Bittersweet Candy Bowl Forums

Replacing the old thread.

BCBCon 2011 is a meetup of 15-25 Bittersweet Candy Bowl readers happening in Boston, taking place from Thursday 7 July to Sunday 10 July. We'll meet up Thursday at lunch time, spend Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights sharing several hotel rooms amongst us all, and then split off and leave throughout the Sunday.

It is not a real "con", it is just a silly name for a bunch of people with a common interest meeting and doing stuff together. Anyone is invited, so long as they are not weird and creepy.

It will cost you something like $85 for 3 nights at the hotel, $100 for food, and $50 for various other stuff. That's $235. Plus you need to get to Boston.

The following might be useful, but please let me know if you have better estimates. All are all-inclusive return prices.



INDICATIVE TRAVEL PRICES

TRI-STATERS: Boltbus drive from NYC for $30. Boltbus are great.
FLORIDIANS: I95Coach.com drive to NYC from Orlando for $90. Tack on the Boltbus fare and you'd pay $210 return. And waste almost a full day of your life on buses! How wonderful.
CHICAGOANS: JetBlue do a $250 fare from Chicago.
CALIFORNIANS: Boston's on the other side of the country, you should know the score for cross-country fares. $300-500, depending.
TEXANS: I don't know what your closet cities are, but Airtran do a $300 fare from Dallas.
THOSE IN FLYOVER COUNTRY: $350ish flights from Denver.
CANADIANS: $350ish flights from Toronto, $200 on Greyhound.



FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I book my own accomodation?
Yes, but it's weird and you'll feel a bit like an outcast. This works best when we're all in the same hotel, waking up and leaving to do stuff as a group. It will be better if you let Vero and I work out the hotel stuff and ask you
Can I bring a friend or partner?
Sure, why not?
Can I come with a parent who will share a room with me alone?
This is really strongly discouraged, it makes things weird and sucky. I know a lot of you are young, but try hard to avoid this. You'll end up something of a social outcast all because you weren't very persuasive.
I doubt I can afford it, what can I do?
Don't come. Past experience shows that even otherwise good people can end up being deadbeats in this kind of event, so please don't come if you cannot afford a $300+ trip by July. It sucks to spend thousands on hotel rooms and not receiving the hundreds owed by a certain proportion of people - it happened to my friend several times at similar meetups, and it's pretty shitty.

Exception: If we or someone else likes you, we might be able to be charitable. Beg here!
Can I book tickets now?
I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but if you see a great deal or something - yes. The dates are final.
Due to a convention that's happening at the exact same time, we're now reconsidering the date. Could move it a few days or a week earlier. Please don't buy tickets, and if you did, let us know.



GUEST LIST
This is our current guest list, and we are going to get serious now. Are you not able to come to BCBcon, or have no interest? Don't post in the thread. If you are missing from the list, tell us where to put your name. If you are on the list, clarify your position as best you can and help us refine it.

There is no cut-off date yet. But there will be one. Around the end of March we are going to force you to put some money down or give up your place.


Absolutely certain
Ace
SuitCase
Spacemouse
Taeshi
Titanium Dragon

Certain
Carmen
JHawkNH
Lily
Lvl 50 Fighter
Pants
Sue
ToastyJester


Probable
Cappuccino
CaptainBaconMan
Conradulations
Kaxbe
La Commie
MiwAuturu
Seppucrow
Silentvelcro
Theunwiseman
Maverik
Sock
Zhan


Possibly Probable
(nameless)
ChewySmokey
ClosetLucy
Dark
Frustrated_Writer
Gameking218
Hentai13
Junior Boomer
kickash
Lariat
Lark
Mechanical Pencil
Mikaro
Naravine
NeoKariz
Ninja
Regulith
Rukral
Sammy
Trev
Ved


Improbable
Aika
Domafari
Kou
Nanie
Nikkoliah
SushiJaguar
TheLightorTheDark
Ubertoast
Wii Anonymous
Zaynman

Oh shizzit! I should send money to reserve a spot soon... So, how much? Should I send the estimated amount for a hotel room or for some fraction of that price?

