ShadowGram Update #260: NYC DS Event Details

[ClaudeNorth]

SHADOWGRAM OFFICIAL ONLINE DARK SHADOWS NEWS
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E-Mail: ShadowGram@aol.com
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Update Number 260. March 21, 2012
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Hello, Dark Shadows Fan,
ShadowGram (SG), The Official Newsletter & News Source for Dark Shadows (DS) announces the following breaking news in this Online News Update "bulletin."

*** SHADOWGRAM PREMIERE ANNOUNCEMENT:

DETAILS FOR THE DS FESTIVAL'S NYC-AREA EVENT -
CELEBRATING THE ORIGINAL DS MOVIES

--- DARK SHADOWS WEEKEND

Saturday, July, 28, 2012 - A DAY AT COLLINWOOD
Lyndhurst Estate, 635 South Broadway,Tarrytown, NY 10591

Sunday, July 29, 2012 - DARK SHADOWS LUNCHEON
DoubleTree Hotel, 455 South Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591
(914) 631-5700

Special Dark Shadows Sleeping Room Rate Available for the Weekend! (See later in this message)

---- Special Guests Appearing in Person:
JONATHAN FRID (Barnabas Collins)
LARA PARKER (Angelique)
KATHRYN LEIGH SCOTT (Maggie Evans)
and other surprise guests!

--- In Celebration of the new "Dark Shadows" movie (which includes cameos by Jonathan, Kathryn, Lara, and David Selby), join our guest actors and visit the actual historic location where the original 1970s movies "House of Dark Shadows" and "Night of Dark Shadows" were filmed!

---- Saturday activities include:
Tours of the Lyndhurst mansion (Collinwood) and Grounds
Jonathan Frid Hosts His Favorite DS Moments
Lara Parker Presents Her New DS Novel - Wolf Moon Rising
Kathryn Leigh Scott Book Presentation
David Selby's "DS Movie Memories" Video Debut
Autograph Session
Questions & Answers
DS Memorabilia Sale
Exclusive Souvenir Book
Optional Picnic Lunch For Sale At Lyndhurst
More!

---- LUNCH WITH THE DARK SHADOWS STARS

On Sunday, July 29, from 11:30am until 2:00pm, join the DS actors for a special dining experience at the DoubleTree Hotel in Tarrytown, just a stone's throw from the Lyndhurst estate.
Each attendee will enjoy a full 3-course meal, a Dark Shadows gift bag, and door prizes. After lunch, fans may visit the nearby historic Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where portions of "House of Dark Shadows" were filmed.

---- For advance details on the DARK SHADOWS WEEKEND EVENT:

Please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) to:
DARK SHADOWS
P.O. BOX 92
MAPLEWOOD, NJ 07040

---- GETTING TO LYNDHURST
Lyndhurst is located at 635 South Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591, one-half mile south of the Tappan Zee Bridge on Route 9 in Tarrytown, approximately 24 miles north of midtown Manhattan on the eastern shore of the Hudson River.

For directions by car, go to mapquest.com

To travel by train, take the Metro North - Hudson Line north to Tarrytown. Taxis are available at the train station to Tarrytown, a 5-minute ride away from Lyndhurst.

---- THE TARRYTOWN DOUBLETREE HOTEL
The DoubleTree address is 455 South Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591.
The hotel is located just a few hundred yards from the Lyndhurst estate.
Discount-rate sleeping rooms are available at the Doubletree for attendees to the Dark Shadows Collinwood Weekend.
Please mention Dark Shadows to receive this rate.
For hotel reservations, call 914-631-5700.

**** These breaking-news Official DS Online News Update "bulletins"are posted through the ShadowGram Yahoo Group.

To become a member of this free Group, please see information later in this Update or email Marcy Robin at shadowgram@aol.com

You also can email Marcy to request that an Invitation to the SG Yahoo Group be emailed to you. An invitation makes it even easier to join the Group.

--- The upcoming SG #122 print issue will have more details about the July 28-29 event at Lyndhurst.
SG #122 also will spotlight the DS Festival's "New DS Movie Premiere Party" at the Vista Theater in Los Angeles on May 10.
SG #122 expects to be ready soon for all current postal-mail subscribers.
To subscribe / renew to the published ShadowGram Official Dark Shadows Newsletters:

--- US & Canadian First Class subscriptions: $12.00 for 4 issues, $24.00 for 8 issues.

