FRIDAY, FEB. 15 

City Commons Club Noon Luncheon with The Hon. Julian Evans, British Consul General, SF, on “Afghanistan and Pakistan: For Better or Worse.” Luncheon at 11:45 a.m. for $14.50, speech at 12:30 p.m., at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant St. For information and reservations call 526-2925.  

“Overcoming Zionism” Joel Kovel, longtime activist, professor at Bard College, will read from and discuss his most recent and most controversial book, “Overcoming Zionism” at 7 p.m. BFUU Hall, 1924 Cedar St. at Bonita. Cosponsored by the Northern California Support Group of the International Solidarity Movement and the Social Justice Committee of the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian-Universalists. 

Berkeley Women in Black weekly vigil from noon to 1 p.m. at Bancroft and Telegraph. Our focus is human rights in Palestine. 548-6310. 

Circle Dancing, simple folk dancing with instruction at 7:30 p.m. at Finnish Brotherhood Hall, 1970 Chestnut St at University. Donation of $5 requested. 528-4253. www.circledancing.com 

SATURDAY, FEB. 16 

Mud, Slugs and Newts An exploration of the advantages of being slimy! Rain or shine from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

Walking Tour of Old Oakland in Celebration of Black History Month “New Era/New Politics” highlights African-American leaders who have made their mark on Oakland. Meet at 10 a.m. and the African American Museum and Library at 659 14th St. 238-3234. www.oaklandnet.com/walkingtours 

“African Americans: Champions of Democracy” with Cassie Lopez, community activist, on the role of African Americans today and through history, at 4 p.m. at Niebyl-Proctor Library, 6501 Telegraph, at 65th St., Oakland. Donations accepted. 251-1120. 

Planetarium Showings of “Follow the Drinking Gourd” from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Chabot Space and Science Center, 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. Cost is $9-$13. 336-7373.  

“Can a Confederation Help Solve the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?” with Dr. Jhalil Barhoum of Stanford Univ., Francesca Giovannini, former U.N. employee and current lecturer in International and Area Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies Group Major, U.C. Berkeley, Rabbi Michael Lerner of Tikkun Magazine and Mitchell Plitnick former Policy Director at Jewish Voice for Peace and others at 4 p.m. at Martin Luther King Student Union, 5th flr, UC Campus.  

“Planning Your Bay Area Edible Garden” at 10 a.m. at UC Botanical Garden. Cost is $20-$25. Registration required. 643-2755, ext. 03. http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu 

“California Chronicles of Medical Marijuana” The screening of a Claire Burch film at 5 p.m. at the Regent Press Gallery, 4770 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. Free. 849-0153. 

California Writers Club with Susan Bono, editor in chief of “Tiny Lights: A Journal of Personal Narrative” at 10 a.m. at Barnes and Noble, Jack London Square. 272-0120. 

“Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream” Videos from philosophers, scientists and community leaders, including Paul Hawken, Julia Butterfly Hill, Lynn Twist, Van Jones, Matthew Fox, Thomas Berry and more, from 1 to 6 p.m. at Hillside Community Church, 1422 Navellier St., El Cerrito. Sponsored by Pachamama Alliance. 665-6066. bohnert@sonic.net 

Akido for Peace: Training Across Borders Middle East peace fundraiser from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Aikido of Berkeley with instructor Hiroshi Ikeda, shihan. Suggested $75 donation; all proceeds go to Aiki Extensions’ Middle East Aikido Project. www.aikidoofberkeley.com  

Red Cross Blood Services Volunteer Orientation from 6 to 8 p.m. at 6230 Claremont Ave., Oakland. Registration required. 594-5165. 

“Meditation as Relationship, Relationship as Meditation” A workshop from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Urban Peace, 2584 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. Cost is $35-$50, no one turned away. Please bring a bag lunch. Reservations required. 866-732-2320, ext. 1. 

Preschool Storytime, for ages 3-5, at 11 a.m. at Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. 526-3720, ext. 17. 

Free Garden Tours at Regional Parks Botanic Garden Sat. and Sun. at 2 pm. Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Tilden Park. Call to confirm. 841-8732. www.nativeplants.org 

Around the World Tour of Plants at 1:30 p.m., Thurs., Sat. and Sun. at UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive. 643-2755. http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu 

The Berkeley Lawn Bowling Club provides free instruction every Wed. and Sat. at 10:30 a.m. at 2270 Acton St. 841-2174.  

Oakland Artisans Marketplace Sat. from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sun. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Jack London Square. 238-4948. 

SUNDAY, FEB. 17 

Winter Wildlife Hike Join us as we look for winter birds, slimy newts and slippery banana slugs along the muddy trails, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

Basics of Gardening Plan what to do in your garden for the rest of the year. We will cover the basics of what is appropriate for each season in Bay Area gardens. You will learn when to prune, look out for weeds, put down mulch, propagate, plant, and much more. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Botanic Garden, Tilden Park. Bring lunch. Cost is $40-$48. Registration required. 841-8732. www.nativeplants.org 

“The Afro-Caribbean and Black Native American Presence in California” with Lonny Shavelson at 2 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak, Oakland. Cost is $5-$8. 238-2002. 

