2008 Swanking Idea Thread
 

Before alternate swanking ideas take over another thread, I'm taking Borneio's advice that we should give brainstorming its own thread again.

So...

What'll it be?

It's an election year, I vote a trip to our nations capitol: Washington DC

Perhaps a springtime trip when the cherry blossoms are in bloom



Ain't they purty?

I'd like to throw Griffith Swank on the table. Probably some time in spring when the weather is conducive to hanging out outside (and possibly riding horses?). But again, it has to be the 3rd Sunday of whatever month it happens in so that we can get into Walt's Train Barn.

Well, I support the Ronald Regan Presidential Library for the February Swanking, to be held as near to Presidents Day as possible.

As you might expect, I am hardly a fan of Ronald Regan or his presidency, but I relish any chance to go aboard Air Force One (of the way retro cool Boeing 707 variety) and to see a replica of the Oval Office in person rather than at the movies.

I'll go with an open mind to experiencing other elements of Ronnie's legacy, and we can use the occasion and holiday proximity to discuss various presidencies and their respective merits.

And though I don't suppose it can be an "official" swanking ... being a little ways out of town, I will suggest the soon-to-close Mary Blair exhibit at the Museum of Cartoon Art in San Francisco for the weekend of January 19 and 20!


I will also suggest an out of town Swanking, once again, for Hearst Castle, to be explored when the docents dress in period garb at night!!

I propose a redux of the March swanking, to see the Academy Award short film nominees.

Count me in for Hearst Castle touristy Swanking. I love that place and the night tour is the only one I have never been on.

I'm planning on going to Comic-Con in July.

Oh, I am totally in for the Oscar shorts swanking! Please give me as much notice as possible so I can put in for time off. That was the best Oscar-related thing ever!

ACHOOO!

Though I may be going to DC and NY this year.

I second this.

There was talk of RHPS in another thread as well.

I strongly second this one. The Federal Government lists President's Day as Monday, February 18, so perhaps Sunday, February 17?

While there is nothing going on special that day, the next day is President's Day celebration:

However, I am not sure how many people would be able to go on a Monday (I know I don't get the day off).

Pricing and hours are:
Web Site.

Hmmm... I wonder if this would be incentive to get Leo to come out?

Leo at a swanking? Wanna invoke any OTHER horsemen of the apocalypse while you're at it? ;)

But seriously Leo, when are you going to get out here for a swanking?

Yosemite camping.

Ugh, we need to start a separate Yosemite Camping thread. If, by some chance, we want Valley campsite, ressies must be made soon.

(And I only suggest that because I think Yosemite newbs should camp in the Valley ... and my prime impetus for returning to Yosemite is to introduce it to the outlandish and unacceptable number of Yosemite newbs.)

2008 Swanking Idea Thread
 

No camping for me no...any swanking that is on the weekend is almost always out due to work...traveling anywhere outside a few hours can't do either lack of funds and time off from work (all my time off is in April for Bon Jovi and then again in July)....have fun whatever you decide to do...i might be able to do a Griffith Park Swanking depends if i have that Sunday off from work or not...

So Far we have:

• Griffith Park
• Regan Library
• Yosemite camping
• Nominated Shorts (not to be confused with NirvanaMan's shorts)

Some more suggestions:
Beach camping
Bonfire(s)
A movie at the El Cap and then H&H?
Napa Rose as a group (we can all dress up and look pretty)

mmg: the good news is that there are always the impromptu midweek "movie night" type swankings available as well :)

Definitely need to do another beach bonfire!

Can I add in Flashback? Seeing as Sadako and I will be in it this year, and I guess performers are also responsible for peddling tix (Flashback is a show starring park CMs that helps raise money for charity, btw). So expect to hear from me once they start talking about that. Flashback is at the end of February.

When is the LoT (non Skype) orgy?

Just the other night. You weren't there. It was damn good too.

;)

LA Conservancy Walking Tours

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Carlsbad Flower Fields (to welcome in Spring)

Catalina

Griffith Observatory or Mt. Wilson Observatory

Museum of Jurassic Technology

Hollywood Forever Cemetery during the DAY!

