Otakon at the Baltimore Convention Center

This past weekend was the Annual Otakon at the Baltimore Convention Center.  I attended this three day event with a group of friends this year.  It was August 8th, 9th, & 10th.  This was my first experience at an event like this and it was very interesting.  There were about 35,000 people at Otakon.

 For those of you who who may not know, Otakon stands for Convention of Otaku Generation.  An Otaku is term for someone who either draws manga (Japanese graphic novels), or someone who is very invested in reading manga or watching anime (Japaneses cartoons). 



At the Convention:

There were a lot of different activities to do at Otakon.  There were many panels and guest speakers, there also a lot of anime viewing sessions.  There were opportunities to get autographs from voice actors and actresses, as well as Maid Cafe Performances.  There was a very large Game Room with a plethora of video games ranging from, Smash Brothers, to Just Dance, to tables set up for playing Magic The Gathering and other card games. 

One of the biggest attractions however, may be the Dealers' Room.  This is an immense room filled with any kind of otaku and gamer merchandise you can think of! There were posters, plushies, stuffed animals, costumes, DVDs, books, comics, wigs, key chains, pillows, t-shirts, and so much more. 

Saturday The Big Cosplay Day:
[Cosplay is when you dress up as a specific character, its a combination of Costume and Role Play]

These two pictures below are one example of just how many people not only attended Otakon but also how many of those people actually dressed  up!  There were all kinds of different costumes as well.  If you look through these photos you can see there were people as Elsa, there is a TinkerBell, there were people from video games such as Final Fantasy and Halo, there were Storm Troopers and Disney Villains and Princesses.  There were also people dressed up as people from more well known animes such as Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, Fairytail, and many more. 

 

Here are two examples of some amazing costumes.  One the Left is a very nice Elsa costume, she even has a little Olaf doll.  To the Right is my friend Hannah, she found a picture online and decided that she really wanted to make a costume for; and  right there is the beauty of Otakon.  You can dress up as anyone you want.  You can express your creativity like Hannah did or you can be that Princess you'd love to be like this Elsa cosplayer did.  

 So, if you have any questions about Otakon or want to see more pictures just leave a comment and let me know!

Saturday Lunch Review: Clair's

For week 30 we went to Clair's Family Restaurant for lunch.  It's been around for a while and we finally got to go for our lunch.  We had both been there before but haven't been for quite some time.  The food was very good, the staff was nice, a little odd but very nice all the same.  We very much enjoyed the atmosphere.  They also have an area for ice cream if you'd like to stop in for a sweet treat.  I've heard their milkshakes are delicious but we didn't get one while we were there, so maybe next time. 

Saturday Lunch Review: Tropical Treat

For our 29th week doing our Saturday lunches, we went to The Tropical Treat.  We both had their specialty, The FatBoy.  Its a burger with two patties and a special sauce on it that make it very delicious.  I've been to the Treat many times before and it is definitely a favorite of mine.  Be warned, its a drive in place, or you can park and eat outside at picnic tables.  But it is very relaxing to sit out on a nice day and eat.  It is often pretty busy because it is a very popular place.  I would recommend anyone go and try the FatBoy Burger, at least once. 

Book Review: The Great Gatsby

I came into The Great Gatsby knowing what was going to happen.  I've seen the movie several times before reading the book.  But I was still very interested and enthralled by the book.  The descriptions of the characters, Daisy especially gave me a knew respect for, and understanding of her.  The way I viewed her in the book and in the movie were very different, due to the way that Fitzgerald depicts her.  You can truly feel the tangled, heart-throbbing mess that the characters find themselves in.  Fitzgerald does a great job of portraying the emotions of the characters and showing what really drives them.  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good classic or love story.

Review: Jersey Boys

 

Jersey Boys was a fantastic portrayal of the successes and trials of the Four Seasons rise to fame.  The actors do a fantastic job and the singing is phenomenal.  The way that they narrated the movie was very unique and the perfect way to tell their story.  The movie was a little longer than I expected but it was well worth it  I would definitely recommend seeing this. 

Saturday Lunch Review: Genova's

For our 26th week, we went to Genova's, a pizza and sub shop, for lunch.  The food was very good, we both had subs that were delicious.  Their bread was freshly made and very good.  They were also doing a deal that you got a coupon and if you spent at least $15.00 you would get a free 16 inch pizza.  The pizza, which we ate later that evening, was also very good.  They had a large dining area and also offered carry out options.  We enjoyed eating there and will definitely be returning. 

Movie Review: 22 Jump Street

Twenty-two Jump Street was a really funny movie.  A big part of the movie was that the storyline be "exactly the same as last time".  They were supposed to solve this case exactly the same as last time, but this case is totally different.  There were quite a few surprised that had me really busting up.  In my opinion, the first movie was funnier over all, but the sequel had better funny moments.  I would definitely recommend this movie to any comedy lover or anyone who has seen the first movie.  It's definitely worth it.