hey what up? This is Ernie Layug from "The Fan's POV" and this is a blog that should have been written this past wednesday, but i'm lazy and I forgot to type it up. So, three days later i'm typing up this up now.
May 5th, I arrived to Chicago's Midway on my Southwest airplane at 745am Central Standard Time. I remember going to the baggage claim and seeing that my bags were one of the last to arrive, that was bad. However, I have a good excuse for being late to the claim. I had to take a number one. Anyways, I went to get my rental car and all of a sudden i'm taking a survey of where I work and where am I located. It took over 10 minutes later than it should have, but I got my car on the second floor of the airport. The funny thing is that I was on the South Side of Chicago, where the White Sox reign king, as opposed to the North Side, where the Cubs rule, and I was wearing a shirt that said "Wrigley Field" (where the Cubs play). I was in the elevator with someone and they told me that I was in the wrong part of town. I told him that no one would be saying that as soon as I crossover Madison St. I had a Cubs game later that day.
So, I got into my rental car and i took FOREVER to get to my hotel. Mostly because it was during rush hour and I had to go into the heart of Chicago, in order to check into my hotel in Rosemont. This is where I thank god that my GPS works on my phone. It was a little difficult, but it was able to get me to my destination. When I arrived at my hotel, my first thought was to check in and get ready to head out to the ball game. However, my room wasn't ready yet. Therefore I was stuck looking for the train station. It took me a while, but I got it and on my way I went to see the Chicago Cubs take on the San Francisco Giants. The end result is that they lost the game. Later on that night, I went back to my hotel, checked in and went back to the city to see the Buckingham fountain. It was beautiful and it was where I shot the opening scene to "A Taste of Chicago". I was listening to "Better Days" by Goo Goo Dolls, which is a great up-lifting song and watching it with the fountain was amazing. I suggest you try it one day.
I had to make it fast, cause this was suppose to be up two weeks ago. Anyways, the next day arrives after a good night. I woke up from my hotel room to a packed day of sightseeing and being an annoying New York tourist. The city isn't as packed as it should be for over 6 million people in one area. I ended up going to the top of the tallest building in North America, "The Sears Tower". They said it would take a minute and it did. The view is absoutely gorgeous. You have to go there, whenever you are in Chicago. Before you go up, you have your picture taken. I think people will get a kick out of it when they see it. Afterwards, I went across the river to eat at the original Pizzera Uno's. I was totally excepting it to be packed, however it was a calm day. I'm thinking that it's early spring and not alot of people were ready to go out for a walk, just yet.
After that, I went to the Navy Pier. It's sort of tourist-style area, it reminds me of the Santa Monica Pier. It has a park with a ferris wheel, which I had to go on. My friend Chris is afraid of ferris wheel and I don't blame him. However, I got to the top and wanted to see the view, which was great also. Six dollars, well spent. After that, I headed to Millenmium Park and The Art Institute to finish up filming and then head over to US Cellular Field for a White Sox game. Unfortunately, the game got rained out and scheduled for another day, to which I can not be there for. So, I have to sell my ticket.
Anyways, that was my adventure in Chi-Town. I wanted to visit more, I just did not have the time to do so. Definitely have to take another trip out there with the next year or two.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Anime Central 2009 - The Blog
Hey guys, what up? This is Ernie Layug from "The Fan's POV" and typing in our blog for our Mother's Day Weekend that we spent in "The Second City". Well, it was an amazing time, other than when I got pissed, but i'm not gonna go emo and tell you about it. I would rather tell you the good things about ACen and then the GREAT things aboot ACen. So, let's begin.
