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| Maese 734th Post
  
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|  "Re(3):GDC March Cafe Meetup?" , posted Mon 10 Feb 10:19  
I should be in SF right before the GDC, because I'm supposed to be attending that Games Connection thing (same week, but three days before GDC) this year. I've yet to confirm the details, but it should be fun to meet some fellow Cafers for sure!
In fact, this would be my first time on the States, so I was thinking about opening a thread for suggestions, must-see places and the like. I guess this one would do as well! So, if you guys know of any cool places around SF outside the regular stuff that you can check on travel guides, I'm all ears! Other than trying to go to a shooting range to kill some stress, I'm kind of short of ideas for spending some quality time in a more or less "American" way.
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| exodus 4317th Post
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| "Re(4):GDC March Cafe Meetup?" , posted Tue 11 Feb 01:28
quote:
In fact, this would be my first time on the States, so I was thinking about opening a thread for suggestions, must-see places and the like. I guess this one would do as well! So, if you guys know of any cool places around SF outside the regular stuff that you can check on travel guides, I'm all ears! Other than trying to go to a shooting range to kill some stress, I'm kind of short of ideas for spending some quality time in a more or less "American" way.
I'll be at GDC (because I have to, and if you guys come up with a specific meetup time I'll try to make it!
As for American things, the problem is SF isn't very typically American, so it may be a bit unexciting. Also keep in mind the area around the convention center is extremely boring. How long do you plan to be around?
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| karasu 1320th Post
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| "Re(5):GDC March Cafe Meetup?" , posted Tue 11 Feb 04:01
quote:
I'll be at GDC (because I have to, and if you guys come up with a specific meetup time I'll try to make it!
What's the best way to reach you once things are decided on? I'm not sure how often you check the Cafe.
quote:
As for American things, the problem is SF isn't very typically American, so it may be a bit unexciting. Also keep in mind the area around the convention center is extremely boring. How long do you plan to be around?
I'll second this-- San Francisco isn't typically American seeming. But, there are tons of cool things to see nevertheless-- I'll leave it to folks who live in the city itself to suggest non-tourist-centric sights (although Alcatraz Island and Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill are two I can't resist mentioning), but if you have the time I'd strongly suggest you go see some of the natural areas to the east of the city. I know, I know, it's about 4 hours away from the city, but Yosemite National Park is right there, and even a few hours spent there I think would be amazing. If that's too far to go, Mt. Diablo is not very far away at all and is really beautiful.
www.secret-arts.com
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| Maou 2594th Post
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| "Re(6):GDC March Cafe Meetup?" , posted Tue 11 Feb 04:30:
Maese, you're finally hitting the States like you promised last year! As a city, SF doesn't really measure up to Tokyo or New York or Paris or whatever, but it's pretty great when taken in sum with its natural surroundings: probably the best thing you could do is go over to Crissy Field on the north shore of San Francisco, walking west while looking at the Golden Gate and realizing how COLD the place is (it is no Shounan) despite its beauty, then scaling the cliff up to Presidio park and walking along the cliff trails above the Pacific. If you walk down the trails far enough, you'll pass by China Beach, a cool little cove where early Chinese fisherman are said to have hung out, and it will eventually spit you out into the west part of the Richmond district, which is neighborhoody and full of good (Chinese, Vietnamese, and other) food.
If you want a no-frills but perhaps (?) very American experience, you can also go to the other end of town, south of the delightful-but-expensive Ferry Building and stop in for lunch at Red's for seriously good, greasy spoon burgers. Time it right, and you'll find it's an atmospheric hole-in-the-wall place for government types hashing out various plans, and I don't think that was just us. Cheap burgers on baguettes and beer on the bay is not a bad way to pass your afternoon.
If you like the RF-1 food vendor by chance, the Ferry Building has an excellent lunch spot called Delica that becomes a good sushi bar at night, run by the RF-1 owner's son. He's a nice guy.
Oh, and if you want some boating time on the bay but don't want to ride to touristy Alcatraz, you could always ferry over to Angel Island Zone Act 1, an old weigh-station for immigrants that's covered with eucalyptus. There are trams and bikes that can take you around, though it would be even more impressive if it were spruced up with more historical exhibits. If you poke around, you can find the ruins of a breathtakingly sad old quarters where Chinese would-be-immigrants, waiting indefinitely for entry, wrote despairing poetry on the walls. OR, if you just never wanna get off that boat, you could just as well take the commuter ferry from SF to Sausalito for some good food and gaze at the diversity of cities on the ride over.
