Codes: ACW all children welcome; BYOB bring your own beverage; CO clothing optional; C/D cat/dog at residence; FE fictitious event; FFE fragrance-free event; FFO finger food only; LCR light carpet rules (no red wine or other staining substances; can also mean no shoes); MO members only; NC no children; NPC, PC no public calendar, public calendar; NMPCW new members, prospects, and candidates welcome; NS, S, S/NS, SO no smoking, smoking, provisions for both, smoking outside; NXM not exclusively Mensa event; RSE regularly scheduled event; WBC well behaved children; WCD, WCE, WCI, WCP wheelchairs difficult, easy, impossible, possible; RSEs are reprinted verbatim unless an update is received by the deadline for the issue in which a change is requested. Note: Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Web Calendar Policy: Our policy is not to list events on the Web calendar unless requested to do so by inclusion of the “PC” (“public calendar”) code. If the PC code is not included, your event will default to NPC (no public calendar) and will not be included in the Web calendar. Home addresses (and directions to same) are not listed on the Web, but city and contact information such as telephone and e-mail are unless requested otherwise.
Meetup: SFRM maintains a MeetUp group for events announced on short notice. See meetup.com/SFMensa
To List Your Event: Length limit: 120 words. Submit items to the Calendar Editor at . Items must be received by the deadline listed in the calendar to guarantee inclusion. Items must include host’s name, date and time, location, and applicable codes (above), and should also include phone (including area code) or e-mail address. Notices are published on a space-available basis subject to the discretion of the Calendar Editor. The policy for inclusion in the calendar is based on the SFRM bylaws.
WEEKLY EVENTS
Every Thursday
12:30p Mountain View Lunch Bunch. We meet at Sweet Tomatoes, 1040 Grant Rd., 94040 (at the corner of Oak Lane). From El Camino Real and Grant Rd., turn south on Grant, take the first right on Oak Lane and the first left into the parking lot. Look for us at the far end of the restaurant. Claire Taylor, (650) 917-9363. PC, NMPCW (RSE Th)
Every Saturday
6p Imaginative Geniuses. Relax in a secluded southeast Napa Valley house with warm, friendly people. A free BBQ dinner is served and a hot tub is provided. Located 15-18 minutes from I-80 and CA-12, 40-60 minutes from Berkeley. Parties usually go on until 10p or later. See www.ImaginativeGenius.com for more information. For address and directions, and to RSVP, contact host Steven Kays at Mensa/a/t/StevenKays.com or (707) 422-2565. PC, NMPCW, C/D, NS, NXM (RSE Sa)
End of March
March 24 – Sunday
6p Channing Club is a wide-ranging discussion group which has been meeting for over sixty years. We begin with a potluck dinner; please bring food and drinks to share. We generally don’t have prearranged topics but rather discuss whatever comes up. This month we’ll meet at the community room at Redwood Gardens, 2951 Derby St., Berkeley 94705. Directions: Take Dwight Way east (toward the hills) to Piedmont Ave. Turn right on Piedmont, go two blocks, and turn left on Derby. After a long block, 2951 Derby will be on your left; you’ll see the number on a large green awning. Go up the stairs at 2951, walk right, and then left, up to the building. Kevin Langdon, (510) 524-0345, kevin.langdon/a/t/polymath-systems.com. PC, NS, NMPCW, NXM (RSE 4 Su)
25 – Monday
7p Asian Palo Alto Dining. Join us for Burmese-Chinese cuisine at Green Elephant Gourmet at 3950 Middlefield Rd., 94303 in the Charleston Shopping Center. Menu includes Tea Leaf Salad, Chinese Sausage Fried Rice, Fried Eggplant Sticks, Seafood Pumpkin Soup, etc. Prices are generally $10 to $30. Good food, good conversation. To reserve, contact Susan at Susan.Heimlich/a/t/gmail.com or at (650) 714-4972 (call or text) by Saturday, March 23. Ask for Susan, and please bring cash. PC, NMPCW
27 – Wednesday
5:30p Brainstormer Trivia Night. See April 24. (RSE last W)
28 – Thursday
11:45a South Bay Lunch. See April 11. (RSE 2,4 Th)
