Season's greetings and eatings.
This week has many ways to cope with holiday stress. Ride the Napa Valley Wine Train with Santa, get away for Champagne in Big Sur, or head to the Merriest Bar. Have your fill of truffles at 7 Adams, latkes in Yountville, and chocolate at Octavia—but save room for a Hanukkah feast at Canela and Filipino feasting at the Parol Lantern Festival. Find your creative spark with choir shows, reimagined plays, and winter shopping.
Jump ahead to this week's top events:
Do your best work at a tipsy gingerbread workshop at the Palace Hotel.
Play at a 21+ holiday market at Oakland’s Children’s Fairyland.
Reimagine Cinderella with the African-American Shakespeare Company.
Be part of a Filipino tradition at the Parol Lantern Festival.
Have a good one.
Step into a winter wonderland. The Vault Garden has once again transformed for the holidays to offer up cozy fireside lounging alongside holiday mischief and cocktails; through December 24th. // The Vault Garden, 555 California St. (FiDi); reservations at opentable.com
Indulge in truffle season with a six-course holiday dinner spotlighting the rich aromas of your favorite wintertime delicacy; Monday and Tuesday, 5:30pm to 9:00pm. // 7 Adams, 1963 Sutter St. (Pacific Heights); reservations at resy.com
Have a Champagne getaway. Join Laurent-Perrier for two nights of bubbly celebration, featuring a fireside Champagne masterclass and a five-course seasonal dinner paired with the brand’s prestige cuvée; Tuesday and Wednesday at 5:30pm. // Sierra Mar, Post Ranch Inn, 47900 State Highway 1 (Big Sur); tickets at opentable.com
Drink wine with Santa on the Napa Valley Wine Train. Book an extra-jolly experience with St. Nick and enjoy hot cider, cheerful carolers, and gourmet holiday dining in an elegant antique rail car; through December 23rd. // Napa Valley Wine Train, 1275 McKinstry St. (Napa); tickets at winetrain.com
Immerse yourself in taste, sight, and sound at a dinner with Sonoma’s La Crema wines. Enjoy a welcome buffet, a three-course dinner by chef Lev Delany, award-winning wines, and live jazz while overlooking Lake Merritt; Wednesday, 5:30pm to 7:30pm. // Lake Chalet Seafood Bar & Grill, 1520 Lakeside Dr. (Oakland); tickets at thelakechalet.com
Chow down at a latke throwdown between top local chefs competing for the Golden Spatula for creativity, presentation, and taste; Thursday, 5pm to 7pm. // Bardessono Hotel and Spa, 6526 Yount St. (Yountville); tickets at parentscan.org
Do your best work at a tipsy gingerbread workshop, where you’ll enjoy charcuterie and wine while a pastry chef guides you through the art of the gingerbread; Friday, 4pm to 5:30pm. // Palace Hotel, 2 New Montgomery St. (SoMa); reservations at opentable.com
Stroll through the Outer Sunset for the Holiday Night Bazaar. Enjoy all-ages activities, delicious food, fun games, and holiday festivities with local vendors; Friday, 5pm to 10pm. // Irving St. between 22nd Ave. and 25th Ave. (Outer Sunset); details at sunsetmercantilesf.com
Thank you to our partners at the Sunset Mercantile.
