Posts Tagged ‘herbst’
Friday, February 19th, 2010
Not literally or anything, but it appeared to be packed this past weekend. And I asked them, I says, “Is this a free day or something?” And they’re all like, no, it’s just a regular old three-day weekend, just business as usual.
Now, I’ve heard all the complaints. Let’s deal with them, below.
Become a member or get your tickets online ahead of time, and then you avoid this line around the building.
Click to expand.
“The CalAcademy is too small.”
All right, I’ll tell you I was never in there at the old building – I understand it had cool stuff that you miss. But some people, especially the NIMBY neighbors in the nearby Inner Sunset area, think the new building is too big, too popular. The Academy couldn’t continue with the old building due to earthquake concerns – what was considered a safe enough building before in the last century is no longer considered safe enough now. Sorry. Damn you, San Andreas Fault, damn you.
“The CalAcademy is too crowded.”
So they must be doing something right, right? What you’re saying, in a way, is that the CalAcademy is too cheap.
“The CalAcademy is too crowded with kids.”
Yep, especially when those school buses roll up. Oh well. The Academy has a mission of public education, does it not? That’s for the benefit of California’s kids. Does that directly benefit you today right now? Maybe not. Sorry.
“The CalAcademy is too expensive.”
Well, this ties in with the first complaint. How can it too expensive if it’s packed all the time? You know how much the Monterey Bay Aquarium is these days? $30. If you live in San Francisco, you’re entitled to something close to 20 days of free admission per year plus a free NightLife entry on your birfday (assuming the stars align and they’re having a NightLife around the time of your birthday.)
“Them free days, they’re even more crowded.”
Well, yeah. Get there early, why don’t you? (Or get there late in the day, when there’s less of a line (tho your chances of getting into the Planetarium and/or rainforest dome will be lower). The Bernard Osher Foundation Third Wednesday of the Month Free program is open to all, so of course it gets crowded those days. But the zip-code based free days are less crowded, so San Franciscans, including you born-and-raised-San Franciscans, you old goats, get six of those not-so-crowded days a year.
“The food’s too expensive.”
Check out the nearby Inner Sunset area for food if you want. It’s walkable. Get yourselves a perfectly cromulent fat burrito at Gordo’s at 1239 9th Avenue near Lincoln. Get it to-go and have an outdoor picnic.
“The rainforest was closed when I was there.”
Yep, sometimes. Life’s like that. They don’t keep this kind of info a big secret, however.
“There’s no place to park.”
Maybe - that’s by design, in a way. Actually, you’re lucky to have that itty bitty sometimes overloaded underground parking garage whether you use it or not, so count your blessings. Whatever you do, don’t drive into Golden Gate Park, big mistake on busier days. Think Fulton, think Lincoln, think about spending ten minutes walking through the park to get the CalAcademy. That’s not a bug, that’s a feature. And on Sundays, all parking is free in the surrounding Inner Sunset and Inner Richmond areas – it’s totally wide open. Might not be as easy to park as you’re used to, but you can deal. And there’s plenty of bike parking since they added in a bunch of new spaces.
Here’s the thing – you gotta work the system, baby. Plan ahead, try to figure out when the place has fewer patrons, check the schedule, make a beeline to the Planetarium to get your free show passes as soon as you get in, monitor the rainforest line to see when it’s shorter.
So, if you’re unhappy customer, you gotta think:
1. Maybe your expectations were too high because you didn’t plan ahead (which isn’t the CalAcademy’s fault), or;
2. Maybe the CalAcademy wasn’t for you (which isn’t the CalAcademy’s fault)
And all you NIMBY neighbors, please realize that the CalAcademy was here even before you.
Let’s thank Gaia we’re not saddled with some big hulking wreck that nobody wants to go to.
See you there!
Tags: 2009, 2010, 21, 45, academy, academy of sciences, Aquarium, birthday, blue bottle, cal academy, calacademy, california, california academy of science, California Academy of Sciences, CAS, Center for Conservation Biology, complaints, crowded, Dance, day, dj, djs, expensive, golden gate park, herbst, Hubble, images, january, kids, Kimball, Morrison, morrisson, museum, Museum of Natural History, nightlife, NightLife VIP Tours, parking, penguins, promotion, record, red bull, Ritual Roasters, San Francisco, science, sciences, stanford, Steinhart, Tasting, tea, Telescope, theatre, thursday, tickets, tours, V.I.P., Valentine’s, VIP Tours
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Thursday, January 14th, 2010
The popular NightLife program at our California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park is back for 2010, starting tonight at 6:00 PM.
