As many of you know, I have been involved with a new project in the Cincinnati area called Escape The Room Challenge. An escape room is a room in which you and your friends are locked in and must use problem solving skills, team work, and brain power in order to solve a series of puzzles and mysteries in order to Escape The Room.

Fortunately since I also run KICentral, I was able to successfully lobby the folks at Escape The Room Challenge to give KIC exclusive early access to one of the rooms. So,10 lucky members will be have a special invitation to see Esmeralda's Curse during a testing phase before it is open to the general public. This test will be done during the second week of April, during the evening. We only have 10 slots available so if you are interested, please PM me with your real name, a good email address, and phone number. Ten people will be randomly drawn to participate. The others will be put on a standby list in case someone can't make it.

Oh, and if you want to know more about Esmeralda's Curse.... check it out:

Good luck!!!!

PM sent.

I hope so much I'm chosen! I've been following this closely.

This would be a good opportunity to win me over. I don't believe i can throw my name into the hat though if its a random weekday. Best of luck to you.

Anyone who wants to participate, please send me a PM in the next day or so. I will pick the names soon.

Sorry to double post...

Winners have been selected. If anyone else wishes to participate, please PM me. I will put you on a standby list. Plus we may be adding another testing day.

Thanks!

So, who else is on the list, and who (of those) are attending? Anyone up for dinner beforehand in Mason or West Chester?

I need to check the timing of a work event, but - as of now - I think I'll be free.

I'm planning to spend most of the day down in the Cincy area. I want to go down to the river that afternoon and experiment with my cameras, give the one I traded for last fall its first decent workout. After that, I'll probably hit Panda Express on Tylersville for dinner before heading to this event.

I'd be up for dinner beforehand.

Any suggestions as to where?

Nearby on Tylersville are a typical selection of chain eateries (O'Charley's, Bob Evans, LongHorn Steakhouse, etc), Dewey's Pizza, City Barbecue, and some local/ethnic places.

I don't think I'm up for dinner, but I'll be there for the Escape.

My husband is going to drive down with me, not to participate. Do you know if there will be somewhere fairly comfortable he can wait for me indoors? If not, he's ok with waiting in the car.

Any suggestions as to where?

Nearby on Tylersville are a typical selection of chain eateries (O'Charley's, Bob Evans, LongHorn Steakhouse, etc), Dewey's Pizza, City Barbecue, and some local/ethnic places.

I'd prefer Panda Express or Gold Star Chili, as neither are ones that I can get close to home. And of those two, Panda Express would be less likely to give me a sudden urge to poop five minutes after I get locked in the room. (Speaking of which, is there a restroom in the game room?)

I have wondered all along if there are provisions for an unexpected medical or other emergency. What if someone has a heart attack or stroke? Or there is a tornado, severe storm or even a fire?

Seriously, there should be a plan for such.

Hope is not a strategy nor a business plan.

From what I can gather from what I've seen hinted (and I may be wrong, of course) there is at least one actor in the room as well. Presumably they could call for help and open the door of needed.

For tort reasons, I would expect there is some sort of "emergency stop" button we'd be informed of before starting the game, as well.

I don't think I'm up for dinner, but I'll be there for the Escape.

My husband is going to drive down with me, not to participate. Do you know if there will be somewhere fairly comfortable he can wait for me indoors? If not, he's ok with waiting in the car.

There is a head/air conditioned lobby that will have chairs. He's more than welcome to sit in there. The total experience should last up to 90 minutes.

I have wondered all along if there are provisions for an unexpected medical or other emergency. What if someone has a heart attack or stroke? Or there is a tornado, severe storm or even a fire?

Seriously, there should be a plan for such.

Hope is not a strategy nor a business plan.

Of course! All of the rooms are monitored at all times via CC television. In the even of an emergency the show will be stopped and the issue will be dealt with accordingly. ETRC is up to all codes and has been approved by the necessary jurisdictions.

Ryan, you missed a question:

(Speaking of which, is there a restroom in the game room?)

I'd prefer Panda Express or Gold Star Chili, as neither are ones that I can get close to home.

I won't have eaten since lunch, so I'd prefer somewhere that I can get a more substantial meal. Somewhere that accommodates groups well and has various price/portion choices would be ideal.

As we found out a couple months ago, Panda Express's table configuration doesn't work well for groups larger than 4.

And of those two, Panda Express would be less likely to give me a sudden urge to poop five minutes after I get locked in the room.

TMI

^ I don't know what kind of appetite you have, but Panda Express qualifies as "substantial" for me.

The type of reaction you fear from Gold Star is the same reaction MANY get from Panda Express.

That and being hungry again in two hours.

Ryan, you missed a question:

(Speaking of which, is there a restroom in the game room?)

Yes. The building will have a bathroom, provided that it's finished by then. I haven't heard that it wouldn't be.

Well, I'm far more likely to get that reaction from Gold Star, and a three-entree plate at Panda Express fills me up enough for it to be the only meal of the day.

So I guess I'm, uh, built differently, then?

I'd suggest Jack In The Box but the building only has one bathroom.

^^ The calorie count of a meal doesn't necessarily correspond to how fulfilling it is. Individual results and preferences vary.

The nutrition calculator on pandaexpress.com shows that a sample 3-entreé plate has 1490(!) Calories. 570 of those are from fat(!), and 604 are from carbs. To many, this is not a satisfying meal. Not to mention the 109% of the RDI for sodium.

Nutrition, shmutrition. I like my Panda Express no matter what. And when I get it, it is often the only significant meal of the day, so those high numbers aren't nearly as bad as they would be if I were combining it with two additional meals that day.

^ Nothing wrong with you liking it. My point was that, for many, Panda Express might not constitute a primary meal

And for quite a few, it's on the "I don't want to eat there, period" list.

I vote for City BBQ, but I'm going to be 15 hours away. I just really like City BBQ.

You are much closer to 521 BBQ in Indian Land, South Carolina on Charlotte Highway, postal address Fort Mill, South Carolina. Best wet ribs I ever et. True that.

I may go back. SOON!

I love City BBQ. It's right down the street from where I work.

I love city BBQ as well but I must say Eli's > city.