Council chambers are busy today: San Jose meets at 1:30 PM, Sunnyvale at 4:30, and Mountain View at 5, so if you have a civic itch this is the afternoon to scratch it. Beyond that, the day belongs to the make-something crowd, with libraries across the county running hands-on workshops for every age. Mostly sunny with a high of 85, so anything outdoors is safe to commit to.

Today's field guide

Paint, preserve, play ball

Start with plein-air painting at McClellan Ranch, fueled by New York-style bagels from Saratoga Bagels. The afternoon is for finally digitizing that shoebox of old family photos at the Mountain View library's free scanning service, with kebabs and dumplings at NAR nearby. Then the Giants close out their Visalia series at Excite Ballpark, and San Pedro Square Market handles dinner from $15 a person.

Tonight's pick

Natalie and James Thompson Gallery: Pictorial Arts Faculty Exhibition — Opening Reception

5:00 PM · ART 127: Thompson Gallery · San Jose · Free

Opening receptions beat regular gallery hours, and this one shows what SJSU's own pictorial arts faculty have been making. It's free to attend.

Also on the calendar

The libraries carry Tuesday, with hands-on picks for every age from a morning guitar jam in Saratoga to a drop-in AI lab downtown. Open the full calendar →

Civic meetings today

San Jose — City Council · 1:30 PM · Hybrid Meeting - Council Chambers

Mountain View — City Council · 5:00 PM · Council Chambers and Video Conference

Sunnyvale — City Council · 4:30 PM · Online and Council Chambers, City Hall

Los Altos — City Council Closed Session Meeting · 6:30 PM · Closed session, not open to the public

Asking around

New arrivals and new ventures lead the chatter, from a pro volleyball team claiming Tech CU Arena to a big-name restaurant group's next move at the Hotel De Anza.