THURSDAY, FEB. 19 

“Habitat Rehab: Restoring Bay Area Nature from the Mountains to your Downspout” An illustrated talk with East Bay naturalist Susan Schwartz highlighting the varied efforts that are underway to protect and revitalize our watersheds, at 7 p.m. at Redwood Gardens, 2951 Derby St. www.berkeleypaths.org 

“From Silent Spring to Silent Night: What Have We Learned?” with Tyrone B. Hayes on environmental health and the pesticide atrazine at 12:30 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak sts., Oakland. Cost is $5-$8. 238-2200. www.museumca.org 

“From Wasteland to Wetland: Two Urban Restoration Success Stories” with national Park Service staff at 6 p.m. at Point Richmond Community Center, 139 Washington Ave., Richmond. 665-3597. www.thewatershedproject.org 

“Race in the Age of Obama” with Tim Wise and Eva Paterson at 7 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Oakland, 2501 Harrison St., Oakland. Cost is $15-$20, $5 for age 17 and under. 601-0182. www.speakoutnow.org 

LiveTalk@CPS with Harry Chotiner “Academy Awards Preview Night” at 7 p.m. at College Prepatory School, Buttner Auditorium, 6100 Broadway. Tickets are $5-$15 at the door. www.college-prep.org/livetalk 

“Conservation Through Communication: Using Popular Media and Celebrity Power to Stop Illegal Wildlife Trade” with Peter Knights, co-director, Wild Aid, at 6:30 p.m. in the Marian Zimmer Auditorium, Oakland Zoo. Suggested donation $10-$20, $5 for high school students. amy@oaklandzoo.org 

Black History Month Extravaganza at 6 p.m. at Guice Christian Academy, 6925 International Boulevard. www.blackwallstreet.org 

Tilden Nature Area Docent Training from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fee. is $35. For an application or information call 544-3260. www.ebparks.org 

Baby & Toddler Storytime at 10:15 and 11:15 a.m. at Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave. 524-3043.  

Circle of Concern Vigil meets on West Lawn of UC campus across from Addison and Oxford, Thurs. at noon and Sun. at 1 p.m. to oppose UC weapons labs contracts. 848-8055. 

Three Beats for Nothing South Mostly ancient part music for fun and practice meets every Thurs. at 10 a.m. at the South Berkeley Senior Center, Ellis at Ashby. 655-8863. asiecker@sbcglobal 

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

Free Meditation Classes Tues. and Thurs. at 7 p.m. at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarians, 2nd flr., 1606 Bonita Ave. 931-7742. 

Wheelchair Yoga Thurs. at noon, Family Yoga on Sat. at 10:30 a.m. at Niroga Center for Healing, 1808 University Ave. between MLK Way and Grant St. All classes by donation. 704-1330. www.niroga.org 

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 

FRIDAY, FEB. 20 

City Commons Club Noon Luncheon with Robert Baer, retired CIA field officer on “The Nature of Iran’s Threat to our Security.” 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 524-7468. www.citycommonsclub.org 

“Art Science Fusion: IDENTITY Genotype-Phenotype” with Gabriele Seethaler, Viennese biochemist and photographer at 1:30 p.m. at Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St. Cost is $20. Part of the Last Friday Ladies Lunch series. RSVP to whoisylvia@aol.com 

Demonstrate for Peace! Bring your signs and determination. Tell Obama to bring our troops home NOW! from 2 to 4 p.m. at Acton and University Ave. 

“The Black Western Frontier” with Wilbert McAllister, President of the Black Cowboy’s Association at 2 p.m. at the West Oakland Senior Center, 1724 Adeline St., Oakland. 238-7016. 

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. 

Three Beats for Nothing Mostly ancient part music for fun and practice meets every Fri. at 10 a.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center, Hearst at MLK. 655-8863. asiecker@sbcglobal 

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

SATURDAY, FEB. 21 

Stop Pacific Steel Casting’s Toxic Emissions A community protest with a rally at 11 a.m. at 10th & Gilman. 996-7650. healthyaircoalition@hotmail.com 

Peace for Keeps Celebrate the 51st Anniversary of The Peace Symbol at 4 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way, with a video of last year’s Berkeley Peace Symbol Golden JubileeWavy Gravy, Michael Rossman,Carol Denney, Hali Hammer, Stoney Burke, Gary Lapow, Helen Holt, Peacenik and Arnie Passman. Tickets are $5 and up. 

Bird Watching Bike Trip: East Shore State Park Meet 8:30 a.m. at the El Cerrito Del Norte BART Station or at 9 a.m. at the end of S. 51st St., Richmond. There is a spur from the SF Bay Trail to this point. We will bird along the SF Bay Trail from Richmond to Emeryville and end at Aquatic Park in Berkeley. Bring bicycle lock, sunscreen, helmet, lunch and liquids. All levels of birders and bicyclists welcome. Rain cancels. 547-1233. www.goldengateaudubon.org 

Arroyo Viejo Creek Work Day Help clean up the creek at the Oakland Zoo, from 9 a.m. to noon. All ages welcome. 632-9525, ext. 207. 

“Homebuyers Education” A workshop from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Unity Council’s HomeOwnership Center, 3301 East 12th St., Suite 201, Oakland. Class is free, but pre-registration required. Call 535-6943. homeownership@unitycouncil.org 

“Climate Change Workshop: Save Money, Conserve Resources” Learn about easy, effective approaches for saving resources, saving money, and lessening your carbon foot print from 10 a.m. to noon at Women’s Cancer Resource Center, 5741 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. Free, but RSVP required. 601-4040 ext. 111. www.wcrc.org 

Toddler Nature Walk A nature adventure for 2-3 year olds to learn about amphibians, at 2 p.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

Annual Quaker Heritage Day 2009 with Daniel A. Seeger on the contemporary relevance of John Woolman’s witness on the economy in “Commerce, Community, and the Economics of Love” from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Berkeley Friends Church, Sacramento and Cedar. RSVP to 524-4112. www.berkeleyfriendschurch.org 

“The State of Prop 8: The Case Before the California Supreme Court” with LGBT family protection lawyer Ora Prochovnick at 10:30 a.m. at JFK University School of Law, Berkeley Campus, 2956 San Pablo Ave., 2nd flr. 925-284-6255. 

In Honor of Black History Month A discussion with Regina Jackson, Executive Director, East Oakland Youth Development Center on the work she does with Oakland youth at 2 p.m. at the Rockridge Library, 5366 College Ave., Oakland. 597-5017. 

The Big Read Kick-Off Community reading of “A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest J. Gaines with performances and and the music of Duke Ellington from 1 to 4 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak sts., Oakland. Cost is $5-$8. 238-2200. www.museumca.org 

“Will Medicare be there when you need it?” A panel of experts and advocates at 2 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., near Broadway, Oakland. 610-2888. jeantepper@gmail.com 

“The Path to Feedom during the Obama Administration & Beyond” An African American History Month celebration at 3 p.m. at Niebyl-Proctor Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. Suggested donation $5. 251-1050. 

