tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165390732024-03-13T23:18:56.918-07:00Rhymes with Mousse (not Mouse)Reflections and Ramblings about the San Francsico Bay Area and other placesSean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-50866758110141392372024-02-29T13:22:00.000-08:002024-02-29T13:22:54.539-08:00Leap Day or Labor Day<p> Today — February 29 — is Leap Day. However, for about 30 years, on the UC Berkeley campus, it was also known as “Labor Day.” In 1896, the California legislature would not provide funds for the University’s infrastructure. Regent Jacob Bert Reinstein approached the University’s male students to work on a solution. The men responded by working for three days — February 27-29 — building roads, bridges, and performing other improvements to the campus. It was so successful, that the students decided that every Leap Day would be Labor Day.</p><p>Because there was no Leap Day in 1900 (the Gregorian Calendar restricts leap days for years divisible by 100 to those that are also divisible by 400), the second Labor Day did not take place until 1904. For the second Labor Day, male students constructed over 2300 feet of paths, sidewalks, and roads, saving the University over $1500. At the end of the day, the female students provided dinner for a celebration that included fireworks.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyQwPMViuyPKVJAYQJVHu4tfEm9BMfNz9Kz-A0gUZ15B9XKIjYlxXlj7LW9pMqSgUweEMXYD4YvIbFs4l-V44r07P1ppqvCkEostlKsMbvk3UqfF7jveudEhasbkDcD61bcAomdvTpEYZ86vzBuTzW7t7UP3jnMe4i_6K84M-5I7BjhxFFujt/s4061/IMG_1639.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3547" data-original-width="4061" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyQwPMViuyPKVJAYQJVHu4tfEm9BMfNz9Kz-A0gUZ15B9XKIjYlxXlj7LW9pMqSgUweEMXYD4YvIbFs4l-V44r07P1ppqvCkEostlKsMbvk3UqfF7jveudEhasbkDcD61bcAomdvTpEYZ86vzBuTzW7t7UP3jnMe4i_6K84M-5I7BjhxFFujt/s320/IMG_1639.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Daily Californian, March 1, 1904</div><p style="text-align: left;">The third (1908) Labor Day was postponed for a week due to rain. Students built another road (behind the bleachers of California Field) and repaired the track. Afterwards, they celebrated with a meal at California Field followed by town picnic style games (which they called “fake games”.) The 1912 Labor Day saw the construction of a road from the intersection of Hearst and Arch Streets to the center of campus.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The most famous Labor Day took place in 1916. Armed with picks, shovels, and wheelbarrows, two thousand students built a road up to the “C” in three hours. Afterwards, students celebrated with lunch at California Field, contests, a “smoker” at Old Harmon Gym (with new head coach “Andy” Smith addressing the men), and a dance.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNwMWVPZL7-joKH7YYvdatIC38kWavJ3fnGEw2ooi0ZcfRFmeYuhwlBADTEQsZV15HL8ZHBVlD7TTDhQWNqFK9MX3deJyoJzo_ZqlNkMTGDErQenFJpP_lDl5xTCiNa4DzfI1HGGPZigB4wpFD_mReJlKexN2FRSU1AgkZe_iKq3DnR-GCE8B/s4384/IMG_1634.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3839" data-original-width="4384" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNwMWVPZL7-joKH7YYvdatIC38kWavJ3fnGEw2ooi0ZcfRFmeYuhwlBADTEQsZV15HL8ZHBVlD7TTDhQWNqFK9MX3deJyoJzo_ZqlNkMTGDErQenFJpP_lDl5xTCiNa4DzfI1HGGPZigB4wpFD_mReJlKexN2FRSU1AgkZe_iKq3DnR-GCE8B/s320/IMG_1634.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Daily Californian, March 1, 1916</div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>For the 1920 Labor Day, students built roads to the Greek Theatre, extended College Ave from the central campus to La Loma Ave, and built a small amphitheater where Stern Hall stands now. The post Labor Day celebration took on a life of its own as the Big C Sirkus. That’s another story.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnSq3jsQNNPOCiEEOIcnK-eJKQxpHXfsdiD7hELjHQVDYjgUAK6vYWujsDhHuYvhAYwW9SoNCkte8e4MamwiJo7YQWHLa7mXY57vWbNukXJcfJ4HavtfOsWtlv9GaP0ivnonp-z96qZEcFKwb2uYKIbF6e1yLXcDzxCF5qg50pvpcjR5TbbNN/s3987/IMG_1654.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2636" data-original-width="3987" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnSq3jsQNNPOCiEEOIcnK-eJKQxpHXfsdiD7hELjHQVDYjgUAK6vYWujsDhHuYvhAYwW9SoNCkte8e4MamwiJo7YQWHLa7mXY57vWbNukXJcfJ4HavtfOsWtlv9GaP0ivnonp-z96qZEcFKwb2uYKIbF6e1yLXcDzxCF5qg50pvpcjR5TbbNN/s320/IMG_1654.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Daily Californian, February 27, 1920</div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Labor Day continued on in 1924 and 1928, with more roads and bridges built, but then died out. The tradition had one revival, but that too is another story.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcnCRnqmbPRCbb_eGG7te6-rkqChna75YV35vlV4o5aE_8R6v_M5pXGOCGWJjknOkbML9iszttsId_MjkJTsHY90eHyfhtlzwVQ0NT8lmZt1LzrpmL54ynAnUPqtvHqG0CX2NCFyiTQxA6gToKeCttJZaQBtYQjSvERdMB1pEMtUCVuHoJrs1/s4625/IMG_1663.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3461" data-original-width="4625" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcnCRnqmbPRCbb_eGG7te6-rkqChna75YV35vlV4o5aE_8R6v_M5pXGOCGWJjknOkbML9iszttsId_MjkJTsHY90eHyfhtlzwVQ0NT8lmZt1LzrpmL54ynAnUPqtvHqG0CX2NCFyiTQxA6gToKeCttJZaQBtYQjSvERdMB1pEMtUCVuHoJrs1/s320/IMG_1663.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dauly Californian, March 1, 1928</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This post would have been impossible to create without the UC Berkeley Library’s digital archive of Daily Californian issues. <a href="https://www.lib.berkeley.edu/find/digital-collections" style="text-align: left;">https://www.lib.berkeley.edu/find/digital-collections</a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p></div>Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-3519191838701344902017-03-20T21:42:00.002-07:002017-03-23T16:08:12.644-07:00Just Call it The Beer LineOn Sunday, <a href="http://actransit.org/" target="_blank">AC Transit</a> debuts its new line 80. The line runs between El Cerrito Plaza BART station and the Claremont Hotel in the Berkeley Hills. For me, what makes this line interesting is the number of breweries and tap rooms this line services.<br />
<ol>
<li><a href="http://www.elevation66.com/" target="_blank">elevation-66</a> - on San Pablo between Central and Fairmount, it's less than one block from the Central/San Pablo stop (southbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.9023433,-122.3031074&z=18" target="_blank">52544</a>, northbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.9023160,-122.3029291&z=18" target="_blank">52066</a> .)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.gilmanbrew.com/" target="_blank">Gilman Brewing Company</a> - on Gilman between 7th and 8th, it's less than one block from the 8th/Gilman stop (southbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8799692,-122.2993115&z=18" target="_blank">51613</a>, northbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8801133,-122.2992313&z=18" target="_blank">51791</a>) or Gilman/7th stop (northbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8794895,-122.3004391&z=18" target="_blank">50404</a>, no southbound stop)</li>
<li><a href="http://fieldworkbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Fieldwork Brewing Co</a> - at 6th St and Harrison, it's just over one block north from the 6th/Gilman stop (southbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8788933,-122.3012838&z=18" target="_blank">59688</a>, no northbound stop) or two blocks (one block west and one block north) from the Gilman/7th stop (northbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8794895,-122.3004391&z=18" target="_blank">50404</a>, no southbound stop)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.trumer-international.com/" target="_blank">Trumer Brauerei</a> - at 4th and Camelia, it's three blocks (one block north, two blocks west) from the 6th/Page stop (southbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8765143,-122.3005198&z=18" target="_blank">52310</a>, northbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8763494,-122.3002840&z=18" target="_blank">56465</a>). Until Trumer's rumored tasting room opens, you'll need to RSVP for a <a href="http://www.trumer-international.com/tour.php" target="_blank">tour</a> (offered weekdays at 3:15.)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.sierranevada.com/brewery/california/torpedoroom" target="_blank">Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room</a> - on 4th between Addison and University, it's just over one block south from the 4th/University stop (southbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8681547,-122.3001301&z=18" target="_blank">52626</a>, northbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8678672,-122.2998904&z=18" target="_blank">55146</a>.)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.therarebarrel.com/" target="_blank">The Rare Barrel</a> - on Parker between 8th and 9th St., it's one and a half blocks East from the 7th/Parker stop (southbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8585478,-122.2936647&z=18" target="_blank">55807</a>, northbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8586027,-122.2934837&z=18" target="_blank">55738</a>.)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.novelbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Novel Brewing</a> - on San Pablo Ave between 66th and 65th St, it's four and a half blocks South from the Ashby/San Pablo stop (southbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8521703,-122.2862468&z=18" target="_blank">52300</a>, northbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8521495,-122.2871538&z=18" target="_blank">52599</a>.)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.moxybeergarden.com/" target="_blank">Moxy Beer Garden</a> - at Sacramento and 66th St, it's about three blocks south from the Ashby/Sacramento stop (southbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8532066,-122.2792304&z=18" target="_blank">52662</a>, northbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8533772,-122.2788099&z=18" target="_blank">55919</a>.)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hoipolloibrewing/" target="_blank">Hoi Polloi Brewing</a> - on Alcatraz between Adeline and Ellis, it's five blocks south and less than one block west of the Ashby/Martin Luther King, Jr. Way stop (southbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8542557,-122.2706094&z=18" target="_blank">51171</a>, northbound stop <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=@37.8544195,-122.2709196&z=18" target="_blank">55765</a>.)</li>
</ol>
What's really nice about the line is that service runs until midnight seven days a week. So, if you're a beer drinker, this would be an interesting "crawl." Conveniently for me, I live within two blocks of a stop on line 80. I know I'll be taking advantage of this new line.Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-81675402408306314102017-02-09T19:31:00.000-08:002017-02-15T00:26:08.576-08:00Celebrating SF Beer Week in Berkeley<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://dsqduvr4btsht.cloudfront.net/images/sfbw2017_bg.1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://dsqduvr4btsht.cloudfront.net/images/sfbw2017_bg.1.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Banner courtesy of the San Francisco Brewers Guild)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It's <a href="https://www.sfbeerweek.org/" target="_blank">SF Beer Week</a>!<br />
<br />
Berkeley breweries, taprooms and restaurants all have events going on. Here are the venues (please note that many are within walking distance of BART and that the others are reachable via AC Transit):<br />
<br />
<iframe height="480" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1Sm90KZFEofd7QoPa_BnOjkIlbZA" width="640"></iframe>
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.bobbygspizzeria.com/" target="_blank">Bobby G's Pizzeria</a> has 7 events including an IPA competition, 5 guest brewery nights and 1
keg of Pliny the Younger. </li>
<li><a href="http://brennansberkeley.com/" target="_blank">Brennan's Restaurant and Sports Bar</a> will be hosting a tap take-over by Drake's Brewing Company throughout all of Beer Week.</li>
<li><a href="http://fieldworkbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Fieldwork Brewing Company</a> has 3 days of special canned beer releases (2 canned beers per day) over the opening weekend. They've added more releases for the 2nd weekend. </li>
