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February

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Written by Northside Staff

Wednesday, 06 February 2008

MAJOR EVENTS Chinese New Year Celebration Sat-Sun, Feb 2-3: Chinese New Year Flower Fair, Chinatown Daily, Feb 6-24: Chinese New Year Carnival, Walter U. Lum Place Sunday, Feb 7: Chinese New Year’s Day Saturday, Feb 16: Miss Chinatown USA Pageant, Palace of Fine Arts Theater Friday, Feb 22: Miss Chinatown Coronation Ball, S.F. Hilton & Towers Sat-Sun, Feb 23-24: Chinatown Community Street Fair, Chinatown Sat-Sun, Feb 23-24: Chinese Cultural Center Spring Festival, Hilton S.F. Financial District Gung Hay Fat Choy! 2008 is the Year of the Rat – Lunar New Year 4706. Three weeks of festivities lead up to the fantastic Chinese New Year Parade on Feb. 23 (see separate listing). 415-982-3071, www.chineseparade.com 15th Annual KNBR 680 Giants FanFest Saturday, Feb 9 AT&T Park, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Members of the 2008 Giants will sign autographs, pose for photos and participate in a Q-and-A session. Fans can tour the Giants clubhouse and dugout, as well as participate in an array of interactive games and displays. Free. 415-995-6800, www.sfgiants.com S.F. Chronicle Wine Competition Tasting Saturday, Feb 16 Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center Taste the winning entries from this annual wine competition and sample creations from premier artisan food purveyors and Bay Area restaurants, including award-winning breads, savory meats and cheeses, exotic oils, delicious desserts, floral jams, and sumptuous sauces. 415-345-7575, www.winejudging.com Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade Saturday, Feb 23, 5:30-8 p.m. Market & Second Sts. to Kearny & Jackson Sts. Named one of the top 10 parades in the world, this is one of the few remaining night-illuminated parades in the country. Highlights include elaborate floats, lion dancers, folk dancers, costumed school groups, marching bands, stilt walkers, Chinese acrobats, and the 201-foot-long golden dragon, “Gum Lung.” 415-982-3000, www.chineseparade.com 28th Annual Academy of Friends Gala Sunday, Feb 24 Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center This black-tie, Oscar-night fundraiser for AIDS/HIV charities returns with wine, food, dancing, entertainment, and of course, the Oscar telecast (hopefully) on multiple screens. The event has raised more than $6.5 million for AIDS/HIV health and social service organizations throughout its history. 415-995-9890, www.academyoffriends.org 56th Annual Pacific Orchid Exposition Gala Benefit Preview: Thursday, Feb 28 Exhibition: Fri-Sun, Feb 29-Mar 2 Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center The S.F. Orchid Society presents more than 150,000 flowers from numerous international nurseries plus hundreds of award-winners selected by the American Orchid Society. Tours and demonstrations take place throughout the show. 415-665-2468, www.orchidsanfrancisco.org AFFAIRS OF THE HEART Love Bites, My Dog Bites, and My Pickup Truck Won’t Start Thu-Sat, Feb 7-16 EXIT Theatre (277 Taylor St.) Love gets worked over once again when the Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco presents its 5th annual anti-Valentine’s Day cabaret and musical extravaganza – this time with a country theme. 800-838-3006, www.lgcsf.org 19th Annual Woo at the Zoo Feb 9-10 & 13-16 San Francisco Zoo Learn how giraffes neck and add some education to your love life with the zoo’s Valentine-themed scientific (and humorous) exploration into the sexual behavior of animals. The 90-minute multimedia presentation will also feature romantic refreshments. Advance purchase tickets required. Adults 21 and over. 415-753-7236, www.sfzoo.org Tulipmania Wed-Mon, Feb 13-18 Pier 39 Visit the biggest Valentines Day bouquet in the City – 39,000 tulips throughout both levels of Pier 39. Visitors are welcome to join complimentary landscaping tours at10 a.m. each day. Free. 415-705-5500, www.pier39.com Lovers on the Bridge Thursday, Feb 14, noon Koret Auditorium, S.F. Main Library Set in Paris, this 1999 film portrays a tale of obsessive love between an alcoholic, a would-be circus performer and a woman who is going blind. Ah, the classic love triangle. In French w/English subtitles, d’accord. Free. 415-557-4400, www.sfpl.org How We First Met Thursday, Feb 14 Herbst Theatre Love, in all its hilarious glory, is the topic of this 90-minute improvised comedy show. Be it straight, gay, mild, or spicy, How We First Met finds a way to weave romance into comedy. 