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Wow! So we have Valentine’s Day spilling over into a long Presidents Day weekend, which means lots of time for love, fun, delicious food and tasty adult beverages. We’d make a “perfect storm” reference except we might get a real one of those this weekend, too. But don’t worry, we have plenty of indoorsy stuff among our seven ways to enjoy this weekend in the SF Bay Area and beyond, including off-the-beaten-track date ideas, a Grammy champion, cat videos and yummy fried chicken sandwiches.
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So let’s get to it, shall we?
1 EAT & PLAY: Laid-back date night
Sure, a swanky dinner and heart-shaped chocolates can be fun. But if you shy away from Hallmark holidays (or prefer your date nights in more laid-back fashion) here are five fab ideas for fun with your boo, from an ice cream tour to burger-wine pairings and a cinematic option — with an all-you-can-eat pasta bar. And if your plans include cozying up with a romantic movie, we have a wide mix of streaming suggestions for you.
2 SEE: The Grammys’ big winner plays in S.F.
The mega-talented Kacey Musgraves had what you might call a nice night at the Grammy Awards last weekend, delivering a stunning version of her song “Rainbow” and then winning the night’s biggest prize — album of the year, for “Golden Hour.” And this weekend, she’s performing here in the Bay Area. Lucky us.
3 CATCH: Some kick-butt jazz in San Jose
San Jose Jazz brings back its popular Winter Fest concert series beginning this weekend through Feb. 27, meaning clubs all over downtown will be hosting top-flight performers like singer Tiffany Austin, guitarist J.C. Smith, the Bad Plus, the groovy tandem of Anton Schwartz and Kenny Washington, and the tireless sax legend Charles McPherson.
4 EAT: Mouthwatering fried-chicken sandwiches
Readers are voting this week on who makes the Bay Area’s most delicious fried chicken sammies, and we have to say, the research for this oh-so-serious endeavor has been delicious! Check out this map with all 16 nominees for primo poultry and get noshing.
5 WATCH: Cat Videos! On the big screen (sigh!)
If you’re one of those people who can’t get through a single day without catching a cat video somewhere (not that there is a single thing wrong with that), know that the famed New York Cat Film Festival comes to S.F. this weekend offering four hours of feline awesomeness. Oh, and if you’re partial to pooches, the New York Dog Film Festival arrives here next weekend. Details on both events are here. And if you are in the mood for movies with two-legged stars, there’s a new, sure-to-be-eye-popping James Cameron movie out, as well as a rom-com for people who don’t like rom-coms (with Rebel Wilson and Liam Hemsworth). We have your cinematic options here.
6: PLAY: Lunar New Year (preferably indoors)
We fear no amount of dragons or fireworks will dispel the wetness of this week’s rain. But this weekend brings several indoor Lunar New Year fests, including the SF Symphony’s kid-friendly Chinese New Year bash and the San Jose Museum of Art’s extravaganza. Here are the deets.
7: SEE: A Tennessee Williams classic, done right
It may not be anyone’s idea of swoon-worthy Valentine’s Day fare, but Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ is a stage masterpiece, and San Jose Stage is offering a terrific production of it. Or, if you’d prefer something more sassy than seismic, Lamplighters’ production of the Stephen Sondheim gem “A Little Night Music” is in the final weekend of its Bay Area run.
