We love strong women creators included local jewelry designer Marie McCarthy and extraordinary perfumer, sailor and clairvoyant Yosh Han. Bolinas is the not so secret getaway spot tomatoes are craving and check out the concerts coming up this month. Then we found a group exhibition that explores the power of tenderness.

Women Creators

If you’re in the market for gorgeous jewelry that’s anything but ordinary, Fiat Lux is where you’ll find it. Over the last 20 years, owner and jewelry designer Marie McCarthy has honed the art of authentic adornment through eye-catching pieces that range from the classically inspired to the darkly mysterious. No one nails femme, individualistic cool the way McCarthy does at her stores in the Mission and Lower Pac Heights, and sister shop Rose Gold’s Tattoo & Piercing in the Haight. FIATLUXSF

Modern Renaissance woman Yosh Han is considered one of the pioneers of West Coast perfumery. Her independent fragrance line YOSH (the Chinese character for which means fragrant) has been featured at high-end stores across the bay. In 2017 she set off and crossed the equator in a catamaran, a journey that influenced her scents. Some of Han’s work is public, like a dinner at the Headlands Center for the Arts in which she evoked the scents of coastal Marin alongside James Beard Rising Star chef Erik Bruner-Yang, or the gallery installation Scents and Sonics of the Ocean in which she worked with scientists and sound artists to explore the unseen elements of Georgia’s Sapelo Island. Her readings are more personal of course. And she recently collaborated with Marie McCarthy and Fiat Lux devising two fragrances inspired by classical mythology. What a tomato! YOSH

Sept. 19. John Mulaney in Concert

John Mulaney, the three-time Emmy award winner is coming to Broadway SF for one night only on September 19^th. His latest stand up special converts his personal turmoil into comedy genius. With his somewhat disarming good looks and witty quips he leaves audiences gasping for air. John Mulaney In Concert

Sept. 14. Cynthia Erivo at Davies Hall

The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra welcomes special guest Cynthia Erivo for a one-night performance at Davies Hall! Known for her Tony and Grammy-award-winning performances on Broadway and Academy Award-nominated work as an actor, the multi-faceted performer brings her talent to the orchestra for a program of music that showcases the incredible range of her abilities.

The British performer first came to wide recognition for her starring role in Broadway revival of The Color Purple. Moving onto the silver screen, her portrayal of the abolitionist Harriet Tubman in 2019’s Harriet saw her receive two Oscar nominations. September 14^th at Davies Hall. Cynthia Erivo

Sept. 26-27. Bonnie Raitt in Oakland

We love it when tomatoes we have had as the soundtrack to our lives, visit us in the bay to perform. Bonnie Raitt is one such woman we admire. She should be known as the Comeback Kid, having bounced back from near musical oblivion and substance abuse issues in the Eighties to become one of pop rock’s biggest icons.

Having started her career during the 1970s, she successfully released albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country. Catch her at the Fox theatre in Oakland September 26 – 27^th. Bonnie Raitt

Take a Trip to Bolinas

Summer is not officially over and maybe you didn’t get enough away time. Head to the “secret – ish” coastal town of Bolinas which doesn’t even have a sign pointing towards it as you cross “the bridge”. Here are a few ideas for your trip to the coast.

Smiley’s Schooner Saloon was built in the 1800s when Bolinas was a busy schooner port, the West Coast’s oldest saloon has served thirsty locals and visitors through two world wars and the years of prohibition when it rebranded as a “barbershop.” The bar has spacious outdoor seating area for enjoying live music over drinks and casual Mexican fare.  smileyssaloon.com

The Garden Room is located above the village on the mesa. This is a single-room bed-and-breakfast with a kitchenette in a lush setting. These are quiet accommodations owned by a watercolor artist whose onsite studio is open to guests.) sallyrobertson.com.

Eleven is a farmhouse-chic restaurant that serves a locally sourced and seasonally rotating menu where the vibe is very much dinner-at-a-friend’s-house (if you have talented chef friends). For a cozy, romantic stay in the center of town, book one of the two queen rooms with clawfoot tubs upstairs. The rooms are small and best suited for singles and couples.  11wharfroad.com

Coast Cafe

Open for lunch and dinner, Coast Cafe serves the kind of substantial comfort food that will warm you up after a day spent hiking. Fresh, local seafood is a good choice, or a hearty chili if that’s what you’re craving. In the morning, the owners put out a pastry case filled with fluffy pastries. coastcafebolinas.com

Bolinas Museum + Art Gallery

From schooner-building to smuggling and environmental activism, Bolinas has a long and colorful history. Make time for this tiny museum which is packed with exhibits detailing the exploits of the town, including the long-running battle against the road sign and the history of the post office. Bolinas is also home to a thriving artist community. You’ll find many of their works in the gallery.  bolinasmuseum.org

Explore Point Reyes

Head north on Highway 1 to Point Reyes National Seashore for hiking and food adventures at Point Reyes Station. Stop at the ethereal Cypress Tree Tunnel for a romantic walk, then head to Point Reyes Lighthouse. The lonely structure is beautiful and makes for a great hike if you can hack the 313 steps. After you get your steps in, head to Point Reyes Station for a bomb sandwiches at Side Street Kitchen Point Reyes National Seashore, nps.gov

Now-Oct. 4.  “Acts of Care”

“Acts of Care” is a new exhibition that takes a look at the practices of caretaking, community-building and connection ad how they can create a more just world. The show features 22 Bay Area artists who explore the themes of regeneration, solidarity, perseverance, communion and respite. It also asks the viewer questions like, “Who or what heals and nurtures you?” and “What does self-care look like?”  Timely and intriguing. Now through October 4^th. ACTS OF CARE