North Beach Week: First Fridays, #Hellasingle, 2016 Nametag Day, More

Photo: Naotake Murayama/Flickr

The weekend is almost here! Let's talk about what's going on in North Beach.

The flip of the calendar means North Beach First Fridays is returning with a new slate of events, including photography from guest artist Lynn Alcorn at the Grey City Gallery (250 Columbus Ave.) and an opening reception for the nature paintings of Richard Zimmerman, Carolyn Miller, and Julie Jaycox at the Canessa Gallery (708 Montgomery St.). Download the PDF map of participating vendors and get out there.

If you're free tonight and happen to be single—and in San Francisco, there's a very good chance you are—Cobb's Comedy Club (915 Columbus Ave.) is hosting #Hellasingle, SF's only comedy show and dating mixer for singles. After the show, hit the afterparty at La Rocca's Bar (957 Columbus Ave.), where you can mingle and try to become less single.

On Saturday, San Francisco participates in the third annual Nametag Day, a chance to connect with the folks you busily walk past everyday simply by putting on a blank nametag and filling it out with a unique expression of yourself. Make a friend, make an enemy and (if we've already established you're single) maybe make a match! Check out the locations around the city—the Ferry Building is the closest one to North Beach—they're still looking for volunteers if you have time as well.

Hip #barber in #northbeachsf . It was fun walking the streets of #littleitalysf . You'll find a lot of these.

A photo posted by karlaroundtheworld (@karlaroundtheworld) on May 14, 2016 at 2:30pm PDT

In local news, it sounds like Da Flora (701 Columbus Ave.) may have a new owner. Chicago's WGN Radio took a look at The Beat Museum, an Oklahoma travel blog reviewed a day in North Beach, including a trip to Coit Tower, and the Bold Italic reviewed the food at some of the local adult entertainment venues. Finally, here's a fun Did You Know: the old Coffee Gallery at 1353 Grant Ave. (now Maggie McGarry's) was part of the inspiration when Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick wrote "White Rabbit."

Now, on to our editor's picks for the days ahead. For a full list of what's going on around town this weekend and beyond, don't forget to check our hoodline.com/events. If you see a local event missing and want to get in on the fun, submit it for free for the chance to see it featured in our next events roundup.