James and Friends on the Queen Mary 2006

Ah! James. The reason that I'm going. I was on board before the other guests were announced.

Well my employer finally got some money in and paid me. And I am blowing most of it on this trip. I am so excited!!

I am flying to LAX on Friday the 8th. I have a car and driver from Epic Limo picking me up and driving me to The Queen Mary Hotel. They will also drive me back to LAX on Monday the 11th. It is pricey but worth it.

I have booked my room at the Queen Mary for the 8th, 9th, and 10th. I found out that I would have money too late to get a Premium ticket - they sold out in an hour, so I won’t be going to the big Friday night formal dinner. They only offered 100 of those. 

I will also have the chance to meet some of the other crazy people - James Marsters’ fans - that also belong to web fan groups.

This is the Queen Mary Hotel. What a great place to hold this event.

THE QUEEN MARY

The Queen Mary is one of the most famous cruise liners in the world and is virtually unchanged from the days
when the rich and famous sailed in her across the Atlantic. Many of the rooms contain original wooden
paneling and Art Deco styling. She was the first in the new generation of luxury super-liners and set sail on her maiden voyage in 1936. The liner also saw service during World War II and is now one of California's most famous landmarks at her home at Long Beach.

Exhibition Hall on the Queen Mary

Quoted from Patti's Report, because she says what I would say if I had the ability.
"The Queen Mary is an amazing venue! Whomever thought of it deserves a medal! You can feel the history of the ship all around you, and not just because it’s a museum. It’s almost like being there in its heyday, especially staying on the ship. It’s huge, and intimate all at once. I wandered all over the ship late at night after all the events were over for the day, and felt transported in time. You’re surrounded by the rich woods and slightly faded carpets of the original ship and the sounds and smells of the ocean. The posh stateroom we stayed in had all the original fittings working porthole windows, a full vanity area, cabinetry that was made to stay shut during sea voyages, a gold oscillating fan with the statement original air cooling system inoperable (LOL), and the most fun to me, a tub with taps for hot and cold fresh water AND hot and cold salt water! (and can I say eew to the thought of bathing in cold salt water? It has since been fitted for the comfort of modern folk as well, with A/C and a shower--thank goodness! Though I had toured the ship many years ago, I had forgotten mostly, and it was fun to wander around and see pictures of historic figures posing around the ship and learn again of its history, to feel a part of it. The ship is haunted I’ve heard some attendees had encounters-- and though we didn’t get a chance to take the ghost tour, every time we got on the elevator, it would stop at the 2nd floor, even if no one requested it!"
I am on the deck of the Queen Mary on Friday after Dawn and I finially got checked into our room. We got registered for the event. I got a set of Spike trading cards as my free gift. The we went exploring all over the ship. We went to the Pominade Cafe for dinner, and then her friends roped us into the Paranormal Tour. I think I'll find someone's report about the Paranormal tour, which will be so much better than mine and post it here.

This is DawnCC, my roommate on the QM. She came all the way from England. She made my weekend much more fun, and I met her great Brit friends. She came in to LA on Thur. to sight see. These are her pictures, that I loaded on my laptop. Here she is at Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

Here I am on Fri night, running around with the Brit's. We went on the Paranormal Tour while the lucky Premium Ticket holders spent the evening with James. That tour about killed me. Dawn and I had walked all over the ship that afternoon. The tour takes three hours and is up and down many, many stairs, and hallways into the bowles of the ship. I'm surprised my old legs held up.





Dawn's back on the far right, with tour group.


Dawn with her friends, drinking her champaigne and mine as I can't drink - knocks me right out. This tour cost $50, I sure didn't want that glass of champaigne going to waste.


Another picture of the haunted swimming pool area.

Here we are at the old swimming pool. It is supposed to be one of the most haunted places on the Queen Mary. If you look close, you can see me at the bottom far left. Everyone got quite spooked, when we went into the changing rooms without any lights.

Another tour pool area picture.

The Cargo hold area that is supposed to be very haunted. Later we learned that this area is off of the Exhibit Hall, which is also part of the cargo area of the ship. While we took hallways and many, many stairs to get here, the Exhibit Hall is reached by going outside and entering at the lower side of the ship.



