convention – Insider Irene

December Favorites 2022

Published on December 30, 2022December 30, 2022 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

These are a few of my favorite things… Enjoy!

$ Bargain

Free Nativity Scene Exhibit (The Creche): I believe this is an annual event, but I was made aware of this free exhibit in Fountain Valley, CA. It’s free to enter and in the auditorium they have a 100 or so nativity scenes as expressed by different countries in the world (including a galaxy far far away). I really enjoyed seeing all the different materials used and the creativity at work. They also have local high schools and organizations perform as well. This year it was held during the first weekend of December. Check out their instagram page for more info.

$$ Moderate

Thai Food (Ruen Pair): Great inexpensive and authentic Thai food in the heart of Thai town (Los Angeles, CA) is a winner in my book. The portions are generous so come in a small group (four is ideal) so that you can try many different dishes. The papaya salad, Tom Yum soup, and pineapple fried rice are bomb and roughly $15 a plate. Pad See Ew is also a solid choice! Read more here!

Comic Convention (Los Angeles Comic Con): If you’re looking to experience a San Diego Comic Con kind of convention but haven’t successfully secured your tickets through their lottery system, Los Angeles Comic Con (in Los Angeles, CA) is a great alternative and you don’t have to fight over tickets. They always a great range of celebrity guests on year they got Amy Jo Johnson (Pink Ranger from MMPR), Simu Liu (Shang Chi), and many more. Additionally, they have a lot of cool panels, vendors, artists, and exhibitors. This convention had historically been in October, but it looks like moving forward it’ll be a December convention. Single day starts at $35 + fees for adults and $95 +fees for a three day.

Pop Person (Funko Hollywood): I’m lucky enough to get to attend premieres and sometimes get autographs from the celebrities in that feature. One of my favorite ways to commemorate the meeting is by purchasing a Funko Pop of that actor’s character and getting his/her signature. Well now we also can customize ourselves and get our very own Funko Pop with our own qualities. For roughly $25 I designed myself at the Funko Store in Hollywood, CA and thought it was so meta. Read about my entire experience here.

$$$ Splurge

Boodle Fight (Lola’s by MFK): Curious about eating with your hands? In traditional Filipino culture a Kamayan feast (or a boodle fight) is where an assortment of food is spread across banana leaves. This communal gathering does not allow for utensils and Lola’s by MFK in Anaheim, CA has a lot of protein options. On my visit our party of 10 paid about $55 each (including tip), which does lean on the more expensive side, but it’s a fun experience to try at least once. Read more here.

Hotel Stay (Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel): I came here with my family for my mom’s birthday. At $500 a night this was definitely a splurge, but the shower and bath robes felt very luxurious. Read more here.

I do want to note that while I did/am traveling to Barcelona, Spain this month I will hold those favorites in January so that I can get a better grasp on which of those are indeed the best finds. Happy holidays!

Until Next Time,

Irene

Seeing Celebrity Guest Sophie Turner and Getting the Latest Scoop from the Dark Phoenix Panel at Wondercon in Anaheim, CA

Published on April 17, 2019April 17, 2019 by Insider Irene1 Comment

It’s no secret that Wondercon is my FAVORITE geek convention. I get to party with the pros (Batman’s 80th Bday Post), hear about the latest comic news, and cosplay. One highlight from this year’s convention was attending the Dark Phoenix panel where I got a new poster (photo below) and an opportunity to hear the producer speak about the latest Xmen movie, Dark Phoenix. However, the cherry on top (at that point) was seeing a 10 minute clip from the beginning of the movie!

After the clip, the entire cast of the movie came out including: Sophie Turner (Dark Phoenix), Nicholas Hoult (Beast), Tye Sheridan (Cyclops), Evan Peters (Quicksilver), Alexandra Shipp (Storm) and Kodi Smit-McPhee (Nightcrawler). The arena of guests were excited to see them and eager to hear about their experiences.

Afterwards the audience was teased with a SECOND 10 minute clip from the movie. This time an action sequence showcasing Dark Phoenix’s true power. It seems that many female heroines are showing a great presence in the spotlight. I’d love to see a live action movie about Psylocke in the future! I mean who wouldn’t want to see an asian ninja assassin kick butt?!