East Bay Atheists Berkeley meets at 1:30 p.m. in the Berkeley Main Library, 3rd Floor Meeting Room, 2090 Kittredge St. Fred Glynn will discuss his book, “Authors of the Bible,” which describes the men and women who wrote the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. 222-7580. eastbayatheists.org 

“Women Philosophers by H. D. Moe” on Martha C. Nussbaum at 11 a.m. at the Humanist Fellowship Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Free. 451-5818. 

Gut Health is Great Health! From 3 to 4 p.m. at Elephant Pharmacy, 1607 Shattuck Ave. 549-9200.  

Kensington Farmers’ Market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 303 Arlington Ave. at Amherst, Kensington. 525-6155. 

Free Garden Tours at Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park Sat. and Sun. at 2 p.m. Call to confirm. 841-8732. www.nativeplants.org 

Lake Merritt Neighbors Organized for Peace Peace walk around the lake every Sun. Meet at 3 p.m. at the colonnade at the NE end of the lake. 763-8712. lmno4p.org 

Berkeley Chess Club meets every Sun. at 7 p.m. at the Hillside School, 1581 Le Roy Ave. 843-0150. 

Tibetan Buddhism with Santosh Philip on “Increasing Awareness in the Dream State” at 6 p.m. at the Tibetan Nyingma Institute, 1815 Highland Pl. 809-1000 www.nyingmainstitute.com 

Sew Your Own Open Studio Come learn to use our industrial and domestic machines, or work on your own projects, from 5 to 9 p.m. at 84 Bolivar Dr., Aquatic Park. Cost is $3 per hour. 644-2577. www.watersideworkshops.org  

MONDAY, FEB. 18 

Golden Gate Audubon Society Bike Trip “Eastshore State Park and Aquatic Park” Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the southernmost pond of Aquatic Park, Bay and Potter Sts. Bring lunch and bike helmet. 843-2222. 

“Tillie Olsen: A Heart in Action” A new film by Ann Hershey at 7:30 p.m. at the California Theater, on Kittredge btwn Shattuck and Fulton. Q&A follows. Tickets are $10. annhersh@aol.com 

Berkeley Green Mondays “US Coverage of the Muslim World: Ignorance, Malice or Greed?” with Lisette B. Poole, CSU, at 7:30 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Open ot all. www.berkeleygreens.org 

Berkeley CopWatch organizational meeting at 8 p.m. at 2022 Blake St. Join us to work on current issues around police misconduct. Volunteers needed. For information call 548-0425. 

Dragonboating Year round classes at the Berkeley Marina, Dock M. Meets Mon, Wed., Thurs. at 6 p.m. Sat. at 10:30 a.m. For details see www.dragonmax.org 

Free Boatbuilding Classes for Youth Mon.-Wed. from 3 to 7 p.m. at Berkeley Boathouse, 84 Bolivar Dr., Aquatic Park. Classes cover woodworking, boatbuilding, and boat repair. 644-2577. www.watersideworkshops.org 

TUESDAY, FEB. 19 

Tuesdays for the Birds Tranquil bird walks in local parklands, led by Bethany Facendini, from 7 to 9:30 a.m. Today we will visit Tilden Botanic GArden. Call for meeting place and if you need to borrow binoculars. 525-2233. 

“Hiking New Zealand” with Peter Potterfield at 7 p.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 527-4140. 

Berkeley Garden Club “Why Would You Want Bugs? Integrated Pest Management in the Home Garden” with Martha Berthelsen, Public Programs Manager, The Watershed Project, at 1:45 p.m. at Epworth United Methodist Church,1953 Hopkins St. Bring a plant to exchange. 845-4482. www.berkeleygardenclub.org  

BAY-Peace Youth Workshop: The Military: It’s Not Just a Game A free event for youth from 4 to 6 p.m. at Oakland Public Library, Cesar Chavez Branch, 3301 E. 12th St., Ste. 271, Oakland. 809-7416. www.baypeace.org 

“Sacred Music, Sacred Space, Sacred Arts” Tea and talk with Don Frew and Jack Lundin at 7:30 p.m. at Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, 2304 McKinley Ave. 848-3440. 

Board Game Days at the Albany Library. Play Monopoly, Blokus, Connect 4, checkers, chess and much more from 1 to 4 p.m., Tues.-Thurs. at the Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. For 4th through 8th graders. 526-3720, ext. 17. 

Berkeley PC Users Group meets at 7 p.m. at 1145 Walnut St., near Eunice. MelDancing@aol.com 

Business Training for Women Immigrants and Families offered by AnewAmerica. For information call 540-7786. www.anewamerica.org 

Tuesday Tilden Walkers Join a few slowpoke seniors at 9:30 a.m. in the parking lot near the Little Farm for an hour or two walk. 215-7672, 524-9992. 

End the Occupation Vigil every Tues. at noon at Oakland Federal Bldg., 1301 Clay St. www.epicalc.org 

Street Level Cycles Community Bike Program Come use our tools as well as receive help with performing repairs free of charge. Youth classes available. Tues., Thurs., and Sat. from 2 to 6 p.m. at at 84 Bolivar Dr., Aquatic Park. 644-2577. www.watersideworkshops.org 

Fresh Produce Stand at San Pablo Park from 3 to 6 p.m. in the Frances Albrier Community Center. Sponsored by the Ecology Center’s Farm Fresh Choice. 848-1704.  

