Upcoming Events
Mon 5/20
The Vintage Years
Date: Mon, May 20, 2013Time: 5:15 PM
Francine Toder, Ph.D., California-Licensed Psychologist; Author, The Vintage Years: Finding Your Inner Artist (Writer, Musician, Visual Artist) after Sixty
Every day for the next 18 years, 10,000 baby boomers will reach age 65. Toder describes the latest neuroscience findings while also opening a window into the lives of more than 20 late-blooming artists who first took up the violin, memoir writing or other artistic pursuits after turning 60. Though some were motivated by curiosity, others desired to realize a previously unmet dream. Their stories inspire and support Toder’s findings.
MLF: Grownups
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 4:45 p.m. networking, 5:15 p.m. program
Cost: $20 non-member, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students
Also know: In assocation with San Francisco Village
Program Organizer: John Milford
Middle East Discussion Group
Date: Mon, May 20, 2013Time: 5:30 PM
Make your voice heard in an enriching, provocative and fun discussion with fellow Club members as you weigh in on events shaping the face of the Middle East. Each month, the Middle East Member-Led Forum hosts an informal roundtable discussion on a topic frequently suggested by recent headlines. After a brief introduction, the floor will be open for discussion. All interested members are encouraged to attend. There will also be a brief planning session
MLF: Middle East
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. program
Cost: FREE
Program Organizer: Celia Menczel
Tue 5/21
Around the World in 65 Days!
Date: Tue, May 21, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Karen Keefer, Volunteer; Activist; Traveler
Saving frequent flier miles since 1984, Keefer used them all on business class fare to go around the world – adding 12 more countries to the 60 she had already visited. Her personalized route took her to Indochina, Indonesia, Australia, five southern African countries and Poland. She will share her photos and engrossing stories with the Club – pointing out highlights, surprises, frightening episodes, learning experiences and happy times.
MLF: International Relations
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program
Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: Norma Walden
Also know: In association with the NorCal Peace Corps Association
The End of Intelligence with Peter Coyote
Date: Tue, May 21, 2013Time: 6:30 PM
Actor; Narrator; Author, Sleeping Where I Fall; Zen Buddhist Priest
Peter Finch, Anchor/Reporter, KGO Radio - Moderator
Bay Area actor, writer and film narrator Coyote is also a countercultural visionary whose ordination as a Zen Buddhist priest has led him to an examination of the limits of human intelligence. Though our applied intelligence has resulted in incredible innovations (tools, technology, science), Coyote is concerned with the unintended consequences of advancement: violence, war and destruction. Coyote discusses the power of intelligence to address social ills.
Location: Lafayette Library, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette
Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6:30 p.m. program
Cost: $22 non-members, $12 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Also know: Part of the Good Lit Series, underwritten by Ther Bernard Osher Foundation.
Eating Nose-to-Tail: The Whole Animal Movement
Date: Tue, May 21, 2013Time: 6:30 PM
Premium tickets are sold out but General Admission tickets to the panel discussion are still available.
Chris Cosentino, Executive Chef and Partner, Incanto; Winner, "Top Chef Masters"; 2013 James Beard Award Nominee
Ryan Farr, Co-owner, Chef and Butcher, 4505 Meats
John Fink, Chef, The Whole Beast
Tia Harrison, Co-founder, The Butcher’s Guild; Co-owner, Avedano’s Meats; Executive Chef, Sociale
Marissa Guggiana, Co-founder, The Butcher's Guild; Author, Primal Cuts: Cooking with America's Best Butchers - Moderator
Beef tongue, calf brains, pork trotters. In the past, these meats were often left on the cutting room floor. But lately we've seen cooks growing more creative and eaters more adventurous. Have you ever wanted to know how to break down a pig like the pros, or wondered what to do with those offal bits that you have left over?
Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6:30 p.m. program, 8 p.m. demo and tasting party
Cost: General: $20 non-members, $12 members, $7 students (with valid ID); Premium (includes priority seating at the panel and access to the all-inclusive butchering demo and tasting party): $55 non-members, $40 members
Also know: Photo credit: 2010-2013 Alyson Thomas of Drywall Art
Wed 5/22
Willie Brown: Annual Lecture on Political Trends
Date: Wed, May 22, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Former Mayor, San Francisco; Former Speaker, California State Assembly
Former San Francisco Mayor Brown will give his annual lecture on national and regional political trends. A two-term mayor of San Francisco, legendary speaker of the California State Assembly, and widely regarded as one of the most influential African-American politicians of the late 20th century, Brown has been at the center of California politics, government and civic life for an astonishing four decades.
