So what’s the San Francisco Travel Association logo doing in there?
I’m confused.
(But oh, let me assure all you horny nerd conventio tourists in town for the next few days. There IS sex in the champagne room (or whatever they’re calling the champagne room these days), despite what you might have heard.NB: Bring cash. NNB: Lots and lots of cash.)
Executive Team
Joe D’Alessandro President & CEO 415-227-2698
Paul Frentsos Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer 415-227-2608
Tom Kiely Executive Vice President, Tourism 415-227-2667
John Reys Executive Vice President & Chief Customer Officer 415-227-2614
Matt Stiker Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer 415-227-2680
Tina Wu Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer 415-227-2609
Now, last year, back in 2010, the rides were free, so people were lining up at 3:00 AM. But this year, the cost will be $29, so that will certainly cut down on the riff-raff, and therefore surely shorten the queue.
(And oh, our friends from up in the Great White North just told me that they will be highly disappointed if Edwin Lee, San Francisco’s once (and future?) Mayor chickens out, if he blows off his obligation. Other Mayors have done it and it all worked out fine. See below for one example…)
Hours: Open daily (7 days a week!) from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.*
Price: $29 (all ages)
Age: 6 years+
Weight: 65lbs – 275lbs
First come, first serve
All guests are required to sign an Assumption of Risks and Release of Liability Agreement (coming soon) before zipping. Under 19 requires signature by a parent or guardian.
The ziplines are gravity fed, so guests do not have to worry about controlling their own speed. Guides are stationed at each tower to connect (launch platform) and disconnect (landing platform) each and every guest. Age restrictions apply and guests must weigh more than 65 pounds and no more than a maximum of 275 pounds.
When: Summer 2011 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. *
Where: Justin Herman Plaza at Embarcadero Square, San Francisco, California
* times may vary on certain days”
Will you have the guts to climb a temporary tower (80 feet tall!) just like this one from 2010 to earn the right to tell your friends you rode the Justin Herman Plaza Zip Line?
But first, you’ll need to wait in line next to the abysmal Vaillancourt Fountain, sign a waiver, and get harnessed up.
Le mise-en-scene.
You’ll ascend the 80 foot tower and encounter a friendly Canadian guide at the top. If you need a pep talk, you’ll get one:
You’ll soon be steadying your nerves by glancing at your jump buddy…
…and then you’ll be off, into the wild bleu.
Sisters doing it for themselves:
Can you see the nervous giggles? There’s your team bonding right there.
And this is what it felt like last year. Everything zooms by with a quickness, and there’s a loud buzzing above your noggin. Some people go upside-down even.
And they’ll totally let you bring a camera to make your own YouTube:
You owe it to yourself to try.
Don’t dissappoint lovely Ashleigh. She brought her Olympic Gold all the way down here last year just so you’d consider Vancouver as the starting point for your next vacation:
How can Beach Blanket Babylon be a “new show” at 36 years old? Well, I don’t know, it just is – it evolves, it keeps up with the times. Anyway, Media Week 2010 just ended at Club Fugazi up in North Beach, so a bunch of reviews have been popping up.
And that includes The Review from San Francisco Chronicle Theater Critic Robert Hurwitt. He just recently gave instructions to have The Little Man to hop out of his seat. See?
“In Chronicle parlance, this one is called Wild Applause. Readers should know that the critic believes the production…, having achieved all of its artistic goals, is firmly in the don’t-miss category.”
You can’t do better than that.
Yes indeed, BBB rolls along for 90 entertaining minutes – it’s all filled up with jokes, sight gags, costumes, and musical numbers.
Here’s how it looks close to the end:
Click to expand
Now, speaking of blankets, if you are a wet blanket, if you’re a hater determined to not have fun with your friends, well you could be like some of the Yelpers who label it “cheesy.” But that’s not a bug, it’s a feature, right? And of course most of the Yelpers just love, love, love this production.
Anyway, the youthful gaggle of Fun Fearless Females who sat just ahead of me were into a couple wine bottles 15 minutes before the show began. They seemed to be having a good time, singing along. And yet, I’m sure my grandmother would be into to this joint as well. It’s hard to imagine a live production that would appeal to a bigger cross-section – locals, tourists, older, younger, etc.
(And best of all, while watching, you can even get a bottle of refreshing Dom Perignon for less than $200 - can you remember seeing a markup that low for Dom in this day and age? Moving on …)
I’ll tell you, I’ve hadn’t seen the BBB before last weekend. I thought it was great. You will too. See you there! (Again, maybe.)
And yet, almost 1000 souls enjoy its charms every day. Mmmm. It wasn’t impossible for allthose people to ride, right?