Cozy up for movie night in Sonoma. Nosh on popcorn, sweet treats, and seasonal sips during a screening of The Polar Express in a warm tent; Friday, 5:30pm to 8pm. // The Lodge at Sonoma Resort, 1325 Broadway (Sonoma); tickets at eventbrite.com
Play at Oakland’s Children’s Fairyland at a 21+ holiday market complete with live music, DJ sets, and lots of libations; Friday, 6pm to 10pm. // Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave. (Oakland); tickets at fairyland.org
See A Christmas Carol through Tiny TIm’s eyes in a new adaptation by 13-year-old SF playwright Katherine Gargiulo, performed by budding, young actors; Friday and Saturday at 7pm, and Sunday at 2:30pm and 5pm. // Young Performers Theatre, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, 2 Marina Blvd. (Marina); tickets at ypt.org
Catch the acrobatic marvels of Circus Bella. The troupe returns for “Starlight,” a world of magic and splendor featuring all new acts and artists; opens Friday at 7pm. // The Crossing at East Cut, 211 Beale St. (Embarcadero); tickets at circusbella.org
Head out for a winter music festival. Tahoe Live returns for three days of electronic music and apres-ski parties; Friday through Sunday. // Palisades Tahoe, 1960 Olympic Vly Rd. (Olympic Valley); tickets at tahoelive.net
Reimagine Cinderella with the African-American Shakespeare Company. Director Gary Stanford’s rendition explores the classic tale through hip hop, ballet, and musical numbers that pay homage to the '80s, '90s, and beyond; Friday at 7:30pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 3pm. // Alcazar Theater, 650 Geary St. (TenderNob): tickets at african-americanshakes.org
Support Black food and crafts at a special holiday market with thoughtful locally made gifts, including small-batch jams and sauces, skincare, and apparel; Saturday, 9am to 2pm. // Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, 1 Ferry Building (Embarcadero); details at foodwise.org
Cross off your list at the Sausalito Winter Market, where the historic downtown streets will be filled with vendors offering local goods and gifts. Stay for the sunset lighted boat parade at the new ferry landing; Saturday at 10am. // RSVP and location details at partiful.com
Have your chocolate fix at the Guittard and Octavia Saturbake pop-up. Enjoy hot chocolate from Lady Falcon Coffee Club and decadent pastries from chef Melissa Loar; Saturday, 10am to 1pm. // Octavia, 1701 Octavia St. (Pacific Heights); details at octavia-sf.com
Stock up on originals at the Root Division Artist Fair. The debut marketplace will feature art, prints, jewelry, and merchandise sold directly by artists, with 100 percent of proceeds benefiting them; Saturday, 12pm to 5pm. // Root Division, 1131 Mission St. (SoMa); details at rootdivision.org
Revel in the sounds of the season at a festive program from the New Century Chamber Orchestra and the San Francisco Girls Chorus featuring more than ten works “In Winter’s Glow;” Saturday at 2pm. // St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 1111 O'Farrell St. (NoPa); tickets at https://www.ncco.org
Create a stunning holiday wreath at a guided workshop in Terrene’s cozy winter setup. Grab a holiday cocktail and create with seasonal greenery and festive materials; Saturday, 2pm to 4pm. // Terrene, 8 Mission St. (Embarcadero); register at nataliebowendesigns.com
Ring in the holidays with the Golden Gate Men’s Chorus. Their holiday concert series, Tidings of Joy, kicks off with traditional carols and contemporary holiday songs; Saturday and Sunday at 3pm. // St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, 3281 16th St. (Upper Market); tickets at ggmc.org
Be part of a Filipino tradition at the Parol Lantern Festival. The symbol of hope, peace, and community is on display along with traditional dishes and cultural art; Saturday, 3pm to 8pm. // Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St. (SoMa); details at parollanternfestival.com
Drink and be merry at the Merriest Bar, a Christmas pop-up stuffed with twinkling lights, tinseled kitsch, and holiday spirits; Mondays through Wednesdays, 4pm to 12am and Thursdays through Saturdays, 4pm to 2am. // Nightingale Bar, 239 Kearny St. (Union Square); reservations at opentable.com
Shop and browse at a holiday fashion show. Noir brings together a curated designer market and fashion show with the season’s best looks; Saturday, 4:30pm to 7pm. // W San Francisco, 181 3rd St. (SoMa); tickets at eventbrite.com
Get your caffeine fix at the Oakland Coffee Holiday Market. Sample brews, shop merch, and celebrate all things coffee with local roasters; Sunday, 10am to 3pm. // Rotunda Building, 300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza (Oakland); tickets at eventbrite.com
Find holiday magic at the San Francisco Symphony, whether you want to sing along to Frozen, catch a mariachi performance, or listen to majestic choral music—after grabbing a drink and snapping a selfie in the decked-out lobby. // Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave. (Civic Center); tickets at sfsymphony.org
Thank you to our partners at the San Francisco Symphony.
Fold seasonal dumplings at a hands-on class with Silver Oak’s James Beard Award-winning chef Preeti Mistry, followed by a communal meal paired with complementary wines; Sunday, 12:30pm to 2pm. // Silver Oak, 915 Oakville Cross Rd. (Oakville); register at airbnb.com
Sit down for afternoon tea with Little Moon Bakehouse. Enjoy comforting pastries, warming tea, and quality holiday time; 11:30am to 1:30pm. // Ferry Building, 1 Ferry Building (Embarcadero); tickets at littlemoonbakehouse.com
Celebrate Hanukkah with Canela’s inventive menu blending Old World comfort with modern Spanish style for hits like veggie latkes and chicken schnitzel; available for dine-in or carry out Sunday through December 21st. // Canela Bistro Bar, 2272 Market St. (Upper Market); reservations at opentable.com
