BSI Weekend Day #1: ASH Wednesday

(January 8, 2015)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. So I took plenty of them!

A bit of background before the goodies: ASH Wednesday is the informal dinner of the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes, and is held on the first Wednesday of each month and kicks off the BSI Weekend each year. BSI (Baker Street Irregulars) has its annual BSI Weekend (around Sherlock's birthday) - well, it's the most awesome birthday party ever, with people from all over the world and goes on for days.

This is my first time - both in New York as well as at the BSI Weekend. Obviously, I'm wide-eyed and open-mouthed most of the time - and so it occurred that I thought of taking pictures (despite lugging my big camera all the way to NY just for this purpose) only after a bellyful of chicken fingers, fries and sauvignon blanc.

A roomful of interesting Sherlockians - a truly colourful variety of people, ranging from veterans to newbies, with talks of Rathbone to Brett to Cumberbatch - I can think of no better way to have spent my first evening in New York. Even though I'd only met only about four people in the entire hall previously (and knew perhaps four more through emails) - it didn't end up with me sulking in a corner by myself (quite the norm at large gatherings for the socially-awkward me); the folks at ASH are incredibly friendly and make you feel so welcome!

Now, without further ado, here are the promised pictures:

That's David Stuart Davies (yup, the well-known British Sherlockian pastiche-writer - all the way from Yorkshire!) with his lovely wife - and being photo-bombed by Maria Fleishhack (yup, the Baker Street Babe herself!).

Evelyn Herzog and Susan Rice - the driving forces of ASH!

Ursula Moran (the best dinner conversationalist ever) and Christopher Zordan (the man behind the Gaslight Gala)

Catherine Cooke - all the way from London! Amazin' lady.

Lyndsay Faye (oh yes, the Baker Street Babe herself), Scott Monty (heard of I Hear of Sherlock? the very same) and Maria with her autographed mug - sent to her by Benedict Cumberbatch! Awesome, ain't it?

Al Gregory, BSI - a most charming gentleman!

Fun pictures at ASH Wednesday, 7 January 2015, New York - oh, right, the location: Annie Moore's (50 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017). Look, that's me in there, too!