SF Games BBQ

San Francisco Games teams got together for one Friday afternoon to celebrate everyday hard work and to get to know each other among teams (client team, server team, web team, product management, marketing, operations, etc.).

HeGe, the site manager/head of GCP (games community platform), is doing his usual speech entertaining us with bunch of jokes. People worked till noon and got together for nice outside BBQ lunch. Crissy Field is 10 minutes ride from SF office with great view of bay and golden gate bridge.
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Nice chat over yummy food and drink. Nice break after long hour of work.
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Good view is another reason we enjoy this BBQ area. You can see east bay (Berkeley/Oakland) from here.
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Jeff(IOPS), Peter(Engineering) and Chris(Testing) are chatting over beer? Mayby discussing a new way of SW release?

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As usal with our BBQ, we set up and play volleyball. Best way to mingle members across different teams!

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After 3 hours, we packed the area. Here is Dya and his little army of birds.

Now we plan to have open BBQ including outside of Games org. Please join us next time!

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Carl's Farewell

Carl, our J2ME developer, has been pursuing his passion in location based technology. Since other organization in Nokia needs his expertise in this field, though it is sad to see him going, all of us agreed this transition. Now he will be working in Mt.View. Now it is time to celebrate his departure!

As always, our team headed for Mars Bar nearby our office for late lunch. We are enjoying sunny San Francisco weather as well as our last chat with Carl.
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Hungry members got together.

"Free lunch? Really? Can I order beer? I will come!".

Difficult to gather guys for meetings but easy to get them for food or beer ;-).

Lassen Hike - Day 3

While hiking, we have sited mom deer and baby bambi. They were curiously looking at us but when we waved hands to say hello, they took off.
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In many places, especially, around lakes, we see clear foot print of all kinds of animals. This is bear foot print. We have not sited any yet but we know they are walking around...

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Captain Peter leads. Guneet and Egor keep up well. Day 3 was very hot and we had to go through volcanic area on sandy road. It was really exhausting but the scenery is always breath-taking.

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Team Peter is approaching "Cinder Cone". We had options to go left (longer rout) and right (shorter rout). After discussing, we took right so that we will be much closer to parking area in Day 4. Beautiful but hot!

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After long walk on sandy road, we finally reached beautiful blue lake! Here is lunch spot as well as swimming spot. After eating nice lunch, all of us jumped into lake. First shower after 3 days of hike. It was such a refreshing moment.

Lassen Hike - Day 2

Day 2 starts. Pack up everything and ready to go. We will hike till we find a place where we can get some water.
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Finally, we arrived at beautiful lake. We decided to take a lunch break here while securing drinking water.

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Using water filter, we pumped out enough drinking water for upcoming hike. Peter usually requires us to maintain 2 litter of water per person to carry. Keep drinking water while hiking is the key to avoid dehidration which usually results in exhaustion.

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Captain Peter is resting after nice lunch. Captain is also responsible team's food supply. He brought really tasty salami and cheese from Whole Foods.

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After lunch, we kept hiking to the target point. It was very hot and team was very exhausted. Though we could hike longer, considering the exhaustion of team members, we decided to set up a camp early afternoon. It was again beautiful night with full moon nearby lake. We could hear animals walking nearby lake during night. We have not sighted bear yet...

Antfoot Sited in San Francisco

Our Ex – Leader came into the office and the site folks haven’t seen him in a while, he moved from San Francisco back to his native land of France. Today he has back visiting the San Francisco, everyone was kinda of shocked to see him. The QA guy just could not resist playing a little joke on him so he posted warning posters around the office.

This is Antoine


This is Bigfoot or Sasquatch

Antfoot or DoumSasquatch is alleged to be an Director-like creature inhabiting remote areas of France, and is sometimes spotted in the in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and Canada. Antfoot is usually described as a tall, with a slightly receeding hairline, bipedal Director-Man. Believers in its existence contend that such an animal, or close relatives of it, may be found around the world under different regional names, or at least travel there from time to time. There a rumor that the beast maybe next seen in Singapore.

Lassen Hike - Day 1

It is already September. Time to go into forest. Like last year (http://teamsnap.blogspot.com/2007/07/snap-mobile-emigrant-wilderness.html), using weekend, we started planning back-packing trip. After considering several options (Jun Mur Wilderness, Yosemite, Emigrant) , we have decided to hit Lassen National Forest this time.

After getting all the gear/food in REI (one block from our SF office), we hit the road to north east.
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After driving 4 hours, before going into mountain, we stopped Peter's favorite diner to get some energy. They look relaxed and don't know they have to hike in a dark after this except for Peter... **********

This diner, Black Bear, serves excellent dish in quality, price and amount. You need to try this T-bone meal. Awesome!

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After arriving the parking site around 9pm, all of us except for Peter were ready to go to bed by setting up tents next to our car.

Peter: "OK. Take our your flash light. We will hike to camp ground"

Atsushi: "What? Can't we sleep here?"

Peter: "Not allowed"

Guneet: "How far to camp ground? 10 minutes?"

Peter: "3 miles"

Atsushi/Guneet/Egor: "ok......"

We ended up hiking till mid-night with flashlight on our head setting up tents in a dark (even we got lost on the way to camp once...).

Man, Peter knows how to train us in a hard way...

Next morning, We woke up with the strange noise. When we looked out from our tent, deer was looking at us from nearby field. Nice surprise in the morning.

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Day 2 starts. Everyone looks clean and fine. We all thought 1st night hike was the hardest hike but we will find out Peter has prepared us with tougher assignment...

Friends get together again!

One Friday, our friend/ex-team member Heidi from Mt. View office called SF office people to join her in Montara beach. Waves look good!

