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 calendar@sfmensa.org. 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. (NOTE: we will not meet on November 28 (Thanksgiving) or on December 26.) 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)
End of November
November 24 – Sunday
6p Channing Club. See December 22. PC, NS, NMPCW, NXM (RSE 4 Su)
27 – Wednesday
5:30p Brainstormer Trivia Night returns. See December 18. (RSE last W)
28 – Thursday
11:15a Thanksgiving Feast at Black Bear Diner, 700 Bancroft Rd., Walnut Creek 94598 (in the Countrywood Shopping Center) at Treat Blvd. From I-680, take the Treat Blvd. exit and drive one mile to Bancroft Rd. Turn right and drive one block. At first traffic signal, turn left into the Countrywood Shopping Center. The restaurant is on your right. Meet at the restaurant’s front entrance, or go on into the center dining room, where we early birds will arrange for our tables and chairs. Several of us should arrive 45 minutes early to pressure the manager to start arranging for a table in the center room. Tell him we will have a HUGE group. Also some of us should sit down early. Our meal is not a buffet so feel free to go ahead and order as soon as you have your seat and are provided with a menu. When you arrive, you might tell the restaurant’s greeter that you are with Mensa or Rosemary’s group. If possible, RSVP to help us to pull together enough tables and chairs for our group. You are welcome to invite family members or friends that you would like to bring. After lunch, around 2:30p some of us will go to Mary Bradshaw’s home in Orinda for a movie, the movie title to be determined within a week or two of the event. Questions? Rosemary Clark, rclarkx/a/t/earthlink.net or (925) 256-4599. PC, NMPCW
30 – Saturday
7p East Bay Game Night. See December 21. (RSE last Sa)
December 1-7
December 1 – Sunday
4p Albany Hill Hike. Join us for a one-hour scenic and historic hike up and around Albany Hill. 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, which is seven tenths of a mile from the 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)
3 – 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)
4 – Wednesday
11:30a Math Lovers’ Lunch at 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)
6:30p Trivia Night. Sand Creek Pub has a lively trivia night every Wednesday. Join us at 6:30p so we can secure a table and get food. Trivia starts at 7p. Located at 50 Sand Creek Rd., Suite 30, Brentwood 94513. Look for our “Welcome Owl”. Call Judy at (714) 356-4873 or Bernie at (714) 356-4868 for more info. PC, NC
6 – Friday
6p Movies That Matter. Rocketman (2019) is an epic musical fantasy about the incredible human story of Elton John’s breakthrough years. The film follows the fantastical journey of transformation from shy piano prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music, Reginald Dwight, into international superstar Elton John. This inspirational story – set to Elton John’s most beloved songs and performed by star Taron Egerton – tells the universally relatable story of how a small-town boy became one of the most iconic figures in pop culture. Rocketman also stars Jamie Bell as Elton’s longtime lyricist and writing partner Bernie Taupin. 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 returns. 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)
7 – Saturday
6p Start The Month Right. At Elna and Adrian Tymes’ home, 2375 Adele Ave. (off Thompson Ave. and Central Expwy.), Mountain View 94043. 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)
December 8-14
9 – Monday
11:30a Monday Munchers, rising up from the old Ethnic Dinner, is a lunch group in Marin dedicated to trying different restaurants. This month we will visit Watershed, 129 Miller Ave., Ste. 300, Mill Valley 94941, (415) 888-2406, www.watershedmv.com. RSVP by Thursday, December 5, 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. 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)
10 – Tuesday
6:45p Puzzled Pint. Who likes PUZZLES? The kind where part of the game is to figure out what you need to be doing in the first place? Want to do it as part of a team, so you can bounce ideas off of each other, and let someone else do the parts that you find uninteresting? This is a monthly event held in the Bay Area (and simultaneously elsewhere in the world), at a convenient pub where we might order food and drink before or during the game. RSVP to Karl Heuer at puzzles/a/t/sfmensa.org or (650) 648-3594 (voice or text) to reserve your spot and learn the address; it’s almost always either Sunnyvale or Mountain View, near Central Expressway. PC, NMPCW, NS, NXM (RSE 2 Tu)
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)
12 – Thursday
11:45a South Bay Lunch. Meet at The Original Hick’ry Pit, 980 E. Campbell Ave., Campbell 95008 (near Bascom Ave.). Their phone is (408) 371-2400. Menu online at hickrypit.com. Sandra Anderson, (408) 621-1273. PC, NMPCW, WCE (RSE 2,4 Th)
6:17p Berkeley-Oakland Restaurant Group (BORG). We will meet at Cactus Taqueria, 5642 College Ave., Oakland 94618, directly across the street from the Rockridge BART Station. This is an informal BORG-It-Yourself since the regular host will be in Central America. New to BORG or want to let others know you’re coming? E-mail cat.roha/a/t/att.net a few days before the event. PC, NMPCW (RSE 2 Th)
13 – Friday
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 always, 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)
14 – Saturday