Celebrate African Cultural Heritage: Nigerian Cooking Workshop Ebun presents a demonstration on making healthy and delicious Nigerian food at 2 p.m. at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, 6833 International Boulevard. 615-5728. akokodoko@oaklandlibrary.org  

“Stimulus and Response: Can Obama and the Democrats fix the economy?” A Peace and Freedom Party discussion at 2 p.m. at Spud's Pizza, Adeline & Alcatraz. 

“Black Holes: Monsters Lurking at the Centers of Galaxies” with Astronomy Professor Eliot Quataert at 11 a.m. at 145 Dwinelle Hall, UC campus.  

“Inspired Expression” Workshop with Holly Near at 2:30 p.m. at La Peña. Cost is $10. To register see www.lapena.org 

“Four Jews on Parnassus” with Carl Djerassi at 7:30 p.m. at the Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St. Donation $10. www.hillsideclub.org 

“Road to Guantanamo” and “Torturing Democracy” films at 7 p.m. at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, 1924 Cedar St. Suggested donation $10. 841-4824. 

International Film Festival on Aging at 3 and 7 p.m. and Sun. at 2, 5 and 7 p.m. at AMC Bay Street Theater, Emeryville. Tickets are $10, $6 for seniors. www.filmfestonaging.org 

International Dancing at Festival of the Oaks, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Live Oak Recreation Center, 1301 Shattuck Ave. www.berkeleyfolkdancers.org 

Hospice Volunteer Training at 9:30 a.m. at 333 Hegenberger Road, Suite 700, Oakland. Second training day on Feb. 28. To enroll call 613-2017. 

“Ancient Tools for Successful Living” Workshops on Kamitic Astrology. Registration at 11:30 a.m. at ASA Academy, 2811 Adeline St., Oakland. Cost is $10 per workshop. 536-5934. 

Small Critter Adoption Fair with hamsters, rats, mice, guinea pigs and rabbits from 1 to 5 pm. at RabbitEARS, 377 Colusa Ave., Kensington. 525-6155. 

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.  

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

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. 

Car Wash Benefit for Options Recovery Services of Berkeley, held every Sat. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lutheran Church, 1744 University Ave. 666-9552. 

SUNDAY, FEB. 22 

Flyway Forays A 2.5 mile walk to discover why thousands of shorebirds and waterfowl overwinter San Francisco Bay, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline. 525-2233. 

Family Environment Restoration Day Learn about nature’s interrealtionships and help remove invasive plants at 2 p.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

A Conversation with Bill Ayres and Bernadine Dorhn “Building a Movement for Peace in our Time” at 2 p.m. at King Middle School, 1781 Rose St. Tickets are $10-$15. Benefit for the Middle East Children’s Alliance, no one turned away. 548-0542. www.mecaforpeace.org 

Egyptology Lecture “The Unification of Egypt: A View from a Backwater Town” with Dr. Pat Podzorski, University of Memphis, at 2:30 p.m. at Barrows Hall, Room 20, Barrow Lane and Bancroft Way, UC campus. 415- 664-4767.  

Tour of the Berkeley City Club, designed by Julia Morgan, from 1 to 4 p.m. at 2315 Durant Ave. 848-7800. 

Free Hands-on Bicycle Clinic Learn how to do a safety inspection, from 10 to 11 a.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. Bring your bike and tools. 527-4140. 

“Dark Matter and Dark Energy and their Significance for the Spiritual” with David Lingenfelter at 10 a.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Rd., Kensington. 525-0302, ext. 306. 

Report on the Zapatista World Festival of Dignified Rage at 6:30 p.m. at the Niebyl Proctor Marxist Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. www.chiapas-support.org 

“Marxism and Freedom: The Movement from Practice and a New Concept of Theory” at 6:30 p.m. at Niebyl-Proctor Marxist Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. 658-1448. 

“American Atheists: Where We Are & Where We’re Going” with Ed Buckner, new President of American Atheists, at 1:30 p.m. at the Berkeley Public Library, 3rd Floor Meeting Room, 2090 Kittredge St. 222-7580. www.eastbayatheists.org/meetings.html 

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

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 

“Cultural yet Jewish: Can Humanistic Judaism be your Home?” with Rabbi Miriam Jerris, Society of Humanistic Judaism, at 2 p.m. in the Edith Stone Room, Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. 525-2296. 

Tibetan Buddhism with Rosalyn White on “Symbols in Tibetan Sacred Art” 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 4 to 8 p.m. at 84 Bolivar Dr., Aquatic Park. Also on Fri. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost is $5 per hour. 644-2577. www.watersideworkshops.org  

MONDAY, FEB. 23 

“Scandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist” A film with Harry Belafonte, Ossie Davis and Rosetta Lenoire at 7 p.m. at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, 1924 Cedar St. Suggested donation $10. 841-4824. 

“Culture Change: Civil Liberty, Peak Oil, and the End of Empire” with Alexis Zeigler at 7:30 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Donation $5. www.Humanist Hall.org 

African American Olympic Greats: Eddie Hart speaks at 1 p.m. at Haywood Brothers Karate School, 4430 International Blvd. www.blackwallstreet.org 

Kensington Book Club meets to discuss “History of Love” by Nicole Krauss at 7 p.m. at Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave. 524-3043. 

East Bay Track Club for girls and boys ages 3-15 meets Mon. at 6 p.m. at Berkeley High School track field. Free. 776-7451. 

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

ASUC Student Legal Clinic provides free legal research and case intake. Drop-in hours Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. anfd Fri. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., UC campus. 642-9986. asuclegalclinic@gmail.com 

Small-Business Counseling Free one-hour one-on-one counseling to help you start and run your small business with a volunteer from Service Core of Retired Executives, Mon. evenings by appointment at Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge St. For appointment call 981-6148. www.eastbayscore.org 

World Affairs/Politics Discussion Group, for people 60 years and over, meets at 9:45 a.m. at Albany Senior Center, 846 Masonic Ave, Albany. Cost is $3.  

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. 

TUESDAY, FEB. 24 

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 EBMUD Valle Vista Staging Area. Call for meeting place and if you need to borrow binoculars. 525-2233. 

Phyllis Schlafly on “Feminism vs Conservatism: The Great Debate” at 7:30 p.m. at 110 Barrows Hall, UC campus. Sponsored by the Berkeley College Republicans. 

“Green Living Project: Sustainability Across Africa” at 7 p.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 527-4140. 

El Cerrito Democratic Club “Getting to Know You” Meet the local staff from our State and Federal representatives’ offices at 7:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall, El Cerrito United Methodist Church, 6830 Stockton Ave., El Cerrito. 527-5953. panterazero@gmail.com 

Documentary Film Club “When We Were Kings” the 1996 Academy Award winning documentary on the 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman at 6:30 p.m. at the Bayview Branch Library, 5100 Hartnett Ave., Richmond. Sponsored by the Richmond Public Library.  

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 

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. www.berkeleycameraclub.org 

St. John’s Prime Timers meets at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. We offer ongoing classes in exercise and creative arts, and always welcome new members over 50. 845-6830. 

