SPECIAL EVENTS AND EXCURSIONS
Participation in an excursion or activity requires that the registration fee be paid in advance
#1 AN EVENING AT THE ASIAN ART MUSEUM
This evening is sponsored in part by U of Virginia, Stanford U, U of Amsterdam, and Blackwell Publishing
Time: Friday, May 25, 7:00 p.m. -9:00 p. m.
Cost: $25.00 USD per person
Limit: 1500 persons (All attendees must be 21 years of age or older)
Location: Asian Art Museum
Transportation: For those who do not wish to walk the nine blocks to the museum, special bus transportation will be provided. Buses will begin leaving the hotel at 6:40 p.m. and will begin returning from the museum at 8:15 p.m.
Description:
Join your colleagues in a special evening reception. ICA has arranged to have the entire museum available to conference attendees for this one evening. The evening will be highlighted with Asian music, food, and beverage.
The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco is one of the largest museums in the Western world devoted exclusively to Asian art. But it is more than just an art museum—it is your ticket to Asia. Travel through 6,000 years of history, trek across seven major regions, and sample the cultures of numerous countries.
The Amsterdam School of Communications Research, ASCoR, of the University of Amsterdam will present the ASCoR Denis McQuail award for the best article advancing communication theory published in a peer-reviewed journal in the previous year at this event.
A special exhibit will also be opening during the weekend:
From Edo to Meiji: Yoshitoshi's Strange Tales
From Edo to Meiji presents a hundred prints by Taiso Yoshitoshi (1839–1892) dating from the turbulent last decades of Edo Japan to the westernizing Meiji era. The exhibition is built around two series that deal with the supernatural, one from the beginning of Yoshitoshi’s career, the other from the end—stylistically so different that they could be by different artists. Sometimes considered ancestors of modern manga, woodblock prints were known as ukiyo-e, pictures of the “floating world” of entertainment, especially actors and courtesans. Yoshitoshi preferred other subjects, including events from folklore and history, often bloody. Colors are intense, gestures histrionic. In his later designs Yoshitoshi moved beyond the swirl of momentous events to portray human emotions with great psychological subtlety, which is his most important contribution to ukiyo-e. Through the prints, a picture emerges of traditional Japanese society moving at a breakneck speed into the modern world.
#2 ALCATRAZ AND SAN FRANCISCO CITY TOUR
Time: Thursday, May 24, 12:30 p.m. -5:00 p.m.
Cost: $60.00 USD per person
Cost includes R/T transportation, a Tour Director to escort and narrate for your group to and from the hotel as well as to advance the group to the island, and tickets to Alcatraz with audio tour.
Limit: 55 persons
Pick-up/Drop-off: Hilton Hotel Lobby
Alcatraz Tour Description:
12:30pm – Tour director will meet your group in the lobby of the Hilton Hotel
1:00pm – Board deluxe motorcoach – Tour director will narrate pertinent information regarding the tour to Alcatraz on the way to the pier
1:15pm – Arrive Pier 33 for Alcatraz Cruise
1:45pm – Ferry to Alcatraz Island
2:15pm – Tour of Alcatraz Island
4:15pm – Return ferry to Pier 33
4:45pm – Board motorcoach at Pier 33
5:00pm – Return to Hilton Hotel
Alcatraz Island is a 25-acre island located just 1 1/4-miles from San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. Alcatraz is best known as the infamous and notorious former federal prison - home to the likes of Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelley, and Robert "The Birdman" Stroud. From 1933 to 1963, the Federal Bureau of Prisons used the facility as a maximum security prison. For 30 years it was the most infamous prison in the country. It housed prisoners too notorious or dangerous to be held elsewhere. It was closed in 1963 due to its expense.
Your trip to Alcatraz departs on a ferry from the dock at Fisherman's Wharf. The ferry across the San Francisco Bay takes about 10 minutes.
Upon arrival, a National Park Ranger will provide a brief welcome and orientation. You are then free to explore the island and the prison at your own pace. We recommend that you stop at the theatre to see the Alcatraz video following the orientation. The video provides an excellent overview of what you will see.
To reach the Cell House, walk from the wharf up the steep hill on the old service road. The Cell House is at the top of the island. Along the way, you can stop and visit exhibits, see a variety of buildings that were used for various prison uses, and enjoy the views.
