As it was getting darker and we were making a jaunt to a Subway for a sandwich, this rather attractive blond woman in a mid-length skirted business suit waiting at the cross walk with us looks at the two of us and says, "Be careful around here at night guys, it's a bad neighborhood" and walked off. Now I must say, in that moment, I just grinned ^^ The dangling Otakon badges probably didn't help, but I remember turning and seeing my friend looking really... out of place. I'm sure I wasn't the most in-place myself, but I just facepalmed that a beautiful woman who I would be worried about in that area warning us to be careful. In that regard, I guess the point is I decided not to travel too far into the city. I must say that last anecdote of yours Miko definitely makes this "traveling north" journey not very appetizing
I'd prefer a place that's easily identifiable and not a tremendous distance from the con, but as long as we can make sure we know where it is, I can google maps it and find my way. Let's just make sure it's not too long a walk for those of us with no transportation, or knowledge of which streets are the good ones 
Heh, and on our way back from the Subway, my friend was walking behind me a bit and we were coming up on a few black guys, some walking slower in front of us, and another few just hangin' out on the side of a building. Nothing threatening, but then of course his dumb ass chose that exact moment to decide to say "We should head back so we find more of our kind" (meaning anime fans). Well I generously told him to shut the fuck up as harshly and quietly as I could before we stopped by the 7-11 to grab drinks and I could explain to his stupefied expression, "Would you consider that two clean-cut white dudes meandering around this neighborhood talking about 'our kind' might perhaps be a really retarded thing to say?" I promised him I'd never let him live that one down ^^
Ah, memories...