Sing-A-Long Group from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Albany Senior Center, 846 Masonic Ave., Albany. 524-9122. 

Ceramics Class Learn hand building techniques to make decorative and functional items, Tues. at 9:30 a.m. at St. John's Senior Center, 2727 College Ave. Free, materials and firing charges only. 525-5497. 

Rhythm Tap Exercise Class Tues. at 5 p.m. at Redwood Gardens, 2951 Derby St. Donation $2. 548-9840. 

Qi Gong Meditation 7:30 p.m. at 830 Bancroft Way, Lotus Room 114. Cost is $5-$10. 883-1920. tgif@tiangong.org 

Free Meditation Classes Tues. and Thurs. at 7 p.m. at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarians, 2nd flr., 1606 Bonita Ave. 931-7742. 

Yarn Wranglers Come knit and crochet at 6:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344.  

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25 

“Adaptive Reuse: The Tipping Point” A panel discussion on the rehabilitation, adaptation and reuse of historical buildings at 5:30 p.m. at AIA East Bay, 1405 Clay St., Oakland. (12th St. BART). Tickets are $15-$25. 464-3600, www.aiaeb.org 

“Unions, Progressives and Gray Panthers: A Strategy to Push Obama from the Left” with Mike Whitty, visiting Gray Panther and professor from Detroit at 1:30 p.m. at North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst, corner of MLK. 548-9696. 

“The Beginning of the Blues” presented by Clifford Jeffery, Instructor from Pleasant Valley Adult School, at 2 p.m. at West Oakland Senior Center, 1724 Adeline St., Oakland. RSVP to 238-7016. 

“Arusi Persian Wedding” A docmentary by Marjan Tehrani, reception at 6 p.m., film at 6:30 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak sts., Oakland. Cost is $5-$8. 238-2200. www.museumca.org 

“The Land Speaks Arabic” and “33 Days” two documentaries from the Middle East at 7:30 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Donation $5. www.Humanist Hall.org 

“Health and Stress: How to Manage Stress to Improve Health and Overcome Illness” with Dr. Jay Sordean, at 6:30 p.m. at Berkeley Public Library, Claremont Branch, 2940 Benvenue Ave. 981-6280. 

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. 548-9840. 

Theraputic Recreation at the Berkeley Warm Pool, Wed. at 3:30 p.m. and Sat. at 10 a.m. at the Berkeley Warm Pool, 2245 Milvia St. Cost is $4-$5. Bring a towel. 632-9369. 

Playreaders Program for Adults meets Wed. at noon in the 3rd flr community room, Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge St. To register call 981-6241. 

Berkeley Peace Walk and Vigil at the Berkeley BART Station, corner of Shattuck and Center. Sing for Peace at 6:30 p.m. followed by Peace Walk at 7 p.m. 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. 

Berkeley CopWatch Drop-in office hours from 6 to 8 p.m. at 2022 Blake St. 548-0425. 

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

THURSDAY, FEB. 26 

“The Obama Presidency and the Struggle Ahead” A Black History Month Forum and discussion with Eugene Puryear, Keith Shanklin and Patricia Johnson at 6:30 p.m. at Laney College, Building D, Room 200, 900 Fallon St. at 10th St., Oakland. Sponsored by ANSWER Coalition. 435-0844. 

Tilden Nature Area Docent Training from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fee. is $35. For an application or information call 544-3260. www.ebparks.org 

Birding by Ear Classes begin with four Thurs. eve. classes at 7 p.m. and four Sat. field trips, offered through the Albany Adult School. To register call 559-6580. 

“Earth, Wind and Fire: The Clean Tech Opportunity Today” A panel discussion at 7:30 p.m. at the Anderson Auditorium, Haas School of Business, 2220 Piedmont Ave. Reception at 6:30 p.m. Sponsored by the UC Berkeley Entrepreneurs Forum and Lester Center. 642-4255. 

Josh Holland on the Economy at 7:30 p.m. at the Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Potluck and business meeting at 6 p.m. www.wellstoneclub.org 

Baby & Toddler Storytime at 10:15 and 11:15 a.m. at Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave. 524-3043.  

Circle of Concern Vigil meets on West Lawn of UC campus across from Addison and Oxford, Thurs. at noon and Sun. at 1 p.m. to oppose UC weapons labs contracts. 848-8055. 

Free Meditation Classes Tues. and Thurs. at 7 p.m. at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarians, 2nd flr., 1606 Bonita Ave. 931-7742. 

Three Beats for Nothing South Mostly ancient part music for fun and practice meets every Thurs. at 10 a.m. at the South Berkeley Senior Center, Ellis at Ashby. 655-8863. asiecker@sbcglobal 

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

Wheelchair Yoga Thurs. at noon, Family Yoga on Sat. at 10:30 a.m. at Niroga Center for Healing, 1808 University Ave. between MLK Way and Grant St. All classes by donation. 704-1330. www.niroga.org 

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 

FRIDAY, FEB. 27 

City Commons Club Noon Luncheon with Gilbert Melese, PhD, Prof. of Nuclear Energy, UC-B (Retired) on “Effective New Energy Strategies.” 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 524-7468. www.citycommonsclub.org 

“Just Water? Solving an Environmental Justice Crisis” the Fifth Annual Environmental Justice Symposium at Berkeley Law School from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hosted by the Environmental Law Society. Keynote speaker will be Dr. Beverly Wright, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice. http://sites.google.com/site/ejsymposium 

“Solar Power for Your Home” Lecture by HionSolar, Regrid Power, and Energy Recommerce on solar system productivity, feasibility, project time frame and cost, including the most recent increase in federal rebates at 6:30 p.m. at Crestmont School Friendship Hall, 6226 Arlington Blvd, Richmond. Donation $15 per family. Proceeds to benefit Crestmont School. 529-1001. 

Black History Month Celebration Blues 'N' Greens Dance with music by by Love Light Blues Band and dinner, at 5 p.m. at West Oakland Senior Center, 1724 Adeline Street, Oakland. Tickets are $15. 238-7016. 

“Building Compassion, Creating Well-Being” A seminar lead by UCB prof. Dacher Keltner from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at International House, 2299 Piedmont Ave. 866-992-9399. www.ceuregistration.com 

“Wine for a Cause” Wine tasting and silent auction to benefit HomeBase, a Bay Area non-profit advancing solutions to end homelessness at 6 p.m. at a home in the Oakland Hills. Tickets are $30. 415-788-7961, ext. 323. info@homebaseccc.org 

Jewish Wisdom on Finding Hope and Help in Hard Times at 6:15 p.m. at Jewish Gateways, 409 Liberty St., El Cerrito. RSVP required. 559-8140. 

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. 

Three Beats for Nothing Mostly ancient part music for fun and practice meets every Fri. at 10 a.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center, Hearst at MLK. 655-8863. asiecker@sbcglobal 

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

SATURDAY, FEB. 28 

African American Quilters of Oakland A demonstration and workshop from noon to 4 p.m. at the West Oakland Branch Library, 1801 Adeline St. All supplies provided and all ages welcome. 238-7352. www.oaklandlibrary.org 

“Afghanistan: The Next Quagmire” with Conn Hallinan, of Foreign Policy In Focus, at 12:30 p.m. at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, 1924 Cedar St., at Bonita. Co-sponsored by BFUU Social Justice Committee and Grandmothers Against the War. 