This is what it looks like.
What’s new for 2010?
-Special V.I.P. tickets for $59 each.
-Free entry on the Thursday night closest to your birthday! (This special deal starts up February 4, 2010)
All the deets are below.
You can mingle with people on the dance floor…
Click to expand
…or with the animals in the rainforest dome:
via Alumroot
Or go downstairs with your drink and attract a predator or two:
See you there!
WEEKLY “NIGHTLIFE” EVENTS AT THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES RE-LAUNCH FOR 2010 ON JANUARY 14
Every Thursday, visitors ages 21+ can experience the museum at night
Exciting new programming, VIP Tours, and resident DJs are part of 2010 lineup
NightLife, the California Academy of Sciences’ popular evening event series, returns in 2010 with an exciting new programming lineup, resident DJs, VIP Tours, and a new birthday promotion. Every Thursday night, the Academy transforms into a lively venue filled with provocative science, music, mingling, and cocktails, as visitors ages 21 and up get a chance to explore the museum from 6-10pm. Tonight, NightLife’s 2010 lineup begins with performances by The Un-scripted Theater Company, and music by accomplished DJ and producer Michael Anthony.
What’s New?
Programming details for each week are available at www.calacademy.org/events/nightlife. Highlights in the upcoming three months include:
January 21: The Great San Francisco Coffee Tasting, with music by Future Universal DJ Collective. Sample the wares of local sustainable coffee roasters including Blue Bottle, Ritual Roasters, Equator Coffee, Barefoot Coffee, and Four Barrel Coffee, and try your hand at “Coffee Jeopardy.”
February 11: Romance and Reproduction, with music by Resident DJ Jeff Stallings. In honor of Valentine’s Day, roam the Academy and learn about some of the animal kingdom’s most amorous creatures and unique sexual behaviors. The species with the world’s largest sexual organ? The snake you might find at the center of a “breeding ball”? Gender-bending clownfish? Find them all at the Academy.
March 25: The Science of Love, and music by Zach Moore & Deckard. Join Scientific American’s Editor in Chief Mariette DiChristina for a fun and engaging multimedia discussion on the psychological, physiological, chemical and social effects of love, including the latest science on emotional intimacy.
In honor of NightLife’s upcoming first anniversary, the Academy is announcing a new NightLife birthday promotion. Effective February 4, visitors can get into NightLife for free within 7 days of their birthday by showing a valid photo ID at the door. The offer is good for a single admission ticket only.
NightLife VIP Tours now offer visitors the opportunity for a more exclusive Thursday evening experience. Tickets ($59 per person) include admission to NightLife, a one-hour behind-the-scenes tour featuring the Academy’s renowned gem and mineral collection and interaction with Academy researchers in the lab, express entry into the building, an open bar in a reserved cocktail area prior to the tour, VIP access to the rainforest, and a reserved pass for the 8:30 planetarium show.
NightLife continues to feature a range of San Francisco’s most popular DJ acts, and is now home to three resident DJs, who will each perform once per quarter:
Aaron Axelsen— Live 105 music director, and founder of SF indie club Popscene
Aaron Pope—The Academy’s own environmentalist by day, eclectic and energetic DJ by night
Jeff Stallings— An SF club fixture, whose sets feature Balearic, African, Bedouin and Latin beats
Every Week
Each Thursday evening, NightLife features entertainment and bars stocked with food and drinks available for purchase. Visitors can explore the Academy’s exhibits– from the fish, snakes and other creatures in the aquarium, to the dioramas of African Hall—and attend Planetarium shows and stargazing sessions on the living roof (when weather permits).
In addition, each week includes engaging science programming and activities that introduce visitors to cutting-edge science in an informal, social environment. Programming highlights during NightLife’s inaugural year included sustainable seafood cooking demonstrations with local celebrity chefs, film screenings, performance art, robot demonstrations, chocolate tastings, and talks by filmmaker Jean-Michel Cousteau, adventurer David de Rothschild, astronaut Buzz Aldrin and other notable figures.
