Menu
Log in

Upcoming events

    • June 21, 2025
    • 10:30 AM
    • 1980 North Loop Rd., Alameda
    • 19
    Register

    To register, we prefer you pay online via the black "REGISTER" button on the left. For other options, contact O'Neil Dillon at oneilsdillon@gmail.com or 510-207-8761

    We will be given a tour of the Semifreddi's industrial bakery in Alameda which runs 24/7, as well as a take home gift of various loaves of freshly baked bread worth $25. 

    It all started on Oct 15, 1984 in a tiny 450 square-foot shop in Kensington/Berkeley CA, and on that day and every day since it’s been about family.  Tom Franier, his sister Barbara Rose and her husband Mike took a chance on a dream and brought Semifreddi’s to the world.
     
    Long story short, it worked.   

    Obsessed with quality, obsessed with giving back to the community and obsessed with taking care of their employees like family, Semifreddi’s grew over the next 40 years by sweating the small stuff and making it happen every single day 363 days a year.

    Where:  Semifreddi's bakery

    Website Semifreddis.com

    1980 North Loop Rd., Alameda, CA, 94502

    Time:  10:30 AM

    Cost: $25 (all for scholarships)

    PBKNCA rep:  O'Neil Dillon

    Group size:  20

    If on the day of the event you find you can't make it, call O'Neil Dillon at 510-207-8761Simply not paying or not replying prevents us from allowing someone else to attend. No-shows do NOT receive a refund!

    If you register, then later decide not to attend this event, there may be others on the waiting list who will be able to take your place, so please cancel (click HERE, or on "Already registered" if you are on the event page) or by contacting  O'Neil Dillon at oneilsdillon@gmail.com or 510-207-8761

    If you are on the waitlist and wish to be removed without being registered, please contact  O'Neil Dillon at oneilsdillon@gmail.com or 510-207-8761

    • August 09, 2025
    • 11:00 AM
    • 1518-1/2 Walnut St. (Cottage at end of brick driveway), Berkeley, CA, 94709
    • 10
    Register

    To register, we prefer you pay online via the black "REGISTER" button on the left. For other options, contact O'Neil Dillon at oneilsdillon@gmail.com or 510-207-8761

    The Aftel Archive of Curious Scents is not just the first museum in the U.S. dedicated to perfume, but more beguilingly, the first one dedicated to the experience of fragrance. This tiny museum manages to contain the olfactory history of the world: hundreds of natural essences, raw ingredients and antique tinctures (some of which are hundred of years old)  gathered from every corner of the globe.  
               
    Tour the museum (masks required), then go to the garden to sample many different fragrances.  You can choose four fragrances, a sample of which you can take home.

    Please be aware - there are two separate sessions, one at 11 AM, the other at noon. Each is a one hour tour, and each will be limited to 10 people.

    On this page you are signing up for the 11 AM session

    Cost:   $35 ($7 for scholarships)

                $20 ($2 for scholarships) 17 or under.

    PBKNCA rep:  O'Neil Dillon

    Website:  Aftel Archive of Curious Scents

    Here is is an interesting page about Mandy Aftel, who says"I started making natural perfumes almost 30 years ago. I create each of my perfumes from the comprehensive collection of strikingly beautiful natural essences that I have assembled over the years from hidden corners of the world" and "As the founder of Aftelier Perfumes, I have been hailed as one of the fragrance industry’s “most prolific talents” by Vogue and an “angel of alchemy” by Vanity Fair..." And much, much more...

    The Gourmet Ghetto is one block away and offers many lunch options.

    If on the day of the event you find you can't make it, call O'Neil Dillon at 510-207-8761Simply not paying or not replying prevents us from allowing someone else to attend. No-shows do NOT receive a refund!

    If you register, then later decide not to attend this event, there may be others on the waiting list who will be able to take your place, so please cancel (click HERE, or on "Already registered" if you are on the event page) or by contacting  O'Neil Dillon at oneilsdillon@gmail.com or 510-207-8761

    If you are on the waitlist and wish to be removed without being registered, please contact  O'Neil Dillon at oneilsdillon@gmail.com or 510-207-8761

    • August 09, 2025
    • 12:00 PM
    • 1518-1/2 Walnut St. (Cottage at end of brick driveway), Berkeley, CA, 94709
    • 10
    Register

    To register, we prefer you pay online via the black "REGISTER" button on the left. For other options, contact O'Neil Dillon at oneilsdillon@gmail.com or 510-207-8761

    The Aftel Archive of Curious Scents is not just the first museum in the U.S. dedicated to perfume, but more beguilingly, the first one dedicated to the experience of fragrance. This tiny museum manages to contain the olfactory history of the world: hundreds of natural essences, raw ingredients and antique tinctures (some of which are hundred of years old)  gathered from every corner of the globe.  
               
    Tour the museum (masks required), then go to the garden to sample many different fragrances.  You can choose four fragrances, a sample of which you can take home.

    Please be aware - there are two separate sessions, one at 11 AM, the other at noon. Each is a one hour tour, and each will be limited to 10 people.

