Weekend Arts Events

Happy first day of spring and happy Friday! If you're looking to get out of the apartment and escape the March Madness for the weekend, you're in luck! While it's normal to have weekend events going on in Berkeley, there are quite a few arts events in particular this weekend. See below for some artsy activities, courtesy of Your Berkeley:

Beth Custer Ensemble
Presented by Jazz in the Neighborhood, The Beth Custer Ensemble will be performing this Friday, March 20, at the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists (1924 Cedar Street, Berkeley). Comprised of “the crème de la crème of Bay Area musicians” the Beth Custer Ensemble has been delighting audiences for years with their repertoire ranging from silent film scores to country waltzes, funky political songs to Afro-fusion instrumentals.

The band features Jan Jackson on drums, (Will Bernard, Curtis Bumpy), guitarist/vocalist David James (Afro Funk Experience, The Coup, Spearhead), Chris Grady on trumpet (Tom Waits, Grassy Knoll, Jewel), Vicky Grossi on bass (Mitch Marcus, Bitches Brew), vocalist Diana Mangano (Jefferson Airplane) and Beth Custer, clarinets/vocal (Club Foot Orchestra, Trance Mission, Eighty Mile Beach, Clarinet Thing).

Tickets can be purchased online: $20 for general admission, $5 for students.

The Great War: Mario Monicelli: Satires, Capers, and Sendups
From event website: There’s nothing funny about war. But leave it to Italian genius Mario Monicelli to create a film a genuinely funny satire that accurately illustrates human behavior in the ravages of war. Written with Age and Scarpelli, and Luciano Vincenzoni, this Italian comedy follows 2 reluctant soldiers surviving the horror and madness of World War I through wit and sheer luck. Funny, dark, biting, and brave, The Great War looks at the anti-heroes, cowards, and con-men finding humor in tragedy.

Screening will be at the PFA Theater on March 20 at 7:30 pm. General admission is $9.50 with special rates for students, seniors, and persons with disability. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive at 510-642-5249.

Antigonick
Shotgun Players (1901 Ashby, Berkeley) presents Antigonick, a new adaptation of Antigone written by renowned author and recipient of the Guggenheim and MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship Anne Carson. Antigonick is an exploration into the “epic struggle between the forces of law and the ties that bind”, expressed through movement with choreography by Hope Mohr and directed by long time long time Shotgun Players artist Mark Jackson.

Pay-what-you-can previews (ranging from $5-$20 for tickets) are available from March 19th to March 25th at 8pm with opening night on March 26th. The show runs through April 19th. Tickets can be purchased online.

Junior Bach Festival
The Junior Bach Festival is a concert series that celebrates the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and the young prodigies studying and performing the works of this great man. Founded in Berkeley in 1953, the Junior Bach Festival has produced features some of the best young musicians in the Bay Area, with most of the becoming professional musicians and musical directors in a wide variety of genres.

This year, the Berkeley leg of this concert tour will be held at the Freight & Salvage (2020 Addison Street, Berkeley) on March 21st at 2pm. Purchase tickets for $17 online in advance or at the door for $19.

Additional Junior Bach Festival concerts will be held through the weekend at various Berkeley and East Bay locations including: Sunday, March 22, 2:00 pm at Berkeley Piano Club (2724 Haste Street, Berkeley)

Jewish Musical Festival Finale
Celebrate life and be inspired through music at the Jewish Musical Festival Finale this Sunday, March 22nd at Jewish Community Center of the East Bay (1414 Walnut Street, Berkeley).

From event website: The final day of the festival is all about being part of the music. Watch performances from internationally renewed Jewish artists Instant Klezmer Mandolin Orchestra and Nigunim Community Chorus. Sing along with a pop-up community chorus of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah led by Conspiracy of Beards artistic director Daryl Henline. And experience the joy of Yiddish dancing at a dance party with Steve Weintraub and Veretski Pass.

Tickets are available for purchase online. General admission is $15 with discounted rates for students, seniors and JCCED members.

Saint Patty's Day in Berkeley and the Bay

While Saint Patrick's Day isn't actually until Tuesday, this weekend is when most of the festivities are taking place! So put on your green, pretend to be Irish and give us your best Erin go Bragh because there is plenty to do to celebrate the holiday! Have a safe and fun weekend, and enjoy some of these city events, courtesy of SF Gate:

The 164th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival: This annual takes to the streets on Saturday, March 14. The parade starts at 11:30 a.m. at Market and Second streets and ends up in the Civic Center for a big old party.