The good things about ACen was the registration line was the quickest I have ever been through for a big con, the soap bubble, meeting all the different cosplayers, and having a great time not bumping into people with my camera. The pre-reg line was definitely something that other cons should look at. It was the smoothest (if that's a word) line I have ever been through. There were some mistakes like when they forgot to put up the different letters for will-call tickets, but even though that line went by fast. I was talking to somebody on the line and told me that people waited over 8 hours last year to pick up their badge. Are you kidding me? You must really love this convention if you waited in line for 8 hours to pick up your badge or demanded your money back. I'm hoping that Anime Boston learns from this from what I heard last year, this should be reported.
The Soap Bubble was a rave basically. I was kind of disappointed, but it was more a joking disappointed that soap bubbles didn't fall down from the ceiling to wash everyone. I wanted to see that, this way I can say that I went to a "Spring Break" type party. The hijinks on the line before was even before cause it looked like everyone was bored and when I came along the lines with a camera and asking everyone to make some noise, they were excited. Even the last people on line there were excited. It was great. Afterwards, I went to Denny's to eat and then I have to drive back pass the convention center to get back to my hotel. When I got to the convention center and saw the line, it was still outside and this was 45 minutes after I left. The Soap Bubble was the place to be at Saturday Night and the shit.
When I met all the different cosplayers there, it was a breath of fresh air cause it was good to meet a whole new crop of cosplayers. When you report on conventions throughout the East Coast, you have a tendency to see the same people over and over. This way you may not get alot of interviews, this time I did get a good amount. I'm hoping to get those interviews up on May 21st during "The Aftershow". This is where our staff choose the best interviews from the weekend and i'll play them. In all reality, it would probably be just me picking them all. You'll find my interview in there, but they were definitely some of the female ones. Just to be a guy for a moment, some of the female cosplayers were HOT, wearing little clothing, and LEGAL! Anyways, the interviews will be posted up soon and then everyone will know the QUESTION OF THE CON. Trust me, you will all love it. Here's the hint, Illinois is the number one state to have this. With the cosplayers, there was one thing I notice. THEY WERE CALM! There wasn't alot of running alot and causing chaos that i'm use to at a convention. Unless a convention is usually like that, and i'm around the craziness alot.
Those were the good things and now the GREAT THINGS, the masquerade hijinks, the fashion show, and dealer's room. The Masquerade hijinks were great cause everything that went wrong was the best part. The greatest part was when the audio broke down and everyone starting singing the rickroll. The people who were on stage for the skit itself were dancing and then they started dancing to "Just Dance" by our resident White Asian Steven's favorite white singer LADY GAGA. It was a good time, another part that I liked was the beginning when the MCs kept on getting the name of the event wrong. It's so overused, but still gets the job done. I found this hilarious and distrubing, a guy with a bikini top was dancing like he was trying to get a dollar out of me. Let me tell you that this guy moved his hips just as well as some of the girls that I know. He almost did, I got my wallet out to give him a dollar and then I realized that I was straight. So, the masquerade hijinks are always better than the actual masquerade.
The fashion show was awesome because it was cool to finally see what the difference is between all the styles. I didn't know that there were different style of Lolita, until this convention. It would to see that there are guy models to show how can guys wear these styles too. However, I would have to have a fashion sense and God knows I don't have one. So, that is out of the question. What I usually do is incorporate what I see and try to make my own style. I might take some Steam Punk and then make it my own fashion style and call it "The Philippines' best export". Who knows? Anything is possible in the anime world. If I can get laid during a convention, then anything is up for grabs.
The Dealer's Room was AWESOME. There were vendors there that I have recognize and new ones that I am aboot to discover. The oddest part of the Dealer's room was the car show. Personally, I don't think an anime convention is the best place to have a car show. It's very out of place, but then again so am I. That's a different story for a different day. I didn't buy anything from the dealer's room, but i did get alot of memories from there.
