L.A. Capfest 2008

Postcards from the Edge (of the Continent).

2008-09-18T21:28:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the generous efforts of Dan (a.k.a., Weird_1), the CapFest postcards are now up for everyone's enjoyment.

Check them out!

If you were there, you can relive the magic of filling them out over grub at Phillipe's or the Pig-N-Whistle. If you weren't there, you can feel the magic for the very first time.

Photo Sharing Time.

2008-09-09T15:26:00.000-07:00

Time to share some photos. This one comes from Erik, Sir Not Appearing in This Photo, who was behind the camera:

Here's a cheery group at the train station, which I took:

Meanwhile, Fred offers a full Flickr set.

And finally, Erik would like to share his dung with you:

If anyone else has photos to share, please post them here!

The Aftermath.

2008-09-02T20:58:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend that was! You know, I realize now that I don't think we took a group picture with everyone in it -- all our group photos had one of us behind the camera. So, in the absence of a big group picture, enjoy this photo of My Dung instead.

Anyway, I want to thank all of you for coming; it certainly was a blast. It was fun seeing you all, whether it was for the first time or for the umpteenth. I also want to thank you all for putting up with the heat, especially on Saturday afternoon, as well as the cramped accommodations for the movies on Saturday evening.

We look forward to seeing you all again as soon as we can!

Almost Showtime!

2008-08-28T10:19:00.001-07:00

Well, I don't actually have a lot to say here, but it seems like I should make some sort of final post before you all arrive. So, there are a couple things you should keep in mind when you come:

1) Expect some crowds. It is Labor Day weekend, after all, and we'll be hitting some prime tourist spots.

b) Expect some heat. It's been in the 85-90 degree range lately, but with some unusually high humidity (in 60%-75% range). Dress cool and drink some water.

We'll see you Saturday morning!

Less Than Two Weeks to Go...

2008-08-19T19:25:00.000-07:00

Well, golly gee and boy howdy. The days are just flying by, aren't they? Hope you're all excited -- I know we are. Here's a more detailed itinerary for what we have planned:

Saturday
Bring your walking shoes, because we're going to explore a bit on foot. We'll meet at Union Station a little after 10:15 a.m. (Some of us will be taking the train into the city, and that's when it arrives. But the time is negotiable -- if some of you would like a not-so-early start, we can take the next train, which arrives at 11:30 a.m. Let us know your thoughts.)

From there, we will head across the street to Olvera Street, the birthplace of L.A. (site of the first Spanish settlement in the area) and still a great Mexican marketplace. We'll have lunch at nearby Phillipe's, birthplace of the french dip sandwich (although they have lots of other good food, too). After lunch, we head a few blocks north to L.A.'s Chinatown for some more local history. (I'm sure it must be the birthplace of something....)

With any luck, we'll be able to make it back to the station in time for one of the late afternoon trains (we have our eyes on the 4:45 train, but again, that's negotiable depending on what others want to do) to head back for the evening's activities. (For those of you who plan to meet us at Union Station, directions to the Disco/Nyssa homestead will be provided.)

And those activities? They include dinner, followed by riffing bad movies with a room full of witty cappers. The one consensus choice for a movie we have so far is "Volcano." Other suggestions are welcome, since it'll be fun to have more than one.

Sunday
Today we'll be exploring a bit by car. We'll start out in Hollywood, where we'll see the Walk of Fame, the Chinese/Egyptian/Kodak theaters, and all the tacky souvenir shops your heart desires. Lunch will be at the old time Hollywood hangout the Pig'n Whistle where, thanks to some machinations by Nyssa, we have a generous gift certificate to help us pay for the meal.

After lunch, it's back in the car. We'll take the scenic route to Griffth Observatory. Besides the scientifical knowledge and great views of the city you'll find there, you'll also recognize it from such MST3K experiments as "Teenage Crimewave" and "The Amazing Colossal Man," as well as many of your other favorite movies and Paula Abdul videos.

This leaves dinner and Sunday evening open, if anybody has any suggestions. Or maybe you'll just want to recover. :-)

So anyway, that's the plan. But it's totally open to revision if enough folks want to do anything else. Speak up and we'll try to make it happen.

Until then... see you on August 30th!

We've Got Movie Sign.

2008-07-23T11:10:00.000-07:00

One other thing we've got to do while we're all together is have big ol' riff-fest. So far, both Saturday and Sunday evenings have been left open for that purpose, so as a group we decide when we want to do it.

But we also need to decide what to watch. One movie I'd like to throw into the ring is "Volcano," the turdfest that stars Tommy Lee Jones, Anne Heche, a lot of familiar L.A. sights, and tons of man-eating magma. It just seems right after we'll be spending our days touring the city. Does anybody else have any other suggestions? Let's hear 'em!

A Tentative Itinerary.

2008-07-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

So, while you all are working on your traveling plans (you are doing that, right?), here is a tentative itinerary for two days of activities. I'm working under the assumption that folks will be using Friday, August 29, and Monday, Sept. 1, as travel days. If that's not the case, that's fine and we can adjust accordingly.

