grocery run

[mfreeck]

Is anyone interested in doing a grocery run? The folks I usually go with won't be attending this year. I always find it helpful to have a few munchies in room to help when I am too drunk or too broke to stumble down to Kady's, plus a booze run could be made at the same time.

[Voltage Spike]

Is anyone interested in doing a grocery run?

I'm down. I'll have a vehicle and plan to get in Wednesday afternoon. I'm not sure when you were thinking, but jurist and I will probably hit up a Costco on the way to the ToxicBBQ (if you wish to combine trips).

Note that I'll be at Caesar's Wednesday night (but around).

PM for contact info. Or we could just Dodgeball out "food run?"

[che]

Keep in mind that often the Toxic BBQ run makes for a good time to stock up for the rest of the con as well..

[mage2]

I will also be making a food/snack run.

[mfreeck]

Keep in mind that often the Toxic BBQ run makes for a good time to stock up for the rest of the con as well..

If you want 30 frozen enchiladas, yes. But not so much if you want 10 slices of cheese, a mini-jar of mayo and a single loaf of bread, etc.

[jedi]

I'm down. I'll have a vehicle and plan to get in Wednesday afternoon. I'm not sure when you were thinking, but jurist and I will probably hit up a Costco on the way to the ToxicBBQ (if you wish to combine trips).

Ditto on the Costco run, only thursday. Should be room for a couple more. Send a PM.

[mouseling]

I'm arriving sunday night and, I'll have a car - so I'm volunteering to drive


-mouse

[nous]

We'll likely make a run to Trader Joe's. Not sure exactly when we're getting in... probably late on Tuesday or very early Wednesday. We drive down since we have a ton of gear.

[r3db0x]

I'd dig joining adding our car to a non-Costco food and booze run on Thursday... or if someone has the address of a grocery store near the Riv, I'd really appreciate that info so I don't get lost or stuck eating from a convenience store. Or casino buffet.

[big chopper]

Don't forget that there is a Walgreen's a short walk south of the Riviera. There are also some liquor stores in that general direction (I believe).
--bc,

[lil_freak]

Don't forget that there is a Walgreen's a short walk south of the Riviera. There are also some liquor stores in that general direction (I believe).
--bc,


After having made said "short walk" last year to Walgreen's it's best to make sure you have plenty of sunscreen on and some water for the trek.

Also, plan on asking them to double bag heavy items, it sucks to have a bag rip open half way back to the Riv. However if you bring a lackey (Younger Brother) like I did you can always force them to carry everything back.

[Thorn]

However if you bring a lackey (Younger Brother) like I did you can always force them to carry everything back.
I am impressed. A lot of people have talked about having their own monkey butler at DC, but you're the first one I know of who actually did it. :smile:

[P33V3]

Yeah I'll need to pick up some stuff. Let me know when you guys are going. I get in Monday the 4th.

[Ne0nRa1n]

I'd love to ride with someone if they go on a grocery run.

I usually bring a hot kettle to make 'instant food'. One year at the AP, a friend of mine had one of those george forman grills and shared with me while he lived on hamburgers and quesadillas at con. I loved it, it was so much cheaper and tasted better than the food in most of the restaurants.

If I had a way to get some food from a grocery store this year, I'd seriously think about acquiring a grill to bring with me.

[goathead]

It appears that I'll be in on Thurs AM and will have a rental car. Fully willing to be a part of the grocery run. I'll stay tuned for details.

[jedi]

I usually bring a hot kettle to make 'instant food'. One year at the AP, a friend of mine had one of those george forman grills and shared with me while he lived on hamburgers and quesadillas at con. I loved it, it was so much cheaper and tasted better than the food in most of the restaurants.


Foreman grills are pretty inexpensive too. Cheapest one is $30 and is pretty portable.

