Greater Los Angeles Area Mensa: Regional Gathering 2010

StaRGazing 2010 Events

(Please note that this Regional Gathering has concluded!)

Registration Hours

3:00 to 10:00pm	Friday
8:30am to noon	Saturday
1:00 to 5:00pm	Saturday
8:30 to 10:00am	Sunday
Noon to 4:00pm	Sunday

Pub Crawl – Friday, 8:00pm

Games – Dedicated game room

Carnelli: The classic Mensa word-association game consisting of movies, music, books, and whatever else the capricious and arbitrary host will allow.

Cranium: Be a star performer, word worm, creative cat, or data head in this always enjoyable team party game.

Colander/Time's Up: The first round you can say or do virtually anything to give a clue. Second round is one word plus gestures and humming. Final round is strictly humming and pantomime.

Open Mic: Sing, play an instrument, tell jokes, make a political statement, poetry slam. It's all fair game at the StaRGazing 2010 Open Mic.

SoCal Van Tour – Saturday, 9:00am

Meet in the lobby by 9:00 am to get a tour of Southern California, including stops at the Griffith Park Observatory and Grauman's Chinese Theater, and drive-bys of studios, Hollywood Blvd., Rodeo Drive, and other recognizable places. Tour will last three hours, returning to the hotel around noon. Maximum 14 people. Sign up at the registration desk. Fee of $6.00 per person is due with your reservation. See Madeline if you have questions.

Tastings

Cheese tasting	$8.00
This year we are shifting the focus of fine fromage back to Europe with a heavy emphasis on French cheeses, but don't worry, we will still have a few exceptional American offerings. For the attendees interested in the tasting but who also would like to attend other activities, the host will assemble a personal plate with every single type of cheese sampled, to be picked up at your leisure in the game room, with a short lecture on the fromage if desired.
Chocolate tasting, “The Best of 2009”	$5.00
We'll taste three plain dark chocolates: Valhrona Le Noir Amer 71% (the favorite from our 2008 tasting), Schokinag 75% extreme bittersweet, and Amano Montanya 70% (a rare single-bean chocolate from Venezuela), against several flavors (citrus, coconut, etc.). We'll also taste an eclectic collection of high-end flavored or filled chocolates: milk, white, dark and raw. A printed report of several extensive taste-tests conducted by others will be provided.
Tequila tasting	$12.00
Born on National Tequila Day, presenter Desiree Sagray was destined to love this spirit! The opportunity to explore the variety and differences in tequila in its more common forms as well as the premium varieties will be the focus of this program. Tequila lovers will enjoy our sojourn through a brief history of tequila, experiencing a small sample of its different kinds, the related mezcal options, and some of the unique tequila liquors! If you are not that familiar with tequila, then consider this an opportunity to explore the more interesting aspects of this southern California favorite!
Tea tasting	$4.00
GLAAM RG is presenting the first ever tea tasting!! We will be trying out a truly international selection of fine and not so fine teas, focusing mainly on Chinese and English teas, but with various other international teas thrown into the mix also. We will go over differences between white, red, green, and black teas. A mild warning to attendees with weak stomachs or ulcers, a few of these teas may be very strong, please be advised.
Ethnic chips tasting	$4.00
Ever wonder what the crunchy junk food that everyone loves tastes like when other countries put in their personal spin? Come sample a selection of these exotic chips from all over the world with a special emphasis on Asian countries. Selections include prawn chips, peanuts wrapped in shrimp chips, lobster chips, Japanese trail mix, garlic corn curls, etc. etc. For the attendees interested in the tasting but who also would like to attend other activities, the host will assemble a personal chips platter with every variety represented, to be picked up at your leisure in the game room, and a short explanation is also available if desired.

New Member Reception – Saturday, 2:30pm

Welcome New Mensans! This is your chance to meet your fellow Mensans at GLAAM's largest party of the year – the RG! We'll have a brief period of orientation followed by the opportunity to enjoy the rest of the RG offerings. Please RSVP with either Danielle or Desiree so we know how many to count. Join us for some games, speakers, and dancing fun the rest of the evening!

Mardi Gras Costumed Ball – Saturday, 8:00pm to midnight

Bring out your beads and masks, and dress in your finery. It's Mardi Gras in L.A. After a delicious Cajun feast in hospitality, we'll party and dance the night away to a New Orleans-music-studded mix by Dj Wes Wunder. Includes instruction by professional dancers and MC's Kimi Walker and Jacqui V.

Originally from Harlem, New York, Dj Wes Wunder grew up as Wesley Morris on the rain-kissed streets of Vancouver, British Columbia. A DJ for 10 years and a musician since the age of 4, Wes now runs As You Wish Entertainment, a full service Event DJ company, and has partnered with H2H Entertainment, the nation's #1 interactive entertainment company. You can reach Dj Wes Wunder and As You Wish Entertainment at (818) 564-SPIN, and if Wes isn't rattling the walls with block-rocking beats he may even answer the phone!

A lover of the arts and seasoned actress of stage, TV and film, Kimi often finds herself wearing many hats. She is a theatre coach, instructor and choreographer. While mentoring youth in the community, she also directs, writes and performs docudrama pieces. Kimi created her own line of aroma care products that she makes and sells for boutique sales, baby showers, weddings, spa parties and other special events. She has been a massage therapist for over ten years.

Dance leader Jacqui V is a Los Angelina with roots in the Philippines, and an interactive entertainer for kid's parties, weddings, and corporate events since 2001.

Sunday Kids' Track, supervised by GLAAM Gifted Youth Coordinator Madeline Walker

11:00am-1:00pm	Chess tournament (open to adults and children)
1:00-2:00pm	Kids' break
2:00-4:00pm	Kids' Werewolves and Villagers game (open to adults)
4:00-5:00pm	Lawyer Games (open to adults)