Which lady comic character would you want to see on the big screen?

XOXO,

Rockstar

Watching Shazam’s VIP Advanced Movie Screening with Full Cast at Orange, CA

Published on April 10, 2019April 9, 2019 by Insider Irene1 Comment

Say my name so my powers may flow through you. The DC Universe, Wondercon, and AMC 30 in Orange, CA partnered together to host a special advanced screening of Shazam! for subscription holders and convention attendees – if you stopped by the DC booth. (Btw, it’s an awesome movie, so if you haven’t seen it yet, you definitely should! Perfect balance of action and humor and for context: I’m an AMC Stub Hubs member and watch a LOT of movies. I still give this one two thumbs up!)

During that special screening I was among 600 or guests eager to catch a glimpse of the all-star cast. My friends and I waited about an hour and a half before we were given a wristband, which entitled us to a large drink, popcorn, and candy! Sweet! Much of the theater had been occupied by the time we were let in, so my friends and I did have to find single seats. Thankfully our spots still had a good view to enjoy the movie.

Left to Right: Asher Angel (Billy Batson), Jacky Dylan Grazer (Freddy), David Sandberg (Director), Zachary Levi (Shazam), and Mark Strong (Dr. Sivana)

Once my friends and I were settled with our snacks, Tiffany Smith from the DC Daily began the program and introduced Zachary Levi (Shazam), Mark Strong (Dr. Sivana), Asher Angel (Billy Batson) and Jacky Dylan Grazer (Freddy Freeman) along with the Director David Sandberg. It was so cool hear from the actors who played the characters and immediately watch them in action. And yes Zachary Levi is as charming in person as he is in the movie. *wink*

Which actor would you be most excited to see?

XOXO,

Rockstar

Hero’s and Villains, Oh My! Attending the VIP My Hero Academia Voice Actor Panel and Autograph Signing at Anime Los Angeles in Ontario, CA

Published on January 30, 2019January 29, 2019 by Insider Irene1 Comment

One of my favorite things to do at conventions is attend panels especially voice actor ones as I love learning about the audition process, and inspiration for characters. While I had the opportunity to see both the creator, voice actor for Deku and All Might at SDCC in 2019 (Post Here), Anime Los Angeles brought the full star studded My Hero Academia cast (!!!) for the weekended and included an autograph session for all attendees. The weekend was far from short of My Hero Academia cosplays (post here) and the voice actors who brought their character’s voices to life including Justin Briner (Izuku Midoriya), Clifford Chapin (Katsuki Bakugo), David Matranga (Shoto Todoroki), Colleen Clinkenbeard (Momo Yaoyorozu) , Eric Vale (Tomura Shigaraki), Morgan Berry (Thirteen), and Christopher Wehkamp (Shota Aizawa) all participated in both individual and group panels. I was lucky to snag a front row seat in the group panel and got selfies with my two favorite voice actors Coleen Clinkenbeard (Momo) and David Matranga (Shot Todoroki)! I had a great time seeing these voice actors and loved that I got to converse with them in this more intimate convention. A few of the voice actors even complimented my spikes and were really impressed with my cosplay. I’m planning to continue working on it and who knows maybe at AX Momo will have even more refined details 🙂

Do you watch My Hero Academia? Who’s your favorite hero?

XOXO,

Rockstar

Debuting My New Hero Cosplay at the “My Hero Academia” Photo Shoot at Anime Los Angeles in Ontario, CA

Published on January 16, 2019January 16, 2019 by Insider Irene2 Comments

Over the weekend I attended Anime Los Angeles (ALA), a three day convention in Ontario, CA. While many conventions focus on celebrity guests appearances (Justice League SDCC post, Marvel SDCC post) or powerhouse media companies (VIZ Media @ Anime Expo Post), the cosplayers are the stars of this convention. Roughly 60% of attendees cosplayed and with My Hero Academia debuting a Season 4 later in 2019, there was an enormous hero and villian presence at ALA. I participated in one of the conventions largest cosplay meetup as Momo Yaoyorozu – Class 1A’s Vice President in her hero outfit (My Hero Casual Meetup post).

