New Jersey Get together - Casinos and Breakfalls!

[Thomas]

For the past couple of years, we've gone down to the Action MArtial Arts Magazine Mega Martial Arts Trade Show and Hall of Fame Dinner. The event itself is awesome, with lots of booths selling videos/books/uniforms/etc and lots of seminars going on with the top guys in the martial arts. For more details, check out:
http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42392

Anyway, with so many Hapkido people in the Northeast (especially New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, etc), I'd love to see if we could arrange an informal meeting at the Tropicana Hotel (Casino) on the weekend of January 6,7,8, 2006. If we could come up with a time that would fit, we could sit down and talk over coffee (or whatever) and maybe do some sharing and learning.

Anyone up for it?

[JimH]

I'm up for it Thomas.
I was going ,a meeting would nice.

[Thomas]

Awesome!

[nj_howard]

Thomas, I'd be interested... believe it or not, I've lived in NJ for going on 25 years, and have never set foot in Atlantic City. Fortunately for my wallet, gambling is one of the few vices I've never dabbled in. :rolleyes:

Could you give us a bit more info about the trade show and dinner? Is the trade show free? Is it all demos and product sales booths, or do they have seminars, competitions, etc?

Thanks

[Thomas]

I don't gamble either... but the Tropicana sure is a nice place for the trade show. Here's some info and a link:
The trade show will be open on Friday from Noon to 7 PM and on Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM. Spectator passes are $ 20.00 for Friday, $ 35.00 for Saturday, and $ 45.00 for a two day pass. Trade Show passes include all the Free Workshops and Seminars as well as the stage demonstrations. Banquet reservations are sold on a first come-first serve basis. http://www.theactionarena.com/aboutus.htm

On my trips there, I have been in seminars (inluded with the pass) with Dan Severn, Stephen Hayes, GM Pellegrini, GM Gary Alexander, "Superfoot" Wallace, Mark Shuey, and others (as well as getting to chat with Frank Shamrock among others). The Trade Show has so many cool products, free samples, contacts and demonstrations. Well worth the money!

See my journal entries #63-64 for details on last year's fun!

It would be great to meet up with you there! :love:

[KickChick]

And I am sure that if any of you have any further questions regarding this event ... you can contact my friend (& MAP member) Pete Ticali



I would love to be able to get to this one ... !

[Thomas]

I would love to be able to get to this one ... !
I hope you do... it would be nice to meet people from MAP in an informal setting (might even get some ideas for the official MAP meet - NYC)

Everyone's invited! We'll firm up a place and time to meet as it approaches.

[nj_howard]

Thomas, any chance that some organization will book cheap blocks of rooms anywhere?

Gotta always be on the lookout for ways to save a few bucks. :cool:

[Thomas]

Thomas, any chance that some organization will book cheap blocks of rooms anywhere?

Gotta always be on the lookout for ways to save a few bucks. :cool:
We always stay at the Tropicana... split between a few people makes it affordable and we are right in the heart of it. I don't know of any other deals... maybe a check on one of the travel websites might find a deal (like www.hotels.com)

[JimH]

Howard,
I have always stayed at the Trop for this event,if when you call you tell them you are coming for the action Martial arts they may give you a break,and if you book now instead of closer to the date you may be able to wrangle a better deal.

A friend has stayed across the street from the Trop in (I believe) the Howard Johnsons at a really Great rate.

This event is a really great gathering of super stars and stars in the martial arts and to get to train with many for almost an hour in a small group is a Great experience.

[nj_howard]

Thomas and Jim, thanks for the hotel info. Think I'll check into making a reservation.

As a NJ resident, I really have to get to AC before I die or move away. :)

[Thomas]

You know, we could have the meeting at the Hooters at the Tropicana. It's a restaurant famous for their food... love the "Buffalo Shrimp".


They have seating for lots of people!!!!! But, you better sign up now because places are going quick!

[nj_howard]

Thomas, a Hooter famous for their food? - :p

Anyway, that would be fine. I have to make a reservation very soon.

So I guess the Tropicana is right in the center of everything, right? Right on the boardwalk?

One more question, gents... do you just buy your ticket at the door, or do you have to get them in advance?

