It's gonna be a hella busy week.
Get started with wine and sake dinners, then ride your bike to work; shop Heath Ceramics' famous sale in Sausalito; head to parties hosted by the Tenderloin Museum and OMCA; catch Jeff Bridges at the LymeAid Gala and Glenn Close at Herbst Theatre; see AAU's Graduation Fashion Show; and learn to forage and ferment your own foods at a rustic-meet-luxe Mendocino retreat.
Have a good one!
Monday, May 6th
Charlie & The Chocolate Factory
7:30pm
SF Oasis, 298 Eleventh St. (SoMa), sfoasis.com
Hit the town for a special cabaret rendition of Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, with cast from the Broadway show and hosted by drag diva Ellie Monae. The show benefits the Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation. // Tickets ($35) and up can be found on sfoasis.com.Winemakers Dinner
6:30pm
Comal, 2020 Shattuck Avenue (Berkeley), comalberkeley.com
Berkeley's Comal is hosting Bedrock Wine Co. for a pair of wine dinners tonight and tomorrow. Chat up the winemakers while enjoying a five-course menu prepared by chef Matt Gandin; dishes will include salt spring mussels, chicken tacos, and wild mushroom tamales. // Tickets ($120/per person all inclusive) are available on Ticketfly for Monday and Tuesday.
"Quiet Lightning," a Literary Mixtape
Doors at 6:30, readings at 7pm
Arion Press, 1802 Hays St. (Presidio)
The evening—free for the first 100 people—is curated by Meghan Thornton and Rohan DaCosta. Come hear readings from local writers and see art by Nathalie Fabri at Arion Press, one of San Francisco's coolest and best kept secrets. // Get more info and make a donation at literarymixtape.brownpapertickets.com.
Support a kick-ass local pottery biz
Campaign runs through May 30th
Online at kickstarter.com
Likely you've admired the gorgeous dishware at various dining hot spots like The Progress, A16, Bellota, and The Commissary. The artist behind these masterpieces, MaryMar Keenan of MMclay, is working on opening a new studio and showroom in Hayes Valley to showcase and sell her work. Help her with the costs of the interior design and a new kiln by purchasing dinnerware sets, whiskey cups, plates, vases and more via her Kickstarter.
Tuesday, May 7th
Tenderloin Museum 4th Anniversary Soiree
5:30pm to 8:30pm
Phoenix Hotel, 398 Eddy St. (Tenderloin)
Toast the work of the Tenderloin Museum—which aims to empower, support, and engage the neighborhood—with drinks and bites at poolside at the Phoenix. Tickets ($100) help support the 4th Anniversary Community Celebration, a day that recognizes the people, places, and initiatives that bolster the Tenderloin community. // Tickets available at Eventbrite.
Sake Brewers Dinner
6pm to 9pm
Pabu, 101 California St. (FiDi), michaelmina.net
Taste you way through five courses of izakaya fair with sake pairings by Pabu's resident sake master and three master sake brewers from Tensei Brewery, Kanbara Brewery, and Yamada Brewery (all in Japan). // Reservations ($140 per person, plus tax and gratuity) are required; email ajohnston@pabuizakaya.com or call (415) 668-7228.
Glenn Close: Bring Change to Mind
7pm
Herbst Theater, 401 Van Ness Ave.
As part of a series on mental health, actress Glenn Close, also cofounder of the nonprofit advocacy group Bring Change to Mind, joins a panel discussion about the power of advocacy, science and youth leadership to reduce stigma and creative positive change in the world of mental health. // Tickets ($10-$55) are available at eventbrite.com.
Check out a new wine shop.
Decant SF, 1168 Folsom St. (SoMa), decantsf.com
Whether you're in the mood for a nice glass of vino out or at home, swing by Decant SF, owned by a cool female duo of sommeliers. The space functions as both wine bar and grocer—grab a few bottles and something from the curated selection of snacks, and then cozy up with your hunny in the bright cherry space (a total flip from the darker City Beer Store that used to be this location). Or, take 'em to go.