As one of the first conventions of the new year, many cosplayers use this convention to debut new outfits. Personally, I spent my winter break sewing my belt and styling my wig and was happy to share my finished project. There were well over 200 cosplayers at the meetup and while I knew there would be an abundance of Deku, Shoto, and Bakugos, I was most surprised by the number of attendees who dressed as Deku’s mom!

It’s always great to see others dress up as your favorite characters and I can appreciate the care and craftsmanship that goes behind the design.

Do you watch My Hero Academia? Who’s your favorite hero? Villian?

XOXO,

Rockstar

Disney fun at Los Angeles Comic Con (Sunday) and New Disney Cosplay Reveal?!

Published on December 5, 2018November 29, 2018 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

Disney has been a big part of my life growing up so when I debuted my Violet Parr cosplay at San Diego Comic Con (SDCC post) this past summer, I was excited about all the upcoming Disney gathering and photo shoots since I’ve mainly done DC characters.

LACC seemed like forever ago (See Marvel post, and Street Fighter post), but a few photographers posted some shots of my Violet Parr cosplay and I was reached out by Kids Can Cosplay, a nonprofit organization to portray her in an upcoming holiday meet-and-greet event benefiting at-risk kids. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to blog about it since it’s a private event and I’d want to be sensitive about minors and their financial status, but we shall see if I can do the adult cosplayers!

Me, Disney Princesses, Nightmare Before Christmas

I’ve always so impressed by the Disney cosplayers and the Princess group always seemed so much fun, so… for 2019 I’m going to debut a NEW Disney cosplay and it’s going to be a Disney Princess!! *gasp*

Can you guess which Disney princess I’m working on? I’ll give you a hint, she’s sassy and will have a live action movie coming up! Who’s your favorite Disney princess and why?

XOXO,

Rockstar

Chun Li kicks it at Los Angeles Comic Con (Day 1)

Published on October 31, 2018November 9, 2018 by Insider Irene3 Comments

Convention season has slowed down greatly; however, the Los Angeles Comic Con is one that I always look forward to in the Fall. Perhaps it’s in part because it’s so close to Halloween and the cosplay scene is always impressive (LACC 2017). I took the day off work on Friday to check-out the floor as Chun Li and I’m sure glad I did because there were so many vendors!

I rolled in around 3pm to pick up my weekend badge and was able to explore the floor in no time. Took me roughly 3 hours to see every aisle. There were prints from Artist’s Alley, stuffed animals from Bellzi, along with comics, toys, and other misc merchandise. There’s something for everyone although if you were interested in purchasing one of the LACC exclusive pops it looked like it was at least an hour wait or more to purchase. Yet, I was incredibly impressed with the cosplay scene and many guests had what I figured were pro level cosplays. I mean just look at the details!

Later in the evening Jack Black came on the Main Stage to do a Q/A about his career and projects. He took audience questions and the guests enjoyed a 15 minute inspiration video.

Will you be dressing up for Halloween? If yes, who will you be?

XOXO,

Rockstar

Favorite Cosplay at San Diego Comic Con?!!

Published on August 22, 2018August 5, 2018 by Insider Irene4 Comments

Oh man… so this is officially my 2nd time cosplaying at San Diego Comic Con (see my first year’s post here) and had a blast. I portrayed a different character each day based on what was going on and wanted to share some of my favorite shots!

Thursday: Nightwing (Batman: The Animated Series) – My first genderbend cosplay! Before the convention started, I noticed the DC Universe Experience (right in the Gaslamp District) and knew that I had to try to sneak some shots with my Dick Grayson cosplay. Unfortunately, it was so darn hot so I had to change out mid-day. I was dying in the black unitard – but was thankful to grab a couple of cool shots! What do you think? Does the Boy Wonder have your stamp of approval? 😉

Friday: Lois Lane (Superman: The Animated Series) – Honestly this is probably one of the most under-rated characters in the DC Universe. She’s smart, spunky, and not afraid to take chances. What I love about this cosplay is that I get to act like a reporter and interview people from all over including the panel for the movie screening: Death of Superman.