29 – Friday
11:30a Lunch in Walnut Creek at California Pizza Kitchen, 1325 South Main St., 94596 (west side of street between Botelho Dr. and Newell Ave.). Besides pizza, there are many interesting items available on their lengthy menu. Enter their free parking garage on the right side of the restaurant’s entrance. If you can, RSVP so that I can have the right size table arranged for us. You are welcome to invite friends, family members or others. Questions? Rosemary Clark, (925) 256-4599 or rclarkx/a/t/earthlink.net. PC, NMPCW
30 – Saturday
7p East Bay Game Night. See April 27. (RSE last Sa)
31 – Sunday
1:30p Robot Games at the Event Center of San Jose State University, 290 S. 7th St., San Jose 95112. High school student-designed and built 125 lb. (58 kg) robots compete to equip their teams’ rocket and cargo ships with hatch panels and spherical cargo. Drivers’ vision is obscured during the first 15 seconds of the match, and robots only operate autonomously or are driven with robots’ onboard vision system. At the end of each match extra points are awarded by robots climbing onto elevated platforms. The game video may be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mew6G_og-PI. Two alliances of three schools/robots each compete in each match with teams advancing to the international championships in Houston. Spectators are invited to tour the pits to see the robots up close and talk with students. Mensan Gary Koerzendorfer mentors FIRST Robotic Team 972 from Los Gatos HS. Team 6418, the MisSFits, featured at the 2018 RG, will also compete. The competition is free to the public and runs the evening of Friday, March 29 through Sunday March 31, with playoffs and championship matches on Sunday at 1:30p. “This Isn’t a Robot” (see www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtE6Va6oOhU) shows the inspirational philosophy of FIRST Robotics. Weekend parking is free at the 4th St./St. John St. garage, 50 N. 4th St., San Jose, a 15 minute walk to the SJSU Event Center, and there’s paid parking at the SJSU garages. PC, NXM
April 1-7
April 2 – Tuesday
6p Tuesday Tipplers. We meet at San Rafael Joe’s, 931 4th St., San Rafael 94901. Join us for drinks and conversation in the bar at 6p and stay for dinner at 7p. Park on the street or in the city garage at Lootens Pl. and 3rd St. (the restaurant has a back door to the garage). Carole Taylor, caroleptaylor/a/t/sbcglobal.net or (415) 454-9453. PC (RSE 1 Tu)
3 – Wednesday
11:30a Math Lovers’ Lunch. Chef’s Chinese Food, 233 El Cerrito Plaza, El Cerrito 94530 (close to the El Cerrito Plaza BART station), (510) 525-8737. A table will be reserved. All adults who enjoy discussing mathematics (at any level) are welcome. Our discussions are wide-ranging and are not confined to mathematical subjects. Please try to come at 11:30a sharp, but come anyway if, for some reason, you may be a few minutes late. Kevin Langdon, (510) 524-0345, kevin.langdon/a/t/polymath-systems.com. PC, NS, NMPCW, NXM, WCE (RSE 1 W)
5 – Friday
6p Movies That Matter. See website below for film title and synopsis. Join us for an evening of pizza, picture, and a chance for thoughtful discussion. Pizza 6p, film 6:45p. Movies are shown on a 58″ plasma TV. For pizza, let us know your preference, meat or veggie, at (510) 451-3009 or daniel/a/t/joyfulharmony.org. Hosted by Daniel Neumayer and Gwendolyn Rothman, Harmony Center for the Joyful Spirit. Map and directions: www.joyfulharmony.org/contact. PC, NS, NXM (RSE 1,3 F)
6:30p First Friday in Danville. We’ll be at Luna Loca in Danville, a good Mexican restaurant in “The Livery” shopping center on San Ramon Valley Blvd. with good food, good prices, and good drinks. It’s pretty easy to get to: From I-680, take the Sycamore Valley Rd. exit, turn right on San Ramon Valley Blvd., and then take the first left (there’s a light) and Luna Loca will be on your right. Check their website at www.lunalocadanville.com for more information. I’ll make a reservation based on how many I think are coming, but please let me know if you’re thinking of attending so I can change the reservation. Call Donna Jadis at (925) 978-0690 or e-mail donna/a/t/mooseworks.org for more info. (RSE 1 F)
