Good Weekend: Oct. 2, 2009

FRIDAY

Eating

To Hyang: The best Korean food on the West Coast is said to be in Los Angeles, but To Hyang — a family affair headed by chef-mother Hwa Soon Im — gives L.A. some stiff competition. [3815 Geary Blvd. (at Second Avenue), S.F.; (415) 668-8186]

Drinking

RN74: Don’t count this popular wine bar out when it comes to cocktails. Every drink on the menu has a grape-type ingredient and the bartenders seem to churn out 100 cocktails every half hour. [301 Mission Street, S.F.; (415) 543-7474, www.michaelmina.net/rn74]

Bluegrass and beyond: The three-day 2009 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival begins. MC Hammer, John Prine and Lyle Lovett, among others, perform today. [10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Speedway Meadow, Golden Gate Park, S.F.]

Fest faves: “Best of the Fringe” — four top plays from the 2009 San Francisco Fringe Festival, presented over two days — begins. First up: “A (Bearded) Lady” and “Hell, the Musical.” [7 and 8:30 p.m., Exit Theatre, 156 Eddy St., S.F.]

SATURDAY, OCT. 3

Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market top produce picks:

Corn

Fantasy grapes

Cherry tomatoes

Poha berries

Thai basil

Pomegranates

Butternut squash

Radishes

Spinach

Lemon balm

A great bike ride:

Bike Back to the Bayview

10 a.m. to noon, meet at Road House Coffee, 5191 Third St. (at Thomas Street)
What better way to spend a “San Francisco summer” morning than a full-throttle bike ride through the Bayview to keep dastardly street defects from disrupting rides? Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition’s Good Roads Crew in their noble endeavor to mark every pothole, crack and trench with spray paint and turn them in to 311 for rapid repair. Good cheer follows our good work with drinks and lunch. First-timers always welcome; we’re a decidedly friendly group. Heavy rain postpones ride until Oct. 10. — San Francisco Bicycle Coalition; sfbike.org

Festivals

Beer and cheer: Oktoberfest-by-the-Bay continues through the weekend. Pier 48 becomes a mini-Munich, complete with German-style food, beer, music and dance. [11 a.m. to midnight, Pier 48, S.F.]

Dancing in the streets: San Francisco LovEvolution celebrates love, peace and dance music with a parade and festival. [Parade starts at noon at Second and Market streets, S.F.; festival goes till 8 p.m. at Civic Center Plaza, S.F.]

Food on Fillmore: “Taste of Fillmore,” a block party, celebrates the neighborhood’s boutiques and eateries. Look for food, fashion and jazz. [Noon to 5 p.m., Fillmore Street between Pine and California streets, S.F.]

Conservation expo: Wildlife Conservation Network presents its Wildlife Conservation Expo Day. Speakers include primatologist Jane Goodall. [10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mission Bay Conference Center, 1675 Owens St., S.F.]

Autumn leaves: The San Francisco Botanical Garden hosts its Fall Garden Festival. Guests can meet plant experts, buy plants, see butterflies up close and enjoy kids’ activities. [10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Golden Gate Park, S.F.]

Music

Celebrating Mahler: The San Francisco Symphony, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, performs Mahler’s “Symphony No. 5.” A CD signing with MTT follows. [8 p.m., Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., S.F.]

Comedy

Rivers city: Comedy superstar Joan Rivers, recently roasted on Comedy Central, performs at Cobb’s. [7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Cobb’s Comedy Club, 915 Columbus Ave., S.F.]

Jam session: Shaquille O’Neal’s “All Star Comedy Jam” comes to San Francisco. D.L. Hughley, LaVell Crawford and Daniel Dugar take the stage. [9 p.m., Warfield, 982 Market St., S.F.]

Peninsula:

Symphony concert: The Redwood Symphony performs works by Gershwin, Bernstein, Chang and Ravel. [Concert at 8 p.m.; preconcert lecture at 7 p.m.; Canada College, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., Redwood City]

Fall festival: Heirloom orchards have the spotlight at the Autumn at Filoli Festival. The annual fundraiser includes fruit tasting, tours, floral arranging and kids’ activities. [10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Filoli, 86 Canada Road, Woodside]

SUNDAY

A great city walk

Golden Gate Park: East End

A two-hour walk that includes the Conservatory of Flowers, underground tunnels, the AIDS Memorial Grove and new buildings in the Music Concourse, site of the 1894 World’s Fair. Small hills and some stair climbing. Meet at McLaren Lodge, 501 Stanyan St. at Fell Street, at 10 a.m.

San Francisco City Guides, a 31-year-old non-profit organization conducting free walking tours spotlighting San Francisco history, architecture, legends and lore, is a program of the San Francisco Public Library. Tours are offered seven days a week, year round. Visit www.sfcityguides.org or call (415) 557-4266 for more information.

Music

Wind ensemble: Imani Winds teams with vibraphonist Stefon Harris for a concert that includes Harris’ “Anatomy of a Box (A Sonic Painting in Wood, Metal and Wind).” [7 p.m., Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave., S.F.]

Music and conversation: The San Francisco Contemporary Music Players presents a performance and discussion of “The Seven Ages,” a new work by John Harbison. [4:30 p.m., ODC Dance Commons, 351 Shotwell St., S.F.]

Festivals

Street festival: The 2009 Castro Street Fair features entertainment, booths, a dance pavilion and a family area. Inspirational couples and the fight for equal rights take center stage. [11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Castro and Market streets, S.F.]

Meatless menus: The San Francisco Vegetarian Society presents its World Veg Festival. Attractions include chef demos, speakers, exhibits and entertainment. [10 a.m. to 6 p.m., County Fair Building, Golden Gate Park, S.F.]

Conversation

Pressing issues: Linguist, philosopher and political analyst Noam Chomsky speaks and dialogues with activists on the theme of “Crisis and Hope in the Age of Obama.” [1 p.m., First Unitarian Universalist Church, 1187 Franklin St., S.F.]

Dance

New choreography: ODC hosts “Shared Legacies,” an evening of concert dance featuring new work by Sara Shelton Mann/David Szlasa and La Alternativa. [8 p.m., ODC Dance Commons, 351 Shotwell St., S.F.]