Quote

The people tend to pay on the day they get there. Depending on how many people attend and the hotel costs, the current price is an estimate. Since we split the huge bill amongst the roomsharers So don't worry about it for now.

I am thinking we should definitely do some kind of Paypal deposit thing, though, because I want to weed out the people who can't even put in twenty bucks a couple months in advance.

I wouldn't for a Lemocon, but when 90% of the people I barely know, it seems like a good idea.

You can put me in Probable or Certain. Suffice it to say, I WILL be going, come hell or high water. But I know you get all iffy about putting me in certain since my financial situation is so questionable. But I WILL be coming. With whatever money I can make, and a credit card to carry the slack.

As always though, I am not above turning to anyone who's feeling particularly generous (or just REALLY wants to meet me in person/see me there) offering to help me cover costs, as coming from Australia, travel alone is costing me somewhere in the vicinity of $2700.

So yeah. tl;dr I'm coming, and if you wanna help me, feel free to donate/commission a story.

Sounds like a plan.

If I remember right the ~$85 would be for rour people to a room.
I would be willing to pay for a two spot ($170) if that ment I could get a bed to myself.

Add me as improbable please. I will be in Boston this summer, but mist likely in August not July. However school finals may get pre-poned and then I will notify in advance if I can

SuitCase, on 17 February 2011 - 11:48 AM, said:

Aw god dammit


Anyways, turns out it'll probably be cheaper if I take greyhound, so that's probably what I'll end up doing.
The tickets are almost half price when you book early.
Advanced purchase tickets are $86 for my trip, so there and back, plus suitcases estimates puts my trip cost at about $400.

Shit damn.

This post has been edited by CaptainBaconMan: 17 February 2011 - 04:28 PM

Miw seems to be in both the Probable tiers. Just so you know. ^_^

I have $500 on hand and will be squarling away more as i go, so I'm almost certain I'm going. Now as I'm in Texas I'd like to help cut costs, so if any of yall can get to or close to Dallas and don't mind a long drive, i'd drive us there and split the cost of gas. I'm estamating that the gas cost will be $250, give or take, so if you like this idea talk to me.

I noticed that too ILB, although at this point I'm pretty certain I am going, just need to work out a few details and try to be persuasive with my parents. It may be that I end up rooming with you guys while they stay at the same hotel in another room, this way I can hang out with BCB people while they go off and do touristy things.

If anyone is willing to swing by NE Georgia I will carpool and pitch in for gas.

It'd be more fun than sitting on a bus with a shit ton of strangers.

This post has been edited by CaptainBaconMan: 17 February 2011 - 04:39 PM

And i'm not agenst picking up poeple out of state, but you have to give me directions and it can't be too far out of the way, as the drive to Boston is gona be about a 24 hour drive.

dear everyone
why would you make a 24 hour drive when you're paying more for gas than you would to just fly and be there in <4 hours

Because if you carpool it becomes cheaper.

Plus how am I supposed to bring all my guns if I go by air? Huh?

It'd cost about $300 to fly if i carpool with even one person that drops our costs to $150, thats pretty good.

Sadly carpooling from the West Coast is terribly inefficent...

SuitCase, on 17 February 2011 - 11:48 AM, said:

Mark me down as improbable. I'd love to go, but work, parents, etc. are keeping me back.
If I was to find a way to go, I'd prolly carpool with Lark.

Make the next one in Texas!

For me it's more efficient to drive, it'd take only a day to get there and gas between three people won't be that much. By the way, I am coming from Minnesota with Conradulations, so if anyone is up north I can see what I can do.

Gonna go beg parents right now.

Bass, on 17 February 2011 - 08:35 PM, said:

Yeaaaaaaahhhhh doubt that will happen. They don't like Texas for some reason.

Oh and put me up in certain or probable because unless something magically shows up to stop me I'm going.

