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First off, if you’re just finding out now that Sunday, May 12, is Mother’s Day, um … you’re welcome. And don’t sweat it, we’ve got lots of ideas for how to celebrate the holiday, or just enjoy another killer S.F. Bay Area weekend, from great brunches and dazzling gardens to a kick-butt all-female mariachi band.
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1 EAT: Treat your mom to a scrumptious meal.
OK, let’s start with basics, shall we? Brunch, lunch, dinner, whichever, the Bay Area has only about a gazillion lovely restaurants to enjoy a special meal with mom. Here’s a rundown of recommended spots. Heck, even every-day joints are serving up Mother’s Day specials. Even — dare we say it — Hooters has one.
2 PLAY: See a show with mum
Moms do not live on delicious eats and tasty adult beverages alone. So we have a roundup of 16 cool shows your mother is bound to love, from a Doris Day film festival to a fierce all-female mariachi band. You’ll find all the details here.
3 STROLL: Five gorgeous gardens
Sure, you could buy roses for Mother’s Day. Or you could take Mom to one of these beautiful places — San Jose’s Municipal Rose Garden, the UC Botanical Garden and more — for a picnic. And totally win the title of #MomLovesMeBest. Here’s the rundown.
4 SEE: The best in Asian cinema
CAAMFest, the huge annual Asian-American film festival returns to San Francisco and Oakland this weekend with more than 100 movie screenings, live shows and boffo events. There is A LOT to choose from, so check out our suggestions for what you totally shouldn’t miss.
5 WATCH: Amy Poehler get soused in our own backyard
Amy Poehler is a funny, funny woman with a lot of funny, funny friends. And the Napa wine region is always fun to look at. Put them all together and you have “Wine Country.” Poehler’s new movie, dropping this weekend on Netflix, tops our rundown of new-movie options this weekend.
6 SIP: A farm-brewed ale trail
There are taprooms and breweries pretty much everywhere, but this trio of farm breweries near Auburn is different. There are adorable goats, for one thing, and ponds to picnic by. And the hops are grown right there. Consider this a must-do day trip for beer lovers.
7 HEAR: The divine Cowboy Junkies
We’re not kidding, this Canadian alt-rock/country outfit is one of the best bands going, and they keep getting better. The foursome just dropped a new album and are sweeping through the Bay Area — so you have a bunch of chances to catch them.
