Hit and Run

California does not allow uninsured motorist property damage to be used in hit-and-run collisions. In these states, your collision coverage may be able to help pay for your car repairs.
https://www.esurance.com/info/claims/hit-and-run-claims

Unclogging Pipes

Via an expert:

• Small to larger pipes, so flush it out into that pipe.
• Boiling water expands the pipe and liquifies the plug.
• Run warm/hot water for 10-15 minutes to ensure unstuck.

Brent Mydland Gravesite

Brent Mydland was an American keyboardist, vocalist, and songwriter. He was a member of The Grateful Dead from 1979 to 1990, a longer tenure than any other keyboardist in the band. (Wikipedia)

Grave marker of Brent Mydland, as of 09/18/2019)

The grave marker reads (in all caps):

Brent R. Mydland 

He loved his family 

His Music 

And 

His Friends
1952  (grand piano embossment)  1990

The grand piano embossment has a bench and a raised piano lid.

The grave has had a Grateful Dead "Steal Your Face Skull" sticker below the embossed grand piano since at least 2015 (per David Ryder; see below).

The plaque border looks to have six stems of roses and leaves: two centered on the top, and two each in the lower-left and lower-right corners.

For those who wish to visit, here is a Google Maps link (Plus Code: "WVXV+2J Pleasant Hill, California") to a marker close to the grave site.

You can just drive in the front gate. Make your way up, up, up the hill. I parked nearby, on the shoulder of the drive. Traffic was light on a Wednesday afternoon.

The Google Maps link is not precise but it should be close enough to find it. The grave marker is near a large tree with a bench with the name Richardson on it. The tree has a retaining wall on one side (see image below). Put your back to the tree and bench and walk forward, following the line of grave markers, being careful not to step on them. I think the grave was 20-30 feet away and one row down. Look for the gravesite with the double grave plaque and flower urn (see image below). It's not hard to find once you're close. David Ryder's YouTube video below shows some additional clues, if needed. In 2015, it seemed to have a LED path light, but that was gone when I visited on 09/18/2019.

The views of the hilly terrain are beautiful.

Screenshot of map with marker:

It's near the top (red marker)

Here's David Ryder's video which helped me find the grave (if you're eagle eyed, you can spot several reference points: the building to the left, the flagpole, the retaining wall, etc.):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_rpVu1zrTA

My parking location vs. tree and bench (grave is nearby, in the opposite direction of this photograph)

Grave site 

Brent had a distinctive singing voice. I really enjoy the song, "I Will Take You Home". 

Prius Gen 2 MAF Sensor Cleaning (Code P0171)

The MAF (mass air flow) sensor measures the mass of the air flowing through the throttle valve. Air mass changes due to altitude, temperature, etc. The car computer uses this information to determine the fuel injection time and provide a proper air–fuel ratio. (Via)

The Prius gen 2 MAF assembly has external and internal sensors.

First, the external intake air temperature (IAT) sensor:

Before: intake air temperature sensor bulb (left) obscured by deposits

After: intake air temperature sensor bulb sparkles

Second, the internal sensors: 1) Ambient temperature sensor; and 2) hot wire, kept at a fixed temperature above the measured ambient temperature:

A mini hamburger bun (?)

Wait. That debris should not be there. Wow. The other sensor seems dirty. Not sure anyone has ever cleaned these in 260K+ miles.

The car has run rough for some time--I'm guessing this explains why.

After: clean hot wire and ambient temperature wire, with debris removed

I used a Craftsman 9-4116 Offset Screwdriver Ratchet Set to extract the two screws. Others have used a flexible socket extension, etc. A bit of torque was required to loosen them.

Set it on generous layers of paper towels. Sprayed short bursts of CRC MAF sensor cleaner onto the bulb and inside the housing--as the instructions state, do not touch the components while cleaning.

I think the result speaks for itself. Cleared the code and will see if it fixes code P0171.

This project really represents something anyone can do in a very short amount of time.

The car now throttles very smoothly.

NOTES

Via:
It would dry really quick, just a minute or two. But just to be sure I let mine sit for about 15 mins then installed it. A simple trick is to spray the side of the mesh first and then the open side. If you do it the opposite order( spraying the mesh side last) all the crap from the mesh is gonna stay on the sensor. Also keep the sprayer 5-6 inches away from the sensor. So:

1. Remove sensor
2. Spray the mesh side
3. Spray the open side
4. Let it sit for 10-15. Do NOT touch the actual string with anything
5. Put it back in the car

Via:
If you are replacing the MAF, consider a new O-ring (90099-14141). If needed, new screws (90167-A0016). From any Toyota source for about $5.
https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/oem/toyota~screw-pan-tapping~90167-a0016.html

XKCD's Randall Munroe and Cory Doctorow

Autographs of Cory Doctorow and Randall Munroe

Attended a discussion between XKCD cartoonist Randall Munroe and Cory Doctorow on September 11, 2019, in support of Munroe's new book, "HOW TO: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems".