So, there was my favorite parts of Anime Central 2009. I'm sure that there are more, but i'm forgetting them at the moment. I'll talk to you all later
The good things about ACen was the registration line was the quickest I have ever been through for a big con, the soap bubble, meeting all the different cosplayers, and having a great time not bumping into people with my camera. The pre-reg line was definitely something that other cons should look at. It was the smoothest (if that's a word) line I have ever been through. There were some mistakes like when they forgot to put up the different letters for will-call tickets, but even though that line went by fast. I was talking to somebody on the line and told me that people waited over 8 hours last year to pick up their badge. Are you kidding me? You must really love this convention if you waited in line for 8 hours to pick up your badge or demanded your money back. I'm hoping that Anime Boston learns from this from what I heard last year, this should be reported.
The Soap Bubble was a rave basically. I was kind of disappointed, but it was more a joking disappointed that soap bubbles didn't fall down from the ceiling to wash everyone. I wanted to see that, this way I can say that I went to a "Spring Break" type party. The hijinks on the line before was even before cause it looked like everyone was bored and when I came along the lines with a camera and asking everyone to make some noise, they were excited. Even the last people on line there were excited. It was great. Afterwards, I went to Denny's to eat and then I have to drive back pass the convention center to get back to my hotel. When I got to the convention center and saw the line, it was still outside and this was 45 minutes after I left. The Soap Bubble was the place to be at Saturday Night and the shit.
When I met all the different cosplayers there, it was a breath of fresh air cause it was good to meet a whole new crop of cosplayers. When you report on conventions throughout the East Coast, you have a tendency to see the same people over and over. This way you may not get alot of interviews, this time I did get a good amount. I'm hoping to get those interviews up on May 21st during "The Aftershow". This is where our staff choose the best interviews from the weekend and i'll play them. In all reality, it would probably be just me picking them all. You'll find my interview in there, but they were definitely some of the female ones. Just to be a guy for a moment, some of the female cosplayers were HOT, wearing little clothing, and LEGAL! Anyways, the interviews will be posted up soon and then everyone will know the QUESTION OF THE CON. Trust me, you will all love it. Here's the hint, Illinois is the number one state to have this. With the cosplayers, there was one thing I notice. THEY WERE CALM! There wasn't alot of running alot and causing chaos that i'm use to at a convention. Unless a convention is usually like that, and i'm around the craziness alot.
Those were the good things and now the GREAT THINGS, the masquerade hijinks, the fashion show, and dealer's room. The Masquerade hijinks were great cause everything that went wrong was the best part. The greatest part was when the audio broke down and everyone starting singing the rickroll. The people who were on stage for the skit itself were dancing and then they started dancing to "Just Dance" by our resident White Asian Steven's favorite white singer LADY GAGA. It was a good time, another part that I liked was the beginning when the MCs kept on getting the name of the event wrong. It's so overused, but still gets the job done. I found this hilarious and distrubing, a guy with a bikini top was dancing like he was trying to get a dollar out of me. Let me tell you that this guy moved his hips just as well as some of the girls that I know. He almost did, I got my wallet out to give him a dollar and then I realized that I was straight. So, the masquerade hijinks are always better than the actual masquerade.
The fashion show was awesome because it was cool to finally see what the difference is between all the styles. I didn't know that there were different style of Lolita, until this convention. It would to see that there are guy models to show how can guys wear these styles too. However, I would have to have a fashion sense and God knows I don't have one. So, that is out of the question. What I usually do is incorporate what I see and try to make my own style. I might take some Steam Punk and then make it my own fashion style and call it "The Philippines' best export". Who knows? Anything is possible in the anime world. If I can get laid during a convention, then anything is up for grabs.
The Dealer's Room was AWESOME. There were vendors there that I have recognize and new ones that I am aboot to discover. The oddest part of the Dealer's room was the car show. Personally, I don't think an anime convention is the best place to have a car show. It's very out of place, but then again so am I. That's a different story for a different day. I didn't buy anything from the dealer's room, but i did get alot of memories from there.
So, there was my favorite parts of Anime Central 2009. I'm sure that there are more, but i'm forgetting them at the moment. I'll talk to you all later
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