opens on 2/2/09, ends on 3/15/09.  Early Birds will pay the lowest fees, be guaranteed costumes and all meals, and have priority access to on-campus housing on a first-come/first-served basis.  There will also be some other perks to be announced.

Regular Registration: opens on 3/16/09, ends on 5/15/09.  Regular registrants will pay more in fees than Early Birds but less than Late registrants, be guaranteed costumes and all meals, and have access to any remaining on-campus housing on a first-come/first-served basis. 

Late and Walk-In Registration: opens on 5/16/09 and continues through Reunions, which begin on 5/28/09.  Late registrants will pay the highest fees, will NOT be guaranteed costumes or meals (though every effort will be made to accommodate late registrants), and will NOT have access to on-campus housing.  

We encourage everyone to use the online registration system that will be up and running soon, but we will also have a paper form that you can fill out and mail in with a check.

Thanks!

-- Your Reunions Co-Chairs

Reunions volunteers still needed

SMELLS LIKE FIFTEEN SPIRIT NEEDS YOU!

Classmates,

We have a great team of committee chairs but are still looking for chairs, co-chairs, or committee members for the following areas.  This is a great way to get involved with Reunions and learn the secret inner workings of this vast machine.  Plus, it's fun.  If you're interested in any of these, please leave a note in the comments or email one of the Reunions Chairs.  Here's a brief description of each:

Children's Activities - This person will contact vendors to rent bounce house, water activities, snow cone machine, etc.;  order craft supplies;  build a schedule for children's activities for the weekend;  publicize children's activities to classmates.  The Class of 1993 did a great job with Children's Activities, so we don't have to recreate the wheel here.  We can pretty much do what they did.  Also, this person will help to communicate Tiger Camp details to classmates.

Community Service - Our class goal is to raise $20K to help build Arial Homes in Baja, Mexico.  This person will publicize the project; possibly organize a fundraising call to classmates; track donations and update the class website with our progress v. goal periodically.

P-Rade - The job of the P-Rade chair is to arrange for and manage the class formation, including hiring and coordinating with at least one marching band, any floats, vehicles, posters, etc.

Program - Coordinate class activities, including Class Dinner, arrange for class picture, and build a schedule for the weekend.

Registration - This person will partner with Tania (Cendejas) Gleason to track all registration information before and during Reunions. The Registration Chair must also report the reunion attendance periodically to the Alumni Association and file and Attendance Report immediately after Reunions.

Transportation - The job of the Transportation Chair is to coordinate transportation (vans, golf carts, University shuttle) needed during reunions.

Full descriptions are available on Tigernet: http://alumni.princeton.edu/main/volunteers/reunions_volunteers/

We're also looking for someone to help us blog about money-saving tips for Reunions travel and other costs.  If you're an expert at sniffing out bargains, let us know!

Finally, we're working with several other Reunions classes on a Singles Mixer this year. 

If you would be interested in overseeing any of these committees, please contact Nina (Bojko) Potsiadlo: nbojko@hotmail.com.

Thanks!
Your Reunions Chairs

Welcome to our 15th Reunion: Smells Like Fifteen Spirit

Greetings, classmates!  15 years ago at this time, we were probably all entombed somewhere in Firestone Library, the E Quad, or another library or computer cluster, working on our theses while wearing flannel shirts, jeans, and early fleece, which was not nearly as soft as today's versions.  As fuel for those late nights, Snapple had been invented, but Red Bull had not.  There was one real coffeehouse in town.  We accessed the Internet via something called Gopher, and, luckily, the procrastinatory allure of YouTube was not yet even a glimmer in a young technophile's eye.  Kurt Cobain was still alive, though not for long.

This spring -- May 28-31, 2009 -- we'll take a break from the financial meltdown and re-live our glorious, grungy youth.  This blog will provide you with updates on everything from registration to entertainment to tips for saving money on Reunions travel.  There may be a recession, but the great Class of 1994 will keep up its stellar record of Reunions attendance, creativity, and fun.

Check back regularly for updates from your Reunions chairs, committee chairs, and class officers.  We'll be posting frequently.  For those interested in registering, we'll have information on that by January 15th.

In the meantime, feel free to email us with any questions.

Your Reunions Chairs,

James Gomez (gomez at alumni-dot-princeton-dot-edu)
Jason Hollander (jasonhollandermd at yahoo-dot-com)
Nina (Bojko) Potsiadlo (nbojko at hotmail-dot-com)
Sarah Rogers (serogers at yahoo-dot-com)