Chicago TARDIS 2015

If you read my last post, you'll know that the planning for Chicago TARDIS 2015 began while I was at another con. Let's just say I've learned my lesson of only checking on the con I'm going to in the week leading up to it. I've got to keep my eyes on my other sources of Doctor Who actor appearances and other cons within driving distance. Obviously, Chicago TARDIS was not something I could miss. Not only is Chicago a mere 5 hours or less of driving, but none other than Alex. Freaking. Kingston was scheduled to appear. It's probably hard for some of you to believe that, as obsessed and invested as I am in Alex Kingston's character of River Song in Doctor Who, this would be my first time meeting the woman herself.

From the time I bought my tickets to the first day of the con, I had a little less than 3 weeks to plan. I would of course have to bring my "A" game as far as cosplay goes, which is where the hours of research, assembly, trial runs and test photos come in. Considering I normally have several months to plan for a con, this was to be a test of my abilities. May I remind you that it's been less than 3 years since I first started watching Doctor Who, and a little less than that since I started cosplaying. I've only been Always River since March of this year! It's true what they say about my fandom - it's like a light switch - totally on or all the way off. I have no dimmer, and my Alex light is at maximum brightness.

I really do need to start a cosplay binder. River has a lot of accessories and props to keep up with!

#cosplay plans for #chicagotardis

Thursday

#AlwaysRiver meets #RiverSong
#ChicagoTARDIS or BUST!
Professor River Song, Archaeologist
Shhh...Spoilers!

Thanksgiving Day. This was definitely the most bizarre Thanksgiving I've ever experienced. Chicago TARDIS always takes place on Thanksgiving weekend each year, which I find to be just about the best escape from awkward family dinners and Black Friday as you can get. I hit the road around 11:00 a.m., with more clothes packed than what I take for a 10 day residency at school - serious business, kids. I had absolutely no issues driving there, and made it to the host hotel in a little under 5 hours. Remind me next year to prepare for the tolls, though! I almost couldn't dig out enough change to pass through.

The Westin

The weather held up just fine literally until I pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. By the way, getting into the host hotel for this con was nothing short of a miracle. They had been booking probably since last year for this con, and so I figured I would have to squeeze in somewhere else and drive back and forth each day. I was tremendously lucky, and snagged a room here (which was more fateful than I ever could have imagined...I'll get to that in a bit) for the special con price. This particular Westin was one of the nicest places I've stayed in a while, what with all the traveling I've done for other cons and concerts. It was all definitely meant to be and this was just another sign that my meeting Alex was coming at just the right time.

Song, Ph.D

The great thing about Chicago TARDIS is that you can register Thursday night, which means you can avoid lines on the morning of the first official con day (more on that, later, too). While in line to check in, I couldn't believe that I was standing right behind Ian McNeice and Katy Manning! As it turns out, a lot of the guests check in on Thursday too, I suppose since everything starts fairly early Friday morning. I was slightly star-struck and admittedly on the absolute lookout for any masses of spoiler-y hair sauntering through the lobby. No such luck, but it was still SO cool to see Winston Churchill and Jo Grant right off the bat.

After check-in, I headed up to my room to organize my things and start prepping for the next day. I'm not much for the late night parties at cons, especially when I want to look my very best for my photo ops. And the nerves were kicking in at this point when I realized I was counting the hours until I would meet Alex. Katy Manning joined me in the elevator and we had a laugh about how we always ask for the highest floor. I guess she had a bit more pull than I, since she dropped me off at 5 and continued on up to 17. She is SO personable and seems genuinely pleased to meet you. She's very huggy and happy, and just wonderful. I do hope to see her at another con in the future. Or the past. You know, wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey.

Registration was a breeze and I sailed right in to pick up my badge. I found out very shortly before the con that it's something of a tradition to make up badge ribbons to trade. If I go next year, I'll definitely have some prepared. I picked up a few and will post a picture of those soon.

#AlwaysRiver #ChicagoTARDIS 2015

I did, however, have some cosplayer trading cards made, which I was offering in place of con ribbons for those who wanted to trade items. You can purchase your very own card here!

The program for this con is one of the nicest I've seen. Not only is it full color and nice to look at (Hello, Doctor!), but it was actually a decent size for carrying around if you didn't want to use the online schedule.  I saw some people having the writers and guests sign their program, which is a nice option if you didn't bring something or don't want to purchase an 8x10. This one definitely gets a prime spot in the con collection!

#ChicagoTARDIS 2015 Program

Being out of town and on your own for Thanksgiving leaves of course the question of what to do for dinner. There was a restaurant in the hotel that looked just fine for me. I enjoyed some delicious pasta and a glass of wine, topping it off with a decadent chocolate torte. It was actually perfect and I didn't have post-Thanksgiving hangover! While still relaxing at my table, in walks Ian McNeice. He wanted the bartender to fill his water bottle with some milk, which she of course obliged. He turned around and asked if he could sit at my table while he waited for his milk. Um, yeah, Winston Churchill, have a seat! So, I'm here not even a few hours and already I've had some great interactions with the guests. I took this to also be a sign of great things to come.

I took advantage of what I suspected would be my only down-time for the rest of the weekend and headed back to my room for an early night in my deluxe king bed.

Friday

It was hard for me to sleep in even the little bit later than I normally would. I was worse than any kid on Christmas. The best thing ever was about to happen! This was bound to go down in history as the #bestdayever. I chose to debut my Day of the Moon (1969) cosplay at this con primarily because I had never seen in done (in person) and I knew Alex would likely think it unique. So, I suited up in this vintage number that I found on eBay for a steal. My hair is curled with foam rods and pinned and sprayed to stand up to almost anything. This was my first time using the rods and I must say that, although they're hell to sleep on, the result is totally worth it. Until my hair is long enough to get permed, this is the way to go.

