Arisia 2007
Jan. 15th, 2007 02:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
magidI checked into the hotel, which was the Cambridge Hyatt, not the Park Plaza, which had been the hotel for a number of years. As many have noted, it's a very different layout, with different challenges than the Park Plaza. First off, it's a smaller hotel, with about half as many rooms, and about half as much function space, which lead to about half as much programming (compared to last year). There was an overflow hotel 1.4 miles away to deal with the room issue, and a membership cap to deal with the size of the hotel, which I thought unfortunate to need, but definitely necessary.
It didn't help that getting around wasn't as easy as it could be. For horizontal shifts, corridors seemed to be narrower than at the Park Plaza. For vertical shifts, there were options, but none of them worked extremely well. There was a bank of elevators, which had a tendency to break down. Despite being rated to 3000 pounds, there were signs up about having a maximum of seven people at a time, which ended up being six travelers as volunteers were dispatched to deal with the huge elevator line and be in the cars to enforce the people limit. That said, the ride in the elevator was pretty spectacular because of the huge atrium and wall of glass looking out over the Charles and to Boston. The other option was the stairs, which worked fine and were interesting above the fourth floor, as they stopped being switchbacks and went up and up and up, following the outside line of the roughly pyramidal building (ok, the building's a ziggurat, while the staircases followed a line of relative maxima/minima up the side, describing the side of the pyramid that would just fit inside it). However, they were at the far ends of the building, which made them less useful, plus one stairway only went down to the second floor (the one right outside my room). Getting up to the second floor there were escalators, which definitely helped, despite being narrow (and off, at one point, having been jammed with some flowing bit of someone's garb). And there was a staircase from the top of the escalator to the third floor, which was narrow enough to be only one way at a time (there was a switch back in it, too, which made things more interesting). Oddly, I kept thinking of the problem as "clogged arteries," even though the problem was really arteries that weren't big/fast enough.
That said, most of the floors had the huge atrium in the middle, so while it might take a while to get anywhere, I could see a lot of the floors and where people were, which was great. The open space on the first two floors of the Park Plaza don't hold a candle to this.
I got a room in the Shabbat block, which was on the second floor. It was a great location, and I had a balcony with a view across the river to BU. I did feel a bit strange having to walk through the restaurant to get to my room, waltzing by the "Please wait to be seated." sign, but that also meant I got to run into people who were having a meal there, which was a lot of fun.
Though the hotel location isn't as T-accessible, nor near lots of restaurants, it seemed that the in-house food options were decent; I fed a lot fewer people this year, and saw a lot more people eating in the restaurant (and speaking well of it afterward, so it didn't seem like it was just a default). I was happy to be at a hotel I could park near (yay for Cambridge parking stickers :-), though I admit it meant I brought a lot more stuff than I would have otherwise, since it didn't have to be carried far. And it was great that the hotel was in the eruv, which facilitated me having a partly-hot Shabbat dinner (with soup! the glory of it!) (*waves to the dinner people*).
The hotel people were very nice, the ones I interacted with. Check-in was very easy, and the fridge I'd requested arrived at my room as I did. Check-out for me went very smoothly, because I had panels I wanted to get to late morning, so I pushed myself to do an earlier check-out. I was surprised that they didn't put the bills under the doors or have some other automated check-out option; there was a huge line around noon, which mostly could've been avoided.
The one other difficulty I had with the hotel was the temperature. I got my room chilly enough for me to sleep in, which was great, but some of the function rooms varied wildly in temperature, which frustrated me. And there were times when there wasn't enough water around, but that seemed to get better over the course of the con.
Oh, and I had the chance to look at the gym facilities, which were much more extensive than at the Park Plaza (and much of it available 24/7), but I didn't find time to use them. I hope next year I'll leave work early and fit in something before Shabbat. (For the record, there are some cardio machines (ellipticals and treadmills; I didn't notice any bikes), some weights (free weights, a couple of the more generic machines only), a lap pool (on top of the parking garage, so a pool with a view, and a skylight that's opened in good weather), also a hot tub.)
