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Spring has sprung! Which means we should all spend the weekend … NOT cleaning anything. Instead, we offer these seven ways to enjoy ourselves in the S.F. Bay Area and beyond, from wine festivals to awesomely creepy horror movies to a weekend getaway full of divine food, tasty adult beverages and pedal-powered railroad rides.
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Now, let’s get to the fun stuff.
1 SIP: Barrels of fun in Livermore
This weekend is Livermore’s big barrel-tasting weekend — no, you don’t taste the barrel, you taste what’s inside it, wines that haven’t been bottled yet. It’s big fun, but with more than 30 spots offering sipping-swirling action, you’ll need this insider’s guide to maximize the fun.
2 WATCH: The buzzworthy new creep-fest from Jordan Peele
“Get Out” was one of the most talked-about movies of 2017 — scary, funny, provocative. Now filmmaker Jordan Peele is back with another creep show, “Us,” which has lots of people talking already. It’s in theaters this weekend and here is our 3½-star review. And if you’re looking for a movie with that dishy Alexander Skarsgard in it, you have a pair of options. Catch the details in our weekend movie roundup.
3 CATCH: A special night at the theat-uh
The Bay Area is hosting a couple plays that offer anything but a traditional stage experience. In San Francisco, “Falsettos,” the award-winning musical about a dysfunctional/functional American family, is playing at the Golden Gate Theatre. Details are here. And in Berkeley, “Home” is a play at which a house is constructed on stage at each performance.
4 EAT: Trendy new restos
This might just be the perfect weekend to try out yet another of the Bay Area’s hot new eateries — and we have a few suggestions, from Dublin’s new Market Tavern (mmm, don’t miss the wood-fired pork chop with creamy garlicky grits!) to the newest outpost of the cult-fave Halal Guys in Sunnyvale.
5 SEE: Vivid paintings from a famed abstract artist
Viewing painter Hans Hofmann’s works is like taking a stroll through a colorful and stunning art history lesson, as he conquered a variety of trends and styles. You can see a little bit of every facet of his influential career in a new exhibit at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive.
6 HEAR: “Forbidden Music” brought to life
No, the music we’re referring to isn’t forbidden because it contains lyrics Tipper Gore wouldn’t approve of. It’s because the composers suffered under a repressive regime that largely erased his or her works. Now Daniel Hope and the New Century Chamber Orchestra are highlighting such works in a series of concerts around the Bay Area beginning tonight.
7 PLAY: Mendocino weekend getaway
Want to get out of town this weekend? Mendocino makes a perfect weekend getaway, what with its fun eateries, breweries and now, rail biking on the old Skunk Train railroad lines. Yes! You can ride a pedal-powered two-seater on the train tracks, winding your way through forests and meadows. It’s crazy fun. Here’s what you need to know.
