Hope everyone had a great weekend!

The dreamboat and I headed out to the freshly opened Contemporary Jewish Museum on Saturday after volunteering through SF Green Connect that morning.

Lets start with the building itself. It is beautiful. I didn’t take any pictures while inside because as I’ve mentioned here before, I am always afraid I will get caught by a docent and they will think I’m trying to steal their secrets. Yes, I’m kind of a wimp, I know. When you walk in it’s white and totally modern, except for one area of brick wall. For some reason this little bit of brick was one of my favorite part of the museums decor. Brick to me is warm and calming; it reminds me of sitting in front of a fire place. Maybe that’s why I liked it. Surrounded by all the cold white walls, this part was inviting.

The outside of the building, I would say, is almost the complete opposite to the inside, being mostly brick with a small amount of the modern added in large blue geometric shaped areas on the left of the building. When inside, one of the “cubes” is a listening exhibit (for now) and the other the gift shop.

For such a grand building, there isn’t much going on inside, but what they do have is pretty interesting. Currently the exhibits are John Zorn Presents the Aleph-Bet Sound Project in which various Jewish artist made sound art representing various letters of the aleph-bet, From The New Yorker to Shrek: The Art of William Steig, and In the Beginning: Artists Respond to Genesis. Mierle Laderman Ukeles has an installation in this exhibit involving beautiful two sided mirrors and the concept of going out and doing good deeds and repairing the world. It’s beautiful. I want one of the mirrors, and you can have one on Days of Transfer and Exchange, if you agree to do your best in repairing the world with a written covenant. That’s something I currently feel I am failing at, even though I’m trying, and therefore don’t feel I deserve a mirror, but maybe you do?

The William Steig exhibit was the most endearing to me and brought back so many childhood memories. I had compleatly forgotten about reading Sylvester and the Magic Pebble and Brave Irene when I was a child!

Have you checked out the CJM yet? What did you think of it?

It’s time for the weekend! Some goings ons…

The Renegade Craft Fair is happening this weekend on both Saturday and Sunday. Bay Area craft gatherings are always great, so get yourself there, support your local artist and crafters, and get your holiday shopping done early.

There is an Urban Cycling Workshop on Saturday. Learn about the rules and regulations of biking, bicycle safety tips and your rights as a SF cyclist. Starts at 1pm and registration is required. Fun Cheap SF.

There are a lot of Labor Fest events going on this weekend. Check out this film and arts festival dedicated to educating the masses about labor education and history.

The Mechanicrawl seems like it would be a fun time for all the techies, nerds, and true steampunk fans out there. Check out steam engines, turn of the century automata, and various other things of the truly old school and nifty persuasion.

There is a lot more going on this weekend, check out Upcoming for more nifty events going on in the Bay Area.

Have an amazing, fun, outdoors filled weekend everyone!!

I hope everyone had a fabulous 4th of July weekend (at least if you’re here in the states) full of good friends, good fun, and general awesomeness. Mine was 100% pleasing and chocked full of new experiences like my first San Francisco picnic and heading out to Angel Island for the day.

I’ve been wanting to head out to Angel Island every since I found out about it a few months after we moved here in November of 2007. I like checking out new “adventure wildernesses.” It reminds me of when I was a kid and my dad used to take me and my family on hikes in various areas around San Diego and makes me feel very Swiss Family Robinson, or something else of that sort. Like some sort of adventurer, even if I never venture off the trail and don’t see any Mountain Lions.

The Island was pretty nifty once you got past the few dead jelly fish and birds in the water, various stinging insects, and all the animal poo that was everywhere. I really hope those kids doing wheel barrow races washed their hands before putting them anywhere near anything. Ew.

We sat up on the hill to get away from the mass amounts of children and animal excrement, and proceeded to enjoy the afternoon sun. A large tree stump proved to be an excellent table for setting up our wonderful spread of deliciousness and all the blankets made the perfect lounging area. One of the fellas brought a backpack boom box which was totally icing on the cake. Nothing like grooving to the top hits of the 90s while munching mimosas, cherries, bread, brie, and peanut butter, apple and banana sandwiches. I fricken saw the sign!

Later in the afternoon a few of us decided to hike one of the trails. Sadly we didn’t make it to the top (probably something we should have thought about more than an hour and and half before the last ferry back to the city), but it was fun anyway. We got about one quarter to the top, and this was the view from there.

One can only imagine what it would have been like from the summit. Beautiful I’m sure.

