Need that morning cup of Joe?  Midafternoon pick me up? Love the scent of roasting coffee? This is for you, as the SF Coffee festival kicks off tomorrow. You know how great our museums are right?  Take advantage of free entrance and learn about a few you may not have visited.  SF is so cool and there are several free activities every Wednesday – intrigued?  Read on. And check out this week’s Happy Hour Podcast with Loretta Swit!

Nov. 2-3. SF Coffee Festival

Get ready for an immersive coffee experience when the fourth annual San Francisco Coffee Festival kicks off Saturday. Over ninety specially curated roasters and exhibitors share with you, their unique beans and flavor profiles with a soundtrack provided by live entertainment at the Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason Center. Coffee enthusiasts will love this event.

Think about your ideal coffee event experience: this is it. You’ll have the chance to sample + talk with over 90 roasters and exhibitors to your heart’s content while live entertainment keeps the party spirited during this one of a kind experience. Get details and tickets.

If you’re a Loretta Swit and M*A*S*H fan (and who isn’t) you will love our podcast interview with her this week. We talked about her iconic role as “Hot Lips” Houlihan and she shared some great behind the scenes stories, but we also talked about her passion these days as an animal rescue advocate and her beautiful book of animal watercolors, Switheart. The proceeds support various animal groups like “Paws for Purple Hearts” that reconnects military service dogs with their veteran partners.  Listen in here or wherever you listen to podcasts.

FREE Museum Admissions

Free things are the best right? If you aren’t a member of any of our wonderful and engaging local museums, the first Tuesday of the month is free admission days. Participating museums include the DeYoung, The Legion of Honor, The Conservatory of Flowers, The Contemporary Jewish Museum and two which you may not have visited, The Museum of Craft and Design and the Cartoon Art Museum. Now is the time.

Events at The Museum of Craft and Design

They spent 6 years in Union Square and two years in pop-ups, but their new and permanent location is in the historic American Industrial Center in Dogpatch (one of our favorite areas to wander). Rather than featuring paintings or traditional sculpture, the museum showcases other types of artwork that range from furniture to kinetic sculptures to jewelry. For those tomatoes who like to create (me raising my hand), on the third Thursday of each month, you have the opportunity to collaborate with artists and makers.

On the 21^st of this month, there is a special artist happy hour featuring innovative SF restaurant + gallery, Palette. From their art-themed menus to their custom, handcrafted wares, hear about their creative symbiosis in exploring the relationship between food, art and community. There will be a plethora of hands-on projects as well. Get the details.

Design your Thanksgiving aesthetic with decorative elements, including mini-brick votives, table runners and repurposed fabric throw pillows. Bring an old t-shirt or blanket from home for added personalization plus get your mindfulness on and enjoy a creative gratitude meditation and grab a craft lemonade beverage (adult or otherwise!) to benefit the SF Marin Food Bank. www.sfmcd.org

The Cartoon Art Museum

This delightful museum was gone for a while, but it has returned and with it comes Pay as you Wish Days – not technically free, but close to it. This specialty museum looks to create affordable experiences for all to ignite imaginations. They hope to foster the next generation of visual storytellers by celebrating the history of cartoon art, its role in society, and its universal appeal.

The cartoon art museum is a destination where you can experience cartoon art in all its many forms from around the world. You also gain insight into the creative process. Through exhibitions, artist appearances, and community outreach programs, the museum demonstrates how cartoon art entertains, communicates diversity, and champions self-expression. It’s definitely not just for kids and is so entertaining, you will laugh as you admire cartoons and the creative minds at work. www.cartoonart.com

Wednesday Freebies

Hump day had never looked so good. Every Wednesday there are a host of things to do, all without opening your wallet. If you are a city dweller, every Wednesday morning at 6:30 a.m., gather at Alta Plaza Park for a free badass workout and chance to meet fellow fitness enthusiasts. The half hour workouts are different each week but consist of boot camp style workouts. Rain or shine peeps. Alta Plaza Park – Clay Street and Pierce Street.

The Autodesk Gallery at One Market in SF celebrated the design process that takes a great idea and turns it into a reality. There are more than 20 different exhibits regularly on display that showcase the innovative work of Autodesk customers. The gallery illustrates the role technology plays in great design and engineering. We visited and were blown away. One Market, 10 – 5 p.m.

Love to stitch, embroider, needlepoint, crocheting? Enjoy the company of others every Wednesday from 11 – 4 at the San Francisco School of Needlework & Design. This free event gives you the opportunity to stitch in an inspiring environment with fellow enthusiasts. Bring your projects, chat away and enjoy the vast needlework library at your leisure. This school began in 2015 by two women who were trained at the Royal School of Needlework in the UK. They offer classes and inspire stitchers with traditional knowledge and updated skills involving expanded technical assists. I think I’ve found a new passion!