Berkeley Camera Club meets at 7:30 p.m., at the Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda. Share your digital images, slides and prints and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 548-3991.  

St. John’s Prime Timers meets at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. We always welcome new members over 50. 845-6830. 

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 20 

“Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water” with Maude Barlow at 7:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way. Tickets are $10-$13, available from Cody’s or www.kpfa.org 

“Amongst White Clouds” A documentary on the Buddhist Hermit Masters of China’s Zhongnan Mountains at 7:30 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th S., Oakland, between Telegraph and Broadway, below Pill Hill. Suggested donation $5. www.HumanistHall.org  

Cycling Lecture with Jobst Brandt on “Cycling in the Alps” at 7 p.m. at Velo Sport Bicycles, 1615 University Ave., enter at 1989 California St. RSVP to 849-0437. 

Watch the Lunar Eclipse from 6 to 9 p.m. at Lawrence Hall of Science, Centennial Drive, below Grizzly Peak. Free. 642-5132. www.lawrencehallofscience.org 

Total Lunar Eclipse “Red Moon Rising” a guided hike of about 3 miles roundtrip, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Chabot Space and Science Center, 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. Cost is $8-$10, advance purchase recommended. 336-7373.  

Writer Coach Connection Volunteers needed to help Berkeley students improve their writing and critical thinking skills from noon to 3 p.m. To register call 524-2319. www.writercoachconnection.org  

Jericho Deliverance Fellowship Open House Wed.-Fri, at Fresh Manna Christian Center, 3201 Shattuck Ave. 459-5559.  

Walk Berkeley for Seniors meets every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at the Sea Breeze Market, just west of the I-80 overpass. Everyone is welcome, wear comfortable shoes and a warm hat. Heavy rain cancels. 548-9840. 

Berkeley Peace Walk and Vigil at 6 p.m. at the Berkeley BART Station, corner of Shattuck and Center. www.geocities.com/vigil4peace/vigil 

Teen Chess Club from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the North Branch Library, 1170 The Alameda at Hopkins. 981-6133. 

Morning Meditation Every Mon., Wed., and Fri. at 7:45 a.m. at Rudramandir, 830 Bancroft Way at 6th. 486-8700. 

After-School Program Homework help, drama and music for children ages 8 to 18, every Wed. from 4 to 7:15 p.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. Cost is $5 per week. 845-6830. 

Stitch ‘n Bitch at 6:30 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

THURSDAY, FEB. 21 

Tilden Tots Join a nature adventure program for 3 and 4 year olds, each accompanied by an adult (grandparents welcome)! We’ll learn about animal defenses, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. Cost is $6-$8. Registration required. 1-888-EBPARKS. 

“The California Serengeti: A Tour of the Bay Area, 15,000 BCE” with Breck Parkman, senior state archeologist, California State Parks at 12:30 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak, Oakland. Cost is $5-$8. 238-2002. 

Academy Awards Preview Night with Harry Chotiner at 7 p.m. at the College Preparatory School, 6100 Broadway, Oakland. Tickets are $12.50- $15, $5 for students. http://loiivetalk-chotiner.eventbrite.com 

“Rebuilding with Straw Bale in Earthquake Affected Pakistan” with Berkeley architect Martin Hammer who recently returned from Pakistan where he has been working to bring straw bale and other sustainable building practices to the mountainous region devastated by the 2005 earthquake, at 7 p.m. at the Ecology Center, 2530 San Pablo Ave., near Dwight Way. 548-2220, ext. 233. 

Berkeley School Volunteers Orientation from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at 1835 Allston Way. Come learn about volunteer opportunities. 644-8833. 

Berkeley Stop the War Coalition meets at 7 p.m. at 258 Dwinelle, UC Campus. All are welcome. 

“Remedies to Reduce Depression: The Role of Vitamins, Hormones, Toxicity, and Acupuncture” at 7 p.m. at Piedmont Adult School, Oakland. Cost is $25. Sponsored by Foundation for Wellness Professionals. to register call 849-1176. 

Holistic Menopause & Intimacy at 7 p.m. at Elephant Pharmacy, 1607 Shattuck Ave. 549-9200. 

Fitness Class for 55+ at 9:15 a.m. at Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut St. 848-0237. 

World of Plants Tours Thurs., Sat. and Sun. at 1:30 p.m. at the UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive. Cost is $5. 643-2755. http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu 

Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters Club meets at 6:45 p.m. at Spud’s Pizza, 3290 Adeline at Alcatraz. Free, all are welcome. namaste@avatar.freetoasthost.info  

CITY MEETINGS 

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board meets Mon., Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers. 981-7368.  

Council Agenda Committee meets Tues. Feb. 19, at 2:30 p.m., at 2180 Milvia St. 981-6900. 

Citizens Humane Commission meets Wed., Feb. 20, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-6601. 

Design Review Committee meets Thurs., Feb. 21, at 7:30 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7415.  

