Don't Have a TV? Here's Where You Can Watch The Oscars in the Bay Area

This piece is from 2015. Read the updated 2017 version so you don't end up showing up to a party that happened two whole years ago!

After what has seemed like a longer than usual awards season, the Oscars are upon us at last (Sunday, February 22, 2015 at 4pm). Even if you're not into this year's batch of movies, let's be real: you will be watching. So the question is where. Whether you're a TV orphan or just like company, you're in luck 'cause the Bay Area is serving up a bunch of Oscar parties where you can be star struck for 20 minutes and then complain about how boring everything is for the next 3 hours and 40 minutes.

If you like dressing up and being surrounded by books:

Head over to Novella, which is worth visiting just for the gorgeous display of books. The bar is encouraging people to dress up as their favorite movie or character. If you stop showering right now, you might be able to pull off Reese Witherspoon from Wild. Better yet, dress up as the hiking boot she accidentally dropped and lost forever. Just make sure to thank me for the idea when you win the costume contest.

If you hate commercials and Hollywood in general:

Head over to the Roxie for Up the Oscars Benefit Bash!, which is replacing the ads you would normally ignore in favor of dipping anything and everything in hummus with "recently unearthed shorts, twisted music videos, film clips and banned commercials." You're going to really appreciate those artistic respites, when you're entering the third hour of the telecast and the CEO of the Academy comes out to give a corporate speech.

If you love Neil Patrick Harris and mimosas:

Head over to SoMa StrEat Food Park for Funcheap’s 2015 Oscars Party, where you can walk the red carpet and meet a wax version of NPH, being unveiled for the first time by Madame Tussauds. $4 mimosas are pretty sweet, but free popcorn is sweeter. Make sure to RSVP.

If you like supporting small theaters:

Head over to the Balboa. People love complaining about small theaters going out of business more than they like going to them. Break the cycle!

If you're a really rich humanitarian:

Head over to the San Francisco Design Center Galleria for the Academy of Friends’ annual Academy Awards Night Gala. Tickets are a steep $250, but you can feel good about the money going towards Bay Area HIV/AIDS services.

If you live in the East Bay and want to stay in the hood:

Head over to the New Parkway for all-you-can-eat finger food. Or Hotel Shattuck Plaza for A Night in Berkeleywood, where Stephane Tonnelier, executive chef of FIVE restaurant, will be preparing your grub.

If you live in Napa or just happen to be wine drunk in the area:

Head over to Robert Mondavi Vineyards for the Napa Valley Academy Awards Telecast Viewing Party, where  over 25 (!) local restaurants will collaborate on the food with wine pairings right from the vineyard.

Know of a good Oscar party? Leave it in the comments!