415-348-6280, www.howwefirstmet.com Valentine’s Day Chocolate Fantasy Class Thursday, Feb 14 California Table Studio (3824 Mission St.) Chocolatier Michael Recchiuti will present “Chocolate 101”– different types and tastes of chocolate confections will be paired with distinctive varietals and fortified wines to find the perfect match. 415-377-5578, www.californiatable.net Xara Flower-Making Workshop Thu & Sat, Feb 14 & 16, 12-2 p.m. Exploratorium If love is eternal, why not make a Valentine’s Day bouquet that will last just as long? Burning Man artist and attorney Mark Hinkley will show how to create a bouquet of artificial flowers from recycled soda bottles. For ages 6 and up. 415-561-0363, www.exploratorium.edu/pr/ documents/08-2Valentine’s.html Flowers from a Nuclear Winter Sat, Feb 16, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Phyllis Wattis Webcast Studio, Exploratorium Imagine a cosmic disaster where the earth is plunged into darkness. In the aftermath, Burning Man artist Rod Pujante creates life without chlorophyll with transparent flower-making – converting waste into a dreamscape of colorless blooms. Stop by to watch his garden grow. 415-561-0363, www.exploratorium.edu/pr/ documents/08-2Flowers.html Valentine’s Day Films: The Animated Heart Saturday, Feb 16, 2 p.m. McBean Theater, Exploratium This collection of short, animated films examines the occasional tension between the heart and mind, and deftly captures the emotional pull of love. 415- 561-0363, www.exploratorium.edu/pr/documents/08-2Valentine’s.html Romantic Cabs and Chocolate by COPIA Saturday, Feb 16 Cellar 360 (Ghirardelli Square) Combine rich and sinfully chocolate with deep red or sweet wines and you get the sexiest pairing imaginable. Join COPIA’s Peter Marks and Cellar 360’s Kasey Passen for a taste of matches made in heaven. Reservations required. 888-512-6742, www.copia.org Hope Briggs and Friends – A Musical Valentine Sunday, Feb 17 Herbst Theatre Celebrated soprano Hope Briggs returns to the Bay Area for an intimate and uplifting musical afternoon. Joining her is a celebrated group of guest artists, including Dawn Harms, Jamie Davis and Holly Stell, the 15-year-old Bay Area singing sensation. 415-392-4400, www.cityboxoffice.com COMMUNITY CORNER Golden Gate Bridge Toll Hike Open House Thursday, Feb 28, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Conference Center, Bldg. A, Fort Mason Center Commuters and residents can share their opinions and concerns about a proposed toll increase on the Golden Gate Bridge with bridge officials before a formal public hearing on April 24. Comments can also be posted online at www.goldngate.org/toll. Project Homeless Connect Wednesday, Feb 27, 8:30 a.m. Bill Graham Civic Auditorium PHC is a volunteer-based program created to connect homeless San Franciscans with needed services. At the bimonthly events, approximately 2,000 people receive the services they need from volunteers like you. Please join PHC and help those experiencing homelessness in our community. 415-255-3908, www.sfconnect.org  GALAS & BENEFITS 5th Annual Town Hall Masked Mardi Gras Tuesday, Feb 5 Town Hall Restaurant (342 Howard St.) Laissez les bon temps rouler! A raucous, roving New Orleans-style party to celebrate Fat Tuesday and benefit Edible Schoolyard New Orleans, which has created an expansive organic garden on the campus of Samuel J. Green Charter School in New Orleans. 415-513-1099, www.TheAList.org A Cooking Party to Benefit Pets Unlimited Wednesday, Feb 6 Sur La Table (77 Maiden Lane) Learn expert cooking tips and prepare a tantalizing array of appetizers with chef Bibby Gignilliat, founder of Parties That Cook. Enjoy your tasty treats while mingling with other passionate pet lovers. All proceeds go directly to Pets Unlimited’s charitable funds. 415-568-3081, www.petsunlimited.org S.F. Tribal & Textile Arts Show Preview Gala Thursday, Feb 7 Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center Preview 100 international dealers in this exhibition of pre-1940 textiles and tribal arts while benefiting the de Young Museum’s collections of textiles and art from Africa, Oceania and the Americas. Hors d’oeuvres and wine will be served. 