MacWorld Day 2

We started the morning off pretty much the same way we did yesterday, breakfast at the Brown Couch.  It was just so very, very good.                                                                

Lox, cream cheese, bagel and a smoothie.  The wifi was up and working, and we started planning the day. 

From breakfast, we went back to the Apple Store.  Somewhere during the course of the day yesterday, we decided that when we get home, we will be upgrading to the newest iMac 27” rather than getting a Mac Mini and separate screen.  The video processor on the iMac is separate and so much better than on the Mini, so we are opting to go with the solution that gives us the best opportunity to maximize what we really want to process.  And that’s photo and video.  We are waiting for the next iteration of MacBook Airs to come out before I get a new one for school - hopefully, retina screens will be out this time, but it will be good to start fresh.  Wayne will get my current Air (I replaced the SSD for a larger version, and upgraded the RAM), and I’ll take the new one to my cubicle at the law library.  So, at the Apple Store, we purchased a cable to let us continue to use our HDMI setup in the den (hooked up to the living room TV) with better processing and graphics.

From there, back to the show.  We walked the floor again, returning to Adonit (Mom, Dad, Pam, Scott, I have goodies for you) and Juce.  They have a new case for the iPads that allows you to swivel the iPad without having to rotate the case.  Totally nice!

We went back to the Cupola again, and once again split salad (this time an interesting calamari/arugula/lemon peel combo) and a pizza. Buffalo mozzarella and I have a love/love relationship.  And I’m starting one with Drake 1500 IPA.  And making the pizza in a wood fired oven certainly doesn’t hurt.

After lunch, we returned to the show, and attended two lectures, one on home network management (again, a review), and one on traveling with electronics.  I did get a good tip from that lecture - an app called hotel tonight.  If you are traveling, and you get somewhere you will be for that evening, it comes up with a list of hotels at reduced rates in your area, as long as it is 2 pm or later.  The rates for SF were ridiculously low, even for hotels near the Moscone Center.  My only problem would be having to do that every night, and possibly move rooms every night.  But for a spur of the moment let’s go somewhere tonight app, it was great.

For dinner, we headed down to the ferry pier, and the Slanted Door, to meet up with Eileen again.  We got there a little early and had some time to walk around before she arrived fresh from the breaking down/packing up/moving of her offices.  The Slanted Door is Vietnamese fusion, and it was also excellent.  I don’t think that we have had a single bad meal here on this trip, and I cannot remember a trip (with the exception of our Rhine River Cruise) where this has happened before.  Really, this is a restaurant worth looking up if you are in town.

After a very leisurely dinner, we walked with Eileen to the BART, and then broke off to go to Cirque du Mac - an invitation event only where the entertainment is provided by those lecturing at the event.  Who would have known that a bunch of Mac geeks would get together once a year to have a jam session with a bunch of other geeks.  The spread was nice, the music was nowhere near as loud as Little Feat last night, and we had fun.  We left after about two hours to head home, and as we walked towards Market and Montgomery, there was an accident where one of the little green carts was hit by a white Audi SUV or station wagon type vehicle.  After someone looked to see if the green cart driver was ok, the driver of the Audi (who never got out of the car) peeled out of the intersection.  Guess that when they go over the security footage of that intersection, and trace the license plate, the owner of the white car can look forward to some criminal charges.  I guess hit and run is better than an accident coupled with a DUI.

We BARTed home again, and the streets were absolutely rocking - as soon as we were out of the station, the odor of marijuana was everywhere, and a girl lit up a blunt right in front of us.  There was quite a ruckus on the street, too, with two tall drunk men getting into it while their also drunk friends struggled to keep them apart.  It was a good thing that our hotel was very near by.

Sleep well all.

On to MacWorld/iWorld

Wayne woke up earlier than I, as typically so, and was searching for spots for breakfast nearby.  we wound up deciding on the Brown Couch Cafe.  Located a scant 2 blocks from the Clarion, we could see it from our room, and it was absolutely filled with people on Thursday morning.  We trekked over, and had a most fabulous breakfast served by the proprietress, a lovely lady. They don’t have a website, just a facebook page, linked above.  They describe themselves as:  “Located on the cozy corner of 14th and Webster in downtown Oakland, Brown Couch is the place for all your cafe needs; strong Coffee, fresh smoothies, amazing wraps and breakfast all day! Open Monday to Friday 7am-5pm, Saturday 8am-5pm and Sunday 9am-2pm.”  I have to agree. With art on the walls, live performances, and just really nice people, how could you not want to have breakfast (or any meal) here? We will be back.