“A Critical View of Obama’s Recovery Plan” with economist and author Jack Rasmus, at 7 p.m. at the Alameda Free Library, Conference Rooms A&B, 1550 Oak St. at Lincoln, Alameda. Suggested donation $5; no one is turned away. www.alamedaforum.org 

“Project Peace East Bay’s 6th Quarterly Day of Peace” from 9 a.m. to noon. Choose between two East Bay community-service opportunities: Help clean and beautify Claremont Middle School, 5750 College Ave., Oakland, supervised children of all ages welcome, or help sort and package foodstuffs at the Alameda County Community Food Bank, 7900 Edgewater Dr., Oakland, no children under 10 permitted. Snacks will be provided. Please RSVP at www.projectpeaceeastbay.org 

Mini-Farmers in Tilden A farm exploration program, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. for ages 4-6 years, accompanied by an adult. We will explore the Little Farm, care for animals, do crafts and farm chores. Wear boots and dress to get dirty! Fee is $6-$8. Registration required. 1-888-EBPARKS. 

“Annual Albany Celebration” with a casino, auctions, cocktails, bistro dining, and live music at 7 p.m. at the Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Ave., Albany. Tickets are $35. 558-1534.. http://AlbanyCaRotary.org/party 

Vegetarian Cooking Class: The Joy of Vegan Baking Learn to make GInger Muffins, Blueberry Orange Bundt Cake, Chocolate Bread Pudding and more from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at First Unitarian Church of Oakland, 685 14th St. at Castro. Cost is $55, plus $5 food and material fee. Advance registration required. 531-COOK. www.compassionatecooks.com 

Black History Celebration with Praise dancers and authors Janet Marie Walker, Thomas Tramble & Wilma Tramble, Edwain Edbeir and Paulette Harper from 1 to 4 p.m. at Faith Temple Church of God In Christ, 12411 San Pablo Ave., Richmond. 

Wildlife Career Day for Teens Learn about wildlife and environmental careers from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Oakland Zoo. Desigend for ages 13-19. Cost is $20. 632-9525, ext. 201. 

Oakland Military Institute College Preparatory Academy Open House, with tours and information sessions for prospective students their families, at 10 a.m. at 3877 Lusk St., Oakland. 594-3900. www.omiacademy.org 

Group Healing Session with Master Gu at 7 p.m. at International House, 2299 Piedmont Ave. Cost is $20. 619-757-7387. 

East Bay Chapter of the Assoc. of Women in Science Workshop with Peggy Klaus from 9 a.m. to noon at Rothwell Center Dining Room, Mills College, 5000 MAcArthur Blvd., Oakland. Cost is $25-$45. RSVP required. www.ebawis.org 

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. 

Car Wash Benefit for Options Recovery Services of Berkeley, held every Sat. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lutheran Church, 1744 University Ave. 666-9552. 

SUNDAY, MARCH 1 

Berkeley Hiking Club goes to Tennessee Valley & Rodeo Beach. Meet at Shattuck Ave & Berkeley Way at 8:30 a.m. Various trails making a loop to Rodeo Beach and back. Moderate Pace. Approx. 7-8 miles. 528-9821. 

“Bridging the Achievement Gap: 20-20 Vision How is It Working?” with BUSD directors Karen Hemphill and John Selawsky and Santiago Casal from United in Action, from 3 to 5 p.m. at North Berkeley Senior Center, MLK at Hearst. Sponsored by BCA. 549-0816. 

“Haiti: Five Years After the Coup” with Nia Imara on her recent trip to Haiti and political analysis by Pierre Labossière at 7 p.m. at La Pena, 3105 Shattuck Ave. Donation $10-$25, no one turned away. www.haitisolidarity.net 

“Music that Woke the World” a sing-along concert of 60s activist sonegs with Rev. Heng Sure, Betsy Rose, Alan Senauke and Melanie DeMore at 7 p.m. at Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, 2384 McKinely St. Donation $15-$20. 525-7082. 

Berkeley Rep Family Series “Art Sampler” from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Nevo Education Center, 2071 Addison St. Free, but bring a book to donate to a school library. 647-2973. 

“The Philosophy of ‘Absolute Idea as New Beginning’: Revolutionary Paths Out of Capitalist Economy” at 6:30 p.m. at Niebyl-Proctor Marxist Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. 658-1448. 

Square One Yoga Collective Open House from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 4336-A San Pablo Ave., Emeryville. 547-9700. 

Personal Theology Seminars with Alex Pappas on “The Philosophy, Meaning, Origin and Fundamental Principals of Theosophy” at 10 a.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Rd., Kensington. 525-0302, ext. 306. 

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 

CITY MEETINGS 

Design Review Committee meets Thurs., Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7415.  

Rent Stabilization Board meets Thurs., Feb. 19, at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers. 981-7368.  

Transportation Commission meets Thurs., Feb. 19, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7061.  

West Berkeley Project Area Committee meetsThurs., Feb. 19, at 7 p.m. at the James Kenney Recreation Center, 1720 8th St., 2nd flr. 981-7418. 

City Council meets Tues., Feb. 24, at 7 p.m in City Council Chambers. 981-6900. www.ci. 

berkeley.ca.us/citycouncil 

Civic Arts Commission meets Wed., Feb. 25, at 6:30 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7533.  

Energy Commission meets Wed., Feb. 25, at 6:30 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-5434.  

Planning Commission meets Wed., Feb. 25, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7416. 

Mental Health Commission meets Thurs., Feb. 26 , at 5 p.m. at 2640 MLK Jr. Way, at Derby. 981-5217. 

ONGOING 

Help Low-wage Families with Their Taxes United Way’s Earn it! Keep It! Save It! needs Bay Area volunteers for its 7th annual free tax program. No previous experience necessary. Sign up at www.earnitkeepitsaveit.org

THURSDAY, FEB. 19 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Portraits of Buddhist Bhutan” An exhibit of photographer Mark Tuschman’s images of Bhutan opens at IEAS gallery, 2223 Fulton St., 6th floor. 643-5104. http://buddhiststudies.berkeley.edu 

FILM 

Pulp Writers on Film “Miami Blues” at 6:30 p.m. and “Black Angel” at 8:45 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

June Jordan’s Poetry for the People with Tyehimba Jess and Aya de Leon at 7:30 p.m. at La Peña. Cost is $5-$10. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

“Sweet Dreams” Artist talk by Ben Hazard on his exhibition of works spanning four decades at 7 p.m. at Craft & Cultural Arts Gallery, State of California Office Building - Atrium, 1515 Clay St., Oakland. Performance at 5 p.m. 622-8190. www.oaklandculturalarts.org 

David Thomson reads from “Try To Tell the Story: A Memoir” at 7:30 p.m. at the Berkeley City Club. Tickets are $10 at the door. berkeleyarts.org 

Laura Shumaker on “A Regular Guy: Growing Up with Autism” at 7:30 p.m. at Mrs. Dalloways, 2904 College Ave. 704-8222. 

