DragonCon - 52k this year?
Another DCon gone...
This year, we stayed at the Sheraton. We tried to book a room at the Westin a mere week after DCon 2011, but the rooms were already sold out. So, at this point we have stayed at all 5 of the hosting convention center hotels and our favs are the Westin and the Marriott. The Marriott is full of costumed lovelies 24/7 and is a nice place to hang your hat. The Westin is BY FAR the poshest place to sink into for 5 days. This year, we did not mess around with vague ideas of when reservations could be made. The desk told us they didn't know when the rooms would open for next year - Maybe next week? - so we called the next morning...and they were open! So, we are staying in the Westin next year. I really hope they keep the Apocalypse Rising track there. Zombies and TEOTWAWKI!
Anyway, we did not go to many panels, I did not see any live performances and we missed the parade. Coordination and motivation fail. There was too much going on and the kids made everything very stressful. Not to mention homework *sigh* The one time that Marc, Chaz and I got out alone was heavenly. Despite the pain streaking up my back and down my left hip (Sheraton's beds suck), I enjoyed the mediocre sushi and a few bites of Chaz's excellent Thai noodles. During dinner, a naughty thought hit me and I asked, "What if we didn't bring the little kids next year?" I was expecting some deliberation but both Chaz and Marc immediately agreed that it would be a welcome change and for the rest of the long weekend, plans that started with, "If we come alone next year..." could be heard. We will likely approach Marc's mom about keeping the boys for those days. Maybe she will bring them in for the parade on Saturday and we can all go out to lunch?
Marc and I did go to a room party for a couple of hours on Friday night/Saturday morning. It was the only time he and I got out alone so that in itself made it awesome. He looks...tasty...in his kilt and stompy boots ;-) We only ate in the food court once which is also a win. Usually we eat there over and over again and I don't really like the food. This year, one of the new restaurants was Indian and was reasonably edible. This is gonna sound funny to anyone who has not been to con but we took our beverage fridge (about hip high?) and microwave so that we were not stuck standing in long lines and then paying too much for food we don't even like. I made chicken and biscuits, pasta, curry and Basmati, and chili for con. We also took brekky foods, sammich makings, and snacks so that we really had all we needed in the room. There is no way I would have been able to properly feed the kids had we not done this. If we don't take the wee ones next year, we'll brave the crowds at the restaurants and save ourselves a lot of food-prep/packing hassles. Besides, we love Midtown and it's less than 3 miles away. Lotsa places to eat there!
Bastian and Gavin sorta costumed. Gavin wore his outgrown, store-bought Batman costume from last year for several days (we washed it!) and Bastian wore his yellow biohazard onsie w/ a cape one day. We called him Captain Biowaste. Yeah...lame but many con-goers thought they were adorable.
Speaking of laundry...kinda lame to leave the Rainbow Party in order wash and dry diapers, ya know? Ah, being a mom is glamorous.
This year, we stayed at the Sheraton. We tried to book a room at the Westin a mere week after DCon 2011, but the rooms were already sold out. So, at this point we have stayed at all 5 of the hosting convention center hotels and our favs are the Westin and the Marriott. The Marriott is full of costumed lovelies 24/7 and is a nice place to hang your hat. The Westin is BY FAR the poshest place to sink into for 5 days. This year, we did not mess around with vague ideas of when reservations could be made. The desk told us they didn't know when the rooms would open for next year - Maybe next week? - so we called the next morning...and they were open! So, we are staying in the Westin next year. I really hope they keep the Apocalypse Rising track there. Zombies and TEOTWAWKI!
Anyway, we did not go to many panels, I did not see any live performances and we missed the parade. Coordination and motivation fail. There was too much going on and the kids made everything very stressful. Not to mention homework *sigh* The one time that Marc, Chaz and I got out alone was heavenly. Despite the pain streaking up my back and down my left hip (Sheraton's beds suck), I enjoyed the mediocre sushi and a few bites of Chaz's excellent Thai noodles. During dinner, a naughty thought hit me and I asked, "What if we didn't bring the little kids next year?" I was expecting some deliberation but both Chaz and Marc immediately agreed that it would be a welcome change and for the rest of the long weekend, plans that started with, "If we come alone next year..." could be heard. We will likely approach Marc's mom about keeping the boys for those days. Maybe she will bring them in for the parade on Saturday and we can all go out to lunch?
Marc and I did go to a room party for a couple of hours on Friday night/Saturday morning. It was the only time he and I got out alone so that in itself made it awesome. He looks...tasty...in his kilt and stompy boots ;-) We only ate in the food court once which is also a win. Usually we eat there over and over again and I don't really like the food. This year, one of the new restaurants was Indian and was reasonably edible. This is gonna sound funny to anyone who has not been to con but we took our beverage fridge (about hip high?) and microwave so that we were not stuck standing in long lines and then paying too much for food we don't even like. I made chicken and biscuits, pasta, curry and Basmati, and chili for con. We also took brekky foods, sammich makings, and snacks so that we really had all we needed in the room. There is no way I would have been able to properly feed the kids had we not done this. If we don't take the wee ones next year, we'll brave the crowds at the restaurants and save ourselves a lot of food-prep/packing hassles. Besides, we love Midtown and it's less than 3 miles away. Lotsa places to eat there!
Bastian and Gavin sorta costumed. Gavin wore his outgrown, store-bought Batman costume from last year for several days (we washed it!) and Bastian wore his yellow biohazard onsie w/ a cape one day. We called him Captain Biowaste. Yeah...lame but many con-goers thought they were adorable.
Speaking of laundry...kinda lame to leave the Rainbow Party in order wash and dry diapers, ya know? Ah, being a mom is glamorous.