Steamathon 2015
Four people in the San Diego contingent had birthdays that week, so we started the weekend with dinner at the steampunk-themed RX Boiler Room in the Mandalay Bay.
RX Boiler Room Birthday Cookies and Table-Side Mixologist
If you get a chance, definitely go. Not only is it visually gorgeous, but the food is delicious and beautifully presented.
Speaking of visually gorgeous settings, the Main Street Station is a Victorian casino. We had several gatherings in the Pullman Lounge that contains an actual vintage Pullman railroad car. Yep, it’s a very big room.
Pullman Lounge and D&McT in the Pullman Railcar
We were asked to contribute to the festivities on short notice, so we gamely threw ourselves in (to the deep end of the pool). We played Drake & McTrowell’s Hot Potato School of Writing™ with Kelly Varner and Justin Hoke as guest authors. D&McT is usually a pretty PG enterprise, but somehow the Vegas edition of the game was a little more colorful than usual thanks to these two madcap troublemakers. Drake as a Vegas showgirl? Need we say more?
Troublemakers All
This was followed immediately by an impromptu book signing in the vendor room arranged by our friends at Rae-Wolf Designs.
Autographs Anyone?
Sunday was Jules Verne’s 183rd birthday, so there was, of course, a birthday party. It was also Lady Amethyst’s birthday, so Doc Phineas invited her to blow out the candles on the cake.
She Doesn’t Look a Day Over 100
Doc Phineas invited Drake to discuss Verne’s literary contributions, an activity that culminated in a chat between the two of them while Sparky engaged in a shameless plug for the hardcover edition of “London, Where It All Began.”
A Tribute to Jules Verne
One of the benefits of going to a con farther from home is that we get to see new people, costumes, and gadgets. We’ve seen a lot of steampunk wings, but none quite like these lovely brass ones.
Brass Wings
We saw an amazing Las Vegas-based “hoop artist” (is that the right technical term?) named Dizzy Hips. In this picture, he’s hula-hooping using a 120-pound truck tire. It makes my back hurt just to watch.
Dizzy Hips
Steampunk Buddy Jesus with a clockwork orange? Sure!
Steampunk Buddy Jesus
While Sparky was dressed as a steampunk Queen of Hearts, we spotted another steampunk Queen of Hearts with her own Alice. So obviously we had to throw down.
Off With Her Head!
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Lord and Lady Towers, but it’s always a pleasure to see their latest creations.
Lord Towers
Of course, no steampunk convention is complete without a fashion show / contest. Not only did Drake participate, but he was presented with an award by Queen Victoria for being the most dapper. At least that’s the way I remember it.
All of the Fashion Show Participants
Dapper Drake Wins at the Fashion Show (Well, to be truthful, all the participants won something)
We had a great time and we were impressed with the fledgling event. We made the six-hour drive back to San Diego with the satisfaction of that only comes from shenanigans in Vegas.