[LosT]

I will have a vehicle, and available to take people on runs if necessary. Ne0nRa1n, I'd be happy to take you even if to simply finish conversations we've started in Defcons past only to be interrupted by the chaotic rhythms that are Defcon ;)

LosT

[Ne0nRa1n]

I will have a vehicle, and available to take people on runs if necessary. Ne0nRa1n, I'd be happy to take you even if to simply finish conversations we've started in Defcons past only to be interrupted by the chaotic rhythms that are Defcon ;)

LosT

Fantastic! I'll have to look around for a cheap grill before I go. I can't tell you how excited I am that I get to look forward to not having to eat bad hotel food the whole time and being able to have more than a 30 second sound bite conversation with you!

Mouse also generously said she'd drive as well.

I'll be coming in late Wednesday night so I have no idea when everyone is planning on going.

[Dallas]

Anyone spent time to find the lowest cost place for supplies?

Liquor, meat, ect?

Fantastic! I'll have to look around for a cheap grill before I go. I can't tell you how excited I am that I get to look forward to not having to eat bad hotel food the whole time and being able to have more than a 30 second sound bite conversation with you!

Mouse also generously said she'd drive as well.

I'll be coming in late Wednesday night so I have no idea when everyone is planning on going.

[mfreeck]

Fantastic! I'll have to look around for a cheap grill before I go. I can't tell you how excited I am that I get to look forward to not having to eat bad hotel food the whole time and being able to have more than a 30 second sound bite conversation with you!

Mouse also generously said she'd drive as well.

I'll be coming in late Wednesday night so I have no idea when everyone is planning on going.

I typically bring a "rice cooker" with me - heats leftovers well and you can both boil and stirfry in it.

With multiple people bringing cooking devices, there is lots of potential for a dinner get together. We'd have to keep it small as our cooking devices are quite small as well.

Also this year I will not have refrigerator, making life trickier. I hope to be able to pick a styrofoam cooler.

[punkrokk]

I"m also interested in a grocery run...

[Ne0nRa1n]

Also this year I will not have refrigerator, making life trickier. I hope to be able to pick a styrofoam cooler.

Oooh, that is such a good point. If I remember correctly last year at the Riv, the room didn't have a refrigerator either. I won't really be able to bring a cooler with me, but I'll try to bring something small to keep cheese somewhat cool in since it only really needs to last for three days.

I am going to have to try and think all all the things I don't need a refrigerator for. All I have so far is peanut butter sandwiches. *laughs*

[jedi]

Oooh, that is such a good point. If I remember correctly last year at the Riv, the room didn't have a refrigerator either. I won't really be able to bring a cooler with me, but I'll try to bring something small to keep cheese somewhat cool in since it only really needs to last for three days.

I am going to have to try and think all all the things I don't need a refrigerator for. All I have so far is peanut butter sandwiches. *laughs*

The Walgreens down the street sells styrofoam coolers for $5. Fragile as hell but well worth the purchase for keeping things cool in the room for a couple of days. Line them with a black garbage back from house keeping if you get a crack in them.

[mfreeck]

The Walgreens down the street sells styrofoam coolers for $5. Fragile as hell but well worth the purchase for keeping things cool in the room for a couple of days. Line them with a black garbage back from house keeping if you get a crack in them.

The trash bag is a good idea - I usually take bags with me for all-purpose use. Specifically, for bagging up my clothes if I get a room infested with bugs. The last thing I want is bed bugs following me home.

Are the local grocery store foam coolers a bit more durable? The challenge as I see it is emptying the water out everyday. It would suck to have the cooler disintegrate in your hands, even if you were left holding a bag of ice and food you can't put down (well, maybe in the tub if no one else is bathing) to go get another cooler. :)

Lil_freak:

You may also want to think dried and canned food. Really, if you can get ice every day, the challenge is more emptying the water out of the cooler and keeping everything dry. Peanut butter and jelly is good, except frequently I don't like such strong and sticky foods like that as a snack - especially if I've been drinking heavily the night before. Think mac and cheese with wheat noodles, dried apples, etc.

[Ne0nRa1n]

I guess you got to fail to win sometimes.

The bad news is that I couldn't find a small portable grill anywhere in stores walking distance from me for under $50.

