Light up your week.
‘Tis the season to glow up, as light-filled fun returns to SF. Catch Exploratorium’s Glow exhibit, lightscapes in the Botanical Gardens, dazzling displays at Filoli, and a holiday market with an illuminating finale at Embarcadero Center. Also in season: truffles at Spruce, tiki cocktails in Santa Rosa, and makers markets all over the Bay.
Jump ahead to this week’s top events:
Swoon over adorable, adoptable puppies and kittens at SF SPCA Holiday Windows at Macy’s.
See the Botanical Garden come to life with Lightscape.
Light up at Glow, the Exploratorium exhibition transforming Pier 15.
Have a good one.
Try the truffles at Spruce. Dig into Alba-imported white truffles with a special three-course tasting menu paired with Italian and French wines; through Saturday. // Spruce, 3640 Sacramento St. (Presidio Heights); reservations at opentable.com
Say happy birthday to Palio. Their 35th anniversary kicks off a week of rotating specials like $3.50 Negronis, and complementary dessert; Monday through Sunday. // Palio, 640 Sacramento St. (FiDi); reservations at paliosf.com
Experience an evening with David Byrne. The legendary artist and musician will showcase his new album Who is the Sky? on his eponymous tour; Monday and Tuesday at 8pm. // Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, 99 Grove St. (Civic Center); tickets at ticketmaster.com
Soak up the vibes at Ama’s Italian night, with a curated amaro tasting and soundtrack from restaurant connoisseur Virginia Miller and a family-style menu from chef Brad Kilgore; Tuesday at 6pm. // Ama by Brad Kilgore, 545 Sansome St. (Jackson Square); reservations at opentable.com
Witness a pupusa showdown when Popoca, Panchitas, and Los Bayuncos go head-to-head for their takes on the Salvadoran staple; Tuesday, at 7pm. // The Commons at KQED, 2601 Mariposa St. (Mission); tickets at kqed.org
Fold seasonal dumplings at a hands-on class with Silver Oak’s James Beard Award-winning chef Preeti Mistry. Then sit down for a communal meal paired with complementary wines; Tuesday, 12:30pm to 2pm. // Silver Oak, 915 Oakville Cross Rd. (Oakville); register at airbnb.com
Send your tastebuds to Italy during a dinner with storied Barolo winemakers, G.D. Vajra. Led by master sommelier Jeremiah Morehouse, the dinner features G.D. Vajra wines paired with a seasonal meal from La Connessa; Wednesday at 6:30pm. // La Connessa, 1695 Mariposa St. (Potrero Hill); reservations at eventbrite.com
Witness the life of cult film icon Tura Satana in a premiere of Tura! hosted by Peaches Christ, a documentary celebrating her life and legacy. Stay for a live Q&A with the film’s director and producer, and Tura’s daughter; Wednesday at 7pm. // Alamo Drafthouse, 2550 Mission St. (Mission); tickets at drafthouse.com
Shop and be dazzled at the Embarcadero Center Holiday Market. Enjoy local shops, live music, seasonal bites, festive drinks, and holiday games, followed by a grand finale featuring 17,000 sparkling lights; Wednesday, 4pm to 6pm. // Urban Patio, Three Embarcadero Center (FiDi); details at embarcaderocenter.com
DIY some door decor at festive mini-wreath-making class; Wednesday, 5:30pm to 7:30pm. // Saluhall, 945 Market St. (SoMa); register at eventbrite.com
Experience the number one wine of the 21st century, along with unlimited tastings from more than ten other wineries at the latest WineLuv affair; Wednesday, 5pm to 8pm. // Amador Club, 550 Montgomery St., Flr. 10 (FiDi); tickets at eventbrite.com
Raise a pint for the climate at Ocean Hoptimism. Faction Brewing’s monthly series invites Liz Taylor, president of DOER Marine, to talk about “engineering hope” in the Bay; Wednesday, 7pm to 8pm. // Faction Brewing, 2501 Monarch St. (Alameda); details at oceanhoptimism.org
Go for Santa chic at the Bauble Bar. The pop-up bar is a luxurious take on the Claus home offering up festive cocktails, elegant holiday bites, and cozy holiday vibes; opens Thursday, 4pm to 11pm. // Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco, 757 Market St. (SoMa); details at fourseasons.com