415-750-7656, www.famsf.org/deyoung Women Who Could Be President Gala Reception Tuesday, Feb 12 City Club of San Francisco (155 Sansome St.) Just in time for a presidential election year, the League of Women Voters of San Francisco honors five exceptional female leaders who have demonstrated exemplary leadership and service in the community. 415-989-8683, www.sfvotes.org 25th Annual Dinner à la Heart Tuesday, Feb 12, 7 p.m. Various S.F. restaurants Choose a pre-fixe meal from 65 top Bay Area restaurants to support the Institute on Aging’s programs for Bay Area seniors. Seating is limited at many restaurants, and reservations are recommended. 415-750-4180 ext. 143, www.ioaging.org Amor del Mar Gala Benefit Thursday, Feb 14 Aquarium of the Bay, Pier 39 San Francisco’s love affair with the Bay will reach new heights in a Valentine’s Day benefit for the Aquarium of the Bay Foundation. Guests will mingle with 20,000 marine animals as they enjoy global cuisine, decadent sips, dancing, and fascinating exhibitions. 415-623-5326, www.aquariumofthebay.com ARTS & CULTURE The Evolution of Original Graphic Works from Dürer to Motherwell Daily, Feb 1-Mar 6 Pasquale Iannetti Art Galleries (565 Sutter St.) A selection of fine prints from old and modern masters including Dürer, Rembrandt, Goya, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso, Kandinsky, Magritte, Motherwell, Whistler, Zuniga, and others. Free. 415-433-2771, www.pasqualeart.com Beyond the Wall: Kids with Cameras in Jerusalem Mon-Fri, Feb 1-April 30 Jewish Community Center (3200 California St.) Kids with Cameras gave 24 Jewish and Palestinian children cameras and sent them out to photograph Jerusalem’s Old City. The results present a remarkable view of the same city from kids whose worlds are far apart. Free. 415-292-1233, www.jccsf.org/arts The Art of Living Black Mon-Sat, thru May 4 African American Art & Culture Complex (762 Fulton St.) Artist Frances Dunham Catlett is a longtime resident of the Bay Area, one of the first black women to graduate from Mills College, and one of the first black social workers in San Francisco. The 99-years-young artist is inspired by nature and the mysteries of the natural world. 415-922-2049, www.aaacc.org Lynn Hershman Leeson: No Body Special Tue-Sun, Feb 2-June 1 de Young Museum As a pioneer in new-media art, San Francisco-based Leeson creates an image of a red coat from the de Young Museum’s permanent collection and features it in performances around the city. The exhibition will exist in both the galleries and on the Internet. 415-750-3600, www.famsf.org/ deyoung/ Quiet Spaces: Photography of Interiors Reception: Wednesday, Feb 6, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Exhibition: Tue-Sat, Feb 6-Mar 14 SFMOMA Artists Gallery, Bldg. A, Fort Mason Center View work by Robert Apte, Pamela Belknap, Diane Kreiter, Michelle Nye, Jeannie O’Connor, Nadim Sabella, German Herrera, Frederick Hodder, Charles Reilly, Ethel Jimenez, Irene Imfeld, Natalie Redpath, and Mary Priest. Free. 415-441-4777, www.sfmoma.org/museumstore S.F. Tribal & Textile Arts Show Fri-Sun, Feb 8-10 Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center View and purchase museum-quality tribal, textile and folk art from indigenous peoples around the world. A special exhibit, “Outer Garments, Inner Warmth,” explores the layers of meaning and purpose in the garments of tribal people. 310-455-2886, www.caskeylees.com Cut: Revealing the Section Tue-Sun, Feb 8-June 8 S.F. Museum of Modern Art This dynamic selection highlights the vital yet little-understood architectural section, including an extensive group of architectural drawings by Morphosis, Timothy Pflueger and Joel Sanders, among others; Gordon Matta-Clark’s 1974 performance documentation film, Splitting; and a new installation by artist Peter Wegner. 415-357-4000, www.sfmoma.org Flying Angels Chinese Dance Company Saturday, Feb 9, 3 p.m. North Beach Branch Library (2000 Mason St.) Celebrate Chinese New Year with a display of modern and traditional Chinese dances. Free. 415-355-5626, www.sfpl.org Israeli Extravaganza Saturday, Feb 9, 7-9:30 p.m. Congregation Beth Israel-Judea (625 Brotherhood Way) A community-wide celebration with live Israeli music and dancing (led by Bruce Bierman, artistic director of the Jewish Dance Theatre), henna tattoo artist Darcy of the Henna Lounge, refreshments, snacks, prizes, and fun for everyone, ages 6 to 99. Free. 415-678-0327, www.bij.org Treasures from the Holy Land Tue-Sun, Feb 9-Aug 10 Legion of Honor Museum All of the treasures on view are on loan from the Israel Antiquities Authority, and most have never been seen outside of Israel – including rotating examples of the rare and precious Dead Sea Scroll fragments and artifacts spanning over 5,000 years, from 4000 B.C. to 11th century A.D. 415-750-3600, www.famsf.org/legion/ Gilbert & George Tue-Sun, Feb 16-May 18 de Young Museum Since their meeting at St. Martin’s School of Art in 1967, Gilbert & George have presented themselves as a single artist and as living sculpture. The first major retrospective in more than 25 years of their innovative and challenging art makes its American debut at the de Young. 