Finally, a full sit down dinner with the Traveling Valentine crew. We all agreed months in advance that we would dine at Johnny Rocket's. It was right before the ballroom dance. Stan dressed up as Walter, Deb changed back into Ash, Tom dressed up as a formal Hisagi (sans the 69, since it would sweat off on the dance floor), and I dressed as formal Hinamori. If you're wondering, the dress design, it's based on Tristen Citrine's Division 10-chan outfit from last year's Fanime. There was a long line to get into the ballroom dance. Some people waited for about 30 minutes before they can dance the night away. This was a way to prevent the overcrowding from last year. This was the second time Fanime attempted a ballroom dance. There were several improvements including the lighting. Mood lighting was dim enough to just see where you're going and not dark enough to require glow sticks. I liked how the songs were more traditional to a ballroom dance and the announcement of the type of dance before each song. And sanctioned conga lines at certain times countered the need for mass conga lines getting in the way of real ballroom dancing. Of course, there were things that could have been improved. A gothic rendition of "The Macarena" turned Tom and I off. Seeing a hundred or so otaku dance Macarena under red lighting was really scary, almost out of a zombie film. I was rather disappointed we were only allowed to one glass of water per person before being told to leave or return to the floor. You really sweat it out on the dance floor. At Anime Central's Masquerade Charity Ball, Tom and I had to grab a GLASSES of water between sets. Tom and I left the dance just as it was ending. We were still in good spirits. For the most part, Traveling Valentine chilled around the convention center and caught some crazy antics: Tom go eat Julia's brain, Tom go chomp pirates, Sue being dragged into her hotel room by her daughter against her will, Tom in a boob sandwich, and a succubus gets her comeuppance by Venom, M. Bison and Hinamori. Kate and Thessa were at the Karaoke Gong Show. I missed it, but I would have loved to see a different kind of karaoke show - a contest about singing intentionally bad. Kate was hailed as being the most epileptic dancer ever. Yet, We still had to initiate Stan and Deb into Traveling Valentine. To the Hentai Room! This year's Sunday night special was Sleazy Family. It was funny running into Julie and Rico in the Hentai Room. According to Julie, it was incest (ew) night. The next showing was Sexual Pursuit. I only stuck around for the first vignette of Sleazy. I went back to the Karaoke Gong Show to see if Kate had won anything. Sadly, she didn't. After being traumatized yet again by hentai, Kate, Thessa, and I geeked over Sex in the City's superiority. Then I serenaded to Kate, "My Eyes Adored You." Since Aizen didn't show up whatsoever, might as well save it for some other brunette in glasses. Stan, Deb, and Tom left the Hentai Room before the french fry incident. I'm not going to ask. Yet, I will ask how do we take a giant marshmallow Gaia cat back to the car! Pictures are copyright by Traveling Valentine. If we took your picture, feel free to use it on your site or cosplay gallery. If you want us to remove something, kindly email us. While you're here, do sign the guestbook. This site was brought to you by the font El Garrett. |