人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は．．．
[this message was edited by Maou on Tue 11 Feb 05:09] |
| nobinobita 1254th Post
Red Carpet Executive Member
| "Re(4):GDC March Cafe Meetup?" , posted Tue 11 Feb 10:01:
quote:
I should be in SF right before the GDC, because I'm supposed to be attending that Games Connection thing (same week, but three days before GDC) this year. I've yet to confirm the details, but it should be fun to meet some fellow Cafers for sure!
In fact, this would be my first time on the States, so I was thinking about opening a thread for suggestions, must-see places and the like. I guess this one would do as well! So, if you guys know of any cool places around SF outside the regular stuff that you can check on travel guides, I'm all ears! Other than trying to go to a shooting range to kill some stress, I'm kind of short of ideas for spending some quality time in a more or less "American" way.
I'll be around. You are very welcome to visit me at work if you wanna get the silicon valley tech company experience. This is an open invite to anyone at the cafe. If you're interested shoot me a line at:
richmond.chaisiri at gee mail dot com
Or you can private message me on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/Richmond_Lee
Maese, where are you visiting from? What kinds of activities do you enjoy? What are you hoping to see/do/eat in the Bay Area? How long are you staying? Will you have access to a car?
Maou already made some great suggestions, but if you give me a little more info maybe I can help out too.
www.art-eater.com
[this message was edited by nobinobita on Tue 11 Feb 10:02] |
| nobinobita 1254th Post
Red Carpet Executive Member
| "Re(6):GDC March Cafe Meetup?" , posted Wed 12 Feb 08:22
quote:
basically I only think the east bay is worth spending actual time in, but san francisco is a big city, for people who like seeing tall buildings.
I do advise seeing a typical silicon valley startup tech workplace, if only to know that you should never work in one and (almost, no offense nobinobita) everyone that works in them has decided to forfeit their personality. It is also good to see a big part of what has pushed all art and culture out of san francisco! you will see a city that is a husk of what it used to be, which is interesting in a way? it's like a cultural version of the physical detroit.
anyone who wants to contact me should do so via email! brandon at insert credit dot com is checked with an extreme regularity!
Wow, strong feelings! Well, my offer still stands. If you'd like some free food and booze and nice conversation,come by for lunch. It's a really interesting spectacle of a place that's really exemplary of where San Francisco is at the moment (good and bad--but see for yourself!).
Also East Bay is great. I live out there too, maybe we can do a MMCafe East Bay meetup?
MMCafe/InsertCredit Videoball tournament??? :D
www.art-eater.com
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| Maese 735th Post
Red Carpet Regular Member+
| "Re(7):GDC March Cafe Meetup?" , posted Wed 12 Feb 15:40
quote:
Things to do in SF
Thanks for the tips, Karasu, Maou, Nobi and the rest of you! You guys rock!
I'm afraid my schedule is gonna be way tighter than I thought... Pretty much my only free time would be Monday ~Wednesday from 7PM onwards, which kind of sucks. Using the awkward flight combinations as an excuse I'm trying to squeeze in an extra day and do some tourism, but I'm not holding my breath about that. We'll see, tough! At the very least I'd like to take a walk around Crissy Field and enjoy the views. And, since many cafers will be around, it would be great to find some time for a meetup or something.
By the way, Nobi, you have a mail!
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| karasu 1323th Post
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| "Re(8):GDC March Cafe Meetup?" , posted Thu 13 Feb 02:15
quote:
Things to do in SF
Thanks for the tips, Karasu, Maou, Nobi and the rest of you! You guys rock!
I'm afraid my schedule is gonna be way tighter than I thought... Pretty much my only free time would be Monday ~Wednesday from 7PM onwards, which kind of sucks. Using the awkward flight combinations as an excuse I'm trying to squeeze in an extra day and do some tourism, but I'm not holding my breath about that. We'll see, tough! At the very least I'd like to take a walk around Crissy Field and enjoy the views. And, since many cafers will be around, it would be great to find some time for a meetup or something.
By the way, Nobi, you have a mail!
No problem, although I think my suggestions are pretty lame compared to everyone else's, haha! I'm not getting into town until Tuesday March 18, but at least that overlaps with your visit some, so hopefully we can hang out.
www.secret-arts.com
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| karasu 1348th Post
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| "MISSION COMPLETE" , posted Tue 25 Mar 03:42
I'll resurrect this very specific-use thread just to say: the March meet up in San Francisco went off without a hitch last week, with me, Maese, Nobi, and Spoon in attendance (with a micro-meetup of me and KTallguy happening the next day). I have to say, every time I'm able to meet Cafe folk in person my opinion is reinforced as to how amazing of a place the Cafe is as well as how classy, interesting, and kind its denizens are, without exception.
