The fourth annual Women's March returns to SF on Saturday. (Courtesy of @womensmarchsf)
29 Fun Things: Women's March, Napa Lighted Art Fest, Restaurant Weeks + More Bay Area Events
10 January 2020
The fourth annual Women's March returns to SF on Saturday. (Courtesy of @womensmarchsf)
Plus, San Jose and Carmel-by-the-Sea are hosting their inaugural restaurant weeks; Trick Dog is taking enrollments with its new college-inspired drinks menu; Napa is lighting up with nighttime art installations; the Flower Market Fair is getting blooming in Chinatown; and more Bay Area events to keep you busy all week.
Have a good one!
Matcha Cafe Maiko's New Location
11am to 7pm, Sunday through Thursday; 11am to 9pm Friday and Saturday
Matcha Cafe Maiko, 756 Grant St. (Chinatown), matchacafe-maiko.com
Get your matcha fix at the third location of this popular cafe also in Stonestown Galleria and Japantown). Go for the classics: matcha soft serve, matcha lattes, and matcha tea.
Napa Lighted Art Festival
Through Jan. 19
6-9pm today through Thursday, 6-10pm weekends
Downtown Napa
Take a 13-stop nighttime stroll through Downtown Napa to see innovative light installations by local and international artists. Highlights include projections across historic sites, and glowing interactive wings by OGE Group. Plus, hear more about the installations during a meet-and-greet with artists, or enjoy a six-course 3D dining experience at CIA at Copia. // Festival details can be found at donapa.com.
Discussion with Teddy Goff
7pm
Manny's, 3062 16th St. (Mission), welcometomannys.com
Teddy Goff, the digital director for President Obama's 2012 re-election campaign and Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential run, is at Manny's tonight for discusstion about how he implemented digital strategy in a changing media climate, as well as his thoughts on the 2020 race. // Tickets ($10 and up) can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Bistronomy Monday
Seatings between 5:30 and 9pm
Verjus, 528 Washington St. (Jackson Square), verjuscave.com
Verjus' new pop-up dinner series, Bistronomy Mondays, is kicking off with a dinner by French chef Laure Rewega. Enjoy four courses including pork belly and petrale sole, plus optional wine pairings. // Reservations ($60/person, $38/wine pairings) can be made on resy.com.
Man Ray: The Mysteries of Château du Dé
6-8pm opening reception; exhibit through Feb. 29
Gagosian, 657 Howard St. (SoMa), gagosian.com
Head over to Gagosian gallery where 2020 is off to a bit of a surreal start. This new exhibit will focus on three of Man Ray's key films from the 1920s : Emak-Bakia (1926), L'Étoile de mer (1928), and Les Mystères du Château du Dé (1929). In addition to the films, see some of the artist's objects, drawings, and photography. // Free to visit; find details at gagosian.com.
Talking Simpsons
8pm to 9:30pm
PianoFight, 144 Taylor St. (Tenderloin), pianofight.com
Diehard fans of The Simpsons won't want to miss this hilarious live podcast with experts Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert. // Tickets ($20) are available at Eventbrite.
Trick Dog University
Menu offered daily
Trick Dog, 3010 20th St. (Mission), trickdogbar.com
Trick Dog's newest cocktail menu—complete with an almost too realistic admissions brochure menu and drinks named after classes including Political Science (mezcal, carrot, lime)—will take you back to ye old college days. Take home your own illustrated menu for $25; proceeds benefit the Bon Vivants Scholarship, which helps support first-generation college students who are the children of hospitality workers. // Details on instagram.com.
Tarot Card Workshop
7pm to 9pm
Dandelion Post, 421 40th St. (Oakland), dandelionpost.com
See what's in the cards for you this year (literally) at this tarot workshop with Alejandra, creator of The Lioness Oracle Tarot. You'll learn all about the collective Major Arcana card for 2020, the number 4's relationship with 2020, set intentions, and even conduct a card reading for yourself over snacks and wine. // Register ($45) at gathersf.com.
