Sunday night fairy lights

Back from Dragon*Con and nursing an asteroid-sized hangover and the start of the con blues?

You're not alone. That's why it's time to share stories of Sunday night at the con, which is arguably the best night to go con walking.

From left, Dr. Forrester, Big B, the Steampunk kid and the captain

Why Sunday? Because everyone knows they have to leave the next day and return to their mundane lives. Being no exception, I quickly donned my lime green uniform that evening and scuttled off to the Westin for a visit to the Mechanical Masquerade.

Last year, this was called the Time Traveler's Ball. Regardless of what it's called, it's pretty much the same thing, which is a place for Steampunk fans to hang out, check out each others' costumes and imbibe.

Believe me, there was plenty of that last activity going on.

After getting our fill of some amazing costumes (let's give a shout out to the Chaos Space Marines), we moved on to the Marriott to listen to Frenchy and the Punk. They're a Steampunky band with a good sound. They wrapped up around 1 a.m., and then it was time to return to the domicile for a last round and toasts to a successful con.

Got any good con walking stories? Share them!

Saturday night con walking

The con was out in full force Saturday night. Here's the skinny on what the scene was like:

'I enjoy a cocktail before destroying all of creation.'

We started at the Mariott, passing drinking Cthulhu once we entered the hotel's lobby. It's tough to make it through the throngs of people, as you constantly have to stop when someone asks for a photo, whether it's you or the person right in front of you.

Dressed as the Master from "Manos: The Hands of Fate," I got stopped a couple of times. It's a vaguely obscure outfit. A friend got stopped a few times as well, seeing as he was a Shield agent.

We soon found a good spot near the elevators, where we could watch the various costumed attendees pass by. Highlights included the Teletubbies, female Loki, the Penguin and Aquagirl.

'I am the Master and you will ... hey, is that guy in drag?'

By then it was time to meet up with a friend of ours -- Princess Leia, played by a man. Leia was in full form, and quite possibly NSFW.

However, as soon as I can get some pics online, you'll know. Keep checking this space and my Twitter account: ariquelmy.

Next up: the last full day of the con.

The Dragon*Con parade

UPDATE:

Wifi at the con was awful. Thankfully, I've finally reached a place where I don't have to share the Internets with 50,000 other people. Enjoy the pics!

This guy was a superstar.

ORIGINAL POST:

If you're at Dragon*Con this weekend, then I hope you watched the parade Saturday morning.

If you're not here, or you slept in (which is more likely), then check out my tweets for a selection of pics: ariquelmy.

Pirates of Baker Street?

Remember the 80s cartoon 'The Real Ghostbusters?' So does this guy

I'll add some parade pics here when I get access to wifi that doesn't cost $100 (are you listening, Hyatt?) In the meantime, I'll talk a little about the good, the bad and the silly when it comes to the parade.

The good includes, of course, the Doctor Who portion of the parade. There was a good assortment of Who, but maybe an overload of David Tennant.

Another good: The guy who juggled while riding a unicycle some 15 feet or more above the street. He got plenty of cheers. Again, look at my tweets to see this guy.

I won't call out anybody that I consider bad, but you know who you are.

As for silly, and I mean good silly, I give props to the My Little Pony guys. Also, no silly list would be complete without the cardboard costumes. This year Star Wars played a prominent role.

It's a (corrogated box) trap!

Fear the dealer's room!

So much for thinking the dealers' room would be a cruise when it opened at 1 p.m. Everyone wanted in to the various rooms where vendors have their shops set up. The place was packed, it was burdensome just walking through the area and you couldn't even stop to look at someone's booth.

'Allow myself to introduce ... myself.'

The art auction, however, was a much better option. You could wander around and talk to your favorite artists. Anyone into the "Game of Thrones" comics? You definitely need to hit the art area.

Once you're done chatting with the various artists, walk over to the entrance to the art auction. If you've been to Dcon before, you'll see some repeats. Still, there's some pretty cool art here.

Take your time and check everything out. You'll likely find something you want to buy and can't afford. In that case, hit the little "gift shop" before walking out. They've got lots of prints of the art you want and can't afford at decent prices.