Then it was off to BART to San Francisco.  The system isn’t as user friendly as one would like.  We didn’t realize there was another level to go down to to get back to San Fran until I looked a little harder.  Once we figured that out, it was easy breezy.

We arrived at the Merchant Street stop, and headed in to Westfield Mall, where I got my iPhone and iPad “armored,” and we went to lunch at Cupola, an Italian restaurant on the fourth level under the dome.  We had the Caesar salad and split a margherita plus pizza (buffalo mozzarella, yum!), and I was introduced to Drake 1500 IPA.  Another score for lunch!  Then it was off to the Moscone.

Wayne went up to a series on camping/disasters with your iDevices, and I went on to the show floor.  Oh. My. God.  I was in Apple piggie heaven.  And I shopped.  Really shopped.  Like my little Apple self depended upon it. Cannot tell you how much fun it was, even though it was crowded like nobody’s business!  Wayne eventually came down to see the floor, and we did a little more shopping.  Two very happy apple bunnies!  We went to a final lecture for the day, securing/locking down your iPhone.  Nothing new for me, but good to know that the precautions I take are the right ones, and that I am not paranoid, everyone is simply out to get me.

A call came in from Eileen (very close high school girlfriend, who is now a patent attorney in San Francisco), and we finalized plans to meet at Thursday Night Life at Academy of Science in Golden Gate Park, which opened at 6 pm.  After a trolley ride to Patagonia and then walking down to the water, we got to Golden Gate park a bit before she did, and waited in the cold line for nearly an hour before getting in.

Poor Eileen was stuck in traffic, but arrived as we were snacking, so we finally linked up and visited the aquarium.  For such a small facility, not too shabby.  we tried to get into the tropical jungle area, but that was closed off, so we wandered a little bit, and then Eileen took us (with Siri giving bad directions quite a ways) to our next stop...MacWorld Jam, where Little Feet was playing.  It was overwhelmingly loud, and despite liking Little Feat, we left fairly quickly, BARTing it back to Oakland.

Everything in the Westfield was closing, so we decided just to head back to the room (Wayne suggested a vegetarian restaurant, guess my reaction).  When we got in, we decided to investigate the Ethiopian restaurant, Sheba.  They actually make their living producing vegetarian food for Whole Foods locally, and you can order some of their products online as well.  I had the ahi, Wayne the veggie plate, and we split some hummus to start with.  It was FABULOUS - so much spicier than I remember Ethiopian food being.  I even ate my spinach, which is an accomplishment.  So, if you are in San Fran, make the trip to Oakland to eat at Sheba.

Night all!

The lights change really fast here

Not too much to say about the morning in Las Vegas today.  I managed to wake up with my plantar fasciitis foot brace on the opposite foot, though, leading me to wonder what the heck I dreamed about last night.  Who knows!

The flight was short and easy, and our BART/Clipper passes worked like a charm getting us to Oakland and our Clarion with ease.  From there, we checked in and headed back to San Francisco to check in to the conference (I already have things I want to buy!), went to the Apple Store to get a USB to ethernet connector for my MacBook Air (we surprised Josimar as he was giving a class even though he TRIED to ignore us at every turn, and when I introduced Wayne and me as geeks, the saleswoman on the floor countered that she worked at Apple, so she had the market cornered on geek), and met Ivan Samuels for dinner at Buca di Beppo.

As we were walking around the city, I was remembering when we last stayed here with the family, and I punked dad at the airport in Vegas.  Ask him if he remembers some time...and we went back to Westfield Shopping Center to check out what we remembered as dining options in the basement.  They were still there, and there is now a booth where I will take my iPhone and iPad for armor covering to help prevent dings, scratches, and oily fingerprints.  It will be worth its weight in gold if it really works.

MacWorld/iWorld is a trade-show with conference tracks dedicated to the Apple platforms, and is held annually dating back to 1985.  There are hundreds of displays in addition to conference tracks taught by leaders in their fields (Wally and Don will be there this go round). The first Macworld Expo occurred in 1985 in San Francisco, where it has always been held at the Moscone Center. The Expo was also held in Brooks Hall near the San Francisco Civic Center from 1985 until 1993, when the expansion of Moscone Center allowed the show to be consolidated in one location.