I went to a lot of scheduled events. Sadly, there were many others I didn't make it to, but that's always the way. Hard choices to make. I skipped one reading just because the room was too hot, and I couldn't find any water nearby either. Alas.
Panels and other scheduled events
-Drum and Dance: a circle of people playing percussion instruments in a nicely under-lit room. The space in the middle was open for dancing, and there were some very talented people doing that. I danced a little outside the circumference, not wanting to be looked at. I was wearing my large black silk scarf, which worked almost as well as my belly-dancing scarf as a dancing accessory. I got to talk with a very serious little girl deep into the "Why?" stage.
-Coming Out of the Poly Armoire: how people came out to different people in their lives, plus a dose of caution about being out in the media. The people on the panel had mostly positive experiences, which I thought interesting.
-Yoga: I went both mornings, though there was a snafu the second day with a room switch and a locked door the hotel staff had a lot of difficulty getting open, which cut into the time available (for me especially, since I couldn't stay later; the others did). I felt so much better afterward; it makes a huge difference starting the day with some good stretches and deep breathing. Since it's always scheduled earlier than the rest of programming, I wish it were a 90-minute session, rather than just an hour. Many thanks to Pheromone.
-Reading by Walter Hunt: he read the beginning of a story set in and around a British chapel (I missed whatever intro there was as I tried to find the room). It was not at all like his Dark Wing books; I want to read the rest. It's under consideration with some publisher, not yet under contract, so I don't know when I'll get to. I'll have to hope that it gets published soon.
-Modern Plagues: antibiotic-resistant bugs, diseases caught from animals (including pets, which are a higher risk for most USians than prion diseases), the public-health risks of not enough people being vaccinated, the issues with USian food animals' diet including not only rather unpleasant things (outdated chewing gum?!) but also constant dosing with antibiotics, and so on. I learned, and was glad I don't have pets (some of the things the veterinarian on the panel mentioned were quite scary). It was great to have a variety of lenses on the problem (emergency medicine doctor, internist, anthropologist (though he was the weak link, I thought), veterinarian, and organic farmer).
-Hilary Scott Slide Show: I think this was the only art programming that wasn't up with the art show (on the 16th floor; I didn't even try to go up until after Shabbat). I adore his work, and it was great to hear him talk about his inspirations and materials and such. I didn't know he was working in the Somerville schools as part of a visiting artist program (for Somerville Open Studios, somehow, for their "community development" bit, or some such thing). It was great to see what the kids accomplished with his help.
-Rosley Writer's Group Readings: I got there late, and left early, but got to hear most of Infinitehotel's story (very funny in using some cliched language in obviously self-aware ways to tell an interesting story), and the story written by one other writer (about the woman who placates the local god for the good of the rest of the community). I couldn't sit in the windowless room any longer, though, even with snacks provided. I rather regret missing the other two stories, but I needed to move.
-Masquerade: I watched the Masquerade on TV in Gnomi and Mabfan's room (better company, better view of the costumes (er, when there weren't glitches, that is), much better snacks :-).
-Club Dance: The club dance was a lot of fun (partly a function of having a group to dance with, partly a function of recognizing more of the music than usual). I stayed until 2:30; apparently it went much much later than usual.
-Gastronomic Fantasies: I was a bit late, having rushed to shower and check out in time, etc., but it was a fun panel. Some of it was recommendations of favorite books that include food, and some was discussions of how food is used (world-building, a pause in the action, character-building) and treated (futuristic methods for the same foods we have now, more innovative foods to set the tone, evocative foods to create a mood).
-Alternative Energy Sources: solar, wind, and so on. It was a wide-ranging discussion, including 'reduce, reuse, recycle', buying energy credits, living with a smaller footprint, changing sources of energy, the pitfalls of reliance on fossil fuels (and how much we actually get out of them). The room was completely packed, standing room only, which was great. I'm not sure whether I'll change my habits, but there was food for thought and more research.
