archaeology Archives

The kids are tucked in, they’re snooozing away and you just can’t binge-watch another show. What now? Board games for adults and other grown-up party-type play provides plenty of late-night fun for you, your S.O. and your fave friends. If you’re looking for a few new board or card game ideas, check out these for adults only options!

What Do You Meme?

You already spend half your day creating cute memes. So why not take the internet fun into the real world with this hilarious card game ($29.99)? Pair photo and caption cards in the original version or add on one of the expansion packs for even more meme-ing fun.

The Game of Wolf

Choose your pack wisely! This trivia game ($24.99 on Amazon) combines individual trivia play with a collab effort. And bonus, this game is a quick play pick—in comparison to other board games. So if you don;t have all day to play, this trivia-packed option is an easy idea!

Llamas Unleashed

This card game will give you the giggles! Collect alpacas, goats, rams and, of course, llamas! With a play time of 30 to 45 minutes the ability for up to eight people to join in, this party pick ($20) is a completely cool card game for your next impromptu gathering.

Stan the Man Musial Baseball Game

Across the Board creates games that go way beyond your average cardboard foldout pop-up play. The Stan the Man Musial Baseball Game ($60) is one of the company's many sports-themed selections. Featuring the legendary St. Louis Cardinals player, this game is ideal for grown-ups who are major Major League fans.

St. Noire

Combine AI with board game magic in this ground-breaking murder mystery game. St. Noire is a first-controlled game for grown-ups—and it uses your Amazon Alexa-enabled device! The game is available from Amazon for $39.99. St. Noire is currently in pre-order until its release on Jul. 18, 2019.

Disturbed Friends

The name says it all. This board game (for adults only!) comes with the qualifier, "This game should be banned." If you dare, try your hand playing this pick with 250 disturbing questions and 100 offensive cartoon cards. And yes, this 'disturbing' game ($25) is only for adults with a seriously wicked sense of humor.

Oh Fruck!

When it comes to card games for adults, this is one that will make you laugh. Oh Fruck! ($19.99) takes the typical card shedding game (meaning you need to get rid of your cards to win) for a twist. This pick is perfect if you're looking for a game to play together with other adults or with your older teenage kiddos—recommended for players 12 and up

Imohotep: Builder of Egypt

Archaeology fans will get a kick out of this board game. Transport the building blocks of the pyramids to different construction sites, strategizing all the way! This game ($39.95) requires two to four players and is recommended for anyone over the age of 10.

Silicon Valley Start Ups

Do you dream about betting it all on a genius start up idea? In this card game, you can! This grown-up play-time option ($14.95) lets you pitch outrageous ideas and live out your start up fantasies. Of course, without the fear of losing your child's college fund.

Unstable Unicorns

Anything with the word unicorn in the title has to be fun. Right? This board game ($19.56 on Amazon), for ages 14 and up, was one of kickstarter's top 50 most backed projects. Assemble a unicorn army, build up your herd and play the evening away with your new friends (FYI, the unicorns are your friends now and not the humans).

Ridiculous Expositions

This grown-up game ($24.99) pairs seemingly innocent phrases with ones that are a bit more naughty. Pair up your party pals into two teams and start talking. The phonetic phrasing-turned saucy sayings will get more than a giggle out of your party guests.

Happy Little Accidents

Even though this playful pick ($19.99 on Amazon) is recommended for anyone ages 10 and up, your adult friends will get a kick out of the Bob Ross-inspired board game. Play the role of the iconic TV painter, creating your own mini masterpieces.

Doomlings

This quick-to-learn card game ($24.99) is ideal for players 10+ and can be played in 20-25 minutes! We aren't complaining about how cute the card characters are, either, as you play to make them more adaptable and resilient before the end of the world (no pressure!).

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Rawpixel via Pexels

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San Francisco just got an impressive new cultural center and social hub with The Presidio Officers’ Club. After an intensive three-year rehab, SF’s most historic building (don’t tell our friends at Mission Dolores we said that) is ready for its close-up. The massive, nearly 37,000-square-foot building holds lots of treats for families too. Here are some of the things you and your kiddo can look forward to.

Get to Know the Presidio
Make the Heritage Room your first stop. The dramatically-lit gallery space serves as a virtual Presidio for Dummies by detailing the former fortress’ role in American history with engaging displays that won’t leave your little one tugging at your sleeve. Start your visit with an orientation of the property that’s screened in the comfy micro-theatre.

If These Walls Could Talk
You can step back in time in the Mesa Room thanks to a literal display of history via the exposed layers of the Officers’ Club’s walls. Trace the historic structure’s progression from the actual adobe walls of the 1810s to the colorful Victorian clapboard of the 1880s to the popular Spanish stucco of the 1930s and end with the fabulously drab white walls of the 1970s.

Say adios to audio wands: visitors can also check-out a free, preloaded iPad and swipe their way through the Presidio’s history with interactive photos, videos, and StoryCorps conversations.

Al Fresco Dining and Craft Cocktails
The Officers’ Club is home to chef Traci des Jardin’s new restaurant Arguello. Named for the first Mexican Governor of Alta California—and former Presidio commander—the new spot will feature Mexican dishes served in a handsome dining room or on a blessedly heated outdoor patio.

You can also grab a craft cocktail and take it the adjacent Moraga Room, an atmospheric space that serves as the building’s de facto lobby with a fireplace and dramatic wrought iron chandeliers (hint: this is when that iPad may come in handy for certain, smaller members of the family that don’t get a cocktail so that those who do can relax). Arguello officially opens on October 8th for lunch and dinner.

Go See an New Goldsworthy
Does Andy Goldsworthy have a pied-à-terre in SF yet? The nature-based artist is a frequent visitor with numerous works in town including four in The Presidio. The Officers’ Club houses his latest, Earth Wall, which consists of a bundle of branches that he collected over the past year, then buried in an earthen wall and “excavated” a la Indiana Jones.

Digging the Past
Speaking of Indiana Jones, did you know that The Presidio is an active archaeological site? The Officers’ Club is also home to a snazzy archaeology lab that allows guests to witness how the Presidio’s artifacts are analyzed and processed. Just outside, there’s an ongoing excavation of the El Presidio de San Francisco ruins. From May through October, visitors can observe—and possibly participate in—excavations and chat with staff about their discoveries.

Field Trippin’
The Officers’ Club is set to become a new field trip fave thanks to hands-on and immersive activities for kids. Multidisciplinary programs allow students to explore local and national history as well as the park’s natural and cultural resources in an authentic historic setting. Programs are tied to curriculum standards and free for participating schools.

Special Events for Families
Starting October 11th, you can drop by on Saturday and Sunday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for crafts based on the Presidio’s natural and cultural heritage and geared for kids 5 through 12.

Also, every Saturday at 2 pm, the Officers’ Club will feature free theatre, music, and dance performances. On Saturday, November 1st, kids can gather around The Tree & The Donkey Who Wanted to Sing, a participatory music and dance program that tells the story of the diverse roots of Mexican people and the making of musical instruments from nature.

Take advantage of the free PresidiGo which picks up at the Transbay Terminal, Embarcadero BART, and the corner of Van Ness & Union.

50 Moraga Ave., Presidio Main Post
San Francisco, Ca
415-561-4400
Online: presidioofficersclub.com

Hours: Tues.-Sun., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Cost: free

Have you been to the Presidio Officers’ Club yet? What was your family’s favorite part?

—Garrick Rameriez

All photos by Henrik Kam and courtesy of the Presidio Officers’ Club

ML Interest Tag: archaeology

Grown-Up Games to Play After the Kids Are in Bed