Registration for the annual Second Life Community Convention is now open, and this year, it's happening mid-August in Oakland. That's good news for the many who've complained when previous SLCCs were set in much pricier San Francisco (or for that matter, Boston, Chicago, and New York.) Hotels in Oakland are about $50-75 per night cheaper than San Francisco, but SF is still a 15 minute BART ride away. (And Linden Lab is right near the first San Francisco stop, Embarcadero.) Some travel tips from a local:
- Oakland Airport is an unqualified pain the ass - it's quite far from the actual downtown area, has less routes, and public transportation to the SLCC area is seriously inconvenient. (You have to drag your bags onto a shuttle bus, pay $3, and then again drag your bags into the BART station.) SFO has way more routes, and the BART station is actually connected to the airport.
- Arizmendi Bakery (a short cab ride from the hotel) has the best California-style pizza in the state, and quite arguably makes the best pizza in the world. (Yes, New Yorkers, I went there.)
- Unfortunately, Oakland has many areas with quite a lot of crime. You should be fine near the hotel/downtown area and traveling via cabs, but I wouldn't recommend randomly wandering too far away, especially solo and at night.
Hope to see you there (if I go)!
When the world wide VR system called Second Life manages to escape California and hold the conference in the South, I'll consider it. ATM, it looks like little more than a group of LL's friends getting together to pat each other's backs. Not something I'll spend a great deal of money to attend, no.
Posted by: shockwave yareach | Monday, June 20, 2011 at 12:57 PM
>> Arizmendi Bakery (a short cab ride from the hotel) has the best California-style pizza in the state, and quite arguably makes the best pizza in the world. (Yes, New Yorkers, I went there.) <<
Groan... pleeaase! Not the first time I see this. Hamlet, American pizza is just an imitation of the real thing. I am perfectly fine if you guys argue over where the best American pizza is made, but claiming it to be the best in the world?!?
You gotta try the real thing before you can ever make that claim, starting from Naples, Italy, where pizza comes from.
Signed,
* Indigo, living in Italy where we make the real thing
Posted by: Indigo Mertel | Monday, June 20, 2011 at 03:17 PM
Shockwave: SLCC has been held all over the place... including one year in Tampa. Coming up with regular locations makes a lot of sense, as SLCC is no longer a startup conference.
For an encore, you want to move the CES or DefCon out of Las Vegas? How about moving DragonCon? This gives two options, and flights really aren't that expensive.
As for pizza, I prefer Greek style to Italian style...and Philly has the best pizza. We've got more pizza places than NYC in a ton of varieties (over 500), and most of it is awesome. I always miss Philly pizza when I travel, and I've had pizza in quite a few countries and states!
Posted by: FlipperPA Peregrine | Monday, June 20, 2011 at 03:43 PM
I knew my pizza remark would generate controversy! I do admit not to having any Philly slices. Though I have had pizza in Rome, Venice, and Florence, and it's extremely good, but I do love Arizmendi better. :)
Posted by: Hamlet Au | Monday, June 20, 2011 at 04:10 PM
@shockwave, slcc has been several times in other states than california. If i count correctly, only twice was it in SF, four times in other states.
From experience I can tell you, it is never a 'we love LL' fest, there is always ample oppertunity to air your grievances to available Lindens.
Posted by: Frans | Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 06:20 AM
Pizza controversies are always fun. I've been lucky enough to have pizza in San Fran (though not at Arizmendi... will make sure to next time), Chicago, New York, Boston, Philly, Jacksonville (FL), Cleveland, Toronto, Houston... the list goes on. Bombay Ice Cream in San Fran, however, is awesome for a change of pace.
Even the United Kingdom, with a ton of native Italians making pizza... has their best pizza at Pizza Hut. And Britain puts very weird toppings on their pizza (corn?). It was actually better in Scotland than England or Ireland. England should stick to curry!
France isn't much better. Italy and Greece are both very good, as, oddly enough is Switzerland. Pizza in Egypt is very much American chain style.
Yes, I love pizza. :)
Posted by: FlipperPA Peregrine | Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 06:29 AM