Light up your week.<\/p>\n
\u2018Tis the season to glow up, as light-filled fun returns to SF. Catch Exploratorium\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Jump ahead to this week’s top events:<\/p>\n
Witness a pupusa showdown.<\/a><\/p>\n Swoon over adorable, adoptable puppies and kittens at SF SPCA Holiday Windows at Macy’s.<\/a><\/p>\n See the Botanical Garden come to life with Lightscape.<\/a><\/p>\n Light up at Glow, the Exploratorium exhibition transforming Pier 15.<\/a><\/p>\n Have a good one.<\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n Soak up the vibes at Ama<\/a>\u2019s 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<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n Fold seasonal dumplings at a hands-on class with Silver Oak\u2019s 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<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n 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\u2019s director and producer, and Tura\u2019s daughter; Wednesday at 7pm. \/\/ Alamo Drafthouse, 2550 Mission St. (Mission); tickets at drafthouse.com<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n Raise a pint for the climate at Ocean Hoptimism. Faction Brewing\u2019s monthly series invites Liz Taylor, president of DOER Marine, to talk about “engineering hope\u201d in the Bay; Wednesday, 7pm to 8pm. \/\/ Faction Brewing, 2501 Monarch St. (Alameda); details at oceanhoptimism.org<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a>Dig into a delicious mashup when chef Azalina Eusope collaborates with Deli Board\u2019s 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<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n Grab seats for the San Francisco Symphony. There\u2019s 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<\/a><\/p>\n Thank you to our partners at the San Francisco Symphony.<\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n Stock up on chef-worthy cookware just in time for the holidays. Hestan Culinary\u2019s 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<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a> and creativity; Saturday, 12pm to 6pm. \/\/ Jack London Square, 472 Water St. (Oakland); details at patchworkshow.com<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n Do the holidays Filoli-style when the iconic estate debuts three holiday experiences: the miniature-studded \u201cThistlewyck,\u201d the elegant indoor decor of \u201cGilded,\u201d and the glowing gardens of \u201cHoliday Lights.\u201d Saturday through Sunday January 11th. \/\/ Filoli, 86 Ca\u00f1ada Rd. (Woodside); tickets and details at filoli.org<\/a><\/p>\n Catch the International Orange Chorale of San Francisco as it presents its new season with the world premiere of renowned composer Tarik O\u2019Regan\u2019s Dominion of Light: A Requiem for the Estranged; Saturday at 7:30pm. and Sunday at 4pm. \/\/ Tickets and location details at iocsf.org\/tickets<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n