Things to do in the Bay Area this weekend
Springtime around San Francisco calls for being outside, sipping on a cocktail, listening to music and basking in the sun.
Here's how to make the most of it this weekend:
Friday, May 9
🏳️🌈 Queer Club Happy Hour: Showcasing beats from DJ Louie Elser, this happy hour meant to bring together the city's LGBTQ+ community includes drink specials. From 5pm-9pm at El Rio at 3158 Mission St.
🎨 AAPI Heritage Month Pop-Up Exhibit: This art display from various Asian American and Pacific Islander artists explores cultural heritage, migration and identity across painting, sculpture and more.
From 6pm-9pm at Levi's Plaza at 1255 Battery Street.
Saturday, May 10
🇹🇼 Taiwanese American Cultural Festival: The event marks the West Coast's largest Taiwanese American celebration, featuring a variety of Taiwanese dishes, live music, activities and more.
From 10am-4pm at Union Square.
🎶 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival: LA-based band La Santa Cecilia will be kicking off the weeks-long cultural event with songs blending Latin music and rock.
From 2pm-4pm at the Great Lawn on Mission Street between 3rd & 4th Streets.
🎸 Mill Valley Music Festival: This year's lineup for the two-day event includes headliners Gary Clark Jr., a blues and soul singer, and disco and funk group Nile Rodgers & Chic.
Starts Saturday at 12pm at the Friends Field at 180 Camino Alto in Mill Valley. Tickets start at $147 for adults.
Sunday, May 11
👒 Pickwick Vintage Show: Featuring a countless supply of vintage clothing, jewelry, accessories and more from more than 40 local vendors.
From 10am-4pm on the mezzanine of The Ferry Building. Tickets start at $10.
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Travel + Leisure
10 hours ago
- Travel + Leisure
Disney Has Asian American Culture Hidden in Plain Sight—How to Find the Best Eats, Experiences, and More
While some kids grow up hearing fairy tales about faraway lands, I grew up with stories about a magical place that's about a five-hour drive from my California hometown of San José: Disneyland. We had a children's book about the 'It's a Small World" ride and my mom always likes to muse on how the attraction is 'just so peaceful,' like 'heaven on earth.' As the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, I often felt like I was jumping rope between the two sides of my Asian American identity. But our visits to Disney always felt like the prototypical all-American experience. We may not have been outwardly cognizant of it at the time, but perhaps we felt a connection since it was the one place where we saw characters that looked like us being represented. Decades later, we embarked on a multigenerational family trip to the park in 2017 with my parents and two young nieces. This trip just happened to take place days before Lunar New Year, and I was shocked to see an archway reading 'Lunar New Year' near Disney California Adventure decked out in traditional red-and-gold lanterns and tassels under an Asian-inspired, Mickey-shaped logo. Turns out, it was part of the park's annual Lunar New Year festivities, which initially started in 2012 as a week-long event, but has since expanded into a nearly month-long celebration. We saw menu items from Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese cuisines, and there were even Mickey and Minnie characters dressed in traditional outfits. To see a park that felt so 'American' embrace Asian traditions went beyond just feeling seen, but like really being embraced and understood. It felt especially poignant during my nieces' first visit—knowing they'll grow up in a more inclusive society. The entrance to San Fransokyo Square in Disney's California Adventure Park. Richard Harbaugh/Disneyland Resort It wasn't until last month that I was lured back to a Disney again, visiting Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, to participate in the Run Disney Springtime Surprise Weekend's 5K run. And I I began spotting Asian American influences all over the park: first a mahjong table in the lobby of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and I later saw collectible pins of characters on Asian-style fans and boba drinks. Early this month, I visited Disneyland for its 70th Anniversary Celebration. And instead of hunting for hidden Mickeys, I went on a hunt for Asian American influences at the park. I began my search in Disney California Adventure in San Fransokyo Square, a hybrid of San Francisco and Tokyo inspired by the movie "Big Hero 6." This section used to be known as Pacific Wharf, and I was immediately blown away by the redressing. There were signs written with Japanese and Chinese characters, and tons of traditional Asian motifs, like gold coins, dragons, lucky cats, and lanterns. It was all definitive proof that Disneyland is making a meaningful investment in diversity. It especially makes sense in California, where 7.1 million people (that's about 18 percent) identify as Asian, according to data from the Pew Research Center . But nothing impressed me more than the menus. Lucky Fortune Cookery served up honey walnut shrimp wraps, potstickers, karaage-inspired chicken sandwiches, yaki udon, and its buzzed-about beef birria ramen. Aunt Cass Café had soba noodle salad, California roll sandwich, and—my obsession—San Fransokyo Clam Chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. Flavored with white miso, it was all a far cry from the burgers and hot dogs I had expected as theme park fare. But the Asian American-inspired offerings weren't limited to San Fransokyo Square. While watching the Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration parade (which is returning to Disney California Adventure through next summer), I was surprised that the opening float featured Red Panda Mei, along with other characters from "Turning Red." Later, I stood with a honey lemonade with popping bubbles from Aunt Cass' at the Disneyland Celebrate Happy Cavalcade, bemused by the fact I was watching a Disney parade with a boba drink in hand, something I never could have imagined during my childhood visits. Wandering down Disneyland's Main Street U.S.A., I noticed that one of the window displays at Emporium, was dedicated to Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. But that wasn't the only homage to AAPI month. I also saw signs for special menu items around the park, including passion fruit-orange-guava punch and green tea lager at Lucky Fortune Cookery. During May, the park's Disney PhotoPass featured themed MagicShots, with images superimposed with Asian Disney characters including Russell from "Up," Panda Mei from "Turning Red," and the rings from "Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings." There was even a sketch pad prop option showcasing work by Tyrus Wong, a Chinese American animator who was the lead artist behind "Bambi." There were also special events in May including autograph signings with Asian Disney artists Stacy Aoyama and Eric Tan, drawing lessons with Russell and Mei, movie nights showings of "Moana" and "Turning Red," and dance lessons with Tahitian, Polynesian, Japanese, Indian, and Filipino instructors. But perhaps the most significant permanent Asian addition is the new Din Tai Fung, which opened July 2024 at Downtown Disney. Visiting the restaurant's original location in Taipei was always a major part of my trips to Taiwan, and it was absolutely mind-boggling that it was now the anchor restaurant at a major American theme park. As I enjoyed my favorite spicy wontons and sesame xiao long baos, I was tickled to learn the restaurant even had a limited pin set to celebrate the park's 70th anniversary. Mural in San Fransokyo Square in Disney California Adventure. Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort Stumbling upon all these meaningful Asian American elements sprinkled throughout the part was no accident, but the work of Compass, the park's Asian American Pacific Islander employee group. Compass 'strives to educate our Cast with a greater understanding and appreciation of our AAPI culture' and 'helps advise on culture awareness for Disneyland Resort offerings,' the group's co-chair Allie Kawamoto, hotel experience integration manager at Disneyland Resort, tells Travel + Leisure . Kawamoto was born in Anaheim and has always loved Disney. But now she's paying it forward to the next generation, and was behind the Emporium's AAPI display. 'Seeing this window come to life and being able to share the window with my son was a moment I was very proud of," she says. Like my own family, she adds that she's always been a fan of 'It's a Small World,' which has been updated through the years to include "Lilo and Stitch" in its Pacific Islands section, and most recently, "Coco'"s Miguel and Dante in the Mexico portion. 'I just feel happy as I ride through and see countless cultures represented,' Kawamoto says. 'We have guests that visit from around the world, and I think just about everyone can see a reflection of their culture."
