|
| | MOVIN' ON UP...
CHANGING PLACES
February 17, 2006 - So after spending two nights under the roof of the lowest common denominator of hotels, there was a fresh exuberance as the gang filled the golden caravan up with their bags and bid the sleazy affair a fond farewell as
we plowed through Houston traffic to get back to the Convention Center for another full day of work.As night fell, and the decor and booths took shape, the hours dragged on, the work continued, and finally we stopped for a pizza break sometime after 10. Weary and a bit worn, we trudged through another couple hours of work before giddily packing up shop and heading to our new digs - the classy Courtyard located six blocks from work.
Unfortunately, those six blocks were met with two obstacles:
- not a single being had a sense of direction
- downtown was bumper to bumper with spinners, rims and pimped out fashions as every NBA All Star was throwing their own heavily hip hopped out party at any and every available venue throughout downtown.
|
|
|
Ever genuinely think you may actually have to sleep in the streets?
| As we fought traffic, one ways and misdirection after misdirection, and after an hour, we finally scooted past the throngs of over the top and stylishly dressed black partygoers and entered the lobby of our hotel. All the rooms in Houston were booked for every hip hop celebrity, fan and hanger on known to man. Drained and a bit disenchanted, there was a
foreboding in the air as I nonchalantly started pouring celebratory vodka tonics to anyone with a can of coke. The bad news hit like a punch to the gut: our reservations had somehow been cancelled, our rooms given away, and the lobby became our new home.
After half a fifth and another full hour, long negotiations, complaining and more than a couple phone calls finally reaped their rewards: rooms next door at the Residence Marriot. It was the happiest and most energetic voyage we had all week. We gleefully carried our bags to our rooms next door, and nearly burst with joy as the elevators opened on the fourth floor. Exclamations of the cleanliness and slightly buzzed enthusiasm were met with one of the most genuine senses of relief. One by one, we opened our rooms to sighs of
relief. For some in the group, it was time to sleep. but at 414, now was the time to party. |
DMac and I were immediately drawn to the window overlooking a traffic filled street. Both of us ineptly tried to open the window, when DMac commented, "It's probably a good thing we can't open it". I nodded in agreement, found some microwave popcorn and started cooking in our spotless kitchen. I poured a couple more drinks until I hit a bump in the road - I was out of mixers. Not to be undone by such a small inconvenience, I became resourceful and threw a teabag in a cup of vodka and added in four sugar packets. Needless
to say, resourcefulness has its disadvantages sometimes.
|