(In other news of the day, here are NBCBayArea’s random photos of Playboy bunnies and Hooters Restaurant employees. That’s got to be pure gold, trafficwise, in’nt.)
Are we saying to get there way early in the day? I think that’s what we’re saying.
Irregardless, NBC’s accounts of when people got into line and when they were able to ride that day (if ever) are enlightening. And, agreed, it’s probably not a good use of time to drive all the way up from San Hoser just to try to go for a 20-second zip.
Think I’d rather sleep in my aging Land Cruiser (diagonally, as it’s shorter than some Camry Solara two-doors) after flopping the rear seats and popping the minivan-style rear side windows than deal with any of the B&Bs that got these myths going.
(Also, I’d like to note that not having a shared bathroom, in and of itself, does not “ensure” your safety.)
OTOH, put a kayak-in B&B on Red Rock Island, San Francisco’s northernmost piece of real estate, and I’d be up for an overnight. Red Rock is on the left and Danielle Steel’s least favoritest Bed and Breakfast is on the right behind the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, on noisy East Brother Island in neighboring CoCo County.
Debunking the Top Five Myths of Bed & Breakfasts: California’s B&B Association Sets the Record Straight
SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 12 — The California Association of Bed & Breakfast Inns (CABBI) recently asked travelers if they’ve ever stayed at a bed and breakfast, and if not, why? The answers made us smile. Below is a list of the top five misconceptions we heard. For more debunked myths about B&Bs, visit: http://www.cabbi.com/res/docs/BB_Myths_PressRelease_April2010.pdf
1) B&B decor is limited to lace doilies, paisley wallpaper, antiques, and patchwork quilts
The decor of some CABBI-member inns recall earlier eras, but increasingly more inns, such as San Francisco’s Laurel Inn in or San Diego’s Hotel Parisi are trending toward clean, sophisticated decor with modern furnishings and amenities. Even many Victorians, like the Honor Mansion in Healdsburg, feature individually decorated rooms to appeal to a variety of tastes.
2) You have to share a bathroom with other guests
The majority of CABBI-member inns offer private bathrooms. For those that don’t, most–like the Hotel Charlotte near Yosemite National Park–have policies of only renting rooms with shared bathrooms to families and couples traveling together to ensure the safety and comfort of guests.
3) You have to eat breakfast with total strangers and eat whatever the innkeeper prepares that morning
The Elk Cove Inn & Spa in Elk offers guests many choices for breakfast. Guests can choose to sit at the large table if they wish to socialize, or dine at a more intimate, two-person table. The inn’s champagne brunch features 20-30 items, allowing guests to select what they want to eat. Many inns also pride themselves on accommodating guests with special diets or food allergies.
4) You have to abide by a curfew set by the innkeeper
Curfews are one of the most common myths. At the McCaffrey House Bed & Breakfast in Twain Harte, guests have keys to the main house and guest room doors, providing guests with the flexibility to come and go as they please.
5) B&Bs are only for couples and strictly prohibit children and pets
CABBI has over 180 family-friendly inns and more than 70 pet-friendly inns in California. The Dolphin Inn in Carmel offers a family unit with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a heated swimming pool, and breakfast delivered to your door. The Beazley House Bed & Breakfast Inn in Napa offers 11 pet-friendly rooms. Four-legged guests receive a water bowl, a treat bag, and a list of dog-friendly wineries and restaurants. To search for more family-friendly or pet-friendly inns, visit http://www.cabbi.com/search/advanced/.
Established in 1991, The California Association of Bed & Breakfast Inns (CABBI) is the largest tourism organization of its kind in California. We are a non-profit, statewide organization that is wholly dedicated to ensuring the highest quality standards in bed and breakfast accommodations. Currently, CABBI has nearly 300 members. Source: The California Association of Bed & Breakfast Inns
But this zipline is leaving on April 18th, 2010, so don’t delay.
Get on down there. This could be you:
Clicque to expand
But first, you’ll need to wait in line next to the abysmal Vaillancourt Fountain, sign a waiver, and get harnessed up.
Today’s mise-en-scene. From the left: the temporary Peter Pan (opening April 27th!) tent from England, the temporary zipline tower from British Columbia, and the permanent(?) Vaillancourt Fountain from the bowels of Hell:
You’ll ascend the 80 foot tower and encounter a friendly Canadian guide at the top. If you need a pep talk, you’ll get one:
You’ll soon be steadying your nerves by glancing at your jump buddy…
…and then you’ll be off, into the wild bleu.
Sisters doing it for themselves:
Can you see the nervous giggles? There’s your team bonding right there.
