(Photo courtesy of @followmyappetite)
20 Fun Things: Oakland Restaurant Week, SF Sketchfest, Bowie's B-Day + More Bay Area Events
06 January 2019
It's a big week for foodies and culture vultures.
Check out new spots including the SoMa address of Pizzeria Delfina and Proper Hotel's posh new cafe, plus see Come From Away onstage at SHN, celebrate Bowie's bday, and dance to all your old favorite 80s hits.
Have a great week!
Monday, January 7th
(Elena Graham)
Inside the new Pizzeria Delfina in SoMa.
A Proper Cafe
When: 6:30am to 2:30pm, Monday through Friday
Where: La Bande, 1100 Market St. (Civic Center),properhotel.com
In search of breakfast on your way to work? A luxurious midday lunch? Just a solid cup o' joe to go? La Bande, the newest cafe on our radar, is an Instagram-worthy shop with richly tiled walls and floors, modern black-and-white accents, and elegant brass metal fixtures inside the Proper Hotel—which you'll already know for its other stylish dining and imbibing destinations ,Charmaine's and Villon. Add La Bande to your morning rotation.
SoMa gets real pizza.
When: Open daily
Where: Pizzeria Delfina, 688 Mission St. (SoMa), pizzeriadelfina.com/downtown
Our beloved Pizzeria Delfina has just opened a central SF location to assuage our weekly pie fix. Dig into bowls of their crispy Brussels sprouts, a couple hearty pastas, new entrees, and of course the Neapolitan-inspired white and red pies like the classic Margherita. Keep an eye out for Scribe Winery's Delfina-exclusive chardonnay. We know where we're having our next lunch meeting.
Tuesday, January 8th
Come From Away, the musical
When: Multiple dates/times through Feb. 3
Where: SHN Golden Gate Theatre, 1 Taylor St. (Tenderloin), shnsf.com
When the events of 9/11 closed American airspace, the town of Gander, Newfoundland took in 6,700 passengers from 38 derailed international fights. Come From Away—written by Tony Award nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and directed by Tony winner Christopher Ashley—tells the true heartwarming story in a lovely cheerful way. Tonight is opening night. // Tickets ($56 and up) are available online.
HBD, David Bowie
Celebrate what would have been the 72nd birthday of one of the most brilliant artists of all time. Tonight at the SF Public Library's main location (100 Larkin St.), local rock historian Richie Unterberger will show clips of Bowie in film from the late 1960s through the early 1980s (6pm to 7:30pm; more info on Facebook). // Loved Labyrinth? Watch it again at 7pm at the Castro Theatre (get tickets at ticketweb.com).
Learn to Salsa
When: Doors 6:30pm; class at 7pm
Where: Neck of the Woods, 406 Clement St. (Inner Richmond), neckofthewoodssf.com
Noobs are welcome (no dance partner necessary) at this open house and salsa dance class followed by a whole night to work on your new moves. // Tickets ($15-$20) are available at eventbrite.com.
Bach and Brews
When: 6:30pm to 9:30pm
Where: Standard Deviant Brewing, 280 14th St. (Mission), standarddeviantbrewing.com
Enjoy a little classical music with your frosty beer? The San Francisco Bach Choir is heading to Standard Deviant Brewing to socialize and sing—expect them to lead some drinking songs to really get the evening going. // Free to attend, beer and food available for purchase. RSVP required via brownpapertickets.com.
Wednesday, January 9th
(Courtesy of SFJazz)
Grammy-winning trumpet plater Chris Botti plays a week's worth of shows in Hayes Valley.
ArtSpan Artist Reception
When: 6pm to 8pm
Where: Mission Bowling Club, 3176 17th St (Mission)
Local art, free bowling, and free snacks? Get rolling with ArtSpan tonight in celebration of the org's Art in Neighborhoods program. // For more info and register, go to eventbrite.com.
Love Songs in Spanish
When: 5:30pm to 6:45pm, Wednesdays through Feb. 13
Where: Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison St. (Berkeley), thefreight.org
Six weeks of musical Spanish lessons kick off tonight as Bay Area folk musician and Spanish teacher Chris Reid leads a course in classic American love songs. You'll learn pronunciation and the meaning of the lyrics of eight to 10 songs ranging from polka to bolero. // Tickets ($126-$140) are available at ticketfly.com.
Chris Botti Live
When: 7:30pm
Where: SFJazz Miner Auditorium, 201 Franklin St. (Hayes Valley)
Extraordinary trumpeter Chris Botti kicks off eight shows over six consecutive nights tonight at SFJazz. // Schedule and tickets ($55-$125) are available online.
Thursday, January 10th
Catch Margaret Cho in conversations with legendary SF journalist Ben Fong-Torres tonight at SF Sketchfest.