Day of the Moon (1969)

Day of the Moon (1969) #cosplay #sidebyside

I confess that my biggest fear going into this whole thing was that I would see Alex and this would happen:

#uglycryface

I came close while in line, but everyone waiting with me found my nervousness endearing, as I hoped Alex would. There was some fanning, my hands were sweaty, and my whole face was shaking. I'm so, so glad this happened at a smaller con. The photo ops were completely relaxed and not rushed in the least. Alex spent time talking to people and getting their picture just like they wanted. When it came my turn, I think I froze for a moment. Alex looked over to me, her eyes got big as she looked my cosplay up and down, and she opened her arms. I don't know how I managed to walk the few steps over to her without fainting, but I did, and asked if I could hug her. I had meant that I wanted to hug for our picture, like I've done in some other ones, so I think that might have come off awkwardly for anyone who was witnessing it. But I don't care. Alex Kingston hugged me. I was trying to focus on everything she was saying so that I could recall it verbatim, but I also knew I would be too nervous to do that. The jest of it all is that she was completely enamored with my suit and asked where I got it and remarked that it was the first cosplay of this that she'd seen. I told her I found it online and that it was vintage. She asked if she could look at the details, handling the lapel and the pin, even turning up the sleeve to look at the lining and the tag. She said it was incredibly accurate and that she was very impressed. I revealed to her that I have 17 complete River Song cosplays, at which she was not surprisingly amazed. This whole conversation took place while we had our arms around each other, our faces inches apart. It's a good thing I popped that mint just beforehand! This was just so much better than I had imagined or hoped that it could be. She hugged me again and said we should probably get a picture. You guys, my face was about to shake off of my head in this picture. I'm astounded, grateful, and over the (forgive the pun) moon that this happened:

#AlwaysRiver meets #RiverSong

Without going into the whole debacle, let's just say there were some ticketing issues that were completely unprecedented for this con. Due to said issues, I took off immediately after my picture to go get back in line to pick up my other op and autograph tickets and to purchase my additional op and autograph for Sunday. I had already been in line for most of the morning and at this point, the line had progressed just enough so that the people I was standing with before had gone through and so I was further back in the line than where I started early that morning. According to past attendees and staff, this was something that had not happened at this con before, and it was simply unreal. I spent the majority of my day in line, missing both the panels with McNeice, Starkey, and Franklin as well as with Burn Gorman, which I would find out later didn't happen, as he was delayed in arriving until Saturday, so I can't be too mad about that. While in line, a lovely gentleman offered to go and retrieve my photo for me (the prints are instant like at some other cons, and so there is about 1/2 hour or so lag time between getting the photo taken and picking up the hard copy). While it's not the huggy picture I was originally after, there are a slew of amazing memories with it, so I couldn't be happier.

After running back up to my room (which was so nice to be able to do) for my gift for Alex and my poster for her to sign, it was time to head over to the autograph que. This con actually has a pretty good system for the op/signing lines that are the downfall of several other cons. There's a room separated from everything that is just a waiting area (with seats!) where you wait to be called for whatever photo op or autograph you have. Obviously, they're not dealing with lines like I've seen for people such as David Tennant or Matt Smith, and everyone seems pretty laid-back and happy to just fall into line wherever they're told. In small groups, you're walked across the hall to stand in a shorter line against the wall to go into the room where the ops and autos take place. Again, it's all very calm and everyone, at least in the early stages of the con, are quite nice and welcoming. I'd suggest adding a little bit more for people to occupy themselves while in this room, such as just a TV tuned to BBC America or something other than just staring at each other and running down our phone batteries. I will note at this point that there were free water stations in several locations throughout the hotel, so that was very nice. Dehydration is always a danger at these things.

I had the foresight to prep my phone to record the audio of my conversation with Alex, and am so thrilled that I did! I might possibly post it at some point, but for now, it's just mine. 2 minutes and 24 seconds of Alex Kingston chatting with me. The low down is that I first presented her with my gift: a custom made wristlet, crafted by my good friend Jessica Miller (Divastitch12) as well as a bottle of Christian Louboutin nail polish - TARDIS blue, called Bianca, which is the name of the Louboutin shoes that River Song wears in The Time of the Angels. Alex was absolutely thrilled with it all and simply gushed about it - the nail polish, the bag, and the presentation of the gift overall. She promised to wear the polish on Sunday, and I couldn't wait to see if that rang true!

Handmade wristlet bag and Christian Louboutin nail polish I gave to Alex.

We then got on to the signing of the poster I brought, which is the centerpiece of my collection at home. She took so much time to make sure she had the right color Sharpie and put the writing in the ideal place on the poster. She was beyond gracious, and it was obvious I had truly made an impression on her. I couldn't believe my luck in how much time I was able to spend with her and that I don't sound like a complete idiot on my recording. And yes, of course, I'm going to cut out the part of the recording where she says my name and make that my new notification tone. That's happening.

"To Lana...Hello Sweetie! <3 River.... Alex Kingston"

The poster arrived home safely and takes its rightful place of great honor:

My River Song collection, complete with autographed poster

Alex's panel was scheduled for 4:00, so I would be rushing straight to the ballroom to get the best seat possible. There are definite pros and cons of the seating at Chicago TARDIS. There is a membership system in place that, for different price points, you can have higher levels of membership. So, there is All Access, which is front row seating for all panels. Then there is Reserved, which is seating in the rows behind All Access, then Priority behind Reserved. THEN, about 10 or so rows back, the General membership seating starts. The seats that are in the higher memberships are reserved for the entire con. Therefore, even if someone with a higher membership chooses not to attend a certain panel, their seat remains empty. I see the benefit in this, sure, but I also see how it stinks for a great deal of seats in the front to stay empty when there are people in the very back vying to get in. I'm not knocking the system, but I think there could perhaps be a better way to fill those seats if those members are not using the seat for some of the panels that others (me) are dying to have a good place for. The people in the front rows of the General membership had apparently been there all morning saving seats for their friends for Alex's panel. That's one of the downfalls of conning alone - no savesies for me.