And this is what it feels like. Everything zooms by with a quickness, and there’s a loud buzzing above your noggin. Some people go upside-down even.
And they’ll totally let you bring a camera to make your own YouTube:
You owe it to yourself to try.
Don’t dissappoint lovely Ashleigh. She brought her Olympic Gold all the way down here just so you’d consider Vancouver as the starting point for your next vacation:
Will you have the guts to climb this temporary tower (80 feet tall!) down near Embarcadero Station to earn the right to tell your friends you rode the Justin Herman Plaza Zip Line?
Just asking.
The fun starts tomorrow, April 8th around lunchtime and it’ll stay all the way ’til April 18th, 2010.
“The zip line will start from a launch tower 80 feet off the ground and will carry users 680 feet to a 30-foot-tall landing tower. The zip-line will be free to the public and open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through April 18. Thursday’s launch event is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. and will include performances by the Le-La-La Dancers, an aboriginal dance troupe from Vancouver Island.”
Those people in British Columbia, they like to have fun. So, in order to get you to think about taking your next vacay up in the Great White, they’re going to install a 600 680-foot-long zip-line* in Embarcadero Square and run it for eleven days starting April 8th, 2010. And, assuming you meet their physical requirements (it looks like I’ll qualify, but 280-pound Epic Bearded Man Thomas Bruso probably won’t), you’ll be able to harness up and go for a 225-yard ride FOR FREE.
Imagine zooming over the giantwhite tent they’re constructing for Peter Pan (opening April 27th!) at neighboring Sue Bierman Park. You can fly, Wendy, you can fly.
Justin Herman Plaza Zip-Line! Justin Herman Plaza Zip-Line! Justin Herman Plaza Zip-Line!
You’ll also be able to look down over this $1000-a-day monstrosity. (Try not to tell our friends from western Canada the actual name of “Vaillancourt Fountain.” Shhhhh….)
See you there April 8th. (Can you already visualize people using their iPhones to Tweet about how long they have to wait for their free rides? I can. If not for our generous Northern Cousins, this kind of thing should cost about $100 American (or Canadian, don’t think there’s much diff these days)).
“When: Thursday, April 8 – Sunday, April 18th 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. What: The British Columbia Experience, featuring: – Free 600 ft. Urban Zipline: Open to the Public. Note: There are no age restrictions, but guests must weigh more than 65 pounds and no more than a maximum of 275 pounds. The ride will be free of charge. Where: Justin Herman Plaza at Embarcadero Square, San Francisco, California”
“VICTORIA – One of the most popular activities during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is heading to San Francisco as part of an exciting tourism marketing campaign, announced Kevin Krueger, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts. From April 8 to 18, a 183-metre (600-foot) zipline will be set-up in Embarcadero Square in San Francisco as part of the BC Experience showcase. The showcase will feature the Whistler-based Ziptrek Ecotours zipline, free public dance performances by the Le-La-La Dancers – a world-renowned Aboriginal dance group – an interactive video display featuring videos and beautiful images of B.C., a 3-D art installation and an updated version of the “You Gotta Be Here” advertising campaign in subway stations throughout the city.“We’ve just finished hosting the largest and most successful celebrations in the world and the zipline in Robson Square was obviously one of the most popular public activities during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games,” said Krueger. “We want to bring that excitement to San Francisco, a city that is one of our key markets for attracting new travellers, to show people the diverse range of travel experiences they can find in B.C. and invite them to visit.”The Canadian Tourism Commission is also hosting their annual US Media Marketplace in San Francisco April 12-14, at which over 150 US-based travel writers and editors will meet with Canadian tourism representatives.To help launch the BC Experience, two gold-medal winning Olympians, Canadian ski cross racer Ashleigh McIvor and US speed skater Shani Davis, will be among the first to try the zipline and participate in a public autograph signing.As a result of the Olympic marketing campaign, the number of Americans in the target demographic considering a leisure trip to B.C. has nearly doubled. This increase represents nearly nine million more potential U.S. visitors. Approximately 14 per cent of US visitors to B.C. come from California.The BC Experience is part of a post-Olympic North American consumer marketing campaign that will use online advertising, social media and search marketing to reach potential visitors. The campaign will reach out to consumers who have already expressed interest in travel to B.C., and present customized offers based on their interests.The campaign will focus on a range of experiences, including golf, food and wine, and outdoor adventure to create a greater depth of interest in experiencing B.C.’s tourism products.”
For more information on B.C. tourism opportunities, please visit www.HelloBC.com.
Leaving the final words with Alex P Keaton - in re: British Columbia, “You Gotta Be Here.”
