RobertM

Chris - based on the numbers I believe the cost will be in the neighborhood of $150/per, which will include the costs for lunch on Saturday and Sunday as well as dinner Saturday night. Fran; there is always room for more! Welcome

Typically the Conference "Report" begins back in the hotel; so if anyone wishes to post in the comfort of your room you should think about bringing your laptop and digital camera

PS - beautiful work Erica

I will have pastry bags there for our use; along with latex gloves. Plus, please don't forget we are in an excellent culinary school and they will have a great deal of equipment available for our use

My thoughts. Wear comfortable shoes, I'm hoping we'll be working on our feet the majority of both days. I second Kerry's thoughts, an apron and containers to take stuff home. I like to bring my own "tools" - scrapers, dipping forks, etc. Simply because those are the tools I'm going to be using once I return back home and am working in my own "space". Anyone bringing molds, I would STRONGLY urge you to mark them to identify them as your molds. It's very easy to get confused, many molds look alike.

Prabha; Welcome to Friday and welcome to Ben! We are glad that you both will be joining us!

Liron - PM me; you can send your package(s) to me at my home and I would be happy to care for them until your arrival

The Kitchens we will be in are on the Third Floor - I'll be putting up signs of some sort to direct conference members to the floor and general direction of the proper kitchen

Of course: Stratford University 14349 Gideon Drive Wood bridge, VA. 22192 The school is in it's own building, near Potomac Mills Mall, across the street from COSTCO (closest to the COSTCO gas). For anyone needing landmarks there is a Toys R Us on the other side, Ikea is about 1/4 mile away.

Jen - those are beautiful...out of interest, what flavors lurk underneath?

Updating our attendee list & adding new Friday Category which is only for the Friday daytime activity, not the Friday night meet and greet... Yes, I'm coming, booked the room and transportation Chris Hennes (+1) Kerry Beal Chocolot curls gfron1 Gene lironp lebowits patti_h (+1) chocoera Mette Tikidoc +1 Sue Casey LindaS Viktoria Sarahdwyer Friday (Daytime activity) Kerry Beal curls Mette Chocolot Lebowits Pretty Definite Attendees Prabha Robdoc000 MariaP Maybe Lisa Shock prasantrin MelissaH DianaM Lior - pending Lottery ticket(s) AnythingButPlainChocolate Genkinaonna MarkIsComing Carsondial Can't Make it mjx +1 mkayahara YetiChocolates Ruth Wells Kevin Liu nolnacs

A couple more odds and ends I've had a couple local people inquire if they can bring their spouses to the dinner on Saturday night. For anyone else that is wondering, the answer is of course, but I need to know so I can give the school a final head count. If you wish to have your spouse join us, please PM me and we'll add them to the count. I'd also like to get an idea of the people who will be here on Friday for any kind of Friday afternoon activity I can muster up. Depending on the numbers, I'm contemplating a couple of different activities. Please let me know if you are interested in a Friday "outing", one just hit me last night but it will depend on the number of people interested.

Pat, bummer you won't be joining us, you will be greatly missed.

Met yesterday with the chef at the school. He is asking if anyone has any food allergies. Can you PM me if you do and specifically to what? Shellfish? Peanuts? etc? I also found out that the school does not have 220 in the kitchens so bringing my JKV is out. I'm still going to bring the ACMC tabletop.

Chris - those look awesome! Are they the one's you're bringing on Friday night at the Conference next month?

I just spoke to the Marriott; thank you to all who made their reservations. Just a note, that as of today, the hotel is sold out for both Friday and Saturday evening. Anyone wishing to make a last minute reservation, please let me know, perhaps I can help direct you to another hotel nearby.

