Shadowgram Update #167 (Fest Dates & Location)

[Midnite]

That's because we're too busy gearing up for the 40th anniversary of the arrival of Quentin Collins next year. 

Amen to that!

Thanks, Bobubas. 

[CyrusL]

For those of you who have been to Tarrytown before--

I'm thinking of going to this year's fest. I want to go, but things haven't been taken care of just yet on my end. So, what I'm wanting to know is:

1. What's Tarrytown like? Is it town-ish, or is it more bustling and busy?
2. Are thing far away from the hotel? Is the hotel in the "city"?
3. Would you recommend driving? (I don't think I could get mum on a plane, and the train from here would be like $300!!!)

Any other help you could provide would be great! Thanks!

Hello everyone here at the DSBoards. I apologize for my long absence and I have missed everyone. Nothing sinister, I will make another post elsewhere soon on some personal notes.

I fully realize the Tarrytown show is not the best venue for many of the fans, perhaps even a majority. However, for Diane and I its is serendipity. We had not planned on going to California this year, and this sudden decision will actually allow us to attend, mainly we being east coasters and can drive up.

To give my input on Brandon's queries, ...
1.) Tarrytown is small town-like, but one of a series of villages up and down the Hudson. Its kind of the edge or suburbia and a mountain/valley spots. The roads can get congested at times because many of them were never designed for much traffic.
2.) As someone previously noted, the hotel is outside the actual town, so not much of anything is accessible by walking, or really safe to walk to. It is pretty adjacent to the state (is it interstate) highway, right off the exit.
3.) Unlike the NYC shows, or the Hollywood show, this spot is best served by driving. Otherwise, as noted, dining is severely restricted.

On dining, Diane and I had good luck with the nearby El Dorado dinner, I never expect NY prices to be Waffle House anyway, anymore than I would expect Elvis's "American Trilogy" to be on the jukebox there either.  Likewise, if you do drive into Tarrytown Sleepy Hallow, I also recommend "The Horseman" Diner, about 10 minutes from the Marriott.

On the Marriott, on the downside, we also had one day where it took about an hour to get some sandwiches at their grill. They seemed totally unprepared for the convention, but breakfast there was okay. on the upside, they have a pretty nice pool which is indoors but had a skylight that opened when the weather accommodates.

Again, if you have a car, you can cross over the Tappan Zee Bridge over to NJ and there is an "Uber-Mall," probably one of the 4-5 biggest in the US. It has a large number of eateries like a Chinese buffet and a Cheescake Factory. They have pretty much one of any mall store you might want, from Sears and Macy's to Brookstones and Best Buy or some such. It takes maybe 15 minutes to get there.

The Washington Irving home just south of Lyndhurst was pretty cool place to drop by. The house itself was pretty unique and you not only get some insight on Irving and what made him a pioneer American writer, but some real perspective on life on the Hudson in the early 19th century.

The Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is well worth a visit. Somewhere in there are the Mausoleums used in the first movie. Maybe one day, someone can tell me specifically which one, lol.  Nonetheless, the first part of the cemetery has the old Dutch section where the real person who inspired "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" characters are resting. We lucked upon a guided tour once, I can't guarantee when or if they still have them. Washington Irving himself is close by the old church too. Some other of the notables interred there include Elizabeth Arden, Andrew Carnegie, Walter Chrysler, Parker Fennely, Samuel Gompers, William Rockefeller and Harry Helmsley.

You can daytrip from Tarrytown up to Poughkepsie, home of the Culinary Institute of America and college. West Point is also less than two hours away and has two types of tours, a short 2-3 hours, and a longer more extensive one as well. We took the shorter one and still had a great time. It has a tenuous connection to DS in that Edgar Allan Poe once attended there and they will debunk the common myth that he was expelled for spending too much time at Benny Havens Tavern. Quite honestly, the whole drive we did up the river and back down again has really stuck with me for the past few years as enjoyable and well worth it.

Again, the last Tarrytown Show did have a different feel from the NY/CA shows, but I think you can make the most of it. Anyway, Diane and I think if these shows, as I've said before, as like "family reunions" of the DS fans. For that reason alone, we'd hate to miss it.