Little Tokyo

A Metro Excursion.

Watts Towers

Mission San Juan Capistrano

Tijuana

Roscos House of Chicken and Waffles

Will Rodgers State Park hike

Gene Autry Museum

Kayaking in Long Beach/Naples

The Bunny Museum ;)
I could go on and on.......

... and for those of us around in a couple of weeks, there's the annual Doo Dah Parade...

I definitely want to do Reagan as he was the greatest President of my lifetime (not much of a challenge looking at the competition) but mostly to see Air Force One. Yee-haw!

I cannot do the 17th though as I will be returning from a ski trip in steamboat springs. I can do the 18th or the following weekend.

BURNING MAN!!! I'm goin' to Black Rock City, even if I have to duct tape my ass to the side of a psychedelic painted Land Rover.

Also, Reagan Library not only has Air Force One, but Marine One as well.

What about Navy One or Army One?

Or Coast Guard One?

How about a Disneyland swanking?

We do Disneyland on a pretty regular basis (almost too often if you think about how many oher incredible things there are to do in the area).

San Diego Musuem of Natural History has an upcoming exhibit A Day in Pompeii from Feb 15-June 15 which looks interesting.

Yeah, that was a joke... :D



How about a hiking swanking? Like somewhere like Palomar or some place in Orange County that hasn't burned down?

Or we could go S&M and do a spanking swanking.
:D

Nope - but there's an F14 Tomcat on the grounds, too.

That's on my list - only at Will Rodgers Park. Great hiking there.

2008 Swanking Idea Thread
 

Big Bear in winter time ha miss snow skiing and those who board could snowboard. Just a thought.

Actually, I was wondering if there would be any interest in a sex tour swanking.

I was thinking we could include stores like Pleasure Chest, International Love Boutique, The Stockroom, etc. We could also include a couple of strip joints (one with men, one with women). I believe the Erotic Museum has closed.

Just a thought

What about a Lucha Va-Voom swanking?

I like the sex tour swanking idea. (any excuse to wear my vinyl straight-jacket again ... and who could resist bringing the great "spanking swanking" pun to life??)


All my other swanking desires lie outside of town. Catalina, Hearst Castle, even most good hiking take place somewhat-to-considerably outside the L.A. area.


And, though I enjoy them, I think too many of our outtings revolve around museums. That makes sense, of course, since museums bring beauty and art and topics of true interest into our world. But we've done too many of them, methinks.



(And that's just me thinking)

We would totally go for that! I've always told Ken I'd buy him a lap dance if he bought me one. ;)

How about the Winchester Mystery House midnight flashlight tour that they do on Friday the 13th's?

Also, it'd be fun to do a day in Hollywood, capped with dinner at Canters. :)

Make that Musso & Franks and you've got yourself a real Hollywood swanking, with some actual old-time swank!


(Canters, while yummy, is not in Hollywood)





... and note to GC: after lunch there last week, I'm thinking the Matzo Ball Soup to die for was from Juniors, not Canters.

I doubt that outing will stop being at museums any time soon, as Chris and i go on a regular basis and we like to invite others along with us. I think we have just evolved into what I had first envisioned - a variety of people who plan a variety of outings that can be picked and chosen from by whomever is interested. There doesn't have to be only 4 swankings a year. Every day can be a swanking as far as I'm concerned.

You old people never remember anything until it's too late.

Well, I've never been to Juniors, but I have to say that Canters is the best Matzo Ball Soup I've ever had...
:)

Not to be pedantic, or anything.... But any Air Force plane or helicopter the President is aboard is Air Force One, but only while he is on board. Any Marine plane or helicopter he is aboard is Marine One. Any Navy plane or helicopter he is aboard is Navy One. Etc, etc.

During the "Mission Accomplished" stunt, the Lockheed S-3 Viking Bush was piloting was Navy One while he was in it.

The official designation of the plane at the Reagan Library is SAM 27000.

The two 747s that are currently used are SAM 28000 and SAM 29000, and that is how they are referred to when the President is not on board.

