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With the #BSIWeekend quickly approaching, we thought it might be helpful to provide a series of tips for the veteran attendees and the newbies alike.

After all, it's usually a pretty big deal if you're taking time out of your life to head into New York City for 3+ days of activities with people you haven't seen in a year (or years!) or those you may only know online. Whether you're making the trip for the first or twenty-first time, you know that the Weekend provides the same level of excitement, anticipation and giddiness as Christmas morning does to a child.

It's usually during those anxious moments that our brain-attic tends to forget some of the essentials that help make a great trip perfect. And for the uninitiated, it's just a matter of not knowing what you need to survive the Baker Street Irregulars Weekend.

Not being the type to remember everything ourselves (we swear that on every trip, our mind isn't calmed until we can figure out just what it is that we forgot to pack), we reached out to several members of the Baker Street Irregulars - some newer members who might have a less distant memory of their first Weekend, and some who have been at it literally for decades.

We were expecting a smattering of solid advice, but we were quite astonished at the quality and quantity of helpful hints that can make the BSI Weekend an enjoyable and stress-free one for you. Herewith the suggestions:

Bags
  • Make sure that you have plenty of room to bring home books that you bought.  If you have to bring an extra bag that you can fold up and put in your suitcase, do so.
  • Some suggest bringing a plastic shopping bag to the BSI dinner, as it makes carrying the dinner packet around a little easier, especially if you plan to go to another venue afterward.
  • You might also consider bringing a shopping bag to the Vendors Room on Saturday to carry your various purchases.
Meeting Others
  • Bring business cards. You will be meeting a lot of new people, and you will be sharing contact information.  Put as many as you think that you will need in your pack, and then double it. And be sure to include all modes of contacting you, including website, Twitter handle, etc.
  • If you're in need of a good card, the Moo does a splendid job and VistaPrint has a fast turnaround time.
  • If you want to make sure you get your table mates to sign your menu, bring a pen to the dinner.
  • Allow yourself time to shmooze with other Sherlockians.  This is the fastest way to make new friends, who will quickly become old friends.  
Comportment
  • DO tell people how good it is to see them again. DO tell them that you miss them in the intervening months between BSI weekends. DO tell them how invaluable they are to you as a Sherlockian comrade-in-arms and friend and how much you value their friendship.
  • If you're scheduled to speak at an event, be mindful not to overdo the alcohol beforehand. Dutch courage is usually inappropriate in such circumstances.
Attire
  • Bring comfortable shoes.  The weekend inevitably includes a lot of walking.
  • This one is especially for the ladies:, it's useful to have a change of shoes in your handbag so the stilettos don't murder you by the end of the evening (or vice versa). 
  • Bring warm clothes.  It is winter in New York, and non-Sherlockian New York friends say that know when we are in town because we bring really bad weather.
  • Dress in layers. Many times the weather can be cold, but there have been instances in New York in January when we could - and did - comfortably walk about the streets without even a jacket on.
Money
  • Bring small bills.  They will come in handy as you share taxis going from place to place, and you’ll find them handy when tipping helpful service employees.
  • Bring a checkbook to the Vendors Room as not everyone takes credit cards and you may find an item you must have.
  • If you see something you're interested in at the Vendors Room and you can afford it, don't wait until your second sweep of the room  - it will probably be gone by then.
  • Estimate, on the top side, what you expect to spend – and double it. That might get you through.
Time
  • If you have any health conditions, allow yourself time to go back to your hotel room for periodic rests.  Many find these rests invaluable, enabling them to enjoy the weekend despite their condition.Schedule your time. 
  • Know when you need to be places (including when you need to catch the train/plane back home).
  • Count on it taking some time to get a cab amongst the other Sherlockians on 10th Avenue after the Gillette Luncheon. If the weather is not inclement and you’re fairly healthy, you may find a brisk walk from 19th Street to 45th Street a way to burn off those calories.
Getting Around
  • Print out a street map of the city with the places you need to be circled or otherwise identified.  Many things are within walking distance, but it is good to know you are starting out in the right direction (or know when to turn).
  • Download and print the Summary of Weekend Events from bsiweekend.com (and seen below), or bookmark it on your smartphone. 
  • If you want to go to Otto Penzler's Mysterious Bookshop and are staying at The Yale Club or the Roosevelt the easiest, quickest and cheapest way to go is by subway.  From Grand Central take a 4 or 5 express train four stops to City Hall Station it is a very short walk over to Otto's.  Don't take a local (which makes 10 stops). The express is about five minutes.
Logistics
  • Bring your event payment confirmations, just in case of a glitch in the system.  
  • Also, everything is pretty centrally located, but it's a good idea to have a list of your schedule with the addresses of the venues so that you don't suddenly find yourself asking, where the devil am I supposed to be right now?  
  • The heat during the BSI dinner has been uncomfortable the past two years in the Yale Club (potentially dangerously uncomfortable 2 years ago) -- if this continues, vests/waistcoats are not advised.
The Unscheduled
  • If possible, make breakfast plans with other Sherlockians (unless you eat breakfast alone)
  • To some, the secret to enjoying the jam-packed weekend is to find private, unpublicized events for more intimate interactions. How to find these? “You know my methods. Apply them.” 
Dining
What? You’re not getting enough food between events? Thankfully there are gaps that allow a Sherlockian to venture places on his or her own. And of course, there are plenty of restaurants in and near Grand Central Station, which is in great proximity to the Yale Club and the Roosevelt Hotel. 
  • Several Sherlockians like to go to the Oyster Bar for dinner after the Thursday night lecture. 
  • There is a Cosí across the street from the Roosevelt, at 38 East 45th Street, and of course Starbucks in the station and at nearly every corner.
  • For a more comprehensive listing of eateries, Serious Eats has a guide that breaks them down by category and of course Yelp has many suggestions as well.

Online
Whether you're in New York for the festivities or sequestered at home, it might be worthwhile to follow along online. Some ways to do that:

  • The official hashtag of the BSI Weekend on Twitter is #BSIWeekend. We have a feed set up on the BSI Weekend website, or you can simply follow along by clicking on the hashtag, or even on Tweetgrid.
  • We'll be providing occasional updates on these pages, so please follow along.
  • Of course, we'll also be providing updates via our Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr presence.
  • The Baker Street Babes, who will be out in force during the weekend, will undoubtedly have a unique real-time perspective of the weekend.
  • We also have a list of Sherlockians on Twitter whom you might consider following. A number of them will be at the weekend as well.



Here is a handy downloadable and printable guide for the weekend; you may also bookmark it on your smartphone for easy reference (or download the Scribd app [iOS or Android] to make it easier).
The 2013 BSI Weekend


That sums up our list. Do you have tips as well, dear readers? Please leave them in a comment here on our site or drop us a line and let us know what your secrets are so we can all be the beneficiaries.

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