Who’s in town
Stand-up comedian Dan Cummins, whose TV credits include “The Late Late Show” with Craig Ferguson and the Comedy Central special “Crazy With a Capital F,” performs at the Punch Line. [8 p.m., Punch Line Comedy Club, 444 Battery St., S.F.]
Lectures
Dana Whitaker: The author and coach, who helps women realize their potential, explores the intricacies and importance of microfinance in helping to eradicate poverty. [6 p.m., Commonwealth Club, 595 Market St., S.F.]
Design theory: Architects and designers discuss the Useful Theory Project, which identifies and shares theoretical propositions that have proven to be of concrete use in design projects. [12:30 p.m., SPUR, 654 Mission St., S.F.]
Literary events
Alice LaPlante: The debut novelist talks about “Turn of Mind.” [7 p.m., Kepler’s Books and Magazines, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park]
Adam Ross: The fiction writer talks about “Ladies and Gentlemen,” a story collection. [7 p.m., City Lights Bookstore, 261 Columbus Ave., S.F.]
Local movements: Estella Habal, Mary Jean Robertson and editor Chris Carlsson discuss and read from “Ten Years That Shook the City: San Francisco 1968-1978.” [7 p.m., Books Inc., 601 Van Ness Ave., S.F.]
At the colleges
Nursing program: USF’s School of Nursing hosts an information meeting on its nursing program. The session is for undergraduates and those with a bachelor’s degree. [4 p.m., USF, Lone Mountain, Room 203, 2800 Turk Blvd., S.F.]
At the public library
Marine mammals: Teachers from the Marine Mammal Center discuss the marine mammals of the California coast. The program is for kids entering grades K-5. [1:30 and 2:45 p.m., Park Branch, 1833 Page St., S.F.; RSVP: (415) 355-5656]
Jewelry-making class: Designer Chelsee Robinson guides participants in creating a bracelet, a necklace or earrings in this workshop for teens. [3 p.m., Main Library, Children’s Center, 100 Larkin St., S.F.; RSVP: (415) 557-4426]
Local activities
Organ recital: Amy Johansen, organist at Sydney University, Australia, performs a recital. The event is part of the American Guild of Organists’ Region IX convention. [8 p.m., Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St., S.F.]
Outdoor concert: Crosscut, a rock and blues band, performs in Union Square. [6 to 8 p.m., Post and Powell streets, S.F.]
Opera master class: Mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick conducts a master class in which emerging artists from the Opera Academy of California perform. [7 p.m., Old First Church, 1751 Sacramento St., S.F.]
Mitchum night: The film noir “Out of the Past” (1947) and the dark thriller “The Night of the Hunter” (1955), both starring Robert Mitchum, screen as a double feature. [3:15, 5, 7, and 8:55 p.m., Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St., S.F.]
Art exhibit: Galeria de la Raza presents “Home After Dark,” an exhibit of recent works by emerging Latino artists. [Noon to 6 p.m., 2857 24th St., S.F.]
Dance theater: The San Francisco Conservatory of Dance presents “Project Bust,” a research-based dance-theater work that explores being young and female. [8 p.m., Z Space, 450 Florida St., S.F.]
Dining out
Social Kitchen & Brewery: Summer dishes include the “Red and Blue Salad,” with roasted beets, blue cheese, housemade rye croutons, roasted malt, and pomegranate dressing. Also popular are the brussels-sprout chips, a fun appetizer. Brewmaster Rich Higgins’ featured brews include “Thing One” (American) and “Thing Deux” (Belgian) — identical pale ales fermented with different yeasts. [1326 Ninth Ave., S.F.; (415) 681-0330]