<li><a href="http://berkeleyfreehouse.com/" target="_blank">Free House</a> is hosting a beer brunch (with Sierra Nevada) and a tap take-over (with Magnolia Brewing and Ex Novo Brewing.) </li>
<li><a href="http://www.jupiterbeer.com/" target="_blank">Jupiter</a> is hosting <a href="http://www.soursunday.com/" target="_blank">Sour Sunday</a> (one of the most popular events of the week.)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.missionheirloom.com/" target="_blank">Mission: Heirloom</a> is hosting a special tasting of gluten-free beers from Portland's <a href="https://www.groundbreakerbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Ground Breaker Brewery</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.moxybeergarden.com/" target="_blank">Moxy Beer Garden</a> is hosting a game night with <a href="http://www.sierranevada.com/beer" target="_blank">Sierra Nevada</a> and <a href="https://www.gamesofberkeley.com/" target="_blank">Games of Berkeley.</a></li>
<li><a href="http://pacificstandardtaproom.com/" target="_blank">Pacific Standard Taproom (by Half Moon Brewing)</a> has 5 events including 2 events that used to be held at Barclay's -- IPA Challenge and Baby Brewery Night -- plus a collaboration release day, a bottle release night, and Beer and Comedy Night. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.sierranevada.com/brewery/california/torpedoroom" target="_blank">Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room</a> has 6 events including 4 days of special flights/pairings, a Beer Yoga Class, and Beer and Science Night.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.therarebarrel.com/" target="_blank">The Rare Barrel</a> has 7 events including 2 days of collaboration releases, 3 days of tap take-overs, and 1 cellar re-release.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.triplerock.com/" target="_blank">Triple Rock Brewery and Alehouse</a> has 5 events including 4 special releases and Sour Sunday (co-hosted with Jupiter.)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.trumer-international.com/tour.php" target="_blank">Trumer Brauerie</a> hosts Celebrator Beer News' 29th Anniversary Bash.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/gilman" target="_blank">Whole Foods Market Gilman</a> hosts a cheese and beer tasting with <a href="http://fieldworkbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Fieldwork Brewing Company</a>.</li>
</ul>
<br />
And here's the schedule:<br />
<br />
<b>All Week Long</b> (Friday 2/10 - Sunday 2/19):<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://brennansberkeley.com/" target="_blank">Brennan's Restaurant and Sports Bar</a> is hosting the <i><b>Drake's Tap Takeover Extravaganza</b></i> featuring $6 pints of 5 <a href="http://drinkdrakes.com/" target="_blank">Drake's Brewing Co</a> drafts and $7 10 oz pours of <i>Hopocalypse Green Label Double IPA</i>. </li>
</ul>
<b>Friday 2/10 </b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>9 AM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://fieldworkbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Fieldwork Brewing Company</a> releases cans of <i>2017 Viking's Lament</i> (Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Porter) and <i>King Citra Double IPA</i> (limit 8 cans per person for each.) They will also be tapping a keg each of both the <i>2017</i> and <i>2016 Viking's Lament</i>.</li>
</ul>
<b>Saturday 2/11</b> <br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>10 AM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://fieldworkbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Fieldwork Brewing Company</a> releases cans of <i>2017 Barrel Aged Eliza</i> (New Orleans Iced Coffee Imperial Milk Stout) and <i>Tundra Triple IPA</i> (limit 8 cans per person for each.) They will also be tapping one keg of <i>2017 Barrel Aged Eliza</i>.<br /> </li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>11:30 AM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.triplerock.com/" target="_blank">Triple Rock Brewery and Alehouse</a> releases <i>2017 Mister Stout</i> (Imperial Stout.) The release includes flights featuring the <i>2017</i> release, a blend of the <i>2016</i> and <i>2017</i> releases, and barrel aged versions of the <i>2016</i> and <i>2015</i> releases. In addition, they're re-releasing their <i>30th Anniversary Black Rock</i> (a barrel-aged imperial version of their <i>Black Rock</i> porter.)</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>Noon</b></i></span>, <a href="http://pacificstandardtaproom.com/" target="_blank">Pacific Standard Taproom</a> releases <i>I Need a Miracle DIPA</i> (a collaboration between <a href="http://www.hmbbrewingco.com/" target="_blank">Half Moon Bay Brewing</a> and Peter Hoey of <a href="https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/" target="_blank">BSG Craft Brewing</a>) and taps other collaborations between Half Moon Bay Brewing with <a href="https://bcbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Benoit-Casper Brewing</a>, <a href="http://www.ejphair.com/" target="_blank">E. J. Phair</a>, <a href="http://hopdogma.com/" target="_blank">Hop Dogma</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sacrilegebrewerykitchen" target="_blank">Sacrilege Brewery</a>, <a href="http://www.moylans.com/" target="_blank">Moylan's Brewing</a>, and <a href="http://bartletthall.com/" target="_blank">Bartlett Hall</a>.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>1 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="https://www.therarebarrel.com/" target="_blank">The Rare Barrel</a> hosts their <i><b>3rd Annual Reunion</b></i> with <a href="http://www.thebruery.com/" target="_blank">The Bruery</a> and <a href="http://societebrewing.com/" target="_blank">Societe Brewing Company</a>. This is a reunion because <span class="_4n-j _3cht fsl">Patrick Rue (from The Bruery,) Doug Constantiner (from Societe,) and Jay Goodwin (from The Rare Barrel) once worked at The Bruery together</span>. They'll be here for this event. Each brewery will have 5 of their beers on tap. Inside, they will have 2 additional bars set-up so that you won't have a long wait to sample. In the parking lot, <a href="http://bbq152.com/" target="_blank">Real Smoked BBQ</a> will be providing smoked meat goodness.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>7 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://pacificstandardtaproom.com/" target="_blank">Pacific Standard Taproom</a> hosts its <i><b>Bottle Release Party</b></i> featuring Half Moon Bay's <i>Flanders Red Sour,</i> aged with cherries and <i>Papa Juice Old Ale</i>, aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels </li>
</ul>
<b>Sunday 2/12</b> <br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>10 AM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://fieldworkbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Fieldwork Brewing Company</a> releases cans of <span class="_4n-j _3cht fsl"><i>PULP IPA</i> (limit 8) and <i>Cocoanut German Chocolate Cake Imperial Stout</i></span> (limit 4.)</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>10 AM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://berkeleyfreehouse.com/" target="_blank">Free House</a> hosts <i><b>Sierra Nevada Acoustic Sunrise</b></i>, a beer brunch featuring 8 beers from Sierra Nevada Brewing.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>11 AM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.sierranevada.com/brewery/california/torpedoroom" target="_blank">Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room</a> hosts the <b><i>Poses to Pints yoga class</i></b> -- a one-hour yoga class, followed by a pint in the tasting room. Tickets ($15) available <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/poses-to-pints-tickets-31102669923?aff=erelexpmlt" target="_blank">here</a>.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>Noon</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.jupiterbeer.com/" target="_blank">Jupiter</a> and <a href="http://www.triplerock.com/" target="_blank">Triple Rock Brewery and Alehouse</a> host <a href="http://www.soursunday.com/" target="_blank">Sour Sunday</a> featuring over 60 sour and barrel-aged brews. Click the link for details. Advanced tickets start at $30 and are available <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sour-sunday-tickets-29914566273" target="_blank">here</a>.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>1 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="https://www.therarebarrel.com/" target="_blank">The Rare Barrel</a> releases 3 collaborations with <a href="http://www.cellarmakerbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Cellarmaker</a>: <i>Tangerang!</i> (a golden sour beer aged in oak barrels and dry-hopped with Citra and Motueka,) <i>Smashin’ Fruit</i> (a blend of a hoppy pale ale and a golden sour beer aged in oak barrels with passion fruit,) and <i>Wagon Trix</i> (a blend of Cellarmaker porter with The Rare Barrel golden sour beer aged in oak barrels with blackberries.) As part of the event, The Rare Barrel will be selling fills of 32 and 64 growlers of the collaborations. You must provide a clean logo-free (or at least taped-over) growler with a closable lid in order to purchase a fill. In the parking lot, <a href="http://bbq152.com/" target="_blank">Real Smoked BBQ</a> will be providing smoked meat goodness.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>5 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.bobbygspizzeria.com/" target="_blank">Bobby G's Pizzeria</a> hosts the <i><b>People’s Choice IPA Competition</b></i> featuing IPAs from Berryessa, Barebottle, Calicraft, and Triple Voodoo. Your votes choose the winner. Poll closes at 8 PM.</li>
</ul>
<b>Monday 2/13</b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>11:30 AM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.triplerock.com/" target="_blank">Triple Rock Brewery and Alehouse</a> hosts its annual <i><b>Blue Plate Brewers Lunch</b></i> with brewers from <a href="http://factionbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Faction Brewing</a> and <a href="http://drinkdrakes.com/" target="_blank">Drake's Brewing Co</a>. The meal includes a soup, salad and sandwich, paired with a flight of Faction's <i>Hop Soup</i>, Triple Rock's <i>Hop Salad</i> and Drake's <i>Hop Sandwich</i> IPAs.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>6 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.bobbygspizzeria.com/" target="_blank">Bobby G's Pizzeria</a> hosts <i><b>Watch the Warriors with Calicraft</b></i>. Watch the Golden State Warriors take on the Denver Nuggets while enjoying brews from <a href="http://www.calicraft.com/" target="_blank">Calicraft Brewing</a>. </li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>7 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://pacificstandardtaproom.com/" target="_blank">Pacific Standard Taproom</a> takes over for (the currently dislocated) <a href="https://www.barclayspub.com/" target="_blank">Barclay's</a> and hosts <i><b>Baby Brewery Night</b></i> featuring breweries that are some of the newest in the Bay Area.</li>
</ul>
<b>Tuesday 2/14</b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>Noon</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.bobbygspizzeria.com/" target="_blank">Bobby G's Pizzeria</a> hosts <i><b>“Find Your Angel” Valentine’s Day Special with Angel City Brewing</b></i>, a special date night deal of two special <a href="http://angelcitybrewery.com/" target="_blank">Angel City</a> beers, a small margherita pizza, and a unique “Lover’s Quarrel” dessert pizza for $40.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>4 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.sierranevada.com/brewery/california/torpedoroom" target="_blank">Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room</a> offers a <i><b>Beer + Chocolate Flight</b></i>. $20 gets you a prescribed pairing of four 4 oz beers and 4 chocolates from <a href="https://www.bluesberkeley.com/" target="_blank">Blues Chocolates</a>.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>5 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.triplerock.com/" target="_blank">Triple Rock Brewery and Alehouse</a> releases <i>Dimmer Switch Chocolate Milk Stou</i>t which you can pair with a "death by chocolate" dessert.</li>
</ul>
