FRIDAY
Eating
Food: Renovations at Acquerello have made the look of the dining room as appealing as the restaurant’s longstanding, impeccable Northern Italian fare.
Drinking
Meet Your Mixologist: Briana Christensen loves to experiment and encourages patrons to try adventurous twists on drinks at the Royal Oak, one of Polk Street’s original fern bars.
Tango troupe: QuinTango, a touring quintet of two violins, cello, bass and piano, performs a show representing a century of tango repertoire. [8 p.m., Dinkelspiel Auditorium, Stanford University]
Poetry slam: The 2011 Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam presents its Grand Slam Finals. Sixteen young talents from the Olympic-style poetry competition vie. [7 p.m., Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., S.F.]
SATURDAY
A great hike
‘Yuba dabba doo!’: Hike the Buttermilk Bend Trail in South Yuba River State Park. This easy, three-mile, out-and-back canyon trail parallels the bank of the beautiful rough-and-tumble Yuba River. Starting at Bridgeport, follow the trail above the roiling waters of the Yuba, with surrounding foothills covered in oak and pine trees. Side-trails lead down to the Yuba, offering ample flat bedrock for sunbathing. [Visit www.WeekendSherpa.com for email about getting outdoors in Northern California]
Festivals
Wine festival: Ghirardelli Square hosts its 2011 “Uncorked” festival, benefiting Save the Bay. Wine tastings, seminars, chef demonstration and live music make up the celebration. [1 to 6 p.m., 900 North Point St., S.F.]
Pan-Asian festival: The Asian Heritage Street Celebration features music, food, wine, kickboxing and family activities. New this year: an “Asian Arts and Crafts Alley.” [11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Larkin and McAllister streets, S.F.]
Dance
Art and inspiration: Doug Varone and Dancers present “Chapters From a Broken Novel,” an eight-dancer work in which Varone continues to explore the nature of art and inspiration. [8 p.m., Novellus Theater, 700 Howard St., S.F.]
Charity walks
Mental-illness awareness: The National Alliance on Mental Illness holds its Bay Area NAMIWalk. Walkers can choose a 5K or a 1.5K route. [11 a.m., Lindley Meadow, Golden Gate Park, S.F.; www.namiwalkSFbay.org]
Movies
Noir town: “I Wake Up Dreaming 2011,” a series of rare and classic films from the noir era, presents a double bill of “Ride the Pink Horse” (1947) and “I Love Trouble” (1948). [Roxie Theater, 3117 16th St., S.F.; www.roxie.com]
Variety
Fab femmes: “Divafest,” a showcase for female writers and performers, presents Margery Fairchild’s play “Eleanor,” a reading by Frances Driscoll (“The Rape Poems”), and other shows. [8 p.m., Exit Theatre, 156 Eddy St., S.F.]
SUNDAY
Fort Mason Farmers Market top picks
- Brooks cherries
- Baby romaine
- Broccolini
- Camarosa strawberries
- Fava beans
- Lemongrass
- Organic snap peas
- Pea shoots
Note: S.F. Children’s Art Center hosts projects for kids
www.fortmasoncenter.org/farmersmarket
A great bike ride
‘Route 40 in full’: Bike lanes are great in this 45- to 60-minute ride. Start at 16th and Illinois streets, ride west on 16th, turn left on Kansas Street, right on 17th Street, and cross the Mission and Castro areas. Fork left onto Corbett Avenue, take a hard right onto Clayton Street, left onto Parnassus Avenue, left on Sixth Avenue, right onto Kirkham Street, and follow across the Sunset to the Great Highway and Ocean Beach. Check out views from Tank Hill (a side trip up Clarendon Avenue off Clayton) and Parnassus Heights. [wwwsfbike.org]
Music
Piano concert: Pianist Jon Nakamatsu appears in recital, performing works by Rameau, Brahms, Liszt and Chopin. [3 p.m., Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Avenue, S.F.]
Dance
Two dance troupes: Hope Mohr Dance (“Plainsong”) and FACT/SF (“The Consumption Series”) perform, presented by the San Francisco International Arts Festival. [2 p.m., Southside Theater, Building D, Fort Mason Center, Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Street, S.F.]
Theater
Solo theater: Solo Sundays presents “Dis-Oriented.” Zahra Noorbakhsh, Colleen “Coke” Nakamoto and Thao P. Nguyen address social stereotypes and inner expectations in solo performances. [7 p.m., Stagewerx, 533 Sutter St., S.F.]
Literary arts
Poetry reading: Beat poet Charles Plymell reads from his work at Readers Cafe & Bookstore. [1 p.m., Building C, Fort Mason Center, Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Street, S.F.]
Festivals
DIY festival: The Maker Faire celebrates the do-it-yourself experience and the art of making things. Look for booths, vendors, engineers, and more. [10 a.m. to 6 p.m., San Mateo County Event Center, 1346 Saratoga Drive, San Mateo]
