As shiny, new Asian grocery stores are hailed as retail "saviors," the decades-old Pacific East Mall in Richmond shows how immigrant cultural spaces matter beyond their economic benefits.
This week we've got mushroom talks, multiple repair workshops, bike parties, special karaoke, and a lot of different ways to engage in some sexy times.
Welcome to the COYOTE Calendar. Here are this week's hand picked events, just for you. This weekend is the SF Tape Music Festival, which is definitely worth checking out if you've never been and are into weird, baffling, but somehow moving audio installations. Honestly, if you're on the fence, just go. This Friday and Saturday is also the Eat Me! Artisan Food Fair at The Box, SF, which happens monthly. All month long is the 3rd annual Enero Zapatista Bay Area, which features film screenings, community events, postcard making sessions, art exhibits and more. Check out the full schedule for that here (if you know of a non Instagram graphic version of this calendar please send it to me, I couldn’t find one).
This week we've got mushroom talks, multiple repair workshops, bike parties, special karaoke, and a lot of different ways to engage in some sexy times. We'll post new events each Wednesday. Go forth and enjoy!
Rethink Waste Facility Tour 〰️ Ever wondered exactly how those recyclables get sorted to the right place after you cram them into your recycling bin? Come see how the magic happens, and get answers to your most pressing questions. Can cellophane actually be recycled? What about those things that say they're compostable? Can I recycle a politician or two? Pretty please? 〰️ 9:30-11:00am 〰️ Shoreway Environmental Center, San Carlos 〰️ FREE but registration required in advance (no walkups) 〰️ more info
Tamales Karaoke 〰️ Hey, whoever is doing the events for the Berkeley Public Library these days is killing it. Whoever you are: I see you. I appreciate you. I want to go to all your events. This one offers answers to pressing questions like: "Does Bad Bunny have a hearty appetite? Does Lalo Guerrero have the best lyrics about Mexican food?" Tamale dreams, pop song fantasies, and more at the library. 〰️ Berkeley Public Library - West Branch 〰️ 5-7pm 〰️ more info
Krik? Krak! 〰️ It's always hard to sum up a variety show in a few pithy sentences here, but this one seems really cool — jazz, soul, R&B, poetry, rap, "a sensual burlesque choreopoem" and a preview of a forthcoming solo show that tackles topics of family, home, and belonging. Ticket includes access to a karaoke and mahjong afterparty. 〰️ 6pm 〰️ 13 Orphans, Oakland 〰️ $15 〰️ 😷 COVID SAFE (masks required & provided) 〰️ more info
Intro to Soldering 〰️ I am a strong believer that everybody should learn how to solder. It's fun! It unlocks so many repairs and little projects you can do! And this is a great way to learn with cool, chill people. 〰️ 6:30pm 〰️ Sequoia Fabrica, SF 〰️ $15-30 〰️ more info
Perverts Put Out 〰️ This calendar is sexier than most, and it begins here: San Francisco’s longest-running queer sexuality literary & performance art cabaret returns for the New Year! Come see a "mixed-genre celebration of San Francisco’s sexual subcultures." 〰️ 7:30pm 〰️ Folsom Street Community Center, SF 〰️ $20-40 NOTAFLOF* 〰️ 😷 COVID SAFE (masks required) 〰️ more info
East Bay Bike Party 〰️ Every month, East Bay Bike Party puts on a fun, high energy jam to celebrate bikes, music, and community. This month's theme is 90’s Hip Hop Pajama Jammy Jam. Come hang, talk bikes, take a little ride, and have fun. (This meetup is geared at folks who are pretty comfortable on a bike, not great for beginners. You can see past routes on their Instagram here.) 〰️ 7:30pm 〰️ El Cerrito BART Plaza 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Minor Chord Seasonal Showcase 〰️ A fun lineup of slightly gritty, boppy bands. (Can you tell I'm not a music critic?) The Strange Ones, The Helltones, Crop Top, The BPMs, Lost Objects and Normal Weirdos. 〰️ 7pm 〰️ Ivy Room, Albany 〰️ $10 in advance, $15 at the door 〰️ more info
Punk Band Karaoke 〰️ My karaoke strategy is to pick a song that a) everybody know and/or b) is mostly yelling. Which means that I've been training my whole life for punk band karaoke. What song would you sing? 〰️ 8pm 〰️ Thee Stork Club, Oakland 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Sanguine: A Blood Play Party 〰️ Sexy calendar continues with something that might not be for everybody but if it's for you, godspeed. "Bring your needles, scalpels, sutures, curry combs, etc, and let the blood flow!" This party is not for beginners. Be safe and be cool, friends. 〰️ 8pm-12am 〰️ Vacaville (exact location after RSVP) 〰️ $30 〰️ more info
Detention - At the Intersection of Academia and Kink 〰️ Another calendar after dark entry here, in case you're more into professors than you are into platelets (not mutually exclusive, of course). "Dress up in your sexiest school uniforms, be it a sultry cheerleader, sexy student, a seductive librarian, kinky coach, or a strict principal. Let your imagination soar as you mingle with fellow adventurous kinksters who share your passion for this kind of extracurricular excitement." 〰️ 8pm-1am 〰️ Stopgap, SF 〰️ $43+ 〰️ more info