Since launching on February 12, 2009, NightLife has been named “Best Steamy Date Night” by 7×7 Magazine, “Best Place to Party Like it’s 1929” by San Francisco Magazine, and “Best Penguin Party” by the San Francisco Bay Guardian.
What: NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences (for adults ages 21+) Featuring music, cutting-edge science, and food and cocktails available for purchase
When: Every Thursday, 6-10 pm
Where: California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Cost: $12 per person ($10 for Academy members)
Tickets available at the door or online at www.calacademy.org/event_tickets/
Tags: 2009, 2010, 45, Aaron Axelsen, Aaron Pope, academy, academy of sciences, Aquarium, birthday, california, california academy of science, California Academy of Sciences, CAS, Center for Conservation Biology, coffee, Dance, day, dj, djs, golden gate park, herbst, Hubble, images, Jeff Stallings, Kimball, Morrison, morrisson, museum, Museum of Natural History, nightlife, NightLife VIP Tours, penguins, promotion, record, red bull, San Francisco, science, sciences, stanford, Steinhart, Tasting, Telescope, theatre, thursday, tickets, tours, V.I.P., Valentine’s, VIP Tours
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Sunday, September 13th, 2009
No, it’s not ironic at all, but that’s O.K. Everybody loved her anyway.
via Steve Rhodes - he’s Everywhere You Want To Be.
And hey, here’s Michael Franti, the man who started Power to the Peaceful, back in the day:
Oops, that was Rasputin. Similar stare though. Here’s Mike Franti. Sort of reminds me of that other charismatic, yoga-loving, 9/11 Truther About Town…
…Mark Morford:
Would Rasputin be a Truther if he were around today? Hells yes.
And wasn’t Rasputin into yoga as well? Sure, he could have been.
Isn’t it ironic? Don’cha think?
(And what’s this, the controlled demolition crowd isn’t welcome in the Truth Movement anymore? I’m confused, srsly. Is is possible to have a Pearl Harbor without FDR-Let-Pearl-Harbor-Happen theories springing up? Apparently not. IIIDYT?)
Tags: 2009, 9/11, action, Alanis, Alanis Morissette, architects, arianna, can ness, care, carrots, celebration, civic center, colgando, concert, Dance, dangling, engineers, Festival, First Lady, forum, Foundation, franti, global, Global Action Forum & Celebration, golden gate park, herbst, huffington, huffington post, jennifer, Jennifer Siebel, jennifer siebel newsom, Mayor, Michael, mike, Morissette, nancy pelosi, Newsom, power to the peaceful, Qué tal zanahorias transparentes colgando, San Francisco, siebel, speedway meadow, theatre, transparent, transparentes, truth, truther, van jones, world trade center, zanahorias, zanahorias transparentes colgando
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Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
Let’s see what our little town has up this weekend – hey, how about the popular Power to the Peaceful Concert and Festival on Saturday in Golden Gate Park and then the Power to the Peaceful Global Action Forum & Celebration on Sunday at the Herbst Theatre?
Singer Alanis Morrissette is the draw on Saturday and San Francisco First Lady Jennifer Siebel Newsom is the draw for Sunday. The whole joint is being put on Michael Franti, as per usual. But what’s that? Isn’t Franti a 9/11 Truther, since, among other things, he “signed” the same petition as Van Jones back in 2004? Well actually, you just don’t know, not enough information. See below.
Power to the Peaceful (fka “911 Power to the Peaceful“) in Golden Gate Park, as it happened last year. It featured Ziggy Marley, but without the Melody Makers. Click to expand:
So why did Franti call this event “911 Power to the Peaceful” until 2008? Well, you see, it’s not “9/11″ - it’s “911″, as in “911 is a Joke”
Here’s an explantion from 2002:
“The first two 911 Festivals (1999 and 2000) were held on September 11 to draw attention to the emergency state of the court case of Mumia Abu Jamal. Last year’s events involving the World Trade Center and the world abroad brought new significance to the subsequent festivals. Michael Franti states that the 4th annual 911 Power to the Peaceful Festival ‘will create a compassionate space of healing for ALL those people killed or displaced by terrorism and by the war on terrorism.’”