Funcheap's 2015 Shamrock St. Patrick's Day party takes over SoMa StrEat Food on Saturday, starting at 11 a.m. with live music, a St. Patrick’s Day toast with complimentary Jameson tasting at 6 p.m., Jameson giveaways, beer and food specials and more. All ages until 4 p.m., 21 and over after.

The Irish Bank Block Parties: There's not one but two block parties at this bar and its famed alley. The first one, on Saturday, March 14, starts at noon and goes strong with three bands until midnight. The whole thing repeats on Tuesday, March 17.

Royal Exchange in the FiDI gets the party started with its annual block party — its 30th! — at 3 p.m. on March 17. There will be live music from Wonderbread 5, lots of beer and plenty of people packing in.

Berkeley's Starry Plough opens its doors at noon on March 17, with live music starting at 4 p.m. There will also be corned beef and cabbage until it runs out. $10-$15 cover for the evening entertainment.

Taverna Aventine is throwing an indoor/outdoor alley party on March 17, with live music, drink specials, DJs and more.

If pub crawls are your speed, you're in luck. There's one on Polk Street on March 14, the Marina and Union Street on March 14 and 17 and the Mission on March 14.

Irish bars are always a good spot to have a pint of Guinness on St. Patrick's Day, even if they aren't taking over the streets or having live bands. Here's a handful of quality spots (shamrock art on your beer definitely not guaranteed).

Kennedy's Irish Pub, 1040 Columbus Ave., S.F. (Bonus: Indian food.)
Durty Nelly's Pub, 2328 Irving St., S.F.
McNally's Irish Pub, 5352 College Ave., Oakland.
Phoenix Irish Bar, 811 Valencia St., S.F.
Harrington's Bar & Grill, is an Irish bar that has been around since 1935.

San Francisco Happy Hours

TGIF! If you're more than ready to kick off the weekend, why not begin with one of our area's many happy hours? Even if you have a go-to place after work, try something new! Where will we see you this weekend? SFist recommends these happy hours, which also include food:

ICHI Sushi + Ni Bar
It's been almost exactly a year since this subtle sushi operation moved to its larger Mission Street location, but don't worry, it's remained a Bernal happy hour favorite. From 5:30 to 7 p.m. pop in for $1 oysters, half off appetizers, $4 Fort Point beers, and cold sake and white wine for $6. That all goes down in the Ni Bar subsection, so sidle up to that back bar. — Caleb Pershan
3282 Mission Street at 29th Street

Pesce
In Italy, they've got this awesome thing called aperitivo hour, where you get FREE FOOD with your drinks. How civilized is that? You can take advantage of this brilliant concept at Pesce in the Castro, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. every night of the week. There are drink specials, of course, but also free cicheti (snacks, to you) including bruschetta with smoked salmon, goat cheese-stuffed peppers, and meatballs in marinara. Also, on Tuesdays, they do $1 oysters and $5 martinis. — Lauren Sloss
2223 Market Street near Sanchez

Bar Agricole
Tuesday to Saturday from 5 to 6 p.m., and all day Sunday, Bar Agricole offers up $2.50 oysters as well as some delicious $2.50 sausages with house-made mustard and sauerkraut. Also, there's $6 glass of Riesling and $3 beers to wash that down, as well as their sophisticated cocktail list, at full price, should you want to head that direction. — Jay Barmann
355 11th Street at Harrison

Park Chalet
On a sunny afternoon there's no more suitable post than at Park Chalet, where you'll find $3.50 pints house-brewed beers every Wednesday to Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Taco Tuesdays ($2.40 each) also feature two-for-one margaritas, free live music and a happy hour that runs until midnight.
— Caleb Pershan
1000 Great Highway between Upper Great Highway and Lincoln Way

Gaspar Brasserie
One of the newer happy hour deals around town is at this stylish French spot. Monday to Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. they're offering $1 oysters and deviled eggs, as well as $3 pomme frites, $5 glasses of wine, and a couple of $6 cocktails, including one called the Ma Cherie (vodka, lemon, honey-ginger, hibiscus tea).
185 Sutter Street at Kearny

El Techo de Lolinda
This rooftop spot in the Mission has some tasty bites, and their happy hour runs from 4 to 6 p.m. on weeknights. On offer: $5 guacamole, beef empanadas, fried green plantains (with black beans and queso fresco), and fried chicken thighs with habanero salsa. Also, $7 margaritas and $18 sangria pitchers. — Lauren Sloss
2518 Mission Street at 22nd