Climate Justice in Chinatown: An Oakland Walking Tour 〰️ I'm a sucker for a walking tour, and this one looks really cool if very depressing. Travel through historic Oakland Chinatown and see for yourself "what environmental inequity looks like in an urban context and how it intersects with issues like gentrification, inequitable development, and privatization of green spaces." But it's not all bleak. The tour will also feature stories of resilience and community organizing around green spaces and low-income housing projects. 〰️ 11am-2pm 〰️ Oakland (register to get the exact location) 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
West Oakland Open House 〰️ If you've ever wondered who all the invisible folks are who help make the West Oakland library what it is, come through and meet them at this open house! Meet community members, librarians, and your fellow library lovers. Plus, you can try some hands-on activities like candle-making and pressed-flower bookmarks. 〰️ 1-4pm 〰️ Oakland Public Library — West Branch 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Royal Spaghetti Dinner & Drag Show 〰️ Drag queen spaghetti dinner. I don't think I should have to say more about this, honestly? "Come hungry, bring friends, and enjoy an evening full of laughter, love, and of course — spaghetti fit for royalty!" 〰️ 1:30-5pm 〰️ St. John's Episcopal Church, Oakland 〰️ $28.52 〰️ more info
Letter Writing w/ Flying Over Walls 〰️ Write letters and birthday cards to queer/trans incarcerated comrades! Supplies provided, all you have to bring is yourself and your good heart. 〰️ 1-4pm 〰️ Sour Cherry Comics, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
St. Bede Annual Crabfeed 〰️ Eat crab. Raise money. Simple! All proceeds from this year’s Crab Feed will go directly toward critical safety renovations for the St. Bede Parish Center — including new safety doors, a new roof, and an upgraded HVAC system. Did I mention you get to eat crab? And if you don't like crab, they have other options too. 〰️ 5:30-11pm 〰️ St. Bede Catholic School, Hayward 〰️ $93.96 〰️ more info
Artist & Cultural Worker Land Reform Potluck 〰️ How can artists and cultural workers contribute to land reform? If that variety of question has ever been on your mind, this is the place to be on Saturday evening. A potluck for chatting, eating, and plotting. And if you have prints or visual art, you can bring it to display. 〰️ 6:30-9:30pm 〰️ Medicine for Nightmares, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Garden of Earthly Delights 〰️ One of my most embarrassing secrets is that I don't like comedy. I'm sorry! I'm an annoying journalist! I know. But this one looks fun? At the very least I can get behind this line in their promo: "The world keeps getting weirder, so let’s get together and laugh about it!" Please go and report back for me. 〰️ 7:30pm 〰️ Akoma, Oakland 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Make Out Room 30th Anniversary Party 〰️ The Make Out Room is THIRTY YEARS OLD which in venue time is at least a century, right? Certainly enough years to deserve a big ass party. Thankfully they're having one. 〰️ 7pm-2am 〰️ Make Out Room, SF 〰️ $30 〰️ more info
✧Tiny Stage · new sound 微舞台 Vol. 01 ✧ 〰️ I'm not going to lie, I don't really understand what this event is. Here's what they say: "3 voices, 30 minutes each — to share ✧ sound ✧ as it is: 📼 unrushed, unfiltered, still loading into itself ✧･This is not open mic, not a commercial showcase." I am 7,000% too uncool to go to this, but I bet some of you know exactly what this means and will love it and post about it on secret are.na boards. 〰️ 7-9pm 〰️ Now Place, SF 〰️ $20+ 〰️ more info
Tano x No Crumbs Pop-up 〰️ I really should stop writing the calendar while hungry because "Korean American pastries x maximalist cookies collab" is making my stomach do absurd things right now. If you were in the know enough to pre-order good for you. If not, come early and beat the lines. 〰️ 10am 〰️ Paper Son Coffee Co, SF 〰️ more info
Finding Voice in Food Writing and Memoir 〰️ If you've ever wanted to write a food memoir but aren't quite sure how to make your voice shine through, this might help you unlock that secret. Led by Kathy Gunst, a James Beard Award-winning food journalist and author of 16 cookbooks, you'll learn about how to interview, how to write to the senses, and how to find your unique perspective and point of view on the page. 〰️ 10am-4pm 〰️ 18 Reasons, SF 〰️ $320 〰️ more info
Plant Sale Fundraiser 〰️ I'm fascinated by the model of Free Oakland UP — a community shop that offers people one free item inside per day. To help support that, they're running a plant sale — featuring houseplants, garden plants, hanging plants, monsteras, ferns, begonias, tillandsia, rhipsalis, hoyas, philodendrons, carnivorous plants, cactus, succulents and more. As always, the deal here is that if you see me at this plant sale no you didn't. 〰️ 12-4pm 〰️ Free Oakland UP, Oakland 〰️ more info
Build Your Own Crankie 〰️ Crankie isn't just a word to describe most journalists these days, it's also a little moving panorama powered by cranks, which used to be commonly used in theatrical performances to create backdrops and other stage features. And now you can make one of your own with an expert! 〰️ 12-5pm 〰️ Shapeshifters Cinema, Oakland 〰️ $100 〰️ more info