Some of the Truthers are a little hazy on this score, it seems. Oh well.
And oh, by the way Truthers, do you know that you’ve been banned from writing about your conspiracy theory on the Huffington Post? Let’s hear from Arianna:
“I despise 9/11 “truther” conspiracies. Indeed, one of the guidelines for bloggers on HuffPost is a ban on posts putting forth those kinds of theories.”
Oh snap! Hit me! That’s right, Truthers, they’ve gotten to Arianna! Who will They get next? No se. Moving on…
Let’s just say Thank You to Alanis for coming to town and having the courage to ask “¿Qué tal zanahorias transparentes colgando?”
All the deets on San Francisco’s biggest event this weekend:
“This coming Saturday, Bay Area native and Billboard-chart topping musician, Michael Franti, will host his annual Power to the Peaceful concert and festival in Golden Gate Park which is expected to draw more than 70,000 attendees with performances by Alanis Morissette and others. On Saturday, at 1:30 pm at the park, Franti will hold a press conference to kick off the weekend of Power to the Peaceful festivities. Joined by a variety of musicians and renowned speakers, Franti will speak on topics ranging from cultural diversity and non-violence to environmental sustainability and socio-political causes.
The following day, Sunday September 13, Franti will join forces with the global humanitarian organization, CARE, to host the Power to the Peaceful Global Action Forum & Celebration which will bring together experts on issues including climate change, hunger/food aid, and girls’ education with community members to discuss solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing women and girls around the world.
Opening with a welcome message by First Lady of San Francisco, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and closing with an intimate performance by Michael Franti and friends in the historic Herbst theatre, the Global Action Forum & Celebration is an afternoon and evening event that will include engaging sessions on critical global issues, as well as yoga, music, dance, a reception and more.
Michael Franti and CARE Present
the 11th Annual Power to the Peaceful Concert and Global Action Forum & Celebration:
Empowering People to Create Solutions to Poverty
WHAT: For the past 10 years Michael Franti, singer/activist and ambassador for the global
humanitarian organization CARE, has hosted the free Power to the Peaceful Concert in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. On Saturday, September 12, this one day event will bring more than 70,000 attendees together for a day of music and inspiration to serve people and the planet. This year, the Power to the Peaceful Concert will be followed on Sunday, September 13 by an afternoon forum that will harness the public’s energy and enthusiasm to tackle global poverty issues, particularly those affecting women. The Power to the Peaceful Global Action Forum & Celebration will feature experts from the global poverty-fighting organization CARE, as well as civic and community leaders who will discuss topics including Global Climate Change, Girls’ Empowerment, and Hunger and Food Security. Each session will examine challenges and solutions facing women in the developing world, and participants will leave with tangible strategies to affect change at home and abroad. Simultaneously, yoga practitioners can attend the Power to the Peaceful-sponsored yoga session and Brazilian capoeira/dance workshop. The event will culminate with symposium attendees and yogis joining for an evening reception featuring an acoustic concert with Michael Franti and friends and performances by Aguas da Bahia & Tambores Julio Remelexo drum and dance ensemble.
TICKETS:
The Power to the Peaceful Concert on Saturday, September 12 in Golden Gate Park is donation-based. Tickets to the Global Action Forum & Celebration, which starts at 2:00 pm on Sunday, September 13 are on sale now at www.care.org/forum
WHO:
- Michael Franti, musician/activist and CARE Ambassador
- Acclaimed photographer Phil Borges (www.womenempoweredproject.com), representatives from Back to Earth, Ode Magazine, Office of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Potentia Foundation, Room to Read, Spark, UC Berkeley, and Vitamin Angels, as well additional participants to be announced.
- A message from First Lady of San Francisco, Jennifer Siebel Newsom.
- Experts from CARE including: Marcos Neto (Climate Change); Sarah Bouchie (Basic & Girls’ Education Unit), and David Kauck (Hunger/Food Aid)
WHERE:
The Global Action Forum & Celebration will take place in the Herbst Theatre and Green Room, in the War Memorial Veterans Building at 401 Van Ness Avenue at McAllister Street in San Francisco.