-Red Shift: live radio drama! This was high on my list of must-go events; last year's Chicken Heart was wonderful. This was at least as good, telling the story of Red Shift, interplanetary do-gooder, and some stowaways from Earth, in "The Terror of Terra-Khan," an adventure in three installments (with messages from the sponsor in between; mmm... sugar cereal) . Very late 30s, with live sound effects (for some things, anyway), and wonderful acting, not to mention an excellent, con-centric script. Kudos to the actors and writer for a very funny show.
New this year: programming about podcasts.
I got to see lots of people. *waves to everyone* There wasn't the chance to hang out with people as long as I would've liked, but then, the con only arranged for the standard 24 hours/day, too. I hope next year they can get a chronological extension :-). Still, there was time for some catching up, some more-than-passing conversation, which makes all the difference.
I got to see (in no particular order): Gilana, Hrafn, Lenny, Tapuz, Laurens10, Marek, Majes, Ifuonlyknew, Torcha, Rhya, Coorr, Library_sexy, Zzbottom, Curly_chick, Wildraven, Other Rachel, Mattlistener, Mud_puppy, Docorion, Avivasedai, Perldiver, Rosefox, Sinboy, Amalthya, Actualhuman, Charliegrrl, Chillguru, Bbbsg, Cthulhia, Brass_rat, Justin, Chanaleh, Toyb, Gnomi, Mabfan, Bitty, Bubblebabble, Mamadeb, Jonbaker, Klingonlandlady, Frobzwiththingz, Coraline, Dancingdeer, Hammercock, Trowa_barton, Hacksaw, Infinitehotel, Mangosteen, Lifecollage, Pheromone, Derek, Miss_dimple, Volta, Teddywolf, Xuth, Benjie, Arib, Darxus, Yendi (I think?), Miss_chance, Hildy, and probably others I'm not remembering (apologies; it's faulty memory, not meant to be a slight). How fast it becomes a blur...
This year I had received invitations before the con started to four parties (I don't really pay attention to posters about open parties, but if someone I know invites me to one, I'm likely to go). The wine and cheese party meant that I opted for a milchig Shabbat dinner, which the other three involved in the meal were nice enough to agree to (and cook for :-). I stopped by the office party, and was given the clap. Happy (slightly early) birthday to Gnomi, celebrated with friends and food and commentary on the Masquerade, among other conversation topics. I dressed for the black and white party, and enjoyed getting to go out on one of the internal balconies in the middle of the atrium.
As usual, I didn't go to the con with a posse, and though I did meander around with people sometimes, and there were times I was having a fine time alone, there were also moments when I wished I had... default people to be with. I'm glad these were fewer than in cons past, however.
On the plus side, I got to see friends in wonderful outfits, and have fun wearing ensembles I don't wear much the rest of the year. Also nice was being complimented about my togs and/or my new-as-of-Tuesday haircut. Plus hugs, kisses, backrubs, and head skritches. Much goodness.
Given that it was going to be a somewhat awkward con (moving to a new space would be a challenge, even if it weren't space-challenged), I thought it came off fairly well. There were definite glitches (most notable to me were the elevator woes and the theft from the art show), but on the whole, it seemed that everyone worked hard to make this work as well as possible given the limitations. Since there was so much less function space, I was surprised that there weren't panels scheduled later Saturday, though.
The art show was on the 16th floor; I didn't make it up there until just before it closed Saturday evening. My favorite things were Hilary Scott's; no surprise, since I've loved his whimsical things for years. There were the fantastical hats (the owl and the pussycat one! the ship!) that I always wonder about how they'd feel if actually worn, the bizarre clocks, the singing speaker covers, the huge knobbly fingers holding a pen signing a contract for the sale of one (1) soul, the book people, and more. Someday I'd like a piece of his (Which? I have no idea.).
The dealer's room was on the 14th floor; I got there late Sunday. I think there were more T-shirt vendors this year (too many fun ones to list), and fewer garb vendors. Really, though, the best part was the internal lounge a flight of stairs down, that had squishy seats and a view of the river. It was great to sit down after too much browsing. Oh, one dealer had more collectible books, and I was surprised to see some I own were in there. Neat.
Dealer's row was on the 3rd floor. I did a quick scan only; I was meandering alone, and not much in the mood to browse, so it was rather perfunctory. In the end, the only thing I bought was a con T-shirt, with book-people on it.
