Of course, it would just serve Gus right if we all went up there and squatted in his house until he came back.

Heh. I wonder if he's restocked the liquor cabinet since his last invasion.

I emailed Gius a week ago (to two different addresses) and got no reply.

Did you try the "Contact Admin" form at the TV Tropes wiki? [link]

I don't know which e-mail address it forwards to, but I have seen his work there as recently as yesterday.

You might also try his personal page there: [link]

Dana, how long will the exhibit run in Houston? It looks like I'll be there in mid-August.

The website says August 28th.

You know, I hadn't even thought of a weekday, Dana. In any case, I'll certainly ping you with the dates when I settle on something.

I've been doing a little surfing to give me a list of hotels to call on Tuesday and see what they have to offer. I'm putting up the links for comments, and to help me prioritize which ones look most likely:

Comfort Suites Seattle Center: [link] So it's a soulless chain hotel, but it's within walking distance of the Seattle Center and a quick ride on the monorail from downtown. Has "free high-speed internet access" in all guest rooms, the suite rooms look like a good option for a hospitality suite, and the meeting rooms look adequate to our needs.

Vance Hotel: [link] One of a very few downtown hotels with personality that look to be in our price range, high speed wireless internet throughout hotel, but website doesn't say anything about meeting facilities, which makes me doubt they could accommodate the prom.

Mayflower Park Hotel: [link] Another nice downtown option, has gorgeous meeting facilities and wireless internet throughout the hotel, but is probably out of our price range barring a really sweet group deal.

Quality Inn: [link] Another chain hotel near the Seattle Center. 100 of the rooms have T-1 high-speed internet. Very affordable, also has a few large suite rooms for a hospitality suite and the usual big chain assortment of meeting spaces.

University Inn: [link] This would put us near the UW campus, so north of downtown but with frequent bus service. All rooms have free wireless internet. "Limited number of pet-friendly rooms." Lopez Island room might do for the hospitality suite; Orcas Island room for the prom.

Watertown Inn: [link] The University Inn's newer and slightly posher and more expensive sister, also located near UW, with basically the same amenities.

My instinct is that University Inn or one of the chains is likely to be the best option for balancing all our preferences.

I know when I was looking at Kansas City they had a conference coordinating thingy on the city's website. I plugged in our specs and various hotels sent offers.

I don't know if other cities have similar tools.

They probably do; I just prefer to look at the hotel websites first myself to pre-screen. There are so many possibilities that I'd rather narrow it down a bit on my own based on my knowledge of the area that just throw it open.

Susan, I can't for the life of me remember which hotel Nic and I stayed at for the FFoSM signing last Halloween, but it within spitting distance of the Spcae Needle and it was extremely comfortable and reasonable. Plei or Jilli would probably remember which one it was, or juliana.

It was the Comfort Suites, and I had no argument with it at all. Clean, cozy, reasonable and within walking distance of not only the Space Needle, but some kickass restaurants and used book stores. I'd stay there again.