Learn Japanese Stab Bookbinding 〰️ If you are really feeling the urge to stab something and want to channel that for good, this one is for you. Learn multiple styles of Japanese stab binding and leave with your own creations! No experience needed, and the library will provide all materials, including blank paper for interior and cover options. 〰️ 5-7pm 〰️ Berkeley Public Library — Central Branch 〰️ FREE (but register in advance) 〰️ more info
Katie Parla Author Talk 〰️ If your Roman Empire is Roman food, this book is a must have. Come see the author of Rome: A Culinary History, Cookbook, and Field Guide to the Flavors that Built a City talk about the city's food culture "from the Iron Age to today." 〰️ 6:30pm 〰️ Omnivore Books, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
They Have Names: Hind Rajab, in her voice 〰️ It's hard to believe that it's been nearly a year since Hind Rajab and her family were killed in Gaza. This theatre piece returns to her, "not to recount death, but to be remembered as she lived -playful, wise, and full of dreams." Remember their names, their lives, their stories. 〰️ 6:30-8:30pm 〰️ Medicine for Nightmares, SF 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
"Wood Wide Web" with Mycologist Christian Schwarz and Tacos By Chef Chad Hyatt 〰️ You've probably heard of the "wood wide web" concept — this idea that there are invisible forest networks of communication. But what does that really mean and what do we actually know about this fleshy internet? Learn all about that, and eat tacos because this is California. 〰️ 5:30-8pm 〰️ Sports Basement Bryant Street, SF 〰️ $17+ 〰️ more info
Carved In Silence: The Untold Angel Island Story 〰️ Local filmmaker Felicia Lowe presents "a powerful, intimate look at the exclusionary immigration policies of the Chinese Exclusion era. Combining historical footage, dramatic reenactments, and thorough research, a lesser-known period of history is brought into a powerful human-centric lens." Watch first, then stick around for a discussion. 〰️ 5-6pm 〰️ Stinson Beach Library 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
The Bay Agenda: ICE & the Bay Area - Your Legal Rights 〰️ A sadly crucial session to help us all better support our communities and understand how to protect yourself and your neighbors. Immigration attorneys and scholars "will break down what individuals and families need to know about immigration enforcement, removal defense, and legal protections." Now is the time to learn this so you can be ready in the moment. 〰️ 6-7:30pm 〰️ KALW Events Space, SF 〰️ $10-20 sliding scale donation, NOTAFLOF 〰️ more info
Unole Women's Powwow Drum Circle 〰️ Join the Unole women's powwow drum circle to learn about this particular style of singing. They welcome folks to learn, sing along, and dance with the group. All ages welcome. 〰️ 3-4pm 〰️ Civic Center Library, San Rafael 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Planting Disabled Futures: Public Performances 〰️ This is technically a series of events, and they all look really cool, so click through to see the full schedule of a "queercrip intimacy installation" that "invites you into a world of healing plants cultivated by disabled peoples’ embodied ways of knowing." There are VR experiences, plushy robots, plant elders, and more. 〰️ 5-7pm 〰️ Disability Cultural Community Center, Berkeley 〰️ FREE 〰️ more info
Womb House Books January Book Club: Simone Weil's On the Abolition of Political Parties 〰️ I recently met someone who thinks that book clubs are a form of groupthink and must be avoided at all costs. If that's you, skip to the next event. If not, and you like reading old but still incredibly spicy philosophic texts, boy are you in luck here. 〰️ 6:30-8:30pm 〰️ Womb House Books, Oakland 〰️ FREE ($10 donation suggested) 〰️ more info
Sweater Repair Clinic 〰️ At COYOTE we are big fans of learning to make and repair things. And it's sweater weather so if you recently pulled out your coziest one only to remember that there's a hole in it, never fear! You can fix it! No knitting skills required. Bring a kid, 10 and up and teach them too. 〰️ 6:30-8:30pm 〰️ East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse, Oakland 〰️ $55.20 〰️ more info
The Liquid Antiquarian with Arthur Motley 〰️ For our fancy folks — The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is having a tasting of rare single malt releases. Arthur Motley, "a whisky antiquarian," will be on hand and "has kindly promised to bring over original and ancient documents from his private archive." BYOM (bring your own monocle). 〰️ 7-9pm 〰️ Heads and Tails BBQ, Berkeley 〰️ $119.22 〰️ more info
You can see all of COYOTE's past calendar picks here. If you have an event you'd like to see on a future COYOTE Calendar, email us at calendar@coyotemedia.org. If you attended and enjoyed any of these events, we'd love to hear about it in the comments!
Reo Eveleth is an award-winning reporter and writer who has covered everything from fake tumbleweed farms to million-dollar baccarat heists. Their work has been nominated for a Peabody, an Emmy, and an Eisner Award.
