Thank you, OBill!

I am fascinated by Chautauqua and how they have kept up with the times, though I am no fan of Jack Spong!

Where did you stay? Where did you eat? How long in advance did you have to make reservations? How much (roughly) did it cost per person?

Hey Ackislander...Yes I must say Chautauqua is indeed a fascinating place...one of a kind and so much to offer.

As you will note this time our stay was in the Athenaeum Hotel which is classy though old. Special rate for 47 with Road Scholar, otherwise expensive. So we had two beds with private bath and air conditioning. I mention the above because some of the denominational and other houses due to their age have small rooms and do not have air conditioning, private bath, nor elevator. We had upscale dining...though slow with students just learning and a chef using too much salt despite being from Culinary Institute. Wonderful having some meals out on the porch overlooking the lake. Weather pleasant.

Other times we have stayed in the Ecumenical House or a nearby motel or in our trailer at a close by campground. It is best to be on the grounds rather than day passes and there is an accomodation list including many cottages and rooms for rent. Many stay for a week or two. Many a little costly. There are nice eateries on the grounds.

In the center of CI is a fountain in a park. The nearby bookstore has a good selection, including of course those of guest authors, e.g., all of Billy Collins books sold out. He was a U. S. poet laureate...and though not being familiar with him everyone loved his humorous poetry readings.
Here is a collection: www.poemhunter.com/billy-collins.

As for Bishop Spong this might foster a discussion. His ideas are radical to many but refreshing to many. Why can't Christians or others realize the major lessons in Scripture instead of lifting some verse out to make a point?

We have friends who have a house at chataqua, and I remember the first time I saw the "program" I could hardly believe what I was seeing. Just amazing.

Great info!! I know artists who have been in residency at Chautauqua, but somehow never realized one could partake in other programs there.

The writers' conversations sound really worthwhile! (Meg Wolitzer was a professor of mine way back in undergrad, before she left to ramp up her writing career. And IMO Billy Collins is terrific, using humor as a way to engage a younger generation in poetry.)

Ozarksbill, now that you're Bill In Boston, any chance you'd be joining the Boston GTG this fall? (With apologies for going off-topic!)
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia/boston-gtg-2012-back-bigger-than-ever.cfm

A word on travel to CI. From near Boston (Watertown) distance was 533 miles. Best route is I-90 across MA and NY through Albany and exiting probably Westfield which is close to Chautauqua Lake. This is via the New York Thruway which has very nice service areas spaced along the route with as variety of eateries. Do not take I-88 and st. rte. 7 (which we did going out) with very rough surface and construction and a bit more mileage.

In Albany several motels just off I-90 on Washington St. Recommend new Holiday Inn Express and also for about half price Days Inn. Close by is Ninety Nine restaurant which we like. Thruway does require a toll and many will use EZ pass. In Mass. we found delicious strawberries at a farmer's market in a service area. Both in Mass. and New York the scenery is beautiful...love those dairy farms in NY.

Although not stopping off along the route this time we recommend several stops along the way which we've enjoyed over the years. From East to West there is in our state the wonderful historic Old Sturbridge Village and of course the Berkshires. Exiting at Stockbridge brings you close to Tanglewood and Jacob's Pillow and much more. Good place to stay is in Pittsfield at Crown Plaza.

South along the Hudson is Kinderhook and the Martin Van Buren home and further down is much more (we love the Hudson Valley, son once taught at Vassar College). Another detour a bit off on rte. 80 is Cooperstown with several museums, passing by Glimmerglass. We have visited Sharon Springs over on rte. 10 and stayed in a farmhouse B&B south of town...this was once a famous spa and hotel now being restored. Then comes several views of the famous Erie Canal..."low bridge, everybody down" pringsteen. And Syracuse (our stop there was genealogical looking for evidence of first physician David Holbrook).

Then comes the Finger Lakes and a brief stop at the Women's Rights Nat'l Historic Pk. in Seneca Falls. Interesting historic marker. Further on south is Rochester and you are approaching Niagra Falls on up beyond Buffalo. A must see of course if you can detour just north of Buffalo. Finally as you come down shore of Lake Erie, actually along rte. 20, you find many grape arbors and wineries. Exit rte. 394 and there you are at Chautauqua Institute.

ggreen, we did go to GTG year before last (I think). We'll see...and answer on Forum. It is mostly Asia. More on Billy Collins later.

Bill, this is great information on some areas I'm either not personally familiar with (CI itself, Finger Lakes) and ones where I'm occasionally in need of a good hotel (Berkshires, Capitol Region). Coincidentally, last night friends of ours were commenting about Sharon Springs - a town I'd never heard of!