Mette I will be obtaining some ingredients for the hands on portions of the conference, and the addition of your Elderflower and black liquorice sound wonderful. If anyone else has specific ingredients that they would want to try and incorporate into confections I would encourage them to bring them, or let me know what they are and I can try and obtain them here locally. During the 2010 conference, someone made a truffle with sun dried tomatoes and peppercorn - it was actually very delicious.... I have been collecting some different things to use as ingredients (if anyone wants to use them) - for experimentation. I am also trying to work with a couple of flavor ingredient companies to send us some samples of different things to try - Also, please don't worry about your skill level or the "look" of your chocolates. No one is grading or judging anyone else. These conferences are for every skill and interest level. The hope is to continue to fire the interest in peoples desires to learn and to give everyone the chance to enhance not only their knowledge base but their skill sets as well. Everyone, no matter what their skill level, can learn something from someone else. Plus, the ability to network and develop those kinds of relationships is wonderful.

Yes, I'm coming, booked the room and the airline Chris Hennes (+1) Kerry Beal curls Chocolot gfron1 Gene lironp lebowits patti_h (+1) chocoera Mette Tikidoc +1 Sue Casey LindaS Pretty Definite Attendees Prabha Robdoc000 Viktoria MariaP Maybe Lisa Shock prasantrin MelissaH DianaM Lior - pending Lottery ticket(s) AnythingButPlainChocolate Genkinaonna MarkIsComing Carsondial Can't Make it mjx +1 mkayahara YetiChocolates Ruth Wells Kevin Liu nolnacs

I'm going to be meeting with Stratford next week to go over the equipment they have available for our use. But, in the meantime, is there anyone coming who has equipment that they would be willing to let us use for the weekend? I have: a ACMC Tabletop tempering machine a JKV-30 (if they have the proper power to use it and I can get someone to help me load it into the van) a small Badger airbrush and compressor a small panning machine small caramel "pots" to make caramel in We need molds if anyone is willing to bring some. But, please let me know what you have and are willing to let the participants of the class use

If anyone is interested in sharing expenses and sharing a room with Gfron1 please let me know (via message) -

I'm back folks, enough down time. I'll be updating this topic as things progress, and they should start quickly. I apologise if any of the following information is a repeat of previous posts. I'm still on Orlando time and I'm free flowing in my writing and not writing from previous notes. As to Friday. In 2010 Albert Uster hosted us for the afternoon and did an amazing demo for us. I'm trying to arrange a similar afternoon for us there. Friday evening we will be gathering at the hotel at which time we can enjoy each others company, enjoy a bottle or two of wine and share our enjoyment of chocolates. Those attending bring samples of their work and we pass the plates around and just relax and enjoy. Saturday and Sunday will be at Stratford University-Potomac Mills Campus, 14349 Gideon Dr, Woodbridge, VA. Joe Sofia from Wilbur Chocolates will be here providing instruction, guidance, wisdom and inspiration. We are going to have a fantastic workshop on Chocolate Showpieces. Saturday night, the school chef is going to prepare us an amazing meal. Some of the topics you all have expressed interest in (and I'm going to spend the next day or two working on a schedule) include Caramels Toffee Pate de Fruit Molded Chocolates (and decorating techniques there on) Interesting ganache flavors Sugar Work Chocolate Showpieces Flavor Pairings Dual fillings (pate and ganache) Lagniappe marshmallows Yes, I'm coming, booked the room and the hotel Chris Hennes (+1) Kerry Beal curls gfron1 Gene lironp lebowits patti_h (+1) chocoera Mette Tikidoc +1 Sue Casey LindaS Pretty Definite Attendees Prabha Robdoc000 Viktoria MariaP Maybe Lisa Shock prasantrin MelissaH DianaM Lior - pending Lottery ticket(s) AnythingButPlainChocolate Genkinaonna MarkIsComing Carsondial Can't Make it mjx +1 mkayahara YetiChocolates Ruth Wells Kevin Liu nolnacs

Gene; glad to hear you'll be back! Joe Sofia is coming from Wilbur Chocolate, I've asked for their support and they have been very magnanimous with that support

Tiki; we have people come with ALL skill levels and everyone is welcome. I'm sure you would come away with new information and could teach us something as well. I hope your schedule allows you to drive on up

Of course -

Love to read the I Bought Tickets posts; I'm out of town and working of my phone; rest assured that as soon as possible I will update the listing of who is coming! I'm getting excited!!!!!