Got a few seconds of interaction with both authors. Munroe asked Dawn what she did, and he encouraged her to keep going. He asked me, after seeing that my post-it note was blank (where you would write what you want him to write) "I wonder about the legal implications of having a blank first and last name", which reminded me of his cartoon with the child having NULL as a surname.

Cory noticed Dawn's Hamilton shirt and they briefly talked about how their experiences. I thanked Cory for letting me know about the Calyx hotspot and he shared that he still uses his and that the Calyx folks are good people.

Randall shared one anecdote not in the book: during his conversation with Chris Hadfield, it went over time and he heard Hadfield scanning his airplane ticket and walking down the passenger boarding ramp. Randall hung up because he felt "terrible" for causing Hadfield to discuss--in front of other passengers--scenarios where the plane would have to land unexpectedly. But he realized Hadfield seemed to really enjoy the discussion.

A running joke was "the 2003 film, The Core", which involved a crash landing of a space shuttle.

Randall shared a memory of his mother apologizing to him for making a big deal out of him not knowing something, and he talked about how it just involves people learning things out of order (viz., learning about the movie about the Titanic before learning about the actual Titanic sinking).

Wicked Tour Musical

Saw the Wicked Second National Tour at the San Jose Center For The Performing Arts on Saturday, September 7, at a sold out 8:00 p.m. showing.

It was the penultimate day for the San Jose run. We saw Erin Mackey (Glinda) & Mariand Torres (Elphaba). Incredible voices, sets, costumes. Notable songs: "Defying Gravity", "For Good".

"Wicked Brew" drink ingredients: Midori, vodka, lemon and lime juice lemon garnish

Prius Combination Meter Notes

Via https://priuschat.com/threads/combination-meter-repair-diy.161268/:

• I use the key FOB trick (Foot on the brake, lock, turn on lights, foot off the brake, lock) to get it back on, which works about 95% of the time

Home address Removal From the Internet

Removing personal details - Set up Google Search on name and address

Companies removed:

FastPeopleSearch :
https://www.fastpeoplesearch.com/removal
Update 03/16/2020:

MyLife:

• Emailed privacy@mylife.com (https://medium.com/better-humans/how-to-remove-your-information-from-sites-like-mylife-77f89aff1aff)
• Automated email responded saying something like "we can't remove because public data ...."
• Replied again requesting removal
• They responded: "This note is to inform you that we have received your inquiry and will begin processing your request."

SearchPeopleFree (similar to FastPeopleSearch):
https://www.searchpeoplefree.com/opt-out

TruePeopleSearch
https://www.truepeoplesearch.com/removal

BeenVerified (requires email address and confirmation (?))
https://wiki.onerep.com/post/beenverified.com

Update 03/16/2020:

• Removed (another?) profile from FastPeopleSearch.
• Removed: www.freepublicprofile.com

Thank you Cory Doctorow and Mark Frauenfelder

Digital Pianos

Placeholder for research into digital pianos.

Dawn's requirements:

• 88 keys

YAMAHA

Clavinova vs. Arius

https://www.reidys.com/blog/yamaha-clp-vs-ydp-differences-clavinova-arius-2211/ 

REFERENCES

The Best Budget Digital Piano for Beginners (updated 2019-04-17): Casio PX-160 ($500)

The Best Digital Piano for Students (updated 2019-03-06): Yamaha YDP-181 ($1,700-2,000)

• Two insightful comments by Ed Hassell:
• Suggests the Yamaha P-515:
• L-515 wooden console stand and LP-1 three-pedal assembly
• Yamaha's top-of-the-line keyboard action (the same one in their $15-20K clavinova models)
• Acoustically sampled concert grand piano sound, including the Bosendorfer Grand Imperial (as well as the Yamaha 9-foot CFX)
• Released in Fall 2018
• Criticizes Wirecutter staff for inconsistent limiting of models to console digital pianos
• Categorizes:
1. Keyboard toys
2. Keyboards with actions simulating their acoustic counterparts and with integrated sound systems which are not integral to their attached or detachable console stands
3. Keyboards in which the sound system is integral to the stand/case in which they are housed (e.g., Yamaha's Clavinova series)
4. Keyboards intended for use with external sound systems (i.e., stage instruments)

Suggestion to get a subwoofer to improve feel from bass keys:

https://www.reddit.com/r/piano/comments/aden9h/yamaha_p515_current_best_option_available/

Yamaha P515 parts:

• Digital piano: $1,499.99
• LP-1 three-pedal assembly: $74.99
• Yamaha L515B Wooden Furniture Stand for P515B: $129.99
• Total: $1,705

Review sites:
Tim Praskins's AZ piano review blog, or PianoDreamers.com

Hamilton

Dawn won two Hamilton lottery tickets through their mobile app, so we spontaneously attended the 7:00 p.m. showing at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco on Saturday, August 17. The ticket office gave us (for $10/each!) first row center tickets, just right of the conductor/keyboardist (seats A104 and 106). We had a quick meal of chicken and waffles at Hazel. This was our first time at the Orpheum. Dawn was over the moon. I am still getting over a cold, so I was more muted, but still had the feeling of, Is this real life right now? Show was outstanding. I enjoyed watching the keyboardist conductor play, excessively bobbing along with the music. It reminded me of how it feels to code software while listening to music that resonates. I'm not sure why, but the staff did not allow photography of the stage or musicians. The keyboardist used a Yamaha.

Weird Al - The Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley

Dawn and I attended Weird Al's Strings Attached Tour performance at The Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley, on August 9, 2019.

We arrived early. I was starting to feel a head cold. We parked on Shattuck initially and walked past old haunts. At the original Pete's location on Vine, we settled-in and I rested while I listened to a woman unsuccessfully attempt to get phone tech support for her Apple laptop. I had an unsweetened matcha tea latte, which was lovely. Dawn had a mocha, I think.

Pre-show supper was Taste of the Himalays, where everything was great:

• Chicken Nauni (Butter Chicken) Boneless premium chicken thigh meat baked in the Tandoor and then cooked in Himalayan style dairy based buttery sauce
• Palak Mushroom *Vegan (Minced spinach and fresh mushroom cooked with onion, tomato based sauce)

We found a spot near the Kleugel House and this was perfect, just as it was in 2012. Strolling through UC Berkeley, we found the bookstore closed. Telegraph Avenue was next, and a lot of things there were closed too, though we ducked into a Tokyo reseller store where Dawn purchased a few SumiSumi surprise toys.

By the time we got to the ticket line (after averting a crisis in getting the tickets in the app), the line had stretched all the way back to the parking garage. We got in, purchased a tee shirt, and found our seats--pretty cramped. There were a bunch of Weird Al impersonators (~12?).

The show was tightly orchestrated and the orchestra was flawless. The sight of hundreds of mobile devices illuminating the night along with Don't Download This Song was memorable. Weasel Stomping Day has ... not aged well and didn't resonate (weird! disquieting?). Harvey the Wonder Hamster was perfect--thank you.

There's something about Jackson Park Express that Weird Al seems to personally like--the musicianship, perhaps, the nod to past greats. It's not the lyrics, but it would be the song that came into my head in the next few days.

After the show we noted the hanging brocade lamps in the back of the stage area.

Driving home was uneventful, thankfully.

I wish I wish I hadn't been sick--I felt muted.

Orchestra Only Set:

• The Raiders March
• Mission: Impossible
• Superman March
• Star Wars: Throne Room / End Credits

Main Set:

• Fun Zone
• I Lost on Jeopardy / I Love Rocky Road / Like a Surgeon
• The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota
• Word Crimes
• One More Minute
• Drum Solo
• Jurassic Park
• Don't Download This Song
• Weasel Stomping Day
• Bass Solo
• Tacky
• Harvey the Wonder Hamster
• Jackson Park Express
• Smells Like Nirvana
• Dare to Be Stupid
• White & Nerdy
• Amish Paradise

Encore:

• The Saga Begins
• Yoda

Philadelphia Trip Summary

Art:

I didn't have an ah-ha creative experience like I did in Vancouver.

I think Cherry Street Pier came the closest and I liked what I saw of the artists in residence. However, it was vacant on the late afternoon weekday I visited.

There was also a small, screened-off vendor in the corner of the Philadelphia Bourse building that seemed to have some potential, but was not open the two times we visited.

The Barnes Foundation was fantastic.

Cheesesteaks:

1. Rustica Rosticceria: 
1. The Gladiator: Roasted pork, pulled and chopped with sharp provolone
2. Marino’s Gobbler: house-roasted sliced whole turkey breast cranberry apple spread rich turkey brown gravy classic stuffing with onions and celery
2. Sonny's Famous Steaks: The Classic - Whiz, wit'
3. Campo's Philly Cheesesteaks: American, wit'
4. Geno's Steaks: Whiz, wit'
5. Pat's King of Steaks: Whiz, wit'
6. Reading Terminal Market - DiNic’s: Roast Pork, provolone, wit'
7. MilkBoy (note: they serve Jim's Steaks): provolone, wit-out
8. Cleavers: Whiz, wit'
9. Chickie`s & Pete`s @ PHL Airport (Terminal D): Whiz, wit'

My favorite was Cleavers, by a yard, even though the service was a sequence of miscommunications and misunderstandings. Rustica was also great. 