Los Angeles Times
19 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Silicon Beach exec alleges ‘shake down' by investor ousted during #MeToo era
A Silicon Beach entrepreneur and her investor are suing each other — part of a growing legal brawl that includes a dispute over a private jet, claims of a lesbian workplace affair and allegations of a sexual assault in a West Hollywood hotel. On May 14, Mahway founder Jessica Mah sued D Global Ventures Chief Executive Justin Caldbeck in Los Angeles Superior Court, saying he groped her and repeatedly solicited her for sex, then attempted extortion and defamed her to other investors when she rejected him. Hours after Mah's claim was docketed, Caldbeck filed his own suit, saying Mah 'seduced investors' with false promises and used money she raised to prop up her 'ersatz glamorous lifestyle' — including spending company cash on a private jet. 'Justin Caldbeck's claims collapse under the weight of the very documents he read, approved, and signed,' a spokesman for Mah said. 'Jessica Mah will not be intimidated. We expect the court to deliver a penalty to Caldbeck as substantial as his gross misconduct.' A spokesperson for Caldbeck, Sallie Hofmeister, countered with a statement that called Mah's lawsuit 'nothing more than a calculated effort ... to distract from credible accusations that they have misused millions of dollars of investor funds.' 'Nearly a year ago, she explicitly threatened to weaponize past allegations against Mr. Caldbeck if he pursued legal claims related to fraud and embezzlement against her,' Hofmeister said. Mah has maintained a jet-piloting, Lamborghini-racing, party-DJ persona on Instagram and tech industry podcasts. Caldbeck became an early face of Silicon Valley's #MeToo reckoning when he issued a public apology and left the company he co-founded after multiple Asian American entrepreneurs accused him of sexual misconduct in 2017. Their court battle — one of the ugliest to hit L.A.'s tech scene in years — erupted at a moment of cultural crisis for the industry. Many companies have abandoned efforts to root out 'bro culture,' with polarizing figures such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg embracing President Trump's anti-woke agenda. At the same time, economic uncertainty has led to mass layoffs and forced companies to do away with luxurious perks for employees. How Mah spends her company's money and treats her team is the focus of other ongoing litigation. On May 15, two former Mahway employees — ex-President Walter Delph and William Mulholland, who served as chief financial officer — sued her for wrongful termination and whistleblower retaliation. Both are represented by Caldbeck's longtime lawyer, Ivo Labar. All three of the lawsuits filed against Mah allege that she 'holds herself out as a 'unicorn breeder,'' using an industry term for companies valued at more than $1 billion. 'In reality, Mah is a charlatan living on investors funds intended for Mahway's portfolio of startup companies, the majority of which are only 'unicorns' in the sense that they are also imaginary,' Caldbeck and Mulholland's suits both claim. The men's complaints accuse Mah of using company funds for personal expenses and structuring investment payouts to unfairly benefit her. Mahway is operated out of her rented West Hollywood mansion, with the company footing the bill, the suits allege. Mah said on a recent podcast appearance that the rental cost is $16,500 per month. Delph additionally accused Mah of age discrimination and sexual harassment, claiming she called him an 'old man' and carried on a public affair with Mahway founding partner Andrea Barrica — a relationship both women deny. According to Delph's suit, Mah 'would rub Barrica's upper inner thighs' during company meetings. That allegation is similar to one Mah leveled against Caldbeck. In her May 14 lawsuit, she alleged he 'touched the upper-most part of [her] thigh and put his hand next to her genitalia,' during a business meeting at the Pendry Hotel in 2022. Caldbeck's spokeswoman Hofmeister, who also represents Delph, called Mah's claims 'nothing more than a smokescreen to deflect attention' from the fraud allegations being leveled against her. 'Ms. Mah's lawsuit is meritless and the latest example of her bullying tactics,' Hofmeister said. Mah fired back at Delph on May 15 with a raft of civil conspiracy charges, filing a suit that alleged he colluded with Caldbeck and Mulholland to smear her and 'shake down' the company. The three men say their suits were filed independently of one another. Mulholland said he was forced to resign this year 'in order to avoid engaging in illegal activities at Mah's direction,' according to his May 15 suit. Barrica has also jumped into the fray, accusing Caldbeck of sexual harassment and extortion in a lawsuit filed May 20. Barrica claims he repeatedly tried to climb on top of her and kiss her in an Uber after a business meeting in Paris. The Mahway executive says Caldbeck tried to 'leverage his repulsive behavior by threatening to spread objectively false allegations that Ms. Barrica was in a sexual and romantic relationship' with Mah. Barrica alleges Caldbeck pressured her to join his 'unhinged and baseless campaign to destroy Ms. Mah.' According to Barrica's complaint — filed by Mah's longtime lawyer— when Mah learned of the alleged incident, she confided about her own experiences with Caldbeck. The two women agreed to try to maintain a professional relationship with the investor while limiting contact, Barrica's suit said. That seemed to work until a blowup over executive payouts in September. Days before the first complaints were filed in the spring, Barrica reached out to Caldbeck 'to make one last appeal for peace,' according to her complaint. By Barrica's account, the truce offer didn't go over well. 'Even if Jess said that I raped her, I wouldn't care,' Caldbeck said, according to Barrica's suit. 'My investors wouldn't care either.' According to Mulholland's and Delph's suits, Caldbeck's spat with Mah over payouts led the executives to probe the company's operations. Both said in their claims they concluded she was bilking investors. Delph contends in his complaint that he was fired after raising those concerns to his boss. Mulholland felt forced to resign amid growing fear he would be left holding the bag for Mah's misdeeds, per his suit. Caldbeck's suit said his investment company has 'suffered millions of dollars in damages' from Mahway's mismanagement. His spokeswoman said he looks forward to setting the record straight. 'Mr. Caldbeck is confident the truth will continue to emerge and Ms. Mah's allegations will be shown for what they are,' Hofmeister said.