---Overseas Air Mail subscriptions: US $20.00 for 4 issues, US $40.00 for 8 issues.

Please send your print issue subscription / renewal payment (check/money order) payable to:
Marcy Robin
P.O. Box 1766
Temple City, CA 91780-7766
SG subscription / renewal payments can be made via Paypal to: ShadowGram@aol.com

**** MESSAGES FROM SHADOWGRAM
Fans attending the May 10 Movie Premiere Party and the July 28-29 Lyndhurst / Tarrytown event are welcome to share their photos with SG by sending them directly to Marcy at the above e- or postal- mail addresses.

Fans always are invited and encouraged to please share with SG any and all DS-related references: articles, interviews, reviews, retrospectives, etc. Media attention can come at any time for the DS personnel and their projects and appearances, the Depp/Burton movie; DS Festival events; DS merchandise; etc. These items can be from online; on the air, or in print sources; be international, national, or local; general or detailed; accurate or incorrect in content; and have specific or generic references.

You can send all photos as a jpeg at high resolution to SG's e-mail address. You also can send hard-copy pictures to SG's postal-mail address. These addresses are above and following in this Update.

Please include your full name, the source, and date so I can list you as a Contributor in the published SGs. You also may receive a complementary Contributor's Copy for major donations of information, funds, postage stamps, supplies, photos, publicity, assistance, etc. Thank you in advance for sharing.
All such items are important to the ShadowGram Newsletters, the actual complete published Official DS Newsletter & News Source. Subscribers of all ages are across the US and worldwide. I send complementary issues directly to many of the DS cast and crew. They share their news with me for SG, and who enjoy learning about their DS colleagues in SG's pages.

PLEASE NOTE: E-mail Updates like this one are * NOT * the actual Official DS Newsletter. The Official DS Newsletters are the published SG print issues that expand and explain every short Online Update post. The postal-mail edition is available by paid subscription as noted above. Each provides specific detailed information, exclusive/rare photos, media coverage - all much more than these brief Updates.
This Update is posted to the ShadowGram YahooGroup and is dispersed by interested people to various lists, boards, websites, groups, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LiveJournal, Tumblr, in personal emails and other online/print communications. Please include SG's complete address and subscription information in your sharing.

You can join the actual SG YahooGroup easily at no cost:
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Membership in the group is free and you do not need to be a SG postal-mail subscriber to join.
You can read past SG Online Updates once you're a member of the group by clicking on the "Messages" tab.

If you'd like more information on how to become a SG YahooGroup member, or to get an invitation to join the Group, please e-mail Marcy Robin at ShadowGram@aol.com

Thank you.
Marcy Robin
ShadowGram Editor / Publisher
P.O. Box 1766
Temple City, CA 91780-7766
E-mail: ShadowGram@aol.com
YahooGroup e-mail: ShadowGram1@yahoo.com
Official ShadowGram Website: ShadowGram.com (hopefully to be updated soon)
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SHADOWGRAM (SG) is the * Official * "Dark Shadows" Newsletter. Much of its news is directly provided by the show's personnel and those involved in the 1966-71 TV series, 1991 TV series, and the new DS motion picture, now in production. Established almost 33 years ago in April, 1979, SG works directly with cast/crew and related individuals, companies, and others involved in DS' creation, distribution, promotion, merchandise, etc.
SG print issues are published throughout the year. Time-sensitive bonus breaking-news free published updates may be sent as needed at any time to all current paid postal-mail subscribers.
These brief Update bulletins are posted through the ShadowGram Online "Dark Shadows" News Updates Yahoo Group. See subscription information and contact addresses above.
For more newsletter information or if you have questions, please write with a SASE (Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope) to the above postal-address or e-mail: ShadowGram@aol.com
Thank you.

[jimbo]

Thanks for posting Cousin.  The hotel has sold out the DS block rate of 139.00. The AAA rate is 151.00 and the regular rate is 159.00.

[Annie]

Wow!   everyone  who is going have  a  great time !
                          Love  Anne:)

[DLA75]

I just called and was able to get the $139 Dark Shadows rate.

[jimbo]

Thanks DLA75. What I did learn is that you need to speak directly with the hotel and not its central number which I was transferred to at that time. The central number staff don't have a clue how to handle reservations. After a considerable conversation they agrred that I pay the 139.00 for Friday and Saturday and then pay a 171.00 rate for that Sunday and physically change rooms on that day. I told them that was unacceptable. I then contacted the hotel directly and Hotel Manager Brian was very understanding and made the appropriate accommodations where I will pay 139.00 for all 3 nights without having to change rooms. There is however a question as to if the Dark Shadows Festival rate is full but it appears you can still get same price without mentioning the Festival's name. Thanks for the heads up.