6 – Saturday
10a Mensa Testing in Palo Alto. See www.sfmensa.org/how-to-join-mensa/ for information. PC
6p Start The Month Right. At Elna and Adrian Tymes’ home in Mountain View. Come celebrate the 39th year and longest running monthly social event in all of American Mensa (at Elna’s home every month since 1981)! Potluck dinner, unstructured socializing, games, and talk. We provide the main dish; you bring salad, bread, or dessert to share and YOB. $1 donation requested. No reservations needed. Info (650) 969-6650. Guests of Mensans must be accompanied by the member. PC, SO, WBC, WCD, C/D (RSE 1 Sat)
7 – Sunday
4p Albany Hill Hike. Join us for a one-hour scenic and historic hike up and around Albany Hill 94706. The trail is steep in spots, but the views are expansive. Special bonus: We have scheduled the Sather Tower Solar Beacon to shine directly upon us as we arrive at the top of the hill. Meet under Pacific East Mall Jumbotron just behind the bus stop on the east side of Pierce St. between Central Ave. in El Cerrito and Washington Ave. in Albany. Free parking is available in the mall lot. Seven tenths of a mile from El Cerrito Plaza BART station. Please contact Roberta Maguire to make sure she is in town at robertamaguire/a/t/hotmail.com or (510) 292-6370. PC, ACW, NMPCW, NS, WCI, NXM (RSE 1 Su)
April 8-14
8 – Monday
11:30a Monday Munchers. This month we will visit Flores, 301 Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera 94925, (415) 500-5145, cortemadera.floressf.com. RSVP by Thursday, April 4, to Elizabeth Calaway at (415) 456-9220 or elizterrycalaway/a/t/aol.com. PC (RSE 2 M)
5:30p San Francisco Pub Get-Together. Stop by after work or, if you don’t work downtown, just come anyway. All Mensans and their guests are welcome, provided that they are at least 21. At Patriot House in 2 Embarcadero Center (Sacramento St. between Front St. and Davis St.), SF 94111. Take the inside escalator to the 3rd floor, then turn right. Look for the Mensa logo on our table or ask one of the waitresses to find us. Starting at 5:30p, but arrive when you can and leave when you’re ready. We will be there for several hours. They have a Happy Hour until 6p, which resumes at 10p. RSVP preferred on Mensa’s Meetup site at www.meetup.com/SFMensa, less preferred by e-mail to Barry Krasner at bwkbwk/a/t/pacbell.net. If you find that you can’t come after RSVPing “Yes”, please change your RSVP to “No” before the event takes place. PC, NC, NS, NMPCW (RSE 2 M)
9 – Tuesday
Intelligencer Deadline. Deadline for calendar events, advertising, members’ free ads, and all other content. See above for information on submitting events. (RSE Tu after 1 Sa)
10 – Wednesday
6:17p Berkeley-Oakland Restaurant Group (BORG). Assimilate delicious food and interesting conversation at a good restaurant somewhere in the central East Bay. E-mail or call ahead for the location. Reservation deadline is 4p on Tuesday, April 9, by e-mail or phone so we have a table large enough for everyone. Well-behaved non-Mensans welcome. Please bring cash. Cathy Roha, catroha/a/t/gmail.com, (510) 845-1833. PC, NMPCW (RSE 2 W)
11 – Thursday
11:45a South Bay Lunch. Meet at Coco’s Bakery, 150 E. Hamilton Ave., Campbell 95008. Their phone is (408) 866-5377. Menu online at www.cocosbakery.com/menu/. Sandra Anderson, (408) 621-1273. PC, NMPCW, WCE (RSE 2,4 Th)
12 – Friday
5p Delta Happy Hour Hunters. Celebrate the end of the work week and relax with friendly conversation, happy hour food, and drinks. If you can’t make it at 5p, just let us know you’re coming, and we’ll be waiting for you. This month we will meet at Zephyr Grill and Bar, 613 First St., Brentwood 94513. Look for our “Welcome Owl”. Call Judy at (714) 356-4873 or Bernie at (714) 356-4868 for more info. PC, NC (RSE 2 F)