I love that local farms are setting up in service areas. We always look for delicious Grey Mouse preserves and relishes at the rest areas along the Hudson Valley stretch of the Thruway. (You can also purchase their goods in New Paltz.)

// I agree that the Boston GTG is weighted towards Asia Fodorites, but I had fun at the one I went to in '07. FWIW, there will be an NYC one on August 11 that should be mostly US board! Here's the post I created on the Asia board (a little easier to parse than the current US one): http://www.fodors.com/community/asia/hello-from-the-us-forum-nyc-gtg-august-11-2012.cfm

I look forward to your impression of Billy Collins.

Thanks for the trip report. Chautauqua has always fascinated me. I would live to do this one day

About Billy Collins. His reading poetry was an unexpected treat during the morning sessions at CI. You know I had barely heard of him! Listening to him recite "Horoscopes for the Dead" brought a chuckle and "Hangover" a nod and "Consolation" a smile and "Another Reason Why I Don't Keep a Gun in the House" outright laughter but "Forgetfulnes" almost a tear.

But that's not all. Surely many of you are familiar with Meg Wolitzer (as I was not) and I am now engrossed with "The Wife." "Everyone knows how women soldier on, how women dream up blueprints, recipes, ideas for a better world, and then sometimes lose them on the way to the crib in the middle of the night, on the way to Stop & Shop, or the bath." In this and other interviews alot of the dialogue was about the challenge of writing.

Interestingly the Boks (Derek and Sissela, married 57 years) are each writing a book on Happiness, comparing notes with each other as they do so. He has been President of Harvard, also dean of the Law School, and she is a moral philosopher of renown (daughter incidentally of prize winners Gunnar and Alva Myrdal).

Then we had Norman Lear who will turn 90 on July 27. Do we remember all this TV writer and producer has accomplished... "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" and other shows reaching into new territory. There he was on stage with his little hat sparring with Roger Rosenblatt. Archie Bunker was a main point of discussion. He was a character afraid of tomorrow with the world moving just a little too fast for him. Of course many have admire his pioneer role with People for the American Way and other causes.

What a career Julie Andrews has had! Now she is coauthoring with daughter Emma Walton Hamilton various children's books. An early one was about "Dumpy the Dump Truck" because that what was what a grandson was interested in. A.A. Milne was a favorite for Dame Julie..."They're changing the guard at Buckingham Palace..." At noon Julie and about a dozen family members had lunch on the Atheneaum porch.

So the interviews with Roger were tops this year...and many came back to CI just for this.

I wanted to go to Chatauqua when Roger Rosenblatt was doing his interviews. He gets great reviews. Sorry we missed it again this year.

I have never been able to stay a whole week at Chautauqua Institute but have spent the night offsite at the Chautauqua Inn and Suites. I haven't checked this year but in past years I have been able to purchase a package that includes lodging, 2 24 hour passes and breakfast. It was really affordable. The passes include a shuttle to the Institute, the lectures, entrance fee and the evening entertainment. We picked them up at noon and returned them at 11am the next day. It's a great way to get a taste of Chautauqua.

Thanks Bill, you've given me some new books to look up! I recently read "The Wife" but the others are new to me. And I love a good children's book, never gotten tired of them no matter how much time keeps growing between me and my youth!

...It seems the challenge of writing can be a lifelong one. From what I recall, Wolitzer left the full-time teaching position I mentioned because it wasn't conducive to really writing. After that, my alma mater instituted a semester-on, semester-off scenario and managed to retain creative writing faculty for longer that way...

Again, great trip report. Thanks!

Hey ggreen, as mentioned authors at CI weren't so familiar but should have been! About Meg Wolitzer, I did actually enjoy "The Wife" with its surprises though may not read "The Position" now have from library.

Eventually will get the Bok books..."Exploring Happiness: from Aristotle to Brain Science" by Sissela and "The Politics of Happiness: What Government Can Learn from the New Research" by Derek, both published 2010. A forum at Harvard :
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykj9X7zusdI

Roger Rosenblatt...will read "Making Toast" about mourning loss of a daughter and also on this topic later is "Kayak Morning." Plus "Rules for Aging."

Here are Julie Andrews children's books: http://julieandrewscollection.com/words/books-by-julie-emma
You know, I might just get these for granddaugher age 2 1/2.
Hoping to read "Home: a Memoir of My Early Years." She had a rough time with family and blitz, then got a big break.

Such a great thread. Bookmarking.