Let's face it, competition is strong in Philly and all of the above are solid (with one exception, noted below). 

My least favorite was Chickie's & Pete's, also by a yard, for mediocre bread, small portion size, and unenthusiastic service ... maybe it's better outside the airport.

People tend to treat customer service as something to be efficient about when ordering, and Pat's was probably the most true-to-expectation, but nearly every place was helpful and if you treat them like a human being they're super nice, even if it's sweltering hot and humid. x_x

Philadelphia Day 6

TIMELINE

• 8:00 a.m. Awake (8 hours sleep)
• 9:30 a.m. Reading Terminal Market - Pearl's Oyster Bar
• Me: Special - omelet with asparagus and bacon, with grits
• Dawn: steel cut oats with rhubarb
• Guitarist Chris Hall outside (I think?) - love to hear his voice
• 10:30 a.m. One Liberty Observation Deck
• 12:00 p.m. Museum of the American Revolution
• 3:30 p.m. Starbucks at Marriot:
• Double shot espresso
• Brownie
• 4:30 p.m. PHL airport
• 4:45 p.m. Chickie`s & Pete`s (Terminal)
• Mediocre food (cheesesteak and chicken sandwich) and service 
• 9:30 p.m. SFO airport
• 11:00 p.m. Home
• 11:30 p.m. Asleep

NOTES

• Driver from Marriott to PHL was Stevie
• Hearing aid
• Found someone else's phone in his van (they dropped it)
• Grew up on Pat's cheesesteaks and said he knew some of the guys personally
• Shuttle driver for 18 years; very safe
• Used to work in construction
• "They don't speak English" comment about ride-sharing drivers
• Gave history lessons:
• Reason why first post office doesn't fly the flag
• Saturday's the worst for traffic
• Two hours to DC, 90 minutes to NYC, ?? hours to Atlantic City
• Great port
• Cheesesteaks: "Cheese, 'wit." That's how you say it
• Museum of the AR was solid, but we only had a limited time; missed seeing Washington's tent by a few steps
• Impressed by book selection in the gift shop
• Hot again
• There's a guy busking outside Reading Terminal Market with an amazing voice

Philadelphia Day 5

TIMELINE

• 8:00 a.m. Awake (8 hours sleep)
• 9:45 a.m. Reading Terminal Market - DiNic’s 
• Place was packed and there was a guy dressed in Amish attire at the counter so it seemed legit
• Shrimp & grits with eggs over easy
• Biscuit and cherry jam
• 10:15 a.m. Reading Terminal Market - Old City Coffee: double shot espresso
• 10:45 a.m. Free Library Philadelphia
• Wrought-iron balconies within each department
• Briefly viewed the Bernstein documents on display, including correspondence
• 11:15 a.m. Barnes Foundation
• Some of Renoir's art reminded me of DeepDream
• Joan Miró 
• Edith Dimock
• Claude Lorrain
• Francis McCarthy
• William Glackens
• Vincent van Gogh
• Pablo Picasso
• DeMuth - what are the words in his paintings (?)
• 6:00 p.m. Cleavers
• Cheesesteak with extra ribeye, cheese whiz, and onions
• Guiness draught
• 6:45 p.m. Federal Donuts:
• Cinnamon brown sugar
• Strawberry lavender
• Cookies and cream
• Peach ricotta
• 7:00 p.m. Ben & Jerry's: pint of Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake Truffles
• 7:15 p.m. Back at hotel
• ??? p.m. Asleep

