I just posted a very belated con report here, if anyone wants to fondly remember what happened two months ago. *g*

ETA: Also, I posted this not-really-a-con-report reaction post immediately after the con, for those who are interested in such things.

Hello! First of all, my belated thanks to the concom and attendees for another fantastic Escapade experience (it was only my second time attending the con). I had a blast, and my only regret is that I never got around to writing a con report. But I did manage to write a couple of other things, and I'd like to share them with you.

On Sunday afternoon, while we were chatting in the con suite, Charlotte requested a Tumblr tutorial for people who are interested in following the Sherlock discussions on that site. Well, it's taken me a while, but I finally got my act together and posted one. You can find it here on LJ and here on Dreamwidth.

I also posted the notes to the Vidwatching 101 panel that rhoboat and I modded. You can find them on LJ or Dreamwidth.

I put up a little con report here on DW and on LJ.

Dear Author is going to be posting a series of articles on Fanfiction.

( Read more... )

Someone asked about archiving yahoo mailing lists at the convention and I recommended Guru's Yahoo Group Downloader. It will download messages in multiple formats (.eml, .txt, .msg) that can be imported  into various email programs. It can also download files and photos.  You do not need to be a list admin to download list messages - just a member of the mailing list. You can test it for free (it downloads only a certain number of messages in the freeware version) - the cost is $15. It also 'remembers' what you've downloaded so you can  fetch only the latest messages. Be patient when ordering as this is a small operation and they are on the other side of the world - they usually respond within a day.

More here

x-posted to my journal

So, I see in the feedback that people want the recipe for the tomato-edamame salad I make for the con suite. I post it here on one condition. I'm the only one who gets to bring it to Escapade. Y'all can make it at home, but I bring it to the con *g*

Dail's Tomato-Edamame Salad

It really doesn't have a recipe. I shop at Costco, and buy things and dump them together and put dressing on it. Okay, maybe there's sort of a recipe...

1 Costco container red grape tomatoes (I think it's a bit over 2 lbs)
1 lb. mozzarella cheese, chopped into smallish cubes
Marinated artichoke hearts, drained, and if too big, cut into smaller pieces. How many, you ask? I get the two-jar bundle at Costco, drain them (reserve the marinade) and then split into three equal portions. I think it was about 12 oz. of drained pieces per salad this year.
I get the edamame at Vons/Safeway in the freezer cabinet, their 1 lb bags of shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions. One package (1 lb) per salad.

I prepare all the ingredients a day ahead and store them in freezer bags separately (except the tomatoes, which I wash and drain and repack back into their plastic clam-shells with a paper towel folded under them to make sure they don't get icky).

For the dressing:

1 part marinade from the artichoke hearts
1 part Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette (which I also get at Costco *g*)
For the whole salad, maybe 1/4 cup of each, mixed, then put on the salad.

I don't assemble the salad until the day it's going to be eaten.

And that's all there is to it :)

I really enjoyed this panel. Thanks to everyone who attended, and to Zvi and Naked Bee, who co-modded.

Basically, the idea was to talk about the fanworks that aren't fanfiction--how they're increasing in scope and variety, how they've informed and enlarged our experience of fandom. This report is pretty bare bones--I mostly wanted to get the links up to things that were discussed. Please do add anything you'd like--links I missed, interesting points that were raised, any questions you have.

( Categories and links-- )

Thanks to Denise Raymond for leading the Escapade Review panel, and to Naked Bee for taking extensive notes. Below is my best attempt to order them. Let us know if this list sparks any other ideas for you.

Hotel Feedback

• Hotel staff was generally helpful & friendly (as usual).
• Wireless was unreliable (few people continued to have problems after Saturday, Internet popping up & down)
• In-room TVs are archaic.
• During the vid show (Saturday evening), no internet access.
• Lack of hot water (4^th & parts of 5^th floor). Turn it on, wait 5-10 minutes, and it was still tepid.
• Ice machines not working on 3 & 5. Ice machines only installed on odd floors. Had to order from room service.
• Service in the restaurant was improved from previous years.
• Restaurant staff was great about splitting checks, adding extras to an existing table, etc.
• Ray’s team was awesome (speedy, friendly) doing the room change on Saturday evening.
• Herbal tea was very nice.
• Request extended pool hours.
• Kristina was great as the bartender on Friday night. Personality & service.
• Good brunch today. Nice to have ham. Fruit was fantastic.
• Specify black tea at breakfast (English Breakfast, Earl Grey, something like that)

Infrastructure Issues

• Put a clock in the con suite (big, circular, easily visible)
• Larger TV in the alt programming room, or add projector to tech room.
• Could we get a screen, a display screen.
• Speakers didn’t get to tech room. TV’s built-in speakers were inadequate
• Maybe add clocks in the panel rooms.

