2007 Fest

[borgosi]

  We got back around 3PM yesterday. After all was over, including JF signing on Sunday morning we drove to Seaview Terrace at Newport R.I. to see the "real" Collinwood. We hit the road about 10:30 Sunday morning. It made for a long drive but it was very much worth it. I even got me some rocks from the beach below Widow's Hill!
  It was my first going to a DS fest and I couldn't be happier. Everything about it was super great. I even enjoyed standing in the long lines. They gave me a chance to talk with other DS fans inperson and that doesn't happen alot. I'm happy about every cent that I spent.
  I started trying to talk me wife into going next year last night. My daughter is in Ca. but I think she'll be back before then. Her husband is in the Navy and he's in school there. It would make it easier if they were still going to be there. As for me I'm still going to try.

A big "thank you" goes out to everybody that worked on this. You all did a great job.

[borgosi]

As for the new DS, I think Keira Knightly and Charlize Theron and both beauitful women and they could do justice to the parts with the right script. However I don't believe there are ANY ladies around today that ARE as beautiful as KLS or LP. And I mean that in every sense of the word.

  It is true that I've had a crush on the ladies for 40 years or so, and maybe I still do, but that's still how I feel about it.

[Midnite]

I just want to publicly state here how grateful I am to Nancy Kersey for all she did to make this happen and for her unbelievable hard work during the event. She deserves a plaque or something -- hey! A medal -- and even that wouldn't begin to cover it. She was a trouper, through and through!

Yep, great job, Nancy.  Thank you for making it happen!  And Bobbi put in so much hard work, too.

I just knew that I read somewhere that there would be another replica of Collinwood there this year. Jim should've said something about it!

Now I'm all disappointed lol.

Aw, bummer, Brandon.  Jim did announce it, but that was right after the skit by the Collinsport Players.  Since the skit was rescheduled to follow the Reader's Theater instead of precede it (presumably so as to not delay Frid any longer,) a good deal of the audience-- many of them no doubt anxious to prepare for the banquet-- had already exited, and I'm guessing that's why you didn't hear the announcement.  Which is a shame, since the skit was really worth seeing.  Even if you'd seen last year's "Golden Shadows," this year's script was updated with a few modern references and rewritten to include an appearance by Angelique (played by Lara Parker).  More on one of those new jokes a little later... 

And wow, thanks to Joeytrom, arashi, and jimbo for sharing your Fest pics.  arashi, congrats on your auction win.

Lovely seeing, from the Forums:  Teresalita, ReneeC, arashi, AngeliqueWins, Raineypark, Mary, jimbo, Evan Hanley, mscbryk, Miranda, Selby_D._Pearson, sheenasma, MsCriseyde, Dawn, EmeraldRose, CyrusL, adamsgirl, LdyAnne, Nancy, JVjr, BuzzH, Karlenfan, John_in_SC, Nancybe, Bette, Julia99, Bobubas, clevergirl, Charles_Ellis, Cassandra, darkshadowsrick, Shadowlady, D_Friedlander, CrazyJenny, Stuart, johnpeternyc, DarkShadowsFestMC, The Ghost of Sarah Collins, Connie, LoveAtFirstBITE, VAM, and KathleenResch.

Gothick, the "DS: The First Year" book is that reprint of "The History of DS 66-67" we waited ages for.  I bought it for the pictures, actually.  The summaries of the 2 books end within an ep of each other; DS:TFY finishes with #210.  You can buy it via the Fest site.  And we missed you loads, baby.

Housefly Cameo, were you able to find the remains of Spratt House??!!

Aristede11, welcome!

[Gothick]

Let me add to everyone's kudos to Joeytron for the grand selection of photos.  I finally had the chance to look at them today and they're a marvelous evocation of the event.  Was Terrayne Crawford there?  I saw a woman in one snap that looked a lot like her.

Midnite, thanks for the nice note.  I'm afraid I had completely forgotten the DS 66/67 book!  My interest in the new publication mainly revolves around the photos, early ABC publicity material, and any anecdotes they were able to cull from this generally neglected period in the series history.

G.

