Each year the entire mystery community looks forward to Bouchercon, an annual convention where fans and authors mix and mingle. New friendships are forged, old friendships are renewed. It's like a huge family reunion--1500 strong--and all of the relatives actually like each other. So there is a lot of talking and laughing and first timers like me are thrilled to be with an experienced Bouchercon whiz like our own Clare, who knows all the ins and outs and can find the best parties in seven seconds flat.
I met lots of interesting people and learned ways to strengthen my craft, but those are topics for a future post. Right now I'll share with you the greatest lesson of all. ROOM SERVICE! Where has it been all my life? Oh, I'm sure you are all old hands at picking up the phone in the middle of the night and Voila! well prepared food appears in your room on a tray. I, however, reached my somewhat advanced years without ever saying into a hotel phone the magic words, "Please send a side of mayo with that."
And, lickety split, the hotel kitchen sent the mayo, along with a Crab-cake sandwich and a Lord Baltimore Burger. That was Saturday night. Clare and I got to enjoy our food in the tranquility of our room, dressed in pjs and watching THE GAME. Oh, the luxury. Oh, happy time! Right up to the moment the Sox lost.
Terrie
Sunday, October 12, 2008
What I Learned At Bouchercon
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18 comments:
Crab-cake sandwiches!
You ate a crab!
Just you wait 'til I tell Crabby about that!
Terrie, I have never been to Bouchercon but Patti Abbott's posts and yours have convinced me to make the trek. Oh, and being a Yankees fan -- no comment.
Dawn!
How good to see you! Oh, my goodness. Crabby! What was I thinking?
My only excuse is that I was in Baltimore, Maryland, a city know for it's delicious crab dishes, and well, I got carried away.
Please don't tell. Please don't tell. I promise to be good, at least until I return to Maryland.
Terrie
Oooh, room service. I'd love me some of that.
David,
Bouchercon is worth experiencing. The geography--New York to Baltimore made this one an easy one for me.
Actually, Clare is a member of Red Sox Nation. I am a Mets fan which you might find all the more traitorous given the fact that I was born and raised in the Bronx.
Terrie
df Leah,
Ahhh, yes. I believe that room service is a newly acquired skill that I will not readily relinquish. Now I just have to find reasons to stay at hotels more often. Or perhaps room service is reason enough.
Terrie
Room service!!!! Ah, how I loved it. How I wish I could stay in a hotel again and have room service. ~~sigh~~
And Dawn and I could blackmail you over the crab cakes. What were you thinking!? You'd better hope Crabby doesn't scurry in here and see this post. Sheesh, if I were you, I'd edit that out, toot sweet! I'll never forget the punishment I received from her when I posted a recipe for crab dip!! I'll never make THAT mistake again!
Terrie-
Nice quickie! We had a terrific time meeting and carousing, and for all of you wondering, Terrie's a wonderful roommate who sleeps like a quiet little angel, not a drooling buzz saw like some I've had. I'm recommending her highly- 4 stars! We'd partied ourselves into early PJs and room service by the last night. Red Sox Nation- as repped by me- soared obnoxiously in victory on Friday and was laid accordingly low by tragedy on Saturday.
But does this whole Crabby-reaction mean I shouldn't mention our other dinner of spicy crab quesadillas?
Mmmmm...crabcakes...but Terrie, you didn't mention the best thing about room service--no dishes!
Can't wait to hear more about the conference!
Terrie, you really shouldn't have mentioned the crab! I won't tell, but Sis can't keep her mouth shut ;)
Room service! *sigh* Actually, I need maid service right now a little more than room service, but that's not gonna happen either! Sounds like you had fun!
New Yorkers rooting on the Red Sox. I didn't know that ever happened.
I'm a transplant, Travis, who dated and married into a Mass. family many years ago. Terrie, a noble Mets fan, was kind to me. Not all the Yankees fans were so warm-hearted when I showed up in my Boston wear, which made the bar scene twice as much fun!
df Bag Lady,
I think it's too late to edit. I'd have to pull the comments as well and you are all having a lot of fun anticipating my punishment, so I'll just have to be strong.
Reb, I knew you could be trusted. Glad you warned me about Bag Lady. I'll watch what I say in front of her hence forward.
Terrie
Laura,
You are so right!!! Dishes. We put them back on the tray and left the tray outside the door. And they disappeared. I wonder how I could make that happen in my house.
Clare,
We were a great team and I would travel with you again in a heartbeat. Now that I've let the crab out of the bag, I guess we should come clean about the quesadillas.
Travis,
New York has very porous borders. Being an open-minded population, we have learned to accept sports fans of all different jerseys be it baseball, football, hockey, basketball, whatever. They may be misguided but once they get here they are our friends and neighbors, and there is the First Amendment, after all.
Terrie
Oh no, Craaaaab cakes!!!!!!!
(Actually, I'm a sometimes cannibalistic crab myself, so you're not in any trouble on my account. What can I say, we're mighty tasty critters).
Glad it was a great conference. And Room Service is one of those things I discovered late in life too!
Hi Crabby,
Whew! That's a relief. I guess honesty is the best policy!
Terrie
Hey! Just wanted you to know I didn't tell!! I didn't. Really. Zipped it right up......
I'm proud of you for keeping it zipped.
And wasn't I lucky that Crabby was in a good mood when she got here.
Terrie
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