415-750-3600, www.famsf.org/deyoung/ The Great San Francisco Crystal Fair Sat-Sun, Feb 23-24 Bldg. A, Fort Mason Center A magical mix of crystals, minerals, beads, jewelry, and the healing arts returns to the City with over 40 vendors, while psychics bring their cards, aura cameras and magic for your entertainment. 415-383-7837, www.crystalfair.com Friedlander Tue-Sun, Feb 23-May 18 S.F. Museum of Modern Art This retrospective assembles the most comprehensive array of Lee Friedlander’s work to date – nearly 400 pictures spanning the 1950s to the present – for a stunning overview of his multifaceted career. 415-357-4000, www.sfmoma.org Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer’s Life, 1990-2005 Tue-Sun, Mar 1-May 25 Legion of Honor Museum A collection of 200 photos shows not only the artist’s documentation of popular cultural icons, but also of her family and close friends, thus offering insight into the photographer’s life. 415-750-3600, www.famsf.org/legion/ PERFORMANCES BATS Improv Rock ’n Roll Theatresports Tournament Every Fri-Sat, thru Feb 23 Bayfront Theater, Fort Mason Center Music, dancing and fuzzy dice return in this annual comedy tournament. Eight of the Bay Area’s best improv “bands” compete in games, songs or scenes inspired by audience suggestions. 415-474-6776, www.improv.org Her Majesty Fri-Sat, Feb 8-16 EXIT Stage Left (156 Eddy) San Francisco solo show veterans Sean Owens and Christina Augello preview Owens’s latest show prior to its run at the FRIGID New York festival. Her Majesty is a breakneck, quick-change farce-for-two where queens of every kind collide on stage. 415-673-3847, www.theexit.org Word for Word: Sonny’s Blues Wed-Sun, Feb 8-Mar 2 Lorraine Hansberry Theater (620 Sutter St.) The story of two brothers in 1950s Harlem – the elder a schoolteacher and family man; the younger, Sonny, a jazz pianist with a troubled past – from James Baldwin, one of the great American storytellers. 415-474-8800, www.zspace.org Company C Contemporary Ballet Sat-Sun, Feb 9-10 Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center A program of contemporary dance including The Envelope, (a premier by David Parsons); Antony Tudor’s rarely performed 1937 masterpiece, Dark Elegies; Alexander Proia’s Rhapsody in Blue; and artistic director Charles Anderson’s Hush (set to music by Bobbi McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma). 415-345-7575, www.companycballet.org Eroica Trio Friday, Feb 15 Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center An evening of musical virtuosity, irresistible enthusiasm and sensual elegance from this Grammy- nominated trio. Their repertoire ranges from the classics to daring contemporary works. 415-345-7575, www.chambermusicsf.org Ellis Wood Dance Thu-Fri, Feb 21-22 Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center The New York City-based company is joined by Bay Area artists Jeff Curtis, Janice Garrett, Margaret Jenkins, Jo Kreiter, Lisa Wymore, and Sheldon Smith. 415-345-7575, www.wooddance.net Amanda McBroom & Melissa Manchester: In Their Own Words Saturday, Feb 23 Herbst Theatre For the first time ever, these two Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriters team up to perform their original songs, and those of the songwriters who have influenced them. 415-927-4636, www.bayareacabaret.org The Annual Ragga Muffins Festival Saturday, Feb 23 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium Move to the Jamaican “riddim” of Gregory Isaacs, Soul Majestic, Alpha Blondy, and others. 415-864-0815, www.raggamuffinsfestival.com Tír Na nÓg (Land of Youth) Wed-Sun, Feb 23-Mar 23 Magic Theatre, Fort Mason Center This world premiere theatrical adaptation of Edna O’Brien’s The Country Girls follows two girls who make their way from rural Ireland to Dublin, with live music and dance – choreographed by Riverdance co-founder Jean Butler. 