Tom E. in Seattle / EMP Conference / April 2005

Do Nintendo DS-es bought in the States work with UK software, or will there be specification issues or something? I was thinking of taking advantage of the generous exchange rate.

obviously we need to have a big ol' Seattle FAP after the conference is through (or before it begins) since the conference itself is pretty time-consuming (and loads of fun!), and it would only be right to have an evening of Tom-centered reverie outside of it.

also, Dave Q is going to try to make it to the Pop Conference as well.

is there transcripts of the conference and stuff available after it?

it's a stellar line-up.

"let's do the show right here!"

Tom, nothing to fear... if anything, you'll probably find the weather here very familiar, if maybe slightly less grey given the odd winter we've been having.

It is not impromptu if we plan ahead. And we would have only a mere month to assemble our hand puppets.

Also, how crazy is it at the border right now, scrutiny-wise? I'd wanna bring a little something something over but I don't need a bust in my life right now. It's mainly the indo I'm worried about - I need a volunteer mule!

although I'm not as centrally located as Matos's place (though not that far by any means.) Hmmm, I would offer to lend my tables if someone with a car would be willing to transport them. it would just be a matter of someone providing the P.A... then again, not sure how cool Matos's neighbors are.

http://www.birdsasart.com/Tricolored%20heron%20chick.jpg

i'm afraid that in my world, that is a joke.

(pause)

Where's Jess?

(in Alan Sugar The Apprentice-style authoritative don't-try-it voice)

(I am happy to be dragged along to anything you think is fun of course. I will be gawking like a wide-eyed tourist all weekend anyway!)

you won't find me over there. i just lurk around here mostly. actually i thought this conference thing had already happened, but it's good that i'm wrong.

We can definitely plan for an earlier dinner before the U.S.E. show on Saturday... the Monorail takes you just a block away from the Vera Project and runs 'til 7pm on weeknights.. (also, it's just cool to take the monorail from the EMP to downtown anyway) maybe an early dinner in Belltown somewhere... Noodle Ranch maybe?.. at 5pm sounds good? (I'd say the Pike Place brewery but the wait might be long for a big party.. Noodle Ranch isn't usually that busy)

Not sure if any of us will have the energy to want to see a show on Saturday night, so there's always that night too. I'm more than willing to forsake that free show (even if it's the Electric Six) if it means we need to mega-FAP somewhere....

Same assumption about the U.S.E. show as well, i guess.

I'm thinking Saturday night should be a big final hurrah FAP if any.

Again, I'm just one guy making suggestions. Matos, Kate, etc. feel free to interject..

I get in at 18.48 on the Wednesday and will go straight to my hotel. I don't want to fall straight asleep though or I'll never adjust to Seattle-time so if anyone's around for some quick food or a swift beer I'd be delighted (if somewhat zombiefied company). Then on Thursday I'm going to be Mr.Tourist (recommendations welcome) and then I guess we meet at the opening party thing on the Thursday and take it from there. Do I need a secret handshake or anything?

And yes, there is a monorail: http://www.seattlemonorail.com/
It's only useful to those who want to go between central downtown and the EMP. It's quick, but there are plenty of buses that will do the trick as well.. namely the 16, the 3, and the 4 (3 and 4 overlap a lot) -- amongst many more that get you close enough, too. The buses run a lot later and earlier though, than the monorail currently does. The monorail won't go back to regular hours until the end of this month (until 11pm at nights.. due to that fire from last fall.)

BUT THEY'RE NOT MONORAILS, ARE THEY? NO!

I don't recommend trying to stumble home completely drunk on this street though, as the cars do tend to zoom there, and sidewalk is a bit narrow. Take Mercer to Westlake instead in case you feel shifty and buzzed..slightly longer walk but safer. heh heh.

Also, Tom is very close to Bucca De Bepo!

BUT THEY'RE NOT MONORAILS, ARE THEY? NO!

AND THEY'RE NO ANNE MURRAY!

I don't want to say up too late on Wednesday. In terms of food I like everything really, though I'm definitely on the carnivorous side.

I don't know if I'll have a mobile or not by the way, but I can ring people from the hotel on Weds if I have their numbers.

GET ONE BAG OF OLD DUTCH ALL DRESSED CHIPS, HOME BOYS!

Bucca De Bepo is a national chain of family-style Italian restaurants (started in Minneapolis). Half-size portions of anything are usually the size of small toddlers. So, we probably won't have to order much. And there is wine that can be ordered too, by the jug. With enough people, I think we could get a decent crowd. Reservations may have to be made though. And yes Tom, there's plenty of carnivorous friendly items there... maybe this place is too ambitious? I chose it mainly because it's practically in Tom's hotel's backyard.