Another option is to walk along the Agave Trail. The trail begins near the ferryboat landing on the east side of Alcatraz Island and continues to the southern tip of the island. The Agave Trail passes through a protected bird sanctuary and features beautiful plants and flowers. This trail offers fabulous views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge.
The 35-minute audio headset tour of the Alcatraz cell block is a real highlight (for those who purchase the ticket that includes the Audio Tour). This tour is available in six languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. During the tour, you will hear stories from former inmates and prison guards as you walk through the cellblock. After the Cell Block tour, there is time to see all the sites around the island and visit the Alcatraz museum and bookshop.
#3 WALKING TOUR OF CHINATOWN AND DIM SUM LUNCHEON
Time: Friday May 25, 2007 12 noon – 3:00 p.m.
Cost: $40.00 USD per person
Limit: 30 persons
Pick-up/Drop-off: Lobby, San Francisco Hilton, Union Square
Tour Description:
Buildings of historical and architectural interest (admire our pagoda style buildings and hear about their history), including the Herbal Pharmacy (behold life prolonging ginseng root, pearl pills for beautiful skin, gecko lizards for energy), the Fortune Cookie Factory (we’ll sample these “wise crackers” and watch how it’s done), Stockton Street Food Markets (stroll among the freshest and most exotic foods in the Bay Area), an authentic Buddhist Temple (see the dazzling altars adorned with red lanterns, priceless gold antiques, and incense filled bronze urns),Waverly Place (hear about the history of Chinatown’s most interesting alley full of temples, private clubs and secret societies), the Chinese Language School (find out how Chinese families keep alive language and cultural traditions for their children), a Tea Tasting Demonstration and Lecture (visit the only authentic tea house in the U.S. serving fine rare teas…subject to availability), an insider's list of recommended shopping and restaurants in Chinatown (all guests receive a copy of the current year’s best bets), and a hosted 10-course Dim Sum luncheon at one of Chinatown’s most popular restaurants.
It’s important that you anticipate and savor the wonderful Dim Sum dishes we’ve selected for you, so here is the menu. (If you have dietary restrictions, the restaurant can make substitutions upon your request): Deep Fried Minced Pork Dumpling, Pork and Shrimp Dumpling, Steamed Shanghai Baby Dumpling, Ha Gow Steamed Shrimp Dumpling, Steamed Pork Roll Wrapped with Bean Curd Skin, Steamed Barbecued Pork Bun, Platter of Seasonal Vegetables, Chicken Chow Mein, Dessert Sesame Ball filled with Black Bean Paste, and Specialty Teas: Jasmine and Chrysanthemum Tea.
#4 WALKING TOUR OF CHINATOWN AND DIM SUM LUNCHEON
Time: Saturday May 26, 2007 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $40.00 USD per person
Limit: 30 persons
Pick-up/Drop-off: Lobby, San Francisco Hilton, Union Square
Tour Description:
Buildings of historical and architectural interest (admire our pagoda style buildings and hear about their history), including the Herbal Pharmacy (behold life prolonging ginseng root, pearl pills for beautiful skin, gecko lizards for energy), the Fortune Cookie Factory (we’ll sample these “wise crackers” and watch how it’s done), Stockton Street Food Markets (stroll among the freshest and most exotic foods in the Bay Area), an authentic Buddhist Temple (see the dazzling altars adorned with red lanterns, priceless gold antiques, and incense filled bronze urns),Waverly Place (hear about the history of Chinatown’s most interesting alley full of temples, private clubs and secret societies), the Chinese Language School (find out how Chinese families keep alive language and cultural traditions for their children), a Tea Tasting Demonstration and Lecture (visit the only authentic tea house in the U.S. serving fine rare teas…subject to availability), an insider's list of recommended shopping and restaurants in Chinatown (all guests receive a copy of the current year’s best bets), and a hosted 10-course Dim Sum luncheon at one of Chinatown’s most popular restaurants.
