​With a medium as intense as VR, there's so many questions to ask. Who's telling the story, why, how? How do we watch it and feel connected to our bodies and each other? What do we want to learn more about?

​Join us during the Friday Happy Hour at The Ruby for a thoughtful dip into a VR film directed by Iranian artist, animator, storyteller Négar Motevalymeidanshah, creator of the 7 minute short animation called Less Than 5 Grams of Saffron that premiered in Venice 2025.

​Words from Négar:

​"Less than 5 Gr of Saffron tackles a subject we think we’ve already seen too much of: the often tragic circumstances under which many migrants flee their home countries in search of a better future. A hundred times, stories of shipwrecks and the numbers of those drowned have filled our screens, anonymous people who disappear from our memories with a snap of the fingers. The project evokes our capacity to identify profoundly with a survivor by placing her in a universally familiar-preparing a meal. In today’s extremely violent context, this empathetic experience helps to rekindle within us a common humanity, whether we have experienced such trauma firsthand or not."

​Made in Quill, music by Kian Portorab, Laurent Vang, lead developers Amaury Campion, Michaël Bolufer, produced by Ten2Ten Films (Gwenaëlle Clauwaert) with Atlas V, and iNK Stories. Shown on Meta Quest Pros.

​https://atlasv.io/project/less-than-5gr-of-saffron/

​About the artist:

​Born in 1986, Negar is an Iranian filmmaker, animator, and conceptual artist. She began her artistic journey studying graphic arts at Azad University in Tehran, before pursuing a Master’s degree in the Erasmus Mundus program « Reanima ».

​In 2021, she left Iran for Belgium, where resuming her studies profoundly transformed her artistic path. Her work explores societal issues and cultural complexities, deeply marked by her separation from her country.

​As a freelancer, she now works on animated films, video games, storyboards, music videos, and more, embracing both traditional and digital forms. Today, she is creating her first virtual reality animation, using the unique Quill software.

​About the organiser:

​Danielle Giroux: "For some VR is about escapism, others is about embodiment. For this inaugural screening of a VR film at The Ruby we will share together a work from this world of VR Storytelling that speaks volumes about the WHY VR question. For some in SF, VR might be dead, but for others in different parts of the world, there's interesting sparks of light. This is a tool with potential.. as dystopian as utopian. The WHY VR and HOW VR questions are part of the immersive story club research, currently being incubated at Gray Area. "

​https://immersivestoryclub.com/

​For July 17th's Happy Hour we have a special treat. Running alongside our usual Happy Hour (5:30 pm - 7:00 pm). Professional photographer, Sarah Joyce, will be joining us to take free headshots from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm! Sarah and refreshments are provided through our generous friends at WikiPortraits! WikiPortrait's mission is to extend Wikipedia's mission of compiling freely accessible information and resources for the public for education and public good. Our very own Jennifer 8. Lee will also be on hand to share about the project and to sign anyone who'd like to join as a Wiki editor and support the mission of Women in Red, a global movement to increase the number of biographies of non-men, currently 80% of all biographies.

​If Women in Red sounds familiar, we held salons last year with our good friend, and also fellow Ruby, Rosie Stephenson-Goodknight!

​About Sarah Joyce

​Sarah Joyce is a Chicago-based photographer specializing in commercial and editorial portraits and events. She's had photos published in places like the Chicago Reader, The Advocate, and Vogue and works with cultural institutions like the Poetry Foundation, IL Humanities, and EXPO Chicago. She's been working with WikiPortraits for the last year and has made portraits at the National Association of Hispanic Journalists convention and Sundance Film Festival with them. She just hit her 10 year anniversary of being a full-time photographer and lives in a house with at least 5 cats.

​Some of her work can be found on instagram and at her website.

​---

​Very grateful to Jennifer, Sarah, and WikiPortraits for supporting Rubies in their professional work and including us in such valuable initiatives to bring more women-identified, nonbinary, and transfemme stories to the largest free repository of public knowledge.

​To complement our Ruby Write-In sessions, we're hosting once-a-month craft talks with Ruby authors!

​This month, please join Ruby Robin Yang to dive into the craft of screenwriting and do a comparison/contrast between the opening pages of Sally Rooney's Normal People, the pilot screenplay of the TV adaptation, and then work on a short generative exercise to get our brains thinking in script format.

​This is an intimate group of Ruby members.

Come join the virtual Ruby Write-In! A warm and welcoming community to support each other on our projects.