The show has also taken place in other cities:

A Tokyo show, produced by IDG World Expo Japan, was held at Makuhari Messe and moved to Tokyo Big Sight in 2002. Macworld Expo Summit, a version of the show targeted at U.S. government customers, was held at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. as late as 1994. And in 2004, Macworld UK, part of the IDG UK division of IDG, created two Macworld Conference events on its own: one standalone conference, and one conference adjoining the MacExpo trade show in London.

From 1997-2008, the show was known for its keynote presentations (sometimes called "StevenNotes") by former Apple CEO, Steve Jobs.  Phil Schiller gave the last keynote address by Apple in 2009, after which Apple no longer presented at the conference, which has always puzzled me.  I am guessing that Steve was the dynamic face of Apple, and having someone else do the keynotes in his absence would be detrimental to the company brand and profit margin.

All that aside, I have to say that two things jump out at me about San Francisco.  First off, I have noticed that the lights change and pedestrian walk signs change VERY quickly.  I noticed this because that inadvertent change of foot of the brace last night had a bit of a painful impact upon walking today, and rushing across the street hurts more than a wee bit.  Second, the smell of cannabis oozing out of people’s pores is stronger and more frequent here than anywhere else I have been, with the exception of the drug park in Amsterdam.  And yes, I did go to college.  And I was in the Army.  Just sayin.

Anyway, we are here, have our badges (yes, we do need stinkin’ badges), have had dinner with fellow Mac Geek Ivan, and are now safely ensconced in our hotel in Oakland, looking forward to the conference tomorrow, in addition to a 6-8 happy hour with Eileen Lehmann, high school friend of mine, at the Science Academy in Golden Gate Park tomorrow night.

Time for a homework assignment

As part of my Treating Chemical Dependency class, we are tasked to go to AA meetings or NA meetings, so, having been to one in Hawaii, I decided that I would look for some while we were here on the mainland.  And where better to do it than Las Vegas?  I spent some time on the LV Central Office site to find an appropriately timed meeting that would allow me an experience here, and not interfere with the things that Wayne and I were doing.

The origins of Alcoholics Anonymous started with the Oxford Group, practiced a formula of self-improvement by performing self-inventory, admitting wrongs, making amends, using prayer and meditation, and carrying the message to others. Carl Jung referred Rowland H to the group in the early 1930s, and Rowland later introduced fellow Vermonter Edwin ("Ebby") T. to the group, and the two men along with several others were finally able to keep from drinking by practicing the Oxford Group principles. One of Ebby's schoolmate friends from Vermont was Bill W., a golden boy on Wall Street, enjoying success and power as a stockbroker, which was ruined by continuous and chronic alcoholism. He had sought medical treatment at Towns Hospital in Manhattan, but he was still drinking. Bill was, at first, unconvinced by Ebby's story of transformation and the claims of the Oxford Group, but after again landing in Towns hospital for treatment, Bill stated underwent a powerful spiritual experience unlike any he had ever known. His depression and despair were lifted, and he felt free and at peace. He stopped drinking, and worked the rest of his life to bring that freedom and peace to other alcoholics. The roots of Alcoholics Anonymous (also known as Friends of Bill) were planted.  From there, AA has spread globally, and there are millions who attend meetings daily, weekly, monthly, to gain strength from their fellow addicts, and to help those newly struggling with relapses or initial sobriety.

I cannot say that I subscribe to the religious aspect of the program, but the belief that you need to have faith, rely on friends and mentors, make amends, and just live the life one day at a time knowing that you have help should you slip is a good thing.  And that being said, I really, really enjoyed being invited in by this group today, and listening to them share.  They came across all walks of life, and were filled with gratefulness, humility and humanity.  We should all be like that.  I am seeing, that unlike some of the meetings in Hawaii where participants are only there as part of parole, these folks really wanted to be there.  And it works.

After the meeting, I walked down from the Riviera to the Aria to meet Wayne for lunch at Social House, where we had an awesome Japanese style 3 course lunch, $50 off courtesy of New York New York.  It was totally awesome!  Back to the hotel we went, I worked on this blog and some school work, and then we collapsed into naptime for a while.  Dinner was later, this time in the Cosmopolitan, at the Wicked Spoon.  I got to talk with my high school friend Eileen on the way over - we will be seeing her in San Francisco, and I think the last time we saw each other was at our friend Elizabeth’s wedding.  Long time coming!

