San Francisco WonderCon 2010 Review Part 2In part 2 of my epic review of WonderCon I have some samples of the many costumed visitors at the con. But first in order to give you all a better feel of the WonderCon experience I have included here a taste of my exploring outside of the convention room floor into the great city of San Francisco!
Leaving the Moscone Center toward the bus heading toward the pier I saw this beautiful sculpture by the one and only Keith Haring. He is one of my all time favorite artists. So I am always so excited to stumble upon one of his works.
This sculpture is one in a series of three positioned around the area. Keith Haring made art accessable to everyone. You can see it clearly in how this baby responds to the bright primary colors and Keith's iconic figures. I've recently been reading Keith's Journals and they are very interesting I really recommend it.
On the bus ride up Powell street I saw that famous curvey road and this amazing mural above the Sun Hong Kong Restaurant. It's stuff like this that adds to the charm of San Francisco. The architecture and artistic sensibility make me wanna start looking for a vacant apartment there. hehe.
My first stop on my San Francisco tour was Pier 39. It's a fun area for tourists right on the bay with all kinds of unique shops, restaurants, an aquarium and within walking distance to Fisherman's Wharf.
Here is the famous Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant on the upper promenade of Pier 39. I had eaten breakfast and it was a little too early for lunch so I didn't go in to dine. But I hear it is quite yummy.
Nearby was an interesting scene. A park bench with a small suitcase and a box of chocolates above a familiar pair of shoes. Yep, you guessed it. This bench is in honor of one of my favorite movies Forrest Gump. Visitors can sit on the bench and see what life is like in Forrest's shoes. I'm told it's like a box of chocolates.
At the center of Pier 39 is its famous carousel. These beutiful moving works of art have brought joy to the hearts of young and old for decades. Alas there are few opperating carousels left out there. It's always nice to see one like this. I didn't ride it. (only because the line was too long. Sad face.)
Next to the carousel was the mother of all claw machines! My dad could never pass up one of these things and I love checking them out myself. With your average sized claw machine they prizes are usually small cheap plushies with sawdust inards. But this one has huge prizes. That Homer Simpson is life sized and I think that Patrick Star terrorized Tokyo last year. Its big folks.
The money slot took cash or credit card. They don't mess around with quarters or tokens. Heck no, they want direct line of credit from your savings account to play this game! There is a two play minimum and you have to pay at least $5 a swipe. Kinda rich for my blood.
But hey, the sign says one play is $3. I guess this is outdated since you have to play at least twice and that is $5. Ugh doing math in my head is hard and giving me a headache. Stupid claw machine, figuring out how to use hedge funds is easier than this. Better move on.
I decided to dull my senses at this unique little magic shop. The talented shop keeper did a card trick with young guy at the counter. He was very funny. The selection of stuff was pretty good, kinda small but I liked looking about. They had the usual bug in the plastic ice cube stuff as well as more complicated tricks and books.
Across the way I stumbled apon an actual Zoltare machine just like the movie Big with Tom Hanks. I always wanted to try this ever since I was a little kid. I went around the back of it and unplugged the cord. I dropped my coin in the slot, but nothing happened. So I started hitting it like the young Josh Baskins did in Big. Unfortunately the Pier 39 security guard just came over and told me to "cut it out or he'd have to ask me to leave." What a buzz kill. Now I'll never get to ask my wish.
Fisherman's Wharf Under the stern gaze of pier security I left Pier 39 and walked onward toward Fisherman's Wharf. The weather was what you'd expect from San Francisco in April. It was kind of overcast, but not too much fog though.
Here is my obligatory photograph of Alcatraz. Can't be an official tourist in San Francisco without this shot in your slide show.
Boats. "That's all I have to say about that."
And here is the glorious, the famous, the one and only Golden Gate Bridge! Or is that the tiny toll bridge to Alemeda. Oh well.
Arriving at Fisherman's Wharf I saw the legendary Old Fisherman's Grotto restaraunt. It's right along the bay and it's famous for its yummy clam chouder and wine selections.
Also in Fisherman's Wharf is Boudin Sourdough Bakery Cafe. Of course everyone knows San Francisco is famous for it's sourdough bread and this place has arguably the best around.
Here is the selection of baked goods they had for sale inside. There is also a full restaraunt here.
Their bread rolls shaped like animals were particularly interesting to me. Who doesn't want to eat bread in the shape of a crab at least once in their life?
Heading out of Boudin's and back toward the bus stop I saw this great chocolate shop. The sign had chocolate candies bigger than my head. I wonder if the had real sweets that big for sale inside. You never know it could happen. If they can have bread shaped like lobsters and alagators why now chocolate covered cherries as big as a pickanese. (I liked how this cute red car matched up with the red in the sign. It was a real Kodak moment.) With my cold still sapping my HP (translation for non-gamers: health points) I was ready to head back to the hotel for a quick snooze and them back to WonderCon to help my friend Josep with his table and take some more pictures of the show. WonderCon CostumesWonderCon attendees were a great crowd and many of them had some amazing costumes. Here is my gallery of some of the best ones I saw. Click on the thumbnail to see the larger full image.
Continue on to part 3 of X-tropia's epic San Francisco WonderCon 2010 review for a peek at some of the best venders at the show plus more fun stuff. |
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