Thanks

[American HKD]

Greetings,

I would like to go as well! We can train in the rooms, matresses are great for break falls. LOL ;)

[Thomas]

Excellent! Looks like a good (small) group coming together. As we get closer to January, we'll set up a place and date and time to meet. Should be fun!

[Thomas]

The time is getting closer. Initially I just figured on a cup of coffee, meet and conversation. It seems like there will a be a good crew showing up (including my insructor and some students)... if anyone wants, we could do the coffee and chat and/or a bit of techqniue exchange near the trade show (there are always places available). Let me know what you guys would like to do and we'll see about setting up a time/date and place.

By the way, any non-Hapkido people are welcome of course and we'd love to share too!

[JimH]

Saturday is almost here everyone,so what's up?
I will be there on Friday,I know the ICHF people ,or most of them,hope to get to meet some of you others.

[Thomas]

Let's see... how about NOON at Hooter's (in the Tropicana) on Saturday?


That gives everyone time to see the trade show and/or get there and the option for food/drink right at the hotel.

Anyone not happy with this, we could go for different time or place.

[American HKD]

Greetings

Thomas and anyone else from MP.

I'll be there made my reservation and will be staying at the Trop. Friday night

Please look me up in my room Friday night and stop by and say hello.

[Thomas]

We had a nice small meeting. MAP members FrankH (Master Frank Huff), AmericanHKD (Master Stuart Rosenberg), JimH and Thomas showed up as well as Master Hector Jimenez, Master Robert Gray, and black belts Dave Norris, Eric Ziemba, and Rustin Hartley. We met at Hooter's for a quick drink and handshake and a bit of talk. Numbers and contacts were exchanged and I bet there'll be some good sharing and future meetings that come from this.

I really want to take the time to thank everyone who came for showing up and taking the time to get acquainted. Maybe someday down the road we can have more people.

(Check out my journal later for more details on the event!)

[KickChick]

I would have loved to have gone but unfortunately wasn't able to attend (again) this time.

Glad you all had a good time!

Perhaps the same crew can get-together for the NYC MAP Meet as well ;)

[JimH]

Another great time was had at the action martial arts Hall of Fame.

So much to do,so many things to see and too little time to do it all.

Meeting some of the people from this forum is Great and finding so many ICHF people who read and or post here is outstanding.

Meeting Stuart was a Great experience,again I wish I had more time to have spent with everyone.

I went to the first seminar on Saturday morning,which was a Defensive tactics seminar by Dave Washington,(I was only obsering this year due to a hyper extended elbow),Dave kept saying his Uke was a hapkido guy,and man was the uke taking some pain and punishment from dave,but he hung in there and kept of going.
After the seminar I went over to talk to the Hapkido Uke and found it was Stuart,we had a brief short hello and a quicj exchange ,but Stuart was volunteering to help a friend at a booth at the show.

I was then talking with Dave and Shihan Ibarra when Stuart and His friend returned,we had some good chat going on,then Stuart left and returned with Thomas,we had some more talk and a photo,then I ended up talking to Dave so long that I missed getting to the George Dillman seminar and I forgot my wife was waiting for me to meet up with her,lol,luckily she understands,lol,so she says anyway.
It was just after 12 had enough time to run down to Hooters and say a quick Hello and Goodbye ,as my wife was waiting,sorry to everyone for my lack of time.

Some Great Masters doing demo's and seminars,again not enough time to see them all,luckily after being there a few years you get to spend time with a few each year.

I would like to say Thank You to all from this board who met up,especially to Stuart as it was a Pleasure to meet him,most of the others are ICHF so we had met before and had a nice chat at the Ball.

There is a similar show coming up for BUDO,they have a similar event so perhaps maybe more people would attend it, as well as the MAP meeting.
GM Banks has a hall of Fame at the end of January but no expo,seminars or Demo,maybe I will see some of you there.

Thank You all again ,and I am sorry for my lack of time.

[American HKD]

Greetings,

Hello to all it was great to meet all of you Thomas, JimH and the others. I had a great weekend and hope to do it again next year.

Some of the seminars were very good. Jim you should see some of the dark purple buises I have, Dave Washington is one rough dude and he took it to the limit. MAJOR PAIN! :D

For those who don't know Mr. Dave Washington is the top police tatics trainer for the NYPD and many forces in the nation and around the globe.