[Teresa]

I got a group email message the other day and accidentally deleted it but it said there was a reunion Friday the 27th of the 1991 series.  A few other friends heard as well but no details.  Is anyone on this board involved in that or aware of where it is held and what the details are?

[Philippe Cordier]

I haven't received anything in the mail yet (I sent in a self-addressed stamped envelope a couple of months back), and hadn't seen this announcement until someone here notified me. So I'm just finding out about this today (March 30). This is several days since Jimbo's post. Is the hotel booked already? If this is in Tarrytown (which I'd love to go to), I imagine this is a much smaller scale than the other DS Fests. If Tarrytown is booked, then, out of luck?

[jimbo]

My general understanding is that the Hotel will honor the DS rate even though the DS Festival block may be sold out which it was when I made the reservation. The main thing is to make sure you are speaking directly with the hotel and ask for Brian, the hotel manager who told me that he will honor the discounted rate. Hope it works out.

[Uncle Roger]

 A mailing would be appreciated at this point. Or at least an update on the Festival website which is still promoting the 2011 event.

[Philippe Cordier]

I did receive my mailing from the Festival yesterday.

I called the hotel on Tuesday using the number provided by ShadowGram. This is the same number found on the website for the Tarrytown Doubletree.

As I went further and further into the menu options, I had the feeling that I was not in Kansas anymore leaving the actual hotel and delving deeper into a national type of phone bank. That seemed to be confirmed when the young woman kept repeating that the reservation I was making was for the Tarrytown, New York DoubleTree, at such-and-such an address.

Anyway, she said that the arrangements for the Dark Shadows rate were good for three days only, Thursday through Saturday. The rate for an additional night, Sunday, would be $256 for that night. I told her that was too much and I didn't know what to do. She recommended I still book for Thursday through Saturday because there were only three rooms left at that rate.

Is that really the arrangement that the Dark Shadows festival made with the hotel? Why weren't they more explicit in their information? For those who must leave on Sunday, are we supposed to bring our suitcase with us to the lunch? What if there is no flight leaving to go back to Kansas home later in the day?

What I really want and had planned to do was stay Sunday night and leave Monday morning.

What can possibly be done? There is no other number to call. They said this is what the rates are.

I don't know, I've never paid $256 for one night in a hotel room before, but maybe I'll have to bite the bullet?

There may be other hotels, but how convenient would that be? I'd prefer to stay at the hotel where the festival events are being held, especially since this would be my first time in Tarrytown.

[jimbo]

Cousin I booked the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tarrytown for $139.00 for three nights including that Sunday for a total of 417.00. I arrive on Friday the 27th and depart Monday morning. It is clear to me that you did not speak with the hotel directly. Yes I agree its menu system is confusing and illogical. I too was told by the hotel central booking that I had to pay that unbelievable price you mentioned for that Sunday. After three attempts I finally got the hotel's manager. I don't remember which menu number I selected. I don't understand why a 914 (NY) area code gets you transferred to another state. They should have made it easier for us to contact the hotel directly. I haven't received any mailing yet for the Fest. Hope you make first contact with the hotel directly.

[LdyAnne]

Call the hotel and ask to speak to the Hotel Manager, Nicely explain your situation and ask them to correct the reservation if you made it or to make one for Friday check out on Monday, that is what I did. DO NOT select the reservation number because they are idiots.

[DLA75]

I was routed to the national reservations center when i called on March 22nd but she sill was able to gave me the Festival Rate.

[michael c]

i understand that this year there will be no dealers room.

that, and the skimpy guest list, and the out of the way location(and the insane behavior of the outer fringes of this fanbase regarding the film)have pretty much killed my enthusiasm for this year's fest...i mean "event".

[Philippe Cordier]

I am so relieved ... I was able to speak with a staff member at the hotel itself through the "O" option on the menu, and she was able to extend my stay through Sunday night at the DS rate. She mentioned something about a few rooms being available so that she could do that, although the DS block had been filled. Not sure how the festival organizers set this up with the hotel.

Well, the first hurdle is over ... next will be finding a flight, deciding on an airport, and figuring out how to get to Tarrytown. Thank you to everyone who helped.