ONGOING 

E-Waste Recycling St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County accepts electronic waste including computers, dvd players, cell phones, fax machines and many other ewaste products for disposal free of charge at many of its locations throughout Alameda County. Free bulk pick-up available. 638-7600. www.svdp-alameda.org 

Help a Newt Cross the Road Every year newts migrate across Hillside Drive to reach their breeding pools in Castro Creek. Volunteers prevent many of these creatures from being crushed by cars. We need volunteers every evening during January and February in El Sobrante. The newts are most active on rainy nights. annabelle11_3@yahoo.com 

Free Tax Help If your 2007 household income was less than $42,000, you are eligible for free tax preparation from United Way's Earn it! Keep It! Save It! Sites are open now through April 15 in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. To find a site near you, call 800-358-8832. www.EarnItKeepItSaveIt.org 

Donate the Excess Fruit from Your Fruit Trees I’ll gladly pick and deliver your fruit to community programs that feed school kids, the elderly, and the hungry. The fruit trees should be located in Berkeley and organic (no pesticides). This is a free volunteer/ 

grassroots thing so join in!! To scehdule and appointment call or email 812-3369. northberkeleyharvest@gmail.com

I am known by family and friends for my love of cooking. So it didn’t come as a huge surprise that I received as a Christmas gift this year a new kitchen gadget. This one was a handheld blender—sort of a “blender on a stick”—with which you can puree your soup by simply immersing the business end of the device into the soup pot. No more need to transfer the soup back and forth to a countertop blender! 

My initial thought was hey, this is pretty cool … and I guess I’m going to have to start making a lot more soup! Or to imagine other uses for the device. According to the manual you can also—somehow—use it to make smoothies. 

The more I thought about my “blender-on-a-stick,” though, the more it seemed like a solution in search of a problem. Why? Well, to begin with, our 20-year old Osterizer blender has always worked just fine for pureeing soups, and it does many other things well too. Yes, you do have to transfer the soup to the blender, and then back to the pot. But I never realized I was being inconvenienced until presented with this new gadget. 

And thinking more deeply, it seemed to me that in “solving” a problem I didn’t know I had, my “blender-on-a-stick” actually created several new ones: 

• It has a built-in battery that requires it to live on a charger, which in turn wants to live on the counter. But with a mixer and toaster oven, we don’t need any more “counter clutter.”  

• Assuming it’s kept plugged in, the charger will be a constant power drain. Maybe it’s not a lot of juice, but as “always on” devices like these proliferate they are starting to add up to a significant amount of power consumption in the U.S. 

• The battery isn’t replaceable. Instead, the manual instructs me to mail the device to some far-off “service center” to replace it. Will it last two years? Five? My experience with other rechargeable built-in batteries tells me I probably shouldn’t count on more than two or three.  

• What’ll I do if my blender has a bigger problem, like a burned out motor or a mechanical problem? Again, experience has taught me that getting appliances like this fixed tends to be as or more costly than replacing them. Many such products are really designed to wear out or become obsolete quickly—so you’ll buy another one sooner.  

• Where will it go when it dies? I’ve been thinking a lot about this question since reading a sobering article about “e-waste” in January’s National Geographic. Assuming I don’t just send the gadget to the landfill but try to act responsibly and find an e-waste recycler, it still has a pretty good chance of winding up in China or Africa. There, people living in extreme poverty are exposed to deadly toxins trying to extract a few pounds of valuable stuff (copper, silver, etc.) from American e-waste. Reading this, I realized that maybe the best time to think about where our electronic devices will go when we are done with them is before we acquire them.  

Reflecting on where my blender will go when it dies also made me wonder where it was born. “Made in China,” it said on the box. No surprise—it seems practically everything electronic is made there nowadays! My memory drifted back to the summer of 2005, when my family and I went on a two-week tour of China that included the industrial heartland cities of Wuhan and Chong Quing. The pollution was just horrible—made me feel sick, both physically and at heart. The air was like L.A. on a really bad day and nasty looking junk floated down the rivers. To top off the experience, I picked up a stomach bug that took me three weeks to get over (it turns out even the bottled water is often impure). So I am sadly not very surprised whenever I read another report about environmental conditions in China or people there getting cancer in their 30s and 40s. Experiencing first hand the huge cities and factories where products like my blender come from has left an indelible impression whenever I see those three words, “Made in China.”  

And as I reflected on the seemingly simple questions “Where did this come from? and where will it go?” I realized that we live on an increasingly small planet where there really is no “away.”  

So I took my “blender-on-a-stick” back to Williams Sonoma. The store clerk cheerfully gave me full retail credit for it—a hundred bucks. After browsing a while, I decided to buy a rather humble and low-tech, but very good quality, stainless steel skillet. Here are some of the positive aspects of my “new” Christmas gift: 

• My new skillet was—amazingly—made in the U.S. It seems to me a good idea to buy U.S.-made goods whenever possible—both because I’ve been to China and seen a little bit of how things are made there and because I believe it’s important that we retain the ability to make real things in our country. After all, the oil we’re using to transport things all over the globe will eventually run out, and maybe sooner than we think. 

• My stainless steel skillet is durable. In fact it’s probably about as close to a “forever” kitchen utensil as you can get. Our “nonstick” skillet is on its last legs now and it’s our third one in ten years—another foresaken promise of technology? Meanwhile, the stainless steel Revere Ware saucepans we got as a wedding gift 20 years ago are just as good today—less some tarnish—as they were when we started using them.  

• My “new” Christmas gift is a really useful everyday product that will remind me regularly of the family member who “gave” it to me.  

• Finally, I feel I’m making a small gift of my own—to my children’s children, whose generation will surely thank ours for not leaving them more problems to deal with than we already have. 

