MOTSS.CON XV

This site is devoted to motss.cons, both past and present. It is presented for your viewing pleasure by your genial host, Ken Rudolph.

Motss.con-XV will be held in West Hollywood on the weekend of August 9-11, 2002.

Hotel

The con hotel is the RAMADA PLAZA West Hollywood in the heart of Boystown (and Girlstown).  Reservations can be made by calling 1800-845-8585 and using the magical code word:  "motss".  That will assure that you'll get the convention rate of $109/day standard or $149/day for a loft suite.

There is a much lower cost motel called the Travel Inn, which is next door to Ken's and Arne's apartment (about a mile from the con hotel.)  It's somewhat sleazy; but seems clean and safe, with a small pool and adequate parking.  If such accomodations are more to your budget, notify Ken and he'll forward you the information.

Activities

I'm planning for day events which can be gotten to fairly easily by city bus and subway, along with a lot of walking around West Hollywood. Since this con is going to be very nearby to all sorts of gay and lesbian night spots, there shouldn't be much trouble finding evening amusements.

As long as you're here in L.A. people might make plans to do the many, many amusements of the area: Magic Mountain, Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm; a baseball game at Dodger Stadium or Angel stadium; the Norton Simon Museum and the Huntington Library in the Pasadena area...the possibilities are endless.

Proposed Gatherings

Thursday, August 8th

My plan is to have a pre-con motss.food event on Thursday night, Aug. 8th (if there is adequate interest) at a restaurant to be named later (but right a strong possibly is the Saddle Peak Lodge in Calabassas, CA.)

Friday, August 9th

Friday day is sort of unstructured for arrivals. Shopping, wandering around West Hollywood. Some may want to do the beach or even an excursion to Magic Mountain might be possible by car.

Friday night will be the con welcoming dinner...a paella feast at Tidal Wave...a modest, but wonderful seafood restaurant in Hollywood. The rest of the evening is open for bar hopping or whatever.

Saturday, August 10th

Saturday, after breakfast at Dukes, where we all sit at communal tables and enjoy ordering from the huge menu of the best deli in WeHo, we split into two groups. One heads for the beach (in an excursion led by Arne). Another, a group led by myself, heads to the huge new Getty Museum on top of the hill, for some high culture and celebration of Mammon incarnate.

Saturday night we'll break up into smallish groups for dining at one of a whole bunch of local restaurants of various levels of expense.  Around 9PM until ? we'll have a split-level cocktail party at Ken and Arne's, utilizing this apartment's outdoor patio and the two floors of our apartment.  Nothing elaborate, mind you.  Low stress for your host, remember.

Sunday, August 11th

Sunday is a subway trip downtown for dim sum at one of the gigantic Hong Kong style emporia (the Empress Pavillion, most likely). We'll try to sit together. Afterwards, a walking tour of Chinatown, Olivera St., and the old L.A. plaza, followed by subway to Universal City where some will choose to do the Universal studio tour and others just amble through the City Walk, maybe catch a movie at the world's busiest cinemaplex or an Imax extravaganza. We'll end up at Gladstones for Fish for a closing meal together.

Monday, August 12th

Monday morning will be straggler's breakfast at the DuPars at the hotel, and Sayonara to motss.con XV.

Weather and Travel Tips

Chances are the weather will be good in early August. It may be in the high 80s F, with low humidity likely. Possibly hotter, in which case we'll spend a *lot* of time at the beach. The past few years the temperature has been moderate during August...but one never knows.

It's hard to tell what the state of traveling will be like in August...hopefully the airport will be open for business and the current security problems will not be a factor. L.A. is served by Amtrack, just in case.

At this point there is no con committee except for little ol' me. Anybody reasonably local who volunteers to help will be a hero in my eyes!

See you in WeHo in August!

Feel free to write me by clicking on here


Ken's MOVIE SITE with film festival journals and movie reviews can be found by clicking here.

Thanks go to Daniel Gilly who restructured the html of this page.  Way to go Daniel!
Written February 27, 2002; last modified December 25, 2003