CONFERENCE UPDATES - Sue Johnson | Gary Chapman | Conde Nast| Parking |Timeline? | Opportunities - 9/26/07

[Smartmarriages]

- SUE JOHNSON: HOLD ME TIGHT (EMOTIONALLY FOCUSED CONNECTION)
- GARY CHAPMAN: 5 LOVE LANGUAGES
- SAN FRANCISCO IS THE TOPS
- PARKING
- TIMELINE FOR REGISTERING AND RESERVING HOTEL?
- SMART MARRIAGE CONVERSATIONS: OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

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- SUE JOHNSON: HOLD ME TIGHT (EMOTIONALLY FOCUSED CONNECTION)
Many of you were disappointed when Sue Johnson had to cancel Denver.  Hooray
her knee is better and she's back!  And, with a book: her "Hold Me Tight:
Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love" (Little Brown) will be available
in April 2008.  She'll present a keynote and a training institute at the
Smart Marriages San Francisco conference. If you're planning travel and
hotel, the Institute will be on Sunday, July 6, 8:30am-5:30pm.

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- GARY CHAPMAN: 5 LOVE LANGUAGES
Dozens of you wrote on your evaluations that you'd love to see Gary Chapman
present. We listen. He'll present twice at the San Francisco Smart Marriages
conference: a keynote on his "5 Languages of Love" which has spent months
and months on the NY Times bestseller list and a 90 min workshop on his
latest book: "The 5 Languages of Apology".

Order the books now and get them autographed at the conference. Click here
to order Apology in hardback amazon from $6.99 and Love Languages in
paperback starting at just $3.50.
http://www.smartmarriages.com/app/Media.Booklist

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- SAN FRANCISCO IS THE TOPS

Diane, I think you should share this with the list but also get it posted on
the conference website.  You and I aren't the only ones that think SF is
tops. This is the last survey on the Conde Nast site.  - Hilary

Favorites hold their spots at Conde Nast Traveler Readers¹ Choice Awards
October 18, 2006

The November 2006 issue of Conde Nast Traveler celebrates the 19th annual
Readers¹ Choice Awards. The results are derived from the largest independent
poll of consumers¹ preferences, the Readers¹ Choice Survey, second in size
only to the U.S. Census. With over 21,000 travelers voting this year, the
lists show an even greater global variety and depth.

This year many perennial favorites hold on to their top spots, for example
San Francisco, the #1 U.S. City, has also been #1 for 18 of the past 19
years (in 1992 Santa Fe won the honor).

The Readers Choice Awards gala took place on Monday, October 16th in New
York City at the American Museum of Natural History. The program titled
Conde Nast Traveler Readers¹ Choice Awards will premiere on the Travel
Channel on Wednesday, October 25th at 8 PM (ET/PT).

Top Cities - United States
1.  San Francisco, CA
2.  Santa Fe, NM
3.  New York, NY

Each city was judged according to specific criteria such as ambiance,
friendliness, culture/sites, restaurants, lodging and shopping.

And here are other awards I found on the SF website:

September 2006 ­ Executive Travel magazine readers name San Francisco winner
of the 2006 Executive Travel Leading Edge Award. San Francisco was voted
Best City FOR A THREE DAY WEEKEND over all of her competitors around the
world. Readers nominated winners in 65 categories in an open format ballot.
(I agree - I spent three days when I went out to sign the contract and I
think the city is A+ perfect. - diane)

October 2006 - Writers at CityBloc.com, one of the largest online sources
for demographic and statistical information on U.S. cities, rates San
Francisco International AIRPORT the ³Best Airport in North America,² citing
a ³combination of great shopping and restaurants WITH EXCELLENT
TRANSPORTATION LINKS."

December 2005 ­ Executive Travel magazine named San Francisco International
Airport the BEST AIRPORT in the United States in its annual "Best of
Executive Travel" awards.

August 2007 ­ Forbes.com in their seventh annual ³Best Cities for Singles²
report named San Francisco the No. 1 city. Up from fourth place in 2006, the
city ranked first for culture and received high marks for number of singles,
nightlife, online dating and ³cool.²
 
August 2007 ­ The readers of Successful Meetings selected the San Francisco
Convention & Visitors Bureau to receive the magazine¹s Pinnacle Award for
providing outstanding service in their meeting programs.  This is the 16th
time that San Francisco has received this award.
  
