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 August
August 25 – Sunday
5p The Kelly Park Big Band at The Sound Room, 2147 Broadway, Oakland 94612 (at 22nd St.). 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. This month we are pleased to have special guest singers Gina Harris and Victoria Phillips sitting in. 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 4th Su)
26 – Monday
6:30p Palo Alto Dining goes family-style Italian. Join us this month for friendly Italian dining at Buca di Beppo, 643 Emerson St., 94301 (between Forest Ave. and Hamilton Ave.). Good food; good conversation. To reserve, contact Susan at (650) 714-4972 or Susan.Heimlich/a/t/gmail.com by Saturday, August 24. Ask for Susan, and please bring cash. For last minute changes, call/text cell phone (650) 714-4972. PC, NMPCW
27 – Tuesday
11:30a Lunch in Walnut Creek at Jade Garden Chinese restaurant, 2979 Ygnacio Valley Rd., 94598. Menus: www.jadegarden-walnut-creek.com. From Hwy 24 eastbound, get into Lane 3 (third from left) or from I-680 northbound get into Lane 3 and take Ygnacio Valley Road exit. At end of ramp, turn right and drive east 3.5 miles. On your right, Encina Grande shopping center stores face Ygnacio Valley Road. At left (east) end of the center, the Jade Garden is next to Walgreens. From I-680 southbound, take Treat Blvd. exit. At end of ramp, turn left and drive south one block. At traffic signal, turn left onto Treat and drive east 2.3 miles to Oak Grove Road (major intersection). Turn right onto Oak Grove and drive south 1.3 miles. Cross Ygnacio Valley Road (major intersection), go just past the gas station, and turn right into first driveway. On your left, the Jade Garden is next to Walgreens. Tell the hostess you are in the Ken Evans group. Questions? Ken Evans (925) 935-8148 or evansken/a/t/aol.com. RSVPs would be helpful to tell me how many plan to attend. PC, NMPCW
28 – Wednesday
5:30p Brainstormer Trivia Night. See September 25. (RSE last W)
31 – Saturday
7p East Bay Game Night. See September 28. (RSE last Sa)
September 1-7
September 1 – Sunday
Albany Hill Hike will not meet in September. (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. 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 – Friday
6p Movies That Matter. Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018). In this fact-based drama, author Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) strikes gold in the 1970s and ’80s with a series of successful celebrity biographies. But when tastes shift and her demons begin to disrupt her writing, she turns to forgery to support herself. If you only know McCarthy as a comedian, you are in for a treat! SF Chronicle: “A breakthrough for McCarthy and a highlight of the movie year.” 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)
7 – Saturday
4p Big Ideas Reading Group (NOTE ONE-TIME CHANGE OF WEEK): Self Comes to Mind: Constructing the Conscious Brain by Antonio Damasio. A leading neuroscientist explores how the brain constructs the mind and how the brain makes that mind conscious. He rejects the long-standing idea that consciousness is somehow separate from the body, and presents compelling new scientific evidence that posits an evolutionary perspective. This development helps to open the way for the appearance of culture, perhaps one of our most defining characteristics as thinking and self-aware beings. We are meeting this month at Kepler’s, 1010 El Camino Real (at Ravenswood Ave.), Menlo Park 94025. Free parking below. For October 12, also at Kepler’s: The Future of Humanity by Michio Kaku. 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 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)
September 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 Thep Lela Thai Restaurant, 615 Strawberry Village, Mill Valley 94941, (415) 383-3444, theplela.com. RSVP by Thursday, September 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
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 Uncle John’s Pancake House, 2125 S. Winchester Blvd., Campbell 95008 (at W. Rincon Ave.). Their phone is (408) 724-9835. Parking on the street, rear, and garage. Menu online at unclejohnscampbell.com. Sandra Anderson, (408) 621-1273. PC, NMPCW, WCE (RSE 2,4 Th)
6:17p Berkeley-Oakland Restaurant Group (BORG). (NOTE CHANGE TO 2ND THURSDAYS.) 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, September 11, 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)