NOTES

• Some of Renoir's art reminded me of DeepDream
• Joan Miró 

Philadelphia Day 4

TIMELINE

• 8:30 a.m. Awake (9 hours sleep)
• 10:45 a.m. Reading Terminal Market - DiNic’s 
• Roast Pork with onions and provolone
• Business name comes from combination of Tommy Nicolosi and his cousin, Franky DiClaudio: "DiNic's". Boom.
• 11:00 a.m. Reading Terminal Market - Old City Coffee: double shot espresso
• 11:00 a.m. Walk to Drexel Academy of Natural Sciences:
• Masonic Temple
• Philadelphia Municipal Services Building courtyard, with enormous games pieces
• LOVE Park
• Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza
• Kosciuszko Monument
• Amor Sculpture
• Logan Circle
• Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul
• Swann Memorial Fountain
• 11:45 a.m. Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
• Butterfly landed on me : o )
• 1:00 p.m. Walk to Franklin Institute; passed by:
• Aero Memorial World War I
• Parkway Central Library (also known as Free Library or Central Library)
• How does a train brake work (?)
• Velocipede
• Battery term came from row of guns firing all at once
• Ben Franklin: how reasonable to be a reasonable creature to reason for everything one wants to do
• 1:15 p.m. Arrived at the Franklin Institute
• Exhibits seen:
• Electricity:
• Tesla Coil
• Changing Earth
• The Franklin Airshow
• 1911 Wright Brothers Model B flyer
• United States Air Force 1948 T-33 Shooting Star jet trainer
• The Giant Heart
• Walked inside
• The Train Factory: 
• Nice visualization of the magnetic fields of two bar magnets
• Fun exhibit showing various prototypes of rail wheel types
• Space Command
• Clarified for me how battery works at a chemical level
• Amazing Machine
• Maillardet's automaton: wow
• Your Brain
• Admired the Neural Climber, but it looked like it was made for someone half my size (though one section seemed ok for adults)
• Real neruon from a giant squid
• Hanging piano
• Fels Planetarium 
• 3:30 p.m. showing of "Asteroid: Mission Extreme"
• Laughed out loud at intro video which had Star Trek instrumental music and seemed a thinly disguised promo for Space-X
• Foucault pendulum
• 6:35 p.m. Arrive Rittenhouse Square
• Lion with a Snake by Antoine-Louis Barye (1832)
• Dr. J. William White Memorial
• 6:55 p.m. Federal Donuts @ Center City:
• Peach ricotta donut
• Dr. Brown's Root Beer
• 7:00 p.m. Joe's Brick Oven Pizza: slice of tomato pie and slice of black olive
• 7:25 p.m. Back at hotel (completely soaked)
• 11:30 p.m. Asleep

NOTES

• Completely soaked by rain
• Thunder and lightning 

Philadelphia Day 3

TIMELINE

• 7:00 a.m. Awake (5.5 hours sleep)
• 7:45 a.m. Walked with Dawn to the American Control Conference (ACC) 2019 morning plenary (full session) talk
• 8:15 a.m. Reading Terminal Market - The Dutch Eating Place
• Scrapple with scrambled egg omelet and buttered wheat toast
• 8:30 a.m. Reading Terminal Market - Beiler’s Bakery
• Pistachio muffin
• Cinnamon roll with walnuts
• Purchased a loaf of bread for a hungry homeless woman
• 8:45 a.m. Reading Terminal Market - Sweet as Fudge Candy Shoppe
• Three dark chocolate cashew turtles
• Penuchi fudge square (I've only read about it)
• Brownie fudge square
• 9:00 a.m. Back at hotel; tried to sleep but couldn't
• 11:30 a.m. Meet with Dawn after her talk which went well; walk down to her Women in Control lunch session
• 12:15 p.m.: SEPTA 11th Street station
• Purchased Key Card with incorrect weekly TransPass for next week
• Loaded the Key Card wallet and was able to ride the subway to the Independence Center exit
• Long underground tunnels connecting the various stations ... probably very helpful in the winter
• 12:30 p.m. Selfie with Philly Phanatic statue at Independence Visitor Center
• 1:00 p.m. National Constitution Center - We The People performance (mediocre script, but clever use of technology)
• 2:30 p.m. National Constitution Center - "Fourteenth" performance (wonderful)
• 3:15 p.m. SEPTA customer service to submit service request to remove Weekly TransPass charge which I don't need (customer service was wonderful)
• 4:20 p.m. Elfreth's Alley
• 4:45 p.m. Cherry Street Pier - wonderful creative space, but nobody was there
• 4:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. walking along waterfront
• Blue Cross RiverRink (roller skates)
• Great Plaza at Penn's Landing
• Spruce Street Harbor Park (hammocks :) )
• Rentals of peddle-powered swans, kayaks
• Mini amusement park
• 5:40 p.m. Cool off at CVS; purchased contact lens solution
• 6:00 p.m. Geno's Steaks - 
• wit', with 'wiz
• Birch beer
• Fries
• Passyunk Avenue
• 6:15 p.m. Pat's King of Steaks - wit', with 'wiz
• Honestly, I can't tell only that the bread differs
• Both great
• 6:30-7:15 p.m. - walked back to hotel, seeing a few things:
• Italian Market
• Magic Gardens (this was more impressive than expected, but closed)
• 7:15 p.m. Wawa #8112 - mixed fruit and a salted pretzel
• 7:20 p.m. Back at hotel
• ??? p.m. Asleep

NOTES

• 90 F with 63% humidity : S
• Dragging today; didn't get to sleep as much as I preferred
• Felt ok walking around though
• Elfreth's Alley was peaceful and in order; Bladen's Court was a neat sheltered retreat