2p Big Ideas Reading Group: A Bee in a Cathedral: And 99 Other Scientific Analogies by Joel Levy. Levy uses analogies to demonstrate 100 basic scientific truths and principles in new and exciting ways, describing the unbelievably massive, the inconceivably tiny, and the unfathomably complex in everyday terms. Each analogy is explained in direct terms and is clearly illustrated. A range of facts and figures – presented in uniquely accessible “infographics” – complements the analogies. A bee in a cathedral: the nucleus compared to the size of an atom. We are meeting this month at Le Boulanger, 20488 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino 95014, in front of Juniper Hotel at the corner of De Anza Blvd. Free parking in the garage and next door. For January 11, also at Le Boulanger: Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker. 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)
6p SFRM Holiday Potluck. Come to SFRM’s gala holiday party, one of the group’s most attended winter events. For the 9th consecutive year, we will be in the fabulous Diamond Heights neighborhood of San Francisco! This is also the group’s Monthly Gathering for December. Please bring your favorite hors d’oeuvres for our finger-food potluck and help us celebrate the season with drinks and plenty of good company. Mensans, family, and close friends are welcome. There is plenty of street parking (or from Glen Park BART, take Muni 52-Excelsior and walk two blocks). Capacity is limited to 50, and RSVP is REQUIRED by 6p on Thursday, December 12 to Rachel Brooks at (415) 571-3060 or rachel1950b/a/t/yahoo.com. Please indicate which potluck item(s) you plan to bring to help us manage the menu variety, and let Rachel know if you would like to assist with setup. PC, NS, WCE, WBC
7p Holiday Party. Happy Hour will be dark this month so that we can celebrate the winter solstice, Kwanzaa, Hanukah, Xmas, and any other holiday that you prefer to celebrate in December with a holiday party. The festivities will be held at the Ungers’ house in Discovery Bay. PC, D, NS
December 15-21
17 – Tuesday
6:30p Mensa Testing in Palo Alto. See www.sfmensa.org/how-to-join-mensa/ for information. PC
18 – Wednesday
5:30p Brainstormer Trivia Night. (NOTE ONE-TIME CHANGE OF WEEK.) 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)
6:30p Trivia Night in Brentwood. See December 4.
7p Socrates Café Mensa, a new SFRM monthly event, is a discussion group in which participants share their points of view regarding fundamental human questions (e.g., what is a successful life?, what is the ideal education? etc.) rather than discussing what the great philosophers and academics have said or written. At each meeting, the group chooses its topic for the evening. Socrates Café is not a debating club nor a platform for proselytizing. Instead, emphasis is placed on questioning, open mindedness, sharing, and challenging our own assumptions while considering the views of others. A maximum of 15 people will meet at the Walnut Creek home of Bob and Vicki Enteen, running until about 8:30p. For more information, or to request participation on a first come first included basis, contact Bob, the group’s facilitator, at renteen/a/t/gmail.com or 415-635-7658. For more information see the online article at sfmensa.org/events/socratescafe. PC (RSE 3 W)
7:30p GenX South Bay Pub Quiz. Join us at Katie Bloom’s, 369 East Campbell Ave., Campbell 95008 (at N. Central Ave.). 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)
20 – Friday
Movies That Matter only meets once this month, on December 6. (RSE 1,3 F)
7p Movie Night in Orinda. Trial by Fire (2019). Cameron Todd Willingham (Jack O’Connell), a poor, uneducated heavy metal devotee with a violent streak, was convicted of arson-related triple homicide and put on death row. This is the true-life story of the unlikely bond that formed between Willingham and Elizabeth Gilbert (Laura Dern), who battled against the state for 12 years to try to save Willingham by exposing suppressed evidence and illogical conclusions. 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
21 – Saturday
7p East Bay Game Night. (NOTE ONE-TIME CHANGE OF WEEK.) 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, and champagne. The fun is 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)
December 22-31
22 – Sunday
12n Palo Alto Dining. Join us this month for Chinese food at Mandarin Roots, 3345 El Camino Real, 94306. On the east side of the street, a narrow driveway leads to the back parking lot. They claim to offer “Asian fusion food.” Good food, good service, good conversation. To reserve, contact Susan at (650) 714-4972 or Susan.Heimlich/a/t/gmail.com by Friday, December 20, to be sure I know you’re coming. Ask for Susan, and please bring cash. PC, NMPCW
26 – Thursday
11:45a South Bay Lunch. See December 12. (RSE 2,4 Th)
27 – Friday
11:30a Lunch in Pleasant Hill at Sweet Tomatoes, 40A Crescent Drive, 94523. It is about two blocks west of I-680 and one block west of Contra Costa Blvd. Look for us at a long table that some of us early birds will secure for our group. A yellow “M” sign will be on the table. Enjoy an all-you-can-eat, healthy, delicious lunch. And enjoy a good measure of interesting conversation on any and all subjects, with Mensa friends and other friends and family members that you wish to invite. Most parking on Crescent Drive is for only one hour, but there are free parking lots on either side of Crescent Drive. And there is a free City-owned multistory garage across from the movie theater. Questions? Daphne Mohr, (510) 654-8318 or dm999/a/t/att.net. PC, NMPCW
29 – Sunday
5p The Kelly Park Big Band at the NEW Sound Room location, 3022 Broadway, Oakland 94611 (at 30th St.). Join them for a swinging ring in of the New Year! Led by Mensan/drummer Kelly Park, this 16 piece big band plays original music and arrangements of jazz standards. We’ll stick around after the concert for an informal music conversation, meet some of the band members, have a cocktail, etc. There is a $20 door charge for this event, $10 if you show your Mensa membership card. No RSVP required. PC, NS, WBC, WCP (RSE Alt Last Su)
FUTURE FLASHES
January 3 – Friday
6p Movies That Matter. See December 6. (RSE 1,3 F)
6:30p First Friday in Danville. See December 6. (RSE 1 F)
4 – Saturday
6p Start The Month Right. See December 7. (RSE 1 Sa)