rates for SalonCon.
The charity auction items have been posted.
Scheduled
Performers:
Carfax Abbey
Sarah D. Bunting
Catherynne M.
Valente
Amber Spyglass
Kwannon
DJ Schmitty
Home of
Happiness
The Vivid
Twisted
Myke Hydeous
Holiday Inn
A Three Diamond Establishment
195 Davidson Ave
Somerset, NJ 08873
books, and music that came from or were inspired by the
Victorian era. Everything always seemed so elegant and
dreamy, something I found often missing in my rush
rush on the phone in a cube while writing emails and
eating out of a box lifestyle.
It always seemed sad to me that this modern life would
preclude many of us from having the opportunity to
have intellectually stimulating conversation with like
minded people. Not to mention how often do you get a
chance to don formal wear outside of a work formal (ugh)
or perhaps a wedding, if you're "lucky"? Another one of
my favorite aspects of this period is the care that was
given to the arts, another aspect often sadly neglected in
this life or relegated to a hobby or puttering.
new livejournal
community.
All the cool
dandies are
doing it!
particular subset of people, but anyone who is interested
in pursuing salons and leisure activities typically
associated with the Victorian time period. We are not
looking to be recreationalists (let's be realistic, there
were a lot of social, class, and gender issues of the time
that none of us are particularly eager to revisit and
everyone likes indoor plumbing), but to explore these
activities in a modern time period. If you would like to
dress in a Victorian style however, we certainly will not
stop you! But rest assured, the staff, volunteers, and
guests comes from a wide variety of backgrounds from
academic to corporate to gothic to punk to activistism to
feminism to hipster to performing artist to artist to
author. There is a place for everyone at this table.
Many people in this modern age are not sure what a
salon is exactly. Traditionally, a salon equates most
closely to a modern lecture. Where it does differ is that
the object is not for the speaker to speak extensively on a
subject while the audience listens quietly and then asks
questions at the end, but for the salon leader (often
someone prominent in her/his field) to engage the group
into discussion on a specific topic. Most of us do not
come from a background where we are privileged and
able to do whatever we want whenever we want. For
some of us, college was while ago. For others, we were
never given the opportunity to explore higher learning.
And for others still, we are just getting into the heady
process of exploring areas of academia we never dreamed
possible. Our salons are geared towards people of all
levels of academic experience. For all these reasons, the
salon is the main focus of our event.
The second focus of our convention is the arts (of all
kinds). We don't sponsor our blossoming artists in this
modern life, we tell them to get a real job (whatever that
is). We are focusing on the arts in our event by giving
already prominent artists space in our convention as
well as helping up and coming artists be seen and heard
here. Additionally, our charity selection is The
Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation.
And finally, the last primary focus for our convention is
the leisure pursuits. I always love high tea, it's
something that's not part of American culture, but I find
it incredibly relaxing and soothing. Not to mention how
many movies and books incorporate masked balls, but I
certainly never have had the chance to attend one. We
want to give people a chance to explore many leisure
pursuits we don't have time for, have no exposure to, or
don't know others who are interested.
It's going to be an amazing maiden journey. And you'll
be able to say you were there from the start.
In love, truth and beauty,
Deborah Castellano
Minitrix of Organization
SalonCon 2006
