TOMATOES – we are in the Purple Tier – hooray. We can now go back to the hair and nail salons and more importantly support our local restaurants by eating outdoors once again. If there is one thing we have learned over the past 10 months, it’s to be flexible and go with the flow. I’ll be going with the flow for outdoor dining no matter the weather. Hope you will join me! Meanwhile read on for info on movies and theatre, the magnolias in the park, online shopping and a great free online event hosted by the Soul Food Salon. And listen in to this week’s podcast on happiness. SO…eat out, get your hair done, tip well, be happy!

Feb. 9. Soul Food Salon

A healthy, strong, and balanced immune system is critical in the prevention of infection and even in chronic diseases such as cancer or autoimmune disease. Dionne Detraz, a Cancer Nutrition Expert and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, will lead this salon where you will learn how to use your diet and lifestyle to support a healthy and balanced immune system. We will explore specific foods that have been shown to boost the immune system plus lifestyle strategies and supplements that could be helpful.   Feb.9 at 11 am PT. Free, bu you must register. https://www.soulfoodsalon.com/events

Listen in here.

Movies Return to the Big Screen

The pop-in drive-in theater, FORT MASON FLIX  has returned to the big screen with great movies during COVID-19 purple-tier restrictions, and all movies finish before the 10:00 p.m. curfew. Valentine’s Day romance is in the air with sexy classics like Moonstruck, the original Thomas Crown Affair, and Four Weddings & A Funeral. And a special showing of Groundhog Day . (We certainly know all about living that way!)

While the COVID-19 restrictions prevent FLIX from offering concessions for now, you can whet your appetite for future dining al fresco with hits Ratatouille and Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs. View the complete FORT MASON FLIX schedule at FortMason.org/FLIX. (Note that some FLIX films have earlier start times for FLIX to finish before the 10:00 p.m. curfew.)

Virtual Theatre Events

Theatre lovers – this is for you. South Bay Musical theatre is hosting a series of new virtual events that will be streamed over our favorite Zoom and social media. Coming up:

 Broadway by the Decade: Underappreciated Musical Gems, with Ron Susek – Tuesday February 9, 7:30 p.m.This is a musical theatre history class focused on lesser-known shows from the 70s from celebrated musical theater masters! Each of these shows is filled with memorable songs, but were overshadowed by its creative team’s other works. 

Readers’ Theatre: Pride and Prejudice
Saturday and Sunday, February 13 (8 p.m.) and February 14 (3 p.m.)Co-sponsored by Silicon Valley Shakespeare, Pride and Prejudice is a streamlined theatrical version of Jane Austen’s classic novel involving manners, courtship and relationships. Finding a husband is hardly Elizabeth Bennet’s most urgent priority. But with four sisters, an overzealous match-making mother, and a string of unsuitable suitors, it’s difficult to escape the subject. When the independent-minded Elizabeth meets the handsome but enigmatic Mr. Darcy, all feelings of attraction are muted by his pride and her prejudice. As their worlds keep colliding, their attraction increases. But they first must overcome their own weaknesses and many other obstacles before the most famous courtship in history can begin.

South Bay Cabaret: Classic vs. Contemporary Show Tunes Wednesday, February 24, 7:30 p.m.

Each of the performers for this event will perform one classic show tune and one contemporary show tune, in a lively cabaret style. This will show the contrast in the changes in culture in Musical Theater from yesteryear vs. today.

In addition to these events for general audiences, SBMT is also conducting ongoing dance workshops, film screenings, and online game show productions.

Visit SouthBayMT.com/estudio for details.

Online Shopping from SF Locals

We recently discovered Venim, a cool, women-owned indie brand that hit the scene a couple years ago after a successful Kickstarter launch. What got all those funders excited: customizable, foil denim jackets that continue to be the lifeblood of the streamlined SF label. The practicality of a utilitarian denim jacket complements the wow factor of the hand-applied foil designs, Together, a style home run.

No doubt, the ability to customize adds to the fun. Select your wash, style (shorter or longer), button color, and design. Jackets come in three unisex sizes to choose from according to how you want the piece to fit…shrunken, fitted, or oversized. Also, upcyclers will be happy to learn that all the denim is sourced from liability fabrics, the unused yardage ditched by large brands. We’ll take two. venim.com.

Zip into a vibrant skirt, cozy up to a technicolor sweater, and buckle into Picasso-inspired printed boots. It’s the perfect way to leave a bleak 2020 in the rear view, according to the shop at Bob Cut, a chronicler of SF’s ever-evolving culture. Edit 3: Mural, the e-shop’s first new clothing and accessories collection of 2021, is color crazy, print-centric and created in partnership with local makers and manufacturers.

In another stroke of SF synergy, the collection features Mission artist/muralist Lady Henze as model. She’ll be releasing her own limited-edition line of scarves in the shop come March. Get the scoop.

Blooming Magnolias

One of San Francisco’s most breathtaking natural marvels, the annual bloom of more than 200 rare and historic magnolias with trees reaching 80 feet, is typically at its peak from mid-January through March at the SF Botanical Garden. Velvety silver buds on the often-bare branches of these elegant trees, many rare and historic, open into dazzling pink, magenta, and white flowers, filling the wintery garden with dramatic splashes of color and sweetly fragrant scents. The museum should be opening soon for you to enjoy the lushness of this magnificent flower. Check it out.

Join us for our February FREE Book Club Event