Holloway Poetry Series with Rob Fitterman at 7 p.m. in the Maude Fife Room, 315 Wheeler Hall, UC campus. http://holloway.english.berkeley.edu 

Don Paul reads from his new book “The World is Turning” at 7:30 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Donation $5. www.Humanist Hall.org 

Blair Kilpatrick discusses “Accordion Dreams: A Journey into Cajun and Creole Music” at 6:30 p.m. at University Press Books, 2430 Bancroft Way. 548-0585. www.universitypressbooks.com 

Jonathan Keats “The Book of the Unknown: Tales of the Thirty-Six” at 6:30 p.m. at Magnes Museum, 2222 Harold Way. 549-6950, ext. 337.  

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Opera in the Library Highlights from “Tales of Hoffman” with members of Berkeley Opera at 12:15 p.m. at the Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge St. 981-6241. 

Pablo Moses, Jah Glory Band at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $15-$20. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Julian Smedley & Mike Wollenberg at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Kelly Park & Friends at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Absynth Quintet, The Cyndi Harvell Band, The John Howland Trio at 9 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $8. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

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

Richard Bona at 8 and 10 p.m., through Sun. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $12-$22. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

FRIDAY, FEB. 20 

THEATER 

Actors Ensemble of Berkeley “Exit the King” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m. at Live Oak Theater, 1301 Shattuck Ave. at Berryman, through Feb. 21. Tickets are $12. 649-5999. www.aeofberkeley.org 

Aurora Theatre “Betrayed” Wed.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 and 7 p.m., at 2081 Addison St. to March 8. Tickets are $40-$42. 843-4822. auroratheatre.org 

Berkeley Rep “In the Next Room (or the vibrator play)” at 2015 Addison St., through March 15. Tickets are $33-$71. 647-2949. berkeleyrep.org 

Black Repertory Group “Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf” at 3201 Adeline St., through Feb. 22. Tickets are $15-$44. 652-2120. 

“Celestial Celebration” in Celebration of Black History Month Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 3 p.m. at Laney College Theater, 900 Fallon St. Oakland, to March 1. Tickets are $15-$25. 800-848-9809. www.brownpapertickets.com  

Contra Costa Civic Theater “Nine (The Musical)” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m. at 951 Pomona Ave., El Cerrito, through March 28. Tickets are $15-$24. 524-9132. www.ccct.org 

Impact Theatre “A Midsummers Night’s Dream” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m. at La Val’s Subterranean, 1834 Euclid Ave., through March 14. Tickets are $10-$17. impacttheatre.com 

Masquers Playhouse “Absent Friends” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2:30 p.m. at 105 Park Place, Point Richmond, and runs through Feb. 28. Tickets are $18. 232-4031. www.masquers.org 

EXHIBITIONS 

Ernesto Bazan “Photo- 

graphs-CUBA” Reception at 6 p.m., lecture at 7 p.m. at UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, corner of Hearst and Euclid. http://fotovision.org 

Garden Art Show Opening reception at 7 p.m. at The Potters’ Studio, 637 Cedar St. at 3rd. 528-3286. 

FILM 

“Vertigo” film showing at 7 p.m., followed by discussion at The Dream Institute, 1672 University at McGee. Cost is $15, $25 for two. 845-1767.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“Art Science Fusion: IDENTITY Genotype-Phenotype” with Gabriele Seethaler, Viennese biochemist and photographer at 1:30 p.m. at Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St. Cost is $20. RSVP to whoisylvia@aol.com 

Thea Hillman and Alvin Orloff read at 7:30 p.m. at Pegasus Books, 2349 Shattuck Ave. 649-1320. 

Pratap Chatterjee describes “Halliburton’s Way: The Long, Strange Tale of a Private, Profitable, and Out-of-Control Texas Oil Company” at 7:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Berkeley. Tickets are $10 at the door. berkeleyarts.org 

Sara Houghteling reads from her debut novel “Pictures at an Exhibition” at 7:30 p.m. at Mrs. Dalloways, 2904 College Ave. 704-8222. 

Friday Night Poetry Readings and Open Mic “Love Poems” by the Entrekins at 7 p.m. at Expressions Gallery, 2035 Ashby Ave. 644-4930. www.expressionsgallery.org 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Dept. of Music Chamber Music Concert at noon at Hertz Hall, UC campus. Free. 642-4864. http://music.berkeley.edu 

Harpsichord and Organ Music of the Italian Renaissance at 8 p.m. at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 1501 Washington Ave., Albany. Free, suggested donation $10. 525-1716. 

Holly Near, songs and ideas, at 8 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $15. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Audrye Sessions at 6 p.m. at Amoeba Records, 2455 Telegraph Ave. 549-1125. 

Black History Month Concert at 7:30 p.m. at Allen Temple Baptist Church, 8501 International Blvd. bhm2009@blackwallstreet.org  

Stew at 8:30 p.m. at New Oakland Metro Operahouse, 630 3rd St., Oakland. Tickets are $12. 763-1146. 

Falso Baiano Choro at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $14. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Leon Mobley & Da Lion Antioquia at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Drum workshop at 9 p.m. Cost is $10-$30. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Guitar Summit with Teja Gerken, Scott Nygaard, Mesut Ozgen at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $22.50-$23.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

East Bay Twang Party with 77 El Dora, The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $9. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Zero Boys, Black Fork at 7 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $10. 525-9926. 

Green Machine at 10 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Ethan Byxbye & Ryan Feldthouse, gypsy jazz/world, at 8 p.. at Spuds Pizza, 3290 Adeline St. 597-0795. 

Josh Jones Trio at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

SATURDAY, FEB. 21 

CHILDREN  

Los Amiguitos de La Peña with Uncle Eye & the Strange Change Machine at 10:30 a.m. at La Peña. Cost is $5 for adults, $4 for children. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

African-American Folktales and Music with Muriel Johnson at 11 a.m. at Habitot, 2065 Kittredge St. Cost is $7-$8. 647-1111. www.habitot.org 

Mother Goose, music and tales, Sat. and Sun. at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. at Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. Cost is $6. 452-2259.  