Route: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7390166

Philadelphia Day 2

TIMELINE

• 9:30 a.m. Awake (9 hours sleep)
• 10:15 a.m. Left hotel, walked down 4th St., passing a number of locations:
• Hill–Physick–Keith House
• St. Peter's Episcopal Church & graveyard:
• Charles Willson Peale
• Commodore Stephen Decatur
• Vice President George M. Dallas
• The Reverend Jacob Duché
• John Nixon
• Captain Gustavus Conyngham
• Eliza Lucas Pinckney
• Samuel Fraunces
• Raynor Taylor
• The chiefs of eight American Indian tribes
• The Strange and Unusual
• Bainbridge Green
• Brickbat Books
• 11:00 a.m. Kawaii Kitty Cafe
• Kawaii Sundae (cookies and cream)
• Cat Face Latte
• Americano
• 12:45 p.m. Lunch to go @ Sonny's Famous Steaks (The Classic: beef, wiz, wit)
• 1:00 p.m. Back at hotel
• 1:15 p.m. Rehearse talk
• 3:20 p.m. Christ Church Burial Ground (graveyard):
• Benjamin Franklin
• Four other signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried here, Benjamin Rush, Francis Hopkinson, Joseph Hewes and George Ross
• For a full list, see Wikipedia
• 4:10 p.m. National Constitution Center
• 5:20 p.m. Paris Baguette @ 4501 Arch Street (Iced milk bubble tea)
• 5:30 p.m. Walked through the Reading Terminal Market
• 5:45 p.m. back at hotel
• 6:00-9:00 p.m. Dawn @ American Control Conference (ACC) 2019 Opening Reception
• 8:45 p.m. Campo's Philly Cheesesteaks at 214 Market Street - Cheesesteak with American and fried onions
• 9:15 p.m. Wawa #8112 - mixed fruit, granola cup w/strawberries, Wawa pretzel
• 11:00 p.m. Asleep

NOTES

• Historical district very lush and well-preserved
• Two cheesesteaks today: Sonny's and Campo's; both solid
• Humid; walked about 6-8 miles today and have a friction burn
• Uneven sidewalks a bit of a challenge
• Philadelphians seem to know when to start crossing even though the light hasn't changed to green ... Dawn says they look the other way to see the opposing light changing but I'm guessing everyone has a sixth sense
• 
  

Philadelphia Day 1

TIMELINE

• 6:30 a.m. Awake (7 hours sleep)
• 7:15 a.m. Left hotel
• 8:00 a.m. La Colombe - Independence Hall
• Scone
• Croissant
• Peach danish
• Coffee
• 8:30 a.m. Independence Visitor Center
• Free tickets for Independence Hall
• We got the first tour at 9:00 a.m. because the person who reserved them never picked them up
• We picked the wrong door to lineup at initially
• 9:00 a.m. Independence Hall tour
• 11:15-12:30 p.m. 243rd annual Declaration of Independence reading
• 12:45 p.m. Rustica Rosticceria
• The Gladiator Roasted pork, pulled and chopped with sharp provolone
• Marino’s Gobbler house-roasted sliced whole turkey breast cranberry apple spread rich turkey brown gravy classic stuffing with onions and celery
• 1:15 p.m. Benjamin Franklin Museum
• Saw a physical Leyden jar, something I've only read about
• Saw a Franklin's armonica
• Recovered from a migraine
• 4:00 p.m. Christ Church
• Organ refurbished in 2018
• Bell older than the Liberty Bell; they're not sure what to do with it
• 5:15 p.m. Betsy Ross House
• Cherry water ice 
• 6:00 p.m. Scoop DeVille @ The Bourse
• Fudge brownie ice cream
• 6:15 p.m. Wawa @ 1136 Market St
• Tastykake
• Wawa pretzel
• Homestyle Chicken Bites
• 6:30 p.m. back at hotel; watched reruns of The Office
• 11:00 p.m. Asleep

NOTES

• Rained off and on today, which made it cooler ... not too bad, only needed an umbrella a few times
• Serendipitous to attend the 243rd anniversary celebration of the first formal readings of the July 8, 1776 reading of the Declaration of Independence:
• "The first formal public readings of the document took place on July 8, in Philadelphia (by John Nixon in the yard of Independence Hall)...."
• Was scheduled as an outdoor event, but moved inside to Congress Hall
• Re-enactments with costumed performers, both for and against revolution
• Handed out laser tabloid sheets of the Declaration 
• Ate one and a half enormous cheesesteaks for lunch plus fries and subsequently got a migraine ... recovered by drinking a half-liter of water and loosening my belt one notch
• Wawa foods:
• Ate first Tastykake desserts:
• Baked Apple Pie
• Baked Peach Pie
• Chocolate Glazed Pie 
• Banana Pudding Creme Glazed Pie
• Homestyle Chicken Bites
• Wawa represents the Ojibwe word for the Canada goose (taken from The Song of Hiawatha)