UVA Enoteca
UVA is on our list for the second year in a row for good reason, as it's still one of the best deals around. From 5 to 6:30 Monday to Thursday, and 3 to 6:30 Saturday and Sunday, cans of beer (but they pour it into a glass, so you still feel all grown up) are $2, petite carafes of wine are $5, and there's a limited (and cheap!) selection of pizza, pasta and nibbly things to soak it all up. Get their early—UVA's prime seats at their lovely marble bar fill up fast. — Eve Batey
568 Haight at Steiner

Boxing Room
Blessed with a new full liquor license to complement their solid beer offerings from the local to the New Orleanian (Abita, anybody?), the Absinthe Group's Boxing Room also cuts you a break with half off oysters from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cajun boiled peanuts and $4 Turbodog beers or $5 Cava should go with that nicely. — Caleb Pershan
399 Grove Street at Gough Street

Bar Crudo
Crudo's oyster, chowder, and fish taco happy hour always makes our lists, and it's still one of the best deals in town for a cheap date or after-work treat. Happy hour is 5 to 6:30 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday, and weekend evenings tend to have folks outside waiting for the doors to open right at 5. In addition to $1 oysters, there are $1 jalapeño marinated mussels, 2-for-$10 local rock cod tacos, and a few other seafoody delicacies. Wash it all down with a $3 pint of beer or $5 glass of wine See the full happy hour menu here. — Jay Barmann
655 Divisadero Street at Grove

Mission Rock Resort
On sunny days, especially, you want to be sitting out on a deck, sipping cold beer and slurping oysters, and this is the place for that. At happy hour (3 to 7 p.m.), Mission Rock Resort has four hours worth of 99-cent oysters, as well as $5 draft beers, and $6 cocktails and wine. You won't find a more sun-drenched and relaxing spot, assuming you score one of the tables on the deck, and it makes for a perfect pit stop before a Giants game. - Jay Barmann
817 Terry A Francois Blvd (between Mariposa and 16th Street)

Two Sisters Bar & Books
It's pretty tiny, and quite popular, so swinging in on the early side for happy hour is probably one of your best bets for getting a seat at this Hayes Valley spot, or even ample standing room. Tuesday to Friday they do it from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and the deal is $3 draft beers, and $5 cocktails, which means their delicious concoctions are half price. And that deal runs all afternoon, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., on weekends.
579 Hayes Street at Laguna

Hi Tops
This popular Castro sports bar has, $3 well drinks like the rest of the neighborhood before 8 p.m. But, there's the added bonus of 25-cent Buffalo wings on Mondays, which tend to draw serious crowds of sports fans who are also spicy wing fans, given that you can order yourself a dozen for three bucks, and then get drunk, all for less than $15. — Jay Barmann
2247 Market Street, between Noe and Sanchez

Bay Area Places to Pamper Yourself: Gentlemen

Usually when you come across articles for pampering yourself or where to get a relaxing spa treatment, it's geared towards the ladies. Well, gentlemen, this article is for you! From a great shave, to the best barber, 7x7 has outlined some of the best places to go to treat yourself!

Fellow Barber's hangover treatment (Mission)
One too many negronis last night? No problem. Fellow Barber’s bargain Hangover Treatment helps to cover up evidence of too much elbow-bending. After hot and cold towel wraps, a facial scrub, and a eucalyptus mask, we’re practically good as new.

Groom's sun damage relief facial (Union Square)
For serious sun damage relief, we put ourselves in the hands of Caesar Jimenez, whose super antioxidant corrective facial helps prevent pigmentation on and below the surface of the skin. The treatment cleans and brightens the face, and also includes a moisturizing treatment for hands and arms. A must for fearless gingers who spend too much time in the sun.

J.P. Kempt's straight razor shave (Lower Haight)
Ditch your Mach3 and head to J.P. Kempt, where one soothing swipe of a sharp blade will make you appreciate the luxury of a straight-razor shave. Stylish white-smocked barbers will deftly transform your rugged mug into baby-bottom smoothness. We especially dig the soulful retro setting, which hums with good music and playful banter.

Manscaping SF's hair removal (FiDi)
Expert aesthetician Gilbert Colorina ain’t afraid of no beastly sasquatch. In his small studio on Market Street, Gil will shave or wax the wild tendrils on your chest, legs, and back. (By the way, your proverbial manhood is not verboten.) Need a drink? There’s an array of spirits on hand to help calm the nerves.