Guys, I had a fantastic time and only suffered slightly the next morning from the astounding quantities of booze that were consumed!
www.secret-arts.com
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| nobinobita 1272th Post
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| "Re(2):MISSION COMPRETE" , posted Wed 26 Mar 03:13
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I concur, it was great to meet up with you guys! What an awesome evening we had! Talking about HnK and kung fu flicks felt just like being at home with my old times buddies. It was my first time visiting the States, but thanks to you MMCafe people I felt as cozy and comfortable as on my own hometown. Oh, well, next morning I overslept and almost missed my last meeting at a certain big company's HQ and nearly lost my returning flight as well but, hey, it was totally worth it! As good ol' Raoh would have said, I had no regrets 
Glad you (barely) made it home ok! What a wonderful night, full of good company new and old and impassioned conversations about video games, Hokuto No Ken, The Three Kingdoms, Chinese and Japanese cinema, grocery shopping with Buronson and Tsukasa Hojo and many more endlessly fascinating subjects, all swept along gently through the night in a tide of delicious craft beers.
Can't wait to see you all again!
www.art-eater.com
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| karasu 1350th Post
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| "Re(4):MISSION COMPRETE" , posted Wed 26 Mar 04:41
quote:
sorry I couldn't make it! GDC is just a real rough time for me, and leaving the confines of the downtown area just basically can't happen during that week. and now I will probably not go to SF for another 5 months (it had been about 4 months since I crossed the bridge before that!)
It's completely understandable! It was a crazily busy time for me, and I'm just a first time attendee! I believe a few toasts were made in your honor though, haha.
For some reason, it's never been surprising at all to me that we can almost all come from relatively different backgrounds and yet somehow arrive at the same appreciations, like HnK, MGS, and Tenchu (just to name the things that were forcefully discussed that evening). A more vehement person that me might suggest that it's because all of these things are inherently the greatest, but I like to think it's because we've all been stewing in this kind of Japanese cultural immersion for all these years, both at the Cafe (of course) and in our lives.
Oh and yes, the beer was fantastic as well! Some time you'll all have to venture up to Portland, if only for the sheer volume of excellent beer. This is an invitation I'll extend to the Cafe at large, of course!
www.secret-arts.com
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| HAYATO 1186th Post
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| "Re(2):MISSION COMPRETE" , posted Wed 26 Mar 05:58
quote:
I concur, it was great to meet up with you guys! What an awesome evening we had! Talking about HnK and kung fu flicks felt just like being at home with my old times buddies. It was my first time visiting the States, but thanks to you MMCafe people I felt as cozy and comfortable as on my own hometown. Oh, well, next morning I overslept and almost missed my last meeting at a certain big company's HQ and nearly lost my returning flight as well but, hey, it was totally worth it! As good ol' Raoh would have said, I had no regrets
Aaagh, jealousy is killing me!! 
Nah, it's great to hear you had such a good time together. It sure sounds like it was a reunion of epic proportions!! Hope I can attend one of those meetings someday... but you GMT +-8 guys monopolize all the fun! There's no love for Eurocafers anymore...
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| HAYATO 1188th Post
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| "Re(4):MISSION COMPRETE" , posted Wed 26 Mar 06:29
quote:
Aaagh, jealousy is killing me!!
Nah, it's great to hear you had such a good time together. It sure sounds like it was a reunion of epic proportions!! Hope I can attend one of those meetings someday... but you GMT +-8 guys monopolize all the fun! There's no love for Eurocafers anymore...
Hey, I'll be in UTC+01:00 (Munich -> Vienna) in May but it's probably a little further than you're willing to travel just to see me and talk about Jojo or Bayonetta. You're in... Bilbao or nearby, right?
It's only recently that I've made it to any of these meet ups myself-- I lived on the east coast US for years and didn't realize just how many Cafe-ers are located there and seem to have been meeting up quite a bit.
Yeah, that's it: grounded in Bilbao without mobility chances at the moment. But patience is a virtue (or so they say), so don't fret, dear Karasu, for the moment will come when Cafers will gather, and together will tread the night in an endless party across the Old Continent...  
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