My Fest Report

[Brandon Collins]

As promised in another thread, I have put my fest report from this year and last year up on a website. I've also put up all the pictures from both years, so if you didn't see my pictures from last year, feel free to check them out.

This year's fest report should be all set to go. The pictures, however, are another story. Most of them show up when the page loads, but some of them don't show up. It's nearing 1am here now, and I'm too tired to continue to deal with them at this point, so I'll try to fix them tomorrow when I find time, and I'll let you know when I get them working so you can have a look at the last few.

Please allow time for the pages to load, because there is A LOT of information on both the fest report pages and picture pages.

I'd appreciate any questions or comments you have, good or bad.

Oh, and here's the link to the website: www.freewebs.com/dsfest/home.html

Enjoy!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Unfortunately, when I try to access the individual sections I keep receiving the error:

We're sorry, the page you are looking for does not exist. Please check the URL and try again.

But I'll definitely keep checking back. 

[Nancy]

Brandon, I enjoyed reading your report and seeing the photos.  I'm so sorry we did not meet.

nancy

[Midnite]

Wow, that was a lot of work for you Brandon, so please know that it's appreciated.  I thoroughly enjoyed your report and pictures and think your Lyndhurst photos are gorgeous.  BTW, some browsers don't show the links to your photos; Explorer displays all 3 links clearly, but in Firefox I have to highlight the area beyond the Home link in order to see them.

P.S.  Thank you for opening the pool house gate. 

[Gothick]

Good grief, the banquet line was routed OUTSIDE the hotel!  What would have happened if it had been blustery weather?  (*pictures wigs, bustles and veils windmilling across the highway pursued by shrieking damsels in very great sartorial distress*)

Great series of shots, Brandon!  I'm glad you had such a good time.  When opportunity arises, do go to Newport RI and see the original Collinwood.  It's an experience every true fan needs to have.  It is visible from the famous Cliff Walk (but beware the wails of the Widows!).

I wish there were more pictures of the Golden Girls.  Their skit last year was an absolute hoot!  I wish Mr. Frid had been able to see it, even though he is probably unaware of who the Golden Girls are.

G.

[Brandon Collins]

Gothick, I do want to take a trip up to RI sometime and see the original Collinwood. I might have the chance sometime soon, hopefully, because I'm looking at colleges up that way, and one is in Conneticut!

Midnite--Not sure what I can do about the different browsers having problems. I'm savvy enough in HTML to get that website up there, but I'm not freewheelin' savvy, lol. Best I can do is if anyone else has problems viewing the pictures, I can provide them a link to my photobucket account where all the pictures are housed. And I'm glad you took advantage of the gate being open! lol!

Nancy--Next year, for sure, we will sit and talk, DEFINITELY! I'm going to spend the time between now and then thinking of some way we can all easily identify each other, because I missed out on meeting many from these forums.

[Midnite]

Brandon, Firefox users need only highlight the space after the Home link to see your Photos link.

I wish there were more pictures of the Golden Girls.  Their skit last year was an absolute hoot!

Ask and ye shall get.  Sophia vs. Angelique, my money is on Sophia.

(John Schaefer as Dorothy, Richard Halpern as Barnabas, Peter Mac as Sophia, Lara Parker as Angelique, Walter Down as Willie)

[arashi]

Wow! Really nice report Brandon! Glad you had a good time at the fest. Isn't Lyndhurst a beautiful house?

[Gothick]

Peter's stance as Sophia and his suit makes me think of Grayson (I suppose that's inevitable for me...) Jaw-droppingly fabulous!

Thanks, Midnite.  You're a doll!

Any comments about Lara's shoes?  Does she shop at PRADA???

I can just hear the banter now:  "Very well, since you refuse to give me a discount, you shall have your little retail price... but NOT as you would have wanted it ... I puh-ROMISE you that!"

winking, G.

[ProfStokes]

Excellent website, Brandon!  Thank you so much for taking the time to write a Fest report (I know how effortful it can be) and share your pictures. I appreciate that you've put all of your reports in one place; it will make a valuable resource for fans.

The spidery red writing against the black background is a little hard to read, but that's the only drawback as far as I'm concerned.  Again, you have a wonderful site. 

ProfStokes

[Brandon Collins]

Arashi and ProfStokes--glad you enjoyed the fest report!

Someone else mentioned that the color of the text made it hard to read. The color's name is, no lie, "blood red". I may change it if I can find something I like better.

[Midnite]

Any comments about Lara's shoes?  Does she shop at PRADA???

I can just hear the banter now:  "Very well, since you refuse to give me a discount, you shall have your little retail price... but NOT as you would have wanted it ... I puh-ROMISE you that!"

Heehee, Gothick.

Don't know if you noticed that she's clutching a copy of "The Salem Branch."  I can't say why-- I didn't notice that it was part of the skit.  But it made me think of another, older skit in which another Collinsport Player portrayed KLS and hilariously strutted across the stage imploring, "Buy my books." 

[jennifer]

Wow! Really nice report Brandon! Glad you had a good time at the fest. Isn't Lyndhurst a beautiful house?

great report Brandon
having been there on the hudson river just a few weeks ago when there was just about 5 people
on the grounds it is hard for me to picture the crowd. the house is lovely and i loved rose cottage
jennifer

[Brandon Collins]

Yea, it was quite a site to see all those DS fanatics strolling around the grounds, but it was really cool. I just couldn't get over how much smaller the house is than what we see on screen. I must've remarked about that at least 100 times throughout the day. Just goes to show you what a wide and off-center angle can do for a place!

You know, I should've known it wasn't going to be extremely huge, because the show's studio was so small, and it looks gigantic on the episodes.

[Misty]

Great report and fabulous pictures. It also appears that the usual problems remained with the banquet. I hope the food was better than the one I attended in '03. What a thrill it must have been to see and hear Mr. Frid. Thank you for what must have been a lot of work putting all this together.

                                                                                 M isty