Yet another half a year is gone, filled with some pretty fun events!
Both the NY&NJ Gem Show and the Chiller Theatre did not work out, unfortunately - spring colds are no fun. But all other events, shows and conventions were totally awesome!
The three convention heavy hitters this year undeniably were the Creation's Chicago and Las Vegas conventions and the Wizard World's Philadelphia Comic Con. The Chicago Convention was the first time I have done a VIP Experience (which included the in-person meet & greets with all attending celebrities!). Las Vegas rocked as always, and this year even more than usual as Creation has stepped up their game significantly in preparation for the upcoming 50th Anniversary of Star Trek. And the Philly Comic Con gave us the rare and unprecedented appearance of Whoopi Goldberg. Because of her, as well as the appearance of Matt Smith, this fairly sizeable pop culture event was, for a change, heavily overrun by Trekkies and Whovians, which admittedly was deeply, deeply satisfying!
Shatner's World was just as good as I remembered; I sincerely hope that there will be a DVD release of this show.
Eddie Izzard is without a doubt one of the funniest people ever - the concert was simply brilliant!
Bill Nye is awesome. I am very glad that he is back in New York. The show was FUN. Because Science!!!
AMNH continues to impress with its exhibits and members programs. An Evening in the Cosmos with Neil deGrasse Tyson was a wonderful photo essay describing the creation and production of the new Cosmos series. Excellent job! Also, I finally had a chance to see the Pterosaurs and Spiders Alive! exhibitions. All perfectly executed, except one nag from me - there really should be an age limit on Spiders Alive!. Most toddlers either were too small to understand, or too bored, or too scared. In any case, screaming kids are not particularly conducive to fun museum experience.
I had a fantastic opportunity to take an Architecture Tour with AIANY last Friday. A complete circumnavigation of the Manhattan Island with a running commentary by an architect from the AIA. If ever in NYC, check it out, very much worth the time and the money!
Coming up in the fall:
September 22nd - Façade Face-Off: NYC and Beyond, an Urban Green Council conference
October 10th - leading up to the New York Comic Con is the cool New York Super Week, as part of which there is going to be a reunion of the Cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation Moderated by William Shatner! I am not going to NYCC this year but this event certainly makes up for it!
October 14th - You Are Here with Astronaut Chris Hadfield at the AMNH
October 20th - A Decade at Saturn with Carolyn Porco at the AMNH
October 24th - 26th - the fall Chiller Theatre
December 4th - It's Only a Play, a new Broadway play with some amazing actors
Hopefully, there will also be some more great events at the AMNH. Also, with luck I'll be able to see a small exhibit of Hokusai Manga at Marquand Library in Princeton University.