I wound up a few rows back and a few seats to the right of the center aisle. It wouldn't have been terrible but of course there was some tall dude right in front of me. And here's what I totally didn't get - the audience for this panel was TERRIBLE - at least those in my immediate surroundings. There were people in front of me knitting scarves and barely looking up at her at all, "saved" seats that never got filled, people texting and whatnot on their phones, girls talking continuously behind me, and the dude next to me FALLING ASLEEP. That's right - he f-ing FELL ASLEEP. What the bloody hell?! That all being said, Alex was as adorable as could be, coming out wearing ears that moved in accordance with how she spoke and/or reacted to questions. I didn't have my camera on me, and it's just as well, since I had to sit on the edge of my seat and strain to even see her face the whole time. I don't understand why they were not utilizing the screen on the left side of the stage for those that had limited vision at this or any of the other panels. Alex was very animated and perfectly lovely. She didn't, however, really receive the audience response that I had anticipated. Heck, at this point, my heart was still beating out of my chest just to be in the same room with her! Even though this particular panel seemed like a bit of a hiccup, I was still overjoyed to be there and to finally be able to watch her in a panel outside of a shaky YouTube video. And there was so much more to come!

I stuck around for Paul McGann's first panel of the weekend and I'm SO glad I did! This was my first time seeing the Eighth Doctor, and, as my friend Stephanie warned me would happen, I was immediately smitten with him. I must also give him props for recognizing and rectifying the seating situation. He asked what the deal was with all the empties up front and had everyone move forward. Woo Hoo! 2nd row! Now's the time I wish I would have had my camera, so I just took a few phone shots, which you can see here.

The next thing up was the Opening Ceremonies, which I decided to skip so that I could get gussied up for the Alex Kingston reception. I couldn't believe I was about to go to a supposedly very limited reception with Alex - what an amazing and special thing that I've never seen at other cons. There was a Torchwood one at Fandom Fest earlier this year, which I didn't attend and, if it was anything like this, I probably should have. But here again I'm happy that many of my con firsts were with my all-time favorite, so, no regrets.

I decided pretty much as soon as I bought my reception ticket that I would don my cosplay for The Time of the Angels. I had worn it before as an "undercover" cosplay, so all I needed to do was to go a little more for screen accuracy by adding some props. At some point in the future, I'll shoot for a more SA dress, but for now, I love this one, and it definitely gets the idea across.

The Time of the Angels

The Time of the Angels #cosplay #sidebyside

The Time of the Angels #selfie

I was first to arrive for the reception (surprise, surprise), and there was a bit of confusion as to where we should line up, etc. Eventually most everyone figured out that wherever I was, something to do with Alex was about to happen, so they were probably in the right place. It was hard to tell how the reception was going to work, as it was just a room with a bunch of empty tables. If I had planned this, it would have been decorated to suit the Queen, but hey, another for the list of "If I ruled the world...."

I picked the table in what I believed to be the back corner of the room, ideally situated right next to the bar, as well as the dance floor, but with a view of the entire room. I think my table mates would not contest that I have a sense about these things! Shortly after sitting down, in walks Alex from the back of the room and comes straight to our table! I thought I might fall out of my chair at that moment. She of course recognized me right away and remarked at my new cosplay. I stood up and showed her the shoes and she again pointed out all of the little details that I had gotten just so. I had my communicator with me, which she asked to see and proceeded to examine quite carefully. I can't take the credit for making it - just commissioning it - but she was blown away by how accurate it is and just kept smiling coyly at me. Seriously, kids, we bonded. She sat at our table for almost 20 minutes talking about Shakespeare and shoes and just loads of things. This shot was captured by one of my fellow guests, even though we weren't supposed to take any pictures during the reception. Note the creeper in the background. Oh, and that cocktail Alex has? The same as what I drink. Naturally.

Alex Kingston Reception

This was taken by the con photographers. Notice how Alex and I both have our eyes closed. We're so connected it's scary. And not ^^ creeper scary. Just - there. An unforgettable night and the most insane experience. Again, small cons are where it's at. This would never have happened at the big deal-i-os.

Alex Kingston Reception

Alex went way over her time at the reception, stopping by every table and spending time talking to everyone. I honestly think this is the part of her job that she loves the most. I hope she had a great time. Many people left after they had talked to her, but you can bet that I wasn't going anywhere as long as she was still in the room! My lovely friend took this photo of Alex leaving the reception. That's her daughter in the white looking at me. I have to wonder what she thinks of all the crazies dressing up like her mum and basically worshiping the ground she walks upon. I'm just happy I stuck around to see her off for the night. Alex Kingston, ladies and gentlemen.

Alex Kingston, her daughter, & Always River

So many things seemed to have been fated to happen for me at this con. I didn't really know what to do with myself after the day I'd had, so I decided to forgo the dance party and try to get some much needed rest. I still had another 2 days of con to go! I popped by the lobby for a mo and said hello to some friends before heading up. Would you believe that, as I got off the elevator on my floor, who was getting on? That's right, folks, Alex! She had come down the hall from the direction of my room - MY ROOM. Alex was staying on the same floor as me! So much for resting easy! I played it as cool as possible, though. She brightly said, "Hello, River!" and I think I returned the sentiment (although I would never call her River, so I just said, "Hello!"). We giggled at the fact of us running into each other and off she popped with her daughter and her handler, to dinner or whatever else the night held for her. I resisted my urge to go back downstairs since it would have been a little too obvious after that meeting. Off to bed...

