I don’t know why, but Flash Forward NYC is much better than the one in San Francisco. I always find the sessions more interesting, and the audience more engaged. At SF, it was very common for a lot of people to walk out of sessions, or start chatting a bit, but each time in New York, I have noticed far less of it. Also, I am always surprised to how different the audiences are overall. There is a lot of repetition between the two conferences, but gaging the audience reactions, it is new to the majority of the audience.

A popular topic at all Flash Forwards, but this one in particular is “When is Flash Forward going to get new venues???” I have to agree with the sentiment. The New Yorker is a seedy hotel. The conference rooms are unexciting but ok, but those rooms are pretty scary! New York is an extremely expensive city, but even so the New Yorker is $90/night. While a value for attendees is good, this rate shows how bad this hotel really is. The paint is peeling, the carpets have big holes in them or have come up off the floor, and there are just lots of very big bugs. The upper few floors where a lot of the speakers and organizers stay are certainly a lot nicer, but the run of the mill room is unpleasant.

San Francisco is worse though. The venue is just horrible. San Francisco is a place known for being pleasant and cool. If there is air conditioning, it is weak. In most sessions half the audience is fanning itself while the other is generally sitting on the floor. In sessions that are not in the main theater, the people are generally on the floor for two reasons. The first is that here isn’t seating. The second is that the available is so uncomfortable that the floor is often preferable.

While I like the conference, and the caliber of the people I meet there, the venue is distracting in its lack of comfort and facilities.

Oh, also as I have my feet propped up on my suitcase right now, I can share my big petty annoyance. The New Yorker also has changed their policy they won’t let conference attendees check their luggage during the last day of the conference for those that are flying out that day unless you stayed at the hotel for the conference. I got to tote it around all day including to my own session. Thanks New Yorker. I was willing to pay (and even a premium for not having stayed there), but alas no.