MEMBERS-ONLY +1 paying guest
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:15 p.m. check-in, 6 p.m. program
Cost: General admission: $25 non-members, $15 members. Premium: $45 standard, $30 members
Greening the World Through Sports
Date: Wed, May 22, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Justin Zeulner, Senior Director of Sustainability and Public Affairs, Portland Trail Blazers
Darby Hoover, Senior Resource Specialist, Natural Resources Defense Council
Robin Raj, Founder/Executive Creative Director, Citizen Group
Allen Hershkowitz, Director, Sports Greening Project, Natural Resources Defense Council – Moderator
Joining environmental advisers to Major League Baseball, the NBA, the NHL, Major League Soccer, USTA, the NFL and other leagues and teams, Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, director of the Sports Greening Project of the Natural Resources Defense Council, will lead a panel discussion of how the major leagues provide leadership in sports environmental work, education, information and sustainable practices at the local, national and international levels. Greening new sports facilities, renovating iconic sports stadiums and arenas, and engaging professional teams, leagues and athletes, the sports universe provides unparalleled opportunities to reach out to hundreds of millions of fans about the critical importance of environmental challenges, such as energy efficiency, clean air, healthy food, recycling, climate change, and water protection and conservation. Our expert panel of sports environmentalists will discuss the many pioneering ways that the sports industry is doing to save the environment for future generations of sports fans and athletes.
MLF: Environment & Natural Resources
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program
Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: Ann Clark
Also know: Photo courtesy the Seattle Mariners
Thu 5/23
San Francisco Architecture Walking Tour #19
Date: Thu, May 23, 2013Time: 2:00 PM
San Francisco Architecture Walking Tour
This program is cancelled
Explore San Francisco’s Financial District with historian Rick Evans and learn the history and stories behind some of our city’s remarkable structures, streets, and public squares. Hear about the famous architects that influenced the building of San Francisco after the 1906 Earthquake. Discover hard-to-find rooftop gardens, Art Deco lobbies, unique open spaces, and historic landmarks. This is a tour for locals, with hidden gems you can only find on foot!
Location: Lobby of Galleria Park Hotel, 191 Sutter St.
Time: 1:45 p.m. check-in, 2–4:30 p.m. tour
Cost: $40 non-members, $30 members
Also know: Tour operates rain or shine. Limited to 20 people. Participants must pre-register. The tour covers less than one mile of walking in the Financial District. Note: This tour involves walking up and down stairs.
Fri 5/24
Speaking Tips from America’s Best Speakers: Abe Lincoln and MLK
Date: Fri, May 24, 2013Time: 12:00 PM
Carol Fleming, Ph.D., Member, Commonwealth Club Board of Governors; Author, It’s the Way You Say It
Rick Gilbert, Ph.D., Author, Speaking Up: Surviving Executive Presentations
What did master orators Lincoln and MLK know about speaking that could help you? This fast-moving review of the key components of memorable public speaking will enlighten the beginner and remind and entertain the old pro. You will leave with a new appreciation of these great speakers and some new ideas for yourself.
MLF: Business & Leadership
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program, 1 p.m. book signing
Cost: $20 non-members, MEMBERS FREE, students free (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: Kevin O'Malley
Tue 5/28
The Perfect Cup: Coffee Talk with San Francisco’s Finest Roasters
Date: Tue, May 28, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
James Freeman, Owner, Blue Bottle Coffee
Eileen Hassi, Owner, Ritual Coffee Roasters
Jeremy Tooker, Owner, Four Barrel Coffee
Marcia Gagliardi, Founder/Editor, Tablehopper.com - Moderator
Three of San Francisco’s finest coffee entrepreneurs spill the beans on what it takes to be at the forefront of an artisan coffee revolution. Join the owners of Blue Bottle, Four Barrel and Ritual Coffee Roasters as they discuss sourcing beans directly from farmers they know, roasting on the premises of their local establishments, and brewing the perfect cup of joe. Come early for a “cupping” and taste what Bay Area coffee innovation is all about.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5 p.m. check-in, 5:15 p.m. coffee tasting, 6 p.m. program
Cost: $25 non-members, $15 members, $10 students (with valid ID)
Also know: Sponsored by Wells Fargo. Photo courtesy of epSos.de.
