Whether or not you’re celebrating the Luck of the Irish, this weekend has plenty of charms to offer, from great movies, concerts and shows to a most appropriate brewery day trip.
So let’s get to it, shall we?
As always, be sure to double check event and venue websites for any last-minute changes in health guidelines. Meanwhile, if you’d like to have this Weekender lineup delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning for free, just sign up at www.mercurynews.com/newsletters or www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.
1 SEE & HEAR: A mandolin love story
Mike Marshall and Caterina Lichtenberg are two of the very best mandolin players on the planet. They are also sweethearts. Their story is so touching, a Bay Area composer wrote a song about them, and that song gets its first performance this weekend by the San Jose Chamber Orchestra (and of course Marshall and Lichtenberg are guest soloists).
Katy O’Brian, left, and Kristen Stewart star in the fiery love story “Love Lies Bleeding.”
2 WATCH: It’s a bloody good movie
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Kristen Stewart has emerged as one of our best and most interesting actors. And her performance in “Love Lies Bleeding” won’t change that status one bit.
3 SIP & PLAY: Good time for a brewery trip
Since Sunday is St. Patrick’s Day and all, this seems like a lovely weekend for a brewery day trip — and we’ve got just the jaunt in mind, through some top-notch stops in Belmont and Redwood City.
4 WATCH: Here comes the new ‘Top Chef’
OK, the new season of the foodie favorite show doesn’t debut until Wednesday, but that doesn’t mean you can’t whet your appetite in advance. Here’s what you need to know about the new season and — what the heck — six other ways you can feed your inner food nerd.
5 DINE: Elsie’s beckons
Remember Berkeley’s Delirama? Who doesn’t? Now Cash Caris, one of the culinary talents behind that smoked-meats mecca, is back with a new labor of love, this one inspired by his grandmother. We checked out the new Berkeley restaurant, named Elsie’s. Here are our thoughts.
From left, Greg Ayers, Maggie Mason, Phil Wong and Renee Rogoff star (with some fake sheep) in “The 39 Steps.” (SF Playhouse)
6 SEE & HEAR: Great shows are all over
From a crazy-goofy spoof of Alfred Hitchcock to dance troupe Robert Moses KIN’s take on censorship, there are a lot of great shows and concerts to catch this weekend.
7 SIP & PLAY: Where to wet your whistle
You didn’t think we forgot about St. Patrick’s Day, did you? It’s this Sunday, and here are 13 great places to celebrate.