<b>Wednesday 2/15</b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>4 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.sierranevada.com/brewery/california/torpedoroom" target="_blank">Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room</a> offers a <i><b>Beer + Jerky Flight</b></i>. For just $15 per flight you'll experience a flight of 4 very unique <a href="http://www.righteousfelon.com/" target="_blank">Righteous Felon</a> jerky and paired with four 4 oz beers. </li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>5 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.moxybeergarden.com/" target="_blank">Moxy Beer Garden</a> hosts <i><b>Game Night</b></i> with <a href="http://www.sierranevada.com/beer" target="_blank">Sierra Nevada</a> and <a href="https://www.gamesofberkeley.com/" target="_blank">Games of Berkeley</a>. Games of Berkeley will provide board games, Frisbee Golf, and a scavenger hunt. Sierra Nevada will provide 4 beers on tap: 2017 Beer Camp Golden IPA, Otra Vez Gose-Style Ale, Tropical Torpedo IPA, and Hop Hunter IPA.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>7 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.bobbygspizzeria.com/" target="_blank">Bobby G's Pizzeria</a> holds <i><b>Pizza Port Trivia Night</b></i>. Pizza Port Brewing will host this installment of Bobby G's weekly trivia night. Food includes 2 pizzas specially designed to pair with 2 special Pizza Port beers. You can gave it all with a 2 slice 2 beer combo.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>7:30 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="https://www.therarebarrel.com/" target="_blank">The Rare Barrel</a> hosts a <i><b>Jester King Brewing Guest Tap Takeover</b></i>. Austin's <a href="http://jesterkingbrewery.com/" target="_blank">Jester King Brewery</a> will be in house for a guest tap takeover featuring farmhouse ales and sours. Brewers Jeffrey Stuffings and Averie Swanson will also be hanging out for a bit to chat about their philosophy behind producing mixed culture and spontaneous beer. <a href="http://javiscooking.com/" target="_blank">Javi’s Cooking</a> will be in the parking lot serving Argentine empanadas.</li>
</ul>
<b>Thursday 2/16</b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>11 AM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://fieldworkbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Fieldwork Brewing Company</a> releases cans of <i>Galaxy Juice IPA</i> (limit 12 cans per person.)</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>Noon</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.sierranevada.com/brewery/california/torpedoroom" target="_blank">Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room</a> offers a <i><b>Vertical Bigfoot Flight</b></i>. They'll be serving flights of various vintages of Bigfoot Barleywine as well as vintage Bigfoot growler fills.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>3 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.missionheirloom.com/" target="_blank">Mission: Heirloom</a> hosts a <i><b>Ground Breaker Beer Tasting</b></i>. They'll be serving 7 gluten-free beers from Portland's <a href="https://www.groundbreakerbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Ground Breaker Brewery</a> along with a menu of delicious beer garden specials. Beer tasting tickets are $10 and are available <a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2793030" target="_blank">in advance</a> or at the door.<br /> </li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>4 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="https://www.therarebarrel.com/" target="_blank">The Rare Barrel</a> hosts a <i><b>Trillium Brewing Company Guest Tap Takeover</b></i>. It will feature 6 different <a href="http://www.trilliumbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Trillium</a> beers on the guest taps. In addition, <a href="https://squareup.com/store/thelumpiacompany" target="_blank">The Lumpia Company</a> will be in the parking lot.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>5:30 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/gilman" target="_blank">Whole Foods Market Gilman</a> hosts the <i><b>Fieldwork Beer and Bite Pairing</b></i>. 3 beers from <a href="http://fieldworkbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Fieldwork Brewing Company</a> will each be paired with a delicious cheese bite. Whole Foods' expert cheese and beer specialists will talk about how best to pair your favorite beer with whatever you're dishing up. All participants will also receive a can of the 2017 Collaboration Beer. Tickets are $10 and available <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sf-beer-week-fieldwork-beer-and-bite-pairing-tickets-29901473111" target="_blank">here</a>.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>7 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.bobbygspizzeria.com/" target="_blank">Bobby G's Pizzeria</a> hosts <i><b>Dr Jekyll Talks Nano-encapsulation</b></i>. Along with a tap take-over, <a href="http://www.drjekylls.com/" target="_blank">Dr Jekyll’s Brewery</a> will showcase their unique process of adding super food nutrients to their organic beer using nano-encapsulation.</li>
<li><i><b><span style="color: orange;">8 PM</span>,</b></i> <a href="http://pacificstandardtaproom.com/" target="_blank">Pacific Standard Taproom</a> hosts <i><b>Beer and Comedy Nigh</b></i>t featuring local comics, beer, and bar bites. No cover charge.</li>
</ul>
<b>Friday 2/17</b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>11
AM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://fieldworkbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Fieldwork Brewing Company</a> releases cans of <i>Party Cove Tropical Sour
Ale</i> (limit 6 cans per person) and <i>Coconut Milk Double IPA</i> (limit 12
cans per person.)<span style="color: orange;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>Noon</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.sierranevada.com/brewery/california/torpedoroom" target="_blank">Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room</a> hosts a <i><b>Barrel-Aged Night</b></i>. The Torpedo Room set aside 5 gallons of each Barrel-Aged Beer they've put on draft for the last year. All 16 taps will be a Barrel-Aged Beer for the day.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>3 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.bobbygspizzeria.com/" target="_blank">Bobby G's Pizzeria</a> serves <i><b>Pliny The Younger</b></i>. They'll have 1 keg of the elusive triple IPA from Russian River Brewing Company. You <b><i>must</i></b> purchase your 10 oz pour in advance at the restaurant. Tickets for one pour are $9 each.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>4 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="https://www.therarebarrel.com/" target="_blank">The Rare Barrel</a> releases a collaboration funky sour with <a href="https://wickedweedbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Wicked Weed Brewing</a> -- <i>Happy Blending</i>, a barrel-aged American sour ale fermented with plum and nectarine. Enjoy Happy Blending on draft as well as in bottle for on-site consumption only. Other Wicked Weed beers will be available on the guest taps. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tacoselrey.tacotruck/" target="_blank">Tacos El Rey</a> will be in the parking lot from 5 - 9 PM dishing up tacos, burritos, and tortas.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>4:30 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://berkeleyfreehouse.com/" target="_blank">Free House</a> hosts a <a href="http://www.magnoliapub.com/" target="_blank">Magnolia Brewing</a> and <a href="http://www.exnovobrew.com/" target="_blank">Ex Novo Brewing</a> Tap Takeover.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>6 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.triplerock.com/" target="_blank">Triple Rock Brewery and Alehouse</a> hosts <i><b>Beards + Fruity Beer.</b></i> The <i><b>Beards</b></i> portion is a facial hair competition in the categories of mustache, beard and full beard, and awards (judged by last year's winner and experts from People’s Barber & Shop) in design, thickness, upkeep and Best In Show. To partiticipate in the contest, register <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16HLlvR2Lpvc9-LH9iGR1C5P91YyCdrPutI5IbaCe2YU/viewform?edit_requested=true" target="_blank">here</a> (or sign-up at the door.) Judging commences at 7 PM. The <i><b>Fruity Beer</b></i> portion is a release of 5 fruity brews -- 2 from Triple Rock, 2 from Sierra Nevada, and 1 collaboration cask-conditioned ale "filled with as much fruit as these brave brewers can possibly imagine."</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>7 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://pacificstandardtaproom.com/" target="_blank">Pacific Standard Taproom</a> takes over for (the currently dislocated) <a href="https://www.barclayspub.com/" target="_blank">Barclay's</a> and hosts the <i><b>Bay Area IPA Challenge</b></i>. This is a "blind challenge" in which you purchase a flight tasters and choose your favorite without knowing which IPA it is.</li>
</ul>
<b>Saturday 2/18</b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>11 AM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://fieldworkbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Fieldwork Brewing Company</a> hosts a second-chance release of cans of <i>2017 Barrel Aged Eliza</i> (New Orleans Iced Coffee Imperial Milk Stout,) <i>2017 Viking's Lament</i> (Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Porter,) and <i>King Citra Double IPA</i> (limit 4 cans per person for each.)</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>1 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="https://www.therarebarrel.com/" target="_blank">The Rare Barrel</a> hosts <i><b>The Rare Barrel Cellar Day</b></i>. The Rare Barrel is bringing back a few past releases for this one day. They'll have 18 sours on tap and 7 bottles to try in house. Some of the cellar releases include <i>Dubious Nights</i>, <i>Afterlight</i>, <i>Feed The Monster</i>, and <i>Apropos of Nothing</i>. In addition, they will offer a limited amount of flights of 3 barrel samples. These barrel samples will showcase the variety of beer that they are aging in their barrel cellar. Each barrel sample is served uncarbonated and at room temperature, just like how their blenders taste through barrels in production. Barrel sample flights include a tasting glass and a poster.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>3:30 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.bobbygspizzeria.com/" target="_blank">Bobby G's Pizzeria</a> hosts <i><b>Beer and Sake Night</b></i>. <a href="http://www.coedobrewery.com/en/" target="_blank">Coedo Brewery</a> from Saitama, Japan, will present a haiku and movie night with delicious Japanese craft beer and sake. Haiku read off begins at 8pm.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>4 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.trumer-international.com/tour.php" target="_blank">Trumer Brauerie</a> hosts the <i><b><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebrator-beer-news-29th-anniversary-party-tickets-28901561348" target="_blank">Celebrator Beer News 29th Anniversary Party</a></b></i> (a fundraiser for the <a href="http://www.californiacraftbeer.com/" target="_blank">California Craft Brewers Association</a>.) Advanced tickets are $60 and include food and the opportunity to sample beers from over 30 breweries. They'll have shuttles from North Berkeley BART stating at 3:30 PM.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>7:30 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="http://www.sierranevada.com/brewery/california/torpedoroom" target="_blank">Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room</a> hosts <i><b>Beer Science Night</b></i>. Anders MacCarthy, Sierra Nevada's Ingredients Specialist, will discuss the process of hop selection and new product recipe design. He’ll even deconstruct how Sierra Nevada developed their Tropical Torpedo recipe. Plus, they’ll showcase three small batch beers (available only at this event): a Mosaic single hop, a Comet single hop, and a malt-focused ale. Tickets are $25 and are available <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beer-science-night-tickets-31500766641" target="_blank">here</a>. </li>
</ul>
