“Piano Squall” is the stage name of a pianist who specializes in video game and anime music. I attended his concert Anime St. Louis last week and was very impressed with his performance.
Read more and see additional photos after the jump. (more…)
While at Anime St. Louis and Show Me Con last weekend, I saw a production by the theatre/LARP troup “The Dragons Keep.” From their website:
“TDK is a unique role-playing game and improv show that mixes improvisational theatre with a Dungeons & Dragons style LARP (Live Action Role Playing). Think Saturday Night Live meets Lord of the Rings with Audience Participation. The cast play all of the NPC’s (Non-Player Characters, like monsters) and a few selected members of the audience are called up on stage to be the PC’s (Player Characters). Only audience members that fill out a character card prior to the beginning of the show will be eligible to be called up on stage. These audience “party members” are given a quest. To assist them with this quest they are given a spell orb (with seven spell charges), weapons and armor. With the aid of a guide (one of our cast members), the party is lead through a somewhat perilous adventure that tests their wits, strength, and overall moral worth. Some party members successfully make it through the entire adventure, and others.well, let’s just say they aren’t as lucky. Every show is a chapter in our ongoing, two-year story arc, so every show is unique. “
See more photos and read my impressions of the show after the jump. (more…)
During my trip last weekend, I attended the ShowMeCon and Anime St. Louis held at a Marriot hotel. It was a joint anime/science fiction convention and attracted over 1000 nerds, geeks, and other socially awkward types to come together and celebrate their nerdiness for a weekend.
Read more and see some more pics after the jump. (more…)
On day two of my trip last weekend, I stopped at a trucker cafe near Danville, MO and Montgomery City, MO called Maggie’s Cafe. It was pretty much what you might expect from such a place — Quaint, inexpensive, and home to some great American diner food. I had a huge breakfast, with biscuits and gravy, chicken fried steak, eggs, toast and truck stop coffee for just over $6. It was too much food to finish and was easily the best breakfast I have had in ages. If you are ever driving down I-70 between Columbia and St. Louis, I would definitely recommend a stop as a great alternative to the ubiquitous fast food joints.
See a couple more pics after the jump.
As part of my trip last weekend, I visited Graham Cave State Park (google map here). I was there primarily because the park is close to I-70, and is an inexpensive place to spend the night camping. However, the park turned out to be a nice place to visit for other reasons as well. Read my review and see more pictures after the jump. (more…)
I just got back from a crazy busy weekend trip. I left Friday with my two roommates to go to another friend’s wedding reception, which was very non-traditional and very fun. We left the wedding late Friday evening and drove 2/3 of the way to St. Louis where we stopped at Graham Cave State Park to camp for the night. We woke up at 7:45 in the morning and explored the park and the historic cave the park was named for, and then drove to St. Louis, stopping on the way at a trucker diner for an incredible breakfast. In St. Louis, we registered for Anime St. Louis/ShowMeCon, a combination anime and science fiction convention held at a Marriot hotel. The convention had over 1000 people in attendance and we spent the greater part of Saturday late into the night and sunday until about 3:00 at the convention. After leaving the convention, we traveled to a nearby park just outside St. Louis and played a round of Frisbee golf. On the trip back we stopped in Columbia, Mo. for dinner, and finally made it home.
Needless to say, I am exhausted, so I am about to get some much needed rest. I will be posting more in detail about the proceedings and loading an image gallery in the morning or when I have time.
Welcome to my new blog. I will be updating this space periodically with anything I find interesting.
-Jeff