5 options for stay-at-home fun in SF: Tuesday, March 31

5 options for stay-at-home fun in SF: Tuesday, March 31Photo: California Academy of Sciences/Facebook
Teresa Hammerl
Published on March 31, 2020

The Bay Area's shelter-in-place order has brought countless events usually held as in-person gatherings online. This week, we're aiming to support local businesses in San Francisco and Oakland by highlighting five of these events each day.

Got a suggestion for an online event based in SF or Oakland? Email our events reporter, Teresa Hammerl. 


Here's your SF events calendar for Tuesday, March 31. Today, you can learn all about ferns, get a mobile photography refresher or watch the SF Ballet taking a class  — all from the comfort of your couch while sheltering in place.

Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Ferns

Photo: Anna L./Yelp

While the California Academy of Sciences is closed, you can enjoy a virtual visit for its "Breakfast Club" series of talks. Botany curator Dr. Nathalie Nagalingum kicks off the series with a live mini-class about the eternal fascination with ferns, from the Victorian age to faraway expeditions to her latest research discoveries.

When: Tuesday, March 31, 10 a.m.

How to join: Via YouTube

Price: Free

Mobile Photography 101 with ComePlum

Photo: Via The Assembly

Want to get better at photographing all those homemade recipes and cute pet moments with your phone? Join Praise Santos, a photographer and founder of photo studio ComePlum, for this workshop, where she'll explain how to maximize the phone’s built-in camera features, recommend apps to improve your shots, and offer tips on using in-home props and styling tools.

When: Tuesday, March 31, 10:30 a.m.

How to join: Sign up on The Assembly's website

Price: $10

UCSF ER doctor talks coronavirus

Photo: Manny's/Facebook

Wondering what it's like on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis? UCSF  physician Rosny Daniel will talk about his experiences working in the ER right now — including what happens when a healthcare worker contracts the virus. He'll also discuss what it's like to work with COVID-19 patients, and the protocols doctors and nurses use to handle the rush.

When: Tuesday, March 31, 11 a.m.

How to join: Via Zoom

Price: Free

SF Ballet rehearsal livestream

Photo: Screenshot SF Ballet

As the SF Ballet remains closed for the shelter-in-place order, dancers are taking their daily "company class" (a.k.a. rehearsal) in their homes. Fans of the ballet can watch them practice on a livestream, offering unique insight into how a ballet performance is put together and how dancers stay in top form.

When: Tuesday, March 31, 1 p.m.

How to join: Via SF Ballet's website

Price: Free

Quaran-tunis with Katya Smirnoff-Skyy

Photo: New Conservatory Theatre Center/Facebook

Sassy Eastern European drag queen Katya Smirnoff-Skyy is taking her monthly Martuni's show to the cloud, with a livestream of her favorite pop and opera tunes executed on her "ghost piano." Pour yourself an ice-cold vodka and settle in for a show. 

When: Tuesday, March 31, 6 p.m.

How to join: Via Facebook

Price: Free