415-441-8822, www.magictheatre.org FILM & LECTURES The Future Has Always Been Crazier than We Thought Monday, Feb 4, 7 p.m. Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center The Long Now Foundation presents skeptical empiricist Nassim Taleb, author of The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable, who has bracing things to say about the future. Free ($10 suggested donation). 415-561-6582, www.longnow.org S.F. International Poetry Series Tuesday, Feb 5, 6:30 p.m. Book Bay Bookstore, Bldg. C, Fort Mason Center S.F. poet laureate Jack Hirschman hosts this evening of poetry with readings by Estonian poet Reet Sool and Serb-Croatian poet Tina Tarnoff. Free. 415-771-1076, www.friendssfpl.org Wednesday Night at the Movies, Italian Style Wednesdays, Feb 6, 20 & 27 Museo ItaloAmericano, Bldg. C, Fort Mason Center The popular Italian film series continues this month with La Strada, Le Notti di Cabiria and 8½. All films are in Italian w/English subtitles. Free ($5 suggested donation). 415-673-2200 www.museoitaloamericano.org St. John’s Cinema: American Blackout Thursday, Feb 7 St. John’s Presbyterian Church (25 Lake St.) Ian Inaba’s documentary shows that while voting is a right many Americans take for granted, it’s something that’s still not a given for many citizens. This thought-provoking film won the Special Jury Prize at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. 415-751-1626, www.stjohnssf.org The Golden Age of Entertainment Tuesday, Feb 12, 7:30 p.m. UCSF Laurel Heights Conference Center (3333 California St.) From the 1930s to the 1960s, Bay Area nightlife was centered on Broadway and the surrounding area. 1950s nightclubs became the launching pads for a string of national icons: Barbra Streisand, Bill Cosby, Joan Rivers, and so many more. The S.F. Historical Society will host a panel of personalities from many of the famous establishments on Broadway to reminisce about those “golden days.” Free. 415-537-1105, www.sfhistory.org Hipsters, Paseani and Semaphore Hill Saturday, Feb 16, 10 a.m.-noon City Lights Bookstore The area known today as North Beach was an actual beach, its shoreline at roughly Taylor and Francisco Streets. Filled in years ago, it became home to Italian immigrants, and later the free spirited Beats. Join Jeanne Beaudet to explore the vibrant traditions of North Beach in a walking tour. Free. 415-537-1105, www.sfhistory.org The Panama Pacific Exposition of 1915 Thursday, Feb 21, 7:30 p.m. Randall Museum (199 Museum Way) Join Nancy DeStefanis, executive director of San Francisco Nature Education, for a lecture and slide show about the Exposition. The Palace of Fine Arts is the only remaining building – learn about its history and the wild birds that make their home there today. In honor of the Hawaii Pavilion at the Expo, ukulele players from around the Bay Area will perform songs from that era and today. Free (donations encouraged). 415-554-9600, www.randallmuseum.org Empire on Horseback: Genghis Khan and the Mongols Fri-Sat, Feb 22-23 Herbst Theatre Humanities West presents an in-depth look at this fascinating and complicated man, exploring both his brutal reputation and the brave cultural contributions of his Empire in art, science, religious tolerance, commerce, and politics, as well as military strategy. 415-391-9700, www.humanitieswest.org Willie Brown: Basic Brown Sunday, Feb 24, 9:30-10:30 a.m. The Forum: Grace Cathedral’s broadcast talk show Two-term San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown lays down some candid rules about surviving and manipulating big money and big media in today’s politics, including the secret weapon that can win the presidency for the Democratic Party in 2008. Listen live or on-demand at www.GraceCathedral.org. Cinema Piemonte Fri-Sun, Feb 29-Mar 2 Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center Discover four fine films from Turin, the first film capital of Italy. Each film is preceded by a talk from Dr. Domenico Gargale, president of La Cittá del Cinema of Turin, and followed by a reception. Free. www.piemontesinoca.com SCIENCE & THE ENVIRONMENT Crissy Field Marsh Restoration Saturday, Feb 9, 9 a.m.-noon Crissy Field Center, the Presidio (603 Mason St.) Join Michael Chassé and the Presidio Park Stewards to expand restoration efforts for Crissy Field Marsh. As part of the GGNRA’s Endangered Species Big Year, help lay the groundwork for a successful California Seablite population. Free, RSVP required. 