13 – 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; we’ll be waiting for you. This month we will meet at The Sugar Barge, 1440 Sugar Barge Rd., Bethel Island 94511. Anyone who wants to go by boat, meet at the Unger’s house at 3:30p. Call Judy or Bernie to confirm. 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)
September 15-21
15 – Sunday
3p Wilder Ranch Bluffs Walk. Finally, an event in Santa Cruz County! Join Steve Bakaley on a leisurely two mile nearly flat walk along the bluffs of Wilder Ranch State Park on the Old Cove Landing Trail. We’ll have spectacular views (if it’s not too foggy) and visit a large fern covered sea cave. We’ll likely spy harbor seals in the water and on the rocks and, who knows, maybe even dolphins or whales. Possible pub stop after the event. The address is 1401 Coast Rd., Santa Cruz 95060. Meet in the parking lot near the bathrooms. $10 park entrance fee. To RSVP, sign up on the Mensa Meetup site at www.meetup.com/SFMensa/. Questions? Leave a message on the Meetup when it appears there or e-mail Steve at slbakaley/a/t/gmail.com. PC, NS, WCD
18 – Wednesday
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
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)
19 – Thursday
7:30p Monthly Gathering: Paint ’n’ Sip Party at Riggers Loft, 1325 Canal Blvd., Richmond 94804, www.riggersloftwine.com. The event is free and the first glass of wine is complimentary! Access your inner creative side along with satisfying the other inner need for a nice glass of wine. This event is limited to the first 20 people to sign up. RSVP to Megan at mal3/a/t/sfmensa.org. PC
20 – Friday
6p Movies That Matter. The Wife (2017). After nearly forty years of marriage, Joan and Joe Castleman (Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce) are complements. Where Joe is casual, Joan is elegant. Where Joe is vain, Joan is self-effacing. And where Joe enjoys his very public role as Great American Novelist, Joan pours her considerable intellect, grace, charm, and diplomacy into the private role of Great Man’s Wife. Joe is about to be awarded the Nobel Prize for his acclaimed and prolific body of work. Joe’s literary star has blazed since he and Joan first met in the late 1950s. The Wife interweaves the story of the couple’s youthful passion and ambition with a portrait of a marriage, thirty-plus years later – a lifetime’s shared compromises, secrets, betrayals, and mutual love. 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 Intruder (2019). A man sells his home, but then doesn’t want to let go. And he gets pretty upset about it. A jolt of good quality suspense. 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
September 22-30
22 – Sunday
6:30p Asian Palo Alto Dining. Join us for Burmese-Chinese cuisine at the Green Elephant Gourmet at 3950 Middlefield Rd., 94303 in the Charleston Shopping Center. Good food, good conversation. I really like the restaurant. (Think coconut milk and pumpkin.) To reserve, contact Susan at Susan.Heimlich/a/t/gmail.com or at (650) 714-4972 (call or text) by Friday, September 20. Ask for Susan, and please bring cash. PC, NMPCW
25 – 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)
26 – Thursday
11:30a Lunch in Concord at GN Cafe (Gangnam Cafe), 1035 Detroit Ave. Ste. 300, 94518. Turn south off Monument Blvd. onto Detroit Ave. and go a little past Costco. Restaurant is close to the first corner of a horseshoe-shaped street called Shary Circle. Or for less traffic, come in from the other direction by taking Whitman Rd. off of Oak Grove Rd. to Detroit Ave. and turn left on Detroit. GN Cafe has American food and some food with Korean influence. Not a buffet. Park anywhere in back. RSVP appreciated but not required. Questions? Rosemary Clark, (925) 256-4599 or rclarkx/a/t/earthlink.net. PC, NMPCW
11:45a South Bay Lunch. See September 12. (RSE 2,4 Th)
28 – 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, 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)
FUTURE FLASHES
October 1 – Tuesday
6p Tuesday Tipplers. See September 3. (RSE 1 Tu)
2 – Wednesday
11:30a Math Lovers’ Lunch. See September 4. (RSE 1 W)
4 – Friday
6p Movies That Matter. See September 6. (RSE 1,3 F)
6:30p First Friday in Danville. See September 6. (RSE 1 F)
5 – Saturday
1p High School Robot Games at Woodside High School in Woodside. Mensan Gary Koerzendorfer mentors. PC
6p Start The Month Right. See September 7. (RSE 1 Sa)