October19fun

Notes on Liralen's visit in October 2018

"Memories are unkind. Even the sweetest ones are tinged by the fact that the experience has fled. A memory is a funeral for experience. Roleplaying games are designed to create those funerals. It's the way they work." — Malcolm Sheppard

Schedule

  • 10/7 Monday
    • 4:15pm Southwest 640 794 at OAK airport. Carl waiting near airport for call to pick up outside baggage claim. Do not bring cooler because no room in trunk. Carl should bring two spoons, paper towels, packaging tape, a sharpie, disposable bowls for snacks, and some large ziplock bags.
    • Bought Soy Milk and Big Bad Con food offerings at Safeway near Chef Chu's
    • 7pm Chef Chu's 1067 N San Antonio Rd, Los Altos, CA 94022 650-948-2696 M-F 11:30-9:30 SaSu noon-10pm - Invites sent 9/3 . Reservations for 8 made, with 1 Peking Duck as one course: Carl, Liralen, Trip, Chrisber, Christy, Teo, Cat, Earl, Marith, Jeremy, Rachel, Brad, Gretchen, Cera, Ken.
      • Order for 8:
      • 1 Peking duck as one course
      • steam sea bass with ginger and green onions
      • 2 potstickers
      • vegetable spring rolls
      • dry cooked szechuan green beans
      • pea shoots with garlic
      • tangerine beef
      • no soup
      • 1 pork bun for Teo
      • snow white checken for Teo
    • Check into Inn at Pasatiempo for 3 nights, 555 Highway 17, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831-423-5000. Free wifi and parking. Fridge. Rooms 112 and 113 had air conditioning. Has continental breakfast 6:30-9:30. PG&E shut off power Wednesday 11pm because of high winds.
  • 10/08 Tuesday
    • 11ish Gretchen and Brad
    • Brunch at Zachary's 819 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831-427-0646. Tue-Sun 7am-2:30pm
    • Ocean
    • Hidden Peak Tea House 1541-C Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831-423-4200 Sun-Thu 11am-9pm FriSat 11am-10pm.
    • Early Dinner at Mobo Sushi 105 S River St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831-425-1700 Mon-Thu 11:30am-2:30pm,5–10pm Fri 11:30am–2:30pm, 5–11pm Sat noon-11pm Sun noon-10pm
  • 10/09 Wednesday
    • Santa Cruz with Brad and Gretchen
    • Continental Breakfast at Inn
    • Maybe Farmer's Market?
    • 10am-3pm Carl to run DIE RPG beta for Liralen, Brad, Gretchen
    • Pick up comics at Comicopolis, coffee at Peet's nearby
    • Dinner at Hula's Island Grill and Tiki Room, 221 Cathcart St, Santa Cruz, CA
    • PG&E shut off power at Inn at 11pm. Not restored by morning but hotel continental breakfast still had hot coffee
  • 10/10 Thursday
    • 10am Check out of Inn at Pasatiempo (checkout time 11am)
    • Ramen 101 444 Main Str, Pleasanton, CA 94566 925-223-8150 11am-9pm. Next to Inklings.
    • Refuel in Pleasanton, drop things at home, pick up HEPA filter if air smoky, pick up 4 cases Star Crossed and maybe a folding bookshelf
    • Trader Joe's, get convention snacks and nonperishable food for the food donation bin at Big Bad Con (peanut butter, cereal)
    • 2:05pm Simon Ward arrives at OAK on Alaska 3430 from PDX
    • 2pm Relocate to Marriott Walnut Creek 2355 North Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 925-934-2000. Hotel has a free shuttle for 3-mile range. Call Hotel number or 925-927-1111 for pickup. Checkin time 3pm. Ask for Double or rollaway bed. Also asked for and got a microwave oven.
    • check in, put bags in room
    • Possible afternoon open gaming
    • Convenience store next to Marriott