It didn't help that getting around wasn't as easy as it could be. For horizontal shifts, corridors seemed to be narrower than at the Park Plaza. For vertical shifts, there were options, but none of them worked extremely well. There was a bank of elevators, which had a tendency to break down. Despite being rated to 3000 pounds, there were signs up about having a maximum of seven people at a time, which ended up being six travelers as volunteers were dispatched to deal with the huge elevator line and be in the cars to enforce the people limit. That said, the ride in the elevator was pretty spectacular because of the huge atrium and wall of glass looking out over the Charles and to Boston. The other option was the stairs, which worked fine and were interesting above the fourth floor, as they stopped being switchbacks and went up and up and up, following the outside line of the roughly pyramidal building (ok, the building's a ziggurat, while the staircases followed a line of relative maxima/minima up the side, describing the side of the pyramid that would just fit inside it). However, they were at the far ends of the building, which made them less useful, plus one stairway only went down to the second floor (the one right outside my room). Getting up to the second floor there were escalators, which definitely helped, despite being narrow (and off, at one point, having been jammed with some flowing bit of someone's garb). And there was a staircase from the top of the escalator to the third floor, which was narrow enough to be only one way at a time (there was a switch back in it, too, which made things more interesting). Oddly, I kept thinking of the problem as "clogged arteries," even though the problem was really arteries that weren't big/fast enough.
That said, most of the floors had the huge atrium in the middle, so while it might take a while to get anywhere, I could see a lot of the floors and where people were, which was great. The open space on the first two floors of the Park Plaza don't hold a candle to this.
I got a room in the Shabbat block, which was on the second floor. It was a great location, and I had a balcony with a view across the river to BU. I did feel a bit strange having to walk through the restaurant to get to my room, waltzing by the "Please wait to be seated." sign, but that also meant I got to run into people who were having a meal there, which was a lot of fun.
Though the hotel location isn't as T-accessible, nor near lots of restaurants, it seemed that the in-house food options were decent; I fed a lot fewer people this year, and saw a lot more people eating in the restaurant (and speaking well of it afterward, so it didn't seem like it was just a default). I was happy to be at a hotel I could park near (yay for Cambridge parking stickers :-), though I admit it meant I brought a lot more stuff than I would have otherwise, since it didn't have to be carried far. And it was great that the hotel was in the eruv, which facilitated me having a partly-hot Shabbat dinner (with soup! the glory of it!) (*waves to the dinner people*).
The hotel people were very nice, the ones I interacted with. Check-in was very easy, and the fridge I'd requested arrived at my room as I did. Check-out for me went very smoothly, because I had panels I wanted to get to late morning, so I pushed myself to do an earlier check-out. I was surprised that they didn't put the bills under the doors or have some other automated check-out option; there was a huge line around noon, which mostly could've been avoided.
The one other difficulty I had with the hotel was the temperature. I got my room chilly enough for me to sleep in, which was great, but some of the function rooms varied wildly in temperature, which frustrated me. And there were times when there wasn't enough water around, but that seemed to get better over the course of the con.
Oh, and I had the chance to look at the gym facilities, which were much more extensive than at the Park Plaza (and much of it available 24/7), but I didn't find time to use them. I hope next year I'll leave work early and fit in something before Shabbat. (For the record, there are some cardio machines (ellipticals and treadmills; I didn't notice any bikes), some weights (free weights, a couple of the more generic machines only), a lap pool (on top of the parking garage, so a pool with a view, and a skylight that's opened in good weather), also a hot tub.)
I went to a lot of scheduled events. Sadly, there were many others I didn't make it to, but that's always the way. Hard choices to make. I skipped one reading just because the room was too hot, and I couldn't find any water nearby either. Alas.
Panels and other scheduled events
-Drum and Dance: a circle of people playing percussion instruments in a nicely under-lit room. The space in the middle was open for dancing, and there were some very talented people doing that. I danced a little outside the circumference, not wanting to be looked at. I was wearing my large black silk scarf, which worked almost as well as my belly-dancing scarf as a dancing accessory. I got to talk with a very serious little girl deep into the "Why?" stage.
