Santacon 2010

N8 | Santa baby in Macarthur Park

I spent last Saturday getting drunk with 600 other Santas. We went from downtown to West Hollywood and back.

My N8 was a very important tool in getting through the day. In addition to taking pictures, I kept up with santacon over twitter to make sure I didn't get left behind. Battery wise, the N8 would not have gotten through the day without help from my Proporta charger. Good to know the next time I put it through another all day torture test.

Stuff I need to remember for next year: bring a hydration pack, bring mistletoe

LA Auto Show: Fiat

N8 | I love tiny cars


N8 | Too bad it was roped off, I would have loved to sit in it

LA Auto Show: Aston Martin

N8 | Too bad they don't let you in.

Comic Con 2010 Part Two - Thursday

On the Thursday morning of Comic Con, I was wandering the Gaslamp District. I picked up my lunch from Ralphs and hopped on a shuttle. I was the only person on the shuttle and talked to the driver about Comic Con.


N97 | Cartoon Network Pizzeria

I hopped off the shuttle after seeing the Cartoon Network Pizzeria. Pizza for breakfast, why not? I looked inside and saw it wasn't open yet. A crowd had gathered outside and I asked if they are waiting for it to open. They said they were waiting for CNN to show up. They said the first 25 people in line at 9:30 am would get a Flip Mino HD to use at Comic Con for CNN iReports. I was the 6th person there so I was stoked.


N97 | My new Flip Mino HD

After receiving my new Flip Mino, I headed for the convention center and sat down for the Danny Elfman panel. I then headed outside for the Scott Pilgrim experience. While waiting in line I was bombarded with weird swag and garlic bread from the Scott Pilgrim truck.


N97 | The Scott Pilgrim garlic bread truck


N97 | Bread makes you fat


N97 | Caffeinated Jerky?


N97 | Weird mullet hat

The line for the Scott Pilgrim Experience lasted about an hour. I was in line so long I got sunburn. Once inside, I got a red movie t-shirt, a custom shirt, a custom flip book and a poster signed by director Edgar Wright and creator Bryan Lee O'Malley.


N97 | Scott Pilgrim movie summary


N97 | I got the second to last signed poster signed by Edgar Wright and Bryan Lee O'Malley

I headed for Hall H and got to see the Expendables panel. Terry Crewes was the first one of the cast to come out. After being introduced, he jumped on the table, took off his shirt and flexed his pecs to the roar of the crowd. Sylvester Stallone was very entertaining in telling stories about making the movie. There was a surprise appearance from Bruce Willis. They showed two clips from the movie, which looks like a lot of fun.

Next up was the Scott Pilgrim panel. I managed to get a spot real close to the front for the panel. Thirteen members of the cast and crew were present. Even Edgar Wright's friends Simon Pegg and Nick Frost made quick appearances, even though they weren't in the movie. Lots of clips from the movie from the movie were shown. Pins were distributed. People with white pins were lucky enough to go see a screening of the movie with Edgar Wright and also a performance from the band Metric, who provided a song for the movie as the band The Clash at Demonhead.


N97 | At the Threadless party

Since I didn't get to go see the screening, I went to the Gaslamp to check out some parties. I had RSVP'd for a few parties in advance. This plan paid off well. By now it was about 7:30 and the first party was about to start. It was for the LA Time's Hero Complex blog. There was great food and an open Patron tequila bar. After getting some food there, I went to hit the Threadless party. This turned out to be a bad move, since Stan Lee showed up at the Hero Complex party after I had left. The Threadless party wasn't too bad. Tacos and beer were served and artists were on hand painting. I bought a shirt and headed back to the hotel to drop off everything.


E72 | Light Suit from Tron: Legacy

I came back to the gaslamp around 10pm for the Tron Legacy exhibit. One of my roomates had been running around the Gaslamp and scored passes to get in. After getting in, I walked into Flynn's Arcade. There were a bunch of video games in there, but there were all covered up. After a few minutes, a voice over played and then a door opened. It lead to a hallway with a couple of set pieces from the movie. After another voice over, there was another set with another voiceover. Finally, we were lead into a futuristic room. There were models in silver outfits serving Coke Zero and props from the movie along the walls. After a few minutes, the place would go dark and a trailer from the movie would play against the back wall. The lights in the room would sync with the trailer for a very cool added effect.


E72 | Tron:Legacy party

That ended my Thursday. The full gallery of my pics from Comic Con can be found on flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drtran/sets/72157624586809866/with/4831259110/

Comic Con 2010 Part One - Preview Night

This is my long overdue blog post about Comic Con 2010. Going to Comic Con takes a lot of planning. I purchased my passes at the 2009 Comic Con. I lucked out in getting rooms at the Marriott next door to the convention center. Amtrak tickets were purchased a week in advance.

Wednesday began with a 9am train ride to San Diego. Wednesday also happens to be opening day at the Del Mar races. Between Orange county and Solana Beach, a whole lot of drunken people show up in their Sunday best to get more drunk at the races.



Upon arriving in San Diego, I walked over to my hotel and checked in. I was very pleased to find out I had a room with a bay view.


N97 | View from my room

I picked up my badge and got a Chuck Warner Bros bag. Since the exhibition hall wasn't open until 6pm, I walked around the gaslamp.


N97 | Klingons took over the trolley stop

After a late lunch, I got an alert from twitter to go find Britt Reid's garage from the Green hornet movie. After looking around a long while, I found the place next to Petco Park. I waited around for the place to open. I got inside and they had some cars from the movie. I walked up to a counter and got a white t-shirt. I headed outside and was first to get a ride in the Black Beauty.




N97 | My driver is a babe

After the ride, I walked around the convention floor a bit. Didn't get much in way of cool freebies. The floor was very crowded.


N97 | At the Pokemon booth

Afterwards, I headed to Ralphs to pick up supplies for the rest of the convention. My roommates went to get sushi while I went to the room to sleep.


N97 | The Bat Bar at Ralphs supermarket

The full gallery of my pics from Comic Con can be found on flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drtran/sets/72157624586809866/with/4831259110/

Riding inside the Black Beauty from The Green Hornet at Comic Con 2010

Riding the Green Hornet's Black Beauty car at Comic Con preview night. Not only did I get shotgun, I got the first ride!