The good news is that I did find one of those portable sandwich makers - brand new for $9! At that price I won't care if it gets broken or left behind in Las Vegas and it is all the same to me if it is grilled quasadillas or a grilled cheese sandwich. I am happy with food that is warm.

I went to the dollar store here and picked up a couple of insulated lunch bags, and a couple of those small plastic freezable blocks. I figure I'll just stick the block with ice in the ice bucket until they freeze and then refreeze that way if necessary.

For perishables I am figuring cheese, hot dogs and some fruit. It should fit in the small lunch bags I got.

I am also going to bring our hot water kettle for tea, coffee, instant oatmeal and instant rice. I usually bring it every year and I never regret it.

[Wing]

This page has made me feel like a smug asshole for booking a room with a kitchen and not planning on using it (except dedicating the entire fridge to the two REAL food groups - alcohol and caffeine)

[SneakerNet21]

I take it that the rooms dont have microwaves, or coffee makers do they?

[Dallas]

So are we going to do a schedule. im open for a run, I have a car, say on the 7th?

I take it that the rooms dont have microwaves, or coffee makers do they?

[[Syntax]]

Rooms at Riviera, at least the regular ones have NO fridge NO microwave. Only rooms Ive seen with them was the suites on the top floors.

Dallas, set a time for Thursday, or I'll give you a ring, Im going to sushicon that evening, and pre-reg starts at 11, so it needs to fall somewhere in between.

[TheCotMan]

;97843']Rooms at Riviera, at least the regular ones have NO fridge NO microwave. Only rooms Ive seen with them was the suites on the top floors.

Dallas, set a time for Thursday, or I'll give you a ring, Im going to sushicon that evening, and pre-reg starts at 11, so it needs to fall somewhere in between.

"Deluxe" may have mini-fridges, but it depends on which Deluxe you get. These were added to the "newer" Deluxe rooms, but not back filled to the old ones. One year when Con, Mfreeck and I tried to get a room, we asked for one of the rooms with a fridge for storage of special supplies for on of the people in the room, but the front desk would not cooperate with us. It wasn't until much complaining and work, and discussion that we were able to get one of the Deluxe rooms that had a fridge in it.

Riviera Room Information (http://www.rivierahotel.com/roomsreservations_roomdetails.html) (As of today, now, August 5, 2007 @1:00am)
Deluxe Rooms:
The Monte Carlo Tower is conveniently located between the main casino and the Convention Center area. These spacious, comfortable guest rooms include 32” LCD televisions, refrigerators, hair dryers, irons and ironing boards, as well as one King sized bed or two Double beds. Wireless, high-speed Internet access is available at an additional cost. Many of these guest rooms also have a small table and chairs next to bay windows. Smoking and Non-Smoking rooms are currently available.

This text is nearly identical in description to what we saw before, but as we found at the desk: not all deluxe rooms include the fridge. Could be a lie, or misinformation, or bait and switch, or a multi-year advertising oversight that remains several years after we informed the front desk of this on their website without exception, or implied limitation. If they really did want to note what items were and were not available in all Deluxe rooms, then they would have included these items in the "may" list that follows the unrestricted list of items included within Deluxe rooms.

Perhaps this is a new form of gambling:
Which room will you really get? ;-)

This is in addition to the note with prior years and registration where con attendees are told "Deluxe rooms are assign at check-in while available" (and non-deluxe rooms are assigned when the Deluxe rooms run out. We knew about this, but were still told that not all Deluxe rooms include Refrigerators.

You may want to consider printing up the room description of the Deluxe room, and if they say you are getting a Deluxe room at check-in (and not telling you that since all Deluxe rooms are occupied, so you are being down-graded to a non-deluxe room) that you show them what they are advertising as items that are included in Deluxe rooms, not may or may not be included.

Good luck!

[Edit:]
I see no mention this year on assignment of Deluxe rooms first at check-in while available.
The rules may have changed. When you check-in, find out what kind of room you were assigned (standard, deluxe, etc) and then review the above URL (if you printed it) to make sure all of the items quoted as included in a room without disclaimer, are actually included in your room. This will help yo uget what you want, and help encourage them to go the route of full disclosure. :-)