-Coming Out of the Poly Armoire: how people came out to different people in their lives, plus a dose of caution about being out in the media. The people on the panel had mostly positive experiences, which I thought interesting.
-Yoga: I went both mornings, though there was a snafu the second day with a room switch and a locked door the hotel staff had a lot of difficulty getting open, which cut into the time available (for me especially, since I couldn't stay later; the others did). I felt so much better afterward; it makes a huge difference starting the day with some good stretches and deep breathing. Since it's always scheduled earlier than the rest of programming, I wish it were a 90-minute session, rather than just an hour. Many thanks to Pheromone.
-Reading by Walter Hunt: he read the beginning of a story set in and around a British chapel (I missed whatever intro there was as I tried to find the room). It was not at all like his Dark Wing books; I want to read the rest. It's under consideration with some publisher, not yet under contract, so I don't know when I'll get to. I'll have to hope that it gets published soon.
-Modern Plagues: antibiotic-resistant bugs, diseases caught from animals (including pets, which are a higher risk for most USians than prion diseases), the public-health risks of not enough people being vaccinated, the issues with USian food animals' diet including not only rather unpleasant things (outdated chewing gum?!) but also constant dosing with antibiotics, and so on. I learned, and was glad I don't have pets (some of the things the veterinarian on the panel mentioned were quite scary). It was great to have a variety of lenses on the problem (emergency medicine doctor, internist, anthropologist (though he was the weak link, I thought), veterinarian, and organic farmer).
-Hilary Scott Slide Show: I think this was the only art programming that wasn't up with the art show (on the 16th floor; I didn't even try to go up until after Shabbat). I adore his work, and it was great to hear him talk about his inspirations and materials and such. I didn't know he was working in the Somerville schools as part of a visiting artist program (for Somerville Open Studios, somehow, for their "community development" bit, or some such thing). It was great to see what the kids accomplished with his help.
-Rosley Writer's Group Readings: I got there late, and left early, but got to hear most of Infinitehotel's story (very funny in using some cliched language in obviously self-aware ways to tell an interesting story), and the story written by one other writer (about the woman who placates the local god for the good of the rest of the community). I couldn't sit in the windowless room any longer, though, even with snacks provided. I rather regret missing the other two stories, but I needed to move.
-Masquerade: I watched the Masquerade on TV in Gnomi and Mabfan's room (better company, better view of the costumes (er, when there weren't glitches, that is), much better snacks :-).
-Club Dance: The club dance was a lot of fun (partly a function of having a group to dance with, partly a function of recognizing more of the music than usual). I stayed until 2:30; apparently it went much much later than usual.
-Gastronomic Fantasies: I was a bit late, having rushed to shower and check out in time, etc., but it was a fun panel. Some of it was recommendations of favorite books that include food, and some was discussions of how food is used (world-building, a pause in the action, character-building) and treated (futuristic methods for the same foods we have now, more innovative foods to set the tone, evocative foods to create a mood).
-Alternative Energy Sources: solar, wind, and so on. It was a wide-ranging discussion, including 'reduce, reuse, recycle', buying energy credits, living with a smaller footprint, changing sources of energy, the pitfalls of reliance on fossil fuels (and how much we actually get out of them). The room was completely packed, standing room only, which was great. I'm not sure whether I'll change my habits, but there was food for thought and more research.
-Red Shift: live radio drama! This was high on my list of must-go events; last year's Chicken Heart was wonderful. This was at least as good, telling the story of Red Shift, interplanetary do-gooder, and some stowaways from Earth, in "The Terror of Terra-Khan," an adventure in three installments (with messages from the sponsor in between; mmm... sugar cereal) . Very late 30s, with live sound effects (for some things, anyway), and wonderful acting, not to mention an excellent, con-centric script. Kudos to the actors and writer for a very funny show.
New this year: programming about podcasts.
