Rpadholic N8R and I wrapped up a fun and successful Vapetoberfest 2013. It was a good show, but very different from last month’s Electronic Cigarette Convention. I have a bunch of video interviews and some goofy video features to edit, and you’ll see those posted throughout the week. Before I get to that, I just wanted to jot down some random thoughts on my Vapetoberfest 2013 experience.
– As I mentioned in the intro, Vapetoberfest 2013 was very different from ECC 2013. That’s not meant in a positive or negative way; both shows were good, but felt very different. Professionally, Vapetoberfest wasn’t as productive for my purposes; ECC had more companies to interview, the conditions were much better for filming, the show was bigger, and the hotel costs were much lower. That said, I was going for work. As an attendee, Vapetoberfest had a more social vibe. There were lots of contests, product unveilings, DJ sets, giveaways, and more. ECC was more professional, while Vapetoberfest seemed like more fun. I’m happy that both shows did well and also happy that they’re different.
– It was fun catching up with people I interviewed at ECC 2013 and seeing what was new with them. Stay tuned for my second interview with the Dr. Mike’s Rad Vapors crew. Those guys are cool and they make some really tasty e-liquids.
– It was excellent catching up with Brandon from Ovale USA. He was one of the first people to give me vaping coverage opportunities for RPad.TV and it has been fun getting to know him. As multifaceted nerds, we just clicked. It was also cool meeting Ovale USA Katie. She’s a very cool lady that’s also a little scary. You see, Katie has a vicious hammer-fist (true story). You don’t want to piss her off. Nate and I spent a lot of time hanging with Brandon and Katie during and after Vapetoberfest 2013. I’m sure they’re anxious to fly back to Florida to get away from those two California weirdos.
– My buddy Marie was mad at me for forgetting her Pumpkin Cream Kit Kats. See, I brought them for her on Friday, but didn’t know that she was only working for Surefire Vapor on Saturday. Her mom even scolded me for forgetting them. Ha! I maintain that it wasn’t my fault. Despite this misunderstanding, my clip with Marie was my favorite spot from Vapetoberfest. It reminded me of “working” with Zoe and Ruby back in my Yahoo! days, with working being defined as goofing off while the camera is rolling. Here’s a sneak peak. Also, follow Marie on Instagram!
– Interviewing Rob and Jason from Envision Vapor was really fun for me. I’ve been Internet friends with Rob for a long time because of our love of e-liquids made with naturally-extracted tobacco (we’re both marks for Ahlusion and Goodejuice). Earlier this year, he started a company that makes handblown glass tips and glass tanks. His company has been blowing up and I’m thrilled for his success.
– It was lovely meeting Claudia Alan at Vapetoberfest 2013. She was working for Vape Los Angeles at Vapetoberfest 2013. In addition to modeling for vaping nerds, she has also modeled for videogame nerds (for Namco) and comic-book nerds (Comic-Con 2013). Don’t confuse her for just a pretty face though. She studied broadcast journalism and is modeling for the fun of it before embarking on her BroJo career. Naturally, as a longtime journalist I inspired her. Oh wait, I haven’t been a journalist for years. I’m a verbal entertainer…and I’m not the least bit inspiring.
– Harry from IBTanked is always awesome to chat with and I enjoyed catching up with him at Vapetoberfest 2013. He’s a hilarious and interesting man. IBTanked is a family-operated business based in California. Many people know Harry as OCD, his wife as Mrs. OCD, and his daughter as Offspring. They make some beautiful glass tanks for vaping and have had a lot of success in a very short time. As a fellow Californian, I’m rooting for IBTanked’s success to continue.
– Another local company that I’m psyched for is Bay City Vapor (no affiliation with the Bay City Rollers). The company is working on some beautiful mods that offer high performance at fair prices. Plus, they’re offering copper mods! I love the way copper mods look and perform. It was cool meeting the owners, James and Stephanie at Vapetoberfest 2013.
– I could go on and on, but I better get cracking on those videos. In short, I had a lovely time at Vapetoberfest, met some cool people, caught up with some cool people I already know, got to hang out with Nate (always excellent), and lost my voice because it’s really, really difficult conducting interviews when a DJ’s speaker is blasting beside you. Congrats to the people at Vapor Craze for organizing a successful Vapetoberfest 2013!
