This summer was a busy one. First Perry and I flew to Las Vegas for a Differentiated Instruction conference. When we returned we stayed with Grandpa in Marysville for a few days. When I returned to Louisville it was only for a few days till I was off again for another conference at the end of July/beginning of August. This time it was for a new program that our school is implementing, READ 180. So Laura (the ESL teacher at the middle school), Jodi (a special ed teacher at the middle school), and another Laura (another teacher at the middle school) drove off in the school district van to Nashville. When we arrived we realized that we were staying at the Grand Ol' Opry Resort. We had an inside room on the ground floor (which usually sounds bad...but in this case meant that we opened our french door window to a small balcony...5 inches off the ground...that faces into the conservatory/arboretum type area). Notice the french door open and one of the beds in the above picture.
When you stepped out onto the small balcony you could see the conservatory area with pathways and benches (and waterfalls, but they were further away). The restaurants were a little loud when Laura and I left the french door open but it was beautiful to see.
One part of the hotel actually had a small river/creek running through it. For $9 you could take a guided boat tour around the river/creek area. I wanted to do this while I was there but I was too busy. The topiary and orchids were also impressive. It was too bad Perry and I couldn't go to this hotel/conference together. While staying with Laura was fun, I'm sure Perry would have enjoyed this.
One nice surprise of the conference was the amount of free food and alcohol. After our welcoming session we had a buffet. The hotel had an island in the middle of the river/creek (with all the boats). When we walked to the island the hotel had closed it off for everyone but those attending the conference. We showed our name tags and were admitted. Buffet stations were spread all over the island. There was the southern style barbecued pork, cole slaw, deep fried pickles, and spinach salad at one station. The mashed potato bar with cheese, bacon, chives, butter, and sour cream as choice toppings was a super big hit with everyone. I was please to also find a southern style paella. The paella had scallops, shrimp, chicken sausage, chicken breasts, and smoked fish. While the Lauras, Jodi, and I discovered what other food items were around (there were deserts also but that was later) a live band started playing. While listening to live music, eating wonderful food, and drinking FREE corona (I'm not a wine drinker) we had a great time.
A crowd gathered on the balconies of the other hotel rooms to listen to the music. Even the pathways were crowded with people watching the band, but only the conference participants could get on the island where they played. You can get an idea of the plushness of the hotel by looking at the waterfall and balconies behind me.
Those are all real plants behind me. I know this because I watched a guy in hip high boots watering and pruning them the next morning on my way to my first workshop session. If the first night was impressive I just have to tell you the food and alcohol kept coming. After each session there would be a food station. The 10:00 am break brought us out to cookies, tea, coffee, and lemonade. The 1:30 pm break brought us out to peanut butter sandwiches (yuck), smoked cheese (yum), crackers of every variety, and the usual coffee, tea, lemonade, and water. I won't even mention the breakfasts and lunches that were brought to us by waiters in multiple courses (I do have to say the goat cheese on one of the lunch dishes left something to be desired...so stayed on my plate and not in my mouth). Oh, did I mention the 4:30 cocktails where the alcohol came out along with the meatballs, chicken wings, veggie plates, and fruit.
I learned more about READ 180 at the conference but I think I learned even more on how to woo/market a product to a captive audience. Take a listen to the music, look at the plants, think of the food and relax (OK I didn't really get to relax till I got home but you get the idea). Amazingly I lost weight after this trip (but I think that was because I didn't even want dinner after all the free snacks).
One nice surprise of the conference was the amount of free food and alcohol. After our welcoming session we had a buffet. The hotel had an island in the middle of the river/creek (with all the boats). When we walked to the island the hotel had closed it off for everyone but those attending the conference. We showed our name tags and were admitted. Buffet stations were spread all over the island. There was the southern style barbecued pork, cole slaw, deep fried pickles, and spinach salad at one station. The mashed potato bar with cheese, bacon, chives, butter, and sour cream as choice toppings was a super big hit with everyone. I was please to also find a southern style paella. The paella had scallops, shrimp, chicken sausage, chicken breasts, and smoked fish. While the Lauras, Jodi, and I discovered what other food items were around (there were deserts also but that was later) a live band started playing. While listening to live music, eating wonderful food, and drinking FREE corona (I'm not a wine drinker) we had a great time.
A crowd gathered on the balconies of the other hotel rooms to listen to the music. Even the pathways were crowded with people watching the band, but only the conference participants could get on the island where they played. You can get an idea of the plushness of the hotel by looking at the waterfall and balconies behind me.
Those are all real plants behind me. I know this because I watched a guy in hip high boots watering and pruning them the next morning on my way to my first workshop session. If the first night was impressive I just have to tell you the food and alcohol kept coming. After each session there would be a food station. The 10:00 am break brought us out to cookies, tea, coffee, and lemonade. The 1:30 pm break brought us out to peanut butter sandwiches (yuck), smoked cheese (yum), crackers of every variety, and the usual coffee, tea, lemonade, and water. I won't even mention the breakfasts and lunches that were brought to us by waiters in multiple courses (I do have to say the goat cheese on one of the lunch dishes left something to be desired...so stayed on my plate and not in my mouth). Oh, did I mention the 4:30 cocktails where the alcohol came out along with the meatballs, chicken wings, veggie plates, and fruit.
I learned more about READ 180 at the conference but I think I learned even more on how to woo/market a product to a captive audience. Take a listen to the music, look at the plants, think of the food and relax (OK I didn't really get to relax till I got home but you get the idea). Amazingly I lost weight after this trip (but I think that was because I didn't even want dinner after all the free snacks).
--- Stephanie
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