Our Paranormal guide sitting on the rail. This area is just off the Exhibit Hall.



I really don't know where on the ship this is.





Monday 09/11/2006 Here we are having Starbuck's coffee on the deck of the Queen Mary. The convention finished up Sunday night and everyone is heading home. Molli and I will leave for LAX at 2:00 P

Jane Espenson - writer, show runner. One of the guests at the event.

James, Mercedes and Jane did a Commentary of a Buffy episode (I can't remember which one now).
The audio/video system stopped for no reason that anyone could figure out then came back on. Must have been the Queen Mary ghosts. Mercedes had her little dog with her.

The DeNight and Efferson Q & A was very interesting.

The Queen Mary in all her beauty.













 



 James cuddled  a heart pillow to be awarded as a price. I think a 12 year old girl won it and was overcome at getting a hug from James.




 James and two actresses did a great performance of 'Teachers'.

James and Steve did a charity auction after the play.


Professional tux shot of James
 Sat. night concert. Lovely

 Kevin Sorbo got up and gave me a hug when I told him that I was sure that I was the oldest person there at 70.



Kevin Sorbo Hercules and Andromada

Mercedes McNab. She was really sweet. A little shy when you meet her in person.

The back of the Famous Guitars T-shirt I gave James. I gave him this when I got my autograph. I gave him an autographed T-Shirt from our local Rock station KSHE95 (kind of ugly). And then I handed him this one and told him that this was a shirt that he might actually wear. He was so delighted to get it. He turned away to look at it and said "Oh, Bo Diddily" and then he looked back at me and said "Sorry". I said, "That's alright, I gave it to you to enjoy."



Another view of the Queen Mary.

Quoted from LateStarter report
"Like everyone says, he was looking great and in fantastic shape. The CDS knickers that Molli prepared for the archive were clearly not his – you could fit two of James in them and still have room for Tony Todd.

And on the subject of the knickers and no joking here – Steve Himber was an absolute star the whole convention Always friendly and helpful, he bore with the horde of rampaging CDS’ers with the greatest good humour. And spent a really long time posing for our knickers shot without even a hint that he had a lot else to do."

This is on Sun. out side the Exhibition Hall, which is in the old cargo hold of the Queen Mary. A huge three story space. In the movie Shadow Puppets, the actors are in their underwear. James is in boxer shorts, not near as large as the one in this picture. The Cold Dead Seed group roped Steve Himber - James's manager - into holding them in our group picture. Molli got James to autograph them. He signed it right at the front flap, and we signed our posting names on the back. I'm 3rd from the left and Molli is 2nd from the right.


Well, here I am with the wonderful James Marsters, in all my finery. This took place Sat. morning. The pictures were finished in time for me to get it autographed on Sun.

I'll report what I can remember, because of James-fog and the fact that I have extremely bad memory anyway. don't expect too much.

James greeted me, and I said that I thought that I was the oldest person at the con at 70 years old. He stepped back and said "You look fantastic!" Well, what a sweetheart. He asked "How do you do it?" and I answered "Genetics", because I was so flabergasted and surprised at his response, and the photographer said something in agreement. Well, gee, maybe I don't look as old as I thought.

After the photographer took his two shots and I turned to leave, James said "You must get lots of sleep." and I answered "No, I don't sleep much." He said "Really". sort of surprised. But I really don't sleep much, six hours is a full night for me, and I don't nap.

I was so lucky to be healthy and energetic the entire trip.


Here is my roommate Dawn at the bathroom door in our room.
The room was very nice. Original 1920-30s stateroom.

















Here is Molli in the Limo that took us to LAX on Mon. afternoon.
 I expected the sedan that I had booked to pick me up, but a stretch limo came instead. The driver said that they ran out of small cars. Well, O.K. by me. Molli had asked me to hang out with her at the airport as she was leaving at 7pm and I was scheduled to leave at 5pm, so I suggested that she ride with me, because I already had a car and driver booked.



One of the decks of the Queen Mary. Lovely view and many shops to explore.

Me trying to get out of the limo. Miss Graceful.