(i am actually in kind of a bad mood, re. travel, because since i waited/had to wait so long to get my ticket, i now have to fly out of nyc and pay about $150 more than i planned, plus tack an extra five or six hours on.)

That might not work when you leave, though, since it starts up after 5 AM. If you take a cab from the downtown area to the airport, ask for the $25 fixed price rate "from the downtown hotel district to the airport". All taxis have to offer that rate. If it was 4 AM and you were lucky, you might be able to save money by going by the meter, but it would only be a few bucks. The fixed price is nearly always a better deal. Also a good deal if you have more than 1 person.

You can also catch a Metro bus up to downtown, much cheaper but much slower, will drop you in the bus tunnel. They pick up right from the northern end of the baggage claim area.

When are you arriving? It can cost you as little as $2.00 to get to downtown from SeaTac... getting back (4-5am?) is a different question though...

And Sunday morning? yikes, you picked to the one hour of the day on the one day of the week that's a sure deadzone for public transit. Go with Lyra's advice on fixed price cab. (Also, the bus tunnel doesn't operate on Sundays, anyway, but it wouldn't matter)

i have taken that grey line thingee before, and i just re-checked my ticket and i dont fly out until 8:30 sunday am, so i might be able to do it.

Tom, I'll email you my number right now.

Also, THINGS TO DO in Seattle... Grab the 17 bus to downtown Seattle (link to the 17 schedule is above. Surely the hotel folks should have bus schedules for the 17 handy, but who knows.) which comes from Westlake Ave N from the North, and swerves onto 9th Ave., which is right where you are staying. Just go to the bus stop that says "17" on it, and have a buck and a quarter ready. (or maybe two quarters if you're going before 9am.. peak hour fares, you know.). The 17 bus will take you to downtown.

Go towards the waterfront in downtown on Pike st. and you can have some fun at Pike Place Market for a while.. lots of things to see and eat.. Chipotle Cheese curds at the cheese shop is a must.

Also, on 4th Ave. and Spring is the Seattle Pubic Library. Get lost in it.

If you want to have a beer and play video games, there's Shorty's on 2nd. between Bell and Blanchard in Belltown...

Eventually you'll want to get to Lower Queen Anne by late afternoon or so, at the latest. Grab the Monorail (Pine and 5th ave., go to the 3rd floor). It's a $1.50 ride, but it will take you straight to the EMP. If you walk through the food court area and then head north (there's a big hill with houses on it to the north, let this be your Queen Anne compass), you'll end up near Cafe Zingado, Larry's Market, Easy Street Records, Racha, Twice Sold Tales (where Morley Timmons works!), Pagliacci, etc.

(You can also grab a 3, 4, or 16 on 3rd st. standing on the east side by a bus stop with those numbers listed. They all stop right by the EMP, too.)

I think the initial meetup starts at 5:15pm at the EMP for the conference... right?

Anyway, hope this helps.

There's also a Quickshuttle service between downtown Vancouver and SeaTac airport too. There's a stop in South Lake Union in Seattle (right where Tom is staying, coincidentally) I think the price is similar...
http://www.quickcoach.com/

Well, if you get in at 11pm, you'd either have to take the longer, less scenic 174 bus (174 schedule here) for $2, or cab it (which should be $25 max.. see Lyra's comments above) to 2nd and Pine at the Green Tortoise (arrange in advance if you can). Then the next morning, grab any bus on 2nd ave. and ask if it goes to the King st. station (the bus ride should be free since it's within downtown), then head to the King St. station, grab train, etc.

The only problem is.. trains are often more late than planes, so add a LOT of padding between your train arrival back to Seattle, you're getting to SeaTac airport, and all that.

...

Nabisco, you're also forgetting startrekman, who'll probably ask this weekend what the bass sequencer was used on Animition's "Obsession"

Chance of showers (meaning "we don't have a fucking clue")

Lows in the 40sF (4-8C), Highs in the 50sF (10-12C)

Eeeee! already, I'm starting to FEEL THE VOIB!

My abridged day at work tomorrow is going to feel mighty long before the reception.

(Oh yeah, many revelations about British vs. U.S. pop culture tonight, but most shockingly, the deceased of the Two Fat Ladies, shortly before being deceased, was a reactionary right-wing commentator!)

That seems to be the case with all Brit celebs after a while.