415-561-4457, www.ggnrabigyear.org The Creative Person and the Creative Context Saturday, Feb 9, 2 p.m. McBean Theater, Exploratorium Where does creativity come from? From inkling to invention, follow the course of imagination with the foremost authority on positive psychology and flow, Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. 415-561-0363, www.exploratorium.edu Inspiration Point Restoration Saturday, Feb 16, 9 a.m.-noon Crissy Field Center, the Presidio (603 Mason St.) Join Lew Stringer of the National Park Service to help with Presidio clarkia and Marin dwarf-flax restoration as part of the GGNRA’s Endangered Species Big Year. Free, RSVP required. 415-561-4856, www.ggnrabigyear.org 21st Century Brain: How Neuroscience is Changing the Way We Shop, Vote and Pay Taxes Saturday, Feb 23, 2 p.m. McBean Theater, Exploratorium How free is our free will in the 21st century? Dr. Joshua Freedman of FKF Applied Research and Hans Lee of EmSense join neuroscientist Pireeni Sundaralingam to examine how retail companies, economic think tanks and political campaigns use neuroscience to change the ways we think and feel. 415-561-0363, www.exploratorium.edu Enticing Butterflies Into Your Garden Saturday, Feb 23 S.F. Botanical Garden, Stybring Arboretum, Golden Gate Park Butterflies are indicators of a healthy environment, and gardening organically is the best way to attract and nurture them. Discover the techniques for establishing a successful butterfly habitat using plants that are both beautiful and beneficial. 415-661-1316 ext. 354, www.sfbotanicalgarden.org POTABLES & EDIBLES Pisco: Miracle and Benison Daily, Feb 1-Mar 31 S.F. History Center, S.F. Main Library Pisco Punch was long associated with San Francisco, but the roots of this brandy-based drink are in Peru. This small exhibition of books and photographs traces the history of the punch in the City and presents historic descriptions of the Pisco, Peru region, which was devastated by earthquake last year. 415-557-4400, www.sfpl.org/news/exhibitions.htm Ruby Port & Chocolate Pairing Experience Tuesday, Feb 5 Ottimista Enoteca-Café, 1838 Union St. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, a selection of five vintage ruby ports will be paired with chocolates and chocolate desserts created by Ottimista chef Mark Young. 415-674-8400, www.ottimistasf.com 5th Annual Food from the Heart Friday, Feb 8, 5-8 p.m. Ferry Building Marketplace Stroll through the candlelit Grand Nave where the merchants and restaurateurs will offer seasonal hors d’oeuvres ($2/taste) and wine bar ($6/glass). There will be tango and salsa dancing, chocolate sampling and romantic music to serenade visitors. Proceeds benefit Slow Food San Francisco. 415-693-0996, www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com 2008 Dark & Delicious Friday, Feb 8 Palace of Fine Arts Theater P.S. I Love You, an advocacy group for Petite Sirah wine growers and producers, will welcome 35 member wineries with 20 food purveyors serving wines and dishes paired to complement each other. 707-620-0788, www.psiloveyou.org Battle of the Chefs: Corbo vs. Flood Monday, Feb 11 The Cellar, Macy’s Union Square Chef Rick Corbo’s Venetian-inspired cuisine from Ducca will test the contemporary guile of Travis Flood from Moose’s. A panel of local food experts will judge the tasty results, with Mrisa Chruchill of Bravo’s Top Chef will host. Tickets available online at www.rivera-pr.com. Beer & Chocolate Pairing Friday, Feb 15 Cathedral Hill Hotel Hops and nibs come together in a four-course gourmet menu featuring artisanal chocolates and fine Belgian ales – how about roasted quail with glazed parsnips and ginger chocolate port sauce, served with Koningshoeven Bock for starters? 415-674-3406, www.beer-chef.com SPORTS & HEALTH Playing on the Tightrope of Time: Aging Well Wednesday, Feb 6, noon-4 p.m. SFSU Downtown Campus (835 Market St., 6th floor) In a culture that insists that “60 is the new 40,” where 78 million Baby Boomers are moving into their 60s and economists worry that they will break the Social Security bank, Lillian B. Rubin, Ph.D., offers a compassionate analysis of the problems facing aging Americans. Free (bring your own lunch). 