It occurs to me maybe my assessment of the blender is overly harsh. Maybe I should just accept what is given to me and try to be grateful for its positive attributes. Maybe it was a sign I need to start making a lot more soup!  

But I can’t hide from what I know. And what I know is that there’s seemingly no limit to the creativity of companies out to make a buck. I know this because I work for one of them! I also know that our economic system produces amazing innovations and occasionally, some useful new products. And I know that with a little more awareness and education, and informed consumer choice, the companies that invent and market these “solutions” will be more careful not to create new problems. 

FRIDAY, FEB. 15 

CHILDREN 

Comedy Juggling with Owen Baker Flynn at 4 p.m. at the South Branch Library, 1901 Russell Street, near Ashby BART. Free. 981-6260. 

THEATER 

Actors Ensemble of Berkeley “Barefoot in the Park” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m. at Live Oak Theater, 1301 Shattuck Ave. at Berryman, through Feb. 16. Tickets are $10-$12. 649-5999. www.aeofberkeley.org 

Altarena Playhouse “Wait Until Dark” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m. at Altarena Playhouse, 1409 High St., Alameda, through Feb. 16. Tickets are $17-$20. 523-1553. www.altarena.org 

Aurora Theatre “Satellites” at 8 p.m. at 2081 Addison St. through March 2. Tickets are $40-$42. 843-4822. www.auroratheatre.org 

Berkeley Rep “”Wishful Drinking” with Carrie Fisher, at the Roda Theater, 2015 Addison St., through March 30. Tickets are $33-$69. 647-2949. 

Black Repertory Group Theatre “A Raisin In The Sun” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2:30 p.m. at 3201 Adeline St. Tickets are $5-$25. 652-2120.  

Contra Costa Civic Theatre “The Cocoanuts” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., some Sun. matinees at 2 p.m., at 951 Pomona Ave., at Moeser, El Cerrito, through March 2. Tickets are $15-$24. 524-9132. www.ccct.org 

foolsFURY Theater “Monster in the Dark” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m. and Sun. at 5 p.m., through Feb. 17, at the Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave. Tickets are $12-$30. 800-838-3006. www.brownpapertickets.com 

Impact Theatre “Jukebox Stories: The Case of the Creamy Foam” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m. at La Val’s Subterranean, 1834 Euclid Ave., through March 22. Tickets are $10-$15. 464-4468. http://impacttheatre.com 

Masquers Playhouse “Angel Street” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2:30 p.m. through Feb. 23 at 105 Park Place, Point Richmond. Tickets are $18. 232-4031. www.masquers.org 

FILM 

Jean-Pierre Léaud “Weekend” at 7 pm. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Stephen Gamboa, harpsichord, at noon at Hertz Hall, UC Campus. Free. 642-4864. http://music.berkeley.edu 

India Cooke-Bill Crossman Duo at 8 p.m. Berkeley Arts Festival, 2213 Shattuck Ave. Cost is $5-$10. www.berkeleyartsfestival.com 

Project Opera “Pagliacci” at 8 p.m. at the Hillside CLub, 2286 Cedar St. Tickets are $15-$20.  

Nina Ananiashvili and The State Ballet of Georgia at 8 p.m. at Zellerbach Hall, UC Campus. Tickets are $34-$90. 642-9988. www.calperformances.net 

History and Harmony Black History Concert Series with Kevin Monroe, Jono, Angelou Luster, Stabe Wilson and Roland Gresham at 7:30 p.m. at Allen Temple Baptist Church, 8501 Internationl Blvd., Oakland. Tickets are $5-$10. 544-8924. 

La Familia Son at 9 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $12. 849-2568.  

Muse Academy Students, from Tokyo, at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Free. 845-5373. www.jazzschool.com 

Carla Zilbersmith & her Trio at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $14. 841-JAZZ.  

Frankie Manning with Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers Lecture and films at 7:30 p.m., show at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $15. 525-5054. 

Jenny Kerr at 8 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Henry Clement & the Gumbo Band at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $17.50-$18.50. 548-1761.  

Anthony Blea Trio, Latin percussion, at 9 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

Sarah Williams, Ashling Cole, R&B, at 9 p.m. at Maxwell’s Lounge, 341 13th St., Oakland. Cost is $10-$15. 839-6169 

The Landing, Abel Mouton at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344.  

The Mother Hips, Lee Bob Watson at 9 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $15. 841-2082.  

Parasites Go, Skull Stomp, Rukkus at 7:30 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $6. 525-9926. 

Rainmaker at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

SATURDAY, FEB. 16 

CHILDREN  

Los Amiguitos de La Peña with Bonnie Lockhart and Fran Avni at 10:30 a.m. at La Peña. Cost is $5 for adults, $4 for children. 849-2568.  

Antoinette Portis introduces her new picture book “Not a Stick” and will demonstrate her illustrations at 4 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

“Buki the Clown” magic show Sat. and Sun. at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. at Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellvue Ave., Oakland.  

EXHIBITIONS 

Huey P. Newton Photography Exhibit Celebrating the achievements and influence of the founder of the co-founder of the Black Panther Party. Reception at 1 p.m. at the West Oakland Branch of the Oakland Public Libray, 1801 Adeline St. 238-7352.  