That post came off pretty smart-ass, what with the pretty boy smirk your current avatar has.

Yeah, the calendar is open to anyone who wants to post an event to it. I like live music a lot so I'll post about shows I want to see - if someone joins me, viola, instant swanking. To be sure if we get a large group and dinning is expected along the way, that'll take some more planning (reservations and all), but it's not like there's some committee of swank vetting a call for submissions. We're a cool group of people who do a lot of cool things - the swank is about sharing your passions.

2008 Swanking Idea Thread
 

Then i vote for a Bon Jovi swanking lmao

Then organize it.

:p

2008 Swanking Idea Thread
 

Hey they are playing Anaheim Honda Center April 4 and April 5, 2008 i already have well paid for my tickets i have to pick them up day of show at the Fan Club ticket booth near Will Call anyone else is welcome to go to the show but would have to get tickets via ticketmaster....but would be a great way to those who want to go see a Bon Jovi show to attend and watch me at my finest lmao...i need documentation when i'm up in the "side of stage" for 3 songs and am up on the big screen lmao...

mmg~that is sooo cool that you are seeing Bon Jovi!!! I would but it is probably quite expensive. I am waiting for some local bands to play a bit earlier in the evening and also I am dying for some QOTSA.

Yosemite~ I appreciate that you are considering the newbies and wanting to be in the valley. I think that it is quite convenient for anyone to be able to get up and walk anywhere or else hop on the valley bus. If the trip would be short, it would be nice to get in as much as possible.

Yosemite covers a lot of area, but, for newbies, it is almost a must to see the things in the valley.

We will be there 3/30 leaving the 2nd of April. The 29th we'll be in Oakhurst. {or Fresno if we don't book anything soon....}.

We hope to be in San Simeon the 7th of April.

katiesue, the Natural History Museum is always a treat. :snap:

I think the time is right to plan the Great Northwest Swanking!!

Tour up PCH through the Redwoods to Ashland, for a little Shakespeare...

Spend an afternoon at Crater Lake....

Join us in Portland!!!

OMSI
The Zoo:)
Voodoo Donut
Saturday Market
Pearl District
Kornblatts Deli & Nob Hill
Forest Park
Kells

and of course...

WHO STOLE MY DEAD HUSBAND?

Then head north to Mt. St. Helens

The Olympic Penninsula

Take the Ferry over to Seattle:

Seattle Center and The Space Needle
EMP
The Waterfront
Underground Tour
(Okay, I'm sure the Seattlites can add a few more...)

Head back hitting Mt. Rainier

Check out Maryhill Museum, with it's Stonehenge replica

then down the Columbia River Gorge:

Bonneville Dam

Multnomah Falls

Back to Portland, then run home.

You can all take off for a month of swanking, right????

right?:rolleyes:

Im in
:D

I'll head to the PNE for the Puyallup Fair, so I can get another dose of Coaster :)

I would love to do the Peterson Automotive Museum, but I might be alone in that.

Yes... you would.










:D

When is AdultCon coming back to LA ?- that would be a hoot. Bring NA's dick book.

http://www.nineteeneightyeight.com/entry/home.html

This runs from january 8th to feb 1st. "Under the Influance: Stan Lee"

:)

LSPE, Tom and I went to the similar Disney show at the same gallery. Last month, I was talking with one of the people who runs 1988 - he thinks that this show, like the Disney one, opening night will be crazy with most of the work sold in the first few hours...

Looks terrific!

Oh, c'mon... you KNOW I will go too.

What about a WeHo swanking where we all hang out and dance at a gay bar?
That would be choice.

Throw in a karaoke bar and you might tempt me. I love doing karaoke in gay bars/restaurants. More appreciative audience :)

That sounds worth the drive. And I know someone here who keeps threatening to take me to show off his karaoke skillz, but has yet to follow through...

I would except I've been there too many times already.

Yeech, adult stores gross me out.

Absolute yes - short films.