[Midnite]

The banquet... my GOD! There were WAY too many people there. Ballroom capacity was 317 according to a plaque on the wall. There were 850 people and tables crammed inside. There was barely any room to move between the tables. I am horrified by the thought of what would have happened had a fire broken out. People would probably have been killed. I think the banquet should have been handled differently. Not to mention the fact that as we lined up for dinner, all 850 of us, we were kept waiting outside in line for over an hour and a half before we were permitted inside.

Was headed out to dinner on Saturday night, the car was behind the hotel on the left side, and as we approached we saw a line of people reaching almost that far.  And then the realization hit that this was the end of the banquet line that began on the right side of the hotel-- yeah, it snaked all the way behind the building.  OMG!!

[Midnite]

I remember seeing Charlize on an award show and thinking that she looked exactly like Lara Parker...

And you started this topic!--

Separated at Birth: Charlize and Lara?

[Phil]

Housefly Cameo, were you able to find the remains of Spratt House??!!

Nope, never heard any hints from anyone as where to look, so I didn't try, and went to the Sleepy Hollow cemetary instead.

I got some chunks of Seaview roof from Jim Pierson, though.  Now what the hell do I do with them?

[barnabasjr]

Wow, it sounds like everyone had such a great time! Thanks to all of you for your descriptive posts and pictures, and special kudos to Nancy! I had the pleasure of meeting Jonathan at my first fest in 93 so I understand the excitement you all must have experienced this time, particularly after such a lengthy absence, and I'm really happy for all of you.

John

[LdyAnne]

Midnight

It was great to see you! hope your foot is better. All I can say is DON'T Lean on the Door and Watch out for the gap!!!!
 
LdyAnne

[Brandon Collins]

No, I was there during the skit at this year's fest, Midnite. I wasn't going to stay, but I liked last years so much that I didn't mind sitting through it again. And that joke about DC's black book was PRICELESS!

I must've just got up too fast at the end to rush out and get ready for the banquet, and that's probably why I didn't hear Pierson announce it.

[Midnite]

Nope, never heard any hints from anyone as where to look, so I didn't try, and went to the Sleepy Hollow cemetary instead.

That's too bad, but I understand your not wanting to try.  I searched on Friday without enough information, so we found the remains of a fountain but not THE fountain.  Other fans were arriving as we pulled out, so I wondered if you were one of them.  But after someone directed us from the first fountain, we returned on Saturday to quick success.  So if you return, please don't hesitate to ask your question again.  I heard that GPS coordinates might be out there too.

I got some chunks of Seaview roof from Jim Pierson, though.  Now what the hell do I do with them?

LOL!  Some fans have said they use them as display bases, I think.  I just put mine away.

[Janet the Wicked]

We got back around 3PM yesterday. After all was over, including JF signing on Sunday morning we drove to Seaview Terrace at Newport R.I. to see the "real" Collinwood. We hit the road about 10:30 Sunday morning. It made for a long drive but it was very much worth it. I even got me some rocks from the beach below Widow's Hill!

Now when you watch the first season of DS, with all the location shots, you can say that you've been there.

[Midnite]

Midnight

It was great to see you! hope your foot is better. All I can say is DON'T Lean on the Door and Watch out for the gap!!!!
 

ROFL!  It's fine, thanks-- that'll teach me to follow MsCriseyde and sheenasma into the city and not change out of the heels first, but it was fun, and oh boy, things are never dull when your group is on the move, are they?  The event on the train was one of the funniest damn things I've ever seen!!!!!  (I'm still laughing... Should we wait for the girls to return before telling the story? )

I'm so glad you stayed for the skit, Brandon.  I wish I could've met you. 

[Phil]

But after someone directed us from the first fountain, we returned on Saturday to quick success.  So if you return, please don't hesitate to ask your question again.  I heard that GPS coordinates might be out there too.

Well, help me out!! I pass by the mansion about every other month. Did you have to pay again to get on the grounds when you went back? Did you even have to go through the entrance to Lyndhurst to get to it?

[Midnite]

HC,

I paid a $3 grounds fee when I returned.  And yes, I used the main entrance, then drove past the mansion.  The ruins are to the South of it.