Wed 5/29
Bella Figura
Date: Wed, May 29, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Jojo Capece, Author
San Francisco author Capece’s latest novel, set in Capri, focuses on Esmeralda Pembrook’s life, which erupts, revealing prejudices of class, religion, age, gender, race and nationality. Tolerance and the capacity to endure bring a surprising finale to Capece’s novel of love, greed and intrigue. Capece will describe her fascination with all things Italian, including Berlusconi, the recently retired Pope, Verdi’s music in the 200th year of his birth, the Italian Year of Culture in San Francisco and Caravaggio’s masterpiece making an appearance in our city.
MLF: Humanities
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing
Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: George Hammond
Also know: Photo courtesy the London Evening Standard
James Zogby, Founder, Arab American Institute: Arab Attitudes Toward Iran
Date: Wed, May 29, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Founder, Arab American Institute; Director, Zogby Research Services; Author, Looking at Iran
Joel Brinkley, Hearst Visiting Professor in Residence, Stanford University: Former New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign correspondent - Moderator
A just-released Arab American Institute survey revealed that each year since 2006, Iran's standing among other Middle East nations has declined, so much so that today majorities in most countries in the Middle East and North Africa see Iran as a meddlesome source of sectarian disruption. Just eight years ago, there was widespread support for Iran across the Arab world. So what happened? Zogby will look at the dramatic change in Arab and Muslim attitudes toward Iran during the past decade and the policy implications resulting from that shift.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program
Cost: $20 non-members, $12 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Also know: In associaton with the Club's Middle East Forum.
Thu 5/30
A #Nofilter Conversation with the Founders of Instagram
Date: Thu, May 30, 2013Time: 7:00 PM
Kevin Systrom, Co-founder, Instagram
Mike Krieger, Co-founder Instagram
In conversation with Kevin Rose, Partner, Google Ventures; Founder, Digg, Revision3, Milk
From the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Sandy to your Sunday eggs Benedict in the Mission, Instagram is documenting the world around us. Since its release in October 2010, this digital filter app is reported to have surpassed 100 million registered users, with peak uploads at over 200 photographs per second — launching co-founders Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom to nearly insta-fame. And their eye-catching communications platform has not left the limelight. Despite media feeding frenzys over Instagram’s $1 billion dollar acquisition by Facebook and a controversial policy-change announcement in December 2012, heightened scrutiny doesn’t seem to be keeping users at bay. Join @mikeyk and @kevin for a conversation with #nofilter at the Castro Theatre.
Dinner with the Founders
For a real close up, be one of the lucky few to join Kevin and Mike for an intimate dinner after the interview, at Incanto, whose executive chef, Chris Cosentino, has one of the most followed Instagram feeds in SF. The private meal will consist of three unique courses with wine pairings and will take place in Incanto’s beautiful private dining room. Dinner tickets are extremely limited and include premium ticket access to the event at the Castro Theatre. To get these tickets select either the Dinner – Member or Dinner – Non-Member ticket option, depending on your membership status.
Location: Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St.
Time: 6 p.m. check-in, 6 p.m. premium ticket reception, 7 p.m. program
Cost: General Admission: $25 non-members, $15 members. Priority Seating: $45 non-members, $30 members. Premium (priority seating and VIP reception with Systrom and Krieger – limited number available): $80 non-members, $65 members. Group ticket*: 10 tickets for $100.
Also know: Image courtesy of photographer Cody Pickens
*Note: The Group Ticket only applies to groups of 10 and is for a limited time only. $100 for 10 tickets.
Fri 5/31
The Emerging Prehistory of the Next American Revolution
Date: Fri, May 31, 2013Time: 12:00 PM
Gar Alperovitz, Professor of Political Economy, University of Maryland; Co-founder, The Democracy Collaborative; Author, What Then Must We Do?: Straight Talk About the Next American Revolution
MLF: Business & Leadership
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program, 1 p.m. book signing
Cost: $20 non-members, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students(with valid ID)
Program Organizer: Kevin O'Malley
Also know: Photo by Stephen Voss
Dear Governor Cuomo: Screening and Discussion
Date: Fri, May 31, 2013Time: 8:00 PM
Jon Bowermaster, Director, Dear Governor Cuomo
Deborah Goldberg, Managing Attorney, Earthjustice
The New York state fracking moratorium has been in place since the early days of the fracking boom on the Marcellus Shale. But just past state lines in Pennsylvania and in states across the country, hydraulic
fracturing has been moving full steam ahead, leaving regulators to play catch-up. Proponents of the process say cheaper natural gas is good for both the economy and, ultimately, the environment, with fewer carbon emissions than dirty coal. Opponents point to chemical spills, water pollution and the finite nature of natural gas supplies as reasons to move away from fracking toward a cleaner, more renewable track. Join Climate One and the San Francisco Green Film Festival for a post-screening conversation on natural gas, fracking and the economic and environmental balancing act of powering America.