Speaking of karaoke... Azteca in Garden Grove has karaoke nights... and cheap food :)

... And the 2nd largest private Elvis memorabilia collection, after Graceland ;)

I'd go to the Abby again

Nope, I'd go, too. (But only if Kevy's not going :p )

Heheh, we tried to do that with the Lashes, but never made it out of Hollywood to the West version.

So ...
Gay Bar swanking: I'm in
Oscar-Nommed Short Films Swanking: I'm in
President's Day Ronald Regan Swanking: I'm in
Sex Tour L.A. Swanking: I'm in


:cheers: I wonder what the status of the Hedonism Project is? We should surely stage a swanking at €uro's 1st place Swank Locale, as soon as the winner is determined.

* * * * *

Plus, Not Afraid had a great list of stuff:

LA Conservancy Walking Tours - interesting

Walt Disney Concert Hall - are there tours, or should we pick a program?

Carlsbad Flower Fields - Ooh, always wanted to do this

Catalina - see below

Griffith Observatory or Mt. Wilson Observatory - The parking lot is reopened at Griffith. Time to Go!

Museum of Jurassic Technology - eh, been there, so-so

Hollywood Forever Cemetery during the DAY! - yes, but as a prelude to a screening, no?

Little Tokyo - snooze, sorry

A Metro Excursion - must include SuPeR K! and Leigh-Ann

Watts Towers - hmm, never been.

Mission San Juan Capistrano - ?

Tijuana - eh, not for me

Roscos House of Chicken and Waffles - Hahahah!

Will Rodgers State Park hike - YES

Gene Autry Museum - been, once is enough for me

Kayaking in Long Beach/Naples - really??

* * * * *

Difficulty Factors aside ... I'd love to gauge the interest in some out of town swankings.

Krikey, I'd love me a Great Northwest Swanking ... but don't have the month to spare.

We've long-talked about a Catalina Swanking. The best time for that is September (when snorkeling, kayaking and other water activites are their warmest) ... so maybe we can keep that on the back burner. It can be a day trip, or we can stay 2 nights (i don't think there's a single hotel on the island that accepts 1 night stays on weekends).


We've also talked about Hearst Castle. That would require an overnight stay, too. Somewhere here on the LoT is the information about the night tours with the themed docents. Who's got mad searching skillz? Maybe we could do this in, um, April??? Anyone interested?

How about a San Fran Swanking in my new favorite town? Anybody? Bueller?


And of course, Camp Swank in Yosemite. That would HAVE to be in May or June. No point going any other time, if you're a newbie. Sigh, should I start a Camp Swank thread??

The Hearst Castle evening tours are Mar-May and Sept-Dec Link

We're lining up a shoot there for the TV show. It looks like an awesome place!

Hmmmm - any idea when they announce the 2008 program?

I sooo would love to do this. I went to the Gorge but didn't get to stop at the Multnomah Falls.

All up the coast is beautiful. Crater Lake, well, heck, when is there not snow there? I thought I read that the winter snow melted sometime in August? Or maybe late July? Then it starts up again the first week of October? Does anyone know the facts? So curious.

No, but I'm on the email list. :cool:

I think we also need a group trip to NYC to see Equus. ;)

It's coming to LA. I think I read that Daniel Radcliff will be in it.

Well, that's even better! :snap:

Thanks Katiesue for the link to the Hearst Castle.

Drats, the day we are there, and even the day before we are scheduled to be there, nothing. Well, no night tour. I might email directly.

I know I've mentioned this before, but, this is where we usually stay:

http://www.sandsmotel.com/

It is a simple but nice place. The rooms are spacious and clean, the bathrooms as well. It sits in front of a Best Western hotel, dah, can't remember the exact name, but it is nice and has a nice work out room and two pools. It also has rooms with views, which the Sands doesn't offer.

And, price wise, the Sands is usually a lot less. Maybe half the price. But, if y'all want swanky, the BW has those view rooms with fireplaces.....and some rooms {which I've never stayed in} that are usually promoted for honeymooners.

And, iSm, I agree with the Yosemite not being such a great idea for newbies before they open up all of the trails. Even if there isn't snow, they don't open a lot of them until, what, Memorial Day?

