Posts Tagged ‘thursday’
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
Posted in museums | 5 Comments »
Thursday, February 18th, 2010
These days, if you don’t have young people and DJs mingling about your museum on Thursday or Friday nights, you isn’t a museum. So, just as the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park has NightLife and the de Young has Friday Nights at the de Young, our Asian Art Museum has nighttime MATCHA. And, bonus, if you go tonight, February 18th, 2010, you can also see Shanghai.
“2010 is the Year of the Tiger! MATCHA kicks off the Lunar New Year and special exhibition Shanghai with dynamic tiger-style kung fu (martial art) demonstrated by Shaolin Temple USA monks. Each mode of Shaolin kung fu is associated with an animal, and in Chinese culture, the tiger is king and symbolizes bravery. Its kung fu style involves footwork, acrobatic kicks, and unique fist positions, relying solely on internal power, simplicity, and explosive force. The evening also includes art activities (make your own good luck poster), Shanghai dumplings available for purchase in the museum cafe, cash bars, music by DJ Friendly Traveler, docent conversations, gallery tours of SHANGHAI, and mingling and merriment with friends!”
See you there.
The “fourth room” of the Shanghai exhibit:

“See SHANGHAI in its opening week. This epic exhibition explores, through the mirror of its art, the tumultuous history that has resulted in one of the world’s most dynamic and cosmopolitan cities.
Don’t know what MATCHA is? Find out here
Wanna try to win tickets to MATCHA? Click here
Check it out, share with friends, and show your support on Facebook!
4:30-7 An Evening for Educators at MATCHA
5–9 DJ Friendly Traveler, Artmarking: Create a Good Luck Poster, Shanghai Dumplings (available for purchase in museum cafe), Cash Bars
6-6:30, 7-7:30 Docent Conversations: SHANGHAI
6:30 & 7:30 Shaolin Temple USA Monks: Tiger-style Kung Fu
8:00 Docent Conversations: Lunar New Year
Tags: 18th, 2010, arts, asian art museum, California Academy of Sciences Golden Gate Park, China, chinese, de Young, DJ Friendly Traveler, docent, dumplings, February, Friday Nights at the de Young, kung fu, kungfu, Lunar, martial, matcha, monks, new year, nightlife, nighttime, Northern California Chinese Culture Athletic Federation, shanghai, Shaolin, style, Temple, thursday, tiger, tiger-style, tonight, usa, year of the tiger
Posted in art, museums | No Comments »
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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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
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off
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
Posted in museums | 2 Comments »
Thursday, May 14th, 2009
Look out NIMBY’s - the San Francisco Bicycle Plan is coming to YOUR neighborhood, whether you like it or not. That’s the conclusion you’d come to had you made it this morning’s Bike to Work Day rally on the steps of City Hall. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition put on quite a show for a couple hundred-something in the crowd, most of whom parked their colorful bikes thusly:

The mise-en-scene:

SFBC Executive Director Leah Shahum MC’ed the rally, speaking of NIMBYs and the Bicycle Plan. The battle is joined, or it will be starting next month, probably. Get up to speed with the 2008 San Francisco State of Cycling Report put out by the SFMTA.
Lots of Supes were there:
District 1 Supervisor Eric Mar briefly addressed the crowd, talking about improving cyclist safety, mentioning the lower Haight Wiggle he uses to get back and forth from the Richmond District.
District 3 Supervisor and Board President Davis Chiu doesn’t think changes should stop with the proposed Bike Plan. He wants to Go Further. Lots of cheers for that.
District 4 Supervisor Carmen Chu showed off her fashionable fuzzy white helmet to the delight of the crowd.
District 5 Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi always makes these events - he hasn’t really gotten much sleep since the recent birth of Theo Aureliano Mirkarimi.
District 8 Supervisor Bevan Dufty cited recent changes to the streetscape, including Pavement to Parks.
District 9 Supervisor David Campos was pleased to see the outreach to people living in the Mission.
District 11 Supervisor John Avalos gave a shout out to District 6 Supervisor Chris Daly. He also said, “Bikes Rule.”
The “Big 56” will go somewhere in here. Click to expand to see a much larger version:

One Less Car, One More Bike. A young scion amused the pols.

What’s that on City Attorney Dennis J Herrera’s shirt?

“One Less Lawyer in a Car.”

O.K. fine.
2009 is shaping up to be the Year of the Bike Plan.
To Be Continued…
Tags: bevan dufty, bicycle, bicycle coalition, bike, bike to work day, board, carmen chu, Chris daly, city attorney, City Hall, civic center, cyclist, david campos, davis chiu, day, dennis herrera, eric mar, Executive Director, gavin newsom, john avalos, leah shahum, may 14, mta, Muni, nat ford, nimby, nimbys, plan, president, rally, ride, ride to work day, ride your bike to work day, ross mirkarimi, San Francisco, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, sfbc, SFMTA, supervisors, thursday, Work
Posted in Uncategorized, bikes | 4 Comments »
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.
Tags: 2009, academy, Aquarium, bicentennial, california, california academy of science, California Academy of Sciences, CAS, Center for Conservation Biology, Charles Darwin, enews, every, evolution, evolve, golden gate park, herbst, Hubble, images, Kimball, march, Morrison, morrisson, museum, Museum of Natural History, nightlife, opening, Paul Ehrlich, penguins, president, San Francisco, science, sciences, Stanfoo, stanford, Steinhart, Telescope, theatre, thursday
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Friday, February 13th, 2009
Well, as promised, the California Academy of Sciences debuted their nightLife program last night. It was wildly popular, with thousands of attendees. You had DJs, hard drinks, ID checks, wristbands, rope lines, limos parked out front - just like a night club. Inside, you had a youthful social scene + sciencey things. Some people were all dolled up in high, high, heels and others were in blue jeans, but everybody got along. What could be better?
But, man, it’s so much easier to buy your tickets online instead of queueing up. And for that matter, it’s even easier to become a member for a year for $99. Membership Has Its Privileges, as they say.
Anyway, the line for people who couldn’t get online tickets went around the huge building. Click to expand:

Then you had Executive Director Dr. Greg Farrington, whom all the animals love, walking around like Hugh Hefner at the Playboy Mansion, checking to see if everybody was having a good time.
Rainforest by night:

Under the dome, friendly butterflies:

And not-so-freindly snakes:

Popular San Francisco District One Supervisor Eric Mar (The Mayor of the Richmond) dropped by. Here he encounters yet another ugly customer:

Have a Heineken, look at a fish. From high up in the canopy through the see-through floor:

But let’s not forget about the free-flowing no host bar…

…and the dancing:

See you there next week!
Tags: acedemy, california, California Academy of Sciences, dancing, dj, djs, golden gate park, night, nightlife, San Francisco, thursday
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