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18 upcoming salons and discussion groups in the East Bay. 1 is in the next seven days; the list is updated daily.
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More in the East Bay Lectures 280Book talks 86Workshops 44
Salons elsewhere San Francisco 53Berkeley 11
A book discussion for adult children of immigrants exploring mixed cultural identity and belonging. Participants will gather in a small-group salon format to discuss Sahaj Kaur Kohli's memoir and reflect on how bicultural experiences shaped their upbringings and sense of self. The event centers on shared questions about navigating multiple cultural worlds.
A grief tending circle led by Shannon Knorr and Petra Gojun, designed as a container to honor and metabolize grief through somatic exploration, movement, dream tending, and creative art-making. Participants will engage in altar building, writing, and ritual to hold personal and collective grief — including grief from loss, life transitions, chronic illness, identity shifts, and systemic crises. This is not talk therapy but rather an earthy, concrete practice space welcoming all types of grievers. Bring a journal, writing materials, and comfortable clothing for movement; art supplies and yoga props provided.
A recurring philosophical discussion group exploring fundamental questions about human life, meaning, and the explanatory concepts underlying civilization. The group welcomes those interested in philosophical, scientific, and religious theories alongside psychological insights into the human condition—topics often dismissed as impractical but essential to understanding how we pursue happiness and navigate existence.
An informal monthly gathering inspired by Rob Walker's 'Savor of the Month' practice from *The Art of Noticing*. This month's theme is Myth — urban legends, neighborhood lore, everyday magic, imaginary things, things that recall fairytales, folklore or mythology, or inspire your own myths. Bring photos, poems, videos, or other works to share with the group.
Cooking is personal, communal, and filled with histories. Bring a dish and the story behind it—whether rooted in deep family lore or a new kitchen success story. Participants share food and discuss why these dishes matter to them, leaving with something new to make and closer connections to fellow cooks. Hosted by Danny Scuderi at Local Economy.
An open mic night for original spoken word, music, and cover songs hosted by poet and organizer Aya De Leon. Singing and dancing are optional; the evening centers on community performance and connection. Representatives from California Working Families Party and Bay Resistance will be on hand for attendees interested in political organizing.
Join Book Society's Romantasy Fan Book Club for discussion of *The Knight and the Moth* by Rachel Gillig, a gothic fantasy romance set in the kingdom of Traum. The group explores Gillig's moody narrative of Sybil Delling, a Diviner whose nine years of service at Aisling Cathedral are disrupted by a heretical knight and the mysterious disappearance of her fellow Diviners. This recurring book club gathers to read and discuss speculative fiction with romance elements in an intimate, participatory setting.
Behind-the-scenes look at cookbook publishing and creation, exploring what it takes to bring culinary books to market. Speakers include Maria Zizka, James Beard Award–nominated cookbook author and editor (six of her own, 50+ with chefs like Yotam Ottolenghi and Suzanne Goin); Joyce Tang, who left tech for culinary school and co-wrote her debut cookbook *Bake Sum* with Soleil Ho; and Aya Brackett, Oakland photographer whose work appears in cookbooks by Maria, Joyce, and Samin Nosrat. Hosted by Margarita Florez Vasconcelos (founder of Showoff) with conversation, Q&A, and light snacks.
A Death Café is an unstructured group discussion where people gather to talk openly about death, dying, and mortality in a supportive environment. Unlike grief counseling or therapy, Death Cafés operate on a simple premise: by discussing death candidly, we can live more fully. No agenda, no objectives—just honest conversation among strangers united by curiosity about one of life's most universal experiences. Registering is appreciated but not required.
A gathering of cookbook enthusiasts, food lovers, and home and professional chefs celebrating Ukrainian chef, food stylist, and writer Anna Voloshyna and her new cookbook *Ukraïne: Recipes and Stories from Kyiv to the Black Sea*. The event features Voloshyna discussing her culinary journey across Ukraine—from Carpathian peaks to the Black Sea—and the recipes, stories, and traditions she collected. Hosted by the Cookbook Lovers Club in collaboration with food stylist and cookbook author Bebe Carminito, the evening combines conversation, food, and wine.
An intimate salon featuring novelist Marie Darrieussecq in conversation with Transit Books publisher Adam Levy about her novels *How to Make a Woman* and *Our Life in the Forest*, published by Transit Books. Part of Transit's ongoing Book Club Salon series, which brings readers and authors together for behind-the-scenes discussions of Transit titles.
A Death Café gathering where strangers come together to discuss death and dying in a supportive, unstructured conversation. With no preset agenda or objectives, participants explore mortality and how awareness of death can help people live more fully. This is a discussion group rather than grief counseling or therapy.
A celebration of cookbooks and baking culture with Susan Spungen, founding food editor at Martha Stewart Living, culinary consultant for Julie & Julia, and author of Cookie Queen. Spungen will discuss her years shaping one of publishing's most influential food brands and the stories behind her latest book—80+ cookie recipes from a baker The New York Times called 'the Babe Ruth of Cookies.' The intimate gathering, co-hosted with food stylist and cookbook author Bebe Carminito, brings together cookbook enthusiasts for conversation, tasting, and savoring good company.
A recurring philosophical salon exploring fundamental questions about human life, civilization, and happiness. The group discusses philosophical, scientific, and religious theories alongside psychological insights into human nature and meaning—topics often dismissed after formal education but essential to understanding how societies function and how individuals flourish.
Book Society's "WTF Did I Just Read?!" Book Club discusses Shark Heart by Emily Habeck, a novel about newlyweds Wren and Lewis, whose marriage undergoes a metamorphosis when Lewis transforms into a great white shark over nine months. The facilitated discussion explores this intergenerational love story's themes of marriage, motherhood, and letting go. Attendees enjoy lively conversation with a glass of house wine included.
A Death Café discussion group at Berkeley Public Library's Central branch, where strangers gather to talk openly about death and dying in a supportive, unstructured setting. The format prioritizes peer conversation over agenda or expert guidance—a chance to reflect on mortality and finite life without the formal structure of grief counseling or therapy.
Book Society's Leading Ladies Book Club discusses Arundhati Roy's debut memoir *Mother Mary Comes to Me*, a candid and sweeping account of Roy's relationship with her single-mother activist Mary Roy, who founded a school in Kerala and advocated for women's property rights. Roy explores grief, ambivalence, and love across her own life from Kerala childhood through her years in Delhi and her career as a novelist and essayist.
A book club for readers interested in yoga philosophy and ethics, held at Book Society. The group gathers to discuss texts that deepen understanding of yoga's philosophical foundations and ethical teachings, integrating meditation and journaling for reflection. This month focuses on the origins and sources of yoga's ethical teachings. Open to teachers, students, and anyone curious about the practice.
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