<b>Sunday 2/19</b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><i><b>1 PM</b></i></span>, <a href="https://www.therarebarrel.com/" target="_blank">The Rare Barrel</a> hosts T<i><b>he Afterparty</b></i>. Missed one of The Rare Barrel's SF Beer Week events? Enjoyed some special beer that you'd like to enjoy again? Here's your chance as they'll be serving beers from throughout the week all day.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-58650290981626833932017-01-01T22:39:00.001-08:002017-01-01T22:39:08.919-08:00Goals for The New Year<span style="font-size: small;">I don't call them "Resolutions" because once you fail to achieve a resolution, that's it. These are goals. I will strive to achieve them.</span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Write more often. I used to write a lot more often... and it wasn't just because it was part of my job. I will be posting more often. Many posts will likely be short, but some may be longer. How they divide up will be up to time.<br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Run. In 2016 I did a fare share of walking. It's time I picked up the pace to see how far I can run. I won't run every day (in fact, I'm not running today) but I will run some days.<br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Cook from scratch more often. I already started on this in the morning by making the traditional New Year's Day "good luck" meal of collard greens and black-eyed peas from scratch. I did a simple stir-fry with onions and garlic for the collard greens and a variation of Hoppin' John with bacon, onions and brown rice for the black-eyed peas.<br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Get rid of stuff I don't use. I know that I have too many items. I already have one small box of clothing that is too big for me. I have a storage locker full of many things that I have not used since we moved. There's no reason to keep it all. Time to start donating and selling.<br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Go places I've never been. These can range from bars, brew pubs, restaurants, festivals, parks, cities, etc. There are three restaurants all within a short walk of home that I've not visited; Those may be a good start.<br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Find time to get away from technology. That means putting away the iPhone/iPad, stepping away from the computer, turning off the TV and doing something else (and sleeping doesn't count.)</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-size: small;">Six seems like a good number of goals.</span>Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-35411620796186326402016-04-06T14:47:00.000-07:002016-04-06T14:57:43.041-07:00Voodoo and EARTHQUAKE! ChipsYesterday, I stopped in at <a href="https://groceryoutlet.com/" target="_blank">Grocery Outlet</a> on 4th St. in Berkeley. Grocery Outlet is a regional chain of closeout/overstock grocery items. If you grew up in the Bay Area, you may recall them as the "dented can" store. Odd things can show up at Grocery Outlet. For example, it's the only place in the western US where I've seen both <a href="http://www.dreyers.com/" target="_blank">Dreyer's</a> and <a href="http://www.edys.com/" target="_blank">Edy's</a> ice cream sold side-by-side. Anyway, much to my surprise, I found they had <a href="http://www.zapps.com/" target="_blank">Zapp's Potato Chips</a>. Zapp's are originally from Louisiana and don't usually show up in California. In fact, until yesterday, the only stores in California where I have found Zapp's were <a href="http://www.worldmarket.com/" target="_blank">Cost Plus</a> and <a href="http://www.biglots.com/" target="_blank">Big Lots</a>.<br />
<br />
When I let friends know that I had found Zapp's chips at Grocery Outlet, one commented about their <a href="http://www.zapps.com/zapps-voodoo-potato-chips-1-7.html" target="_blank">Voodoo</a> flavor. The Voodoo flavor is a mash-up of several different flavors that (according to the description) was the result of an accident where an an employee spilled a pallet of spices, someone tasted the result, and liked it. It's one of my favorite chip flavors.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/11614849@N03/4901965926/in/photolist-8taRFU-b5KPqn-b88G4M-dErzva" title="Zapp's "Voodoo chips""><img alt="Zapp's "Voodoo chips"" height="640" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4078/4901965926_57e13d443c_z.jpg" width="478" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
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Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/11614849@N03/" target="_blank">Andrew Childs</a></div>
<br />
This made recall a similar flavor that I found when I was living in Los Angeles -- California Chips' "EARTHQUAKE!" (yes, all caps with the exclamation point.)<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/fuzzy/3109560968" title="Earthquake Chips"><img alt="Earthquake Chips" height="640" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3206/3109560968_22fb2a0409_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/fuzzy/" target="_blank">Fuzzy Gerdes</a></div>
<br />
On the bag it said that the flavor was the result of a 6.3 earthquake near their production facility (in Oxnard) and that "<i>When we came in the following morning all of our spices had fallen into the same mixing vat. We thought we had a loss on our hands but then when we tasted what we had, we loved it!</i>" (I love the story; unfortunately, the <a href="http://scedc.caltech.edu/significant/chron-index.html" target="_blank">chronological list of Southern California earthquakes</a> shows that it's just a story.) When my wife and I first tried the EARTHQUAKE! chips, we both thought that they tasted like Zapp's Voodoo chips.<br />
<br />
Until today, I had never looked into whether or not there was a connection between the two. The first thing I found was that California Chips no longer exists. The most recent update on the Internet Archive is from <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140412035751/http://www.californiachips.com/" target="_blank">two years ago</a>. An older version includes a <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090608022823/http://www.californiachips.com/news.htm" target="_blank">news site</a> that states that EARTHQUAKE! chips came out in 2005. Note from the archived "<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130820010732/http://www.californiachips.com/aboutus.html" target="_blank">about us</a>" page that California Chips' founder was Kevin Holden.<br />
<br />
Two items of note from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zapp's" target="_blank">the Wikipedia entry for Zapp's</a>:<br />
<ul>
<li>In 2006 Zapp's acquired the California Chip Company in Oxnard, CA</li>
<li>Zapp's most popular flavor is "Voodoo" which was created in 2008 by
Kevin Holden, General Manager and a shareholder of the company. </li>
</ul>
Would that be the same Kevin Holden who founded California Chips? Ah ha! So it's not that they tasted like each other, it's that they <b>are the same</b>.Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-21808902447303512602016-02-28T13:58:00.001-08:002016-02-28T13:58:17.412-08:00AMC Best Picture Showcase 2016 - Day 2One week later and it was time for the second day of AMC's <a href="https://www.amctheatres.com/events/best-picture-showcase" target="_blank">Best Picture Showcase</a>. If you haven't already done so, read about the first day <a href="http://seanyodarouse.blogspot.com/2016/02/amc-best-picture-showcase-2016-day-1.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
My journey to The City had an interesting beginning. Recently, <a href="http://www.bart.gov/" target="_blank">BART</a> has rolled out some prototype cars to accommodate more passengers. During peak commute hours, BART trains have been overcrowded. These <a href="https://www.bart.gov/testcar" target="_blank">Test Cars</a> have fewer seats so that one can squeeze in more standing room passengers. When I saw that one of the cars in my train to The City was a test car, I knew that I had to give it a shot.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/25053592670/in/album-72157662762335513/" title="BART Test Car"><img alt="BART Test Car" height="375" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1468/25053592670_4c47063af6.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
BART Test Car</div>
<br />
Most BART cars have 2x2 seating; the test car has 2x1. With fewer seats, the aisle is over twice as wide as before. This allows the car to hold a significant number of extra passengers and should ease feelings of claustrophobia. I think it's worth the loss of seats.<br />
<br />
Once in The City, I took a slightly different walking route to the theater. During my walk, I came across a construction wall mural.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/25230777152/in/album-72157662762335513/" title="Construction Wall Mural"><img alt="Construction Wall Mural" height="480" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1586/25230777152_621ae3f4eb_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
</div>
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Construction Wall on 600 Block of O'Farrell</div>
<br />
From checking <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@37.785863,-122.4126418,3a,75y,352.48h,83.79t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDDvOqSQBlfMqHwEt3CnEmQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656" target="_blank">Google Street View</a>, the wall went up sometime in 2013. The mural was added between October 2013 and February 2014. I'm surprised it's been up this long.<br />
<br />
Once at the theater, I was given my lanyard for the second day's films, picked up some popcorn and soda, and settled into my seat.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/24718478404/in/album-72157662762335513/" title="Me and My Pass - Day Two"><img alt="Me and My Pass - Day Two" height="320" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1684/24718478404_b7e2f5debe_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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All set for more movies</div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2381111/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">Brooklyn</a><br />
<br />
This was a nice film about a young woman's transformation from being Irish to becoming American. It's something I would watch on a rainy day at home. Is it one of the best pictures of the year? Absolutely not. This is the film that the #OscarsSoWhite folks should be pointing at as an example.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1895587/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">Spotlight</a><br />
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I found myself thoroughly engaged in the story even though I knew how it would end. It was a great showcase of how investigative reporters are given an assignment and then work their butts off to see it through. What further impressed me was how close the filmmakers stuck with the story. Unlike some of the other nominees based upon real events, this had no contrived dramatic situations. I wouldn't be surprised if this wins Best Picture.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3659388/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">The Martian</a><br />
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I was looking forward to seeing "The Martian." I'm sure folks are surprised that I had not already seen it, since science fiction is my favorite genre. Reading everyone's reactions to it gave me high expectations. I was very pleased that it delivered. I enjoyed it completely. While I would be very surprised if it won Best Picture, it was my favorite of all of the nominees.<br />
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As with the first day, we had a longer break before the last film of the day. As I had written in the post for the first day, I decided to have dinner at the brick-and-morter location for <a href="http://www.hailthechairman.com/" target="_blank">The Chairman</a>.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/25349002775/in/album-72157662762335513/" title="The Chairman"><img alt="The Chairman" height="375" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1595/25349002775_5d77e06227.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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Interior of The Chairman (at 670 Larkin)</div>
