Welcome to beautiful San Francisco. This year’s RICON promises to be a great learning experience for everyone involved. Between our reasons to attend RICON, use case examples and talk previews, we hope to be able to illuminate the possibilities distributed computing offers. At RICON we’ll also be launching our Taishi Community Recognition Program – a program that recognizes the significant contributions of our developer community.
While the goal of RICON is to educate, we at Riak also want to ensure your stay in the Bay Area is as comfortable and fun as possible. We will host two cocktail receptions for all attendees as well as a pancake breakfast keynote session and live podcast. We’d also like to highlight a few attractions that make San Francisco what it is. Note that breakfast, snacks and lunch will be provided throughout RICON and the evening parties will not be short on heavy appetizers.
And for those of you who want to attend but haven’t quite gotten around to registering, there’s still time to register for RICON 2015. Register here and use offer code Riak100 for $100 off your ticket price. Full RICON 2015 Agenda and event details are available at www.RICON.io
We hope you enjoy RICON and the sites and sounds of San Francisco. See you next week!
Events:
Welcome Party Sponsored by Rackspace
When: Wednesday, November 4 from 6:00 p.m. – 9 :00 p.m.
Where: The Thirsty Bear, 661 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94105
ThirstyBear Brewing Company is San Francisco’s first and only brewery to serve certified organic beer. Their food – including everything from artisan cheese to Spanish-style tapas and burgers – is locally sourced and their beer is renowned for its taste, as well as its Earth-friendly brewing process. Join us at the Thirsty Bear Wednesday, November 4 from 6-9 p.m. for a beer and tequila tasting sponsored by Rackspace. Transportation will be provided from the Westin St. Francis to Thirsty Bear but you can also walk if you want the exercise – I’ll be walking so join me if you want company.
Conference Party Reception
When: Thursday, November 5 from 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Where: The Alexandra Room at Westin St. Francis
Riak is pleased to welcome you to a cocktail party with the best view in San Francisco. High atop the Westin St. Francis, the Alexandra Room offers an unparalleled panorama of the city and surrounding area. The reception will feature Japanese-themed fare, including sake, sushi and perhaps a visit by the fearless distributed computing hero: The Riak Man
Pancakes, Keynote and Podcast
When: Friday, Nov 6, starting at 7:30 a.m. Live podcast from 9-10 a.m.
Where: The Westin St. Francis
Over piping hot pancakes and coffee, enjoy as Dave McCrory (@McCrory), Riak’s CTO, delivers a talk and introduces Nicholas Weaver, Intel, for an 8:00 a.m. keynote. Stick around for a second helping as Alex Williams (@alexwilliams), founder of The New Stack hosts a panel discussion with Donnie Berkholz, (451 Research), Dave McCrory (Riak Technologies), Nicholas Weaver (Intel), Mac Devine (IBM), Duncan Johnston Watt (Cloudsoft). This event will be podcast.
Activities in San Francisco:
No visit to San Francisco would be complete without a ride on one of the three remaining lines. The cable cars are the last remaining manually operated cars in the country, and have been in use since the 1870s. The Powell-Mason line has a turnaround just a few blocks south of the Westin St. Francis – at the intersection of Powell and Market streets – and can take passengers as far north as Fisherman’s Wharf, another popular attraction.
Golden Gate Park is beautiful in its own right. It offers winding hiking trails, hidden lakes and vibrant gathering places. It also houses the Conservatory of Flowers, Botanical Garden, de Young Fine Arts Museum and the California Academy of Sciences. A stroll through the park offers peaceful scenery and a look at some of San Francisco’s hidden treasures.
The Rock is a must-see for anyone visiting San Francisco. Where else can you stand inside the cells that once held the likes of Al Capone and the “Birdman” Robert Stroud and also see stunning vistas of the city, the Golden Gate Bridge and sailboats cruising the Bay’s waters? The island is also home to rare flora and fauna, as well as Civil War-era buildings that remind one of its history as a harbor defence and a military prison.
Dining – Note that you will be well fed at our parties:
The 2016 Michelin Stars have been announced, and San Francisco is home to more than a few. In fact, the Westin St. Francis is walking distance to four of the recent honorees:
Sons & Daughters uses locally sourced, seasonal ingredients to bring diners a taste of Northern California and the surrounding Bay area
All Spice offers a uniquely global approach to fine dining. Mixing influences from the Mediterranean Region, Japan, India and Norway, All Spice is a proverbial circumnavigation wrapped up in an elegant evening.
Campton Place Restaurant and Bistro provides small plates of artisanal cheese and local produce with flavors as wild as the ingredients they use.
Kin Khao is Thai cuisine without the puddles of peanut sauce we recognize American Thai food to be.
Location:
The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square
335 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Main hotel phone line: (415) 397-7000
Map – link
Transportation:
Driving (from San Francisco International Airport):
Train
Caltrain is also available from the Millbrae Intermodal Terminal and a number of other locations along the San Francisco Bay Area peninsula. The San Francisco Caltrain Station, at 4th Street and King Street, is just over one mile away from the Westin St. Francis. Save some money and take the train if you are coming in from SFO.
In the city
Powell Street Station is walking distance from the Westin St. Francis. The station is home to the Richmond/Millbrae – Daly City BART lines, as well as J, K/T, L, M and N Muni lines.
We look forward to seeing you at RICON 2015 and many RICON conferences to come. Please enjoy your stay in The City by the Bay and your week exploring the world of distributed systems in an unforgettable setting. If you have any questions or concerns please email me at Riak@RICON.com
Stephen Condon
Riak Marketing
@streamingguy