Wednesday, May 8th
Shostakovich Trilogy
7:30pm, shows through May 12th
SF Ballet at War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave. (Civic Center)
Alexei Ratmansky's stunning contemporary ballet, Shostkovich Trilogy, returns to the stage for a week of shows beginning tonight. The New York Times called it "fascinating, poetic, and enigmatic." // Tickets are available at sfballet.org.
Eat Korean food.
5pm to 10:30pm, Wednesday through Sunday
Ssal, 2226 Polk St. (Nob Hill)
Get your refined Korean food fix at Ssal, a new spot in Nob Hill from a husband-and-wife duo. Looks for fresh, beautiful plates of halibut crudo with perilla oil, beef tartare with Asian pairs, duck liver mousse with yuzu glaze, and beef short rib grilled alongside your table for meaty lettuce wraps. // Snag a reservation via Resy.
Thursday, May 9th
Ride Your Bike to Work Day
Throughout San Francisco
Bust out your wheels for Ride Your Bike to Work Day. Stop by any of the Energizer Stations for coffee, free snacks, reusable totes, or even a free tune-up on your two-wheeler. Find a station along your route on their 2019 map. // Free to attend, more event info on sfbike.org.
Chinese Happy Hour
3pm to 6pm, Monday through Friday (closed Tuesdays)
Z&Y Bistro, 606 Jackson St. (Chinatown), zybistro.com
Z&Y Bistro has some of our favorite eats in Chinatown and is always packed, with good reason. Find another reason to stop by with their newly launched happy hour menu. You'll find $7 glasses of wine, $4 Kirin draft beer, and $10 sake carafes to sip on and a selection of appetizers like robata and yakitori skewers of duck, chicken, bacon-wrapped shrimp, and asparagus beef for $3.50 to $6.Friday, May 10th
Forage & Ferment Experience
Friday through Sunday
Little River Inn, 7751 CA-1 (Mendocino Coast), littleriverinn.com
Spend the weekend up on the dreamy Mendocino coast for a special retreat focused on foraging foods from the forest. On Friday, the adventure kicks off with a welcome reception (cocktails, wine, apps with locally gathered ingredients).On Saturday, you'll forage through both the forest and the beach before the day culminates with a group feast utilizing the ingredients collected throughout the day. // Tickets for the experience are $500, excluding lodging (room rates start at $490 for two nights). More event details on littleriverinn.com.
Cookbook dinner at Moongate Lounge
6pm
Moongate Lounge, 28 Waverly Place (Chinatown), misterjius.com/
When Indian and Chinese food of insane caliber collide you get an event like this: Mister Jiu's is hosting Priya Krishna (writer for The New York Times and Bon Appétit) to celebrate her new cookbook, Indian-ish, complete with a special communal dinner of Krishna's dishes reinterpreted by Mister Jiu's chef, Brandon Jew. Expect about seven communal-style dishes like aloo parathas, caramelized spring onion and artichoke saag, tamarind sweet and sour chicken, and strawberry lassi soft serve. // Tickets ($100) includes food (not beverages) and a signed book, and can be bought via Tock.
SF Maritime Beer Fest
7pm to 10pm
Pier 45 (Embarcadero), sfport.com/
Sip on unlimited pours of sudsy beers aboard a WWII submarine, the USS Pampanito.Your ticket includes all tastings and a souvenir tasting mug. // Tickets ($30) can be purchase on maritime.org.
Saturday, May 11th
Graduation Fashion Show
3pm to 4pm
Academy of Art, 625 Polk St. (Tenderloin), academyart.edu
Gaze on the final designs and portfolio from the graduating class from the School of Fashion at the Academy of Art. This runway show will have it all -- menswear, knitwear, textile design, and more. // Free to attend, RSVP required via academyart.edu.Sidewalk Sale
Verjus, 528 Washington St. (North Beach), verjuscave.com
Cruise an outdoor sale of some treasures from Verjus, Cotogna, and Quince—the trio of exceptional restaurants from restauranteurs Michael and Lindsay Tusk. They'll have home goods, dinnerware, and accessories that have been hand-curated by the duo for sale. // Get the latest event info on verjuscave.com
Art & Wine Festival
12pm to 5pm
Jack London Square, Broadway at Embarcadero W (Oakland), jacklondonsquare.com/
Cruise over to the east bay for Oakland Art Month, and celebrate things right with pours of good vino. Peruse art from various vendors, enjoy live music (including a funk band from 2-4pm), and sample wines from 20+ wineries. // Tickets ($40) are available on Eventbrite.