415-817-4243, www.cel.sfsu.edu/olli Golden Gate Triathlon Club Vendor Expo Monday, Feb 11, 6-10 p.m. Bldg. D, Fort Mason Center Get a sneak peak at the latest triathlon gear, meet Triathlon Club members and learn about the organization. A raffle and giveaways are part of the expo. Free. 415-359-3802, www.ggtc.org 20th Annual Gold Country Classic Sat-Mon, Feb 16-18 Herbst Pavilion, Fort Mason Center The popular coed gymnastics competition returns with 500 gymnasts ages 6 to 18 competing with their gymnastics clubs from all over the country. 925-640-0335, www.goldcountryclassic.com National AIDS Marathon Training Program Begins Feb 16-17 in the Bay Area Hundreds of AIDS Marathon volunteers will be training to complete The San Francisco Marathon or Half Marathon on Sunday, Aug. 3, 2008. Training programs are geared to both beginners and experienced runners – in the past 10 years, over 20,000 people have trained to compete. You can do it too! 510-451-4800, www.aidsmarathon.com YMCA’s Chinatown Run 10K/5K Run/Walk Sunday, Feb 17 Sacramento & Grant Sts. This scenic race winds its way through Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf and Fort Mason, finishing on Kearny between Sacramento and Clay. 415-576-9622, www.ymcasf.org/chinatown CHILD’S PLAY Cine/Club 2008: Film Series for Teenagers Fridays, Feb 1-29, 6:30 p.m. Randall Museum Theater (199 Museum Way) Delancey Screening Room (600 Embarcadero) Cine/Club presents free, classic, foreign and art films during the school year. Screenings include a cartoon, excerpts from related films or a famous short film, a feature, and a group discussion. Cine/Club invites parents, mentors, filmmakers, and critics to attend and join in the discussions. February films include Orson Welles’s Citizen Kane, Victor Erice’s The Spirit of the Beehive, Fitz Lang’s M, Roman Polansky’s The Pianist, and Ingmar Bergman’s Persona. 415-864-2026, www.artandfilm.org Kids Only Club: Animal Adventures Saturdays, Feb 2, 9, 22 & Mar 1 Crissy Field Center, the Presidio (603 Mason St.) Elementary school children can participate in a new series of programs with a different environmental theme each month. 2nd and 3rd-graders can discover the world of critters that call the Presidio home in February’s “Animal Adventures” – examine skulls, pelts and tracks in the Urban Ecology Lab, then it’s off to the Art Lab to design origami mobiles and marble mazes, among other things. Preregistration required for the four-session series. 415-561-7752, www.crissyfield.org Valentine’s Day Card Workshop Sunday, Feb 3 Children’s Art Center, Bldg. C, Fort Mason Center A family workshop where you can create Valentine’s Day cards with character, using stamps, stencils, collage, printmaking, and more. Parents, caregivers and children welcome – call in advance to reserve a space. Beverages and snacks provided. 415-771-0292, www.childrensartcenter.org AquaTots Friday, Feb 8, 10 a.m.-noon Aquarium of the Bay, Pier 39 Get “Froggy in February” with this free-with-admission educational program for toddlers 2 to 5. Stories, live animal viewing and touching, crafts, songs, and games help children learn about the animals that live in the San Francisco Bay and surrounding waters. 415-623-5300, www.aquariumofthebay.com Awakening Saturday, Feb 16 Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center The S.F. Youth Eurythmy Troupe presents an Egyptian-themed evening that includes a fairy tale, Princess Sinhold, music from Verdi’s Aida, and poetry by Akhenaton, Rumi and Gibran. Geometric artist Frank Chester is a special guest. 415-431-2736, www.sfwaldorf.org Summer Camp Open House Saturday, Feb 23, 10 a.m.-noon Crissy Field Center, the Presidio (603 Mason St.) Families with interested campers entering kindergarten through 8th grade by fall 2008 can meet camp staff and preview signature camp activities. This is a great chance to sign up for the most popular summer day camps before they fill up. Free. 415-561-7762, www.crissyfield.org CREATURE FEATURES Pets ’n People Mini Massage Wednesday, Feb 6 Spa Solé (2500 Clay St.) Get a massage for yourself and your pup at the same time in the same room! $1 per person and $1 per pet, per minute, with 15 minute to 1-hour sessions available. All funds go directly to Pets Unlimited. 415-929-6886, www.petsunlimited.org/who/calen.asp Free Microchipping Clinic Sunday, Feb 10, 1-4 p.m. S.F. Animal Care & Control (1200 15th St.) Friends of S.F. Animal Care and Control sponsors free microchipping for pets of City residents, $15 for nonresidents. No appointment necessary. Pets should be properly leashed or in a carrier. 