    • Dinner at Pho Huynh Hiep 6 - Kevin's Noodle House 2034 N Main St, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 925-933-4746 M-Su 11am-9pm with Carl, Liralen, Simon W Dinner was salad from Trader Joe's.
    • LA Folks probably going to Miss Ollie's in Oakland?
    • 7:30pm Christian Griffen arrives (flight delayed).
    • 8pm(ish) Carl running DIE RPG for Liralen, Simon W, Christian Griffen.
  • 10/11 Friday - Big Bad Con Friday-Sunday
    • Dealer's room open Friday noon to 6, Saturday 10 to 6, Sunday 10 to 4
    • 2-6pm
      • Carl running The Singular of Dice (Die RPG beta) for Aaron Enriquez, John Taber, Jon Edwards, Trevor Placker.
      • Liralen playing Maria in Three Parts with Andria Osborne, Zed Lopez, Mirko Froehlich, Joshua Clark, Vlad Sterzhanov. Run by Patrick Joynt. (note by Liralen: avoid Joynt games next time, nice enough guy, but likes killing PC's by pushing them toward the way he wants to kill them) Players were fine.
    • Dinner at Kinder's BBQ a few blocks from hotel.
    • 8pm-midnight
      • TBD
      • Liralen picks up Jet at OAK, flight arrives at 12:15 am.
  • 10/12 Saturday - Big Bad Con
    • 9am-1pm
      • Carl running Garage Band Blues (Die RPG beta) for 5: Andy Wang, Bay Chang, Bruce Harlick, Jonathan Fearn Badillo, Tom Idleman, Oscar Simmons.
      • Liralen playing Astral Resonance Tuning (Dungeon World) with GM: Trevor Placker, Jet, Andy Blanchard, Ava Maag, Xander (Note: GOOD players and Trip was really good as always. Xander was a good talker, Andy was quieter, but took his spotlight time when it came to him, and we all made sure he got some.)
    • 2-6pm
      • Carl running Reservoir Gods (Royal Blood) for Brian Fernandez, Kona Goodhart, Pedro Garcia, Trevor Placker, Jet.
      • Liralen in Games on Demand slept, got an aerobic workout in and needed it.
    • 6-8pm dinner at Sauced BBQ and Spirits 1410 Locust St, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 925-433-5957 M-Th 11am-10pm FSa 11am-mid Su 11am-9pm noisy. VERY loud but tasty.
    • 8pm-midnight
  • 10/13 Sunday - Big Bad Con
    • 9am-1pm
      • Carl running A Young Lady's Guide to Proper Manners In a Strange Land (Girl Underground) for AJ Real, Djinnaya Stroud, James Lawton, Jason Bradford
      • Liralen playing Escape the Lab (Bash! Ultimate Edition) with Kelsey Miranda, Emily Fujimoto, Dave Dyson, Jet Rostykus, Veronica Lockwood. (Heather Eckman was a good GM, able to deal with two missing people, was in a Masks game with Liralen a year ago. The whole table liked going the talking route rather than the hitting people route, which was useful with two missing.)
    • 2-6pm
      • Carl running The Wedding Party (Die RPG beta) for Brian Williams, Colin Jessup, Zed Lopez, David Gallo, Liralen Li (SO FUN)
      • Jet got into a Fiasco Heist game in Games on Demand and had a blast with guy from Albuquerque (Morgan's friend)
    • 7pm Dinner at Havana at 1516 Bonanza St, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 925-939-4555 M-Th 11:30am-10pm Fri 11:30am-11pm Sat 5-11pm Sun 5-9pm cuban food about a mile away, near 0L. (not Havana Cafe).
    • 9pm to 11pm chatting in Marriott lobby
  • 10/14 Monday
    • 9am wake up, check out 10:30
    • 11am Brunch at Hick'ry Pit, 1495 South Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA Su-Thu 6am-9pm FrSa 6am-9:45pm, est. 1928 with Carl, Liralen, Jet, Simon. Eric L met us there. Joined by many more a bit later.
    • 12:30pm-ish Carl drives Liralen, Jet and Simon to the airport.
    • 2:45pm Simon departs OAK Alaska 3492
    • 3:20pm Liralen and Jet depart OAK SW 1228