6:30p Mid-Month Mex (MMMex). We meet, eat, and rest our feet at Tito’s, 15508 E. 14th St., San Leandro 94578, 1500’ NE of the exact geographic center of the Bay Area. Twixt 580 and 880, and close to Bay Fair BART, this is where Mensans meet in the middle and go “MMM!” Come for the Mensans and the margaritas (or just for the Mensans), along with a marvelous Mexican meal after 7p. Co-hosted by Hank Stephenson, hank888/a/t/earthlink.net or (415) 793-0300 cell, and Peter Midnight. Come see why Tito’s has been there for more than 60 years, directly across E. 14th St. from Bayfair Center. We’ll see you at Tito’s! No pets. PC, WCE, NMPCW, NC, SO, NXM (RSE 2 F)
7p GenX Food and Movie Night. Join us for dinner at 7p at a South of Market restaurant (to be determined) in San Francisco, followed by a movie at a local theater. As ever, all ages are welcome. The only requirement is the manners your mother taught you, and that includes RSVPs. To get the restaurant information, contact Cathy at (415) 730-5711 or mulfordc/a/t/alumni.princeton.edu. PC, NMPCW (RSE 2 F)
13 – Saturday
4p Big Ideas Reading Group: The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli. From Boltzmann to quantum theory, from Einstein to loop quantum gravity, our understanding of time has been undergoing radical transformations. Time flows at a different speed in different places, the past and the future differ far less than we might think, and the very notion of the present evaporates in the vast universe. Rovelli unravels this mystery, inviting us to imagine a world where time is in us and we are not in time. We are meeting this month at Kepler’s, 1010 El Camino Real (at Ravenswood Ave.), Menlo Park 94025. Free parking below. For May 11, also at Kepler’s: The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt. We have a list of books read at www.bigideasreadinggroup.com/BIRG2.html. For questions and directions please contact Chris Boyd at snoboyd/a/t/sbcglobal.net. PC, NMPCW, NXM (RSE 2 Sa)
14 – Sunday
11:30a Asian Brunch in Palo Alto. Join us for Hong Kong style dim sum meal at Tai-Pan, located at 560 Waverly St. (at Hamilton Ave.), 94301. Check their menu at www.taipanpaloalto.com to see their assortment of small plates. To reserve, text or call Susan at (650) 714-4972 by April 12. Be sure to get a confirmation, and please bring cash. PC, NMPCW
12:30p Second Sunday in Santa Cruz. This is a chance to hang out in Santa Cruz and meet local Mensans and their friends. We’re meeting at Abbott Square in downtown Santa Cruz (official address is 118 Cooper St., 95060). It is in the courtyard of the Museum of Art and History. If anybody is up for it we can go to Mutari Chocolate afterwards. They serve a really good cup of hot chocolate. Join us for an hour or the afternoon and bring a friend. Hosted by Pia Smith, (415) 572-4470. PC, ACW, NXM, WCE (RSE 2 Su)
April 15-21
17 – Wednesday
7:30p GenX South Bay Pub Quiz. Join us at Katie Bloom’s, 369 East Campbell Ave., Campbell 95008. The quiz starts at 7:30p, but come early to secure a table and have some dinner. RSVP helpful but not required. Corey Coughlin, (408) 499-9491 or coreyjc/a/t/comcast.net. PC, NMPCW, NXM, WCP (RSE W after 2 F)
18 – Thursday
5p Pub Trek. Join us in Sunnyvale, as we explore the offerings at Off the Rails Brewing, 111 S. Murphy Ave., Sunnyvale 94086, (408)773-9500, offtherailsbrewing.com, starting at 5p and continuing until at least 7p. $2 pint coupon online. “Brand new brewery in Sunnyvale downtown. Modern and bright place perfectly suited for Happy Hours, events or just hanging out with friends and family.” Let me know if you have suggestions or recommendations for future Pub Treks. RSVPs appreciated on Meetup at www.meetup.com/SFMensa/events/, by e-mail, or by text to (408) 206-4905. Cheers, Rosemary, rbgreenlaw/a/t/gmail.com. PC, NMPCW, NXM, SO (RSE 3 Th)
19 – Friday
6p Movies That Matter. See website below for film title and synopsis. Join us for an evening of pizza, picture, and a chance for thoughtful discussion. Pizza 6p, film 6:45p. Movies are shown on a 58″ plasma TV. For pizza, let us know your preference, meat or veggie, at (510) 451-3009 or daniel/a/t/joyfulharmony.org. Hosted by Daniel Neumayer and Gwendolyn Rothman, Harmony Center for the Joyful Spirit. Map and directions: www.joyfulharmony.org/contact. PC, NS, NXM (RSE 1,3 F)
