Happy Monday, Berkeley.
Yesterday I went to Fort Funston with my girlfriend, and later in the afternoon, we drove around Golden Gate Park to reach Fatted Calf. The store has an amazing selection of meats and cheeses, and even some canned rosé, which our cashier said he’ll take home and drink straight from the can. In his words, “You can take the man out of Massachusetts, but you can’t take Massachusetts out of the man.”
We chose some rillettes and a wedge of Cowgirl Creamery cheese and took them to Mission Creek Park, along with some bread we picked up on our way.
If this sounds like a day you’d want to spend, consider taking BART over to San Francisco on Wednesday and going to Fatted Calf yourself for the weekly Butcher’s Happy Hour. There will be butchery and snacks, wine and local brews. The event is free and runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
But before I get too far ahead of myself, here’s what’s happening Monday.
At 7 p.m. at the Castro Theatre, there will be a singalong to “The Sound of Music.” Occurring on select dates during the summer, the event invites guests to view the musical on the big screen and to sing along with Maria (Julie Andrews) and the entire von Trapp family. Goody bags will be passed out, and everyone is encouraged to dress up as a favorite character from the film. While I’m not sure this is how Richard Rodgers or Oscar Hammerstein II envisioned the music for their classic, it doesn’t sound like a bad way to spend $16.
The film runs for 2 hours and 54 minutes, so you’ll get home pretty late. But if you’re still feeling wide awake, open up a Netflix tab and watch the pilot episode of “Supergirl.” In a classic feminist twist, the protagonist Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist) is a female superhero — something DC Comics is still struggling to portray in its cinematic universe. Except this isn’t a remake — Supergirl exists in the same universe as Superman.
If you don’t watch for the earnest acting and the decent action plotline, watch because Benoist is freaking beautiful. As it turns out, so is her co-star Chyler Leigh, known for playing Dr. Lexie Grey on “Grey’s Anatomy.”
More importantly, the show is funny and sweet, though not without some one-liner flops. In short, it’s probably not Benoist’s best work — she played Nicole in “Whiplash,” after all — but it’s also the perfect role for her.
But head to bed soon, because at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, the Contemporary Jewish Museum is hosting artist Jennifer Ewing for a Spirit Boat Making workshop. Until 12:30 p.m., make small boats to reflect, to honor a loved one’s memory or to relieve grief. The event is free.
Then, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Starlight Room, the Klipptones will be playing some jazz and blues. The night promises to be sexy and swanky, and there’s no cover charge, though some of the food looks really good.
Though if that doesn’t really sound like your scene, Rusted Mule will be hosting an Independence Day celebration, otherwise known as “No Work/No School Wednesday.” There will be music ranging in genre from hip-hop to Latin, and of course, drinks. If you go, be sure to check out the light fixtures — the website makes them look pretty cool.
On to Wednesday. You already have one suggestion, but if you’re in need of another, or a reminder, it’s the Fourth of July! The Berkeley Marina has a celebration planned from noon to 10 p.m. A whole slew of bands will play live music throughout the day, and yes, there will be fireworks. Scheduled for 9:35 p.m., the bright explosions will burst over the water at the end of the Berkeley Pier. Viewing is said to be best along Seawall Drive, south of the pier.
Then on Thursday, stay in and relax. You’re more than halfway through the week, so treat yourself to a mocktail or a smoothie (the Smoothie in Paradise recipe sounds delicious) you can make yourself.
And before you know it, it’ll be Friday. The first match of the World Cup quarterfinals begins at 7 a.m. with France vs. Uruguay. It’ll be a great game — if you can get up early enough to watch it. But if you’re likely to sleep through it, sign up to receive text updates from Andrew Das from the New York Times sports desk.
If you make it out of bed anytime before 5 p.m., go to Monroe for “Battle of the Decades: 60s 70s 80s 90s Dance Party!” The earlier you get there, the earlier the decade of music playing and the cheaper the drinks. Until 6 p.m., tunes will be from the ‘60s and drinks will be $1, and by 10 p.m., you’ll be listening to hits from 2010 and sipping on $6 cocktails.
And finally, as always, here’s your arts article of the week. Alice Dai interviewed Emily Brown about her life as an actor and her upcoming role in Aurora Theatre Company’s production of “Dry Powder.”
Until next time.
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