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 EVENT
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)
End of December
December 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)
January 1-7
January 1 – 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)
3 – Friday
6p Movies That Matter. The Irishman (2019). Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Aleksa Palladino, Anna Paquin, Harvey Keitel, and Joe Pesci. The Irishman is an epic saga of organized crime in post-war America told through the eyes of World War II veteran Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro), a hustler and hitman who worked alongside some of the most notorious figures of the 20th Century. Spanning decades, the film chronicles one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in American history, the disappearance of legendary union boss Jimmy Hoffa, and offers a monumental journey through the hidden corridors of organized crime: its inner workings, rivalries and connections to mainstream politics. San Francisco Chronicle, Mick LaSalle: “The Irishman is all about the end of something. It is to gangster movies what John Ford’s The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was to westerns. Without a doubt, it’s a masterpiece.” Named best film of 2019 by the National Board of Review and the New York Film Critics Circle. 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)
4 – Saturday
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)
5 – 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)
7 – 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) 472-1207. PC (RSE 1 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)
January 8-14
9 – 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). 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 5p on Wednesday, January 8, 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 Th)
10 – Friday
5p Delta Happy Hour Hunters returns. 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; we’ll be waiting for you. This month we will meet at Black Angus Steakhouse in The Streets of Brentwood, 2355 Sand Creek Rd., 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 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)
11 – Saturday
2p Big Ideas Reading Group: Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker. Preeminent neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker, charting the most cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs, and marshalling his decades of research and clinical practice, provides a revolutionary exploration of sleep, examining how it affects every aspect of our physical and mental well-being. 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 February 8 at Kepler’s: The Consciousness Instinct by Michael Gazzaniga. 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)
13 – 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 Rickey’s, 250 Entrada Dr., Novato 94949, (415) 870-2990, www.rickeysrestaurant.com. RSVP by Thursday, January 9, 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)
14 – 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)
January 15-21
15 – Wednesday
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
6:30p Socrates Café Mensa 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 neither 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. This month we will meet at the Oakland home of Marty Nemko. For more information, or to request participation on a first come first included basis, contact Bob Enteen, 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)
17 – Friday
6p Movies That Matter. Ad Astra (2019). One of the most beautiful films of this, or any, year, Ad Astra takes a visually thrilling journey through the vast reaches of space while charting an ambitious course for the heart of the bond between parent and child. Starring Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler, and Donald Sutherland, it follows an astronaut who goes into space in search of his lost father, whose experiment threatens the Solar System. Astronaut Roy McBride (Pitt) travels to the outer edges of the solar system to find his missing father and unravel a mystery that threatens the survival of our planet. His journey will uncover secrets that challenge the nature of human existence and our place in the cosmos. Most critics thought Pitt gave one of his best and most natural performances, while others panned him. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone rated the film four out of five stars and referred to it as “absolutely enthralling,” and praised Gray for his direction and his unique approach to the science fiction genre, as well as the cinematography and Pitt’s performance. 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 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
January 22-31
23 – Thursday
11:45a South Bay Lunch. See January 9. (RSE 2,4 Th)
25 – 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 wine. 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)
26 – Sunday
6p Channing Club is a wide-ranging discussion group. We generally don’t have prearranged topics but rather discuss whatever comes up. We meet at Long Life Vegi House, 1725 University Ave. (between Grant St. and McGee Ave.), Berkeley 94703, (510) 845-6072. Hosted by Kevin Langdon, (510) 524-0345, kevin.langdon/a/t/polymath-systems.com. PC, NS, NMPCW, NXM (RSE 4 Su)
6:30p Chinese New Year Near Palo Alto. By now it’s a tradition: Join us this month for a Chinese New Year’s celebration (the Year of the Rat begins 1/25/20). We will be revisiting Chef Chu’s, at 1067 N. San Antonio Rd., Los Altos 94022 (at El Camino Real). Their phone number is (650) 948-2696. We will again be ordering the Phoenix dinner for the group and other dishes added which we will choose on site. The cost after tax and tip but not including fancy beverages will be under $40. The meal includes Chef Chu’s famous chicken salad, sizzling rice soup, beef with oyster sauce, prawns with vegetables, tangy lemon chicken, rainbow fish fillets, orange blossom ribs, and braised triple mushrooms. Dessert is fried banana with whipped cream. You can see the menu for yourself at their web site (chefchu.com/menu). To reserve, contact Susan at cell phone (650) 714-4972 or Susan.Heimlich/a/t/gmail.com by January 22. This year I’ve made reservations for 10, so don’t delay. At the restaurant, ask for Susan, and please bring cash. For last minute changes, call cell phone (650) 714-4972. PC, NMPCW
29 – Wednesday
11:30a Lunch at China Wall Buffet, 1673 Willow Pass Rd., Concord 94520. Directions from I-680: Northbound, take Willow Pass Road exit. At end of exit ramp (traffic signal), turn right and see instructions below; Southbound, take Willow Pass Road exit. At end of exit ramp (traffic signal), turn left and see instructions below. Drive east 0.7 mile to Market Street (major intersection). Continue straight ahead across Market Street and get into left lane. At next traffic signal, turn left into shopping center. Notice tall orange building fronted by two massive columns. The restaurant is 150 feet right of the columns. We meet in the back room at right side. Questions? Ken Evans, (925) 935-8148 or evansken/a/t/aol.com. PC, NMPCW, WCE, WBC
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, 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. See January 15.
FUTURE FLASHES
February 1 – Saturday
6p Start The Month Right. See January 4. (RSE 1 Sa)
2 – Sunday
4p Albany Hill Hike. See January 5. (RSE 1 Su)
4 – Tuesday
6p Tuesday Tipplers. See January 7. (RSE 1 Tu)
Intelligencer Deadline. See January 7. (RSE Tu after 1 Sa)
5 – Wednesday
11:30a Math Lovers’ Lunch. See January 1. (RSE 1 W)
7 – Friday
6p Movies That Matter. See January 3. (RSE 1,3 F)
6:30p First Friday in Danville. See January 3. (RSE 1 F)
8 – Saturday
4p Big Ideas Reading Group. See January 11. (RSE 2 Sa)