Philadelphia Day 0

TIMELINE

• 4:45 a.m. Awake (five hours sleep)
• 6:15 a.m. Left home
• 7:30 a.m. Arrive Long Term Parking - SFO
• 7:50 a.m. Arrive at baggage check area and automated ticketing kiosk
• 8:00 a.m. Arrive TSA PreCheck security ... no taking off shoes and belt, etc.
• 8:15 a.m. Arrive at gate
• 8:30 a.m. Napa Farms Market (International Terminal G)
• Cage-free Egg, Bacon & Cheese breakfast sandwiches (Applewood smoked bacon, aged cheddar, served on a ciabatta roll)
• Latte 
• India-inspired salmon salad with green beans, green olives, spiced potatoes
• 9:00 a.m. Board
• Flight delayed by ~30 minutes due to thunderstorms on the east coast
• Dawn purchased internet access for ~$20 to do work en route
• Internet free for public entertainment, seeing flight status, etc.
• Offered maple wafers and pretzels and soft beverages
• Overall smooth flight; I tried to rest with eyes closed and listened to audiobook D Day Girls
• Noticed the headrests were on velcro, which might help me adjust them on the return trip
• 6:00 p.m. (local time) Arrive Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
• 6:30 p.m. Taxi to downtown
• 6:50 p.m. Arrive Philadelphia Marriott Downtown
• 7:20 p.m. Luke's Lobster Market East
• SHRIMP COMBO with side lobster bisque + root beer $18 (570 - 810 cal.)
• LOBSTER COMBO with side salad + root beer $20 (340 - 730 cal.)
• 7:50 p.m. Dessert at Scoop DeVille Midtown
• Oreo Mudslide: Coffee ice cream blended with Oreos, and topped with more Oreos, with hot fudge on the side.
• Chocolate Velvet Individual Cake: Creamy cheesecake surrounded by decadent chocolate ganache, and chocolate crumbs, and finished with a chocolate buttercream rosette.
• ??? p.m. Asleep

NOTES

• Taxi driver (name was something like Blaze) was from Ivory Coast; really easy guy to talk to, favorite sports team was the Eagles because they get him the most money ; o )
• Downtown Philadelphia on a Sunday night reminds me of the Vancouver Gastown area; lots of transient people
• Drove through areas of blight around Philadelphia on way to hotel
• Walked through the Gayborhood down Walnut to the iconic City Hall; watched children of all ages playing in the splash pad 
• Lots of historical signs
• Saw a Wawa convenience store

Philadelphia Trip Planning

Attending the 2019 American Control Conference:
http://acc2019.a2c2.org/

Wi-Fi Hotspot Rental

• N/A (domestic) ... see South Korea / Vancouver for previous experiences

Itinerary

• 07/07 (Sun): 
• Arrive: SFO to PHL (9:05–5:35 p.m.)
• Wake up: 4:45 a.m.
• Depart home: 5:45 a.m.
• Arrive long-term parking: 7:00 a.m.
• Arrive check-in (via shuttle): 7:25 a.m.
• Arrive security: 7:45 a.m.
• Arrive gate: 8:00 a.m.
• Board: 8:30 a.m.
• Getting to hotel:
• Taxi: $30
• Train: $7
• Hotel check-in: 
• The Philadelphia Downtown Marriott 
• Check-in time 4:00 p.m.
• 07/08 (Mon)
• 
  
• 07/09 (Tue)
• 11:00 a.m.: Kawaii Kitty Cafe
• 07/10 (Wed)
• ACC 
• 07/11 (Thu)
• ACC
• 07/12 (Fri)
• ACC
• 07/13 (Sat)
• Checkout: 
• The Philadelphia Downtown Marriott (leave bags?)
• Check-out time 11:00 a.m.
• Depart: PHL to SFO (6:30–9:46 p.m.)

Hotels

• http://acc2019.a2c2.org/conference/venue/
• Conference rates:
• The Philadelphia Downtown Marriott
• $USD 169 discounted rate (before taxes and fees; normal conference base rate was $USD 209)
• 15.5% taxes and fees:
• $USD 194.35 ($USD 169.00 * 1.15)
• Out-of-pocket::
• $USD 0
• Reimbursement Rates:
• Lodging: $USD 194.35 (capped at $USD 275/day)
• Meals and incidentals: up to $USD 62/day
• Via: "For travel assignments of less than 30 days within the continental United States (CONUS), the reimbursement of daily subsistence expenses shall be based on the actual amounts incurred for lodging (room rate capped at $275-excluding tax and fees) and meals and incidental expenses, (capped at maximum of $62/day)"