“Lines, Patterns and Textures” Group show in a variety of media. Artist reception at 6 p.m. at Expressions Gallery, 2035 Ashby Ave. 849-3111.  

“Pods” Paintings by Kim Thoman opens at 1 p.m. at Oakopolis, 447 25th St., Oakland, and runs through March 22. 663-6920. 

FILM 

The Medieval Remake “Faust” at 6:30 p.m. and “the Flowers of St. Francis” at 8:40 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Sarah O”Neal Rush, great grand-daughter and biographer of Booker T. Washington, will read at 2 p.m. at the African American Museum and Library, 659 14th St., Oakland. 637-0200. 

The Danzón Cuban Music lecture and demonstration with the John Santos Quintet at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Cost is $10. 845-5373.  

“Gumby” Comic Book Creators in a presentation of the green, pliable, good-natured cartoon character and toy figure that’s been around since the 1950s, from 1 to 6 p.m. at Dr Comics and Mr Games, 4014 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. 601-7800. 

Susan Bono, editor in chief of “Tiny Lights: A Journal of Personal Narrative” at 10 a.m. at Barnes and Noble, Jack London Square. 272-0120. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Theresa Wong, improvisations on cello, bicycle, piano and voice at 8 p.m. at Berkeley Arts Festival, 2213 Shattuck Ave. Cost is $5-$10. www.berkeleyartsfestival.com 

Project Opera “Pagliacci” at 8 p.m. at the Hillside CLub, 2286 Cedar St. Tickets are $15-$20.  

Hesperion XXI & La Capella Reial de Catalunya at 8 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Berkeley. Durant at Dana. Tickets are $52. 642-9988.  

Donna Lerew, solo violin, at 8 p.m. at Trinity Chapel, 2320 Dana St. Tickets are $8-$12. 549-3864. www.trinitychamberconcerts.com 

Nina Ananiashvili and The State Ballet of Georgia at 8 p.m. at Zellerbach Hall, UC Campus. Tickets are $34-$90. 642-9988.  

Ellen Robinson & her Trio at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $14. 841-JAZZ.  

De Rompe y Raja, Afro-Peruvian, at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $12-$15. 525-5054.  

The Courtney Janes, KC Turner at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

Eliza Gilkyson at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $20.50-$21.50. 548-1761.  

The Jazz Fourtet at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Charles Wheal and the Excellorators, blues, at 9 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

The Wayward Sway at 10 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790.  

The Mother Hips, Okie Rosette at 9 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $15. 841-2082.  

Lazima Modern Jazz Group with pianist Alex Specht, at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

Cedar Walton Sextet at 8 and 10 p.m., through Sun. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $16-$22. 238-9200.  

SUNDAY, FEB. 17 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Cultural Connections: The Art of Living Black” Conversations with the artists at 6:30 p.m., music at 5 p.m. at the Atrium, State of CA Office Bldg., 1515 Clay St., Oakland. 622-8190.  

“Photography of Aaron Cole” Reception at 5 p.m. at Schmidt’s Pub, 1492 Solano Ave.  

FILM 

African Film Festival “The Forgotten Man” at 5:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Lonny Shavelson on “Trading Traditions: California’s New Cultures” at 1 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak, Oakland. Cost is $5-$8. 238-2002. 

Parker Palmer on “The Courage to Teach” and “Leading From Within” at 7:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way. Cost is $5-$10. 559-9500. 

“Memory Deficiency in Recent Israeli Art” with Sarah Breitberg-Semel at 2 p.m. at Judah L. Magnes Museum, 2911 Russell St. Reservations recommended. 549-6950. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Nina Ananiashvili and The State Ballet of Georgia at 3 p.m. at Zellerbach Hall, UC Campus. Tickets are $34-$90. 642-9988.  

Live Oak Concert Different Strokes, inoovative jazz duo, at 7:30 p.m. at Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St. Tickets are $10-$12. 644-6893.  

Jacqui Naylor at 2 p.m. at Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave. Oakland. Tickets at the door $10-$15, includes reception. Children under 12 free. 228-3218. 

Tokyo String Quartet at 3 p.m. at Hertz Hall, UC Campus. Tickets are $46. 642-9988.  

Pappa Gianni and the North Beach Band at 2 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Annual Gospel Concert with Bobby Hall & Friends at 5 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 201 Martina Ave., Point Richmond. 236-0527.  

Hope Briggs and Friends “A Musical Valentine” at 3 p.m. at HErbst Theater, 401 Van Ness Ave., S.F. Tickets are $25-$50. 415-392-4400. 

La Gran Noche de la Canción Boricua with José Saavedra and Meli Rivera at 8 p.m. at La Peña. Cost is $8. 849-2568.  

Mads Tolling Trio at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $12. 841-JAZZ.  

Erik Yates & Friends, Americana, rock, at 8 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $12-$15. 525-5054. 

John Santos Quintet at 4:30 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Cost is $10. 845-5373.  

Glen Phillips at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $21.50-$22.50. 548-1761.  

MONDAY, FEB. 18 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Aurora Theatre “Sick” reading followed by discussion at 7:30 p.m. at 2081 Addison St. Free. 843-4822.  

Toby Barlow introduces his new novel “Sharp Teeth” at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books. 559-9500. 

Andrew Demcak and Kaya Oakes at 7:30 p.m. at Moe’s Books, 2476 Telegraph Ave. 849-2087. 