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I've been to their food truck a few times. The restaurant has the same offerings: pork buns, rice/veggie/noodle bowls, and other appetizers. I had a Chairman Rice bowl with Coca-Cola Braised Pork. The bowl included the selected meat along with pickled vegetables and sauce on top of the Chairman Rice (a mixture of black beans and wild rice.) It was filling and hit the spot.<br />
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I got back to the theater in time for trivia. This time I chose to play, and I won! I was asked, "In what countries was 'The Revenant' filmed?" I correctly answered "The U.S., Canada, and Argentina." After trivia, it was time for the last film.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/24722291423/in/album-72157662762335513/" title="I won!"><img alt="I won!" height="320" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1491/24722291423_8fc82e71b4_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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My prize (actually there are two passes) </div>
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663202/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">The Revenant</a><br />
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This was another film I was looking forward to watching. Unfortunately for me, it did not live up to all of the hype its received. I enjoyed the movie, but once it got going, I had a strong feeling about how the film would end and it took quite a while to get there. Make no mistake, I think this film will deservedly rack up a lot of awards, it just wasn't as good as it was hyped.<br />
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All in all, I enjoyed all of the Best Picture nominees. I got to watch 8 good films for a total of $65. I had $5 of concession credit each day which went towards soda and popcorn. I won two free passes. If I have the opportunity to do this next year, I will.<br />
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One bonus... While walking back to BART, I was rewarded with a view of a lovely neon sign.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/25348962165/in/album-72157662762335513/" title="Nite Cap Neon"><img alt="Nite Cap Neon" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1672/25348962165_eb50515e66_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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Nite Cap neon (Corner of O'Farrell and Hyde)</div>
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Thanks for reading. Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-30021516006300562092016-02-25T14:28:00.000-08:002016-02-25T14:28:02.260-08:00AMC Best Picture Showcase 2016 - Day 1This year marks the 10th year that the AMC movie theater chain has presented a "marathon" showing of the films nominated for Academy Award for Best Motion Picture Feature Presentation. Called the <a href="https://www.amctheatres.com/events/best-picture-showcase" target="_blank">Best Picture Showcase</a>, the event has all eight of this year's nominees shown over the two Saturdays before the Academy Awards (There are also seven locations showing all eight in one day.)<br />
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I've attended three previous presentations (one in Orange, one in Emeryville and one in San Francisco.) This year (like last) the closest location was at the AMC 1000 Van Ness. While not the best location (I would have preferred The Metreon since it's closer to BART and has more dining options) it still works. <br />
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To get to the theater, I was able to hop on BART and then walk. It was a beautiful morning and the walk from Powell Street station allowed me to see some things I had not noticed before.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/25214061476/in/album-72157662762335513/" title="Daldas Grocery"><img alt="Daldas Grocery" height="480" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1607/25214061476_f132fda4fc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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Mural at Daldas Grocery</div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/25147178651/in/album-72157662762335513/" title="Putnam Subaru Service Mural"><img alt="Putnam Subaru Service Mural" height="480" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1560/25147178651_d19d3f86c0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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Mural at Putnam Service Subaru</div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/25214072846/in/album-72157662762335513/" title="Golden Bear Ornamentation"><img alt="Golden Bear Ornamentation" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1718/25214072846_d18e708bf7_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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Golden Bear Ornamentation at 755 O'Farrell</div>
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Upon arrival at the theater, I was directed to a special check-in desk where attendees exchanged their tickets for the Day One lanyard. With the lanyard, I had in-and-out privileges. They also had a commemorative program guide and poster. My next stop was the concession stand. As an AMC Stubs member, I was given $5 in concession credit (for use only on that day) which I cashed in for a large soda (free refills all day) and popcorn (again, free refills all day.) Since the theater has <a href="http://www.coca-colafreestyle.com/home/" target="_blank">Coca-Cola Freestyle</a> machines, soda refills were easy to obtain.<br />
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With snack and soda in hand, I snagged a seat in theater number 4. Prior to the first film, the theater manager introduced himself and reviewed how the day would proceed. Breaks between each of the first three films would last between 20 and 25 minutes -- enough time to stretch your legs, use the restroom, refill your soda and get a snack. The last break would be just over an hour, which would allow you to get something more substantial to eat. He also reminded everyone to tag social media posts with #amcbps and that trivia (with prizes) would take place before the last feature of the day.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/25122091822/in/album-72157662762335513/" title="Me and My Pass"><img alt="Me and My Pass" height="500" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1605/25122091822_38cc744c8b.jpg" width="375" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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Me and my Lanyard</div>
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With that it was time to watch the films...<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3682448/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">Bridge of Spies</a><br />
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I enjoyed Stephen Spielberg's historically inspired film. While I knew that Francis Gary Powers was exchanged for a Soviet spy, I was not familiar with the story of how that spy was captured, his trial, the story of Frederic Pryor and what was involved in getting the exchange to take place. The film kept me engaged and made me draw parallels with events of today such as the rights of accused non-US nationals and the desire of some to build a wall to "protect" the USA. The film is worth watching at home. Be aware that like all historical dramas, not everything on screen is factual.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3170832/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">Room</a><br />
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I knew very little about Lenny Abrahamson's film going in. The subject matter -- how a mother and daughter deal with being held captive in a shed and how they are affected after escaping -- is by no means pleasant. That said, the film hit me with the gamut of emotions. There were a couple of times that I was wondering where the story would go, but during those times I thought about the characters that I was watching and that in their story, they wouldn't know where they were going. This is a film worth seeing, but just be prepared.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392190/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">Mad Max: Fury Road</a><br />
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Of the four films for the day, this was the one I was looking forward to seeing on the big screen. George Miller delivered with two hours of adrenaline-filled fun. There were times where I was wondering, "OK, when's the action going to slow down?" There were some points where that did happen, but for most of the film, the gas pedal was pressed to the floor. Interesting side note, after the film a few attendees brought up #OscarsSoWhite and mentioned how this film was literally the "most white" of the Best Picture nominees.<br />
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Before the last film of the day, I took advantage of the break to get some real food. Green Apple Market on the corner of Polk and Post won the day with a hot chicken sandwich for $6.99. It hit the spot. (This coming Saturday I may opt to go to <a href="http://www.hailthechairman.com/" target="_blank">The Chairman</a> since I like their truck.)<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/25240337795/in/album-72157662762335513/" title="Moon by the Monarch"><img alt="Moon by the Monarch" height="500" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1588/25240337795_82822f3465.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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The Moon over Geary</div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/24872643949/in/album-72157662762335513/" title="Green Apple Market"><img alt="Green Apple Market" height="375" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1671/24872643949_0ee05f69c7.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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Green Apple Market </div>
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I got back in time for the trivia contest. I liked how the contest was run; the manager asked the audience, "Who wants to play?" He then selected someone and asked a question that was related to one of the day's films, and if the person got it right, he or she had a choice of prizes ranging from a movie pass, a tee shirt, and some other random items. If the person got it wrong, he gave other audience members the opportunity to answer it correctly. I didn't play. Maybe if they have better prizes next time.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/25214054936/in/album-72157662762335513/" title="Trivia Time"><img alt="Trivia Time" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1664/25214054936_372fdf6f4d_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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Trivia Time </div>
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That led us to the last film of the day. <br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1596363/?ref_=nv_sr_2" target="_blank">The Big Short</a><br />
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The day started with a historical drama and ended with a historical drama. I was already somewhat familiar with the cause of the 2008 financial crisis and some who foresaw it. This covered what most would consider to be a boring subject in a pretty entertaining way. Yes, it plays a bit loose with some of the details, but even that gets acknowledged. I enjoyed it!<br />
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With the first four films done, I won't make any predictions. I'm looking forward to Saturday and the remaining four films: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1895587/?ref_=tt_rec_tt" target="_blank">Spotlight</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2381111/?ref_=tt_rec_tt" target="_blank">Brooklyn</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3659388/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">The Martian</a>, and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663202/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">The Revenant</a>.<br />
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<br />Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-1481831824179571892014-10-14T11:20:00.002-07:002014-10-14T11:20:08.212-07:00Preparing For the Fall ElectionThe Fall 2014 election is three weeks from today. Here are a few resources to prepare:<br />
