My record collecting is aspirational. I’ve convinced myself that a handful of Goodwill and street-find vinyls will materialize into record player ownership. While the supporting evidence is still pending, my delusions come from the best of intensions. Can you blame a girl for dreams of a smartphone-free, music-filled existence? (Note to self: see if my old iPod still works as backup)
Enjoy Ethiopian culture, church without The Church, and even a little outdoor sing-along.
Secondhand Saturdays: Record Swap
Category: Vintage
Date: Saturday, May 18th @ 10am (Add to Google Calendar)
Location: Outer Sunset Farmer's Market & Mercantile
Price Range: Free to enter
Why I Care: Find phonophilic bliss at Secondhand Saturdays’ annual Record Swap. A monthly celebration of all things food and vintage, Secondhand Saturdays is one of several local pop-ups organized by Sunset Mercantile.
Not suffering from phantom turn table syndrome? A food truck called Bacon Bacon will also be in attendance.
Yerba Buena Gardens Festival: Qwanqwa
Category: Music
Date: Thursday, May 16th @ 12:30pm (Add to Google Calendar)
Location: Yerba Buena Gardens
Price Range: Free
Why I Care: Take an Ethiopian lunch break, but make it musical. Qwanqwa is an experimental Ethiopian band with roots in the 1960’s Addis Ababa jazz scene. Funk but chill, the beats are perfect for a midday pause or to shake up the scenery for that walking 1:1. Enjoy as part of the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, a series of free performances and workshops taking place all year.
Creative Currents: Celebrating AAPI Art and Collaboration
Category: Family Friendly + Art
Date: Sunday, May 19th @ 10am (Add to Google Calendar)
Location: Asian Art Museum
Price Range: $20 (promo code:AAPI2024)
Why I Care: Engage with AAPI Heritage month through the Asian Art Museum’s family-friendly day of story telling, art tours, and general celebration. From pre-K story time to special exhibition tours, the event makes space for the young, matured, and all of us in between. I also always love an artist talk, and Bay Area creators Ala Ebtekar, Dave Young Kim, and Jenifer Wofford will be chatting with curator Naz Cuguoglu about their work.
Plus contemporary art-filled terrace drinks aren’t a bad way to end the day.
Work In Progress Screening: Forty One
Category: Film
Date: Wednesday, May 15th @ 6pm (Add to Google Calendar)
Location: Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism
Price Range: Free (with RSVP)
Why I Care: We have self-driving cars, palm-sized knowledge engines, and hands free sneakers, but until recently, we didn’t have female Marines training on the West Coast. Documentary filmmaker Lisa Hornak follows this first cohort of female Marines as they fight for representation balanced with self-preservation in Platoon 3241’s boot camp. The friend that flagged the event (Taylor) worked with Hornak back in her National Geographic days and verified she's a total "badass".
Ghibli in Concert
Category: Music
Date: Friday, May 17th @ 7:30pm (Add to Google Calendar)
Location: Grace Cathedral
Price Range: $30
Why I Care: I've praised Studio Ghibli’s visual ingenuity, so let’s round out our senses with the auditory. Sixth Station Trio returns to Grace Cathedral for an encore of last year’s sold out Ghibli performance. And if you’re having trouble reconciling Totoro with Episcopalianism, welcome to the beauty, fun, and inclusivity that is Grace Cathedral. Cheers to Zarah for the find!
Sundown Cinema: Selena (sing-along)
Category: Film
Date: Friday, May 17th @ 6pm (Add to Google Calendar)
Location: Dolores Park
Price Range: Free (general admission) - $35 (reserved seating)
Why I Care: While originally optimized for gelato, our trip to Bologna coincided with Il Cinema Ritrovato, a storied (and free) film festival held in the Piazza Maggiore. The town square came alive with director talks, classic film, and an infectious energy you just can’t get while half-asleep staring at a phone screen.
So rustle together a picnic basket, book it to Dolores, and sing in celebration of Tejano legend Selena. This is still Bay Area summer though, so don’t forget your parka.
High Fidelity Listening Session: Stevie Wonder
Category: Music
Date: Monday, May 13th @ 8pm (Add to Google Calendar)
Location: Bar Shiru
Price Range: Free to enter
Why I Care: Bar Shiru has penned itself as the Bay Area’s “first hi-fi vinyl listening bar,” which I admit didn’t realize was a thing. Tonight’s session celebrates Stevie Wonder’s 74th birthday, and who doesn’t love a Little Stevie. So relax, sip on some sake, and let’s hope they have Stevie sing the best birthday jam of them all.
Next Drop: Thursday, May 23rd