Poetry Express with Paradise at 7 p.m. at Priya Restaurant, 2072 San Pablo Ave. 644-3977. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Berkeley Arts Festival Jerry Kuderna Piano Concert from noon to 1 p.m. at 2213 Shattuck Ave. Free. www.berkeleyartsfestival.com 

Don Coffin and Paul Ellis at 7 p.m. at Le Bateau Ivre, 2629 Telegraph Ave. 849-1100. www.lebateauivre.net 

Trovatore, traditional Italian music, at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Martyn Joseph at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage Coffee House. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761 www.freightandsalvage.org 

Rhonda Benin at 8 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $10-$16. 238-9200.  

TUESDAY, FEB. 19 

CHILDREN 

Clown Unique Derique performs for ages 3 and up at 6:30 p.m. at Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave. 524-3043. 

EXHIBITIONS 

“@60.art.israel.world” A survey of recent work by over 20 contemporary Israeli artists opens at the Judah L. Magnes Museum, 2911 Russell St. 549-6950. 

FILM 

Experimental Documentaries “Paper Tiger Reds Paper Tiger Television” at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Freight and Salvage Open Mic at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $4.50-$5.50. 548-1761.  

Neeli Cherkovski, Kelly Lydick at 7:30 p.m. at Moe's Books, 2476 Telegraph Ave. 849-2087. 

David Roche, humorist, actor, and speaker, discusses “The Church of 80% Sincerity” at 1 p.m. at Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge. 981-6107.  

Kevin Danaher discusses “Building the Green Economy: Success Stories from the Grassroots” with co-authors Shannon Biggs and Jason Mark at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books. 559-9500. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Tom Rigney & Flambeau at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cajun dance lesson at 8 p.m. Cost is $9. 525-5054.  

Singers’ Open Mic with Ellen Hoffman at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $5. 841-JAZZ.  

Andrew Sammons at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Diablo Valley College Night Jazz Ensemble at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $8-$12. 238-9200.  

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 20 

FILM 

History of Cinema “Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans” at 3 p.m. and “The Terrence Davies Trilogy” at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Dagoberto Gilb reads from his new novel “The Flowers” at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

Maude Barlow on “Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water” at 7:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way. Tickets are $10-$13, available from Cody’s or www.kpfa.org 

Peace Symbol 50th Anniversary with Arnie Passman’s Peace Symbol history, Stoney Burke’s autobiography, folksingers Carol Denney, Hali Hammer, Brook Schoenfeld, Gary LaPow, at 7 p.m. at Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery, 2213 Shattuck Ave. Cost is $5. 845-5481. 

Cafe Poetry hosted by Paradise at 7:30 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. 849-2568.  

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Music for the Spirit Celebrating Black History Month with music by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Florence Price at 12:15 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Oakland, 2619 Broadway. 444-3555. 

Wednesday Noon Concert Brazilian Jazz at Hertz Hall, UC Campus. Free. 642-4864.  

Kaspar/Sherman Quartet at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island. Cost is $6. 841-JAZZ.  

Whiskey Brothers at 9 p.m. at Albatross, 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473.  

Ezra Gale Trio at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

The Duhks at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761.  

Martin Luther Experience at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $10-$16. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

THURSDAY, FEB. 21 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Casual Labor” Sculpture and photography by Alex Clausen, Zachery Royer Scholz and Kirk Stoller. Opening reception at 6 p.m. at Kala Art Institute, 1060 Heinz Ave. 549-2977. 

“Opening Doors” An exhibit celebrating the contributions of African American surgeons to medicine and medical education opens at the African American Museum and Library, 659 14th St., Oakland. 637-0200. 

FILM 

Terence Davies “Distant Voices, Still Lives” at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Poetry for the People with Tyehimba Jess, Def Poet Rafael Casal at 7:30 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $7-$15. 849-2568. 

Cultural Connections: The Art of Living Black Conversations with the artists at 5 p.m. at the Craft & Cultural Arts Gallery, State of CA Office Building, 1515 Clay St., Oakland. 622-8190. 

Anne Elizabeth Moore reads from “Unmarketable: Brandalism, Copyfighting, Mocketing, and the Erosion of Integrity” at 7 p.m. at Pegasus Books, 2349 Shattuck Ave. 913-2447. 

Greil Marcus Examines Nathan Zuckerman, the protagonist in Philip Roth’s novels, at 7:30 p.m. at JCC of the East Bay, 1414 Walnut St. Tickets are $10-$12. 848-0237. 

“Insurgent Citizenship: Disjunctions of Democracy and Modernity in Brazil” with author Ian Duncan, in coversation with Paul Rabinow and Peter Evans at 5:30 p.m. at University Press Books, 2430 Bancroft Way. 548-0585. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Berkeley Symphony, Hugh Wolff, conductor, at 8 p.m. at Zellerbach Hall, UC Campus. Tickets are $20-$60. 841-2800.  

Anthony Smith’s Trunk Fulla Funk at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $10. 525-5054.  

Gyan Riley at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761.  

Steve Carter Group with Kenneth Nash at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island. Cost is $12. 841-JAZZ.  

Tracy Sirota at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Ross Hammonds Teakayo Misson, Singularity, jazz, at 9 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $67 841-2082. 