ABOUT:
CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. We place special focus on working alongside poor women because, equipped with the proper resources, women have the power to help whole families and entire communities escape poverty. Women are at the heart of CARE’s community-based efforts to improve basic education, prevent the spread of HIV, increase access to clean water and sanitation, expand economic opportunity and protect natural resources. CARE also delivers emergency aid to survivors of war and natural disasters, and helps people rebuild their lives. www.care.org.
“Join thousands of people at Speedway Meadow, Golden Gate Park and be part of the international community coming together to build, inspire and pledge service toward those in need and help the planet. The 2009 event takes place at 11am on September 12th and will feature a full lineup of bands, speakers and information booths. In addition to morning yoga, main stage performers include Michael Franti and Spearhead, Alanis Morissette, Sly & Robbie and a slew of renowned DJs.
2009 Event Details:The weekend-long festival begins on Saturday, September 12, 2009 with confirmed main stage performances by music luminaries: Michael Franti and Spearhead, Alanis Morissette , Sly & Robbie, Cherine Anderson , Vieux Farka Toure’ , Sellassie and Truth Universal; a variety of renowned DJ’s include: Miguel Miggs, Ren the Vinyl Archaeologist, DJ Heyman and DJ Adnan, In addition to the main stage of musical artists the PTTP Festival will kick off the festival with 1000 Yogis for Peace, a morning yoga practice sponsored by Yoga Tree SF with teacher Seane Corn. From Tibit, keynote speaker, Namkha Rinpoche, will address global, personal peace and his service of teaching Buddhism in the western world “by making unhappy people happy. The main practice of Buddhism is compassion and patience.”
Saturday’s festival is a family-friendly event with a kid’s zone with conscious carnival games, flag making, face painting, marionettes, stilt walkers, and a chill tent for napping and feeding. The Kids Zone Stage will feature performances by: PopLyfe, Jaden, Peace Outs, Gabby La La, Bird School PTTP Band and the Bay Area Girls.
Tags: 9/11, action, Alanis, Alanis Morissette, architects, arianna, can ness, care, carrots, celebration, civic center, colgando, concert, Dance, dangling, engineers, Festival, First Lady, forum, Foundation, franti, global, Global Action Forum & Celebration, golden gate park, herbst, huffington, huffington post, jennifer, Jennifer Siebel, jennifer siebel newsom, Mayor, Michael, mike, Morissette, nancy pelosi, Newsom, power to the peaceful, Qué tal zanahorias transparentes colgando, San Francisco, siebel, speedway meadow, theatre, transparent, transparentes, truth, truther, van jones, world trade center, zanahorias, zanahorias transparentes colgando
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Tuesday, September 8th, 2009
San Francisco’s City Hall was swarmed with people the day this undated photo was taken, but when was that?
It’s hard to say - the 1930’s? The twin fountains and the lollipop trees should be good clues…
Click to expand
Tags: 1930's, 94102, building, california, City Hall, fountains, herbst, house, larkin, library, mcallister, McDonalds, Opera, photo, Photograph, polk grove, San Francisco, state, van ness
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Wednesday, July 29th, 2009
Our CalAcademy has just announced extended hours!
So, until September 3, 2009, the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park will be open until 8:00 PM on Mondays and Tuesdays. Check all the deets below.
Are the animules friendlier during the evening? It sure seems that way:
THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES ANNOUNCES EXTENDED SUMMER HOURS FROM AUGUST 3-SEPTEMBER 8, 2009
Museum to stay open until 8:00 pm every Monday and Tuesday night.
Summer nights in San Francisco just got steamier. Visitors to the California Academy of Sciences can now enjoy the four-story rainforest exhibit, the swampy alligator habitat, the mangrove lagoon, and the rest of the museum’s exhibits and shows until 8:00 pm every Monday and Tuesday from August 3 through September 8, 2009.
San Francisco residents and tourists alike can take advantage of the long summer days to visit the Academy during off-peak times for Golden Gate Park—and to catch some of the aquarium’s nocturnal animals at their most active. “We have been delighted by the strong interest that San Francisco residents and visitors have shown in the new Academy since we opened last September,” said Dr. Greg Farrington, executive director of the Academy. “These extended summer hours will help ensure that everyone who wants to visit with our penguins and zoom through our digital Universe is able to do so.”