I feel a yearly Angel Island day trip tradition is in order, yes, yes indeed.

picnic photograph taken by the dreamboat Jared Zimmerman, and used because he said I could.

Hello everyone! Are you ready for the weekend? I am! It’s been extra lovely the past few days here in San Francisco. I hope madam nature manages to keep it up over the next 2 days so we can all enjoy our weekends to the fullest.

Some things you can get up to in the sun, or in the shade this weekend…

On Saturday the 2nd Annual Bicycle Music Festival will be going on all day long. We have had a couple of Couch Surfers for a few days and they have been getting their bikes all dolled up and ready to bike down to Mexico. They’ve been a total inspiration, and while I’m not ready to hop on my bike and trek to another country, I am all for biking to my favorite farmers market and Delores Park in the company of other awesome bike riders on a lovely Saturday, and listening to awesome tunes along the way. :: SF FunCheap , bicyclemusicfestival.com

Are you totally French or French at heart? Or maybe you just like french tunes or french edibles? Why not head over to Justin Herman Plaza at The Embarcadero and Market for the Fete de la Musique: France Music and Cuisine Festival? Enjoy some live tunes near the bay and be French for a day! :: Funcheap SF

Free Ice Cream Sundaes! Really do I have to say more? I don’t but I will. Ghirardelli Square is having its Savour the Square Food Festival this weekend. Go out and enjoy free chef demos, free samples of various delish foods, cupcakes and chocolate, guided wine tastings and free Ice Cream Sundaes from 4-5pm. Happens Saturday and Sunday. :: Funcheap SF

Radio Alice is having a small music fest from 12-5pm on Sunday in Golden Gate Park, and while I don’t know much about the other bands (Lifehouse??) I might swing out to see Ingrid Michealson, cause I like her. Other bands in the lineup? Lifehouse, the Last Goodnight, Marie Digby and Secondhand Serenade. If any of these bands tickle your fancy why don’t you go out, support em, and have an amazing time?! It will make up for all that music you have been illegally downloading. :: Funcheap SF

There are tons of other things going on too, including Community Convergence for Change: The Big ONE 2008, the Dragon & Lion Dance and Celebration Street Festival, and Summer of Love - Free Music Concert and Eco Fair at Dolores Park.

Have an AMAZING weekend everyone.

Oh ladies and gents, I am so ready for the weekend! I have been trying to kick it into gear, so that means working through being tired. Bring on the sleep! I am also looking forward to spending time with the fella, going to Bi-Rite Creamery at least once and getting outside.

Here is a quick list of things to do while not sleeping:

The 2008 Carnival Street Fair is happening in the Mission on Saturday and Sunday. Dance, eat, craft and shop yourself to bliss. Parade on Sunday! :: funcheap SF here and here.

If circle jerks, voyeurism and exhibitionism are your loves in life then you really need to head on over to the Soma on Sunday. The 2008 Masturbate-a-thon will be in full swing for your perverted pleasure. See if you can go the distance and beat last years records, or just cheer on those who are up to the challenge! :: funcheap SF , Masturbate-a-thon

Models, hydraulics, and learning about the bay. Sounds like a perfectly geeky time to me! There will be a guided tour of a 1.5 acre scale hydraulic model of SF Bay & Delta at the Bay Model Visitors Center in Sausalito on Saturday. Features that affect the water flow of the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta are reproduced, including ship channels, rivers, creeks, sloughs, the canals in the Delta, fills, major wharfs, piers, slips, dikes, bridges, and breakwaters. Cool huh? :: funcheap SF.

Re-live childhood memories of whacking your siblings and friends with cardboard tubes at the Cardboard Tube Fighting League Tournament on Sunday in the Castro. Don your best cardboard Armor, grab your water bottle and get ready to fight to be the best! :: funcheap SF.

And I will definitely be checking out the Carnival Mechanique: Midway of pedal-powered interactive games in Bayview on Saturday. Paul Cesewski is the current artist in residence at SF Recycling and Disposal (aka “The Dump”) and will be re creating an old-fashioned carnival midway. The exhibition will have the ambiance of a carnival and will feature bicycle-pedal-powered marvels and games of amusement made from found and recycled materials. Hopefully this will be awesome beyond compare. :: funcheap SF, Paul Cesewski

Have a beautiful weekend everyone!!

photograph taken by Jared Zimmerman (the Dreamboat) and used because he loves me and doesn’t mind.