Saturday

An Alex-free day, but lots to do, nonetheless. First off was figuring out how my first cosplay of the day was going to work. The outfit itself - easy and comfortable. I own the SA shoes for this cosplay, but they are impossible to stand, much less walk, in, so those didn't make the cut. The idea is still there, and it was recognized throughout the day, even sans the eye drive, so that's that.

The Wedding of River Song

I had the eye drive commissioned by a fellow cosplayer and it suits my purposes just perfectly. With a little fashion tape, it will stay stuck for as long as I'd like. But, walking around really messes with my vision, so this is not one I can keep at 100% all day.

The Wedding of River Song

After getting in line AGAIN very early Saturday morning, I was slightly relieved to see that they had rectified the previous day's issues. So, once the ticket window opened, it was not very long at all before I had everything squared away and was off to my first op of the day.

Ingrid Oliver was the replacement guest they managed to get in place of Jenna Coleman, who had to cancel. I was just as happy to meet her, as I love her character of Osgood. When I came up in line, Ingrid's eyes got very wide and she said, "Wow - so glamorous! I don't know if I'm properly made up to stand next to you!" I think I said something along the lines that she should have seen me at Alex's reception last night. She gave me a hug and said, "Let's take a besties pic!" So there you have it - Osgood and River - besties, apparently.

Ingrid Oliver (Osgood)

The rest of the morning is all a bit wibbly-wobbly. For some reason, perhaps due to lines for tickets or lines for Ingrid, I failed to make it to any of the panels I had planned for. I made another visit to the hotel restaurant and did some more solo dining. The food this time 'round was tremendous (veggie burger with mushrooms, avocado, and Swiss), but the service was terrible. They weren't busy at all - which was nice in comparison to other cons - so I don't know what the deal was. I guess I should probably Yelp! that one.

I was terribly excited about my op with Ian McNeice, who plays Winston Churchill in a few episodes. I had thought that the Dalek was only going to be in the op on Friday, so I was thrilled to see him there on my day. And can I just mention how awesome it was that Ian got into character for the op? I've never seen any guests do this at any con, and this was obviously of his own accord and a real treat, especially since this was my only episode-specific cosplay I'd be doing in coordination with any of the guests. This is one of my favorite ops of all time.

Ian McNeice (Winston Churchill)

The Wedding of River Song #cosplay #sidebyside

I did find the time to catch a panel before my next op, which was "Recurring Characters: McNeice, Starkey, Anderson." This was a great one! I sat pretty much in the back of the room, which is fine for such a small space and for a panel that I just really want to hear and don't need to see anything. Again, why are you not using the screen for the panels, Chicago TARDIS? I never ask questions at panels, as I feel as though those should be the people that are not able to get ops or autographs, so I'm glad the one question I would have actually posed was asked by the moderator. I wanted to know about the differences in preparing for original characters as opposed to roles of historical figures (like Churchill). Nothing surprising, really - just that you do your research and sometimes you already have an interest in the historical figure, so it's easy. Ian is an absolute riot, by the way. And Starkey plays to the fans, doing the voice of Strax, and prattling off Shakespeare monologues like they're nothing. Anderson (Danny Pink) is also a delight, and I would see him gallivanting among the fans for the rest of his time at the con.

Next was my op with Burn Gorman, who plays Owen Harper on Torchwood. I love that Torchwood is not shunned at this con, as I've seen it done at some others. I love this show, and I think it's highly underrated. While the character of Owen is kind of a dirty dog, and easily unlikable, Burn is the absolute opposite. I was greeted with a "Hello, Darling!" and open arms. He is one of the sweetest guys I've met to date. We had a laugh of how Owen had never been in the TARDIS, and River had never been to Torchwood, although I (Lana) have. I expressed my appreciation for the show and thanked him for coming. I told him how I have John and Gareth and Gwen in the Spoilers pose, and he gladly obliged.

Burn Gorman (Owen Harper from Torchwood)

Yay! There was time for me to go to Paul McGann's second panel of the con! Yep - I'm a smitten kitten. He once again brought the audience up closer and filled all those empty seats. I wasn't as close as the first panel, but still no complaints. He was just as funny and charming and all of the things as the first time. MY Doctor has some competition, I must confess.

Eight is under-appreciated. That's really all I can say about that. You can probably tell from this picture, but Paul is a huge flirt. This op is beautiful. Yum. Seriously - Irish AND The Doctor? Sorted.

Paul McGann (The 8th Doctor)

Right after the op came autograph time. I had just enough time to pick up my photo and get everything arranged for our chat. I purchased the stamp pictured below just before Dragon Con, as he was scheduled to appear there but canceled, so it was prime time to get this taken care of.

I recorded the audio for our conversation, as well, but unfortunately, it picks up more of the girl behind me in line talking to the handler than of me and Paul. I'm glad I have it though. I showed him our picture and he studied it for quite some time, remarking how we looked like a couple caught by paparazzi outside of a London club. Sounds about right to me. When do we leave?