    On this page you are signing up for the 12 noon session

    Cost:   $35 ($7 for scholarships)

                $20 ($2 for scholarships) 17 or under.

    PBKNCA rep:  O'Neil Dillon

    Website:  Aftel Archive of Curious Scents

    Here is is an interesting page about Mandy Aftel, who says"I started making natural perfumes almost 30 years ago. I create each of my perfumes from the comprehensive collection of strikingly beautiful natural essences that I have assembled over the years from hidden corners of the world" and "As the founder of Aftelier Perfumes, I have been hailed as one of the fragrance industry’s “most prolific talents” by Vogue and an “angel of alchemy” by Vanity Fair..." And much, much more...

    The Gourmet Ghetto is one block away and offers many lunch options.

    If on the day of the event you find you can't make it, call O'Neil Dillon at 510-207-8761Simply not paying or not replying prevents us from allowing someone else to attend. No-shows do NOT receive a refund!

    If you register, then later decide not to attend this event, there may be others on the waiting list who will be able to take your place, so please cancel (click HERE, or on "Already registered" if you are on the event page) or by contacting  O'Neil Dillon at oneilsdillon@gmail.com or 510-207-8761

    If you are on the waitlist and wish to be removed without being registered, please contact  O'Neil Dillon at oneilsdillon@gmail.com or 510-207-8761

    • September 01, 2025
    • September 30, 2025
    • 30

    The event will probably be sometime in September. We will have more info soon!

    We will have a private, docent-led tour of the Presidio and Tunnel Tops.

    Lawmakers transformed the Presidio into a National Park in 1996, and since then it has become one of the greatest (and greenest) places to explore in all of San Francisco. Join us on a walk through San Francisco’s panoramic, luscious park, with wooded areas and scenic views as far as the eye can see including the newly-created Tunnel Tops.

    From Spain, to Mexico, to the United States — The Presidio has been home to more militaries than almost any other fortress in America. And for good reason: it’s a sprawling, fortified estate strategically located at the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula. During the Spanish-American War, it was where America’s troops were trained and shipped across the Pacific. A decade later, it would be an oasis for earthquake survivors, housing refugees and coordinating rescue efforts.

    When:  June 21st @ 10AM

    Where:  Meet at the Officer's Club, 50 Moraga Ave., at the Main Post.

    Parking:  Paid parking on the street.

    Cost:  PBKNCA Members $35 ($10 for scholarships); all others $45 ($20 for scholarships)

    Maximum group size: 30 (with two docents)

    PBKNCA representative:  O'Neil Dillon

    Links:

    presidio.gov

    parkconservancy.org/parks/presidio-tunnel-tops


    If on the day of the event you find you can't make it, call O'Neil Dillon at 510-207-8761Simply not paying or not replying prevents us from allowing someone else to attend. No-shows do NOT receive a refund!

    If you register, then later decide not to attend this event, there may be others on the waiting list who will be able to take your place, so please cancel (click HERE, or on "Already registered" if you are on the event page) or by contacting  O'Neil Dillon at oneilsdillon@gmail.com or 510-207-8761

    If you are on the waitlist and wish to be removed without being registered, please contact  O'Neil Dillon at oneilsdillon@gmail.com or 510-207-8761

    • February 13, 2026
    • 4:00 PM
    • February 16, 2026
    • 12:00 PM
    • Asilomar, 800 Asilomar Ave, Pacific Grove, CA
    Register


    To register, we prefer you pay online via the black "REGISTER" buttonBut you may mail the coupon and a check by snail mail.  After you register you will receive information about reserving room and meals with the PBK group. For registration or logistics matters, please contact Barry Haskell at bghaskell@comcast.netRegistration is $150 (member and guests rate), 180 Non-PBKNCA, which goes in part to scholarships.  (Remember, to be part of the PBKNCA package, do not reserve directly with the facility - wait for the information from Barry.) 

    A preview of 2026 Speakers will be posted as we progress. For more information, contact Deirdre Frontczak, (707) 546-4238, dfrontczak@scu.edu.

    We are delighted to invite you to share in a weekend of learning, dialogue, and fellowship at the Asilomar Conference Center on the spectacular Monterey Coast.

    But this is more than eight interesting speakers, it is an opportunity to renew old friendships, or make new friends at meals; walk on the beach or the trails. Explore the historic buildings of the Asilomar State Park. Visit the Butterfly Grove Inn to see the beautiful Monarch Butterflies, and much more. 

    “Education is the most powerful weapon we have to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

    Some of you may feel ready for new beginnings.  Some may be eager to expand your learning into unexplored ground.  Some of you may just be eager for a chance to hang with friends in a beautiful,  refreshing and historic coastal retreat.  And for some of you, all three apply.  Thankfully, we are looking forward to a new season for the PBKNCA Asilomar Conference in February!  It is again time to reserve your space for a weekend of learning, inspiration, fellowship and a breath of sanity, on the magnificent Monterey coast. Come, bring a friend, and find out for yourself. 