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To look up your ballot, poling place, candidate information, etc, go to <a href="http://votersedge.org/" target="_blank">Voters Edge (The MapLight Voter Guide)</a><br />
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If you're an Alameda County voter, the <a href="http://www.acgov.org/rov/" target="_blank">County Registrar of Voters</a> site has links to:<br />
<a href="http://www.acgov.org/rov/profile.htm" target="_blank">Verify your registration status</a><br />
<a href="http://www.acgov.org/rov/earlyvoting.htm" target="_blank">Get information about early voting</a> (it's a long ballot, and you may not have time on November 4)<br />
<a href="http://www.acgov.org/rov/votebymail.htm" target="_blank">Request a Vote-by-Mail Ballot</a> (again, it's a long ballot)<br />
<a href="http://www.acgov.org/rov/rcv/" target="_blank">Learn about Ranked Choice Voting</a><br />
<br />Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-22174613985665241852014-09-23T10:59:00.000-07:002014-09-23T10:59:21.785-07:00Election Season Starts<br />
On this first full day of Autumn, it's time to look toward November 4 - Election Day. Television is already bombarding us with ads for and (mostly) against a couple of the statewide initiatives. We've already received mailers and flyers on a couple of Berkeley initiatives (most notably the beverage tax). Last night, the Halcyon and Bateman Neighborhood Associations hosted a candidates forum for our city council member. All of Bateman and the east portion of Halcyon will be voting for district 8. The candidates are (names link to their respective web sites):<br />
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<a href="http://georgebeier.com/" target="_blank">George Beier</a><br />
<a href="http://mike4berkeley.org/" target="_blank">Mike Alvarez Cohen</a><br />
<a href="http://loridroste.com/" target="_blank">Lori Droste</a><br />
<a href="http://mccormick4council.com/" target="_blank">Jacquelyn McCormick</a><br />
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My goal in attending the forum was to get an impression of who these people were. It's always nice to vote for a person rather than just a name. I was pleased that all four candidates were present at last night's forum.<br />
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So, what impressions did each candidate leave?<br />
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George Beier - "community member." He always emphasized the community whenever he spoke. He spoke about how he has rallied the community around zoning issues, neighborhood problems, Willard Pool, Telegraph, etc. He also used the least amount of jargon. For example, other candidates used the acronym "ADU." He was the only one who actually said what it means (Accessory Dwelling Units, which are structures that can be built in backyards as supplemental housing.)<br />
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Mike Alvarez Cohen - "current guard." He talked about being chair of the Zoning Adjustments Board, and his endorsement by Tom Bates. However, he also came across as a bit flakey. When asked about zoning adjustments for a few recent approvals that were met with neighborhood disapproval, he dodged the question saying that either he was not present (Starbucks) or couldn't recall (Telegraph Commons height/parking.) When meeting with a neighborhood you should have been prepared to respond to questions about the ZAB's decisions that most impacted the neighborhood.<br />
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Lori Droste - "old guard." She talked about her endorsements, involvement with city commissions, working with the different city organizations. I got the feeling that I would agree with her the most out of the four candidates, but I didn't get an impression of how she would represent me or my neighborhood.<br />
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Jacquelyn McCormick - "passionate." She gave the most passionate responses to the questions asked of the candidates. She talked about how the city council needs to change, how she attends council meetings and makes her voice heard. She was also, surprisingly, the only candidate to bring up the city's fiscal issues. I already know that I do not agree with some of her opinions on city measures, but she left the biggest impression on me out of the four candidates.<br />
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I'm not close to deciding who will receive my vote, but at least I have some idea about the people running.Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-14119252509233173602014-06-13T13:12:00.000-07:002014-06-13T13:12:01.397-07:00Comparing BART Airport Surcharges<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://irs0.4sqi.net/img/general/width960/218532_11jpiFwUOdmub9971vWnClDL6aRVhPTreXSUCV1aeJw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://irs0.4sqi.net/img/general/width960/218532_11jpiFwUOdmub9971vWnClDL6aRVhPTreXSUCV1aeJw.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Coliseum BART - Oakland Airport Connector construction on 6/8/2014</span></div>
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Ever since construction finally started on BART's Oakland Airport Connector, I've been following with anticipation. Yesterday BART finally announced <a href="http://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2014/news20140612-0" target="_blank">the one-way fare for the connector will be $6.</a> At first I thought, "that seems rather expensive." But then I wondered how does this compare to the surcharge to travel to SFO:<br />
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The fare from Downtown Berkeley to SFO is $9.25.<br />
The fare from Downtown Berkeley to San Bruno (one stop before SFO) is $4.75.<br />
The fare from Downtown Berkeley to Millbrae (one stop after SFO) is $5.10.<br />
Using the before and after stations my guess is that if SFO was just a regular station, the fare would be $4.90 or $4.95, which puts the SFO surcharge between $4.30 and $4.35.<br />
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Given the extra distance between Coliseum BART and Oakland Airport, the $6 fare seems in-line compared with the SFO surcharge.<br />
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By the way, if you want to pay less, you will still be able to exit the Coliseum BART station, cross San Leandro Blvd and take the AC Transit 73 to Oakland Airport for around $2 (remember <a href="http://www.actransit.org/bus-fares-eligibility-as-of-july-1-2014/" target="_blank">AC Transit fares and fare policies change on July 1.</a>)<br />
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<br />Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-10466887441690819802012-05-12T15:40:00.000-07:002012-05-12T15:40:02.876-07:00See the Ring of Fire! Next Sunday.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ejj0yHsTuY8/T66_zSZWxgI/AAAAAAAAAGY/5C_XknL23FI/s320/annular_mosaic.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80922822@N00/" target="_blank">Bart Benjamin</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ejj0yHsTuY8/T66_zSZWxgI/AAAAAAAAAGY/5C_XknL23FI/s1600/annular_mosaic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
On Sunday, May 20, folks in the right spot will see the Sun become a ring of fire. While not as spectacular as a total solar eclipse, an annular solar eclipse is still a sight to behold. The <a href="http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2012May20Agoogle.html" target="_blank">upcoming eclipse</a> will be visible on the east coast of China, east coast of Japan, and parts of Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.<br />
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In the Bay Area, the solar eclipse will be partial. If you drive two and a half hours in the right direction, you'll get a short view of the ring of fire. A little over three hours, and you'll see up to 4 minutes. If you drive about four hours, and you'll see almost 5 minutes.<br />
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So, where will Pam and I go to watch the eclipse? The <a href="http://www.chicoobservatory.org/" target="_blank">Chico Community Observatory</a> is hosting an eclipse viewing at their <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&georestrict=input_srcid:33e8e8d517607187&ie=UTF8&view=map&cid=8360161187986426688&q=Pacific+Center+for+Astronomy&iwloc=A&ved=0CBsQpQY&sa=X&ei=XxfgS-aZK432ywSPseXuBg" target="_blank">location</a> in Chico's Bidwell Park. The observatory will have <span class="text_exposed_show">additional solar telescopes provided by the Sierra Star Gazers and docents on hand to answer questions.</span> You don't need a telescope to enjoy the eclipse; all you need is proper protection for your eyes. The observatory will be selling <span class="text_exposed_show">safe solar viewing glasses for $3.00
each or four for $10.00. (All proceeds go to the observatory’s
operating fund.) </span>Before the event, <a href="http://astro.berkeley.edu/" target="_blank">UC Berkeley Astronomy</a> <a href="http://astro.berkeley.edu/people/faculty/filippenko.html" target="_blank">Professor Alex Filipenko</a> will give a <span class="text_exposed_show">free lecture entitled, "Today's Annular Solar Eclipse, the June 5 Transit of Venus, and the Search for Transiting Exoplanets." Professor Filipenko will also be watching the eclipse from the observatory. If it's good enough for him, it's good enough for us.</span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show">As if a good viewing opportunity wasn't enough, Chico is also home to <a href="http://www.sierranevada.com/" target="_blank">Sierra Nevada Brewing</a>. So the plan is to have a lunch at the taproom and then head over to the park to watch the eclipse. The Moon will start appearing to "take a bite out of the Sun" at 5:13. The ring of fire (which will last for 3 1/2 minutes) starts at 6:28. The eclipse ends at 7:37. Sunset is at 8:19 PM.</span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show">So, who's up for joining us?</span><br />
<br />Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-19688937894942873162010-04-03T20:41:00.000-07:002010-04-03T21:28:19.436-07:00Part of My View for a Year, on TV!<P>Since moving to downtown Los Angeles, I've had a lot of fun playing "Where was that shot?" Sometimes you know of such things in advance, such as when CSI: NY staged a St. Patrick's Day parade on W 4th. St (between S. Spring & S Main). Other times, you just say "Hey! I know where that is." Such was the case when seeing the VW "Punch Dub" ad for the Tiguan. Both Pam and I instantly recognized this shot (click the photo to access other sizes):</P><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/4488773240/"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/4488773240_ed7f6bab05.jpg"></a><br /><br /><P>Why? Because it was part of the view we had from our bedroom window when we lived in the Hellman Building. The building in the shot is The Canadian. You might recognize it as the location of Tom's apartment in "(500) Days of Summer." For us, it's the home of:<br /><UL><LI><a href="http://www.blossomrestaurant.com/">Blossom Vietnamese Restaurant</a> (which occupies the corner & the adjacent space to the right with the awning)<br /><LI><a href="http://www.stelladottir.com/">Stella Dottir</a> (next to the tree)<br /><LI><a href="http://www.rawmaterialsla.com/">Raw Materials</a> (you can almost make out their sign)<br /><LI>An empty space for lease that used to house Main St. Tattoos (which tells us that this was shot within the past two months)<br /><LI><a href="http://www.metropolisbooksla.com/">Metropolis Books</a></UL><br /><br />So, was this shot from our old apartment? I highly doubt that. It's either shot from the roof of the Old Bank District Garage or the roof the Hellman Building. Still, it's fun recognizing your neighborhood.Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-90912240903098653162010-01-26T22:36:00.000-08:002010-02-12T00:54:16.498-08:00New Streetlamp on Main StreetA few weeks ago, some of the old streetlamps on Main Street were replaced with cobra style streetlamps like this one:<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2751/4305410039_9c3d3a9800.jpg"><br /><br />When I tweeted about this, I received a response suggesting that this was a temporary move. On Monday, this was confirmed.