Mark Your Calendar: July Events at the Curiosity Shoppe

Yet another reason to haul my butt across the Bay Bridge this weekend: The opening of The Ocean Reminds Me of Your Green Room, a new show by local painter Katie Vida at Valencia Street's Curiosity Shoppe. The reception runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, and the show will be up through August 5.

A quick look at some of Vida's previous work:

We Dance

Shannon Shaman

Horses Covered in Equations

Approaching Mountain

If Not, Winter

And on Saturday, July 19, from 2 to 6 p.m., Lea Redmond of Oakland's Leaf Cutter Designs will be in the Shoppe with her World's Smallest Postal Service.

For just $3 (three bucks!), Redmond will "transcribe a letter onto a teeny tiny piece of paper, put it in a teeny tiny envelope (packaged with a magnifying glass, of course), and send it to anyone you choose." I am totally going to stock up on our next round of tooth-fairy letters. (Shhh -- don't tell the kids!)

The Curiosity Shoppe is located at 855 Valencia Street in San Francisco. (Not in the area? Check out the store's online offerings.)