There was a moment of angst getting to the Spoon - we passed by Holstein’s, where the most enticing aroma of hamburgers I have smelled in two weeks wafted across the hallway.  And it followed us for a while.  The buffet, although pricey, was worth every penny paid.  There was so much wonderful food, and even though I had to avoid the pork, steak, lamb and veal, there was enough of everything else to make it worth while. And, get this, Wayne and I both indulged in dessert - limoncello gelato for both, sweet potato flan for Wayne, and chocolate mousse with fresh berries for me.  You have to try it if you are here!

Dinner was followed by one of the strangest theatrical events I have ever seen, Zarkana, which is the newest Cirque du Soleil permanent show in Vegas.  It’s at the Aria, and, in theory, follows a storyline.  The show has been marketed as a reinvention of the variety show, with a story about a magician in an abandoned theatre who has lost his love and his magic. As he cries and begs the gods for her return, he is plunged into a world inhabited by surreal creatures. The title Zarkana is a fusion of the words "bizarre" and "arcana", which refers to the strange aura and atmosphere of this place and its inhabitants. After surviving attempts at seduction by various strange,  mutant women, Zark the magician is reunited with his lady love/assistant.                               

Hocus and Pocus, the clowns, were probably the best part of the show, and their antics even got Wayne to giggle.

Then it was back to New York New York to get ready for sleep - tomorrow it is off to MacWorld/iWorld in San Francisco!  Quite a memorable day.

They don't want you to stay in your room

So we’re staying at New York New York here - and for a song.  We’re in a room that is about half the size of our house for an obscenely small amount, especially when you compare it to our trip six years ago.

Opened January 3, 1997, New York-New York’s architecture evokes the New York City skyline; with several towers configured to resemble New York City towers, including the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and the Statue of Liberty.  A replica of New York Harbor is in front as well, and replicas of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the main immigration building on Ellis Island, and Grand Central Terminal.  Inside the casino/hotel, everything is modeled after NYC neighborhoods like Central Park and Greenwich Village.  And the buildings connect to the Excalibur and the MGM Grand.

All that aside, I can tell you that things are just a bit off.  One of the first things you notice in this gigantic room is that the carpets are worn, torn, stained, and pulling from the walls.  The floors in the bathroom and its shower have moldy/missing grout.  The four seater tub has no easy entry/exit.  And the walls are so thin that you can hear the kids in the next room who were left unsupervised for three hours, along with the subsequent screaming match held by their parents earlier, which might have led to the 3 hours without supervision.  And the sink doesn’t drain properly, and both water knobs turn counter clockwise to open, and clockwise to close, something you might not expect.  And, waking up we noticed that there are no clocks in the room.  And no hot water/coffee devices of any kind!

And it hits me - not for the first time either.  They don’t want you in the room, they want you on the floor losing your money.  Blessedly, gambling is not my thing, but even if it were, the open smoking in the casinos is enough to make me thrilled that I don’t gamble!

Aside from that, it’s been a good day!  Today was the day that we really came for - dinner at the Palm.  I had my birthday gift certificate for the free meal (either a 3 pound lobster or a surf and turf option), so the only plan for the day was the Palm.  We did go to the gym in the morning, followed by a decent breakfast at the restaurant downstairs, and then we headed out to Mecca - the Apple Store - where we looked at the new iMacs and the Mac Mini and displays.  Oooh, pretty.  Good thing we can’t buy those and take them home from MacWorld next week!

After that, it was lunch at the Indian restaurant at the Hawaiian Marketplace on the Strip.  Really excellent food!

When we got back, I arranged for tickets to see another Cirque show tomorrow night - it’s a new show that opened late last year, called Zarkana.  We shall see how it is!

From there, it was study time, work time, and relaxing before heading out to the Palm.  Oh my goodness, was dinner fantastic!  We were surrounded by familiar and unfamiliar caricatures, and a familiar menu.  Lobster bisque, a 3 lb lobster and crab cakes ensued.  Nirvana, although a very filling one. 

On the way home, we walked by Bellagio and Paris, which always reminds me of Grandma.  She and Wayne met for the first time here, and for the last.  Sigh.

Good night, everybody!