photography by Stefanie Michejda

1. Shuck and Swallow
O’Reilly’s Irish Pub and Restaurant is once again hosting the ninth annual San Francisco Oyster Fest. Hang out with local brogue-sters in the Great Meadow at Fort Mason, throw back a Guinness and maybe even participate in the shuck and swallow competition. Doors open at 11 and live music, featuring The Dropkick Murphys and Zooey Deschanel’s band, She and Him, starts at noon. Ticket prices range from $20 to $80 at snagtickets.com (children under 14 get in free).



2. Full moon rising
As it turns out, the moon is made of cheese. Celebrate the first full moon of May, traditionally called "milk moon," with a dinner brought to you by Boulettes Larder and Cowgirl Creamery. Lovers of all things fromage will be thrilled when cheese is woven into every course of the menu and paired with the appropriate wine. The event, to be held at Boulettes Larder on Thursday, May 15, is limited to 24 guests and the cost is $175 per person. Reservations are required; call 415-399-1155 or email joslyn@bouletteslarder.com to book your spot.

3. Uncork it
On May 17, check out Ghirardelli Square's UNCORKED! Wine Festival. From 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., enjoy wine tastings and seminars, chef demonstrations and great food provided by restaurants from throughout the Bay Area. The event is free, but tickets for wine tastings are $40 in advance or $45 at the event. All proceeds go to COPIA, the American Center for Wine, Food & Arts located in Napa. For more information, call 415-775-5500; tickets can be reserved here.

4. Meals on (bicycle) wheels
Join local green superhero Antonio Roman-Alcala and the San Francisco Bike Coalition for an on-bike preview of the documentary In Search of Good Food. Roman-Alcala makes sustainability fun as he takes you on an easygoing bike tour of key players in San Francisco's sustainable food efforts, with stops at Mission Pie, Veritable Vegetable and Alemany Farm. The ride is free, but donations to support Roman-Alcala's documentary-in-progress will be accepted. (Check the short out here.) Interested in going on the ride? Meet at the intersection on 16th and Mission streets on May 18 at 5 p.m.



5. And an aspirin chaser, please
If you're not already lying in bed with an ice pack and the lights dimmed, meet up with fellow libation lovers for the finale of San Francisco Cocktail Week.  From 6 to 9 p.m. on May 19, Absinthe Brasserie and Imbibe magazine invite you to sip classically prepared absinthe and signature cocktails designed by Absinthe GM Jeff Hollinger and guest bartenders. Tickets are $45 and benefit the San Francisco Bartender's Guild. To RSVP, contact Absinthe’s private dining manager, Vanessa Harris, at 415-551-1453, or email her at vharris@absinthe.com.

6. In the raw
We suspect the cheese makers and cheese mongers speaking at the Commonwealth Club's “Cheese in the Raw: Evaluating Risks and Rewards” panel have already made up their minds on this issue. But if you have any questions or are curious about the debate on raw vs. pasteurized milk, consider attending this event, which will be held at the Ferry Building in the Port Commission Hearing Room. Andante Dairy cheese maker Soyoung Scanlan will be on hand, along with the buyers from Rainbow Grocery, 3D Cheese and Bar Bambino. Samples of artisanal cheese will be served. The event will be held May 19 at 5:45 p.m.; tickets are $7 for Commonwealth Club members or $15 for nonmembers and can be purchased here. tickets.commonwealthclub.org



7. On the wild side
Big 4 Restaurant invites you to take a walk on the wild side with its now semi-annual Wild Game Week. From antelope to yak, the adventurous menu designed by chef Gloria Ciccarone-Nehls promises to introduce you to meats rarely served on this side of the Neanderthal era. Go ahead: let your hunter-gatherer out.