Hello, folks. ApolloCon 2008 is only a week away! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Chuck. My wife, Val, and I will be running the Con Suite at ApolloCon this year. We’re going to do our best to provide you with a comfortable space to enjoy snacks, beverages, and maybe even a quick game or two during ApolloCon weekend.
Late last year, Val and I created a Con Suite survey and put it up on the ApolloCon website. We’ve received 36 responses, and thanks to all of you who shared your opinion with us. Here’s a summary of what we’ve heard from you, and how we’re planning on serving you this year:
“No store brand / cheap-o sodas and chips. Get the real deal.”
The budget on Con Suite is a lot tighter than you might think, but we’ve done our best to get Coke and Pepsi products, and name-brand chips.
“Last year had a great variety of food. Please provide a variety of snacks and drinks.”
We’re working hard on this, and hope to have a number of options – chips, dips, crackers, cheeses, nuts, fresh fruits and veggies. Also, we have at least 24 different types of soda, as well as bottled water, coffee (regular and decaf), iced tea, and hot water for making tea (we’ll have a nice variety of tea bags available).
“It would be nice if heartier fare were available. For my con membership fee, I should get more than stale chips and store-brand soda, especially if you want to keep me from going to any of the local eating establishments.”
The Con Suite isn’t really there to keep you from attending any of the excellent restaurants in the area; in fact, Val and I have helped research many of the local eateries for the Dining Guide you’ll find in the Program Book. And the Con Suite budget only gets a dollar or so from each membership fee paid. But we can and will provide sandwich-making supplies, including lunch meat and PB&J. We’ll also have a vegetarian chili, a meaty chili, and some of our Evil Vizier’s own awesome queso dip. So we think that we’ll be able to help you keep your hunger at bay, if you can’t get away. But please think about visiting the hotel restaurant, or one of the local eateries. When ApolloCon generates money for neighboring businesses, we all win.
“I don’t want to see a messy room, lots of dirty hands digging into food, or kids running around, getting underfoot.”
Nobody likes the Con Crud. We’ll be working hard to keep the rooms clean. And we’re providing tongs and serving spoons, so that no one has to use their hands to get food. For some items, we’ll even be putting them in small cups with lids – you take the dip or spread you want, and you don’t have to worry about who had their hand in it before you. Con Suite staff will be using food service gloves when handling food.
Regarding kids, they’re welcome at the Con, and in the Con Suite, but anyone under 13 needs to be with a parent or guardian at all times – that includes the Con Suite. Please keep your younger friends and family members disciplined, and we’ll do our best to work with you. Nobody wants to be disturbed by unruly, out-of-control children. But kids are the future of fandom, too, and we need to make them welcome.
“I hope you won’t be anal if people want to take food and drink out of the Con Suite.”
Sorry, but yeah, we will. The hotel is really good to us, and they have agreed to let us have a hospitality room, where we can serve our own food and drink. But people running all over the hotel with our food and beverages impact their restaurant and concession sales. So, as part of our contract with the hotel, we have to keep food and drink in the Suite area. We aren’t trying to ruin your fun – we’re trying to work with our hotel, because they’ve been great at working with us. We hope you’ll understand.
“The best con suites I’ve been at have served beer.”
I can appreciate that. But at this time, ApolloCon is an all-ages con, and we’ve decided that it’s easier to not serve alcohol, and not have to worry about carding or other legal hassles. As ApolloCon grows, this could change (bigger attendance = bigger budget, and more volunteer help to run things).
“I want the same people to run the Con Suite this year! I don’t want any changes at all.”
We can’t help you with that one. Jonathan and J-Mag Guthrie, who have run the Con Suite for the past three years, will be running Con Logistics and the Charity Auction, respectively. Judging by the feedback we’ve gotten, they’ve left us some big shoes to fill. But, it takes a lot of people to put on ApolloCon, and we can’t let any position rely on just one or two people. If anything should happen (relocation, wedding, family reunion, etc), we would be short experienced leads for a whole department, and we need them all. Also, as the old saying goes, “If you’re irreplaceable, you can’t be promoted.” The Guthries have a lot to offer Houston fandom in general, and ApolloCon in particular. Val and I would like to think that we do, too. We hope you’ll give us a try.
“It would be nice to see options there for people with food allergies or dietary restrictions.”
We’ve been doing our best to have lots of sweetener options for people, as well as soft drinks sweetened with Splenda. With fruit and vegetables available, along with yogurt, cheese, nuts and cottage cheese, we feel we have a number of non-meat proteins. We have even picked up a few low- and no-salt snacks, low-carb wraps for sandwiches, and some gluten-free, raw food snack bars. Many of these items will not be out on the main table – we don’t want adventurous eaters to consume anyone’s only option – so if you have special dietary needs or restrictions, please ask the Con Suite staff. We don’t promise to have something for everyone, but we’ll do our best.
“I found the Con Suite a little cramped, at peak times. A little more room would be nice.”
This year, we’re going to have both rooms open for you. One room will have the food and beverages, along with a small seating area, and the other will have more room for sitting and socializing – we’re even providing some things for you to do. In addition, our awesome hotel liaison has once again arranged for us to have the elevator lobby outside of the Con Suite rooms. It’ll be set up with tables and chairs. That area will be open 24/7, even when the other Con Suite rooms are closed.
“Love it when the Con Suite is truly 24/7.”
We’ve heard that. We’ve also heard that, after 3 am, it gets pretty dead in there. We’ve decided to take a break, from 3 am until 8 am, get some sleep and reset the room. As mentioned above, we will have an area that will be open all night. Keep in mind, though, that it’s in the middle of a hallway, and not everyone staying in the hotel is attending ApolloCon. The hotel has public spaces where people are welcome at all hours, especially in the lobby. Hey, HallCon and CornerCon, I’m talking to you – make this the year of LobbyCon! ;-)
We hope that you’ll stop by, have a snack and a drink, and see some old friends, or make new ones. We’re going to do our best for you. Have a great ApolloCon! - Chuck & Val.
P.S. – If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at consuite dot 2008 at apollocon dot org. Thank you.