Embark on a tasting journey through syrah, cabernet sauvignon, and sauvignon blanc with John Anthony Vineyards, perfectly paired with dinner by the Astra team; Thursday at 5:30pm. // Astra, The St. Regis San Francisco, 125 3rd St. (SoMa); reservations at opentable.com
Dig into a delicious mashup when chef Azalina Eusope collaborates with Deli Board’s Adam Mesnick for a multi-course feast of Malaysian flavors, SF deli-style; Friday at 5:30pm and 7:30pm. //Azalina’s, 499 Ellis St. (Tenderloin); reservations at resy.com
See the Botanical Garden come to life with Lightscape, a breathtaking mile-long trail of light, music, water, and color, with plenty of treats to enjoy along the way; Friday at 5pm through January 4. // San Francisco Botanical Garden, 1199 9th Ave. (Golden Gate Park); tickets at gggp.org
Grab seats for the San Francisco Symphony. There’s nothing like the swell of the strings, the thrill of a bold brass entrance, and the kind of sound that fills the room and stays with you long after the final note. Experience it live with a lineup of shows for everybody. // Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave. (Civic Center); tickets at sfsymphony.org
Thank you to our partners at the San Francisco Symphony.
Elevate your gifting at a winter market at the Erica Tanov Atelier celebrating art and design with more than 10 makers whose work reflects craftsmanship, integrity, and beauty in form; Saturday, 10am to 6pm. // Erica Tanov Atelier, 1808 Fifth St. (Berkeley); details at ericatanov.com
Load up at West Coast Craft, when 275 vendors, artists, and makers take over Fort Mason all weekend long; Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 6pm. // Fort Mason Center, 2 Marina Blvd. (Marina); details at westcoastcraft.com
Stock up on chef-worthy cookware just in time for the holidays. Hestan Culinary’s new downtown Napa space brings together the award-winning goods, Hestan Vineyard wines, and a restaurant led by Michelin-star chef Mark Dommen; opens Saturday at 10am. // Hestan Napa, 1300 First St., Ste. 291 (Napa); details at hestanculinary.com
Check out the Patchwork Show Makers Market and Community Festival. The SoCal market is coming to the Bay to bring together makers, small businesses, and locals for a day of shopping and creativity; Saturday, 12pm to 6pm. // Jack London Square, 472 Water St. (Oakland); details at patchworkshow.com
Light up at Glow, the Exploratorium exhibition that transforms Pier 15 into a luminous playground of light, art, and science. Experience the opening weekend festivities; Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 4pm. // The Exploratorium, Pier 15, Embarcadero at Green St. (Embarcadero); tickets at exploratorium.edu
Do the holidays Filoli-style when the iconic estate debuts three holiday experiences: the miniature-studded “Thistlewyck,” the elegant indoor decor of “Gilded,” and the glowing gardens of “Holiday Lights.” Saturday through Sunday January 11th. // Filoli, 86 Cañada Rd. (Woodside); tickets and details at filoli.org
Catch the International Orange Chorale of San Francisco as it presents its new season with the world premiere of renowned composer Tarik O’Regan’s Dominion of Light: A Requiem for the Estranged; Saturday at 7:30pm. and Sunday at 4pm. // Tickets and location details at iocsf.org/tickets
Celebrate Bruce Lee Day. Learn some martial arts, nosh on pineapple buns, play mahjong, watch films, and hear from author Jeff Chang about his new biography of the celebrated local film legend; Sunday at 10am. // Asian Art Museum, 200 Larkin St. (Civic Center); tickets at asianart.org
Bring a little tiki to your holiday season. Sipping Santa kicks off, bringing sunny Christmas cheer in the form of tropical cocktails all winter long. Join the kickoff party to benefit Toys for Tots; Sunday, 4pm to 7pm. // Flamingo Resort, 2777 4th St. (Santa Rosa); tickets at eventbrite.com
Find something one-of-a-kind for folks on your list at the Pickwick Vintage Show, where you can shop vintage clothing, jewelry, and accessories from more than 70 exhibitors; Sunday, 10am to 4pm. // Ferry Building, 1 Embarcadero (Embarcadero); tickets at pickwickvintage.com