This memento goes great with my other stamps signed by Matt Smith, David Tennant, and Sylvester McCoy:

"To Lana, with love, Paul McGann"

Paul's autographs took a good long while, as he was very chatty. This is something I believe is very valued by both the guests and the attendees. If guests want to take the time to talk, let them. As an attendee, I look so forward to this time, almost more than the photo op. So what if the schedule gets a little bit off? I noted that some of the volunteers kept saying that they wanted to guests to sign "like machines." Well for what I'm paying for an autograph (some more than others), don't rush me - or them! No one in line was complaining at how long the guests were taking, so those operating the con shouldn't either. I realize it's all a business, but there's much more to be said of the experience as opposed to the number of people you get through a line.

By the time I was through with Paul's autograph, Ingrid's panel was almost over. I took a back row seat for what remained. I hope she returns to the show. She's so funny, witty, and engaging. I'm so glad she was able to come and pay us a visit. I do hope to see her again.

It was then time for a slight change in cosplay. A little-done cosplay (and one I've never seen attempted) is River at the end of The Big Bang. So, with a little update from my earlier cosplay, voila!

The Big Bang

The Big Bang #cosplay #sidebyside

The last item on my agenda for the day was to join the rest of the crowd to view the new episode of Doctor Who, "Heaven Sent," in the ballroom (finally - a use for that screen!). I cannot tell you how very glad I am that I chose to join the masses instead of holing up in my room! By way of luck, I somehow made it to the front row of the General membership seating, which was situated in perfect view of the screen with tons of legroom. I sat next to a lovely lady who was also there alone, so we were astounded and absolutely thrilled that we managed a good seat for what would prove to be an amazing episode. It's definitely my favorite of this season, if not of all of Capaldi's run, if not in the list of my all-time favorite episodes. What an experience to have seen this landmark episode in a room filled with Whovians.

The most amazing thing that happened, though, was that, again through the magic of connecting with other Whovians, the aforementioned lovely lass next to me had a friend with an All-Access membership (which means a front row seat). With there being a brunch for these members on Sunday morning, she would not be using her seat for Alex's second panel. I had read that you could have a member sign over their seat, but had somewhere along the line lost hope that this would happen for me, as I didn't seem to meet many with this level of membership. The All-Access lass was giving her seat to her friend sitting next to me for both the Ingrid and the Alex panel, but when they saw how excited I got over the prospect of having that seat for myself, she gladly signed it over to me! After clearing it with the proper authorities, I was golden, which meant I would not have to come to the panel room at the crack of dawn just to get a front row in the General seating. I am so thankful to both these ladies, and I hope they know how very much this meant to me.

As it was a full day of doing almost everything I had set out to do, and with another Alex day still ahead, I retired to my room, made a cuppa, and ordered some room service. Looking back, I might have really enjoyed the karaoke party, but once at the party, I would have been hard pressed to leave, so I'm sure it's all for the best. Of course I bring my own tea, and it's of course all emblazoned with River Song:

Adagio Fandom Tea

Sunday

Not only was I given a front row seat to Alex's panel, but an extra hour or so of sleep to boot! However, my excitement got the best of me, so I found myself ready to hop right up and make the most of the day. I'd once again planned 2 cosplays for my photo ops, which were easily changeable by way of a hat and coat and a couple of props.

First up is my version of River in The Angels Take Manhattan. I just re-watched this episode right before the con, and bawled like a baby. I maintain my stance that if you can watch this episode, even without any background on the story line, then you are absent a soul, my friend - heartbreaking on so many levels.

The Angels Take Manhattan

The Angels Take Manhattan #cosplay #sidebyside

A quick donning of the coat and hat turns me into Melody Malone from the same episode.

Melody Malone

Melody Malone #cosplay #sidebyside

Melody Malone #cosplay #sidebyside #selfie

Since it's not the most comfortable to keep on all day, I carried the coat and hat and packed my bag for the day's ops and autographs and headed to Alex's panel. Did I mention that I snagged front row? That's me - the teeny-tiny blur all the way on the right in the front row. See all those empty seats? Tragic.

Alex Kingston Panel

While the attendance for this Sunday morning panel was far less than those on Saturday, there was an extensive line of people wishing to ask Alex a question. This moderator was definitely not my favorite, as he at one point presented her with some weird framed document that had something to do with her time on ER, and it became more about him and his weird infatuation with her. It was awkward for everyone. I've since seen some similar feedback online about this guy, so I'm thinking this may have been his last hurrah. I filmed several segments of this panel, and took a ridiculous amount of photos (with my actual camera). You can check out the videos on my YouTube channel and view the pictures (I couldn't bear to delete a single shot) on my Facebook page.

While I was in line for my first op with Alex, her manager saw me in line and complimented my choice of outfit for the day, as I was suited up as Melody. Then, when I got into the photo op room, he ran up to me and said, "You're the one who gave her the nail polish, right?" Yes, of course that was me! He wanted to make sure I saw that she was wearing it - which I had seen in the panel, of course, because, you know, I was in the front row. While waiting on my turn, he told me that he travels with her to most of her appearances in the US and had seen tons of River Song cosplayers but that "none hold a candle" and "you're spot on." Man, that's it right there. He went on to tell me how Alex had talked about me and how sweet my gift was and how good my cosplays are. Are. You. Kidding. Me? It is virtually incomprehensible that I'd made such an impression on her that she had talked about me on her own time. Was this a dream? If it was, I'm fine with it, and I'm going to continue to live in dreamland, thank you very much.

This morning, she greeted me with a spritely, "Melody!" and held her hands out for me to see the nail polish, thanking me again for the thoughtful gift and assuring me how much she really did love it. So there's the proof - me and Alex holding my book, warning of the spoilers therein. I actually wound up with 3 different photos from this op since she wanted to get it just right. And they printed all of them! This is my favorite of the bunch. I mean, how stinking cute are we? She's just so into the whole character and playing to what you want to do in your photo. I couldn't have written this to happen any better than it did.

