SF LIFE: Valentine Love, Theatre, Art, White Elephant
We can all use a little love and happiness, and we have some ‘lovely’ ideas for you that will make your heart sing. There are new theatrical events at Berkeley City Club and a celebration of Love at the Marines’ Memorial Theatre. Fort Mason shines with a talk on Meditations on Gold, and read on to discover the Big Art Loop around the bay. Love to help our planet? Head to the annual White Elephant Sale in Oakland. I have been, and it is WOW! May you celebrate love all month with friends, lovers, or pets!
This weekend. Aristica Creator Feast
If Valentine’s Day was a fake holiday created by Hallmark, I don’t care, I’m here for it. You will be too. No need for a partner, have some fun at these events. The Artistica Creator’s Fest takes place the weekend of the 14th. The Box S-F is the venue, and this historic building becomes host to a weekend of creativity, community, and local artists showing their creations. The weekend features 35 local artisans and one-of-a-kind antique mercantile filled with stunning pieces of rare print & ephemera. Free from 11 – 5 p.m. ARTISTICA CREATOR FEST
Free Guided Walking Tours
It’s always a treat rediscovering San Francisco, and there are 19 free guided walking tours of the city on the from Feb. 13-16. A great time to learn something new about the city you love. Make a weekend out of it and try several tours a day! You will fall in love with SF all over again. WALKING TOURS
Magnificent Magnolias
Nature lovers head to the Magnificent Magnolias at the SF Botanical Garden on Valentine’s day, for a stroll amongst the newly blooming beauties. This is one of SF’s most breathtaking natural marvels. There are more than 200 rare and historic magnolias with trees reaching 80 feet. The dazzling pink, magenta, and white flowers fill the wintery garden with dramatic splashes of color and sweetly fragrant scents. MAGNOLIAS
The New Play Theater Presents, “After Happy”
You can catch the show February 26 – March 29 at The Berkeley City Club. A hurricane named Happy has devastated Lake Charles, Louisiana. Brenda Barrow, owner of a family-run oil company that sponsors the annual Pirate Festival, is desperate for a last-minute replacement for the festival’s Pirate Queen. When her estranged niece, Kat, arrives unexpectedly, Kat claims she’s returned to apologize for running off after the hurricane hit. But Kat has joined the Climate Commandos, a rag-tag band of rebels dedicated to eradicating oil companies just like her aunt’s. Has Kat come home to reconcile with Aunt Brenda, or is this an eco-terrorist plot? Welcome to The Pirate Festival! HAPPY
“If This Is Love” One Night Feb. 23
The Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation (REAF) presents “If this is Love”, a one-night-only cabaret evening exploring the many shades of love – from romantic to joyful to deeply human – headlined by cast members from the National Broadway Touring Company of “The Notebook”. Blending theatrical storytelling and intimate vocal performance, the evening offers audiences a chance to see celebrated touring artists perform material of their own choosing in a cabaret setting. Marine’s Memorial Theatre. Monday February 23rd, 7:30 p.m. IF THIS IS LOVE
Feb. 28. RISE from SA Dance Company
A fabulous women’s dance company, The SA Dance Company, explores the power, resilience, and spirit of womanhood in RISE, an immersive dance experience told in four movements. The Sa Dance Company is a pioneer in contemporary Indian dance. Comprised of an all-female ensemble, Sa blends the essence of Indian and American stories and movement to create a transformative audience experience. Sa’s productions celebrate the rich tapestry of the Indian American identity centering themes of womanhood, community, and the journey of the female spirit. They honor the past, reflect on present society, and pave the way for future generations. Experience RISE, their newest offering, on Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Cowell Theater. SA DANCE COMPANY
Feb. 19. Meditations on Gold
Fort Mason hosts unique, thoughtful and meaningful events. “Kini, “is no exception. On Thursday, February 19, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Bayfront Theatre, Building B, Third Floor, you will be intrigued by this one hour talk and will most likely come home with a gorgeous creation. Maya Kini creates jewelry and sculpture and writes about the intersection of craft, language, and the body. The one- hour talk is followed by a reception in the Arion Press space in Building B, First Floor. MEDITATIONS ON GOLD
The Big Art Loop
This ambitious contemporary sculpture tour was created by the Sijbrandji Foundation as a reminder that San Francisco’s identity extends beyond technology to the creativity expressed through art. The Big Art Loop is a project built on a simple and surprisingly radical idea: art does not need walls. With nearly 100 sculptures unfolding across the city, the loop forms a 34-mile walkable and bikeable path through San Francisco. Encountered as part of daily life—on foot, by bike, or entirely by chance—it feels less like an event and more like a shared experience. There is no best way—or fixed starting point—to experience the loop. You encounter it as you move through the city, often without planning to. Still, the area around the Ferry Building feels like an ideal beginning, where R-Evolution, a Burning Man legacy, now stands. THE BIG ART LOOP
OMG. The White Elephant Sale!
The Three Tomatoes love recycling, upcycling, and finding great bargains. The 2026 White Elephant Sale in Oaklan is on right now. Go immediately. Remember, one person’s trash is another’s treasure. Volunteers work all year long preparing this 90,000 sq foot warehouse filled with art, clothes, clocks, knick-knacks, jewelry, and anything you can imagine. It is so much fun to browse and wander. They do have food vendors outside because you will get hungry. Parking is a challenge, so it’s best to go early in the day. This is Northern California’s largest and oldest rummage sale. Your purchases support the Oakland Museum of California. Hurry and get the rush of adrenaline from snagging that one-of-a-kind item you can’t find anywhere else. WHITE ELEPHANT SALE
Kim Selby, the SF life editor of The Three Tomatoes, is your gal for info on what’s hot and happening in the beautiful bay area. Having lived on the Left Coast for 27 years, after almost a decade in NYC, she has explored and continues to have adventures all over the San Francisco area. Passionate about fashion, formerly with GLAMOUR magazine and Fashion Director at Saks Fifth Avenue , Palo Alto, Kim produced fashion shows in the bay area for over 20 years. She now creates events to empower, delight and inspire women, aka “Tomatoes”. Learn more about Kim at www.kimduffselby.com
Listen to her podcast, "Ignite Your Spark" wherever you listen to podcasts.
