Deep breaths. Election week is here, but so are plenty of distractions.
Such as: Restaurant Week (and also Date Week if you’re on the market). If you can’t get your fill at any of San Francisco’s 100-plus institutions on the lineup, head to Mendo for mushrooms and beer or Fort Mason for a coffee festival.
There’s also art, comedy, a sexy circus, and another First Thursday party. So we can definitely say this week won’t be boring.
Find true love? Paloma is making Date Week a thing in SF. Make connections while working out a sweat, noshing on dim sum, or clinking glasses; Monday through Friday. // Schedule and details at date-week.com/sf
Watch it all go up or down at election watch parties at Manny’sin the Mission (eventbrite.com)or with the KALW news team at 111 Minna Gallery (eventbrite.com); Tuesday.
Float on at Modest Mouse's 20th anniversary tour; Tuesday at 8pm. // Fox Theater, 1807 Telegraph Ave. (Oakland); tickets at thefoxoakland.com
Kick back at Fairfax Brewing Company with live music, dogs, bar bites, and handcrafted brews (plus homemade root beer and orange cream soda); Wednesday, 6pm to 8pm. // Fairfax Brewing Company, 765 Center Blvd. (Fairfax); details at faxbrewco.com
Release the tension with Comedy Allstars. Jill Maragos, Josef Anolin, and Karinda Dobbins are taking the stage to get you out of your head; Wednesday at 7:30pm. // Punch Line, 444 Battery St, (FiDi); tickets at punchlinecomedyclub.com
Zip up, snow bunnies. Legendary ski and snowboarding filmmaker Warren Miller is debuting his next project, 75; Wednesday, 6pm to 8pm. // Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, 3301 Lyon St. (Presidio); tickets at eventbrite.com
Let loose at First Thursday. Come together with food, drinks, and dancing in the streets, with Noodles and Andre Power leading the show; Thursday at 5pm. // 2nd St. between Market St. and Howard St. (SoMa); RSVP at eventbrite.com
Drink wine and support SF Foster Youth at the Mighty Fine Wines Charity Auction. Enjoy tastings from top wineries, along with local food and silent bidding; Thursday, 5:30pm to 8:30pm. // 888 Marin St. (Bayview); tickets at eventbrite.com
Sit down for an epic Mushroom and Beer Dinner. The fan-favorite tradition features local brews and flavorful fungi at neighborly communal tables. And if you’re in the 7x7 Social Club, you can score $25 off; Friday, 6:30pm. //Little River Inn Restaurant, 7901 CA-1 (Little River); reservations at exploretock.com
Witness Born of the Bear Dance. Featuring photographs from the late photographer, historian, and documentarian Dugan Aguilar, this exhibit challenges the traditional dynamics between museums and Native communities; opens on Friday. // Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St. (Oakland); tickets at museumca.org
Head to a sexy circus. The Circus Freaks are back in SF with three days of racy, artsy, and outrageous acts. Witness performers from Cirque du Soleil, “Hustlers” (of JLo fame), and more, all to benefit Muttville Senior Dog Rescue; Friday through Sunday. // The Foundry, 1425 Folsom St. (SoMa); tickets at eventbrite.com
Adventure on Everest with Opera in the Planetarium. From the folks at Opera Parallèle, this opera-meets-graphic novel production is an immersive journey through one epic story of an expedition to the world’s highest peak; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. // California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Dr. (Golden Gate Park); tickets and schedule at operaparallele.org (Save 20% on seats when you join 7x7 Social Club.)
Celebrate a legacy at the Leonard Cohen Festival. Join three nights of poetry, music, and words in the spirit of the renowned singer and songwriter; Friday through Sunday at 7:30pm. // Cafe Du Nord and Swedish American Hall, 2174 Market St. (Duboce Triangle); tickets at sfleonardcohenfest.com (We've saved a few free tix for 7x7 Social Club members.)
Thank you to our partners at the San Francisco Leonard Cohen Festival.
Caffeinate heavily at the SF Coffee Festival. Meet the Bay Area’s top coffee roasters and enjoy brews and beans of all kinds; Friday and Saturday. // Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2 Marina Blvd. (Marina); tickets at sfcoffeefestival.com
Try that place you’ve been dying to visit during SF Restaurant Week. More than 100 restaurants, from neighborhood gems to Michelin-rated hot spots, are offering special lunch and dinner prix-fixe menus at deliciously reasonable prices; Friday through Sunday, November 17. // Full list at sfrestaurantweek.com/restaurants
Sip, shop, and sparkle at a fine jewelry pop-up hosted by SF designers. You’ll be treated to complimentary styling by Christine Tusher, manicure press-ons by Ariela Cavalcante, and a glass of bubbly while finding the perfect gift or addition to your own collection; 11am to 3pm Sunday. // 49 Geary St. #234 (Union Square); make your free reservation at eventbrite.com.
Thank you to our partners.
Have your cake and eat it too at Cake Picnic, the city’s most decadent (and artistic) potluck; Saturday, 10am to 1pm. // Legion of Honor, 100 34th Ave. (Sea Cliff); tickets at partiful.com
Dance it out with Desert Dwellers and Balkan Bump at an anniversary event dedicated to EDM and art; Saturday at 9:30pm. // Public Works, 161 Erie St. (Mission); tickets at eventbrite.com
Soak up seasonal vibes and brews at the Fall Cider Fest. Sip your way through unlimited pours of more than 30 ciders and then warm up by the fire with s’mores and food truck snacks. 7x7 Social Club members get to bring a friend for free; Saturday, noon to 4pm. // Spark Social, 601 Mission Bay Blvd. (Mission Bay); tickets at eventbrite.com
Thank you to our partners at the San Francisco Fall Cider Fest.
Catch Afrolicious and Los Calderones for the last (free, outdoor, and awesome) SF Live show of the season; Saturday, 1pm to 5pm. // Golden Gate Park Bandshell, 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr. (Golden Gate Park); details at sflivefest.com
Let violinist Itzhak Perlman carry you away in an epic performance with pianists Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Emanuel Ax and the Juilliard String Quartet. // Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave. (Civic Center); tickets at sfsymphony.org
Thank you to our partners at the San Francisco Symphony.
Get ready for some soul, joy, and love at the Glide Annual Holiday Jam. This year, The Love Agenda celebrates the spirit of the Tenderloin by bringing legendary acts like Lenny Williams, The Philharmonik, and Vernon Bush alongside the Glide Ensemble and the Change Band; Wednesday, November 13. // The Masonic, 1111 California St. (Nob Hill); tickets at fundraise.givesmart.com (and $25 off for 7x7 Social Club members!)