The Bubble Lady at 11 a.m. at Studio Grow, 1235 10th St. Cost is $8. 526-9888 

THEATER 

Central Works “The Window Age: A Guided Tour of the Unconscious” opens at 8 p.m. at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave. Tickets are $21-$25. 558-1381. centralworks.org 

Eroplay “Reality Playthings” with Frank Moore at 8 p.m. at Temescal Arts Center, 511 48th St., Oakland. 526-7858. fmoore@eroplay.com 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Images of Devotion” Photomontage Studies by Barry Shapiro on Hasidim. Reception at 1:30 p.m. at Kehilla Community Synagogue, 1300 Grand Ave., Piedmont. www.KehillaSynagogue.org 

FILM 

Pulp Writers on Film “Série Noire” at 8:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

International Film Festival on Aging at 3 and 7 p.m. and Sun. at 2, 5 and 7 p.m. at AMC Bay Street Theater, Emeryville. Tickets are $10, $6 for seniors. www.filmfestonaging.org 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“Marysville’s Chinatown” with author Brian Tom at 3:30 p.m. at Eastwind Books of Berkeley, 2066 University Ave. www.asiabookcenter.com 

Carl Djerassi discusses “Four Jews on Parnassus” at 7:30 p.m. at the Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St. Donation $10. www.hisllsideclub.org 

Eric Maisel describes “The Atheist’s Way: Living Well Without Gods” at 7 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698. www.blackoakbooks.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Pocket Opera “La Belle Helene” at 2 p.m. at Julia Morgan Theater, 2640 College Ave. Tickets are $20-$37. 415-346-7805. www.pocketopera.org 

Mahan Esfahani “Echoes of the Young Bach: Seven Toccatas for Harpsichord” at 8 p.m. at Julia Morgan Center, 2640 College Ave. Cost is $22-$25, $10 students. 528-1725. www.sfems.org 

Classical Madolin Ensembles Works of Vivaldi and other Baroque masters at 8 p.m. at Trinity Chapel, 2320 Dana St. Tickets are $8-$12. 549-3864. www.trinitychamberconcerts.com 

Voices of Music “The Romance of the Rose” with Susan Rode Morris, soprano, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 1501 Washington Ave., Albany. Tickets are $20-$25. 236-9808. www.voicesofmusic.org 

Kensington Symphony “Romance and Reformation” at 8 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church, 1 Lawson Rd., Kensington. Suggested donation $12-$15, children free. 524-9912. www.kensingtonsymphonyorchestra.org 

“Music Down Deep in my Soul” with the University Gospel Chorus at 8 p.m. at Hertz Hall, UC campus. Tickets are $5-$15. 642-4864. http://music.berkeley.edu 

Moment’s Notice improvised music, dance and theater at 8 p.m. at Western Sky Studio, 2525 8th St. between Dwight Way and Parker. Tickets are $8-$15, sliding scale. 992-6295. 

Robin Gregory & Her Quartet at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $14. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Sophis & Kalbasskreyol, Afro-Caribbean, Haitian at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is tba. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Kelly Joe Phelps at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Voodooville: Mardi Gras Countdown at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Cost is $12-$15. 845-5373. www.jazzschool.com 

Beep Jazz Trio with Michael Coleman at 9:30 p.m. at Albatross, 1822 San Pablo Ave. Cost is $3. 843-2473.  

John Bowman’s Jammer Showcase at 8 p.m. at Spuds Pizza, 3290 Adeline St. Cost is $7. 558-0881. 

The Loyd Family Players, Dgiin, Buxter Hoot’n at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $9. 841-2082.  

Zero Boys, Stitches, Bodies, Nuts and Bolts at 7 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $10. 525-9926. 

SUNDAY, FEB. 22 

CHILDREN 

Charity Kahn & the Jam Band at Ashkenaz at 3 p.m. Cost is $4-$6. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Guy Gash’s Sharp Five Jazz Band at 11:30 a.m. at Habitot, 2065 Kittredge St. Cost is $7-$8. 647-1111. www.habitot.org 

FILM 

Talk Cinema Berkeley Preview of new independent films with discussion afterwards at 10 a.m. at Albany Twin Theater, 1115 Solano Ave., Albany. Cost is $20. http://talkcinema.com 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Mario Garcia Torres, artist talk and reception for the opening of his MATRIX exhibition at 3 p.m. at Berkeley Art Museum. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

Dick Stewart will answer car questions and discuss his new book “Car-ma; Why Bad Cars Happen to Good People” at 10 a.m. at The Oakland Center for Spiritual Living, 5000 Clarewood Drive, Oakland. 547-1979. www.oaklandcsl.org 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

San Francisco Chamber Orchestra Family Concert “Stories in Music” at noon at Julia Morgan Theater, 2640 College Ave. Free. www.sfchamberorchestra.org 

Pacific Collegium Chorus and Orchestra “The Motets of J. S. Bach” at 4 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 114 Montecito Ave., Oakland. Tickets are $10-$40. 834-4314. 

G.Q. Wang, tenor, at 4 p.m. at Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda. Suggested donation $20. 526-3805. 

James Tinsley, trumpet, at 2 p.m. at OPC’s Ed Kelly Hall, 1615 Franklin St., Oakland. Tickets are $10-$25. 836-4649. 

Gojogo at 7 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $12, $8 students. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Mahealani Uchiyama at 8 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $10. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Josh Roseman’s Execution Quintet at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Cost is $15. 845-5373. www.jazzschool.com 

Dan Bern at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

MONDAY, FEB. 23 

THEATER 

Aurora Theatre Company “and when we awoke there was light and light” by Laura Jacqmin at 7:30 p.m. at 2081 Addison St. Par4t of the Global Age Project new works initiative. Free. 843-4822. auroratheatre.org 

FILM 

Monday Afternoon at the Movies Krzysztof Kieslowski's “The Decalogue” Segments 1 and 2 at 1:15 p.m. at JCCEB, 1414 Walnut St. Co-sponsored by JCCEB and BAS. Free, donations accepted. 848-0237. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Classical at the Freight with the SF Brass Quintet at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage Coffee House. Cost is $8.50-$9.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Downtown Jam Session with Glen Pearson at 7 p.m. at Ed Kelly Hall, Oakland Public Conservatory of Music, 1616 Franklin St., Oakland. Cost is $5. www.opcmucsic.org 

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

TUESDAY, FEB. 24 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

San Francisco Noir 2 with Janet Dawson, Peter Maravelis, Oscar Penaranda, and John Shirley at 7:30 p.m. at Moe’s Books, 2476 Telegraph Ave. 849-2087. 

Todd Boss reads from “Yellowrocket: Poems” at 7 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698. www.blackoakbooks.com 

Priscilla Royal discusses her new book “Forsaken Soul” from the Medieval Mysteries series at 5:30 p.m. at University Press Books, 2430 Bancroft Way. 548-0585. www.universitypressbooks.com 

Linda Furiya reads from “How to Cook a Dragon: Living, Loving, and Eating in China” at 7 p.m. at A Great Good Place for Books, 6120 La Salle Ave., Oakland. 339-8210. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Mark St. Mary Lousiana Blues and Zydeco Band at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cajun Zydeco dance lesson at 8 p.m. Cost is $tba. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Singers’ Open Mic with Kelly Park at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $5. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Mike Marshall with Choro Famoso and Big Trio at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $20.50-$21.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Marco Benevento’s Quartet The Killer at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $10-$16. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25 

FILM 

Human Rights Watch Film Festival “To See If I’m Smiling” (Israel) and “Deadly Playground” (Lebanon) at 6:30 p.m. at Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. www. 

hrw.org/en/iff/san-fancisco 

“Arusi Persian Wedding” at 6:30 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak sts., Oakland. Cost is $5-$8. 238-2200. www.museumca.org 

Film 50: History of Cinema “Aparajito” at 3 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“Milvia Street Art and Literary Journal” Readings and discussion at 6 p.m. at University Press Books, 2430 Bancroft Way. 548-0585. www.universitypressbooks.com 

Shanthi Sekaran reads from her debut novel “The Prayer Room” at 7:30 p.m. at Pegasus Books Downtown, 2349 Shattuck Ave. 649-1320. 