What's next on the agenda? Con walking. I probably won't be in costume tonight. That's for Saturday and Sunday.

At the con!

It's Friday at Dragon*Con and things are just kicking off. If you're here, be sure to give me a shout out on Twitter: ariquelmy.

Can I get you a little music with your Steampunk obsession?

If you're not here, then check back regularly for updates on what's hip, what's hot and what's Hoth.

I'm currently making a gameplan for how my Friday is going to pan out. The dealers' room opens at 1 p.m., and today is one of the better days to visit it. Once the crowds get here on the weekend, you'll want to avoid those stuff underground rooms at any cost.

Of course, check back with the dealers' room on Monday before you leave the con. Dealers often reduce their prices, because they don't want to carry all their merchandise back to the car.

Make sense? Good. Now put on your fox tail and hit the con!

What are you going to do?

So, you've packed your bags, got all the food and booze you're going to need and now you're sitting around wondering exactly what you're going to do when you get to Dragon*Con.

'Do you have a jelly baby?'

It happens to a lot of us. Instead of worrying, start reading this year's pocket program  to figure out how you're going to spend your time at the con.

Here's the link to the pocket program: http://advertising.dragoncon.org/publications/pocket-program

Naturally, I have a few suggestions:

* The annual Dragon*Con parade: It starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, but you're going to want to find a good spot about 30 minutes to an hour beforehand. I always hang out on Baker Street. There's a parking deck you can access. It gets you above the crowd and allows great views of the parade. Beware trees that will block your view.

* Freezepop: This electro-pop band has high marks from those in the know. And you do want to seem like you're cool, right? Check them out at 1:30 a.m. Sunday.

* Art auction: What would a trip to Dragon*Con be without the obligatory visit to the art auction? This is a great place to see odd art and sometimes something really good. You can buy it right off the wall, or wait until the auction later in the con and hope for a better price. By the way, if you see that one massive painting of the angel and the demon, give me a shout. You'll know the one I'm talking about when you see it.

* Decided on some panels to attend? Why not check out the BritTrack? Doctor Who and Torchwood have become staples of modern day sci-fi, and here's your chance to show off your knowledge and judge the quality of someone's Matt Smith costume. Bring your fez.

Anyone arriving on Thursday? That's just two more days!

Prepping for the con

We are less than a week away from Dragon Con, and it's time to start thinking about preparations.

When I first started attending Dcon many years ago, I did what most people do -- stand in line for every meal at the food court, hunt for a free table, rinse, repeat until I left on Labor Day.

There's a better way to do things, and it's a lot cheaper, too. Just take some time over the next few days to build your stockpile of food, drinks and, for those of you who are inclined, booze.

A view of Atlanta from a great height.

The key staples of any cost-cutting Dcon outing are bread, peanut butter and jelly. Add to that a large collection of chips and 12-packs of your favorite soda or plenty of bottled water.

Want to branch out? Then get some deli meat and whatever cheese you want. Get a little crazy and package up some lettuce and other fixins. Just ensure you pack it in a cooler with a little refrigeration that will last until you reach the hotel room.


Remember, you're not in Atlanta to eat at Ruth's Chris every night; you're here to see celebrities and attend panels. Spend your cash on stuff in the dealer's room, not on Sbarro.

For those who hold with the alcohol persuasion, buy your booze before you park your car for four days. You don't want to buy liquor, beer or wine at the package stores within walking distance of the con, and you don't want to move your car if you don't have to. Again, this is a cost saving measure.

Now, how to get all this stuff into the hotel room? I've got an old hand-me-down cooler that I stick my food inside. I stick my liquor in a good-sized backpack. The cooler, along with items including my computer bag, go on a hand-truck I use to get my stuff inside the room and back out once the con is done.

I can't emphasize enough the importance of something like a hand-truck, especially if you're staying somewhere without those hotel luggage carts. Think about whether you'll be parking in your hotel's parking lot, or in a public lot nearby, where you'll have to carry your stuff a couple of blocks before reaching your hotel's front door.

You've still got several days before it's crunch time, so make a list, talk to your friends and plan ahead.