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Ari from 1st party publishing team has already completed several sessions. Montara beach is always beatiful as you see. We love this beach, 40 min from our office ;-)

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Heidi is going in! The wave is pretty big today but she is determined.

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Sun is coming down. After several sessions, Atsushi is heading back to base.

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Here is the gang this time (+ Ari who left a bit earlier). The weather was beatiful and we enjoyed chatting on the water while waiting for waves. Heidi, let's do it again!

Usual beach check on Friday

When weather is good, some of us will go to usual beach check on Friday evening after work. During summer, we can surf from 6pm till 9pm.

Stacey is checking Montara beach. "Wow, big closed out..."
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But beautiful. We were hanging out for a while. **********

We came back to Pacifica Lindamar beach. Looks nice!

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Stacey and Atsushi are going in! Shot with N-95 looks pretty good ;-)

Pics from 8/15 Surfing Session II

Nice weather united us again! Sun is high and air is warm. It was funny that everywhere (SF downtown, north, south, east) except for this beach was cloudy. This time we had 12 people participated including 7 new friends!

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Stacey checked waves before her beginner class instructor duty. She seemed to already have caught couple nice waves.

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Jenn is charging her energy before going in. She was a bit late stuck in last minute meetings but managed to come out carrying two boards for her and beginner. I call her a real committed instructor.

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As usual, we used buddy approach for any first timer/beginner. Stacey buddied up with Srinivas who is from web team first time trying surfing.

By the way, all first timers/beginners will have buddy in the water (Stacey, Jenn, Atsushi or Kurt). As long as you are comfortable with swimming, please do not hesitate but join us ;-). Not comfortable? Don't worry. You can still join "Team Couch Potato".

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Here is our base camp. "Team Couch Potato" (Dya, Guneet, George) is relaxing and enjoying sun, food and ice-cold beer. Since we had George this time, I made sure to double the amount of beer I bring. Obviously, I was wrong. When I came back from session, I saw another 12 packs of Heineken next to cooler box...yes I should have tripled.

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This is Dya, the Iron Chef SNAP Mobile. He volunteered to do cooking for us. We contacted beach official for BBQ idea but it was vetoed. Iron Chef never gives up. Instead, he brought awesome home-made dishes for us!

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Today's Dya Special Menu
-Crispy fried chicken (home fried)
-Banana hot sauce (home made)
-Insalata Caprese (home made)
-Basil/mint/black pepper olive oil (home made)
-Sourdough bread

It was yummy and plenty. I do not know how he managed to serve all of this under $50. Maybe SNAP Mobile team should consider service extention from mobile online multiplyer gaming solution to catering.

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Janne, who joined SF site recently, is from rich content team. This is his first time surfing. He buddied up with Atsushi. He paddled really well and caught lots of waves. Having nice break after two hours session.

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Rick, another regular member in our surfing session, who is from IOPS, is ready to go for next session. Next to Rick, Guneet is first time joining us at beach.

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After everyone packing up, Stacey is ready to go for final session. She is determined...

It was another nice Friday afternoon with nice friends from SF office...

For next session, we will try to have real BBQ. Stay tuned!

Surfing Session II

Hi SF site members!

Sun is coming back to San Francisco. Time to grab board and hit the beach! We are having 2nd surfing session. If interested, please join us!

(Date/Time)
8/15(Fri) afternoon depending on weather/tide condition

(Place)
Lindamar Beach at Pacifica

(Target Audience)
Anyone who is interested

(What needed/Guidelines)
[Wet suite]
If you have one, great. If not, we can rent at Norcal

[Swimsuite/towel]
You need one

[Life Jacket]
If you are not comfortable swimming, first you should learn how to swim. If you still would like to try with your own risk, you need one. Just drinking with us at beach is welcomed as well!

[Booties]
If you have one pair, great. If not, you do not need one. It is a sand beach.

[Board]
1st Timers/beginners: If you have not surfed on glassfiber board nor stood on board, please first use one of three boards we have (Jenn's, Stacey's and N-Gage board) or we can rent a nice foam/epoxy board at Norcal.

Experienced: If you have surfed before with glassfiber board, you can use one of SNAP Mobile or N-Gage Maverick's boards (all 4 N-Gage boards are rented out. We have one SNAP Mobile board left. You need to fix if it gets damaged. Please read the board policy posted in SNAP Mobile room).

(Logistics)
1. Please leave comments, send email or talk to Jenn, Stacey or Atsushi if interested
2. We will decide if we hold the session or not by 9am that day based on weather and tide condition.
3. Leave office together (carpool if needed) around 1pm or meet up at Norcal in Pacifica at 1:30pm
4. Rent stuff if needed, take picture together and start surfing around 2:00pm
5. Surf lessons for 1st timers from 2:00pm to 3:00pm (Jenn, Stacey and Atsushi will do basic instruction on land and help people take off in the white water)
6. If it is hot, beer break (and maybe little BBQ)
7. Free sessions from 3:00pm
8. You have to return rented stuff by 5:30pm

Wii bowl tournament

In Sf site, we have entertainment section next to kitchen (yeah, we are in Games org...). We have PS2, 360 and Wii. After work, many of employees get together to play some apps.
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Here is Wii bowl competition. We have high score record posted on the wall. Karl from product management team playing Wii Bowl. From SNAP Mobile team, Andrew seems the best bowler.
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It is fun and easier than real bowling. Personally, I prefer real bowl with noise, buffalo wings and beer ;-).
By the way, we will hold next surfing session soon! Depending on weather/tide condition, we will decide if we hold only surfing or surfing along with little BBQ. Stay tuned!