    If you have questions on this year’s program, please contact dfrontczak@scu.edu. For registration or logistics matters, please contact Barry Haskell at bghaskell@comcast.net. Registration is $150, which goes mainly to scholarships. Cost will be similar to last year, about $680 per person, double occupancy, and includes all nine meals and parking. All registered participants will receive forms to reserve their Asilomar accommodations, including meals; please check your email. (Remember, to be part of the PBKNCA package, do not reserve directly with the facility.)

    Please join us once again for the annual Asilomar Conference -- to learn, engage in discussions, and to listen to one another in new ways.


Past events

May 04, 2025 Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon, Novato
April 06, 2025 PBKNCA Young Connections: Volunteering at Hidden Villa
April 05, 2025 Native Plant Extravaganza And Picnic
March 04, 2025 PBKNCA Young Connections: Virtual Career Panel
March 01, 2025 California Impressionism and Beyond, Crocker Art Museum, Sac
February 14, 2025 38th Asilomar Conference - Feb 14-17 2025
January 18, 2025 The Ruth Bancroft Garden
December 08, 2024 PBKNCA Young Connections: Arastradero Creek Loop Hike
November 15, 2024 Mary Cassatt, An American In Paris - at the Legion of Honor
October 11, 2024 Museum Tour and Sake Tasting at Takara Sake USA, Inc.
October 11, 2024 20% Discount! Museum Tour and Sake Tasting at Takara Sake USA, Inc.
October 05, 2024 Network with PBK at Key Connections at Fieldwork Brewing, San Mateo, Oct. 5, 2-4 PM
October 05, 2024 Dogpatch Art Walk - The Minnesota St Project
September 28, 2024 Past, Present, and Future of Treasure Island
September 07, 2024 Young Professionals: Join us for a coffee/tea meet and greet
August 24, 2024 Honk! On the Road to a Car Museum
July 20, 2024 Ole! Time for Tapas Making Class with master chef Chris Kenber
May 25, 2024 Bringing Back Nature - the Skyline Gardens Project
April 28, 2024 It’s been a while. Have you missed it? Can’t wait for it to happen again? The Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon, April 28, 2024, 12 noon to 4 p.m.
February 16, 2024 37th Asilomar Conference - Feb 16-19, 2024
January 09, 2024 Saildrone Ocean Explorer tour (on land!)
November 18, 2023 John Muir House and Garden tour
October 28, 2023 Young Professionals: Join us for a day of food, drinks and community-building at SPARK Social SF, at our annual Young Professionals Key Connections Event
October 20, 2023 U.C. Berkeley’s splendid Blake Garden tour
September 20, 2023 Guide Dogs for the Blind
August 26, 2023 Far Leaves Tea class Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023
August 19, 2023 Far Leaves Tea class August 19, 2023
June 17, 2023 African American Museum and Library at Oakland
May 27, 2023 History Cruise on the USS Potomac
May 20, 2023 PBKNCA YP Lands End Hike
April 15, 2023 Mt. Burdell Nature Walk
March 19, 2023 PBKNCA YP Wine Tasting Event
March 18, 2023 Truhlsen-Marmor Museum of the Eye
February 17, 2023 36th Asilomar Conference - Feb 17-20, 2023
November 12, 2022 All You Ever Wanted To Know About Olive Oils
October 22, 2022 California State Railroad Museum - Private guided tour
October 16, 2022 PBKNCA YP Key Connections - 2022 - “Let’s Chat About Your Career Journey”
September 17, 2022 San Francisco Chinatown Family Associations, Tongs, and Gangs
August 27, 2022 Private Docent-Led Tour: The Marine Mammal (Rescue) Center
July 16, 2022 Everything You Wanted to Know About Bees
June 08, 2022 Wayne Thiebaud, Crocker Museum of Art, private guided tour
May 15, 2022 PBKNCA Book Club
April 09, 2022 Pt Reyes wildflower walk
March 17, 2022 Oakland Zoo walking tour CANCELLED
February 18, 2022 Asilomar 35. Feb 18-21 2022. Join us in 2023
January 15, 2022 Tour the historic Delta town of Locke and winery visit
November 17, 2021 The Arion Press (and M+H Typefoundry) in San Francisco
September 11, 2021 Good Grief, Charlie Brown
August 14, 2021 Museum of International Propaganda DATE CHANGED
July 10, 2021 The Young Professionals Hike and Lunch
May 02, 2021 Sunday, May 2, 2021: ΦBKNCA Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon, Bancroft Hotel, Berkeley, 12:00 Noon
October 21, 2020 Wednesday, October 21, 2020, 6PM PBKNCA Member's Stories #4 "HAPPY HOUR WITH PBK YOUNG PROFESSIONALS"
October 08, 2020 El Anatsui: The Reluctant Iconoclast
September 26, 2020 Saturday, September 26 ,2020 10-11AM PBKNCA Member's Stories #3 Mr. Vic Schacter will present “HOW NEGOTIATION, MEDIATION AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE REAL WORLD”

Quick links

Follow our activities

© Phi Beta Kappa Northern California Association

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software