Bonita Hollow Writers Salon at 7 p.m. at 1631 Bonita Ave. Bring food, drink and your original work to read. 266-2069. 

“Adaptive Reuse: The Tipping Point” A panel discussion on the rehabilitation, adaptation and reuse of historical buildings at 5:30 p.m. at AIA East Bay, 1405 Clay St., Oakland. (12th St. BART). Tickets are $15-$25. 464-3600, www.aiaeb.org 

Veronica Chater decribes “Waiting for the Apocalypse: A Memoir of Faith and Family” at 7 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698. www.blackoakbooks.com 

Berkeley Poetry Slam with host Charles Ellik and Three Blind Mice, at 8 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $7. 841-2082 www.starryploughpub.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Wednesday Noon Concert, with Katherine Heater, fortepiano and Amy Border and Elisabeth Reed, cello, at Hertz Hall, UC campus. Free. 642-4864. http://music.berkeley.edu 

UC Jazz Ensembles at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $5. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Eric and Suzy Thompson at 8 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $10. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Mazacote at 9 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low, 2284 Shattuck Ave. Salsa dance lessons at 8:30 p.m. Cost is $5-$10. 548-1159.  

Radtrad, Celtic, at 7 p.m. at Le Bateau Ivre, 2629 Telegraph Ave. www.lebateauivre.net 

The Dillards at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Whiskey Brothers, old-time and bluegrass at 9 p.m. at Albatross, 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473. www.albatrosspub.com 

Wally Schnalle at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $10-$14. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

THURSDAY, FEB. 26 

FILM 

Human Rights Watch Film Festival “Behave” (Brazil) at 6:30 p.m. and “Up the Yangtze” (Canada) at 8:30 p.m. at Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. www.hrw.org/en/iff/san-fancisco 

“The Beatles Revealed” Rare film clips and recordings presented by Richie Unterberger at 7 p.m. at El Cerrito Library, 6510 Stockton Ave., El Cerrito. 526-7512. 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“Galaxy: A Hundred or So Stars Visible to the Naked Eye” Curator’s talk with Lawrence Rinder at 12:15 p.m. at Berkeley Art Museum. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

“Musings on Modernism” Pierluigi Serrano will discuss “Saarinen’s Quest” a recent book by the late Richard Knight at 7 p.m. at the Alameda Museum, 2324 Alameda Ave., near Park St. Cost is $5 for non-members. 748-0796. alameda-museum.org 

Poetry Flash “The Wind Shifts: New Latino Poetry” at 7:30 p.m. at Moe’s Books, 2476 Telegraph Ave. 849-2087. 

Alva Noe reads from “Out of Our Heads: Why You Are Not Your Brain and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness” at 7:30 p.m. at Berkeley City Club. Tickets are $10. berkeleyarts.org 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Groundation, Bob Marley Birthday tour, at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $20-$22. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Babshad at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Julie Fowlis at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

The Parties, The By Bye Blackbirds, B and Not B at 9 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $8. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Gregg Cross at 10 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

FRIDAY, FEB. 27 

THEATER 

Altarena Playhouse “Gypsy” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m. at Altarena Playhouse, 1409 High St., Alameda, through April 5. Tickets are $17-$20. 523-1553. www.altarena.org 

Aurora Theatre “Betrayed” Wed.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 and 7 p.m., at 2081 Addison St. to March 8. Tickets are $40-$42. 843-4822. auroratheatre.org 

Berkeley Rep “In the Next Room (or the vibrator play)” at 2015 Addison St., through March 15. Tickets are $33-$71. 647-2949. berkeleyrep.org 

Berkeley Rep “Crime and Punishment” at 2025 Addison St., through Mar. 29. Tickets are $27-$71. 647-2949. berkeleyrep.org 

“Celestial Celebration” in Celebration of Black History Month Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 3 p.m. at Laney College Theater, 900 Fallon St. Oakland, to March 1. Tickets are $15-$25. 800-848-9809. www.brownpapertickets.com  

Central Works “The Window Age: A Guided Tour of the Unconscious” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 5 p.m. at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave. Tickets are $21-$25. 558-1381. centralworks.org 

Contra Costa Civic Theater “Nine (The Musical)” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m. at 951 Pomona Ave., El Cerrito, through March 28. Tickets are $15-$24. 524-9132. www.ccct.org 

Impact Theatre “A Midsummers Night’s Dream” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m. at La Val’s Subterranean, 1834 Euclid Ave., through March 14. Tickets are $10-$17. impacttheatre.com 

Independent Theater Projects Three one-act plays independently directed and produced by Berkeley students, Fri. and Sat. at 7:30 p.m. at the Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St., through March 7. Tickets are $12, $5 for students. 292-5058.  

Masquers Playhouse “Absent Friends” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2:30 p.m. at 105 Park Place, Point Richmond, and runs through Feb. 28. Tickets are $18. 232-4031. www.masquers.org 

“Whipped: QTPOC recipes for love, sex, and disaster” at 8 p.m. at La Peña. Cost is $10-$15. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

EXHIBITIONS 

“New Nature” Group show by contemporary West Coast artists opens with a reception at 6 p.m. at the Alphonse Berber Gallery, 2546 Bancroft Way. Exhibit runs to April 11. 649-9492. alphonseberber.com 

“It’s Time to Build” Black History Art Exhibit Opening and panel discussion at 4 p.m. at Richmond Main Street office, 1000 Macdonald Ave., Suite C, Richmond. www.richmondmainstreet.org  

FILM 

Human Rights Watch Film Festival “The Sari Soldiers” at 6:30 p.m. “Our Disappeared” with filmmakers Juan Mandelbaum and Kathy Sloan in person at 8:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. www./hrw.org/en/ 

iff/san-fancisco 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Xinran reads from “China Witness: Voices from a Silent Generation” at 7:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Berkeley Tickets are $10. berkeleyarts.org 

Daniyal Mueenuddin reads from “In Other Rooms, Other Wonders” at 7:30 p.m. at Mrs. Dalloways, 2904 College Ave. 704-8222. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Volti “Contemporary Chamber Music for the Human Voice” at 8 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 2300 Bancroft Way. Tickets are $18-$30. 415-771-3352. 