SF Sketchfest
When: Various times through January 27th
Where: Multiple venues in SF, sfsketchfest.com
The 18th Annual Sketchfest kicks off today with Margaret Cho in conversation with Ben Fong-Torres (7:30pm at Marines Memorial Theater). The week continues with more laughs, panel talks, workshops, and celeb appearances (sorry, Tilda Swinton answering Craigslist ads is already sold out). // For the full schedule and tickets, go to sfsketchfest.com.
Take 3D Flight
When: Open daily
Where: The Flyer, Pier 39 (Embarcadero), theflyer-sanfrancisco.com
There's a new gut-swirling ride taking over Pier 39. The Flyer, a 3D theater, let's you experience the feeling of soaring over San Francisco. Hold onto your stomach as you fly past such iconic landmarks as the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and Chinatown on a 50-foot screen. // Shows are 20 minutes; and tickets ($25 adults, $16 kids) can be purchased online.
Friday, January 11th
Oakland Restaurant Week
When: Through Jan. 21
Where: Restaurants throughout Oakland
If you've already moved to The Town, then you're well positioned to eat your way through it. If you're still hanging onto rent control in SF, now's a great time to check out your future home town as restaurants throughout Oakland are serving up specially priced menus and events. And they're tasty too. // For the full schedule and tickets, go to visitoakland.com.
Good Food Awards
When: 6pm to 10pm
Where: Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave (Civic Center)
Celebrate local culinary artisans who are committed to creating responsible food at this special awards event. Following the ceremony, head to the after-party at AirBnb HQ for a buffet feast and plenty of cocktails, all crafted by the winners. // Tickets ($235) can be purchased on eventbrite.com.
That Big 80s Party
When: 9pm to 2am
Where: The Public Works SF, 161 Erie St. (Mission)
"Cabbage Patch Kids, Rubik's Cube, Live Aid, Flashdance, Purple Rain, Beat Street, Yo MTV Raps, spandex, leggings & shoulder pads!" What else is there? // Tickets ($10-$15) are available at eventbrite.com.
Saturday, January 12th
Redfield Cider celebrates its grand opening in Rockridge today. (Andria Lo)
The Great Mac 'n' Cheese Melt-off
When: 11am to 4pm, Saturday and Sunday
Where: SoMa StrEat Food Park, 428 11th St. (SoMa), somastreatfoodpark.com
If mac 'n' cheese is your thing, head to SoMa StrEat Food today where 15 trucks will be slangin' gooey concoctions in a competition to be crowned the SF Mac 'n' Cheese Monarch. There's also an all-you-can-drink beer option if you really want to send it. // Tickets ($5/entry; $36/entry with all-you-can-drink beer) are available at eventbrite.com.
Drink Cider
When: Noon to midnight
Where: Redfield Cider Bar & Bottle Shop, 5815 College Ave. (Oakland), redfieldcider.com
Cider bars are one of life's little pleasures. Now, Redfield Cider Bar & Bottle Shop has arrived in Rockridge with more than 150 ciders sourced from Europe, the West Coast, and New England. Stop by today for their grand opening party complete with beverages, bites, and spirited good times. // Free to attend, RSVP via Facebook.
Silent Disco Saturday Night
When: 10:00pm to 1:30am
Where: Pier 23 Cafe, Pier 23, The Embarcadero (North Beach), pier23cafe.com
Tonight three DJs will battle it out for control of your silent disco headphones—expect a mix of EDM, '80s and '90s throwbacks, and hip hop hits—as you dance your ass off on the patio overlooking the water. // Tickets ($15; $20 at the door) can be purchased on eventbrite.com.
Sunday, January 13th
(Molly DeCoudreaux)
Brunch at Tank 18, launching today, promises comfort food and some global flavors.
Run for Chocolate
When: 5K race starts at 7:20am; 15K at 8:10am (times subject to change)
Where: Golden Gate Music Concourse (Golden Gate Park)
Lace up your sneaks for the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K a race through Golden Gate Park. Pick your distance, then prepare for a run filled with marshmallow treat pit stops and a finish line with chocolate fondue and hot chocolate. // Tickets ($54/5K; $74/15K) are available at hotchocolate15k.com.
Tank 18 does brunch.
When: Sundays, 11am to 3pm
Where: Tank 18, 1345 Howard St. (SoMa), tank18.com
Brunch at an urban winery? Don't mind if we do. The menu—based on "Japanese technique, Italian heart, and American pantry"—includes shakshuka; grilled ham and cheese with cured egg and kimchi; and mojo rice with breakfast sausage. Check out the full menu online.
When: 3pm
Where: The Midway, 900 Marin St. (Dogpatch), themidwaysf.com
What better way to end the week than with oodles of cheese? Chow all the fromage at the Cheesemonger Invitational where 40-plus cheese experts will dish out samples of their favorite cheeses alongside dishes of fondue and grilled cheese. We've already forgotten our healthy New Year's resolutions. // Tickets ($65) are available at cheesemongerinvitational.com.
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