415-554-6364, www.sfgov.org/site/acc_index.asp?id=6982 Lunar New Year at the Zoo Sunday, Feb 17, opening ceremony at 11 a.m. San Francisco Zoo Celebrate the Year of the Rat with colorful lion dancers, crafts, delicious cuisine, and educational wildlife demonstrations. The Zoo will spotlight its resident rodent species and host special animal keeper talks according to the Chinese horoscope, in Mandarin and English. Guests born in the Year of the Rat (1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008) receive free admission. 415-753-7080, www.sfzoo.org Match.Dog Saturday, Feb 23 Pets Unlimited (2343 Fillmore St.) This two-hour workshop will cover how to pick the right pooch for your family as well as setting up your new companion to succeed once he or she arrives in your home. RSVP required. 415-568-3066, www.petsunlimited.org JUST FOR FUN 6th Annual Classic Car Show Fri-Sun, Feb 15-17 Pier 45, Fisherman’s Wharf The S.F. Bay Area Model A Club hosts this annual indoor exhibit featuring 100 vintage automobiles and trucks, including 1928-31 Model A Fords. Festivities start with a Mayor’s Parade on Friday morning, and end with a Presidio driving tour on Monday. 415-621-0500, www.sfmodelaclub.org The Sit-Down Readers’ Theatre Saturday, Feb 16, 2 p.m. North Beach Branch Library (2000 Mason St.) Join a reading of one of Shakespeare’s best-known plays, The Merchant of Venice, and read a part if you like. Free. 415-355-5626, www.sfpl.org Chinese New Year Treasure Hunt Saturday, Feb 23 Justin Herman Plaza The largest and most popular treasure hunt of its kind in the U.S. Teams have four hours to solve inventive clues and find unique, little-known treasure spots. Proceeds benefit Circus Center and the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center. 415-664-3900, www.sftreasurehunt.com WORTH A RIDE ’CROSS TOWN 9th Annual San Francisco Bluegrass & Old-Time Festival Daily, Feb 1-9 Various venues Over 50 bluegrass bands will perform along with an old-time square dance, kids’ shows, jam sessions, films, and workshops. www.SFbluegrass.org Brainpeople Thu-Sun, Feb 2-16 Zeum Theater (221 4th St.) The world premiere of a surreal play about poverty, madness and death, written by José Rivera, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of The Motorcycle Diaries, and directed by 2007 OBIE award-winner Chay Yew. 415-749-2228, www.act-sf.org 10th Annual San Francisco Independent Film Fest (IndieFest) Daily, Feb 7-19 Roxie Cinema, Victoria Theater & Castro Theater Discover great new films and meet filmmakers destined to shake up “indiewood” in an atmosphere reminiscent of what Sundance used to be. 415-820-3907, www.sfindie.com In Search of the Heart of Chocolate Tuesday, Feb 12 Delancy Street Screening Room (600 Embarcadero) A filmmaker, a chocolate shop, assorted chocoholics, and lots and lots of chocolate (may contain nuts). Sarah Feinbloom screens her new chocumentary on the search for the origins of her chocolate obsession. A chocolate reception by Joshua Charles Catering follows. $10 tickets can be reserved at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Walkin’ Talkin’ Bill Hawkins … In Search of My Father Thu-Sun, Feb 14-Mar 2 AfroSolo (762 Fulton St.) This one-man show recalls W. Allen Taylor’s adventurous search for his absent father, Bill Hawkins, the first black disc jockey in Cleveland. The show received the 2006 S.F. Bay Area Theatre Critics’ Circle Best Solo Production award. 415-771-2376, www.afrosolo.org Criminal: Art and Justice in America Exhibition: Tue-Sat, Feb 16-Mar 15 Reception: Saturday, Feb 16, 1-3 p.m. Fine Arts Gallery, SFSU (1600 Holloway Ave.) This visually arresting exhibition explores aspects of criminal justice, including incarceration, the death penalty and prison labor through painting, sculpture, photography, video, sound, and installation. Free. 415-338-6535, www.gallery.sfsu.edu AMGEN Cycling Tour of California Friday, Feb 18, 11am Spinnaker Restaurant, Sausalito Catch the start of Stage 1, Sausalito to Santa Rosa. This 700-mile race will continue through six more stages, traveling to Sacramento, Modesto, San Jose, Seaside, San Luis Obispo, Solvang, Santa Barbara, Santa Clarita, and ending in Pasadena. www.amgentourofcalifornia.com WonderCon Fri-Sun, Feb 22-24 Moscone Center South If your Spidey senses need recharging, head to Northern California’s largest comic book and pop culture event of the year, with films, talks, art, and autograph sessions featuring the top names in comics. 619-491-2475, www.comic-con.org