 Friday Party Feedback

• We still remember the chocolate fountain (fondly)
• At the party, instead of appetizers (or in addition) maybe desserts (fruit & chocolate)
• Should there be music at the party? Maybe one room with music & one without.

 Vidshow Feedback

• Adore the noisy overflow vid room.
• There was loud conversation in the big room. Didn’t have an announcement about the rules in the big room..
• Can we add the vid trailer that warns people how to behave in the vid show?
• Loved the second vid show, also alt time

 Programming Feedback

• Love the amount of vid programming & panel programming.
• Vidwatching 101 was good panel choice.
• Most of the panel mods did not introduce themselves. This should be standard.
• Everything ran on time. Yay!
• Art show gallery call panel was great. This should be a regular part of the convention.
• Zine Library Tour had 5 attendees. Was cool. Saklani would be willing to help in the future. What would make them more attractive to people unfamiliar with them?
• Some people would like a lunch break every day. Others prefer closely packed programming.
• Kandy likes Friday off, likes dealer break on Saturday.
• Panel mods should end panel on time (start wrap-up at 10 minutes to the hour).
• Have someone whose job is notifying time to end of panel (hold up a sign that says 10 [or 5] minutes left)

 Things to Add

• Information piece to people leading tech panels, request: what do you need?
• Can we add more zine history?
• Escapade signature drink (Vulcan sunrise). Create a new one each year. Make a little flyer.
• Maybe we could have a tech mentoring room, with sign-up times.
• Con-com could wear something to identify them. (badges a different color, different lanyard, funny hats)

 Other Feedback

• Swap meet: don’t bring VHS tapes
• Jencat was missed.
• List of zines in library is on the website, but is too obscure.
• Publicize the list, get people to look at it, and add comments. Mark which are available online.  (NOTE: Dail will give list of Pros zines to Kris, who will create a rec list)
• Possible to lend zines outside the convention? Let’s discuss logistics. Rental of zines? Mail lending service?
• Is it possible to offer more scholarship funding? Maybe active fundraising to offer more help. (auction fanworks, or something like that?) Talk to Aral about this.
• Need an endowment.
• Maybe check out Thousand Oaks hotels (closer to LAX, maybe good features, but far from beach)
• Convention trip is too expensive for college students (hotel + airfare + registration + food for the weekend)
• 2 college students would fit on these hotel beds. The guest room size is not the limiting factor here.
• Ocean is a big draw.
• Should there be an Escapade wiki? No, put it at Fanlore.
• Jenn is susceptible to gently nagging (e.g. scan program books)

Kudos

• Thank you Escapade staff!
• Aphrodite’s = awesome.
• Volunteering is fun & easy.
• Hotel continues to be located on the beach. J
• Bring a friend promotion was useful.
• Tweeting was effective.
• Great job of pre-con convention sharing. Yay, Dail!
• PB was more friendly this year. Very nice!
• Also, graphics were very nice
• Loved the hot food from Dail & De.
• Dail: post the edamame salad recipe.

Mirrored from Escapade 2013.

I wrote up some comments on the two panels I lead this year, Sherlock: After the Fall and the Marvel Movieverse, with links I mentioned during both panels on my LJ. I'd love to see other people come over and add links or comments.

Thanks to the ConComm for yet another wonderful Escapade this year!

The hotel has actively requested feedback on hotel issues. If you had hotel issues that you didn’t mention in your comments form, please drop us an email at info@escapadecon.net.

Also, if you are the one who mentioned in your online form that the smoke alarm fell out of the wall, can you please email us privately? The hotel has some specific questions.

Thanks!

Mirrored from Escapade 2013.