February, 2007 ­ According to a survey conducted by the American Institute
of Architects, the Golden Gate Bridge is the fifth favorite structure in the
U.S.  (I wonder what the other 'favorite structures' are??  Washington
Monument, Statue of Liberty, Lincoln Memorial, Capitol, St Louis Arch - now
I'm really curious. - diane )

April, 2006 ­ Conde Nast Traveler dubs the new de Young Museum in Golden
Gate Park one of the ³The new seven wonders² in a cover story noting that
³great architecture doesn¹t just turn heads, it determines where we¹re
heading² adding that the Herzog & de Meuron-designed structure is ³full of
clever flourishes that work with, rather that against, the landscape.²

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- PARKING
 
> Diane -
> We were just at that hotel for a different conference. There was a secured
> parking lot two blocks away from the hotel that was 1/2 that price...I
> think it was $25-28/night or something like that (in & out privileges
> included)...I think that may be a special rate for the hotel, although not
> sure about that. The hotel doesn't necessarily advertise that place, but
> it's there. If my memory serves me, it's either on Shannon or Jones St,
> between O'Farrell & Geary. Maybe a local person can give more info (like
> the name of it and exact address).
> Walid

This is just the kind of info we need for those of you that prefer to drive
to SF.  Michelle Gannon who lives and works in the city called tonight to
tell me about a similar parking garage four blocks from the Hilton, large
and safe - near Union Square at 444 Sutton.  It's $33 for 24 hrs, $15 on
Sunday. Michelle says there are less expensive garages but they fill up
fast. And $28 or $33 is till expensive but if you're driving a car or van
full of people, I imagine it works out to be cheaper than flying.

There also have to be places to park a car in outlying areas - maybe in
Oakland or San Mateo - and then take the BART into the city.  There have to
be long-term less expensive parking facilities near the Oakland and SF
airports. You would not have daily access to your car, but you won't need it
during the conference.

If you know about parking outside the city that's BART accessible, please
send that info.  The SF Hilton is just two blocks from the BART station.
-d  

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- TIMELINE FOR REGISTERING AND RESERVING HOTEL?
 
> Dear Diane, I am hoping to attend the conference. It will be my first time. Do
> I really need to commit to the hotel already? I expect that I will be coming
> by Greyhound from Texas and taking a taxi to the hotel. Just can't afford to
> fly.  And, how soon do I need to register for the conference? I am eager to
> attend, but would like to wait until November to commit.
> Sylvia 
> Edinburg, TX 

First, you can't register for the conference until FEB/08. That's when the
program will be available - so, you don't have to worry about that. As for
the hotel, you might want to find a roommate (or two or three) to save
money. It's nice to have a conference buddy - people that try the roommate
route do it every year. As your plans firm up, click on Roommates info on
the conference website http://www.smartmarriages.com/roommates.html and
start the search process. Rates at the SF Hilton - $115 single/double, $125
triple, $135 quad. BUT, yes, the SF Hilton
http://www.smartmarriages.com/hotel.html will sell out, probably in Nov or
Dec.  I'm looking for nearby overflow space at a reasonable rate. As for
travel, I know some do drive or travel by bus to the conference but also
know it's a very long trip from Texas (2,000 miles from Edinburg to SF!) and
if you start shopping for airline deals/rates
http://www.smartmarriages.com/travel.html  now you might find something you
can manage.  - diane

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- SMART MARRIAGE CONVERSATIONS: OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
> Hi Diane,
> I called Hilton reservations this evening. The woman who took my call asked,
> "What is this Smart Marriages?" I explained a bit about who we are and what we
> do. Her reply, "I was married in 2002, separated in 2003, divorced in 2004.
> You just don't know...you think you know someone and then you find out
> stuff....People want someone to be there for them, and then...." I explained
> that we try to help people know each other well before marriage and learn the
> skills to succeed. "I don't know," she said. "Seems like you take your chances
> no matter what." She sounded pretty discouraged about marriage. I told her
> that we're trying to give hope to people like her. Maybe others of us will get
> a chance to encourage people when they call in.
> Ken Himes
> Executive Director
> Friends of the Family Ministries
> Corvallis, OR

This often happesn when you call Hilton, United or Avis or talk to your taxi
driver or waitress. Opportunity knocks. Be sure to tell them the conference
is open to the public.  Tell them about the $15 seminars on Sat afternoon.
Refer them to the website so they can find a class in their area or learn
how to become a marriage educator or access all the free info about how to
have a Smart Marriage. I'm sure many of you remember the George Doub Dallas
story - George invited his airport Super Shuttle driver to attend and the
driver managed to get off work and he and his wife attended the Family
Wellness training institute and parts of the Conference.  - diane

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12th Annual Smart Marriages® Conference, Hilton San Francisco Hotel,
July 2 - 5, 2008  
Pre-Conference Training Institutes June 30-July 2
Post-Conference Training Institutes July 6

List your program and resources on the Directory of Classes at
http://www.smartmarriages.com

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http://www.iPlaybackSmartMarriages.com

Coalition for Marriage, Family and Couples Education, LLC (CMFCE)
Diane Sollee, Director
5310 Belt Rd NW, Washington, DC 20015-1961
http://www.smartmarriages.com
202-362-3332

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