Activities

For all events, babysitting will be an option for those bringing families. Hourly fees to be determined.

TUESDAY (July 28)

(Optional) Old-time American Square Dance –  Tuesday after the Poster Session. Cost: ~$10

WEDNESDAY (July 29)

The Annual Banquet will be held at Campanile Esplanade, in the center of UC Berkeley campus at 7 pm on Wednesday, July 29. In the afternoon you can choose ONE of the 4 organized activities from the list below. Remember, each person can attend only ONE event (or spend the afternoon by your own plan). Get your request in early!

1. Mini-Lab Tour: Visit the Advanced Light Source (ASL) aSSL-P-colort Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and the Space Sciences Laboratory (SSL) followed by light drinks at the SSL terrace, which offers a beautiful panoramic view of the bay area.  Lead by Anna Butterworth and Andrew Westphal. Closed

2. Major League Baseball game: World Champion San Francisco Giants vs. Milwaukee Brewers at the AT&T Park (downtown San Francisco). The game will start Giants 10 12 1412:45. We purchased 45 group tickets. The price of ticket is $40 per person. We will provide roundtrip BART ticket.  We accept reservations until June 29th. Tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis.  Lead by Marc Caffee and Tim Swindle.  Sorry – this event is  SOLD OUT

3. San Francisco City Tour: Free to explore on your own. Here is a list of things to see while visiting San Francisco: Ferry Building, Fisherman’s Wharf/Pier 39, Chinatown, North Beach (Little Italy), Coit Tower, Lombard Street (downhill walk, or uphill if you want the exercise), Nob Hill, Grace Cathedral (go-inside!), Fortune Cookie Factory, The Cable Car Barn Museum (actual working cable car station), Alamo Square Park (Famous Victorians), Palace of Fine Arts, The Golden Gate Bridge (walk across), shopping at Union Square, City Hall, and so much more. We will provide ONE 1-day Visitor Passport (unlimited ride on Muni and cable cars) for each registered person who picks this activity. Downtown Berkeley – Powell street BART round trip $7.80 required.

4. Soccer Game: We will restart an old MetSoc tradition (that started in 1997 on the beach of Maui), of playing a soccer game at or near campus, followed by beer. Contact Kees Welten if you are interested.Soccer ball on grass with copy space

SATURDAY (August 1)  Closed Reservation

One day post-conference field trip  “Wines and Wineries of the Napa Valley”

Experience the Napa Valley by joining us for an exceptional one-day wine-tasting tour of three world-class wineries in the Napa Valley. Our first stop will be Ancien Wines where winemaker Ken Bernards will introduce you to the terroir of the Napa Valley by leading a tasting of five single-vineyard Pinor Noirs from five different locations in the Napa Valley. After the tasting, we will enjoy a paella lunch at the winery, catered by the renowned Spanish restaurant Zuzu’s in Napa. Next stop is Chateau Montelena whose chardonnay first gained fame as the winner of the white wine competition at the legendary Judgment of Paris in 1976. (The amazing story behind this triumph is chronicled in the 2008 film “Bottle Shock”, starring Bill Pullman and Alan Rickman.) At the winery we will visit the 125-year-old chateau and gardens and sample five of their current wine releases. We will end the day at Opus One, where winemaker Michael Fallaci will provide a tour and tasting at the winery founded as a joint venture by Robert Mondavi and the Rothschild family.

Cost of the trip is $170. Trip includes tastings at three wineries, lunch, transportation, and a running commentary on the geology of the Napa Valley from tour leader, Ken Verosub, of the Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences at UC Davis. Pick up (8 am) and drop off (7 pm) in Berkeley.

Note: All participants must be 21 years or older

We accept reservations until June 29th. Closed Reservation.

Contact Kuni Nishiizumi.