<br /><br />First, they installed a new base:<br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4305350689_923a22b1c4.jpg"><br /><br />Then, the mid-section:<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2730/4305374825_ac8caa4b73.jpg"><br /><br />Then, the retro style top:<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2709/4305393861_664f9bf6e7.jpg"><br /><br />Screw in the actual lamps:<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2728/4306151370_cf1b53c5f3.jpg"><br /><br />And voila! New streetlamp<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2768/4306152652_d340ba8f92.jpg"><br /><br />And whadda ya know? It works!<br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4306155532_4327441ff5.jpg"><br /><br />To see more photos of the installation, go <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/sets/72157623161873119/">here</a>.Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-6361887120821039542010-01-25T06:14:00.000-08:002010-01-25T06:17:31.459-08:00Sunday Sunset on MainWhile watching the Vikings-Saints game, I spied on this view out the window:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/4302227071/"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4302227071_bf8c9d3997.jpg"></a><br /><br />More <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/sets/72157623154252815/">here</a>Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-21063782254602981982009-12-29T23:21:00.000-08:002009-12-29T23:29:43.487-08:00Luminosity at The Continental GalleryTonight was the last night reception for <a href="http://www.sandmancreations.com/">Sean Sobczak</a>'s Luminosity at the Continental Gallery:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/4227071267/" title="luminosity_35 by Sean_Yoda_Rouse, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2709/4227071267_c4a937ea8e.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="luminosity_35" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/4227067593/" title="luminosity_27 by Sean_Yoda_Rouse, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2652/4227067593_021dd7f1a2.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="luminosity_27" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/4227823734/" title="luminosity_04 by Sean_Yoda_Rouse, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4227823734_8675477c94.jpg" width="500" height="364" alt="luminosity_04" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/4227073081/" title="luminosity_38 by Sean_Yoda_Rouse, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2504/4227073081_9148c4faf1.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="luminosity_38" /></a><br /><br />For the rest of the photos, go <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/sets/72157623099040694/">here</a>Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-82787139969049572882009-12-21T10:15:00.000-08:002009-12-21T10:20:07.323-08:00You Tube gets in the Logo Act<a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube</a> follows its <a href="http://www.google.com/">owner's</a> lead and wishes everyone a Happy Solstice:<br /><br /><img src="http://s.ytimg.com/yt/img/logo_solstice-vfl138400.png"><br /><br />Meanwhile <a href="http://www.google.com/">Google</a> wishes everyone "Happy Holidays" with promises of more logos to come:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.google.com/logos/holiday09_1.gif">Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-68641635510461632312009-11-10T23:43:00.000-08:002009-11-11T00:32:55.315-08:00A Few Sesame Street ClipsIn honor of Sesame Street's 40th Anniversary, here are a few clips:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNatvLe18ro">Patrick Stewart helps out Count Von Count</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRhgqZcpFdw">Kermit Reports News on Sleeping Beauty</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaF7kT5Moc0">Marilyn Horne Sings C Is For Cookie</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZshZp-cxKg">1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C8nl8eBoq0">Grover And A Fly In My Soup</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FivSSt-plg">Drawing Bert's Face</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TjX5r37V0Q">What's The Name Of That Song?</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoc8_aJLpes">REM and The Muppets Furry Happy Monsters Shiny Happy People</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSOu5C55kUA">Monsterpiece Theatre: Me Claudius</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieO8MGbZgU8">Super Grover - Telephone Booth</a><br /><br />Thanks to <a href="http://zannaland.com/">ZannaLand</a> for the inspiration.Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-88717382068108559822009-11-09T07:52:00.000-08:002009-11-09T07:56:13.520-08:0020 Years of Germany Now in One PieceIn honor of the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall, <a href="http://www.google.de/">Google in Germany</a> has this logo:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.google.de/logos/berlinwall09-hp.gif">Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-65731269957836115902009-11-04T08:05:00.000-08:002009-11-09T21:26:14.300-08:00Google Honors Two Anniversaries TodayIf you visit <a href="http://www.google.com/">Google</a> today, you will see this image:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.google.com/logos/bigbird-hp.gif"><br /><br />Happy 40th Anniversary! <a href="http://sesamestreet.org/">Sesame Street</a><br /><br />But that's not all.<br /><br />If you visit <a href="http://www.google.co.uk/">Google in the UK</a> today, you will see this:<br /><br /><image src="http://www.google.co.uk/logos/wallaceandgromit09.gif"><br /><br />Happy 20th Anniversary! <a href="http://happybirthday.wallaceandgromit.com/">Wallace and Gromit</a><br /><br /><i>Addendum</i><br />More Google country sites are also honoring Sesame Street:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.co.in/">India</a>:<br /><img src="http://www.google.co.in/logos/boombah_chamki-hp.gif"><br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.co.id/">Indonesia</a>:<br /><img src="http://www.google.co.id/logos/cookie_monster-hp.gif"><br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.co.il/">Isreal</a>:<br /><img src="http://www.google.co.il/logos/abigail-hp.gif"><br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.com.mx/">Mexico</a>:<br /><img src="http://www.google.com.mx/logos/abelardo_montoya-hp.gif"><br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.nl/">The Netherlands</a>:<br /><img src="http://www.google.nl/logos/ieniemienie-hp.gif"><br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.co.za">South Africa</a>:<br /><img src="http://www.google.co.za/logos/kami-hp.gif"><br /><br />After checking the <a href="http://www.askapache.com/seo/languagecountry-specific-google-search-engines.html">list of Google foreign language servers</a>, that appears to be all of the different logos. Some country sites don't have a special logo, others use one of the above Sesame Street logos, and still others have the Wallace & Gromit logo.<br /><br />Addendum:<br /><br />Later logos:<br /><br />Thursday 11/5:<br /><img src="http://www.google.com/logos/bert_ernie-hp.gif"><br /><br />Friday 11/6:<br /><img src="http://www.google.com/logos/oscar-hp.gif"><br /><br />Saturday 11/7 & Sunday 11/8:<br /><img src="http://www.google.com/logos/elmo-hp.gif"><br /><br />Monday 11/9:<br /><img src="http://www.google.com/logos/count_von_count-hp.gif"><br /><br />Monday 11/9 evening:<br /><img src="http://www.google.com/logos/sesame_street_ensemble-hp.jpg">Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-10166525611314416102009-06-26T01:11:00.001-07:002009-06-26T01:11:49.004-07:00Lookie at what was lit tonight<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/3661492935/"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/3661492935_176842415e.jpg?v=0"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/3662342226/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2434/3662342226_6d56ac2f7a.jpg?v=0"></a>Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-71269473077211005232009-04-17T10:49:00.000-07:002009-04-17T12:07:13.910-07:00Looking Ahead to the LA Times Festival of BooksThe <a href="http://www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks/index.html">LA Times Festival of Books</a> takes place every year on the UCLA campus over the last weekend of April. The event features discussion panels, author interviews, book signings, author readings, poetry, live performances, and many book vendors/publishers. I highly recommend that you attend. Here are some of the panels I'm considering attending:<br /><br />Saturday 4/25 --<br /><br />12:30 PM<br />PANEL 1122 <I>Ackerman Grand Ballroom</i><br /><B>Science Fiction: The Grand Masters</b><br /><UL><LI>Moderator: Mr. Scott Timberg<br /><LI>Mr. Joe Haldeman<br /><LI>Mr. Harry Harrison<br /><LI>Mr. Robert Silverberg</UL><br /><br />2:00 PM<br />PANEL 1053 <i>Broad 2160</i><br /><B>Clive Barker in Conversation with Gina McIntyre</b><br /><UL><LI>Interviewer: Ms. Gina McIntyre<br /><LI>Mr. Clive Barker</UL><br /><br />3:30 PM<br />PANEL 1044 <i>Haines 39</i><br /><B>History: Unknown Los Angeles</B><br /><UL><LI>Moderator: Mr. William Deverell<br /><LI>Ms. Frances Dinkelspiel<br /><LI>Mr. Chip Jacobs<br /><LI>Mr. D.J. Waldie</UL><br /><br />4:30 PM<br />PANEL 1124 <i>Ackerman Grand Ballroom</I><br /><b>Ray Bradbury with an Introduction by M.G. Lord</b><br /><UL><LI>Introducer: Ms. M.G. Lord<br /><LI>Mr. Ray Bradbury</UL><br /><br />Sunday 4/26 --<br /><br />10:30 AM<br />PANEL 2121 <i>Ackerman Grand Ballroom</i><br /><b>Michael J. Fox in Conversation with Mary McNamara</b><br /><UL><LI>Interviewer: Ms. Mary McNamara<br /><LI>Mr. Michael J. Fox</UL><br /><br />12:30 PM<br />PANEL 2052 <i>Broad 2160</i><br /><b>James Ellroy with an Introduction by Patt Morrison</B><br /><UL><LI>Introducer: Ms. Patt Morrison<br /><LI>Mr. James Ellroy</UL><br /><br />2:00 PM<br />PANEL 2043 <i>Haines 39</i><br /><b>History: The Underbelly of California</b><br /><UL><LI>Moderator: Mr. Miles Corwin<br /><LI>Mr. Larry Harnisch<br /><LI>Mr. Richard Rayner<br /><LI>Mr. David Ward</UL>Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-47461844764882766222009-02-23T01:54:00.000-08:002009-02-23T07:19:53.028-08:00Five Films in 13 1/2 HoursOn the day before the Oscars, <a href="http://pamelameekorouse.blogspot.com/">Pam</a> and I attended <a href="http://www.amctheatres.com">AMC Theatres</a>' Best Picture Showcase 2009 -- a one day showing of all 5 <a href="http://www.oscar.com/">Oscar</a> Best Picture nominated feature films. There were several AMC locations where we could have watched the films. Our first choice, <a href="http://www.moviewatcher.com/theatres/theatre_information.jsp?unit=442">The AMC Burbank Town Center 6</a> was sold out. So, we searched or other locations. Even though some closer options were available, we opted for the <a href="http://www.moviewatcher.com/theatres/theatre_information.jsp?unit=437">AMC 30 at the Block</a> in Orange (since we were familiar with the locations.)<br /><br />The first film was set to start at 10:30, so we arrived at 10:00 AM. It's odd to arrive at an open-air mall before anything is open. Even the background music was not playing. Anyway, we picked up our tickets from the kiosk and got in line. I'd guess that there 150 people in front of us. The line moved in starts and stops; they were admitting roughly 20 people at a time. When we were let in, we were directed to a table outside the theater. We were each handed a collectible lanyard (that was our in-and-out pass) and a non-collectible popcorn bag. We then managed to obtain seats near the center of the 2nd-to-last row. With our seats secured, and the news that the first film would start a little late, Pam got up to get some popcorn and a large Coke Zero (we already had some Reece's Pieces courtesy of Target). She got back just as the movie was starting.