Ace, on 17 February 2011 - 10:33 PM, said:

It's because if they go there Taeshi will be mistaken for an illegal and be deported to Mexico, then Suit would have to go and find her and it would be a huge mess. Loli Illegals are up 67% this decade, it's bound to happen, so the further they are from the border the safer she'll be.

Yay. Okay, put me on certain, I got permission from my parents

SuitCase, on 17 February 2011 - 01:48 PM, said:

My paypal isn't terribly full at the moment, you'll give fair warning if you do this I hope.

Mav, I've put you in probable.

JHawk, that's an option for sure. We'll work such things out closer to the booking.

ILB, thanks.

Those working out carpool arrangements in this thread, great. This is a good way to travel cheaply, but it's hard for me to co-ordinate.

nameless, if you can't find $20 at a moments notice I don't think you'd be able to afford this kind of trip.

I'm all excited and such now...I hope everyone in the certain box can make it, and even some people in the possible and such. If you need a spot of help feel free to email me and I will see what I can do.

SuitCase, on 18 February 2011 - 08:13 AM, said:

My paypal isn't connected to my bank account and basically exists for the sole purpose of E-bay purchases and sales, furthermore I prefer to keep most of my money in the form of hard currency as opposed to electronic currency, how much money in my paypal is a poor indicator of my ability to pay for hotel and plane tickets.

This weekend Im going to study my holidays at work. So, next week I will confirm if I can go or not. Probably I will be able n_n

PD: America america!!!!

Quote

Tee hee~

This is infinitely amusing to me, for some reason. ^_^

Lvl 50 Fighter, on 17 February 2011 - 09:07 PM, said:

My current plan is to fly out to Boston, but that could change if airfare changes dramaticly for some reason. If it does I may take you up on that offer.
BTW, do either you or Conradulations attend Anime Detour?

@Suitcase: Sounds good. We can work things out as we get closer to the dates.

JHawkNH, on 18 February 2011 - 07:37 PM, said:

Were most likely going to, haven't had the time to do so. We plan on going this year though. If you live close to us lets friggin go together.

(nameless), on 18 February 2011 - 09:12 AM, said:

Connecting a bank account to a paypal account is quite fast, something you could do well in advanced before march. Furthermore, all credit cards can be used as payment with or without having a paypal account.

will you guys be selling your merchandise there

If you like.

thated be awsome

Hope you guys take pictures! I can't go, but I'd love to see Youtube videos and slideshows of your adventures! Have fun.

King, on 28 February 2011 - 06:19 AM, said:

What happens at BCBCon, stays at BCBCon.

No. What happens at BCBCon, get spread to the world. Like AIDS.

Concentrated AIDS?

Hmmm, long flight, perhaps I should leave Wedensday, it's probably going to take all day to travel.

Well I have made my reservations for my flight. I shall be arriving at 8 am on the 7th and leaving at 7:35 pm on the 10th.

We shall have fun!

I am waiting to get my plane tickets until the price of fuel goes down. I am hoping that ticket prices go down then also.

I also forgot to ask Suitcase. How do you want us to pay for our share of the room. I am assuming you won't want a check, so do you want it in cash?

Titanium Dragon, on 01 March 2011 - 07:11 AM, said:

the 7th? the hell are you going to do for two days

I got my flight all booked to arrive at 2PM on the 6th and leave at 7:45AM on the 10th.

Oh all the saturday night 5am hijinks I will miss getting to an airport and sitting there all security durp as they check my warhammer stuff out for its uses as a weapon.

I should be arriving on the 6th as well....so fear not,you shan't be alone.

A question for people of the USA: What is the best way to travel from New york to Boston?

We will only accept US treasury bonds for room payment. (a cheque is fine)

SpaceMouse, on 01 March 2011 - 03:33 PM, said:

What do you mean? He picked the right days and right times precisely.

Volgrand, Boltbus! Or similar. A few hours on a comfy bus with wifi only costs you $15 each way.

great. Each day I am closer to confirm my assistance. I will keep you informed n_n

Wrong word, Volgrand. 'Assistance' it may be in French, but in English it's 'attendance'.