Free Things to Do in San Francisco

On the first Sunday of every month, from 10 am to 5 pm, the Asian Art Museum is free, courtesy of Target.

In addition to all the regular exhibits, there will a full schedule of special activities this month that are especially aimed at families. There will be Year of the Ox celebrations, including a lion dance, music, storytelling, and hands-on art activities. There will also be a yoga class for families (bring a mat).

The current special exhibits are The Dragon’s Gift: The Sacred Arts of Bhutan and Arts of the Islamic World, which are in addition to the spectacular permanent collection.

More information:

Visit the Asian Art Museum

415-581-3500

The Bank of America free museum days fall on the first FULL weekend of every month. So even though March starts on a Sunday, the free days won’t start until the next week — Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8, 2009.

The free museums are Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD), and the permanent collections (not the special exhibits) at the de Young and at the Legion of Honor.

You will need to show a Bank of America credit card, debit card, or check.

If you go to the de Young, stop by the garden on the east side of the building. There are some trees (rhododendron, I think) in bloom, and they are very pretty.

For more information on museum hours, etc., for the San Francisco museums, see Bank of America free museum weekend.

For information on museums in other cities that participate in this program, see BofA’s site Museums on Us.

The San Francisco Conservatory of Music is putting on two free special presentations of Handel’s Rinaldo by the Conservatory Baroque Ensemble.

Here’s a recording by Marilyn Horne. (No, she won’t be there at the SF Conservatory! This is just to give the flavor of the piece):

When:

Saturday, February 28, 8:00 pm

and

Sunday, March 1, 2:00 pm

Where:

Concert Hall, San Francisco Conservatory of Music
50 Oak Street (near Market and Van Ness)

More Information:

San Francisco Conservatory of Music website — while you’re there, take a look at their calendar for many more free classical music events.

Phone: 415-864-7326

Picture of the Concert Hall (c) SF Conservatory of Music

As I mentioned in the previous post, Stacey’s Bookstore is going to be closing soon.

Independent bookstores have been struggling for a long time, unable to compete with the rise of mega-chains and online sellers. Stacey’s, which has been on Market Street since 1923, was able to hang on longer than most, but the current bad economy was the final blow.

For Stacey’s very last author event, local writer Cara Black, who writes a mystery series set in Paris, will be talking about her new book, Murder in the Latin Quarter. Several years ago, I heard her talk about her books on a Mystery panel at Books by the Bay (an annual event that was one of my all-time favorites but, alas, is no longer being put on), and she was good.

To honor both the author and the bookstore, French treats and wine will be served.

Where:

Stacey’s Bookstore, 581 Market Street

When:

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

12:30 PM

More information:

Stacey’s website

Phone: 415-421-4687

Photo (c) Stacey’s Bookstore

Stacey’s bookstore, which has been in business for 85 years, will be closing next month.

They still have a few more events to go, and then, sadly, the doors will close forever.

What:

Peter Maravelis, the editor of San Francisco Noir 2: The Classics, will be joined by renowned local mystery writers Janet Dawson, Marcia Muller, and Bill Pronzini for a reading. Noir 2 contains stories by Ambrose Bierce, Mark Twain, Jack London, Dashiell Hammett, and many more.

Where:

Stacey’s Bookstore, 581 Market Street, 2nd floor

When:

Thursday, February 19th, 2009 at 12:30 PM. The event will run about 45 minutes.

More information:

Stacey’s website
Phone: (415) 421-4687 or (800) 926-6511

Picture of Dashiell Hammett — GNU FDL, via Wikipedia

T.C. Boyle, the award-winning writer who is perhaps best known for his novel World’s End, has a new novel out, The Women, a fictionalized version of the life of architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

I went to a reading he did many years ago in Black Oak Books in Berkeley, and he was a good reader — very entertaining.

Here’s a clip, from the New York Times, of Boyle talking about his new book:

What:

Reading by T.C. Boyle

Where:

Books Inc., Opera Plaza, 601 Van Ness

When:

Friday, February 20, 2009 at 7:00 PM.

More information:

Books Inc.

Phone: 415-776-1111

The San Francisco Public Library recently introduced what they’re calling a virtual eCard. It’s available to all Californians, not just San Franciscans, and you don’t even have to leave your chair to get it — you can apply online.

It gives you access to all of the library’s online resources.

What you get:

Research resources, including magazine and newspaper article databases, the full versions of the Encyclopaedia Britannica and the OED, and much more.

Streaming music: 14,000 tracks of contemporary world music, 16,000 tracks of African-American music, 18,000 tracks of music from America’s past (including folk, blues, ragtime, rock, and a lot more), over 50,000 tracks of classical music with accompanying research material, and a large music collection from the Smithsonian. I just started browsing through this material, and it’s amazing.

Downloadable audio books and ebooks, including over 1,000 Safari techbooks for programmers and IT professionals.

Podcasts of author readings held at the library.

Live homework help for kids.

Rosetta Stone interactive language-learning program.

How to apply:

Fill out a short eCard application form for immediate access.

Limitations:

You must be a California resident.

The eCards are only for remote access of the library’s electronic resources. If you want to physically borrow something from a branch, you’ll need to upgrade to a regular card.

The eCards expire after four years and are not renewable.

(If you already have an SF library card, you don’t need to get an eCard. Your regular card already gives you access to all the online resources.)

More information

Online registration and eCards

Illustration of notes (c) Andrzej Gdula

SF Conservatory Concert Hall

And here is another place offering free classical concerts — the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

This is a program by the winds of the Conservatory Chamber Orchestra (not to be confused with the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra in the post below — that’s a different group!), held in their beautiful Concert Hall.

They will be playing Brahms’ Serenade no. 2

… and Mozart’s Serenade K. 361 (Gran Partita).

Where:

San Francisco Conservatory of Music
50 Oak Street (near Market and Van Ness)

When:

Saturday, February 7, 2009
8:00 PM

More Information:

San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Phone: 415-864-7326

The Conservatory has many free programs throughout the year, so if you enjoy classical music, check out their calendar.

Picture of the Concert Hall (c) SF Conservatory of Music