Alex Kingston (River Song)

From one line to another, this time for my photo op with Alex AND Paul McGann. I love that they offered this op, I'm guessing since they've done the audio drama for Big Finish together. Can I just clone these too and have brunch with them every single day for the rest of time? Thanks in advance.

Paul McGann, Always River, & Alex Kingston

I couldn't pass up another chance for an additional autograph, and I of course had my journal in tow, so my plan was to have Alex write the word "Always" for me to add to my tattoo of the journal. This is in the center of the book, and she of course graciously fulfilled my request.

"Always, Alex Kingston"

I do need to add some final words about how this last autograph session went down, though, much to my dismay. Things started out all well and fine. The lines were being made like they had throughout the con. However, it was discovered that somehow they had far oversold Alex's autographs for that day. I don't know the ins and outs of it, but it's all a matter of logistics. Anyway, someone somewhere was not keeping proper track of things and so there were entirely too many people who had paid for autographs for the time allotted to get them done. This led to an absolutely ridiculous long wait, which I was fine with, except for that I had hoped to catch Paul McGann's final panel and to get on the road to home a little earlier than what I did. That whole "machine" comment kept coming up, which made me nervous that I was just going to be pushed through an assembly line and have no time to pass on my farewell sentiments to Alex. In hindsight, I'm so, so glad that I got the time I did on Friday and that I gave her her gift then. Otherwise, I would be inconsolable and disenchanted with the whole event. So, as the line seemed never-ending, it was clear that the further on we got, the more people were being rushed through. In this respect, I really wish I would have had a higher membership so that I would have been one of the first to see her that day and therefore not just a cog in the machine. When I approached the table, the same ticket-taker lady was there. Keep in mind she had been ever-so nice and welcoming up until this point. But on this day, she was an absolute horror. The man in front of me had his phone out to take a photo (which we had previously been allowed to do for the purpose of autograph certification). She all but screamed at him that there were no photos. That may have set the tone for how she handled me, I guess. I had my journal out and opened to the page I wanted signed and she hastily grabbed it from me, almost ripping a page and very harshly demanded to know if I wanted it personalized. I tried to explain that I wanted a particular word (since it was a little strange being something other than my name), and she yelled, "WHAT WORD?!" I was taken aback, and sputtered, "Always." She shoved the book over to Alex, who, in a flurry, did indeed recognize me but was visibly hurried and I think made a little twitchy simply because of how this woman was treating people. She tried to take her time with me, and I kind of showed her my tattoo, but by this point, the person behind me was already having their item pushed in front of her. I had my phone out, again for the audio, and after what the other guy endured, I wouldn't have dared to take a photo anyway. So I had the phone laid on the table and as I picked it up and tried to gather my things while saying thank you and goodbye to Alex, the horrible troll shouted at me in front of Alex, "NO PHOTOS!" I meekly tried to assure her that I wasn't, and Alex was looking at me with kind of an, "I'm sorry" face. This was just the worst. What a way to end a con. I mean, I had the best interactions with Alex, the other guests, the staff, the volunteers, and the other attendees right up to this point. By comparison, my Friday convo was over 2 minutes and this one was 19 seconds. What a difference a day makes, indeed. Here I was setting off and I could have just thrown up it was so awful. Here's my final thought on how this could have been avoided:

1. Don't oversell your tickets. For anything. For any reason. Making a few extra $ is not worth your attendees having a terrible experience. What if Sunday had been my only day? I would be devastated.
2. If you need to know how we want our items personalized beforehand, let us know that while we're waiting for hours. Give us post-it notes and markers. Take a cue from the other cons that use this system.
3. If you allow photos during autographs and then decide to not allow them, TELL US, again, while we're waiting - not when we get there. I'm sure everyone would have understood if they had to take away that privilege due to time constraints, request of the guest, or whatever else.

I did have a staff member approach me as I was leaving asking how things went for me and for any comments as to how they could improve in years to come, so I voiced much of this to him and hope that they will keep their attendees best interests in mind from this point forward. Had I not had the best time outside of this last thing, that evil woman would have been the breaking point for me. She left a bad taste in my mouth, but I will try not to let this affect my overall opinion of this con and the amazing things that happened there this year.

Until Next Year...

All in all, attending a Doctor Who specific con was a great experience. And what can I say about meeting someone who, in my book, is rivaled only by the Queen herself? As it's just a short jaunt up the road for me, and on a weekend that I have time off anyway, I will likely return to Chicago TARDIS. Bring back Paul McGann and the likes, and I will almost guarantee it.

I met some wonderful people (guests and attendees alike), had some tremendous cosplay successes, and will always treasure the memories of my first Chicago TARDIS. Make sure to subscribe to my blog so that you don't miss all my con reviews! And until next time, Sweeties...

#chicagotardis #cosplay

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Wizard World Louisville 2015

Friday

Con-Ready

I must confess that it's oh so nice to plan for a con in your home town. You know where to park, where to eat, and, if you've lived there as long as I've lived in Louisville, know the probable layout of the con itself. Wizard World Louisville 2015 was to be the 4th con I've attended in Louisville and my 9th con of all-time, since I started living the #conlife in 2013.

I spent the nights leading up to the con doing some final research for my cosplays, which consisted of watching a few episodes of Doctor Who, including: The Impossible Astronaut, The Pandorica Opens, and The Big Bang. I also made sure to be caught up on Arrow, as most of the cast was on the bill and I didn't want to have any SPOILERS in the panels.

With some help from the husband, I got my first cosplay assembled and, as tradition now dictates, we took some photos. Good direction on getting the side-by-side spot on, hubs!

