SF Life: Art, Style, Hiking
The San Francisco arts scene catches fire this spring with a wide variety of new exhibitions and performances from masterful, groundbreaking artists in every genre. The Asian Art Museum and the Museum of Craft and design bring fascinating new exhibits. Hunter’s Point, a refuge for artists Is slated to have a main building destroyed, but the creatives are gathering to pay homage. Unscripted by Broadway SF brings the best voices to the Bay. You know we have great hiking, so we have rounded up a few of our favorite long ones for you to try when the weather dries up a bit. We also have a little style inspo for you featuring bright, bold creative wallpaper and a fab new store in the Marin County Mart. Stay dry…spring will be here soon tomatoes!
With Into View: New Voices, New Stories
The Asian Art Museum challenges the history of art as a male-dominated space. This disruptive collection of contemporary works illustrates the vibrant fantasies, joys, sorrows, and yearnings of primarily women and queer artists, reimagining creativity as a subversive activity that combines multiple time periods, genres, and political and social concerns. Look for works by a number of boundary-pushing, of-the-moment artists. Through October 17th. asianart.org
Echoes of Building 123: Artists’ Tribute
For 40 years, the former U.S. Navy site at Hunters Point Shipyard has been a refuge for SF’s artists—the largest of its kind in the U.S. Now, just months before one of its main buildings is slated to be destroyed, 36 of them are paying tribute to its ghostly remains in Echoes of Building 123: Artists’ Tribute. In addition to a variety of creative paintings and photographs, the exhibition will feature historical materials unearthed by Shipyard artist Stacey Carter which document the African American workforce that was employed there during and after World War II. Through February 29th. shipyardartists.com
Indie Folk
By delving into the Pacific Northwest’s artistic habitat, the Museum of Craft & Design explores the line between functionality and aesthetics in the upcoming Indie Folk. Seventeen notable artists contributed a variety of works to the exhibition, from artisanal woven baskets and salvaged multimedia objects to patchwork quilts and abstract paintings, each a reminder of the powerful ethos of generational and passed knowledge to artistic practice. A soundtrack of Indie folk music curated by Portland’s Mississippi Records will accompany the visual works. Opens the 24th and runs through June 3rd. sfmcd.org
Unscripted
BroadwaySF’s new original series, Unscripted, brings luminaries of page and screen to the Curran Theatre for deep conversations about their lives, careers, and impacts on American culture. Actor William H. Macy takes the stage on March 7th, an event that begins with a screening of one of his best known films, Fargo. Also look for an evening with drag icon RuPaul on March 14th. On April 19th, John Cusack will give a behind the scenes look into Being John Malkovich, starting with a screening of the mind-bending classic. Geary St. sfcurran.com
Hiking Trails
You might not expect a region crammed with more than eight million people to have enough parkland for a seriously long hike. So, we are inviting you to take a hike, a really long one, and be grateful that almost anywhere you are in the Bay, there’s a gorgeous (approximately) 10-mile trail less than a 30-minute drive away. These extra-long hikes are three of our local favorites.
Marin Headlands
You’ve never seen the Golden Gate Bridge and the city that lies beyond look so jaw-droppingly beautiful as they do from this trail through the Marin Headlands. And those aren’t the only views in store on this massive loop, which begins next to the sharply breaking waves of Rodeo Beach. Lagoon, Julian, SCA + Miwok Trail, Marin Headlands (9.7-mile loop). On a clear day, you can see all the way to the Farallones as you drift over bluff and dale and climb steep trails into the clouds. Few use All trails, the app, to make sure we reach our destination. or a moderately difficult 10-miler, this stunning route may be the Bay Area’s best. Rodeo Beach (Sausalito), parksconservancy.org
Santa Cruz Mountains
Borden Hatch Mill, Purisima Creek, and Grabtown Gulch Trail, Purisima Creek Redwoods (9.5-mile loop). This generously-sized hike in the Santa Cruz Mountains is everything aficionados of redwoods and banana slugs could ever want. With steep ridges crowned in giants, babbling brooks, and plenty of bizarre flora and fauna, it’s one of the few trails long enough to keep you moving through California’s most unique habitat for the better part of a day. But just because it’s serene doesn’t mean it’s easy. You’ll gain some serious elevation—2,280 feet to be exact—over a 9.5-mile loop, more than enough to break a sweat even on cool, fog-drenched mornings. Purisima Creek Rd. (Half Moon Bay), openspace.org
Wildcat Canyon Regional Park
A very pretty 9.1-mile loop through Wildcat Canyon Regional Park in Richmond, has several things going for it: Terrific views of the Bay Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridges, and the sapphire jewel of San Pablo Reservoir; a patchwork of rolling oak lands; and the ruins of the 110-year-old Belgum sanatorium. Best of all, this little park, the lesser visited sister of neighboring Tilden, is literally in the East Bay’s backyard just 12 miles from Oakland. There’s nothing like a long, energy-restoring hike that doesn’t require a long, energy-draining drive. ebparks.org
Oakland artist Caroline Lizarraga
She is truly someone who brightens my soul with her work. This Oakland based painter has just debuted her first collection of wallpaper, for Parete, and it’s got all the textural finishes, dreamy patterns and poppy hues you never knew you needed. She has been wowing the Bay Area and the rest of the world for quite a few years. Her love of bold color and old world meets modern painterly techniques are appealing to so many. Her curated collection is as varied are Lizarraga’s work. Check out: “I lost my marbles”, a moody, raised-surface print on metallic smart vinyl, or “String-of-Pearl” a soft iridescent pattern that dresses to impress with its sophistication and style. paretewalls.com. https://www.carolinelizarraga.com/
Meet La Ligne
How many striped tops can you have? In my estimation not enough. Enter La Ligne – founded by three women who have built a business around the timeless wardrobe staple of stripes. 8 years ago, they began in NYC and now we celebrate the opening of their fifth brick and mortar at the Marin County Mart. Along with its famous striped knits and tees, an array of solid colored sweaters, denim and dresses are displaying in the airy boutique. Both subtle and not so subtle odes to “the line” are brought to life throughout as well. Located at 1013 Larkspur Landing Circle in Larkspur. https://lalignenyc.com/
Kim Selby, the SF life editor of The Three Tomatoes, is your gal for info on what’s hot and happening in the beautiful bay area. Having lived on the Left Coast for 27 years, after almost a decade in NYC, she has explored and continues to have adventures all over the San Francisco area. Passionate about fashion, formerly with GLAMOUR magazine and Fashion Director at Saks Fifth Avenue , Palo Alto, Kim produced fashion shows in the bay area for over 20 years. She now creates events to empower, delight and inspire women, aka “Tomatoes”. Learn more about Kim at www.kimduffselby.com
Listen to her podcast, "Ignite Your Spark" wherever you listen to podcasts.