Dr. F welcomes you:
“Throughout the extended summer hours program, all of the Academy’s exhibits will remain open until 8:00 pm on Monday and Tuesday nights, and the planetarium and 3D theater will offer additional shows. The Academy Cafe will also remain open, giving working parents the opportunity to bring their kids to the Academy for “dinner and a museum” as a special weeknight treat.
Regular admission fees will apply for the Academy’s extended summer hours; Academy members will be admitted free of charge. Unlike the Academy’s weekly Thursday night program, NightLife, during which adults ages 21 and over can enjoy the museum from 6:00 – 10:00 pm, the Academy’s extended summer hours on Monday and Tuesday nights will be available for all ages. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance online at www.calacademy.org/tickets. As always, visitors who take public transportation receive a $3 discount.
On Monday, August 3, evening visitors can also choose to attend an astronomy lecture by Margaret Race from the SETI Institute. Hosted inside the Academy’s 90-foot diameter planetarium dome, the lecture will begin at 7:30 pm. During the talk, Race will describe how experts from many different disciplines contribute to searches for extraterrestrial life—and explain how the Outer Space Treaty and planetary protection policies urge “responsible exploration” when visiting other planets. Lecture tickets cost $10, and advanced purchase is recommended. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling 800-794-7576.
The California Academy of Sciences is home to Steinhart Aquarium, Morrison Planetarium, Kimball Natural History Museum, and world-class research and education programs—all under one living roof. The new Academy, designed by award-winning architect Renzo Piano, opened to the public on September 27. Admission to the Academy is: $24.95 for adults; $19.95 for youth ages 12 to 17, Seniors ages 65+ and students with valid ID; $14.95 for children ages seven to 11; and free for children ages six and younger. The Academy is free to the public on the third Wednesday of each month. Admission fees include all exhibits and shows. Hours are 9:30 am – 5:00 pm Monday – Saturday, and 11:00 am – 5:00 pm on Sunday. The Academy is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. www.calacademy.org. (415) 379-8000.
Tags: 2009, 3rd, 800, academy, agust, Aquarium, band, beach, bicentennial, cafe, cal academy, calacademy, california, california academy of science, California Academy of Sciences, CAS, dr., evening, extended, Festival, Foundation, golden gate park, greg farrington, herbst, hours, Hubble, images, institute, Kimball, lecture, march, Margaret Race, monday, mondays, Morrison, morrisson, museum, Museum of Natural History, night, nightlife, penguins, ph.d, PM, San Francisco, science, sciences, september, SETI, Steinhart, summer, Telescope, theatre, thrird, tourists, tuesday, tuesdays, visitors
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Thursday, June 4th, 2009
They’re going all out at the California Academy of Sciences for World Oceans Day 2009, starting tonight.
Check out the schedule of activities over the next couple of weeks here, and below.
Giant Blue Whale skeleton, high above the patrons:
About World Oceans Day
Oceans cover more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and are critically important to the health of our global ecosystem, yet they are some of the least explored and most threatened places on our planet.
In light of this, the United Nations has issued an official resolution designating June 8, 2009 as the first annual World Oceans Day.
The Academy is celebrating with a suite of special visitor programs. All programs are designed to help visitors explore and protect the amazing biodiversity of our marine habitats. They include sustainable seafood cooking demonstrations, a beach clean-up, costumed stilt-walkers, animal shows, lectures, and more. See details below.
NightLife Welcomes Plastiki, Thursday, June 4
6:00 – 10:00 pm
NightLife, featuring Plastiki and David de Rothschild »
This week, environmentalist David de Rothschild gives two lectures (at 7:30 pm and 8:30 pm) about his upcoming voyage across the Pacific. What makes it unique? He’s crossing the ocean in a 60-foot vessel constructed entirely of recycled materials, mostly plastic water bottles!
De Rothschild will share details of his itinerary, including his plan to navigate the Eastern Pacific Garbage Patch, a floating landfill and man-made disaster that’s twice the size of Texas.