River Song in The Impossible Astronaut

Upon arriving to the con, I found some local friends and hung out with them until it was time to line up for my John Barrowman autograph. We were surprised at how small the vendor hall was as compared to the last time WW was in Louisville. It barely took an hour to wander through everything, and, to my disappointment, there was not a TARDIS to be found anywhere - so much for photo ops! This con was obviously geared much more toward the Arrow crowd than the Doctor Who crowd, which is fine, because Arrow is one of the best shows on TV right now and I. LOVE. IT.

I'm always happy to get some of the guests seen on Friday if possible, as Saturdays are always the busiest and therefore the longest lines. I was in the very beginning of John's line, which was OK, since early on they're usually full of energy and will spend a lot of time with you, not being pushed to get through the line and on to their next thing. John had just come in from Palm Springs and was his usual cheeky, hilarious, gracious self. If you've not met JB, get thee to a con and do so. He is FABULOUS in every sense of the word.

Probably one of the best things to happen of this entire con and, oh, of EVER, happened next. The volunteer/handler had given me a little post-it-note to write my name on so that John could personalize my autograph. I stuck it on the front of my book, which is a hardcover book from a Torchwood: Miracle Day promotional box from Starz. The cover is kind of fuzzy and soft, so, somewhere in between me getting the note and getting to John, it got lost. I slid my book over to him and noticed the little yellow note was gone and I started to apologize and introduce myself. He looked up at me as this was happening and said, "Oh, that's OK, Lana, like Lana Turner...don't you remember? We talked about this at Dragon Con." I mean, seriously?! What had just happened? John f-ing Barrowman just remembered my name. I was floored, to say the least. At that moment, a con photographer from the side got our attention and took a photo. I'm sure my mouth is agape in astonishment. I've yet to see the picture, so if you come across it, tag me! He went on to explain how of course he remembered me and that I always make a fantastic River. I still can't believe it all. Anyway, he opened the book and then asked all flirty, "Oh, I didn't even ask where you want it." My likewise flirty reply was that River is all back to front. And then we had a good hearty laugh about him giving it to me in the front or some such. This is just how John rolls. I love him.

Torchwood: Miracle Day signed by John Barrowman

John also had his new book with him so I had to snag one of these. He said I got the very first copy - score! I totally didn't ask or expect him to sign it too but he took it from me and did just that. More innuendos followed and the laughs continued. I'll say it again - I LOVE THIS MAN.

The Food of Love written and signed by John Barrowman

After the autograph session, I took some more time to check out the artist alley and just to see what I could see. I'm always on the lookout for other Doctor Who cosplayers to take photos with, and found this Vashta Nerada lurking about: 

Hey, who turned out the lights?

I also ran across a knight representing the Frazier museum. He was very clanky. He could stand an upgrade. 

The Knight Life

I stopped by the only photo backdrop I could find (I later saw the official WW one, but this was free, too).

Anyone who has ever gotten to get a picture with John Barrowman will tell you how much fun it is. He does all kinds of crazy things and essentially has no limit to his fan interactions. Since I had done the "Spoilers!" pose with Gareth David-Lloyd and Eve Myles also in cosplay, and I now have a comic book signed by the three of them, I thought I would complete my collection and do the same little number with him. How cute is he?! Me, not so much for the cute here, but the memories of this day will be cherished as some favorites of all my con experiences thus far.

John Barrowman and me

Right after my photo, I went to a panel on screen-accurate cosplaying with Jedimanda. She's a local expert and I've learned a lot about cosplay from her. I picked up some tips and tricks of the trade, and look forward to seeing Jedimanda again soon!

The last thing I did for the day was make a stop by the caricacture booth. I'm so glad I did! This lovely thing was created in about 20 minutes or so and I adore it! 

Caricature of Always River

Saturday

My thief cosplay is always the plan for days I will be meeting non-Doctor Who guests. It's non-descript enough so that I don't have to explain why I'm standing next to Stan Lee dressed as The 11th Doctor. It's also the most comfortable cosplay I have and the only acceptable excuse for wearing leggings as pants.

River Song as she's caught stealing from The Royal Gallery
(The Pandorica Opens)

Since I had my original/official exploding TARDIS poster signed by Tony Curran at Dragon Con, 

I had this made up to use as a prop:

Custom-made cosplay prop, inscribed with "Always River"

I didn't take advantage of the VIP early entry since there were no panels until the afternoon and only a few people I wanted to catch before then. My timing usually works out to my great advantage, and did not fail me on this day. First up for a #selfie was David Ramsey, who plays John Diggle on Arrow. I really enjoy his character on the show but I must say he is even more attractive in real life. I may have swooned a bit. He's very personable and loved talking about what's coming up for Diggle (sans spoilers, of course). He did mention straight away that the mask is getting upgraded. I'm guessing he knew he was going to be flooded with all sorts of comments and complaints about that one. I love how snugly we are here. So, yeah, swoon.

David Ramsey and me

Just down the way from David was Paul Blackthorne, who plays Captain Lance on Arrow. Paul gets a few extra points in my book for the work he does for animals. He's currently running a Represent Campaign in support of Air Shepherd Initiative. It doesn't hurt that he has a British accent, either. His handler couldn't figure out the camera on my phone at first so this is one of two or three hugs. He joked that he would be OK to stand there and just hug me all day. Me too, Paul, me too.

Paul Blackthorne and me

Probably the thing I was looking forward to the most for this con was seeing Stephen Amell again. He goes right up there in my fave celebs of all time. Mind-blowingly handsome, such a gentleman, and, oh yeah, a superhero. I will never pass up the chance to cozy up to this guy. This is one of my all-time favorite photo ops that I've ever gotten. I <3 you, Stephen, <3 you to death.