Gap Year at Nico
5:30pm to 9:30pm, Tuesday through Saturday
Nico, 3228 Sacramento St. (Jackson Square), nicosf.com
Nico's owners are taking a year off to live in France (jealous), but while these cats are away, some other talented mice will play. In their absence, chef de cuisine Jordan Guevara (Coi, Lazy Bear) will team up with owner of The Morris to run the restaurant and deliver a playful, creative tasting menu. // The tasting menu ($145) can be reserved through OpenTable.
Soul Flow
6:15pm to 9pm
Palace of Fine Arts, 3601 Lyon St. (Presidio)
Get your flow on at this special vinyasa class taught by Julianne Aiello of Outdoor Yoga SF...inside the Palace of Fine Arts. Colorful visuals and DJ beats will excite your senses. Stay for the kombucha happy hour after class. // Register ($29) at Eventbrite.
Long Meadow Ranch Wine Dinner
Reservations between 5:30pm to 11pm
Locanda, 557 Valencia St. (Mission), locandasf.com
Buckle in for a vintner's dinner at Locanda. Long Meadow's winemaker and ranch owner will walk you through pairing for dishes including pork coppa, Dungeness crab risotto, short rib alla vaccinara, and a Meyer lemon cheesecake. // $69/person, $66/wine pairings. Make reservations at Opentable.
Fog Design + Art Fair
11am to 7pm, Thurs. through Sat.; 11am to 6pm Sunday
Fort Mason Center Festival Pavilion, 2 Marina Blvd. (Marina)
The annual contemporary arts fair brings together 48 international galleries for a grand showcase, as well as ongoing conversations and panel events. Look out for a special exhibit from SF's own Stanlee Gatti. // Tickets ($25) are available at Eventbrite; for more details, go to fogfair.com.
San Jose Restaurant Week
Through the Jan. 26
San Jose is getting into the restaurant week game. Explore the city's various neighborhoods via its prix-fixe offerings (as well as some discounted a la carte items) at lunch and dinner. We recommend Adega Restaurant, Luna Mexican Kitchen, and the brand-new Meso on Santana Row. // $10-$50; find participating restaurants and menus on sanjose.org/restaurantweek.
Fantastic Persian Food
5-10pm Tues. through Thurs.; 5-9pm Fri.; 3-9pm Sat. and Sun.
Lavash, 511 Irving St. (Inner Sunset), lavashsf.com
Beloved Persian restaurant Lavash had to close its doors after a kitchen fire back in 2018. The restaurant has at last reopened to once again serve tasty family recipes. Take a group to share kabobs, stews, jeweled rice, and more. Soft opening hours are in effect, with additional hours and menu items coming soon.
Bootyology 101
6:30pm
Outdoor Voices, 555 Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), outdoorvoices.com
Get your booty kicked by Assembly group fitness instructor Shawn B. Expect 45 minutes of HIIT and core work, plus glute exercises. You'll be sure to leave equally sweaty and sore. // Register for the free workout on outdoorvoices.com.
Ambiance Blowout Sale
10am, till everything is gone
Ambiance, 1458 Haight St. (Upper Haight), ambiancesf.com
Mainstay local boutique Ambiance is closing its first-ever location (tthe Inner Sunset, Noe Valley, and Cow Hollow stores aren't going anywhere). Shop today for big discounts on clothes and accessories—think Levi's and Joe's Jeans and Rebecca Minkoff bags—and even the store's decor. // Event details at ambiancesf.com.
Untitled, Art Fair
Noon to 8pm Friday, noon to 6pm Saturday and Sunday
Pier 35, 1454 The Embarcadero
This weekend art fair is packed with panel discussions, art-making workshops, movable sculptures, 3D printed works, and so much more. // Schedule and tickets ($40) are available at untitledartfairs.com.
Sound of Music Sing-Along
7pm
Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison St. (Berkeley), thefreight.org
Warm up your vocal chords for one glorious, adults-only screening of The Sound of Music. Mix it up with fun prop and don your habits or blue satin sashes for a costume competition inspired by the movie's themes. // Tickets ($20) are available at Eventbrite.
Cheesy Friday
5pm to 7pm
Cheese Plus, 2001 Polk St. (Nob Hill), cheeseplus.com
Stop by Cheese Plus tonight for an exclusive tasting of European cheeses, including a special wheel of White Cow Reggiano sourced from Caseificio Rosola, an Italian dairy that produces just two wheels a day. // Details on facebook.com.