World Oceans Day Festival & Weekend Activities
Saturday, June 6
9:30 am – 5:00 pm
World Oceans Day Festival »
Inside the Academy, a host of special activities are planned – from stilt-walkers dressed as giant jellyfish to research demonstrations presented by Academy scientists.
11:00 am
Teens Talk Books: Underwater Explorations »
Whether facing a great white shark, chasing orcas near Vancouver, or swimming with hordes of hammerheads in the Sea of Cortez, Peter Benchley (author of Jaws) shares his many underwater adventures in the book Shark Life: True Stories about Sharks and the Sea.
Sunday, June 7
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Beach Clean-Up »
Join volunteers from the Academy, OceanHealth.Org, and Surfrider at Ocean Beach for the annual World Oceans Day beach cleanup.
2:00 – 3:30 pm
Banana Slugs String Band »
Join in the musical fun as the award-winning Banana Slug String Band – Doug Dirt, Airy Larry, Solar Steve and Marine Mark – bring out their latest collection of earth-loving songs about understanding and caring for our oceans and watersheds.
The Farallones Cam
Monday, June 8 – World Oceans Day
Experience the Wildlife of the Farallon Islands – Live!
Just in time for the first annual World Oceans Day, the first ever webcam on the Farallon National Wildlife Refuge. Catch a detailed look at the islands and follow the action of sea lions, seals, and the largest seabird colony in the continental United States. Brought to you by the California Academy of Sciences, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and PRBO Conservation Science.
The Festivities Continue…
Thursday, June 11
6:30 – 10:00 pm
NightLife, featuring SF Sustainable Seafood Alliance »
The Academy and its partners in the San Francisco Sustainable Seafood Alliance are pulling out all the stops to encourage visitors to make sustainable seafood choices.
Local celebrity chefs will whip up tasty treats during cooking demonstrations, industry experts will participate in panel discussions, and we’ll host a screening of “The End of the Line,” a new film about overfishing that received rave reviews at Sundance.
Tuesday, June 16
6:30 pm
Bookworms: Why Do Oceans Matter? »
The adult book group will discuss Sea Change: A Message of the Oceans by noted marine biologist Sylvia Earle.
Tags: 2009, academy, Aquarium, Banana Slugs, band, beach, bicentennial, california, california academy of science, California Academy of Sciences, CAS, Clean-Up, David de Rothschild, farallones, Festival, Foundation, golden gate park, herbst, Hubble, images, Kimball, march, Morrison, morrisson, museum, Museum of Natural History, nightlife, OceanHealth.Org, opening, penguins, Plastiki, president, San Francisco, science, sciences, Steinhart, String, surfrider, Telescope, theatre, thursday, webcam, weekend, world oceans day
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Thursday, May 28th, 2009
Nerdy Ross and fun Rachel from Friends could have easily met each other at one of the California Academy of Sciences nightLife nights. It’s a perfect place for people their 20’s and 30’s to meet - and the cover charge is low. You can’t beat that.
“Music, cocktails, seahorses, space travel and a general broadening of the mind. Every Thursday night through October 29th, the Academy is transformed into a lively venue filled with music, provocative science, mingling, and cocktails, for visitors 21 and older. Activities and performers change week to week.”
I’ll say it again - nightLife is too cheap, it’s a bargain.
Nightlife nights have areas that look, smell, sound, taste (alcohol everywhere, 21-and-over only please) and feel just like a night club. Click to expand:
OMG! It’s the 60th birthday of the 45 rpm record – what better reason for Red Bull to host an old-school DJ competition?
Thusly:
Look at all the Red Bull and hard liquor. Until they give us back our Sparks, this will have to do. Let’s see, there’s regular, sugar free and I can’t tell what other flavor they had. Oh well.
And all the while, plenty of drinking and ogling downstairs in the aquarium:
And speaking of ogling, you can peek in on Scientists at Work during their evening shift. (I’m sure they just love that.)
This was the bill of fare last Thursday night - you gots to check to see what’s going on as it’s always different every week:
Check out tonight’s sked, after the jump.
See you there!
