Anime North... Baby Steps!

I was finally able to talk to the Dealer's room head. In the email I got from the con chair about having a table for me, he gave me her email address and asked for my phone number so she could call to set things up. I replied back with my phone number, letting her know I have free international dialing if she wanted me to call her. She waited a week to reply to that email with her number and a note saying she works nights, so any time after 11pm would be good to call. Took a short bout of phone tag to get a hold of her, but we were able to talk. All she needed from me was my business name. "I only know you as the Button Lady." This is becoming too common, perhaps I should change my business name to "Button Lady." (Except there is already a buttonlady.com, and thebuttonlady.com =/) Anyway... I should be seeing a contract and such in a day or two, along with my official table assignment. Yay! Now I have to figure out where I'm going to stay. Since the table, plus work permit is going to cost me upwards of $500 I don't think I can afford a con-hotel room by myself again, especially since I'd like to stay between Thurs-Monday. Not when hotwire.com can promise me a 3 1/2 star hotel in the airport area for $69 a night as opposed to $115-130 at the con hotels. The problem is the Doubletree... All my friends stay there and I'd like to be able to visit them, and with their weird rules that would be a problem. So my sooper-sneaky thought is this... book Thursday night at the Doubletree and then Friday-Monday at El Cheapo Hotel. If I don't turn in my hotel room key card (easily done if you check out via the phone), then I've got my "pass" to visit friends. This is a bit complex, and probably silly... but what do you all think? Most of the people who read this are the ones I'd be trying to visit. I'm really looking forward to AN this year. YAY Dealer's room hours! I'll actually be able to go do stuff and talk to people!