Eclectic Art Show
9pm to 1am
Asiento, 2730 21st (Mission), asientosf.com
SF-based Kuwaiti-American artist Deena Machina will be showing her mixed-format works that "blur the lines between what is unsightly and unsettling, in conjunction with what is transcendent and beautiful." Expect live beats from DJs Soleil and Christina T.
Flower Market Fair
Saturday and Sunday
Grant Avenue from Clay to Broadway; Pacific, Jackson and Washington between Stockton and Kearny (Chinatown)
Browse flowers, fruits, candies, and more at this massive Chinatown street fair. Gather up some goodies in preparation of Chinese New Year celebrations next weekend. // Free to attend, event details on chineseparade.com.
Fake TED Talks
7:30pm and 10:30pm
Cobb's Comedy Club, 915 Columbus Ave. (North Beach), cobbscomedy.com
Join six comedians as they put their twist on TED-esque talks, throwing facts out the window as they present their version of an expert opinion. // Tickets ($35) are available on litquakeyearround2020.sched.com.
Pancakes & Booze Art Show
8pm to 2am
Oakland Metro Operahouse, 522 2nd St. (Oakland), oaklandmetro.org
Attend an underground art show of more than 100 artists showing more than 500 original pieces—plus get free pancakes. DJs and body painting will complete the evening. // Tickets ($15) are available at Eventbrite.
Women's March 2020
11am rally, 1pm march
Rally at Civic Center Plaza, 335 McAllister St. (Civic Center)
Ready your most clever sign and gather your girl gang for endless empowerment at the fourth annual Women's March. The rally kicks off at 11am at Civic Center Plaza, followed by a 1.7 mile march down Market Street to the Embarcadero. // RSVP and find details on Facebook.
Carmel-by-the-Sea Culinary Week
Through Jan. 26
Various restaurants in Carmel-by-the-Sea
Carmel is hosting its first-ever culinary week with prix fixe lunch and dinner menus at restaurants including Vesuvio, La Balena, and Il Fornaio. Also look out for such special events as a coffee workshop, mambo dinner, gnocchi workshop, tequila and mezcal classes, and more. // $20-$95; view participating restaurants and activities on carmelcalifornia.com.
All-You-Can-Eat Crab
Noon to 3pm
Spark Social, 601 Mission Bay Blvd. North (Mission Bay), sparksocialsf.com
Dungeness crab season came late this year, so if you have yet to get your crab fix swing by Spark Social for a feast of the crustaceans alongside piles of garlic noodles, salad, and iced tea. // Tickets ($62) available at Eventbrite.
Jason Moran plays SFMOMA
2pm
Gina and Stuart Peterson White Box at SFMOMA, 151 3rd St (SoMa), sfmoma.org
Jazz pianist and visual artist Jason Moran will perform a live piece to accompany the current exhibit, "Soft Power," a collection of works by more than 20 artists exploring our roles in society . // Free with museum admission ($25). See sfmoma.org for details and to purchase museum tickets.
The Cheesemonger Invitational
4pm
The Midway, 900 Marin St. (Dogpatch), themidwaysf.com
Get ready for a cheese-a-polooza as several industry pros compete for the title of best cheesemonger in the land. Indulge in all-you-can-eat cheese delights like fondue, grilled cheese, raclette, and small bites made by the competing cheesemongers. // Tickets ($65) are available at cheesemongerinvitational.com.
Pâté & Terrine Making Class
7pm to 9pm
The Local Butcher Shop, 1600 Shattuck Ave. (Berkeley), thelocalbutchershop.com
Up your hors d'oeuvres game by learning how to make luxurious pâtés and terrines, then take home three different dishes: poultry liver mousse, a pork terrine, and pâtés de Campagna. // Tickets ($60) are available at Eventbrite.
All You Can Dance
10am to 2pm
Alonzo King Lines Dance Center, 26 7th St. (SoMa)
Join this annual dance party for just $10 and participate in sample movement classes for all levels throughout the day. Absolute beginners and dancers new to Lines Dance Center are especially welcome. Choose from pilates, ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern, and then end the day with world dance, food, and community. // Register at linesballet.org.
Thank you to our partners at Alonzo King Lines Dance Center.