​All Rubies are welcome, whether you are journaling, just beginning to explore your writing, working on a poetry collection or zine, or grinding on the umpteenth revision of your manuscript – no matter where you are in your practice, you’ll find a friendly community here.

​Our 2026 biweekly Write-In sessions will open with a brief share-out of our individual goals, and a short guided meditation. We'll spend the majority of time in quiet writing, and then check in during the final five minutes to reflect.

​This is a relaxed monthly session for anyone who enjoys or wants to start zine-making or journaling, or other forms of diaristic expression! We’ll open up the session with introductions, a conversation about our artistic practices and goals, and an optional creative prompt to get us started. The rest of the time will be spent writing, drawing, planning,  reflecting, and/or creating. The Ruby will provide paper, magazines, art supplies, and some zines and journal spreads for inspiration. We welcome you to bring your own journals, materials, and tools of choice! 

This is an intimate gathering for Ruby members.

Come join the virtual Ruby Write-In! A warm and welcoming community to support each other on our projects.

​All Rubies are welcome, whether you are journaling, just beginning to explore your writing, working on a poetry collection or zine, or grinding on the umpteenth revision of your manuscript – no matter where you are in your practice, you’ll find a friendly community here.

​Our 2026 biweekly Write-In sessions will open with a brief share-out of our individual goals, and a short guided meditation. We'll spend the majority of time in quiet writing, and then check in during the final five minutes to reflect.

Join us for fika, the Swedish coffee and cake break. (From Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break: "Functioning as both a verb and a noun, the concept of fika is simple. It is the moment that you take a break, often with a cup of coffee, but alternatively with tea, and find a baked good to pair with it. You can do it alone, you can do it with friends. You can do it at home, in a park or at work. But the essential thing is that you do it, that you make time to take a break: that’s what fika is all about.")

Join us at 3 p.m. for a sweet break. There will be baked goodies, and we'll make small batches of tea and coffee to enjoy on the big deck. For bakers, please prepare something for gf and vegan members to enjoy!

​This is a relaxed monthly session for anyone who enjoys or wants to start zine-making or journaling, or other forms of diaristic expression! We’ll open up the session with introductions, a conversation about our artistic practices and goals, and an optional creative prompt to get us started. The rest of the time will be spent writing, drawing, planning,  reflecting, and/or creating. The Ruby will provide paper, magazines, art supplies, and some zines and journal spreads for inspiration. We welcome you to bring your own journals, materials, and tools of choice! 

This is an intimate gathering for Ruby members.

Come join the virtual Ruby Write-In! A warm and welcoming community to support each other on our projects.

​All Rubies are welcome, whether you are journaling, just beginning to explore your writing, working on a poetry collection or zine, or grinding on the umpteenth revision of your manuscript – no matter where you are in your practice, you’ll find a friendly community here.

​Our 2026 biweekly Write-In sessions will open with a brief share-out of our individual goals, and a short guided meditation. We'll spend the majority of time in quiet writing, and then check in during the final five minutes to reflect.

Join us for fika, the Swedish coffee and cake break. (From Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break: "Functioning as both a verb and a noun, the concept of fika is simple. It is the moment that you take a break, often with a cup of coffee, but alternatively with tea, and find a baked good to pair with it. You can do it alone, you can do it with friends. You can do it at home, in a park or at work. But the essential thing is that you do it, that you make time to take a break: that’s what fika is all about.")

Join us at 3 p.m. for a sweet break. There will be baked goodies, and we'll make small batches of tea and coffee to enjoy on the big deck. For bakers, please prepare something for gf and vegan members to enjoy!

​Join us for a sneak preview of ENTANGLED MINDS at the June 5th Happy Hour! Boston-based filmmaker Julie Mallozzi will be here to chat about her new film and answer any questions you have about building a career as an independent filmmaker. In a career spanning three decades, Julie's documentaries CIRCLE UP, INDELIBLE LALITA, MONKEY DANCE, and ONCE REMOVED have screened widely through festivals and public television. She is a lecturer at Harvard, where she also serves as the administrative director of the Film Study Center.

​We will be holding an intimate gathering in our screening room on the gallery floor. The screening will be limited to 20 attendees. Please RSVP soon to reserve your space. Friends of Ruby members are welcome to join.

• ​5:30 pm: Happy Hour & Mingling

• ​6:00 pm: Screening begins

• ​7:20 pm: Q&A with the filmmaker

​There will be refreshments and libations to share!