Michael

[loril54]

It is another milestone this year and I'm surprised no one has mentioned it: this year marks the 40th anniversary of the arrival of Barnabas Collins.

That was one reason I was hoping it was going to be on the west coast, I was thnking of going. OH Well I hope they have a tape. I'm getting old I am repeating myself.

Hey don't forget the 18th of this month a Wednesday. JF arriving with a hat.

[MsCriseyde]

Booked! Even if the show is a wash, it'll be a nice couple days in New England for me and the wife. That's a cute little area up there.

Umm, Tarrytown and the rest of the state of New York are not considered to be part of New England. I know someone on here from Maine who will probably have a heart attack if she sees this. (She also gets really bent out of shape about Tom Bosley's accent on Murder, She Wrote, so I reference it frequently.)  But it is most definitely a cute area. 

[Phil]

I WILL be glad to be able to bring my own bottle of WATER on the plane with me (plane water--EW!!!).

AS long as you buy it after security's checkpoint. There are recent regulations about bringing liquids. It's a pain.

With certain exceptions for prescription and over-the-counter medicines, baby formula and breast milk, and other essential liquids, gels, and aerosols, the following rules apply to all liquids, gels, and aerosols you want to carry through a security checkpoint.

All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in three-ounce or smaller containers. Larger containers that are half-full or toothpaste tubes rolled up are not allowed. Each container must be three ounces or smaller.
All liquids, gels and aerosols must be placed in a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Gallon size bags or bags that are not zip-top such as fold-over sandwich bags are not allowed. Each traveler can use only one, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag.
Each traveler must remove their quart-sized plastic, zip-top bag from their carry-on and place it in a bin or on the conveyor belt for X-ray screening. X-raying separately will allow TSA security officers to more easily examine the declared items.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

That's because we're too busy gearing up for the 40th anniversary of the arrival of Quentin Collins next year.

Lies, lies, lies!! Everyone knows that the really big and most important anniversary that people are already gearing up for is the 40th anniversary of the arrival of Amanda Harris in 2009!!    Everything else pales in comparison. And how could it possibly be otherwise?! Barnabas?? Julia?? Angelique?? Quentin?? Mere footnotes in DS history!! 

[loril54]

How about Roger Davis, is there someone that might want to remember him.

Not quite as good as Julia and Barnabas and Sarah. There is Jerry Lacy, he played some charactors we loved to hate. .

[MsCriseyde]

Everyone knows that the really big and most important anniversary that people are already gearing up for is the 40th anniversary of the arrival of Amanda Harris in 2009!!

I thought you were going to complain about how the pen was snubbed last year. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Compared to Amanda, even THE pen is simply a footnote. 

[adamsgirl]

Well, getting back to the 40th anniversary of the appearance of Jonathan Frid as Barnabas on DS, who wants to guess that he could be the "mystery guest?" Me? My money's on that!

[loril54]

It would be quite a feat if he came, with his recent fall and his age I don't think he would want to fly, maybe in a private plane, but I don't think that the fest would cover that. He might send a Video tape or another phone call. But I would llike to be wrong. Even though I couldn't be there.

[Phil]

Doesn't he live near Toronto? It's a multiple hour drive, but it could be done.

[adamsgirl]

Yes, he lives in Canada, but I'm not sure of the exact locale, although Toronto sounds about right. As far as his health goes, from what I hear, he's still very much a vibrant, active gentleman. I think he's more than up to attending, and what a treat that would be for us fans! Again, I'm betting he's the mystery guest.

[loril54]

I didn't mean that JF was in poor health, just meant that as you get older it harder and harder to get a round. I'm over 50 and I use a black quad cane. Go look at Jonathan Web page and the funny charicature. http://www.jonathanfrid.com/main06.htm.

[MsCriseyde]

Let's beat a dead horse some more. 

In all of this talk of how LA is somehow "owed" a Festival, while the rest of us schmucks in the middle of the country have to fly no matter what, folks seem to be forgetting that there was another DS-related event besides the Halloween party. John Karlen, Lara Parker, and Kathryn Leigh Scott did a February signing of the DS audios in Burbank. True, it's not a full-fledged Fest, but it's difficult to buy into the notion that fans in LA are somehow lacking in opportunities to attend DS-related events.