Saturday, August 30
Walking tour day! We'll be checking out downtown L.A. on foot. We'll start at Union Station (for those of you going for the suburb option for your accomodations, we can ride the Metrolink train into the city), visit Olvera Street, the old church, Chinatown, have lunch at Phillipe's, and maybe see a few other things, too.

Sunday, August 31
Driving tour day! We'll hit some other hot spots, including Hollywood (the Walk of Fame and the Chinese, Egyptian, El Kapitan and Kodak theaters) and Griffith Observatory, and maybe also the La Brea Tar Pits, the Sunset Strip, Melrose, Rodeo Drive or anything else in particular anyone is interested in seeing.

I've intentionally left the evenings free on both days so that we can use at least one of them for a big movie riffing session. If there's anything else you guys would like to do or see, let me know and I'll try to work it in.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Cashews?

Just 84 Days and Counting.

2008-06-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

At least, that was the countdown to the L.A. Capfest when I posted this. The up-to-date countdown is here. We know you're excited!

•••••

So let's get down to some planning details. First of all, based on the comments on the last few posts, here is who is planning on coming:

Unreality (Fred)
Generik (Erik)
teambanzai (Brett)
Torgone
YibbleGuy
TinaW
CindyM
DiscoBoy (Me) & Nyssa (Mary Ann) (and insane kids)

If any of you are planning on bring friends/spouses/secret love children, let us know so we can include them as well. Also, if there's anyone I've forgotten, let us know. And feel free to spread the word to get more cappers to come.

•••••

So, we're looking at Labor Day weekend, which is Friday, August 29 through Monday, September 1. I've got some flight/hotel suggestions for you out-of-towners, But first, there's something to consider.

Mary Ann and I live in La Verne, which is a suburb of L.A., about 30 miles (a half hour's drive) east of downtown. Trust me, in Southern California terms that is practically just down the block. So the question becomes, where do you want to stay -- in the downtown/Hollywood area, or out in the 'burbs with us? Like I said, we're only about a half hour away by car, and the train going into Union Station downtown is pretty convenient too (which comes in real handy for the downtown walking tour on the itinerary, which I'll post about in more detail in the next few days). So let's break this down....

The case for staying downtown or environs: Ready access to touristy L.A. fun; transients (many of whom will call you "sir" or "ma'am") at no extra charge.

The case for staying in the 'burbs: Ready access to transportation in the fabulous DiscoNyssaMobile; cheaper hotel rates; close to our preferred movie riffing location (our living room, although there may be another option if the crowd gets much larger).

Whichever option you choose could also affect your flight choice. If you're coming to scenice La Verne (and environs), you'd probably be better off flying into Ontario (ONT) than into LAX. It's just closer and less crowded. You can probably even save a few bucks, too, depending on where you're flying from.

Anyway, hotel choices.... (I know this post is getting a little long, but bear with me because I'm almost done.)

Here are the current regular rates for Labor Day weekend of a few local (the 'burbs) hotels:
• Doubletree Inn (Claremont) -- $249.00/night
• Sheraton Suites Fairplex (Pomona) -- $146.50/night
• Red Roof Inn (San Dimas) -- $82.99/night
• Motel 6 (San Dimas) -- $74.99/night

And some L.A./Hollywood options:
• Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown -- $229.27/night
• Millenium Biltmore (downtown) -- $219.00/night
• Los Angeles Airport Marriott -- $199.00/night
• Kyoto Grand Hotel and Gardens -- $199.00/night
• Motel 6 (Hollywood) -- $102.99/night

...so, you get the idea. Like I said, these are the regular rates, so I'm sure you can find discounts out there. But except for the ridiculously overpriced Doubletree, the rates are cheaper outside of L.A. proper.

•••••

Anyway, this is all just some things for you all to chew on. Feel free to ask if you've got questions.

Beautiful Los Angeles Beckons You!

2008-05-23T08:39:00.000-07:00

Come to Los Angeles! The sun shines bright, the beaches are wide and inviting, and the orange groves stretch as far as the eye can see. There are jobs aplenty, and land is cheap. Every working man can have his own house, and inside every house, a happy, all-American family. You can have all this, and who knows... you could even be discovered, become a movie star... or at least see one. Life is good in Los Angeles... it's paradise on Earth." Ha ha ha ha. That's what they tell you, anyway.
—from "L.A. Confidential"

Sorry I've been so lax in updating this site. That's about to change, with more info coming soon. In the meantime, here's a taste of what we'll be doing. I can't promise to be as entertaining a host as Charles Phoenix, but maybe I'll do a little song and dance if you ask nicely.

Robot Roll Call!

2008-03-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

Okay, not really. More like a capper roll call.

But first, a hearty hello to all o' youse who are visiting because of Generik's kind (and totally unsolicited, I assure you) plug. Right now, the get-together is planned for Labor Day weekend, Aug. 30 through Sept. 1.