<br /><br />So, the first film up was <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1013753/">Milk</a>. Having grown up in the bay area during the 1970s, I was looking forward to seeing this film. I was familiar with the events of the story and even remember where I was when I heard the news that Mayor Moscone and Supervisor Milk had been shot. The film covers Milk's life from when he decides to move to San Francisco up to his assassination. You watch Harvey Milk change from resident to businessman to political activist to Supervisor using different events to drive the story forward. While I enjoyed the film, my familiarity with the outcomes of those events made the film a slight let down. That said, both Sean Penn's performance as Harvey Milk and Josh Brolin's performance as Dan White were fantastic. In fact, had Heath Ledger not passed away, I think Josh Brolin would have won best supporting actor; he nailed Dan White. <br /><br />Anyway, I recommend "Milk". If not in the theater, at least on DVD. I'm hoping that when the film comes out on DVD and BlueRay, that there are extra scenes, perhaps the interviews used to create the story. Seeing "Milk" also makes me want to watch the documentary <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088275/">The Times of Harvey Milk</a> again. I'm adding it to my Netflix queue.<br /><br />Between the first and second films we had a short break. Just enough time to hit the restroom, refill the soda and get back to our seats in time for trivia. Yes, as part of the movie marathon, they had trivia. The prizes appeared to be a choice of a golf umbrella or a grab bag (that appeared to contain a calendar, some candy, and other stuff.) Unfortunately, the trivia was handled in a lame manor. Someone would shout out a question and someone else would pick on a raised hand for an answer. Because the person shouting the questions was at the very front and we were near the very back, we couldn't hear all of the questions. Over the course of the day, the questions asked included:<br /><br />1. For which film did Sean Penn already win a Best Actor Oscar?<br />2. What does AMC stand for?<br />3. Which film has two songs nominated for Best Song?<br />4. How many Oscar nominations did "Titanic" receive?<br />5. How much does the Oscar statuette weigh?<br /><br />Going in, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0976051/">The Reader</a> was not a film that piqued my interest. I knew that Kate Winslet's performance had already received several awards and that part of the plot involved someone reading to her character. Not knowing anything about the story definitely enhanced my experience; I was surprised! What I liked most of this film was that it made me think without being preachy. The story paced pretty well, though it took a little while to pull me in. All in all, I liked it. Still, it's going to be a while before I watch it again.<br /><br />Knowing that the next film was the longest, I made sure to take a bathroom break and get both soda and popcorn refills.<br /><br />I had some idea of the story for <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421715/">The Curious Case of Benjamin Button</a> before going in. Folks had said that, though the film was long (2 hours 46 minutes), it would keep you interested throughout. Unfortunately, that was not the case for me. There were points where I found myself about to nod off or asking myself, "OK, where's this going? When are they going to finally hook up?" The film also made me think of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109830/">Forrest Gump</a> (which had the same screenwriter -- Eric Roth). I really enjoyed "Forrest Gump". Now when watching one film makes you think of another film you think of as much better, then you know you're in trouble. This is not to say I disliked "Benjamin Button". I merely thought it was OK.<br /><br />I know that <lj user="smeeeko"> enjoyed it more than me. She liked seeing New Orleans age throughout the film, and kept playing "spot the location." <br /><br />The break after "Benjamin Button" coincided with dinner. Fortunately, they gave us 45 minutes instead of a half hour. After scouting some of the fast food locations at the block, we opted for Rubio's. We got back to the theatre with 15 minutes to spare.<br /><br />Besides "Milk," <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1010048/">Slumdog Millionaire</a> was the other film we were both looking forward to seeing. Yes, I knew that it had a lot of hype. And yes, I had known that the general plot was that the main character was one question away from reaching the top prize in "Who Wants to be a Millionaire", had been arrested on suspicion of cheating, and how he recalled different events in his life which allowed him to know answers to the questions he was being asked. Did that impact my experience of the film? Nope. I thought it made for a great plot device to learn this man's story and his experiences. Like the interrogating officer in the film, I got sucked into his story. Of the five films, this was my favorite. If the bonus features on the DVD/BlueRay release are good enough, I'll even buy it.<br /><br />With four films down and one to go, we were hoping we could get some caffeine from Starbucks. Unfortunately, a bunch of other people (who chose not to sit through "Slumdog Millionaire's" credits) had the same idea. The line was too long by the time we got there. Still, the walk outside was good and the soda refill gave us enough caffeine for the last film.<br /><br />I wasn't that interested in seeing <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0870111/">Frost/Nixon</a> beforehand, but I wanted to say that I had seen all five nominees, so we stayed. I'm glad that I did. Now, while I remember some of the Nixon administration and Watergate, I don't remember watching the Frost and Nixon interviews. Yes, I've seen clips, but I have no memory of watching the actual interviews when they first aired. What did that mean for me? Well, I couldn't really compare the film with the actual interviews. This was not a bad thing. What got me into this film was watching the process of how the interviews came to take place -- what each side hoped to gain as a result. Enhancing the experience was the inclusion of clips of present day interviews with some of the key players behind the scenes at key events in the film. Yes, there were points where I asked myself the question "Did that really happen that way?" but then I reminded myself this is a drama. Still, I enjoyed watching the film and recommend it to any historical junkie. I'm hoping for some good bonus features when this gets released on DVD/BlueRay.<br /><br />So, five films and 13 1/2 hours later, we were ready to head home. All in all, while it was a long day, it was a good one. If, next year, we find that we haven't seen most of the five best picture nominees, we'll do this again.<br /><br />Addendum: The event cost $30 per person and included admission to all five films, free popcorn, and free refills (on popcorn and soda) all day. As a <a href="http://www.moviewatcher.com">MovieWatcher</a> member I could have saved $5 on each ticket by purchasing tickets at the theatre box office, but because I was not able to get to the theatre box office before the day of the show, I opted for the convenience of purchasing on-line. Even at $6 per film, this was a bargain.Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-42486303659827768042009-01-26T08:10:00.000-08:002009-01-26T08:12:41.450-08:00Gung Hey Fat ChoyHappy Year of the Ox!<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2201/2259369551_08acfe0abe.jpg?v=0"><br /><br />Los Angeles' historic Chinatown's 110th <a href="http://www.lagoldendragonparade.com/">Golden Dragon Parade</a> is this Saturday from 2 to 4 PM. The parade will include a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Broadway opening of Rodgers' and Hammerstein's “Flower Drum Song." Nancy Kwan is the parade's Grand Marshal.<br /><br /><a href="http://pamelameekorouse.blogspot.com/">Pam</a> and I will not be attending the parade this year because we'll be in the bay area for some family events (one sad -- a memorial and one happy -- a birthday celebration), otherwise we'd be there.<br /><br />I have <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/collections/72157603896134897/">photos</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qWv16dQG4I">video</a> from last year's parade.Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-15549369565309224342009-01-15T13:22:00.000-08:002009-01-15T13:23:00.492-08:00Farewell Indie 103.1 FMIt took me by surprise. Reading through <a href="http://twitter.com/">Twitter</a> and seeing this from <a href="http://twitter.com/lametblogs">@lametblogs</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>BREAKING: Indie 103.1 No More?: Twitter is abuzz with news that Indie 103.1 is seizing their broadcast</blockquote><br /><br />(Yes, they wrote "seizing" instead of "ceasing"). Slightly more information was posted <a href="http://la.metblogs.com/2009/01/15/breaking-indie-1031-no-more/">here</a>. Indeed the <a href="http://www.indie1031.com/">official site</a> had the statement that they were going internet-only.<br /><br />I turned on the radio, and tuned to 103.1 FM. In between each song was the same announcement:<br /><br /><blockquote>This is an important message for the Indie 103.1 Radio Audience -<br /><br />Indie 103.1 will cease broadcasting over this frequency effective immediately. Because of changes in the radio industry and the way radio audiences are measured, stations in this market are being forced to play too much Britney, Puffy and alternative music that is neither new nor cutting edge. Due to these challenges, Indie 103.1 was recently faced with only one option --- to play the corporate radio game.<br /><br />We have decided not to play that game any longer. Rather than changing the sound, spirit, and soul of what has made Indie 103.1 great Indie 103.1 will bid farewell to the terrestrial airwaves and take an alternative course.<br /><br />This could only be done on the Internet, a place where rules do not apply and where new music thrives; be it grunge, punk, or alternative - simply put, only the best music.<br /><br />For those of you with a computer at home or at work, log on to www.indie1031.com and listen to the new Indie 103.1 - which is really the old Indie 103.1, not the version of Indie 103.1 we are removing from the broadcast airwaves.<br /><br />We thank our listeners and advertisers for their support of the greatest radio station ever conceived, and look forward to continuing to deliver the famed Indie 103.1 music and spirit over the Internet to passionate music listeners around the world.</blockquote><br /><br />My next stop was <a href="http://www.laobserved.com/">LA Observed</a>, since Kevin Roderick is great at posting breaking news. His <a href="http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2009/01/indie_1031_goes_off_the_a.php">post</a> referenced <a href="http://franklinavenue.blogspot.com/">Franklin Ave.</a>. (No surprise, since Mike Schneider keeps abreast with the LA radio scene). Mike's <a href="http://franklinavenue.blogspot.com/2009/01/rip-indie-1031.html">post</a> confirmed the rumors that the station is going Spanish language/music with a memo from the station's onwers.<br /><br />After that, my next and final stop was to Indie 103.1 DJ <a href="http://twitter.com/teddroman">Tedd Roman's twitter</a>. He described hearing the news, visiting the station's offices, and other stuff.<br /><br />So, this leaves one less listenable radio station in the LA/Orange County area. Granted, with the proliferation of on-line, satellite, and other options, I was not listening as often as I used to. Still, 103.1 FM was one of my radio presets. Not anymore.<br /><br />I don't know how well the on-line only version of the station will work. I personally do not have high hopes, as it will be music only. How will that be any different than finding music on pandora radio, last.fm, or any of the other on-line outlets?Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16539073.post-57882091584480504512009-01-06T07:34:00.000-08:002009-01-06T07:47:24.261-08:00Happy Feast of FoolsToday is the sixth of January. For those who celebrate, it's the 12th day of Christmas. For others, it's the start of <a href="http://www.gumbopages.com/food/dessert/king-cake.html">King Cake</a> season. And for me, it's a chance to remember one of my favorite shows at Disneyland -- The Festival of Fools.<br /><br />Here's video of the show:<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMpoX3uERE4">Part 1 of 3</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=926ZWs3VSOg">Part 2 of 3</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKg9rqh-PBg">Part 3 of 3</a>Sean Yoda Rousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661554608460178161noreply@blogger.com0