It’s important that you anticipate and savor the wonderful Dim Sum dishes we’ve selected for you, so here is the menu. (If you have dietary restrictions, the restaurant can make substitutions upon your request): Deep Fried Minced Pork Dumpling, Pork and Shrimp Dumpling, Steamed Shanghai Baby Dumpling, Ha Gow Steamed Shrimp Dumpling, Steamed Pork Roll Wrapped with Bean Curd Skin, Steamed Barbecued Pork Bun, Platter of Seasonal Vegetables, Chicken Chow Mein, Dessert Sesame Ball filled with Black Bean Paste, and Specialty Teas: Jasmine and Chrysanthemum Tea.
#5 MEDIA EDUCATION: PLAYFULNESS AND CRITICAL CITIZENS: AN INTERACTIVE TOUR @ ZEUM
Sponsored by the Theme program
Time: Saturday May 26; 6:30 p.m. -8:00 p.m.
Cost: $20 USD (reception with appetizers, sweets, and soft drinks included)
Limit: 150 persons
Location: ZEUM, 221 Fourth Street (at Howard Street), San Francisco
Transportation: ZEUM is a twenty minute walk from the Hilton and easy to find. When subscribing for this excursion, please indicate if you do not wish to walk.
Description:
Today's youth are confronted with an overwhelming amount of information from multiple media sources. They need the learning opportunities and literacy skills that will help them to navigate their rapidly changing world. ZEUM tries to provide youth with the opportunity to develop these skills. San Francisco's Arts and Technology Museum was founded on the assumption that the creative tools and processes associated with the arts and technology are especially useful for cultivating the kind of critical thinking and imagination youth need. ZEUM provides the environment for hands-on learning and creative self-expression, using animation, sound and video production, theatre and live performance, and visual arts, to encourage, build, and articulate the voice of children and youth. This event is an opportunity to get to know ZEUM, its way of working, and the vision of the people behind it. After a presentation of the ZEUM and a debate on the museum as a tool for stimulating media literacy, there is room for a guided tour. Hands on, of course!
Relevant Link: ZEUM @ http://www.zeum.org/
#6 MOTORIZED CABLE CAR TOUR OF SAN FRANCISCO
Time: Sunday, May 27, 1:30 p.m.
Cost: $40.00 USD per person
Cost includes R/T transportation, a Tour Director to escort and narrate for the group, photo stops
Limit: 35 persons
Pick-up/Drop-off: San Francisco Hilton, Union Square
Description:
1:45pm – Tour director will meet your group in the lobby of the Hilton Hotel
2:00pm – Board Motorized Cable Car for tour of San Francisco ( see attached description) During the tour their will be a couple of opportunities for the group to get off the trolley and take pictures of famous sights.
5:00pm – Return to Hilton Hotel
Motorized Cable Car Tour in San Francisco -- Enjoy a 2 1/2 hour narrated tour aboard an authentic Motorized Cable Car or hop on and off of our San Francisco trolley car. See Fisherman's Wharf, North Beach, Nob Hill, Downtown, Chinatown, the Waterfront, Palace of Fine Arts, Union Square, Golden Gate Bridge, The Marina District, San Francisco Bay, Presidio National Park, Golden Gate Park, Cliff House, Ocean Beach and Pacific Ocean, Victorian Homes (Painted Ladies), Cable Cars, City Hall, Opera House, Financial District, Coit Tower, Twin Peaks, and Ghirardelli Square.
Photo stops TBD – Some typical photo stops are Ghiradelli Square, Golden Gate Park ( the cable car cannot go across the GG Bridge so stops on the city side for photos) Union Square, and Fisherman’s Wharf
#7 MUSEE MECHANIQUE
Co-Sponsored by Game Studies and the Theme program
Time: Sunday May 27, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $15 USD (Transportation included, playing not included)
Limit: 200 Persons
Location: Musée Mechanique, Pier 45 Shed A at the end of Taylor Street, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
Transportation: To keep things mechanical, we will take a cable car to the museum at Fisherman's Wharf. And back. Or maybe you'd rather stay and play?
Description:
The Musée Mechanique is one of the world's largest privately owned collections of mechanically operated musical instruments and antique arcade machines. Owner Dan Zelinsky will take you on a journey from turn of the century hand-cranked music boxes to modern video-arcade games. A surprise guest from the Games Studies Interest Group will give a talk on the games collection of the Musée Mechanique. You can look (and listen), but you can touch as well. Only a quarter a game.
Relevant Link: Musée Mechanique @ http://www.museemecanique.org/