Eater
3 days ago
- Eater
Moody Soju Cocktails and Dim Sum Reign at Oakland's Neon-Lit Mahjong Den
Just as mahjong reaches new TikTok-fueled heights, an Oakland bar and restaurant swoops in to make good on the legendary pastime. The new 13 Orphans opened Friday, May 30, in downtown Oakland, just upstairs from Baba's House. Jenn Lui, Alan Chen, and Eman Garcia own the entire building now, including the first-floor restaurant space and this second-story newcomer. The Asian American-centered mahjong clubhouse provides tea-infused cocktails — and 'tea-tails' (alcohol optional) — with Filipino and Chinese dim sum-inspired bites and bookable tables for laying down tiles through the late night. At 13 Orphans, Lui handles the drinks while Garcia runs the kitchen. Lui found inspiration in the five elements of traditional Chinese culture; to honor the earth, a 2014 Shu pu'erh tea mingles with lapsang souchong tepache, cinnamon, beetroot juice, black sugar, and pear-infused soju for the Pu'er Petrichor. The watermelon tonic, nodding towards metal, blends a Gongmei white tea with goji-infused soju and pei pa lo, a Chinese herbal cough suppressant. Lui worked with Hatching Dragon and Teaphile, a source and an importer of Chinese teas to the Bay Area. Garcia walked through a variety of inspirations for the small bites-focused menu. The Chinoy siu mai is a pork belly, prawn, water chestnut, and smoked trout roe play on the classic dim sum dish popular for Chinese and Filipino diners alike. Plates are just a few bites-worth, sort of the opposite size and scope of the kamayan meals he's prepared with his friends and family for Baba's House events since its debut over three years ago. The first floor, previously BHK, is now exclusively Baba's House. The food and drink menus for that project are still forthcoming. Getting a table at 13 Orphans aims to be difficult: Groups book a game table for just 45 minutes. There are just 16 seats at the reservation-only space. The name 13 Orphans is a nod to an obscure hand to draw in mahjong, a game Lui points out is essentially gambling. Throughout the years at Baba's House, mahjong nights were booked out over and over. The comedy nights and live music were well-attended, too, sure. But mahjong just kept doing numbers. They've hosted free classes for more than three years now. Lui, at least, says she feels the game is reaching a fever pitch due to a generational passing of the torch through immigrant communities to the digital natives, the same that are eschewing binge drinking and clubbing more than their predecessors. 'Once we took over the restaurant, we were trying to identify who we are,' Lui says. 'The personality forming within our community.' Baba's House itself sprang from Lui's mind. The hope was to honor her dad, who died in 2020, and Chen and Garcia joined her on her quest to build community and feed their friends. Chen points out that all three co-owners claim Chinese ancestry, though only Lui is fully Cantonese (Chen is half-Taiwanese, and Garcia is Filipino, as well). Now, this project is meant to give the three founders a chance to move their intentions into an even more specific, upscale project. 'With Baba's House, we did what we thought was going to make our community happy and grow our community,' Garcia says. 'Now with 13 Orphans, we can be intentional and deliberate about what we want to do, and we've built up a community that trusts us [to do that].' 13 Orphans (410 15th Street, Oakland) is available for reservation and open 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Sign up for our newsletter.