Location: New People Cinema, 1746 Post Street
Time: 8 p.m. - approx. 10 p.m. screening and discussion
Cost: $12 non-members, $12 members, $11 seniors/students/disabled. Tickets on sale May 8 at www.sfgreenfilmfest.org
Also know: The speakers and audience will be videotaped for future broadcast on the Climate One TV show on KRCB TV 22 on Comcast and DirecTV.
Mon 6/3
Journey into the Whirlwind by Eugenia Ginzberg
Date: Mon, June 03, 2013Time: 5:30 PM
Russians have written many justly famous memoirs, and this one is among the best. Ginzberg provides an account of her suffering and survival of a sentence to prison and labor camps. We will discuss this woman’s story of her arrest in 1937, charged with being a Trotskyist terrorist and counterrevolutionary at the commencement of the Stalinist purges, the great terror and the gulag.
MLF: SF Book Discussion
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. program
Cost: $5 non-members, MEMBERS FREE
Program Organizers: Barbara Massey and Howard Crane
David Kennedy: The Modern American Military
Date: Mon, June 03, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Donald J. McLachlan Professor of History, Emeritus, Stanford University; Editor, The Modern American Military
The advent of the all-volunteer force and the evolving nature of modern warfare have transformed our military, changing it in serious if subtle ways that few Americans are aware of, says Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Kennedy. He looks at issues such as who serves and why and the impact of non-uniformed “contractors” in war zone.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing
Cost: $20 non-members, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students (with valid ID)
Living Healthy in a Toxic World
Date: Mon, June 03, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Beth Greer, aka Super Natural Mom, Journalist; Environmental Health Advocate; Holistic Wellness Educator; Healthy Home Specialist; Author, Super Natural Home: Improve Your Health, Home and Planet … One Room at a Time
Inside our homes we’re exposed to hundreds of untested chemicals – from additives in food to endocrine disruptors in soap and shampoo to fumes in household cleaners. These comprise your “body burden” and can exacerbate allergies, asthma, fatigue, cough, headache and more serious health conditions. Greer, best-selling author and lauded by such advocates as Deepak Chopra and Ralph Nader, will share bits of bite-sized wisdom to provide a greater awareness of what goes in you, on you and surrounds you, so that you might be able to radically improve your health and vitality. Leave with simple, affordable ways to make safe, healthy product choices; understand vague and misleading food, personal care and cleaning labels; and detect and eliminate electromagnetic radiation from cell phones, laptops and WiFi.
MLF: Health & Medicine
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing
Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: Patty James
Tue 6/4
The Encore Career Handbook: How to Make a Living and a Difference in the Second Half of Life
Date: Tue, June 04, 2013Time: 5:15 PM
Marci Alboher, Author, The Encore Career Handbook
Alboher will give a comprehensive, nuts-and-bolts guide to finding passion, purpose and a paycheck in the second half of life. She will discuss how to plan the transition; how much you need to make; the pros and cons of going back to school; when to volunteer and when to intern; how to network effectively and harness the power of social media; and she’ll present an Encore Hot List of 35 viable careers.
MLF: Grownups
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 4:45 p.m. networking, 5:15 p.m. program
Cost: $20 non-members, $8 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: John Milford
Also know: In association with San Francisco Village, Coming of Age, the Transition Network and Encore.org.
George Packer: The New America
Date: Tue, June 04, 2013Time: 6:00 PM
Staff Writer, The New Yorker; Author, The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America
Packer argues that seismic economic shifts during a single generation have created a country of winners and losers, leaving the social contract in pieces and setting citizens adrift to find new paths forward. He will present the story of this America over the past three decades, which he sees as a superpower in danger of coming apart at the seams, its elites no longer elite, its institutions no longer relevant.
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program, 7 p.m. book signing
Cost: $20 standard, $12 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Also know: Photo by Guillermo Riveros