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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;The Penny Lady®, post: 1074062, member: 16948&quot;]So I arrived here in Tampa on Tuesday, checked in to my hotel, dropped off my stuff at the convention center security, then went out for a nice dinner at Maggianos (mmmmm!), then Rick Snow and I stopped off at a billiards/bowling place and shot a few games of pool.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>So we played 4-5 games of pool, and, as you can see, Rick is the one doing the racking!&nbsp; So, need I say more!&nbsp; <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/Tampa-20110104-00001.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/Tampa-20110104-00003.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>So set up day went by very quickly!&nbsp; I bought some great collector grade Indian cents and half cents, and sold a few coins including a beautiful proof Indian.&nbsp; Then several of us went off to the casino, and had a wonderful dinner at the casino steakhouse.&nbsp; We had to split a steak because the portions were so huge!&nbsp; Then we had a great time playing poker until waaay past my bedtime, but the dawning light came way too early so I paid for that &quot;error in judgment.&quot;&nbsp; :cryin2;&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>By the way, before set up, we drove around so I took a couple photos of the Tampa skyline - it&#039;s a very pretty city, and the convention center is right by the water.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/Tampa-20110105-00004.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/Tampa-20110105-00006.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Rick and Karin are one aisle over from me (table 1031)</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/Tampa-20110106-00007.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>And Todd and Roger are directly across from me (table 1226) </p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/Tampa-20110106-00010.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>And here&#039;s lil ol me waiting for all you forum members to stop by and say hi (table 1131)!</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/Tampa-20110106-00015.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Thursday after the show we went to a little pub called Hat Tricks not far from the convention center.&nbsp; I had brought with me a Lincoln collection another dealer had in an old Wayte Raymond album to take back to my room so I could grade and price it.&nbsp; I mentioned it to another dealer that was with us and he said, &quot;break it out, let me look at it.&quot;&nbsp; So I did, and he ended up helping me price it right there at the pub, using the lights above the shuffle board game! </p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/IMAG0215.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/IMAG0212.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Friday was extremely well attended and quite busy, with lots of buzz for almost the whole day.&nbsp; I saw and talked with many forum members on Friday - too many to list (and I don&#039;t want to leave someone out)!</p><p><br /></p><p>I bought some more pretty toned proofs and lots more collector grade Indian and Lincoln cents, and sold a ton of inventory as well - yeah!&nbsp; I also traded some coins to another dealer for a beautiful Swiss Chopard watch (I&#039;m such a sucker for pretty jewelry)<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/Tampa-20110107-00020-Copy.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>My good friend Logan (Vams and More) who is sharing with Todd was extremely surprised when he received this well-deserved special award from the VAM club, so I had to snap this photo!&nbsp;&nbsp; (That&#039;s my booth mate Shelley who&#039;s&nbsp; husband sells foreign paper money.)</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/Tampa-20110107-00017-Copy.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I don&#039;t think I even got to open my bottle of wine (thank you again Colonel Jessup!) until after 3 pm - but what an excellent bottle of wine it was!&nbsp; :happyhour;</p><p><br /></p><p>A little OT, but I thought this was kinda funny.&nbsp; Someone saw the little handbag that I carry and said, &quot;hey, that&#039;s you on the front of your purse!&quot;&nbsp; Well, I had never even paid attention that the design sort of looked like me until it was brought to my attention!&nbsp; So what do you think?! </p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/IMAG0217.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>&quot;Phew&quot; was all I could say when the show ended on Friday!&nbsp; I love being busy, wheeling and dealing, and Friday was the busiest day I&#039;ve had at a show in a long time!&nbsp; So then it was off to dinner!&nbsp; We went to Tappa Tinas for some wonderful Spanish food!&nbsp; But first, we had to have my newest favorite drink - an Irish car bomb (a shot of Jameson and Bailys plopped right into a glass of Guinness and then you drink it quick or the Bailys will curdle) - ummmmm!&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Then we walked around the plaza off Channelside Drive, watched these artists create amazing paintings with cans of paint, listened to the outdoor band a little, had another Irish car bomb, and then ended up at Stump&#039;s Howl at the Moon.&nbsp; Wow, what a fun place!! :3dancingsmiley; :4Party;</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/Tampa-20110107-00026-Copy.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/Tampa-20110107-00027-Copy.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/Tampa-20110107-00028-Copy.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/IMG-20110107-00056-Copy.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>The piano guys had this dry erase board where they would write notes that people would give them as long as the note was accompanied by more money than the last guy who wrote a note - and they would write just about anything, some of which I cannot post here!</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/Tampa-20110107-00036.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Rick requested the Rocky Horror Picture Show song The Time Warp, and this girl jumped up on stage to show everyone the moves....</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/Tampa-20110107-00045.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Here&#039;s a group of &quot;flapper&quot; dressed girls that were having a great time too!</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/Tampa-20110107-00047.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>I can&#039;t even tell you what time we left that place, but I highly recommend it - they did a fantastic job playing and singing the songs and engaging the audience!</p><p><br /></p><p>And here was our favorite breakfast place.&nbsp; Boy did we need a good breakfast after last night&#039;s partying!&nbsp; It is one of the tiniest diners I&#039;ve ever seen, look how narrow the building is....</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/IMG-20110108-00057-Copy.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><img src="http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq139/thepennylady/IMG-20110108-00058-Copy.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Though today was busy, it was nothing like yesterday, especially as some of the dealers begin packing up and heading home.&nbsp; A couple forum members stopped by but the most memorable and wonderful meeting I had was with our very own DOUG!&nbsp; I didn&#039;t even know it was him, having only met him briefly a few years ago.&nbsp; But he just stood their patiently until I finally looked at his name tag and realized who it was.&nbsp; And Doug does indeed look just like his avatar, only much more handsome!&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>We had a very nice visit, chatting about coins, toning, etc.&nbsp; I showed him my newp Conder tokens and he gave me a guess on the grade of one, so I have to remember to let him know when I get it back from NGC.&nbsp; What a delight Doug is, I truly enjoyed our meeting, and gave him the hug I promised!</p><p><br /></p><p>So I&#039;ll be here at the show through tomorrow, so if you are still around, please stop by![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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