If anyone is interested in sharing a room, I don't know if y'all have heard of the Family rooms at the Lodge. We try to get one, there are only 4. But, it has a king, two twins, and a pull out full. Plus, a dining table, well, they are very nice and damnit we don't have one this time around. {you do have to say you have enough people, I think the minimum is 5, perhaps 6, they won't let you book it, normally, if you have less. Once we had it and some people didn't come after all and they tried to put us in a little tiny room!! No way...}

Steampunk Ball at Malediction in June. :)

Hollywood Bowl, but we won't know which when until the schedule comes out.

Why?

Um, the cat with his tongue sticking out is, I always assumed, LoT Visual Langage for a nah-nah nah-nah-nah type joke.


Let's you and me and Erik swank our faces off at the Peterson.

I like letting all of you dig up the swanky events so I can pick and choose or just wish the planets would align so I could attend.:snap:

In the spirit of sharing passions I'm going to throw out a dancing evening (surprise). The Jive Aces England from are playing PBDA on Feb. 9. There's a free dance lesson before the band plays, the band is fabulous, and Old Town Pasadena isn't too far away if you don't share my theme song, "I Could Have Danced All Night." I'll add it to the calendar when I have more details.

^ That sounds like a blast, actually!

Wow, although I don't know the lyrics, that song is definitely one of my theme songs!!! {my mother used to sing it all of the time and we'd dance around...as a kid, the lyrics weren't as important/fun as the dancing, ya know?} Right up that with 'Shall We Dance'?

I think I'm going to go and put that on!!!

A little enticement.....
 

One of VooDoo Doughnut's best:



Come....

Join us...
Join us...

Those are either very small pieces of bacon, or HUGE donuts!

Umm...are you saying that he has a big head? I think I just read that you think he has a big head....hmmm....that's just silly.....


{okay, that is my best Jim Gaffigan....lame at best....I'm tired....and now I want a freakin' donut to boot!!!}

Ooh, if I can swing it, I'd love to see this. Pompeii is on my list of must sees, in the meantime, this would do! So, anyone have advice where to stay in San Diego cheap?

I'm also up for a Hearst Castle swanking, it's been years and I simply must stay at the Pickford House (in the Valentino room, of course)

Does anyone know if the Hearst Ranch is still open? I don't know exactly what it is called, I think it is a military base or something. I have not stayed there but found it on line. You could stay there at one time, I think it was pretty boring as far as entertainment goes but I think that if the Swanksters stayed there, they would be the entertainment.

If I can find it...rebooting lost it....

:) :D :D :) :D

:eek: :mad: :evil: :mad: :eek: :evil: :mad:

For the OC contingent, downtown Santa Ana is home to a bunch of independent art galleries/studios. One of the best days of our recent trip to Chicago was spent wandering a similar neighborhood in Chicago, I definitely want to check this out.

That sounds like fun. Bet we could wander ourselves into a great hole in the wall restaurant too.

so instead of reading back 9 pages of posts, was any camping ever decided on?

Soooo, a couple of "extras" i'd like to add to my list. I would like to add a creative, interactive component to the swankings if possible. So, with that in mind.....

LA Conservancy Walking tour with "As a Swanker See It" photo component. Everyone on the tour brings a camera and photographs the different things they notice as they are walking through DTLA. We then do a on-line slide show of the photographs.


Watts Towers - Start the day off with breakfast at Rosco's Chicken and Waffels, take the train to Watts, come back to Long Beach and do our own found object collage project.

I'm cooking up more ideas in my "free time". Anyone can make suggestions as well.

^ Well, I like the above as the January Swanking. We're running out of weekends, so is there anyone else who likes this one ... or would like to narrow the suggestions down to a few candidates that we might be able to discuss more easily?


As for camping ... we need a separate thread. Nothing's been decided. The only thing we have to decide now is if we want to try to campgrounds in the Valley. Those would likely have to be reserved soon. (When I last checked last year, I think it was four months out.)