I got to see lots of people. *waves to everyone* There wasn't the chance to hang out with people as long as I would've liked, but then, the con only arranged for the standard 24 hours/day, too. I hope next year they can get a chronological extension :-). Still, there was time for some catching up, some more-than-passing conversation, which makes all the difference.
I got to see (in no particular order): Gilana, Hrafn, Lenny, Tapuz, Laurens10, Marek, Majes, Ifuonlyknew, Torcha, Rhya, Coorr, Library_sexy, Zzbottom, Curly_chick, Wildraven, Other Rachel, Mattlistener, Mud_puppy, Docorion, Avivasedai, Perldiver, Rosefox, Sinboy, Amalthya, Actualhuman, Charliegrrl, Chillguru, Bbbsg, Cthulhia, Brass_rat, Justin, Chanaleh, Toyb, Gnomi, Mabfan, Bitty, Bubblebabble, Mamadeb, Jonbaker, Klingonlandlady, Frobzwiththingz, Coraline, Dancingdeer, Hammercock, Trowa_barton, Hacksaw, Infinitehotel, Mangosteen, Lifecollage, Pheromone, Derek, Miss_dimple, Volta, Teddywolf, Xuth, Benjie, Arib, Darxus, Yendi (I think?), Miss_chance, Hildy, and probably others I'm not remembering (apologies; it's faulty memory, not meant to be a slight). How fast it becomes a blur...
This year I had received invitations before the con started to four parties (I don't really pay attention to posters about open parties, but if someone I know invites me to one, I'm likely to go). The wine and cheese party meant that I opted for a milchig Shabbat dinner, which the other three involved in the meal were nice enough to agree to (and cook for :-). I stopped by the office party, and was given the clap. Happy (slightly early) birthday to Gnomi, celebrated with friends and food and commentary on the Masquerade, among other conversation topics. I dressed for the black and white party, and enjoyed getting to go out on one of the internal balconies in the middle of the atrium.
As usual, I didn't go to the con with a posse, and though I did meander around with people sometimes, and there were times I was having a fine time alone, there were also moments when I wished I had... default people to be with. I'm glad these were fewer than in cons past, however.
On the plus side, I got to see friends in wonderful outfits, and have fun wearing ensembles I don't wear much the rest of the year. Also nice was being complimented about my togs and/or my new-as-of-Tuesday haircut. Plus hugs, kisses, backrubs, and head skritches. Much goodness.
Given that it was going to be a somewhat awkward con (moving to a new space would be a challenge, even if it weren't space-challenged), I thought it came off fairly well. There were definite glitches (most notable to me were the elevator woes and the theft from the art show), but on the whole, it seemed that everyone worked hard to make this work as well as possible given the limitations. Since there was so much less function space, I was surprised that there weren't panels scheduled later Saturday, though.
The art show was on the 16th floor; I didn't make it up there until just before it closed Saturday evening. My favorite things were Hilary Scott's; no surprise, since I've loved his whimsical things for years. There were the fantastical hats (the owl and the pussycat one! the ship!) that I always wonder about how they'd feel if actually worn, the bizarre clocks, the singing speaker covers, the huge knobbly fingers holding a pen signing a contract for the sale of one (1) soul, the book people, and more. Someday I'd like a piece of his (Which? I have no idea.).
The dealer's room was on the 14th floor; I got there late Sunday. I think there were more T-shirt vendors this year (too many fun ones to list), and fewer garb vendors. Really, though, the best part was the internal lounge a flight of stairs down, that had squishy seats and a view of the river. It was great to sit down after too much browsing. Oh, one dealer had more collectible books, and I was surprised to see some I own were in there. Neat.
Dealer's row was on the 3rd floor. I did a quick scan only; I was meandering alone, and not much in the mood to browse, so it was rather perfunctory. In the end, the only thing I bought was a con T-shirt, with book-people on it.
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no subject
Date: 2007-01-15 09:58 pm (UTC)Coming Out of the Poly Armoire...Clever.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-15 10:16 pm (UTC)I was amused by the title myself.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-16 02:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-16 04:30 am (UTC)I hope the balance-in-hotel issue goes away, btw.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-17 10:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-17 10:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-17 11:56 pm (UTC)