I'll be around on Friday, and would be very much interested in a shopping/browsing expedition. And I've never had dim sum either, so I'll probably be joining that group as well.

So, here we go.

1. The Hospitality Suite. The divine Lilibeth has given us a big two-room plus "put the two fridges and set the food out here" alcove plus bath that - dig it - opens out directly onto the terrace by the pool. People will be able to pour their morning coffee, put on a swimsuit and bask in the morning fog, or sit there and smoke, or whatever makes them happy. Both rooms have full sliding doors that open to the pool terrace.

They will be removing the big bed and replacing it with chairs that can be brought into the other room for TV viewing. We are also free to grab chairs off the terrace, and bring them in, as well.

All keys will be slash coded; that is, coded to work in both the individual's room and for the suite. I'll have a key to the suite, and access ahead of time; the HS will be available to y'all who are not me (and Vortex) from 3 pm Thursday through Monday at checkout. We get early access, or at least I do. I'm on the guest list, nerny nerny....

We are encouraged to keep as much of our food and booze in the hospitality suite as we care to, and to wander out onto the terrace with said food and booze, and did we need glasses? I told her I had that part covered, but that she needed to come up, hang out, and have a bellini. She agreed.

They will provide us, additionally, with a blackboard or corkboard or whiteboard or some form of board, for coordination and message-leaving.

I'll provide us with the DVD player.

2. Prom: I'm not supposed to say for certain yet, but it does look as if we'll have the 9-1 sozzle-slot. Our bartender is a little cutehead who claims to be shy. Lilibeth has told him to suck it up and wear a thong, the better for all the pretty corseted people to stuff tips down his waistband. Have I mentioned that she's looking forward to this party? Oh, and yes, the bar will be an open bar.

3. Prom layout: We will have two very large rooms - B and C - with the divider between them removed, at our disposal. We went over the layout - two caterers getting their party-prep mojo on. We'll have food table and cutehead bartender - I want to say his name is David - at one end, and sound at the other end. They're laying down a portable dance floor for the doings. Prom will start nineish, and go on until whatever. We may need to pay for an extra hour of security, which is under a hundred bucks; if we do, no worries, I can cover it.

4. B2B: For those either running B2B or just coming to Chez Grabien for the day on the Sunday, yet who are scheduled to check out of the hotel that morning, no worries. They're happy to watch your luggage during the day.

5. Transport to/from airports: Alas, the local Holiday Inn chains don't run a shuttle out to any of the airports, so other arrangements will have to stand. If you're flying in, don't want to take the available transport for some reason, and haven't let me know yet, please do that, ASAP, so we can see about coordinating rides.

Anything else?

Well it is, isn't it? Only with uniforms, and big glove things.

And penises. Don't forget the penises. The rounders I remember was very short on penises. And if you want to know if that was intentional, I'm not elaborating.

where's his other glove?

Philadelphia Phillies had a very poor-fielding and inconsistent second baseman in the eighties, called Juan Samuel. The joke around Philly back then was "What do Juan Samuel and Michael Jackson have in common?"

The answer, of course, was "They each wear a single glove, for nor discernible reason."

Our bartender is a little cutehead who claims to be shy. Lilibeth has told him to suck it up and wear a thong, the better for all the pretty corseted people to stuff tips down his waistband.

Y'all do remember I reported during the DC Prom, hearing the bartender on his cell, "Dude. You should see it. There's...uh, corsets. And people wearing crowns. No, the men too. And bunny ears. No man, you should SEE this."

After midnight I wound up on the elevator with the bartender, who had a very happy look on his face. I thanked him for bartending for us, and he said, quite emphatically, "Oh, thank YOU."

Late is better than never, so I'm just chiming in to let AmyLiz know I will be around on Monday. Also, to say I'm coming in Thursday night, so I'll be around on Friday to hang with other earlier arriving Buffistas. I'm open to anything going on, as long as no one minds if I occasionally wander off to a quiet corner to collect myself.

They will provide us, additionally, with a blackboard or corkboard or whiteboard or some form of board, for coordination and message-leaving.

I'll bring the little forms I came up with for DC for the suite.

Y'all do remember I reported during the DC Prom, hearing the bartender on his cell, "Dude. You should see it. There's...uh, corsets. And people wearing crowns. No, the men too. And bunny ears. No man, you should SEE this."

Hee! I do remember this. Good times. Although I think, in general, the bartenders in SF might be slightly more prepared for us than the ones in DC...

...so is there anything particular planned for Thurday evening? And, localistas, what other San Francisco things should I really not miss? Ghirardellis? What about the cartoon museum, is that worth seeing? Or are there particular bits of town I might be able to hit and wander around for a bit on Thursday? I've started to make a TABLE, if you'll credit it, to give myself a clearer idea of what's happening when - but it looks like I am a woman sans plan for Thursday - other than helping set up the Hospitality suite, but I'm assuming that won't take all day. Although maybe it will. Huh.

eta

Dear heavens, Deb. Willing you and your DH much -ma. How wretched.

~ma to Nic, Deb.

Fay, I think the Cartoon Art Museum is worth it (certainly more than Ghirardelli), but it might be good to hit their site and see whether the particular exhibit that's up right now strikes your fancy. We have a couple of outstanding comics stores in the Bay Area, FYI. Comics Experience in SF, Comic Relief in Berkeley...

My Thursday is wide open other than HS prep.

Flinging ~ma in Nic's direction