Coming Up: SF Opera Open House - Family Friendly

Celebrate the San Francisco Opera's 90th season during their free community open house this Saturday. They'll have on-stage technical and musical demonstrations, plus prop-making family activities, screenings of Carmen for Families, a photo booth where you can dress up in costume, and more. See the schedule here.


When: Saturday, November 10 from 10:30-2:30
Where: War Memorial Opera House
Cost: Free
RSVP: no need to RSVP but if you register in advance, you might win 4 tickets.

Coming Up: Free National Park Admission this weekend

The U.S. National Park System's last free admissions for 2012 are this weekend, for Veteran's Day.

Get in free to National Parks November 10-12. There are 398 to choose from!

Coming Up: Marine Science Sundays - free

The Marine Mammal Center has several monthly Marine Science Sundays coming up this fall, so set your schedule! These involve family-friendly tours, classroom activities and more, centered around a different theme each month. Docent-led tours will take you around the hospital showcasing some of the patients they care for, and you'll learn how the vets help the animals. Classroom presentations showcase the animals the Marine Mammal Center has cared for, focusing on interactive activities and multimedia that show easy, daily behaviors that you can do to help prevent ocean trash which harms the animals. 

Themes/Dates:

November 11: Wonderful Whales

December 9: Seal and Sea Lion Superstars of 2012

Where: Marine Mammal Center (2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito)
When: 10-5 (dates above)
Cost: free
More information: here

Coming Up: Kids' SCRAP Workshops

This Monday, SCRAP is hosting a kids' workshop, Elements in Motion, presented by Green Art Workshop. Kids will create imaginative hanging sculpture based on the natural elements (earth, fire, water and air) using found materials from SCRAP.

When: Monday, November 12 from 1-3:30
Age: 9-13
Cost: $40
Sign up: here

Get 'Yer Tickets: The Lion King

It's tough to get these tickets on Broadway (still) but you can get them in San Francisco! The Lion King opened at SF's Orpheum Theater last weekend for 11 weeks.

When: now through January 13, 2013
Where: Orpheum Theater
Tickets: starting at $32.50, Buy them here or call 888-746-1799

Help Victims of Hurricane Sandy

If you're looking for ways to help victims of Hurricane/SuperStorm Sandy, here's a list:

DONATE MONEY

Tunnel to Towers is collecting money to help Staten Island hurricane victims.

The United Jewish Federation set up a relief fund. You can also text RELIEF to 51818 on a mobile device to pledge money.

The American Red Cross is accepting donations here. You can also text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief fund.

United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism’s Disaster Relief Fund will help victims of the hurricane and affected Jewish communities

**Rock Center has a great list of other ways to donate money, including the Salvation Army, food banks, Habitat for Humanity, and other relief funds.

New Jersey Hurricane Relief Fund - set up by Governor Chris Christie and his wife Mary.

Marriott Rewards members can donate airline points to the American Red Cross.

Animal Haven in NYC, serving tristate area, accepting Sandy donations.

DONATE ITEMS

The Lavallette public school in New Jersey is now displaced for the next 8 months or so, and have none of their supplies. Help restock them with information here.

Amazon wish list for Monmouth Beach School.There’s a Hurricane Sandy registry on Amazon set up to receive items at a relief outpost in Brooklyn.

Coming Up: San Francisco Chamber Orchestra - free concert

This weekend, November 3-4, the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra is offering free family-friendly concerts for its "Very First Concerts" series, in San Francisco, San Mateo and Oakland. They're designed to introduce the kids to the instruments that make up the orchestra.

When: Saturday, November 3 (2 and 3:30)

Where: 199 Museum Way, San Francisco (the Randall Museum)

When: Sunday, November 4 (noon)
Where: 388 9th Street, Oakland (Oakland Asian Cultural Center) 


When: Sunday, November 4 (3:30)
Where: (College of San Mateo Theater) directions here


For details, check the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra website.