​About the film: ENTANGLED MINDS

​Confronted with the limitations of Western medicine, four people seek relief from physical and mental pain through treatments that induce altered states of consciousness. Grounded in deep meditation, their interconnected experiences with hypnosis, flotation therapy, music-induced trance, and sacred plant medicine bring the viewer on a transformative journey of healing from within.  (Dir. Julie Mallozzi, 78 minutes, 2026)

​About the Filmmaker:

​Julie Mallozzi is a documentary filmmaker whose work explores the power of traditional cultural practices to address contemporary crises. Her films CIRCLE UP, INDELIBLE LALITA, MONKEY DANCE, and ONCE REMOVED have screened widely through festivals, public television, and community settings. Julie grew up with a Chinese-American mother and an Italian-American father, and has lived and worked on four continents. A member of the filmmaker cooperative New Day Films, she is passionate about leveraging the power of the cinematic experience to create positive social impact. Julie received her MFA from San Francisco Art Institute and her BA from Harvard University, where she is administrative director of the Film Study Center and lecturer in Art, Film, and Visual Studies.

Come join the virtual Ruby Write-In! A warm and welcoming community to support each other on our projects.

​All Rubies are welcome, whether you are journaling, just beginning to explore your writing, working on a poetry collection or zine, or grinding on the umpteenth revision of your manuscript – no matter where you are in your practice, you’ll find a friendly community here.

​Our 2026 biweekly Write-In sessions will open with a brief share-out of our individual goals, and a short guided meditation. We'll spend the majority of time in quiet writing, and then check in during the final five minutes to reflect.

From Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break: "Functioning as both a verb and a noun, the concept of fika is simple. It is the moment that you take a break, often with a cup of coffee, but alternatively with tea, and find a baked good to pair with it. You can do it alone, you can do it with friends. You can do it at home, in a park or at work. But the essential thing is that you do it, that you make time to take a break: that’s what fika is all about."

Come join the virtual Ruby Write-In! A warm and welcoming community to support each other on our projects.

​All Rubies are welcome, whether you are journaling, just beginning to explore your writing, working on a poetry collection or zine, or grinding on the umpteenth revision of your manuscript – no matter where you are in your practice, you’ll find a friendly community here.

​Our 2026 biweekly Write-In sessions will open with a brief share-out of our individual goals, and a short guided meditation. We'll spend the majority of time in quiet writing, and then check in during the final five minutes to reflect.

​As everything speeds up and roars through 2026, it can be more challenging than usual to find moments of quiet and stillness. As a much needed antidote to busyness, Ruby Katie Gaddini offers 1-hour yoga classes monthly at The Ruby on Wednesdays at 12pm.

Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or a brand new beginner, these classes will offer a space to combine breath, movement, stillness, and surrender. All levels are truly welcome! The classes will be an accessible, heartful flow with some music and some silence. There will be plenty of room to dial it up or dial it down, depending on what you need from the class.

​
PLEASE NOTE: The classes are donation-based and all money will be donated to Latino Task Force, a local non-profit, and friend of the Ruby, which just lost $2.8 million in funding from the SF city budget. 

Class will be held in the garden room, adjacent to our deck, unless the weather is nice and we decide to practice outdoors. This is an intimate gathering for Ruby members.

Come join the virtual Ruby Write-In! A warm and welcoming community to support each other on our projects.

​All Rubies are welcome, whether you are journaling, just beginning to explore your writing, working on a poetry collection or zine, or grinding on the umpteenth revision of your manuscript – no matter where you are in your practice, you’ll find a friendly community here.

​Our 2026 biweekly Write-In sessions will open with a brief share-out of our individual goals, and a short guided meditation. We'll spend the majority of time in quiet writing, and then check in during the final five minutes to reflect.

Our full moon meditations are facilitated by Gladys Lu and Catherine Girardeau. We begin at The Ruby for meditation and then continue onwards for a moon-filled walk.

​Full Moon Meditation Gathering

​​The full moon marks a powerful point of reflection, release, and renewal. It is an auspicious time to pause, reset, and realign.

​​We invite you to gather in silence and intention as we meditate together — calling in clarity, compassion, and strength for ourselves and those near and dear to us.

​We'll quiet-walk under the Moon, with our intentions in mind, continuing the meditation. When we get to the park, we can share or talk about how our intentions may have clarified or changed as we held them lightly in mind and heart as we walked. 

​Weather permitting, we'll toast the moon with a warm libation!

​This is a casual swap after lunch in solidarity with the No Shopping call to action for May Day. Rubies are welcome to bring clean and undamaged clothing, books, and household items to swap! We'll hold this swap on the gallery floor! Happy hunting and sharing!