2019 American Control Conference

http://acc2019.a2c2.org/

• July 10–12, 2019
• Conference site: The Philadelphia Downtown Marriott

Sight seeing

• http://www.visitphilly.com/

Meals and incidentals:

• Maximum (room rate capped at $275-excluding tax and fees) : 
• Maximum Lodging Rate: $USD 275
• M & IE Rate: $USD 62 (total; no breakdowns by meal)
• Maximum Per Diem Rate: $USD 337

Transportation

• Santa Cruz to/from Airport (SFO?)
• Personal vehicle: Santa Cruz to/from Airport
• Automobile Mileage Rates (58¢ per mile - Effective 1/1/2019)
• SFO Long-term Parking: https://www.flysfo.com/to-from/parking/long-term
• Shuttle to/from terminal
• Airlines
• Flight price tracking:
• Google Flights: https://www.google.com/flights/
• Hipmunk (add email address during search): https://www.hipmunk.com
• PHL to/from Hotel
• Public transportation: ???
• Taxis: $??

Government Resources

• Passport: Valid through July 2026
• Global Entry:
• Valid through April 2022
• TSA Pre✓
• Expedited re-entry clearance
• https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry

Pet Boarding:

• Pads N Paws Petsitting/Bun and Breakfast - Santa Cruz, CA
• http://padsnpawspetsitting.com/

Sites (Suggested)

• ???

International Conference Travel Checklist

• Carry-on:
• Eye-mask
• Travel-sized toiletries:
• Hair brush
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Mini deodorant
• Dry shampoo (recommended: Oscar Blandi)
• Linen face blotters
• Refreshing face spray
• Electronics:
• Laptop
• Laptop Charger
• International power adapters
• Mini power strip
• Cell phone
• Cell phone charger
• Flashdrive
• Dongles which use regularly
• Any adapters needed to connect your computer to a projector
• Extra:
• Kindle
• Noise-canceling headphones
• Traveling
• Printouts 
• Condense to one page; keep in wallet/passport bag:
• Flight information
• Hotel reservation (with address)
• Maps
• Location of the conference center
• Travel reason proof, for border crossing:
• Conference registration
• Talk/poster acceptance letter
• Water bottle
• Guides
• TripAdvisor
• US Department of State
• Identification
• Passport bag around neck
• Passport
• Printed copy of passport
• Boarding passes
• Conference essentials
• Business cards
• Color copies of poster (if presenting one)
• Note-taking:
• Writing utensils
• Notebook (for example, Moleskin)
• Water bottle
• Reusable travel mug
• Umbrella
• Small purse or bag (note: so don't have to lug laptop bag to dinner)
• Snacks (granola bars, fruit, nuts)
• Travel baby wipes, hand sanitizer (note: when bathroom essentials lacking)
• List of people to introduce yourself to (note: search the program online in advance, workshop, lunch, or field trip)
• Packing
• Outfits for each day, plus backup (in case of wardrobe malfunction)
• Underwear
• Socks
• Accessories: belts/leggings, jewelry
• Outdoor wear
• Coat
• Jacket
• Raincoat
• Umbrella
• Hat
• Mittens
• Shoes: comfortable, weather appropriate
• Toiletries:
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Soap
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Hair products/hair dryer
• Nail clippers
• Shaving needs
• contact lenses/solution
• feminine hygiene products
• bite splints/retainers
• makeup
• medication
• ID:
• Passport
• Travel visa (if needed)
• Wallet
• Debit/credit cards
• Talk:
• Backup (!)
• Poster (with print-outs, in a poster tube with your contact info)
• Good to have:
• Mini sewing kit (for lost buttons, etc.)
• Travel laundry bag (these are great)
• Books, papers, or files you need to work while you travel (or finish your talk)
• Location of lodging, conference center, flight information, transportation itineraries, etc.
• Before you leave:
• Notify credit card companies of where and when will travel
• Citi
• U.S. Bank - Email them, like a barbarian: login, contact us, email....
• Golden One - Email them, like a barbarian: login, contact us, email....
• Capital One 360 - Don't need to
• Other (?)

Resources

• https://wikitravel.org/en/Philadelphia

Reimbursement:

• Travel Process: https://financial.ucsc.edu/Pages/Travel_Process.aspx
• Travel "Keys": https://financial.ucsc.edu/Pages/Travel_Keys.aspx
• Travel Forms: https://financial.ucsc.edu/Pages/travel_guide.aspx
• Travel Guide (that is, all the details): https://financial.ucsc.edu/Pages/Travel_Forms.asp

Previously:

https://iokevins-social.blogspot.com/2016/07/south-korea.html
http://iokevins-social.blogspot.com/2017/06/vancouver-travel-planning.html