I'd wanted to post during Brickfest, but I couldn't handle the felt-like-fragile keys of Omi's laptop, and I never really had time to think it out. It was busy, and it was a blast.

Friday, I was picked up at the airport by a family I'd met through BZP, but not on BZP. We went out for Vietnamese food for dinner, well, late lunch, as I hadn't eaten since my last blog post. Vietnamese cuisine produces the ABSOLUTE BEST spring rolls in the the world. Just enough butter/fat in the frying, just the right size, just enough salt to make it tasty, and then the oil & rooster sauce to dip in. I mean, I actually ate them. That's an accomplishment for me, since I never eat egg rolls.

Although, the bubble drink was an experience: jack fruit was certainly nothing I'd tasted before (not good not bad just different), but I'm not a tapioca person. I was belching tapicoa pretty much until we (the staff in attendance) visited the LEGO store after opening ceremonies.

After the LEGO store, we went to California Pizza Kitchen. Never ate there before. Upset that IBC was served in bottles rather than Barq's or Mug or A&W or whatever from tap, that I couldn't get free refills. Mushroom pizza was good, but Black Six's garlic chicken was better. 'Twas a shame we missed Cajun leaving the Sheraton, as he actually wanted to go with us.

Friday night was spent taking in the exhibits downstairs and finishing up the setup of the upstairs BIONICLE room. Saturday morning (Friday late-late night) was spent watching Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. Omi....nah, I'm not gonna say it.

Saturday was a trip. Met several BZPers who, despite the light grey Kanohi Rau that's been my avatar for roughly 4 years, had no clue who I was until I mentioned the Nuparu review I did. Sadly, no one told me my softball team went 4-9, so no one got a free canister of Tony Chachere's (something spicy) or jar of mayhaw jelly (something sweet). Oh well, at least I'm not a nobody anymore.

Anyway, the jelly I brought went to:

the family that took me out to eat Friday

BR

Omi

Smeag

Thomas Halphen, a friend I shall mention shortly.

the mother of a BZPer who I talked through "tell me my softball team's record" Sunday during BrickParty.

The Tony Chachere's I brought went to:

Kaiapu and his fiancée

B6

Rayg

Cajun

Joe Meno, the guy in charge of Brickfest.

Saturday evening, I met up with Thomas Halphen, a friend with whom I graduated from high school (in southwest Louisiana) that now works in northern Virginia. We went out for barbecue at Red Hot & Blue, and that was some of the best brisket I'd had in a long time. Ribs were good too, though I'm told I should've gotten the wet ribs if I weren't wearing so much white. We then went for coffee and chat atop the Hotel Washington, and I got to see some scenery I'd not seen in almost 20 years.

Didn't take any pictures with a camera, but I certainly did with my mind.

Saturday late-late night wasn't as late as Friday, but I still didn't get to bed until 1 AM.

Sunday was mildly uneventful, except that I am now "charged" with helping to free the band. GN can blog next weekend with what his Bounty Hunter picked up on the way back to the Bayou State, I'll not spoil his surprise.

The flight home was rather eventful: the plane had to make an emergency landing in Birmingham, Alabama after some lady in first class started having some severe chest pain. She was given 3 nitroglycerin pills (yes, they do keep those on planes) and some baby aspirin before we landed, and was much better on the ground than she was at 30,000+ feet (10 km) in the air. Still was taken via ambulance to the hospital in Birmingham, and we were about 2 hours late arriving at MSY. I think she's going to be okay, though.

Anyway, the lack of sleep over what was supposed to be a vacation weekend is catching up to me, and I'm already back at work.

-KIE