[Art]

After the Chatbot Conference held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA this past weekend (Mar. 31), I had the opportunity and pleasure to meet Morti's dad / creator, Internet and Forum friend, Dave Morton on Sunday, April 1st, 2012. No...this isn't an April Fool's joke...it was the real deal. He was staying with a friend near Baltimore and we agreed to meet and put a face with the name so-to-speak.

I invited Dave and his friend to a local restaurant that serves one of the very best Crab Cakes in the Greater Baltimore and surrounding areas, The G & M restaurant!

We enjoyed some small talk, some photos of Dave while touring the Smithsonian Museum and other facilities in Washington, D.C. and some 8-10 ounce, big as a softball, crabcakes, coupled with some delicious crab soup! Very nice.

Afterward, we discussed his vision of how the new chatbot contest might be structured and judged and most of our talk was merely speculative...kind of throwing out some mixed ideas. He told me that the conference in Philly was well attended and well presented. Dave also mentioned that he met a lot of really super people and had a great time!!

It was a real treat to finally meet him and his friend, Laurie, in person and I can say without hesitation that he is the same warm, upbeat, enthusiastic person in person that I interact with on the various forums - one of the good guys!!. I do look forward to enjoying future endeavors together.

I think Dave said he should be back home around Wed. April 4 so I'm sure once he gathers himself together after unwinding, he'll likely share some photos!

Don't worry Morti! He's coming home soon!! 

[claude2]

I do not know the friend Morti. But I would have liked to know the donut crab on the plate

[Art]

Claude,

Morti is the cute, sometimes snarky yet lovable little chatbot that Dave created. You can chat with him at www.geekcavecreations.com .

Your translation is cake into donut was not quite correct as a crab cake is a solid mass of crab with some spices and filler like bread crumbs molded into a round disk or ball usually 1' to 1-1/2' thick and from 4 to 6 inches in diameter and here in the Baltimore area, usually seasoned with a mixture of spices called,
'Old Bay'. it is then baked on the oven until dark golden brown. They are similar to a salmon or mackeral cake but not at all like a donut.

What they ARE is Delicious!!

[claude2]

Art, I know not how to be the recipe. But myself, I do it's the pizza, crab, and believe me, you could not resist! This is a pizza with cheese and crab, and you can eat it with a green salad, green pepper and red, and also full of spice, I think you go not resist eating it, because you can eat as much as the pizza is great, for 4 to 6 people, and a good rose wine! MIAMM Art, I know you like good thing! eheh!

[Art]

Crab Pizza sounds delightful!! There is a restaurant near Maryland's Eastern Shore that sells a really nice CRAB OMLETTE!! Yep...cheese, small diced onions, spices and beautiful lump crab meat!! It practically melts in your mouth!! You'll never forget it!! It IS a breakfast item!! What a way to start the day!!

[claude2]

Art, I love fish, and shellfish. I'll have found for you, Italian recipes Pizza. Because it y has very many, not just the traditional pizza.

Soon we will open a restaurant with the sign 'Welcome to ART and Claude specialties'

[claude2]

it would be a good idea!

[squarebear]

I met Dave at the conference in Philly and it was a pleasure to finally meet the guy in person instead of on the net.

[Art]

Steve,

Dave told me that he saw you at the conference and that you were the same good natured, helpful guy in person as you appear to be with your Internet Personna. Quite a compliment. I thought it was also indicative of your involvement in chatbots / AI to have flown to Philadelphia from the U.K.!

It was likewise great to meet Dave as well! I would liked to have attended but other events were previously planned.

Overall, quite a nice showing from what I heard!

[squarebear]

Thanks Art and Dave,

Yes it would have been good to meet up with you as well Art. It was a great day and to meet some of my fellow AI enthusiasts in person was amazing.

[DaveMorton]

Ok, I know it's now June, and this post is nearly 2 months late. I'm sorry it took so long to respond here. There's really no excuse. I, too, had a wonderful time, visiting with Art. It was like icing on the cake, and added a triumphant ending to my entire trip to the conference. And meeting Steve (Squarebear), Dr. Richard Wallace and all the others was an awesome experience that I wouldn't trade for all the gold in the world. And Art's right. Those crab cakes were to die for!