I know, I haven't actually blogged much of the content yet. I will try to work through my notes on the flight. Which thankfully we have managed to check in to on-line, jules having eventually guessed that the seats were booked in the name of Annan, Jamesdouglas and Hargreaves, Juliacatherine. These are not, needless to say, either the names in our passports or those that we were christened with! The joys of Japanese confusion over naming conventions never ceases to amuse... As a result of this, on the way out we were both unpleasantly stuck in centre-block seats in different rows, this time we should be together at the exit row with a bit of leg room. That's assuming we get though the security groping unscathed. Usually we are treated with extra suspicion, presumably due to perfectly fitting the profile of international tourists with weapons of maths instruction. No, I'm not going to make any such jokes at the airport.
Most of the reason for writing this is as a reminder to myself for next time, that there is an alternative at the Thirsty Bear to standing in the crowded bar area shouting at/with drunk scientists and failing to get served at the bar. I realise this makes me sound like an old fuddy-duddy (as does using the term "fuddy-duddy") but Americans are REALLY LOUD. No, I mean REALLY REALLY LOUD. DANGEROUSLY, INDUSTRIAL-STRENGTH LOUD. ESPECIALLY IN BARS. ARE YOUR EARS HURTING YET?
Now where was I? Oh yes, I must also remember for next time that the best of their beers is probably the plain old Brown Bear (jules liked the stout too). The more exotic things don't always come off quite as well, and some are a bit too strong to be quaffable in the British style. It's all better than the stuff we had elsewhere though, including the inexplicably popular Anchor Steam and some other IPA which, like last time, reminded us of rather amateurish homebrew. Oh, and the beer service at the posters starts at 3:30 and ends shortly thereafter when it runs out, so get there sharp. That's also only Anchor Steam, but it's free...
As for the conference, well it had its moments, though perhaps a few fewer than we might have hoped for during such a large affair. I got to meet a handful of new people which was useful and interesting, and re-meet a few others, which is always worth doing. But to be honest, I wasn't here so much for the science as to spend some budget as quickly and easily as possible (and hopefully at least with some benefits), and it was a roaring success on that front. I know that will probably outrage some people in these times of straitened circumstances, but bear in mind that this is only Japanese money. In fact it's not even Japanese taxpayers' money really, just stuff the Govt prints and makes us spend to keep the economy afloat. If we didn't spend it, the whole house of cards might fall down.
Now just one Eggs Benedict to force down before we head off to the airport...
Most of the reason for writing this is as a reminder to myself for next time, that there is an alternative at the Thirsty Bear to standing in the crowded bar area shouting at/with drunk scientists and failing to get served at the bar. I realise this makes me sound like an old fuddy-duddy (as does using the term "fuddy-duddy") but Americans are REALLY LOUD. No, I mean REALLY REALLY LOUD. DANGEROUSLY, INDUSTRIAL-STRENGTH LOUD. ESPECIALLY IN BARS. ARE YOUR EARS HURTING YET?
Now where was I? Oh yes, I must also remember for next time that the best of their beers is probably the plain old Brown Bear (jules liked the stout too). The more exotic things don't always come off quite as well, and some are a bit too strong to be quaffable in the British style. It's all better than the stuff we had elsewhere though, including the inexplicably popular Anchor Steam and some other IPA which, like last time, reminded us of rather amateurish homebrew. Oh, and the beer service at the posters starts at 3:30 and ends shortly thereafter when it runs out, so get there sharp. That's also only Anchor Steam, but it's free...
As for the conference, well it had its moments, though perhaps a few fewer than we might have hoped for during such a large affair. I got to meet a handful of new people which was useful and interesting, and re-meet a few others, which is always worth doing. But to be honest, I wasn't here so much for the science as to spend some budget as quickly and easily as possible (and hopefully at least with some benefits), and it was a roaring success on that front. I know that will probably outrage some people in these times of straitened circumstances, but bear in mind that this is only Japanese money. In fact it's not even Japanese taxpayers' money really, just stuff the Govt prints and makes us spend to keep the economy afloat. If we didn't spend it, the whole house of cards might fall down.
Now just one Eggs Benedict to force down before we head off to the airport...
4 comments:
Actually, Anchor's gin is much better than their beer: Junipero is amongst FoGT's favourites!
IMHO Achor on tap isn't that bad, although the competition has certainly grown much stiffer in recent years.
Re the Thirsty Bear, *I* find it exceptionally noisy, and I have a high noise tolerance compared to most Americans. There are certainly other brew-pubs in the area, so I suppose the appeal must be the admittedly pretty good snacks.
Well, we also tried Maya (which had been recommended to us) and found it was even worse, perhaps cos the restaurant tables were not so segregated from the bar. On that particular evening we spent some time finding somewhere quiet enough to actually talk. But I'm always open to new suggestions, in case I have to splurge some budget again in the future :-)
If you're up for a walk towards the interesting part of the Tenderloin and are thinking of wine rather than beer, next time try The Hidden Vine. I'd also recommend First Crush, closer to the conference centre, for both food and drink (sit at the bar) if it wasn't for their awful website.
And of course, there's always Harry Denton's, where FoGT experts have peer-reviewed & endorsed all cocktails.
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