Good Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO — Something to read

Blind Trust

By Barbara Boxer with Mary-Rose Hayes ($24.95)

The second novel by the California senator again describes the life and work of fictional Democrat Ellen Fisher, a U.S. senator in her second term. The book tells behind-the-scenes tales of struggles for integrity and power in the Capitol.

Game of the Day

NFL

Bills vs. Titans

5 p.m., NBC

Terrell Owens and the Buffalo Bills take on the Tennessee Titans in the league’s preseason opener, the Hall of Fame Game.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Baseball: The Giants close out their series against the Dusty Baker-led Cincinnati Reds. [1 p.m., AT&T Park, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area]

Baseball: The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees renew their bitter rivalry. [5 p.m., Yankee Stadium, New York, ESPN]

BRUNCH

Epic Roasthouse: Chef Jan Birnbaum’s brunch options include egg dishes, breakfast items, soups, salads, sandwiches and a prix-fixe menu. Selections include cornmeal flapjacks with shirred eggs and bacon brittle; truffled scrambled eggs and shaved summer truffles with brioche; New York steak and poached eggs; Dungeness crab-cake Benedict; oysters; and a burger. [11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; 369 Embarcadero, S.F. (415) 369-9955]

LEND A HAND

Volunteers for Outdoor California: Volunteers are needed for a trail building and restoration project at San Francisco’s McLaren Park. [8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; details/RSVP: www.v-o-cal.org/projects/mclaren.html]

Nihonmachi Street Fair: Volunteers are needed to staff game and craft booths in the fair’s Children’s World. [11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Post and Webster streets, S.F.; RSVP: www.onebrick.org]

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Peninsula:

Palo Alto Art Center: Volunteers are needed to keep art stations stocked and to help families make art projects at “End of Summer Family Fun Day.” [12:30 to 4:15 p.m., 1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto; RSVP: www.onebrick.org]

GET OUTSIDE

Parks

Outdoor Shakespeare: Woman’s Will, an all-female troupe that performs Shakespeare plays in local parks, presents “The Taming of the Shrew.” [1 p.m., Jerry Garcia Amphitheatre, McLaren Park, 40 John F. Shelley Drive, S.F.]

Cumbia in the grove: The Stern Grove Festival welcomes Colombian cumbia singer Toto La Momposina. Nation Beat opens the show. [2 p.m., Sigmund Stern Grove, Sloat Boulevard and 19th Avenue, S.F.]

Park band: The Golden Gate Park Band performs its weekly summer concert. Today’s program: “A Concert of Great Band Music,” with violinist Pam Carey. [1 p.m., Music Concourse, Golden Gate Park, S.F.]

Festivities

Car-free streets: “Sunday Streets” offers car-free space where people can bike, walk and play in San Francisco neighborhoods. It takes place on the Great Highway, from Golden Gate Park to the zoo, today. [10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; www.sundaystreetssf.com]

Filipino fair: The culture of the Philippines has the spotlight at the Pistahan celebration. Festivities include music, dance, crafts, food and a trade expo. [11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission and Third streets, S.F.]

Food festival: Top chefs, bar stars and winemakers take part in “SF Chefs. Food. Wine.” Tastings, classes and dinners take place. [10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Union Square, Post and Powell streets, and nearby sites, S.F.; www.sfchefsfoodwine.com]

Asian American celebration: The Nihonmachi Street Fair celebrates the local Asian and Pacific American communities with crafts, dance and music in Japantown. [11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Peace Plaza, 1737 Post St., S.F.]

Sports and recreation

Baseball game: The San Francisco Giants play the Cincinnati Reds, and it’s Junior Giants Day at the ballpark. Promotional gift: Giants trading cards for the first 20,000 arriving fans. [1:05 p.m., AT&T Park, 24 Willie Mays Plaza, S.F.]

Scenic paddling: City Kayak hosts its “Downtown San Francisco Trip,” a kayak paddle ride along the waterfront. [10 a.m. to 1 p.m., City Kayak, South Beach Harbor, Embarcadero at Townsend Street; info/RSVP: www.citykayak.com]

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Peninsula:

Outdoor Shakespeare: Redwood City presents “Shakespeare on the Square,” a free outdoor theater series. Featured play: “The Two Gentlemen of Verona.” [1 p.m., Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway St., Redwood City]

AROUND TOWN

Dance

Peace and tango: “Tango Harmony” features tango music and dance, celebrating Hiroshima Peace Day. Joe Powers and Naoko Aoki, a harmonica-piano duo, perform. [7 p.m., Community Music Center, 544 Capp St., S.F.]

Music

Fresh notes: SfSoundSummerSeries, featuring contemporary and experimental music, presents its August program. Fare includes Karlheinz Stockhausen’s “Kreuzspiel.” [8 p.m., ODC Dance Commons, 351 Shotwell St., S.F.]

R&B hit maker: R&B and soul singer Miki Howard performs at the Rrazz Room. Howard’s hits include “Come Share My Love,” “Baby Be Mine” and “Imagination.” [7 p.m., Rrazz Room, Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St., S.F.]

String fever: “Sunday Night String Stampede III” features local string-related music talent. Agent Ribbons, Foxtails Brigade and Garrett Pierce perform. [8 p.m., Café du Nord, 2170 Market St., S.F.]

Movies

Jewish cinema: The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival presents “Empty Nest” (Argentina), “The Gift to Stalin” (Kazakhstan) and other fare. [11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Jewish Community Center, 3200 California St., S.F.]

Rock and reel: “A Hard Day’s Night” (1964) and “Jailhouse Rock” (1957), featuring the Beatles and Elvis Presley, respectively, screen as a double bill. [2:30, 4:25, 6:10, and 8 p.m., Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St., S.F.]

Literary events

Author appearance: Alex Wellen talks about “Lovesick,” a novel. [2 p.m., [6 p.m., Book Passage, 1 Ferry Plaza, S.F.]

Lectures

Maritime lecture: “Maritime Routes of the Underground Railroad” is the subject of a presentation hosted by the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. [3 p.m., Visitor Center, Sailor’s Den, 499 Jefferson St., S.F.]