LymeAid Fundraising Gala
4:30pm to 9:30pm
The Ohana Room at Salesforce Tower
Panoramic city views are just one perk of attending LymeAid, the Bay Area Lyme Foundation's annual fundraiser for the fight against tick-borne disease. Enjoy dinner, cocktails, a Hawaiian sunset ceremony, an auction, and an intimate performance from Jeff Bridges. // Tickets ($1,200) can be purchased on bayarealyme.org.
Pop-Up Magazine show
7:30pm
Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway (Oakland), paramounttheatre.com/
Pop-Up Magazine is hitting the bay for two nights -- Friday's San Francisco show is sold out, but you can still score a few tickets for Saturday's show in Oakland. For a refresher, Pop-Up Magazine is the sensational performance packed with true stories, channeling the vibes of a real-life magazine. This "2019 Spring Issue" will have acts featuring one man fighting for free Burger King Whoppers for life, another exploring the ins-and-outs of Indian weddings, and even one piece sharing the experience of domestic workers living their lives away from their true home. // Tickets ($38) can be found on popupmagazine.com.
80 Years of Top of the Mark
4:30pm
Top of the Mark, 999 California St. (Russian Hill), topofthemark.com
Betcha didn't know the Top of the Mark has been around since 1939! They're celebrating their 80th anniversary with a live music from Jazzcent, cocktails with a decades theme, dancing, and appetizer specials. No reservations for this one, so come early (and there will be a $10 cover charge after 8:30pm).
OMCA's Annual Fundraiser
6pm to 9pm
Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street (Oakland), museumca.org
Ziggurat, OMCA's biggest party of the year, is going down this weekend. Mix and mingle during an amazing dinner by East Bay legend Reem Assil (Dyafa, Reem's), have cocktails on the terrace, score something awesome in the live auction, see "Queer California: Untold Stories," and then dance the rest of the night. Can't hack the gala ticket price? Go for the after-hours portion with local DJ Poolside, bites, and cocktails. // Tickets are $1,000+ for the full event and are available on eventbrite.com, or $75 for the after hours event.
Swing into spring with wine and a show.
11am to 4pm
Chateau St. Jean, 8555 Sonoma Hwy (Kenwood), chateaustjean.com
Grab your blanket and enjoy a sensational performance by the Transcendence Theatre Company on the Chateau's Grand Lawn. All guests will receive four tasting tickets to build their own flight of Chateau St. Jean's award-winning wines, which can be enjoyed with a wide selection of gourmet snacks. Don't miss this incredible event. // Tickets (starting at $32) are available online. *Thank you to our partners at Chateau St. Jean.
Sunday, May 12th
Sausalito Seconds Sale
Saturday 8am to 6pm; Sunday 10am to 6pm
Heath Sausalito, 400 Gate Five Road (Sausalito), heathceramics.com
Head to Heath's Sausalito location to score some major deals on their ceramics, tiles, home goods, linens and more. Ritual Coffee will be on hand to keep you fueled up, along with food from Joinery for purchase. // Free to attend, more event info on heathceramics.com.
SF Matcha Fest
11am to 4pm
SoMa StrEat Food, 428 11th St. (SoMa)
Go green today with a festival celebrating the highly Instagrammable antioxidant powerhouse. Sample matcha confections from 15+ local vendors slanging lattes, donuts, waffles, cream puffs, custard cakes, and more. // Tickets ($5) are available at eventbrite.com.
Mother's Day
It's today! Forgot to get a gift? Score some last-minute ideas for Bay Area–made goods for every budget in our annual Mother's Day Gift Guide.