7p Movie Night in Orinda. The title of the movie is to be determined. Please phone or e-mail me within a week or two of the 3rd Friday. Or I will e-mail you and provide the name and details of the movie that we will be seeing. Come about 7p and we’ll start the movie at 7:30p. Enjoy an evening with Mensa friends, other friends, or family members that you would like to invite. We’ll socialize both before the movie and during intermission. Please bring something to share. It is not a dinner, but salads are welcome, as are hors d’oeuvres, fruit, dessert, and light-colored beverages (no chips). Please reserve your seat with Mary Bradshaw, (925) 376-0762 or MaryBradsh/a/t/aol.com. Your suggestions for NEW, recently released, or soon to be available movies are appreciated for our future choices. PC, NMPCW
April 22-30
24 – Wednesday
5:30p Brainstormer Trivia Night. Come join us at Patriot House Pub, 2 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco 94111 (Sacramento St. between Davis St. and Front St., on the top level, to the right as you step off the escalator). Please arrive between 5:30p and 5:45p. The trivia contest will begin at 6p and will last for about 2 hours. See www.brainstormer.com/venue/498/patriot-house-pub for details. The Patriot House is close to the Financial District and Embarcadero BART/Muni, and parking is validated for the underground garage. They have a wide selection of beers, mixed drinks, non-alcoholic drinks, and food, and a Happy Hour until 6p. Look for the Mensa logo on our table or ask for “Barry and the Mensa Group”. RSVP preferred on Mensa’s Meetup site at www.meetup.com/SFMensa/events, less preferred by e-mail to Barry Krasner at bwkbwk/a/t/pacbell.net. If you find that you can’t come after RSVPing “Yes”, please change your RSVP to “No” before the event takes place. PC, NMPCW, NC, NS, NXM (RSE last W)
25 – Thursday
11:45a South Bay Lunch. See April 11. (RSE 2,4 Th)
27 – Saturday
7p East Bay Game Night. Join us for fun and games in the East Bay! We’re playing word games, card games, board games, all kinds of fast-action social games (not long strategy games). Choose from my shelves of games or bring your own fast-action social games. Please also bring a snack to share, but note that for a while, we will be providing red and white wine, champagne, beer, Coke, and Sprite. The fun in Oakland. No RSVP needed; just show up at 7p or later. We have about 20 people every month, most of whom do not RSVP. For more information or directions, contact Alan at alan.winson/a/t/gmail.com or (510) 653-2685 (voice only). Please pull forward to park four cars in my driveway. Free street parking is available in the neighborhood; don’t give up! PC, NMPCW, NS, WCP (RSE last Sa)
28 – Sunday
6p Sunday Evening at Margaret and Jerry’s. Sunday evening supper: ingest and digress. We will have entrée, coffee, and tea. Bring salad/vegies/bread/dessert/beverage to share. Come after dinner if you like. Margaret Pillow and Jerome Taylor host in Berkeley. Contact them at (510) 883-1898 or jmjb7/a/t/earthlink.net. PC, C, SO, NMPCW, WBC
Channing Club will not be meeting in April. (RSE 4 Su)
30 – Tuesday
11:30a Lunch in Concord at China Wall Buffet, 1673 Willow Pass Road, 94520. Large selection of primarily Asian food. From I-680 northbound, take Willow Pass Road exit. At end of exit ramp, turn right and go east 0.7 mile. From I-680 southbound, take Willow Pass Road exit. At end of exit ramp, turn left and go east 0.7 mile. Crossing Market Street (major intersection), get into left lane and at next traffic signal, turn left into large shopping center. Look for a tall, wide, mustard-colored building with two big front columns. The restaurant is 150 feet to the right (east) of this building. RSVPs would help me to arrange the right number of tables in the large room at right rear. Questions? Ken Evans (925) 935-8148 or evansken/a/t/aol.com. PC, NMPCW
FUTURE FLASHES
May 3 – Friday
6p Movies That Matter. See April 5. (RSE 1,3 F)
6:30p First Friday in Danville. See April 5. (RSE 1 F)
4 – Saturday
6p Start The Month Right. See April 6. (RSE 1 Sa)