Saturday: Chun Li (Street Fighter) – Probably one of my most requested cosplay for photo opts. Seems like everyone grew up with this character and thankfully her outfit is very comfortable. Yatta!

Sunday: Violet Parr (The Incredibles) – My first Disney cosplay!! and of course it’s a superhero, tehehe… My favorite part about this cosplay is having all the kids come up to request a photo and also correcting their parents when their mom/dad said “Hey look it’s Mrs. Incredible!” and the kid would reply “No that’s Violet” – yeah you show them!

Out of the four cosplays who should I cosplay more often?

XOXO,

Rockstar

Dragon Ball Z at SDCC – 3rd Anniversary Mobile Game Debut + Movie Promotion!

Published on August 8, 2018August 8, 2018 by Insider IreneLeave a comment

San Diego Comic Con is MASSIVE and I felt that I didn’t do the mecca nerd gathering justice by spending just a couple days. So, this year I allocated more time to dwell in the summer nerd capitol and tried to do as many of the outside convention stuff. (See Conan Taping LIVE here.)

Dragon Ball Z life-size and miniature figurines

On Wednesday my friends and I ventured behind the convention to checkout the Dragon Ball Z area and considering it was Preview Night I was surprised at how many people were already waiting in lines! But those lines were no match for the My Hero Academia panel line (check out post here). Nevertheless, the setup was most impressive and there was a ton to do and see for the ultimate Dragon Ball fan! * Note * this area was within the sectioned SDCC Badge area.

The main line was for dedicated to fans who wanted a Dragon Ball Z backpack and lanyard, among other goodies, whereas the side lines were for fans who wanted to try and win freebies such as a t-shirt or hat. There were also photo opportunities as well as figurine replicas re-enacting scenes from the series all to promote the third anniversary mobile game “Dragon Ball Dokkan Battle” – I tried it and it’s super hard, but practice makes perfect right? Lol

Dragon Ball Z will also be premiering a movie later this year. No word on which theaters, but I hope it’s “Over 9000” haha… If you can have a private viewing of an upcoming movie, what movie would you want to see?

XOXO,

Rockstar

Seeing Conan LIVE at Comic Con with Aquaman Cast!

Published on July 26, 2018July 25, 2018 by Insider Irene1 Comment

It’s surprising to people that this is only my second time attending San Diego Comic Con and while I had a blast last year (Click here to read) there were so many things that I missed out on! This year a group of my friends and I entered the Invincible Conan San Diego 2018 lottery for a chance to see Conan, some VIP guests, and get an exclusive Conan Funko Pop! No luck on my end, but one of my girlfriends was lucky enough to score tickets for herself and friends! Woohoo!

Conan Store and Ticket to the Saturday Show!

The taping wasn’t until the afternoon; however, we were instructed to line-up bright and early in the morning to secure our tickets. The tickets all had assigned seats, but rumor had it if you got there earlier you could get seats closer to the stage. My friends and I arrived at Spreckels Theater around 6:30 am for the 9:00 am ticket distribution, and found that a huge line already formed. There were some people there as early as 4:30 am!

Once 9:00 am hit we walked through their ticket booth decorated with all types of nerdy artwork, grabbed our tickets and went on our way. Just an FYI, tickets were somewhat random, as two guys in front of us were given Orchestra seats and we were given tickets Mezzanine. So, I really have no idea about seat selection. *shrugs*

We returned around 2:30 pm (doors closed at 3:30 pm), and enjoyed the band play before Conan arrived on stage. Conan told a few jokes and eventually introduced the cast for Aquaman including: Director James Wan, Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Yahya abdul-mateen II and Dolph Lundgren. I think out of the interview Dolph Lundgren’s story about learning to swim for the role then finding out that he didn’t need to was the highlight of the interview. Though I think some would argue that the cast drink a can of Guinness was the best part of the show – to each his own!

After the show we were each handed a Conan HellBoy Funko Pop as a souvenir. I believe if you attended the showing on the other days you had to redeem their pop at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. I think as a Comic Con newbie attending a Conan show should be on everyone’s to-do list. I for one would love to attend again next year!

Who would you love to see as Conan’s guest?

XOXO,

Rockstar