Stephen Amell and me

Going by my experience at Dragon Con, I anticipated a great deal of craziness for the Arrow panel. So I went to check out the line situation about an hour before the start time. The powers that be insisted there was no line (even though lines were formed on both sides of the doors), so I just "hung around." As you can see from the following, my strategy paid off. I was front and center!

#emptystage Arrow panel

As we were let in almost a full hour before the panel, a couple of amazing things happened. First, a fantastic girl took the seat next to me and we promptly realized that there are no coincidences, especially at a con. We talked all things fandom, David Tennant, mutual dislikes for certain characters, and how we are both getting advanced degrees on the very stuff we were at this con to enjoy. Chrisha, we are indeed somehow separated by circumstance but brought together by the #conlife. 

The #conlife can be crazy, and the other amazing thing that happened just before the Arrow panel was that the girl on the other side of Chrisha had begun to chat me up about River Song, because, you know, that tends to happen to me. I bemoaned the fact that, although Alex Kingston was now on the Wizard World circuit, that I would have to hope for an appearance in St. Louis, as I would not be able to go to Portland in February. She asked if I was going to Chicago for her. Um, what? Wait. Hold the phone AND shut the front door. Why had I not heard about this and when was it happening? If there's a record for how fast someone has pulled out their phone, looked up Chicago TARDIS, and bought tickets, I broke it. Did I even bother to look when it was or how much I was spending? That's a resounding "no!" Before you could say, "Hello, Sweetie," I had in my possession a membership to Chicago TARDIS as well as a ticket to a special reception with the woman herself: none other than Alex freaking Kingston. So here I was literally in the middle of one con, making plans for another con, 5 hours from home, in less than 3 weeks - and over Thanksgiving weekend - and at a time when I still held tickets for a concert in Nashville for those same dates. Did any of that matter? Let's go back to "no" on that too. The bottom line is that, fellow Whovians and con-goers, #AlwaysRiver meets #RiverSong 11/27/15. That's a date for the record books. Stay tuned.

Arrow panel (Paul Blackthorne, John Barrowman, Stephen Amell, Willa Holland, David Ramsey, & Katie Cassidy)

Although I could barely contain myself after all of that, I still had this panel coming up, and it did not disappoint. Of course, since I had been unable to film anything at Dragon Con, I was totally unprepared and had not brought my camera or any equipment this time around. That's the way things work, it seems. I'm either front row with no camera or back of the room with bags full of useless stuff. I captured a little bit, though, including this recreation of a scene from the show:

Toward the end of the panel, the moderator, Tony B Kim, had each of the guests sign a card from a deck of DC playing cards and see how far they could toss them into the audience. Again, right place, right time. I snagged this and John acted like he wanted me to give it back because he thought I had gotten one of the other ones. I confirmed I had not and we had a little back-and-forth over it, ending with a sly little wink. This here's a treasure:

Superman playing card signed by John Barrowman

Next up was John's solo panel, so I sat tight. I must say that I was hoping for a wardrobe change into something a little more vivacious, but John's humor and on-stage presence make up for all of that. If you can leave one of his panels without your face aching from laughter, then there is something certifiably wrong with you. Here are just a couple shots for which I'll leave the situations up to your imaginations. Just know that however crazy you may think he's being, it was probably more so in person. Can I just say again - LOVE HIM. 

John Barrowman, ladies and gentlemen. 

 And here's a couple of videos to stand as testament both the beauty and the comedy that is JB:

My Saturday was essentially a day of panels, as I stayed put through Bruce Campbell's panel. Stephen Amell was up right after him, and I didn't want to sacrifice my seat any more than was necessary. I did have to move over a stitch and so was no longer front and center for Stephen, but I have no complaints. For having so many Arrow guests in tow, I'm still astounded at how small this con was and how laid-back the con-goers were. Although there was no Arrow VIP offered (just John Barrowman and Stephen Amell), there were a considerable amount of empty seats in the reserved area up front for Stephen. I had hoped he would call for everyone to scrunch in like John did. Either way, no one seemed disgruntled, and I don't think anyone was turned away from getting in to at least see the panel.

Stephen was so well-received by his fans here, and the city as a whole. I don't think this was a key to the city, exactly, but it was recognition from the mayor for all of the charitable work that Stephen has done and continues to do. I'd list all his campaigns, but I'm sure I'd leave something out. Just know that Stephen Amell is not only a great actor and a beautiful creature, but has one of the best hearts out there and is using his celebrity for good things every day of his life.

I had to call the day by the end of Stephen's panel. I was hungry and honestly, just ready to be home. I'd done all I'd come to do, and, at least at this point, planned on returning for the 3rd and final day on Sunday. My friends and I once again headed across the street to The Old Spaghetti Factory (a con tradition), and proceeded to meet our weekly carb requirements in one sitting. A good day was had by all, so I went home and took this side-by-side of my cosplay before tuning in to the weekly episode of Doctor Who.

River Song in The Pandorica Opens

Sunday morning came in like a hangover, which was strange, considering I had only had 1 cocktail the night before. I really wish I would have toughed it out and hit the town. The entire Arrow cast was found (after a GPS tweet from Stephen) at the local dueling piano bar, karaoking the night away. Regrets? I have a few, and this is one. At least my girl, Chrisha, had the time of her life (check out her blog for all the details).

My overall review is that, once again, Wizard World has proven that they can pull off a virtually stress-free enjoyable con and can get top-notch guests to please the masses. It's just as well that it was smaller than normal, for me at least. I didn't spend as much money but still had a great time. I'm sad that they won't be back until 2017, but hopefully I'll see them somewhere in 2016...

#AlwaysRiver

#WizardWorld

#conlife