Peoples Barber Shop's haircut (TenderNob)
Bright and stylish, Peoples Barber Shop is abuzz with regulars who return for the $38 haircut and major perks—a high-lather shave, hot towel treatment with facial massage, and your choice of coffee, beer, or bourbon. This spring, the men of Downtown Oakland will be better groomed than ever with the opening of People’s second shop.

Roosters Men’s Grooming Center's "Gentlemen’s Choice" haircut + facial (San Rafael)
Who says women have all the fun? At Roosters, men are pampered in a traditional barbershop setting. For a total transformation, the Gentleman’s Choice includes the standard haircut and hot-towel treatment, plus a not-so-routine seven-step facial shave. The barber’s unsolicited advice on your golf game? Complimentary.

Waxing 4 Men's nose + ear waxing (Union Square)
With age comes wisdom—that, and hair (a lot of hair) in unfortunate places. We take care of these unsightly nose and ear stragglers at this men’s-only salon, a safe space for taming the jungle on your face (and beyond).

Etta + Billie's Vendetta IPA Soap
Ditch that pungent Irish Spring and pick up a sweet-smelling bar of Etta + Billie Vendetta IPA Soap ($10), which contains exfoliating grains from the IPA brewing process and essential oils to keep your skin moisturized. 

Pure Barre Berkeley Grand Opening

Photo courtesy Pure Barre Berkeley Facebook

For a few months, we have been sharing information about our neighbors at Pure Barre Berkeley, and this tomorrow, they will be open for business! If you're looking for a more specialized workout than our gym offers, you may want to consider taking advantage of their opening special - 5 weeks of unlimited classes for $100! Classes begin at 8:30 am tomorrow, Saturday, February 21. Please be advised, some classes are already wait listed.

What exactly is Pure Barre? Here's what we learned from their website:
We believe that everyone is capable of rocking our classes- no dance experience required. As long as you can hold a ballet barre, you can do Pure Barre. That’s not to say that it’s easy, your first class will likely feel challenging at times, but we encourage you to stick with it. Try your hardest and let loose and feel free to ask your instructor plenty of questions after class if you weren't clear on any of the moves.

You should wear pants, leggings or capris that you are comfortable in (no shorts) and a top that covers your midriff. You will see faster results in your flexibility this way. You will also want to wear sticky socks to retain your body’s heat as well as prevent your feet from sliding (you’ll thank us later). You’ll want to remove your shoes and put on your socks before you walk through the studio (you’ll be lying down on the carpet during class, so this is just an effort to keep the floors as tidy as possible).

We’ll have all the equipment you’ll need there at the studio, so just bring a bottle of water and a positive attitude! We do ask that you not bring your cell phones into class with you, as this can be distracting to the teacher and your fellow LTBers. If you’re expecting an important call, you’re welcome to leave your cell phone at the front desk and we’ll come snag you if you’re needed.

Welcome to Berkeley, Pure Barre!

Create a Magazine-Worthy Apartment Home

"Luxury living room with a fireplace." by TNS Sofres is licensed under CC BY 2.0

You don’t have to have an eye for design or watch HGTV 24/7 to create and decorate a beautiful home. Most importantly, your space should reflect you and your personal taste! If you are feeling overwhelmed and in need of guidance, remember these decorating principles from Apartment Therapy and you’ll have a space worthy of a magazine cover in no time!

1. Cut the clutter.

The number one thing that sets blog-worthy interiors apartment from just plain old interiors is the lack of clutter. Over time, it's easy to let things accumulate in your home without thinking about it — and after a while, you can get to the point where you don't really 'see' clutter. Taking a photo of your space is a good trick for helping you see a room with new eyes. Once you've identified the trouble spots, check out our 10 Commandments of a Clutter-Free Life for some game-changing advice.

2. Leave a little space.

It can be tempting, especially when you keep finding pieces you love on the internet or at a flea market or in your neighbor's trash, to fill your space as full of furniture as possible. But often the secret to a more pleasing interior isn't more stuff, but less stuff. If you look at interiors in magazines, you'll notice that a lot of them have quite a bit of negative space. This lets each piece shine, and also makes the room feel more spacious. Try it out at home by removing one or two big pieces from a room — you may be surprised at how much it opens up the space.

3. Add a little texture.

A space without a variety of textures can feel dull and lifeless. This is an easy one to correct — a fluffy throw, an interesting rug, or even an old antique piece can all add a little interest to a room. Check out our advice for transforming your space with texture.