Notes

Weather

Weather in 2019 was pleasant, neither rainy nor smoky. This year's forecast called for sunny or cloudy but no rain, 70-80 degrees in Mountain View Monday evening, 47-71 Santa Cruz Tue-Thu, 48-82 in Walnut Creek over the weekend.

Trader Joe's Notes

Liralen now has one in Boulder, so no need to stock up except for Peppermint Drinking Chocolate for some reason it comes out earlier in California than in Colorado, so stock up on four Peppermint Chocolates to take home.
* Snacks for the Con - note that we got $60 worth of stuff in 2014 and it nearly all got eaten. $90 worth was a bag too far. In 2017 we got two bags for $62 total and about half was eaten. In 2018 we got $90 (3 bags) and ate a bag's worth. In 2019 got $100 worth of lunches, breakfast, and snacks. Most of the snacks were gone by the end.
* Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups were still very popular. They are the king of snacks.
* Two salads with forks for each of us.
* Soy milk
* Greek yogurt worked well for breakfasts
* The tamales were good heated up for lunches in addition to the salads. But six is a lot of them.
* Almond windmill cookies were popular, pumpkin biscotti were not.

  • Walnut Creek
    • Near hotel: Jack in the Box, Taco Bell across street, Kinder BBQ, Shanghai ? (scallion pancakes, untried) 3-4 blocks away. Also nearby: Sushi, a good coffee shop near Kinder's (Bondodoso — they do awesome single estate pour overs). BevMo and Target nearby. BART half mile away.
    • Pho Huynh Hiep 6 - Kevin's Noodle House 2034 N Main St, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 925-933-4746 M-Su 11am-9pm
    • Havana at 1516 Bonanza St, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 925-939-4555 M-Th 11:30am-10pm Fri 11:30am-11pm Sat 5-11pm Sun 5-9pm
    • Ramen Hiroshi 1633 Bonanza St, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 925-942-0664 M-Th 11-2,5-9 Fri 11-2,5-9:30, Sat 11-2:30,5-9:30, Sun 11-2:30,5-9
    • Sauced BBQ and Spirits 1410 Locust St, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 925-433-5957 M-Th 11am-10pm FSa 11am-mid Su 11am-9pm noisy
    • Hick'ry Pit, 1495 South Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA Su-Thu 6am-9pm FrSa 6am-9:45pm, est. 1928
    • Katy's Kreek 1680 Locust St, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 925-946-0949 M-F 7am-2pm SaSu 7am-3pm
    • 1.3mi 0L Beercafe & Bottle Shop 1541 Giammona Dr, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 925-210-1147 noon-midnight
    • Mel's Diner 1394 N Main St, Walnut Creek, CA 94596, Opens 6am, closes TW 11pm Th mid, FSa 2:30am SunMon 10pm, 1mi from hotel, Chris H says its a chain about on a part with Red Robin
    • Millie's Kitchen, 1018 Oak Hill Rd A, Lafayette, CA 94549, 4mi away, small
    • Le Cheval 1375 N Broadway, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 Closed 2/28
  • near Santa Cruz
    • Inn at Pasatiempo, 555 Highway 17, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831-423-5000. Free wifi and parking. Fridge. Ceiling Fan. No air conditioning. Has continental breakfast 6:30-9:30.
    • Saturn Cafe
    • Kebabs at Laili at 101 B. Cooper St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, 831-423-4545 open Tue-Sun 11:30am-2:30pm,5pm-close
    • Cafe Gabrielle
    • Pink Godzilla
    • Hot Chocolate and Truffle from Chocolat next to Bookshop Santa Cruz. Gretchen can have truffles.
    • Hula's Island Grill, 221 Cathcart St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831-426-4852 SunMon 4-9:30pm Tue-Sat 11:30am-10
  • near Oakland
    • Brown Sugar Kitchen 2295 Broadway Oakland, CA 94612 510-839-7685 W-F 7am-9:30pm SaSu 7am-3pm reservations only taken for Dinner, brunch is first come first served
    • Sweet Maria's Coffee 2823 Adeline St, Oakland (Emeryville), CA 94608 510-628-0919 888-876-5917 open M-F 11am-5pm with lunch from 1:30-2
    • Sweet Bar Bakery 2355 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612 510-788-4997 Open M-Sa 8am-7pm Sun 9am-5pm
    • Lunch at Homeroom 400 40th St, Oakland, CA. 510-597-0400 Open Tue-Sun 11am-10pm, closed Monday. The salad/half order was a perfect size.
    • Le Cheval 1007 Clay Street, Oakland, CA 94607 510-763-8495 M-Thu 11am-9pm FSa 11am-9:30pm Su 4-9pm
    • Miss Ollie's 901 Washington St, Oakland, CA 510-285-6188 Tue/Wed/Thu 11:30am-2pm 5:30pm-9:30pm Fri 11:30am-2pm 5:30-10:30pm Sat noon-3pm 5:30pm-10:30pm
    • Rosamunde Sausage Grill
    • The Trappist
    • Marufku Ramen (Yelp waitlist recommended) 4828 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609 510-823-2416 WedThu 5:30-10:30pm FriSat 5pm-mid Sun 5-10pm MonTue closed
    • Home of Chicken and Waffles, 444 Embarcadero W, Oakland, CA 94607 10am-1am 510-836-4446 b/t Broadway & Franklin St in Jack London Square. Morgan liked it.
  • Fremont
    • Bodo Lucky Japanese Restaurant, 46260 Warm Springs Blvd, Fremont, CA 94539 510-226-1388 Tue-Sun 11am-10pm Mon closed
  • Hayward
    • Playt on B 1036 B St, Hayward, CA 94541,510-888-1092 Open Tue-Thu 4-10pm Fri 4-12pm Sat 4-10pm Sun 4pm-10pm, not as good as Pican sadly
  • near Pleasanton
    • Ramen 101 444 Main St, Pleasanton, CA 94566 925-223-8150 11am-9pm
    • Inklings Coffee and Tea 530 Main St, Pleasanton, CA 94566 925-399-1496 Sun-Thu 7am-8pm Fri-Sat 7am-9pm
    • Red Tractor Cafe in Dublin closed in 2019
    • Bill's Cafe in Pleasanton
    • Dean's Cafe in downtown Pleasanton closed
    • Clementine's in San Ramon has beignets
    • Country Waffle in Dublin
    • 803 Brick Cafe in Livermore where Railroad Cafe used to be is slow but tasty
    • In&Out
    • Little Madfish in Dublin for Ramen
    • The English Rose 163 W Neal St, Pleasanton, CA 94566 925-462-6233 Open T-Sa 11-5 High Tea Times at 11,1,3. Reservations recommended.
  • San Jose
    • Kumako Ramen (salty, the place in Fremont was better)
    • Nikaku Animart 615 N 6th St, San Jose, CA 95112 408-971-2822 T-Sat 10am-6pm Sun 10-4:30 Mon closed
    • Shaved Ice at Banana Crepe, 248 Jackson St, San Jose, CA 95112 408-271-2644 9am-4pm
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