Delicious eats, a free concert, book club, and more
Feeling drained? Alameda has what it takes to fill your cup—literally and figuratively! Friday, March 14 marks the beginning of Alameda Restaurant Week, which promises good deals and delicious food and drink specials. On Friday night, the Alameda Community Band is hosting a free concert at Mastick Senior Center for all to enjoy. The Alameda Farmers’ Market has some great seasonal offerings on Saturday, March 15, and Tuesday, March 18. On Tuesday night, head over to Books Inc. for their popular Kiss & Tell Literary Salon, where you can enjoy refreshments while talking romance books. And on Wednesday, March 19, Faction Brewing is hosting another Profs & Pints® lecture, “Trump, Populism, and History.”
Alameda Restaurant Week
Friday, March 14 – Sunday, March 23
Alameda Restaurant Week is back! Get ready for a 10-day celebration of local eats and drinks across the island from March 14 through March 23. Dozens of restaurants, bars, breweries, and wineries are participating this year.
Take your tastebuds on a tour with special prix fixe menus at several restaurants. Ceron Kitchen is offering buttermilk chive biscuits, lobster fettuccine, and an order of creme brûlée for $70. 1400 Bar & Grill has set their prix fixe menu of crispy polenta cakes, osso buco, and chocolate flan cake for $35. Check out the other prix fixe menus online.
Restaurant Week promises some great deals and special dishes too. Hang Ten Boiler is offering raw oysters for $2 each with a minimum order of ten. East Ocean Seafood is offering a complimentary house dessert, and Julie’s Coffee & Tea is preparing a special savory leek bread pudding. Take a look at all the participating restaurants online, and dig in!
Alameda Community Band Spring Concert
Friday, March 14
Want to catch a free concert? Get ready for a delightful evening at the Alameda Community Band Spring Concert on Friday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m. The event will be held at Mastick Senior Center, 1115 Santa Clara Avenue. There is ample parking, and the building is accessible.
The concert promises an “enchanting trip around the musical world.” Where else can you listen to music from Italian opera and the Old West? The concert will also feature “The Magic of Andrew Lloyd Webber,” which includes a selection of the famous composer’s music from classic broadway musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar. No registration is required, and the doors open at 7 p.m.
Alameda Community Band is composed of a dedicated group of volunteers “who have a common interest in playing music and improving their skills while having fun.” They rehearse weekly at Alameda High School in preparation for a series of concerts they present multiple times each year. If you’d like to get involved, email [email protected] with your name and instrument, then register with ARPD. The season is well underway, but the band is still accepting registrations as they prepare for their Summer Concert on Friday, May 30. If you’d like to wait to catch the next season, please follow the same email and registration instructions after summer break.
Alameda Farmers’ Market
Saturday, March 15 and Tuesday, March 18
From fresh seasonal produce to delicious premade goods, you’re bound to find something to bring home at the Alameda Farmers’ Market. In several recent Facebook posts, the market has confirmed that beautiful berries from local farms are back in stock! Starting this Saturday, it’s officially strawberry shortcake season as Beckmann’s Bakery brings back their popular treat. Grab your tote bags for the Alameda Farmers’ Market on Tuesdays and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. year-round, on Haight Avenue at Webster Street.
The Alameda Farmers’ Market is part of the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association (PCFMA), a group dedicated to connecting local farmers and consumers, as well as supporting WIC and EBT programs. The PCFMA website declares, “We believe that farmers’ markets should be open and welcoming spaces for consumers of all economic means and that all farmers’ markets should accept and support public benefit programs that improve food access.” Check out the website for delicious seasonal recipes and blog posts to learn something new, like “Citrus Guide – From Tiny Kumquats to Giant Pomelos.”
Please note that parking is limited around the Alameda Farmers’ Market. It is recommended to walk, bike, or take public transportation if you can.
Kiss & Tell Literary Salon at Books Inc.
Tuesday, March 18
You are cordially invited to the Kiss & Tell Literary Salon at Books Inc.,1344 Park Street, on Tuesday, March 18, at 6:30 p.m. This month’s theme is Fantasy Romance, and a full house is expected!
Enjoy complimentary refreshments while listening to a discussion with guest authors Nola Li Barr and Angela Montoya, hosted by authors Rebecca Hunter and Addie Woolridge. In addition to a discussion, each guest author will read from their books. Nola Li Barr will be reading from Saved by the Wolf (The McCullough Pack #1), and Angela Montoya will be reading from A Cruel Thirst. The guest authors will each be signing copies of their books, which will be for sale.
You do not need to read ahead of time in order to enjoy the evening. The Kiss & Tell Literary Salon meets every third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the Alameda Books Inc. location. Refreshments are generously sponsored by the Bay Area Romance Writers. “If you love romance novels, this is the place for you!”
Profs & Pints: Trump, Populism, and History
Wednesday, March 19
What was the populist movement, and how can it help us examine the current American political climate? Charles Postel, professor of history at San Francisco State University and author of The Populist Vision will examine these questions and more in his Profs & Pints® lecture on Wednesday, March 19, at 6 p.m. Head over to Faction Brewing, 2501 Monarch Street, to grab a beer and listen in.
“The Populist Party’s advocacy for ordinary Americans enabled it to become the most powerful third-party movement since the Civil War,” notes the event description. “Locally, its strong base in Alameda County helped it win 25 percent of the vote in the California election of 1894.” Professor Postel will examine the history of the party, as well as figures like President William McKinley and our current president in relation to the movement.
This lecture is presented by Profs & Pints®, an organization with a mission to bring “college faculty members into bars, cafés, company offices, and other off-campus venues to share their knowledge.” Tickets are available for advance purchase online for $13.50 plus a processing fee, or may be purchased at the door for $17, $15 for students with a student ID.
What else is going on in Alameda?
All these events and more, in Alameda and beyond, are always posted on our online Events Calendar. Post yours, too, for free!
Amanda Laird is the Content Manager and Events Editor of the Alameda Post. Reach her at [email protected].
