Happy Monday, Berkeley.
I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving (while, of course, remembering the history of the holiday and its roots in colonialism). Did you make a pie or three? Or did you spend the day at home with some spaghetti and your favorite TV show?
Well, no matter what you did last week, you should head to San Francisco City Hall at 7 p.m. Monday for “Song4Sanctuary.” The free event features artists Sofia Córdova and Matthew Gonzalez Kirkland, who together make XUXA SANTAMARIA, as they perform an original score that incorporates musical traditions from a variety of cultures that are protected by San Francisco’s sanctuary city protections. Stephanie Hewett will dance in accompaniment to the music.
Then on Tuesday, head back across the bridge to The Lab in San Francisco. There, you’ll find a blend of science and visual art in “Semiconductor: Earthworks.” Earthworks is a five-channel computer-generated animation created by the soundscapes of volcanoes, earthquakes and human activity, among other sounds. Layers of colorful patterns are warped to form fluctuating waveforms, celebrating the capacities of modern science and technology. The event is free and open from 6-8 p.m.
On your way back to Berkeley, stop in Oakland for ice cream at Fentons. If you’re with a friend, split a sundae, or if you’re on your own, pick up a pint of your favorite flavor to dig into from the comfort of your bed. Or, if ice cream isn’t your cup of tea, make this spiked hot chocolate instead — it’s sure to keep you warm as the nights get colder.
If the arrival of holiday drinks at Starbucks or the twinkling lights wrapped on the trees along Shattuck Avenue haven’t already alerted you, the holiday season is upon us. And what better way to participate than making cards for those you love. From 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Madrone Art Bar is hosting a free night of card-making with the founders of Western Editions. Using a tabletop press, you can letterpress your holiday cards and customize them with watercolor paint. Envelopes and stamps will be provided.
Keep the crafting ball rolling Thursday at Gather with a hat-knitting workshop. For $65 you can participate in a two-hour class, fortified with wine and snacks. You’ll also walk away with yarn and a circular knitting needle, if not an already fully formed beanie. However, if this price is a little too steep, download a simple beanie pattern online instead and stop by Michaels in Emeryville for some yarn and needles. Invite your friends over, put on your favorite sitcom and start knitting.
Friday closes out the last full week of the fall semester — to celebrate, visit the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park for the “Night Bloom” light show. From 5-11 p.m., a light show will be projected on the outside of the building, turning the iconic San Francisco landmark into a landscape of holiday sounds and sights.
Saturday is for lollygagging. Make some pancakes and spend the morning reading a good book before you make the jaunt over to California College of the Arts in Oakland for the second day of the 8th Annual Youth Arts Summit. From 1-5 p.m. you can wander around a gallery space full of work by young artists, soundtracked and supplemented with live music, DJs and a performance competition. The event is free, but an RSVP is encouraged.
Check out a different kind of art Sunday at the Asian Art Museum during its monthly free day. To skip the line, order tickets in advance online. Current exhibitions include “Painting is My Everything: Art from India’s Mithila Region” and “Haroon Mirza: The Night Journey.”
While you’re waiting for your pancakes to cook or for the museum to open, check out Julia Mears’ feature on Kelsey Ferrell, a UC Berkeley junior who just released an album of confessional music inspired by the punk and riot grrrl genres.
If you have any hot chocolate-making tips to share or favorite artists to discuss, shoot me an email: [email protected]. I’ll be as excited to hear from you as this bear was to sniff the California Highway Patrol station vending machines in Truckee.
Until next time.