(more…)
Tags: 2009, 45, academy, Aquarium, california, california academy of science, California Academy of Sciences, CAS, Center for Conservation Biology, dj, golden gate park, herbst, Hubble, images, Kimball, Morrison, morrisson, museum, Museum of Natural History, nightlife, penguins, record, red bull, San Francisco, science, sciences, stanford, Steinhart, Telescope, theatre, thursday
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Monday, March 2nd, 2009
Things are picking up at the California Academy of Sciences for 2009, to say the least. Sign up for the monthly eNews if you’d like. (They didn’t sell my email address to Ukranian spammers, so that’s a good thing.)
So what do we have this month - the fairly inexpensive every-Thursday Nightlife program (for those 21 and older); Evolve 2009 - the citywide celebration of evolution in honor of Charles Darwin’s bicentennial; a conversation with Paul Ehrlich (President of Stanfoo’s Center for Conservation Biology) on March 30 at the Herbst Theatre; and iconic images from the Hubble Telescope.
Spot the elusive Paradise Tanagerin the Rainforests of the World Dome / exhibit and then quickly make a wish. (Sadly, the pleasuredome is closed for maintenance this week.) Anyway, the tanager(s) the CAS has look(s) just like this one. Click to expand:
via Alumroot
And of course, the CAS is Web 2.0 ready, with the requisite number of blogs, Facebook friends, YouTube channels, Twittertweetings, Yelp reviews (including food), and Flickr Group Photostreams.
See you there!
NightLife Continues Every Thursday
NightLife got off to a rockin’ start last month with thousands of visitors enjoying music, provocative science, mingling, and cocktails at the Academy after-hours. The March 5 NightLife will feature DJ Malarkey and a sneak preview of clips from the Banff Mountain Film Festival. NightLife takes place every Thursday from 6:00 – 10:00 pm and is for adults 21 and older; a valid ID is required for entry. Tickets cost $10.
Purchase tickets.
Evolve 2009
Evolve 2009 – the citywide celebration of evolution in honor of Charles Darwin’s bicentennial – continues in March with lectures and book discussions. On March 10, the Academy’s adult book group debuts with a focus on The Voyage of the Beagle. On March 21, teens can discuss the book Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature. And on March 24, Kevin Padian of UC Berkeley will share his personal experience during Kitzmiller v. Dover, the 2005 trial about intelligent design.
See the complete schedule of Evolve 2009 events.
Iconic Images from the Hubble Telescope
As part of the Benjamin Dean lecture series in astronomy, Sandra Faber of UC Santa Cruz will give a tour of the Universe with the most beautiful and notable images from the Hubble Space Telescope. Lecture takes place on Monday, March 16 at 7:30 pm. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $8 seniors.
Visit the Events + Lectures page for details.
Conversations at the Herbst Theatre
The 2009 Herbst series resumes on Monday, March 30 with Paul Ehrlich, President of Stanford’s Center for Conservation Biology, in conversation with Academy scientist Healy Hamilton. Takes place at 8:00 pm at the Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco. Tickets cost $20.
Visit www.cityboxoffice.com to purchase tickets.
Science Briefs
Chasing Beetles, Finding Darwin
Academy scientist Dave Kavanaugh has been studying beetles for more than 40 years. His knowledge of the mountain-dwelling Nebria beetles is so extensive that he even predicted the existence of a new species in California’s Trinity Alps. Did his prediction come true? A new 30-minute episode of KQED’s QUEST series follows Kavanaugh on his journey of discovery, and explores how his work and that of other evolutionary biologists continue the legacy of Charles Darwin today.
Click here to watch the QUEST episode.
Google Earth 5.0 Debuts at Academy
Last month, former Vice President Al Gore, Google CEO Eric Schmidt, oceanographer Sylvia Earle, and others launched “Google Earth 5.0″ at the Academy. This new version allows users to dive virtually underwater to see trenches, ridges, and other submerged features. In conjunction with the launch, Academy educators debuted a Google-based quiz on marine habitats, and Academy scientists unveiled an interactive map of the Philippine coral reefs that draws upon 17 years of research.
Notes
Rainforest Dome Closed March 2-8
Note to those planning to visit the Academy in early March: the Rainforests of the World exhibit will be closed for scheduled maintenance from Monday, March 2 through Sunday, March 8. The Academy apologizes for any inconvenience, and recommends that visitors explore the many other exhibits and programs the Academy has to offer during that week.
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