Well, the chances of actually GETTING a Valley camping reservation, when literally hundreds of people are competing in the same 3-minute window, are depressingly slim.

Can we get a bunch of volunteers to hit the phones together the morning of the 15th to try in concert, and stay in touch by cell phone? Strategy and planning, people! Oh, and they only allow 2 campsite reservations by any one person ... so if we need more sites (and are lucky enough to get them), they would not be adjacent to each other.

Lower Pines is by far the best campground in the Valley. I think we should try for this, give it our best shot, and hope for the luck of the swanky!

Other architectural swanking ideas:

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House

R.M. Schindler’s Kings Road House

The Bradbury Building (only the lobby is open to the public, but there are lots of other neat things to see downtown.)

Wayfarers Chapel (Designed by FLW’s son, Lloyd Wright)

I know CoasterMatt has mentioned an LA Architectural tour that goes around to various places of interest in LA. Matt! What was that again???

Also, a Fall/ Winter Camp Swank to Death Valley? Scotty's Castle and the Devil's Golf Course etc.

http://www.nps.gov/deva/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Places_...th_Valley_area

love death valley. havent been since I was a kid on one of my dads 'survival vacations' :rolleyes:

yeah, a desert camping excursion would be awesome

Can't say as that appeals to me, much.

Beach camping, camping anywhere with big ass trees, sure. Desert, not so much.

I like the idea of taking a hike up Runyon Canyon (the Hollywood Hills) to see the spectacular view, to see celebs, and to take Thurston, Barnum and any other LoT doggies on a social visit :D The view is really cool from the top -- you can see from downtown to the ocean, and it's a good bit of exercise too.

Afterwards we can drive over to a dog-friendly cafe in Hollywood and have a swanky canine lunch. (That is, lunch WITH the canines).

I'd be up for this. Runyon Canyon is within walking distance from my pad.

2008 Swanking Idea Thread
 

Ohhhh Cherny good idea. I know Ethel needs the exercise lmao...would be fun to take the girlies. I always said i was gonna take them to a dog beach last summer never happened this summer i'm making good on my promise so maybe a Swanking beach time visit to a dog beach with Thurston and the girls and anyother doggies too....

http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/i2xfka/?dma_id=324

The Star Trek Tour!

OOOOoooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

oh 773H's no.
no way Im lugging one of my furry suitcases up a hill and back, cuz thats sure what it would turn into.



my buds...I know them too well

:p

[geek]oooo Star Trek!!!!![/geek]

Now excuse me while I go fix a server (and not the type that brings you food)...

Depending on the climb and heat, Thurston could easily do a hike. I walk him many miles every day but not up hills.

Fixed :cool:

L.A. Conservancy Tours - the Bradbury Building is one of the destinations

FREE Art Tours on the Metro System - these are really neat, especially since there are all kinds of cool things to do close by the Metro stops.

:p

:confused: Ok, so we fudged it on a January Swanking. Maybe we can still have a successful 3-month swanking season if we start in February and go thru April.

There were tons of good ideas in this thread. :snap:


But the concept for a February Swanking was first off the boards ... and it's the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley - featuring a tour of Air Force One!

It turns out they are having big doings there on "Presidents Weekend" - - and consequently we want to stay far away from that. Plus, the mover and shaker behind this particular swanking, one Nirvanaman who barely checks in here anymore, couldn't go that weekend ... and I expect it's too short notice for lots of other folks already having plans for the 3-day weekend.


But how about the day after George Washington's Birthday?!? That's Saturday, February 23rd.

:cheers: A Swanking in Simi Valley. Presidential Salute.


What say ye, Citizens???

(Well, we do have the Oscar swanking planned for February, but there is certainly no limit on outings of swankiness; and the swank season only ever ends because people stop planning!)

Oh, that IS a swanking, isn't it?

I guess I considered it more of a LoT Annual Event (now in its second annual). Whereas I consider the brief, winter Swanking Season to consist of events we will never repeat.


That's a fine line difference. Heheh, I quaffle.

Maybe we should have an outing at dog beach