It’s time to decide who’s been naughty and who’s been nice! And if you have not yet completed your Holiday Shopping, we have local artists and craft fairs where you can find that something special for those hard to shop for peeps on your list. Want to be entertained? The bay area thespians bring you many choices including the hysterical The Play That Goes Wrong, As You Like it and many more. This weekend, one of our favorite tomatoes Michelle Obama comes to the Masonic – that’s an event worth taking a break from shopping to see.

As always it has been a pleasure bringing you events, shopping and experiences this past year.  The SF newsletter will return in January and until then, we wish you the Happiest Holiday Season, may you celebrate the magic of the season with friends and family, and remember to take time for self-care.

Cheers,

Kim

Locally Crafted Gift Ideas for All

Locally sourced and crafted goods support creatives in the bay. Here are some fun gifts you might enjoy presenting to those on your list who have been extra good this year.

The newest must-have item for all wellness junkies is nootropics, aka supplements that may have a positive impact on the brain, helping to enhance certain cognitive functions. The Bay Area founders behind No. 8 put all those good-for-you benefits into delicious gummies geared toward focus (matcha and mint), energy (ginger and yuzu), sleep (elderberry and peach), and calm (lychee and pear). Give the best of all worlds with No. 8’s Harmony Set of four for $198.

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Keep the goats bouncing and the turkeys gobbling all year round with a fun, farm-themed gift from Sonoma’s Goatlandia Farm Animal Sanctuary, which rescues farm animals in need and educates and empowers people to look beyond animal agriculture to plant-based alternatives. Among our favorites this year are their illustrated note cards featuring rescued animals from the farm, their fashionable goat hoodies and tees and their 2023 barnyard calendar. For a more experiential gift, sign up for a private tour or a goat hike with lunch. 2336 Olivet Ln. (Santa Rosa), goatlandia.org

Usher in a Masala Renaissance from Oakland-based Sana Javeri Kadri’s Diaspora Co., this six-pack of South Asian spice blends is guaranteed to knock their aprons off. No dish will ever be bland again with the flavors of chai, haldi doodh, garam, and more all sourced from small, regenerative family farms.  Shop online at diasporaco.com.

Oakland-based Whitney Sharpe’s sculptural pieces in elegant geometric shapes are the right blend of fine art and whimsy. The Allelos candelabra ($180, top right) has perfectly rounded curves and a beautiful speckle finish. Shop online at thelatchkey.com.

Holiday Markets

The Bay Area craft market scene has really blossomed and back to what it was in 2019. A German Christmas Market is always a great way to get into the spirit of the season, even if you need nothing. The German Holiday Market recreates the jovial atmosphere of a traditional open-air, European winter market in Mountain View’s Caltrain Station. Shop for unique, handcrafted gifts from Germany and local artisans: Wood ornaments and nutcrackers from Germany, Lebkuchen (gingerbread), Stollen, chocolate, toys, ceramics, and knitwear. Taste traditional German sausages and pretzels and warm up with a mug of Glühwein (warm mulled wine), the hallmark of these winter markets.Saturday December 10^th. Free admission, masks encouraged. https://germanholidaymarket.org/

La Cocina’s annual Holiday Market Fundraiser supports women-owned small businesses selling food, art, and other gifts. There will be live entertainment, delicious bites, seasonal spirits, and winter crafts for kids.  You can stock up on sweet & savory La Cocina goodies to have on hand for holiday entertaining. Pick up one of their popular gift boxes or a copy of their acclaimed “We Are La Cocina” cookbook. La Cocina chefs will offer delicious bites and festive drinks. Best to purchase tickets ahead of time! Saturday December 11^th 11:00 a.m. https://lacocinasf.org/holidaymarket22

You can hop from market to market this Saturday and here’s another you won’t want to miss.  The Misfit Maker Holiday Pop up on the 10^th from 4 – 8 p.m. This even features live art making, local vendors, and lots of fun. Theis is a one night live art-making event featuring over 30 Bay Area artists, and coinciding with RD MAKES, an exhibition featuring works by current Root Division Studio Artists. Throughout the evening, artists will be making small sculptures and other giftables on site in Root Division’s gallery. These notable objects range in spectrum with distinct designs and innovative approaches to object-making. Each artist made item will be available for sale as they are completed, ranging in price from $20 – $60. https://rootdivision.org/exhibition/misfit-maker-holiday-popup/

 Michelle Obama is coming to town!

For three nights, the former First Lady turned author will take the stage at the Masonic for the tour of her new book, The Light We Carry; 8pm, Friday through Sunday.  In this new book, one of our favorite tomatoes offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress. With trademark humor, candor, and compassion, she also explores issues connected to race, gender, and visibility, encouraging us to work through fear, find strength in community, and live with boldness. livenation.com

ALICE! A Holiday Circus Spectacular

If you love a Holiday outing, Circus Center’s fantastical holiday show is back.   is an interactive performance event with high flying aerialists, gravity-defying acrobatics, dancers, drag artists, clowns, and more! Alice, now a mother, is drawn back into the fantasy world of her childhood, Wonderland, complete with the soundtrack of her childhood – 80’s music! Alice and her daughter must find their Cat in the wild world of Wonderland. This weekend only. http://circuscenter.org/shows

Sing You a Merry Christmas

If you love to sing holiday songs (I do!) Grace Cathedral presents Sing You A Merry Christmas, a show and sing-along for all ages. Sing along with your favorite holiday carols as the toys of St. Nicholas’s workshop lead us on an extraordinary journey, filling our souls with the joys of the season. Since 1947, Christmas at Grace Cathedral has offered an ideal way to ring in the season, with magnificent music, a majestic setting, and astonishing acoustics. Experience the deep connection between spirit and art at Grace Cathedral this Christmas. This Saturday and the 17^th, the 21st and 23^rd. https://gracecathedral.org/

Meet John Doe

If you want something other than Holiday shows, San Jose Stage presents a world premier adaptation of Frank Capra’s 1941 classic film Meet John Doe. A reporter’s fake news turns a down-and-out derelict into a national hero and unknowingly makes him a pawn of big business. More relevant today, this story explores the societal / individual’s distrust and manipulation of government and other institutions meant to protect the people. This is a story about media, politics and the American Dream. Now through December 18^th. https://www.thestage.org/season/meet-john-doe