Adrian Gormley Jazz Ensemble at 10 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790.  

Natasha Miller at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $12-$16. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

Savage Arts, a solo piece written and performed by Berkeley playwright Sharon Eberhardt, which concerns an actual murder and trial that focused on witchcraft and Native American beliefs in 1930 Buffalo, N.Y., will have its final performances 8 p.m. tonight (Friday) and tomorrow night (Saturday) at The Marsh in San Francisco’s Mission District. 

“Two Seneca women were accused of murdering a Frenchwoman whom they thought was a witch,” said Eberhardt. “The murdered woman’s husband was an artist from France who was painting dioramas in science museums on the East Coast. I felt foreign to the main characters and was concerned about how images, particularly of Native Americans, get manipulated, so I play a blue-collar neighbor, keeping her point of view, going back over the story, the information as she learns it. And things become more and more convoluted the more she finds out. It becomes a transforming experience for her; her impressions and prejudices change. I also become the other characters as it goes along.” 

The trial was recorded in the local papers every day, earning a story in Time magazine. The Bureau of Indian Affairs even appealed to Herbert Hoover’s Vice President Charles Curtis (himself part Native American) to send U.S. district attorneys to investigate, but “the federal government backed off when the New York prosecutors objected.” 

It was a time when “the Native Americans in that part of the country had ongoing direct contact with Europeans since the late 1600s. The reservations were established right after the Civil War; they seemed pretty deracinated by the 20th century. I think it was something of a shock to discover that some were still practicing their religion by the time of the 1930s. There were about a thousand Seneca speakers. It seemed to be a dying culture.” 

Eberhardt was also concerned with the impression mainstream American society had—and has—of Native Americans.  

“We know how to drive a car, but maybe not how to hunt,” she said. “With industrialization, society started romanticizing, revaluing what were thought to be Native American secrets. The Boy Scouts learned Native American tracking; the Campfire Girls, weaving. There was a sense, too, of primitive sensuality, passions we can’t feel every day—and that we can tap into those primitive passions. In the play, it comes up how we use these ideas, and plays with all this—the narrator, following the trial, is amazed by the passions.” 

Eberhardt—whose one-acts have won awards and whose full-length Becca and Heidi, a female twist on the Jekyll-Hyde story was produced by The Shee Theatre Co. in San Francisco a few years back, commented on performing her own work.  

“Stephanie Weissman, The Marsh’s founder, knew of my plays and that they’d gotten good reviews, and got me involved,” she said. “People responded to the characters in the workshops I went to. I worked in a class with David Ford. I used to be amazed at what actors did with the things I wrote. Now I realize I unconsciously knew more when I wrote my plays; I have to act them to know what they’re about.” 

There are plans for the future for Savage Arts.  

“We’ve approached a small theater in Santa Rosa about putting it on,” said Eberhardt, “and in the fall, I’m working to take it to Buffalo, have a workshop in a school there—and connect with the Seneca community. I look forward to developing the characters. maybe write some new scenes.” 

Eberhardt, who’s from Buffalo, has an M.F.A. in playwriting from Columbia. Her husband, Perrin Meyer, introduced her to his friend, Malcolm Margolin, author of The Ohlone Way.  

“Buffalo was a declining industrial area when I grew up there,” she said. “Then I lived in New York for years. It took awhile when I came here to appreciate living in beauty. But I’d never move to Florida! In the Bay Area, it’s not just beauty, but how we’re encouraged to go beyond tribalism, group prejudices ... There’s more of that on the East Coast. It’s something in the play—I’m encouraged that we’ve gotten a little bit better in some areas. I hope we can move on.” 

SAVAGE ARTS 

Through Feb. 16 at The Marsh,  

1062 Valencia St., San Francisco. 

(415) 826-5750.

Celebrated soprano Hope Briggs will return to the Bay Area for an intimate musical afternoon following rave reviews for starring roles in opera houses and recital halls throughout the U.S. and Europe. “A Musical Valentine” takes place on Sunday, Feb. 17, at 3 p.m. at San Francisco’s Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave. Tickets are $50, $40 and $25. Call City Box Office at (415)392-4400 or visit www.cityboxoffice.com. 

For this special benefit performance, Briggs will be joined by Holly Stell, a 15-year-old Bay Area resident, for the “flower duet” from De-libes’ Lakme. 

Dawn Harms, well-known local violinist, will also make a guest ap-pearance.  

Then Jamie Davis, acclaimed baritone jazz vocalist, takes the stage with his quartet, and Hope sits in for some classic jazz including the duet “My Romance.”  

The afternoon also features spirituals by vocalists from UC Berkeley’s Young Musicians Program for talented, low-income youth, and Ms. Briggs will also sing select spirituals. The concert is dedicated to the memory of two gifted African American classical artists, contralto Marian Anderson, the first black soloist to sing at the Metropolitan Opera, and Maestro Calvin Simmons, the first African American to conduct a major U.S. orchestra. Proceeds from the performance benefit two local non-profit organizations, Kids First in San Francisco and the education programs of the Oakland East Bay Symphony. 

Briggs grew up in South San Francisco as part of a musical family and has sung lead roles with the San Francisco Opera, Houston Opera and Opera Frankfurt among others. She is also one of 18 African American classical artists selected to be a Marian Anderson Historical Society Scholar.