Anaheim Holiday Day #2 - Registration and pre-parties

In the morning we went down to go look at the registration by daylight - to get a better look at the layout and get a pic when people weren't filling the place.



A few people were sitting around, clearly Blizzcon goers - some wearing Blizz related T-shirts, others talking about WoW stuff.  Grabbed a Starbucks and then headed back to the hotel and decided to go shopping at South Coast Plaza for the day.

Spent the ENTIRE afternoon shopping and eating.  We had lunch at Seasons 52, which prides themselves on serving seasonal fresh produce (and no dish is over 475 Calories - I wondered, is that so any meal would be ok for anyone doing the 5:2 diet?).

Grilled Garlic Pesto Chicken Flatbread
Dungeness Crab, Roasted Shrimp and Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms under Parmesan Panko crust
Cedar-plank roasted Pacific King Salmon and vegetables
Maple Glazed All Natural roasted half Chicken, autumn harvest vegetables, zesty chicken jus
Blackened Mahi Mahi, mashed Sweet potatoes, green vegies, red pepper salso
Pel and Xarek had arrived by then and Pel was telling me to go line up!  She said people were lining from 1pm so they could get seats at the opening ceremony, and I was bummed because I thought I was going to miss out.  HOWEVER, it turned out that the queue for that is TOMORROW, so I still have a chance to get a seat for the opening ceremony!

By the time we got there, about 615pm, the queue was really long.  It stretched all the way out past the signs that told you where to line up and doubled back to the side of the Marriott, almost to the doors where you go into the convention centre to get your stuff.





Once you get past the doors and into the convention centre there was more lining up, but the line here went quite quickly.


We picked up our goody bags and our registration passes and were out of there! The poor kids had been lining up with us and were starving.  My son was very friendly with the people standing behind us, but they took it rather well.  It's actually really cool listening to people around you talking, and EVERYONE is talking about World of Warcraft.  My inner nerd is squealing!

Then came the hard part.  There were two things I wanted to attend - the World of Podcasts thing, and the WoWInsider/Wowhead party.  I dropped into the World of Podcasts discussion panel just after 8pm (while we were waiting for a table at IHOP), missing out on my ticket and the prize draw, but I was happy to be there, and I saw Skolknick and Apsana up at the table from the Darkmoon herald, and cheered when they were introduced.  I also saw Hasteur in his joker outfit - can you spot him?  He looked awesome.  Unfortunately he was NOT accessible for picture taking or a chat as he was chairing or doing something important. However, I DID spot someone wearing a Realm maintenance shirt who had a spare seat next to him, so I bit the bullet and plonked myself next to him, tapped him on the shoulder and asked if he was Rho.  He said he was.  I shook his hand and said that I was Navimie from the Daily Frostwolf, and that I just wanted to say hi, and I would talk to him later as I had to go do family stuff.  I think Rho looked rather stunned - I have had a lot of trouble with people understanding what I say today.  I think it's because I talk quickly AND I speak with an Australian accent (apparently) and he may not have understood any of what I said!

So after dinner with the kids, I headed out to the Annabella for the WoWinsider/WoWhead party, and it was packed to the rafters.   In the queue there was a guy in front of us who turned around and asked me and Lush if we were Aussies and we said we were.  He said he used to be in an Aussie guild - on Saurfang, no less!  How funny that he was from out server!  He said he now plays his tauren elemental shammy on Thrall. I should have asked him his toon name LOL.



We didn't stay long at the party, as I had some minor concerns with people drinking around a pool - I didn't really want to be a witness to any tragic drunken accidents, and Pel and Xar had already left the party and were having dinner.  I saw Matticus - well, there was an Asian guy with Matticus emblazoned across the back of his shirt and I was tempted to tell him what a great blog he writes, but I hesitated and he disappeared into the crowd.

So we went to sit with Xar and Pel whilst they ate dinner and chatted.  I wanted to go back and see Hasteur, but by the time I got back to my hotel, the World of Podcasts thing was over, and Hasteur and Rho were gone.  I was a bit disappointed in myself for not committing myself fully to one thing or the other, as it felt like I had missed out on both things!  Pel made me an amazing gift - a chainmail keyring!  It's so cool, and she's so talented!

I told her to make an Etsy shop and I would put it on my blog - not that it would probably help much but it was so well made (though she said it was a PITA to make and she would never make another) but I am so impressed that I am going to take it to Blizzcon tomorrow!  She also made her Horde necklace, which I think looks fab!

So I should really be going to sleep because I'm going to have to get up to beat the crowds tomorrow lining up to get a seat for the opening ceremony.  Going to try and get there by 5am.  OMG that's so early. Wish me luck - and hopefully can share more pics with you tomorrow!

(PS: apologies to Ayelena - I am too tired to make up the recipes for the foods in relation to WoW - I shall fix this post up when I have more time!)




Comments

  1. Yay Navi! Sounds like you are having a great time and the fun is only just beginning. Look forward to reading more of your adventures and seeing more photos! :D

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    1. It was amazing Jez! I hope you enjoyed the photos!

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  2. Looking forward to more photos! and what a wonderful bracelet! and necklace!

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  3. You're such a great reporter! Love the pictures. I think I saw Hasteur on the Twisted Nether meet up list, maybe you can catch him there. That's one of the podcasts I try to listen to but I can never get a whole one done at one go, lol.

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    1. I too can't listen to all my podcasts in one go. I have too much to listen to!

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  4. mmm food! Looks awesome...../drool! Enjoy blizzcon!

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  5. Navi: do you know you are just as much a WOW celebrity as any of those folks?! Go get em girl! They'd be thrilled to meet you!

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