4. Use color judiciously.

Not every space needs to have a 'color' (as in, "what color is your living room?") or have everything match to be lively or interesting. A lot of beautiful spaces get interest from a variety of proportions and textures, and have very little in the way of color at all. Others manage to feel very colorful with just a few colorful pieces. When adding color to your space, try adding one or two pieces at a time and then judging their impact before adding more to the mix. You may find that a little goes a long way.

5. Pay attention to balance and proportion.

The same things that make a lovely, interesting photo make a lovely, interesting home — a mix of pieces of different sizes and proportions. Balancing heavy pieces with more delicate ones makes a space dynamic. Too many small items, without any larges ones to break them up, can feel chaotic and cluttered. This is another area where taking pictures of your own home can help. Pay attention to how your furniture and accessories relate to your space, and how they relate to each other.

Travel on a Budget

"my travel gear" by Jon Rawlinson is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Whether you’re thinking ahead to summer vacation or are just itching to get out of town, it’s not secret that traveling these days is expensive. From airline costs to hotel expenses, things can quickly add up. If you need to stick to a budget, being organized in the planning process will be key to saving money while still having a fulfilling experience. How do you save money without sacrificing your dream trip? Apartment Guide offers these travel tips:

Be Flexible

Instead of having a location and a specific date you want to go, let the travel destination choose you. The fare to the Bahamas may be much less than it is to go to Greece during March, so if you can settle for a different beach than you had in mind, you may be able to save some cash and still get a tan.

Do your research to see where and when you’re going to be able to get the most travel bang for your buck. Be flexible about the times you travel as well. I recently booked a trip to Las Vegas, and the cheapest flight was at 6 a.m.

Do I really want to get up at 3 a.m. to make my flight? No. But flying out at 6 a.m. vs. 9 a.m. was about $150 cheaper. That’s $150 extra dollars I can spend on food, fun, or souvenirs for friends.

Fly On Certain Days

If possible, book your flight for a Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday afternoon. In general, these are the days when airfare is the cheapest.

Traveling on these days will mean less crowded airports, shorter security lines, and more money in your pocket for activities!

Travel With Friends

Not only is traveling with friends more fun, but if you gather a group of friends together, you can all go in on everything together.

A road trip to New York might be pretty pricey if you’re going by yourself, but when you split the gas cost between you and four friends, suddenly all of your travel expenses become much more manageable.

Set a Budget

If I didn’t set a budget for exactly how much I planned to spend in Las Vegas, I would have probably been in trouble. When you’re on vacation, it’s easy to overspend without even realizing that you’re doing so.

Break down every expense, from airfare and food to transportation, hotel and entertainment before you leave for your trip. This way, you won’t come home with a completely empty wallet, and you may have some cash leftover to save toward your next trip!

Rely on Hourly Car Rentals

Many people book a rental car to get them from the airport to their hotel. However, if you’re only planning on getting a rental car for the purpose of traveling to your hotel, you may want to consider an hourly car rental like Zipcar instead.

Zipcar is a great option if you’re traveling to a city where there’s already a lot of public transportation. The price to rent a Zipcar will change depending on the city you’re visiting. If you’re in Chicago, Zipcars will be about $9 per hour, while in New York, it’s $10 per hour.

Watch Where You Fill Up

Whether you’re using a Zipcar or going on a road trip with your own car, you can save money on travel expenses by being careful about where you fill up on gas.

Download the smartphone app GasBuddy, which will tell you which stations in your area have the cheapest price per gallon.

Consider Non-Hotel Options or a Package Deal

Non-hotel options, (like hostels or renting out a place for the week) and package deals are another great way to save money on travel expenses.

Staying at hostels or renting out a local’s apartment through a secure website like Airbnb, can often be much cheaper than a pricey hotel room.

Bonus money saving points if you rent a house– you can cook some of your own meals and save on eating out costs!

Or if you love the luxury of a hotel, instead of buying airfare and a hotel separately, think about buying all-inclusive packages to save yourself some money. When you buy the two together, you may be getting deals that aren’t offered to the general public.

Sign Up For Loyalty Programs

If there is a specific airline you fly with all the time, or a certain hotel that you always stay with, sign up for their loyalty or frequent flyer program to save yourself some money over the long run. You’ll eventually earn miles that you can put toward another trip.

If you continue to stay with the same hotel, you may even earn a few free nights, or at least take advantage of a discounted or upgraded room. You may also want to sign up for an airline’s free email alerts to get coupons and deals to help you save money.

Since you’re being alerted to these special discounts right when they become available, you get first dibs.