Secondly, since we seem to have hit those duldrums between the initial planning stage and the "I-gotta-hurry-up-and-pack-cuz-its-time-to-go" stage -- I figure we can pass the time by getting a head count. If you're planning on attending (or even just considering it), check in with a comment below so we know how many to expect. (And plan to revisit this in a couple months as the date grows closer.)

And feel free to sign up for the RSS feed, so you don't miss any of the big developments.

Please. Don't do it for us. Do it for the baby. If you don't, the baby will be angry. And you wouldn't like him when he's angry.

Cappers of the World Unite! You Have Nothing to Lose But Your Cookies!

2008-01-08T11:37:00.000-08:00

It looks like the consensus has Labor Day weekend as the best time for the Capfest, so let's go ahead and plan for that. (Unless anybody has any serious objections, in which case you should speak now or forever hold your peace.)

So that would give us three days (Saturday, August 30, through Monday, September 1) to plot the overthrow of the bourgeoisie and usher in the dictatorship of the capper proletariat -- er, I mean, to spend Labor Day with our favorite capping buddies.

The next step seems to be to get a head count of who can come and where the accommodations will be for those coming from out of town. Mary Ann (Nyssa) and I live in La Verne, which is about 30 miles east of L.A. -- but by Southern California standards, that's practically down the street. Getting into the city from here is no big deal. (Maybe we can go into detail on those logistics in a separate post.)

We should also work up an itinerary of activities. I've got a couple ideas to throw into the mix:

• The touristy tour of Hollywood, including the Walk of Fame, the theaters (Chinese/Egyptian/Kodak/El Rey) and the tacky souvenir shops. To be followed by a drive up to everyone's favorite movie location, Griffith Observatory, where we can see the views and do science-y type stuff.

• A walking tour of downtown L.A. Starting from everyone's second favorite movie location, Union Station, we would visit Olvera Street, have lunch at the must-visit Phillipe's and see some sights like city hall, Parker Center and the L.A. Times Building. Or, if you've really got your walking shoes on, MOCA and Little Tokyo are possibilities, too.

The advantage of these two ideas is that each can be done in a day, leaving the evenings free for another activity. If Brett (teambanzai) is performing with his improv group one of those nights, we can take in a show. Or we can convene somewhere to riff bad movies together.

Of course, there are loads of other opportunities as well, so if you have ideas, let's hear them!

Still Moving Forward.

2007-11-27T18:20:00.000-08:00

I second (or third) the notion expressed in the comments earlier about not wanting to let this die out. So, to that end -- speak up, people!

I guess the first question we need to answer is when to get together. It seems that we've narrowed it down to either Labor Day weekend or Columbus Day weekend. Does anyone want to speak up for one or the other? Pros and cons? Plusses or minuses? Yings or yangs? (As opposed to YingYang, unless he chooses to join us.)

Personally, I'd prefer Labor Day, since I don't get Columbus Day off at work. (Sure, it's no problem for me to take a vacation day that day, but having the CapFest on Labor Day means I don't have to dip into my vacation time.) But I can easily do either if need be.

The next question would be, do we want to make this a two-day or a three-day affair (not counting travel days on either side for those of you coming from a distance)? We could go Saturday/Sunday, or Sunday/Monday, or Saturday/Sunday/Monday, or Friday/Saturday/Sunday (or you can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay....)

In other news, it looks like my new survey site is something of a bust. Instead of me trying to find another one, maybe we can just have a lively dialogue in the comments?

Finally, lest you think we're all business around here, I'll leave you with this picture of a tiny monkey:

This Here's a Survey Test.

2007-11-09T11:32:00.000-08:00

Free Survey

Moving Forward.

2007-10-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like I'm going to have to close the two polls below. It's not just because the responses have slowed down, but also because the poll service I signed up for neglected to mention that they weren't really a free service after all, but only offered one-month free trials.

Oops. Whatever.

Anyway, it provides as good an excuse as any to move ahead and try to do some more planning. It looks like Labor Day weekend is the time most people can get together, with Columbus Day weekend close behind. Let's get a discussion going in the comments about which weekend is better for everyone. If we can nail down a date that will help those who need to make travel/vacation plans well in advance.

And expect more polls here soon. And maybe this time they won't disappear after a month.

What Should We Do?

2007-09-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

Another poll with some suggested activities. This list is by no means exhaustive, of course -- add more in the comments!

View MicroPollSurvey SoftwareWeb PollsEmail Marketing Software

Let's Pick a Date!

2007-09-17T14:20:00.000-07:00

Here's a poll to help pick a weekend to get together. (This is the first time I've used this, so I hope it works okay.) Feel free to elaborate in the comments section:

View MicroPollSurvey SoftwareWeb PollsEmail Marketing Software

Welcome!

2007-09-17T14:06:00.000-07:00

Some of us cappers are planning a fall 2008 get-together in the Los Angeles area, so this seemed like a convenient way to get everyone on the same cyber-page and make some plans. If you'd like to join us, feel free to speak up in the comments!