SF Life: Movies, Art, Outdoor Spaces, Circus, Stranger Things
Grab your jackets Tomatoes, because it’s summer in the city and the cool weather and fog are prevalent. That doesn’t stop the activities, indoor and out. Stanford Theatre returns with its entertaining array of old films. Stranger Things comes to the bay area. An experience for all you fans. The Art of the Future has arrived at The Palace of Fine Arts and check out the water lilies at the SF Conservatory of Flowers. Circus lovers will love the heartwarming Circus Bella at parks around the town. We have a roundup of local street fairs and art exhibits to explore as well. Try something new and head to an area you don’t know. The Bay has so much to offer!
Hollywood’s Golden Age at The Stanford Theatre
The Stanford Theatre holds a special place among local venues as the only theater dedicated to repertory. Their programs can contain foreign classics, but they are mostly devoted to golden age Hollywood movies, from the 1920’s – 1960’s. SWOON. Coming up this weekend is an Astaire/Rogers double feature. “The Gay Divorcee” and “Top Hat”. After two years, this reopening is a welcome respite for tomatoes tired of big blockbusters that have taken over the movies! The Stanford Theatre first opened in 1925, and it served for decades as Palo Alto’s premier movie house. Get the details.
The Stranger Things Experience
Stranger Things 4 dominated the internet over the last month, and if you raised kids in the ‘80’s or just love the decade this experience is for you. Transport to Hawkins right here in San Francisco at the Stranger Things Experience, which is happening now at SF’s Skylight at the Armory. You’ll have the chance to become your own character during an hour-long storyline that takes you through set recreations including Hawkins Lab, the Byeres’ living room, the Palace Arcade, and more. Get the details.
Verse: The Art of The Future
Imagine stepping into a digital gallery where you can walk around and browse artwork from the most reputable digital artists out there. Verse: The Art of The Future – NFT Exhibit has arrived in San Francisco and it’s here to change your perspective on how we will experience art in the future. See it now at the Palace of Fine Arts .
Flowers‘Aquatic Plants Gallery
Enormous water lilies are a prominent fixture in the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers‘Aquatic Plants Gallery. These impressive plants produce massive white and pink flowers that typically stick around for just 2 days. The gigantic leaves float on top of the water, growing to be between 4 and 6 feet across! Get the details.
The Stanford Live Arts Festival
A fantastic series of outdoor concerts have come to Stanford’s historic Frost Amphitheater. The venue is perfection. Having just attended an event there, I can assure you that it is the perfect way to spend a summer evening. The Stanford Live Arts Festival is a month-long series through August 6 with a wonderful lineup of local performers from SF Symphony, SF Ballet, SF JAZZ, and more. Food and drinks can be purchased on site, but you can also bring your own picnic. Get the details.
Circus Bella
Circus Bella brings you a good old fashioned circus experience. No animals, just classically inspired costumes, performers with humanity and heart and engaging personalities. They delight in showing audiences what people can do, in ways they haven’t seen before. Audiences are bedazzled, lifted, and join in the celebration of the heart and soul of circus: community, joy, and achieving the impossible.
They entertain with the simplest of props: juggling clubs, hula hoops, balance boards, ropes, unicycles, and poles. Like the word Bella in their name, they celebrate the beauty of the circus art form and the beauty of what humans can do together. Their latest show is called “Flip”, “Flop” and “Fly”. Performances are free and last about an hour. Perfect if you ask me. Through July 23rd at various parks. Get the details.
Venture Out of Hood
I guarantee there are areas of the city and the bay that you haven’t visited. Here are a few events coming up that may encourage you to leave your environs and venture into new areas.
ArtScape in the Outer Sunset is a festive family event that takes place the 2nd Saturdays of each month through October- 11 – 5 p.m. on a closed-to-traffic 37th Ave & Ortega in the Outer Sunset. It features Local Artists, Live Music, Delicious Food, and Creative Activities for all ages. ArtScape provides a space for the community and local artists, makers, and performing artists to connect, engage, showcase, perform, and sell their artwork.
Rockridge Rock-N-Stroll brings outdoor live music dotted along College Avenue in Oakland, big sales from merchants, give-a-ways, tastings with special menus, popup vendors, kids’ crafts, and fun activities for the whole family. The retailers, restaurants, and service providers that make up the Rockridge District welcome you to experience local goods, art shows, spa specials, fine dining, savory sweets, and delicious drinks. Every second Saturday of the month, attendees are invited to stroll, sip, sample, and On Second Saturdays, Rockridge hosts over a dozen performers along with DJs and house music on College Avenue between Broadway and Alcatraz Avenue. Some retailers will be donating their proceeds, like Nathan & Co.’s to a fundraiser for Ukraine’s Children’s Relief (UNICEF). Restaurants feature unique menus, like Cactus Taqueria’s, delicious street tacos, available right out of their window to enjoy while strolling the event. Rockridge Market Hall will offer American-made cheese tastings…Rockridgedistrict.com
Celebrate Frida Kahlo’s Birthday Tianguis. It’s approaching very fast! Enjoy a day full of great arts & crafts, food, music, family-friendly activities, on Saturday July 9th, 11 – 6. The day will be filled with art, music, and food. The Bay Area loves to celebrate Frida and this 115th birthday bash supports strong women artists and artisans at La Pena Cultural Center in Berkeley. *A “tianguis” is a traditional open-air market and comes from the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs, which means “market.” La Peña Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley.
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.