University Symphony Orchestra at 8 p.m. at Hertz Hall, UC campus. Tickets are $5-$15. 642-4864. http://music.berkeley.edu 

Oakland East Bay Symphony “Celebrating Youth” with the Oakland Youth Orchestra at 8 p.m. at Paramount Theater, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. Tickets are $20-$65. 444-0802. www.oebs.org 

Kirk Whalum in Concert Gospel According to Jazz, Black History Month Concert Series, at 7:30 p.m. at Allen Temple Baptist Church 8501 International Blvd. Tickets are $10-$20, children under 5 free. www.blackwallstreet.org 

Bay Area Classical Harmonies Bernal Hill Players at 7:30 p.m. at Pro Arts Gallery, 550 Second St., Oakland. Tickets are $12-$18. 868-0695. www.bayareabach.org 

Jazzschool Studio Bands at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Cost is $12. 845-5373. www.jazzschool.com 

Eric Swinderman’s Straight Out’a Oakland at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $14. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Singing Bear, Sean Hodge & High Heat, Old Agoura at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $11-$10. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Jill Knight at 8 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. Donation $10-$15. 548-5198.  

Butterfly Bones, The Aimless Never Miss, Low Red Land at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $7. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

DCOI, All or Nothing, For the Win at 7:30 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $7. 525-9926. 

The P-PL at 10 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Blue Highway at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $20.50-$21.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Machina Sol at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

Country Joe’s Open Mic & Music Hall at 7 p.m. at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists Hall, 1924 Cedar St. at Bonita. 841-4824. www.BFUU.org 

Steve MeckFessel & Bob Hahn at 8 p.m. at Spuds Pizza, 3290 Adeline St. 597-0795. 

John Nemeth at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $22. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

SATURDAY, FEB. 28 

CHILDREN  

Los Amiguitos de La Peña with The Octopretzels at 10:30 a.m. at La Peña. Cost is $5 for adults, $4 for children. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Owen Baker “Act in a Box” Juggling, fire-eating and surprises, Sat. and Sun. at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. at Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. Cost is $6. 452-2259. www.fairyland.org 

FILM 

“A Lesson Before Dying” at 2 p.m., followed by discussion at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, 6833 International Boulevard, Oakland. The Big Read of the book by the same title will continue to 4 p.m. 615-5728. www.blackwallstreet.org 

Pulp Writers on Film “The Woman Chaser” at 8:15 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

EXHIBITIONS 

East Bay Women Artists Group show of paintings through March at Dibartolo Café, 3306 Grand Ave., Oakland. 451-0576. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Rhythm & Muse Young Musicians’ Night, in coordination with Berkeley Art Center’s annual Youth Arts Festival at 7 p.m. at 1275 Walnut St., between Eunice and Rose Sts., behind Live Oak Park. 644-6893.  

Sorelle “At Last” Women’s chamber chorus performs duets by Handel and Brahms; and the world premiere of four songs by Larry London at 8 p.m.at Loper Chapel, First Congregational Church, 2345 Dana. Sugested donation $15. 

“400 Years of History: Black Composers” Learn their history though music and vignettes, at 2 p.m. at African American Museum and Library, 659 14th St., Oakland. Free, but RSVP required. 637-0200. www.oaklandlibrary.org/AAMLO 

Berkeley Opera “Tales of Hoffman” at 8 p.m. at Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College Ave. Tickets are $48. 925-798-1300. www.berkeleyopera.org 

University Symphony Orchestra at 8 p.m. at Hertz Hall, UC campus. Tickets are $5-$15. 642-4864. http://music.berkeley.edu 

Sacred & Profane: Mozart’s “Requiem” with full period orchestra at 8 p.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. Tickets are $15-$20. www.sacredprofane.org 

Women Drummers International “Born to Drum” at 6:30 and 8:45 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $18-$20. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

King Clarentz, alt blues, at 2 p.m. at Down Home Music, 10341 San Pablo Ave. El Cerrito. 

Quejerema at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $14. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Shlomo Katz at 8:30 p.m. at Beth Jacob Congregation, 3778 Park Blvd., Oakland. Free. 482-1147. 

Dragi Spasovski & The Mehanatones at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $15. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com  

Country Joe McDonald at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $22.50-$23.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Inga Swearingen at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Cost is $15. 845-5373. www.jazzschool.com 

Icarus Jones and The Collective at 10 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

Solid Air at 8 p.m. at Spuds Pizza, 3290 Adeline St. Cost is $7. 597-0795. 

East Bay Grease, Yard Sale, The Clarences at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $7. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Ceremony, Cruel Hand, Skin Like Iron at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $8. 525-9926. 

Lou Donaldson, at 8 and 10 p.m., Sun. at 2 and 7 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $18-$20. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

SUNDAY, MARCH 1 

EXHIBITIONS 

“L.A. Paint” Tour of the exhibition at 2 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak sts., Oakland. Cost is $5-$8. 238-2200. www.museumca.org 

FILM 

African Diaspora Film Society “Merritt College: Home of the Black Panthers” at 2 p.m. at Parkway Theater, 1834 Park Blvd., Oakland. Cost is $5. 814-2400. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Phavia Kujichagulia, and musicians from the Troublemakers Union, commemorating Haiti: Five Years After the Coup, at 7 p.m. La Peña Cultural Center. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Sundays @ Four: New Esterhazy Quartet at 4 p.m. at Crowden Music Center, 1475 Rose St. Tickets at the door are $12. Children under 18 free. 559-6910. www.crowden.org  

Sorelle “At Last” Women’s chamber chorus performs duets by Handel and Brahms; and the world premiere of four songs by Larry London, at 4 p.m. at Loper Chapel, First Congregational Church, 2345 Dana. Sugested donation $15. 

When I was a student here, in the early ’50s,” said concert pianist Daniell Revenaugh, over a cup of soup in the Musical Offering Cafe, “there were four or five record stores on Telegraph Avenue and around the university that featured classical music—and a couple of them were real meeting places, like the coffee houses of old London. This is the only place like that left.” 

However numerous or well-stocked record stores of yore, they were a different animal than the symbiotic creation under one roof at 2430 Bancroft Way, across from Zellerbach Auditorium: The Musical Offering & Cafe (also called the Café-Bistro), as well as the University Press Bookstore.  

“James Cahill, retired professor of art history, a partner in the store—and father of Sarah Cahill, the New Music pianist—once said this building had all the elements of civilization under one roof,” recalled William McClung, founder of the bookstore. “Books, coffee, wine, music—and community.” 

“It’s a place, not just a bookstore—or just a CD store or cafe,” McClung continued. The bookstore has been called McClung’s brainchild. “One of my perspectives is scholarly publishing—and of specialty presses struggling to survive.”  

He started at Princeton University Press in 1963. “The presses were right under the office. You could hear them roar, smell the ink,” he said. 

He dreamed up University Press Bookstore in 1974 while a sponsoring editor at the University of California Press. (The bookstore isn’t related to UC Press, “except for carrying their titles along with those of 139 other scholarly and academic presses of the 20,000 books in the store.”)  

At first located on Durant Avenue, the bookstore moved to Bancroft in 1981, a second partnership buying the Lucas Books building that has housed booksellers since the 1920s. Partitions were added; the Musical Offering and the café joined the bookstore. The Musical Offering had been brought into the partnership in 1978, located on the mall between Durant and Bancroft, formerly a sheet music store.  

Jean Spencer of the Musical Offering and her late husband Joseph—once a piano tuner to both Vladimir Horowitz and the Rolling Stones, whose pioneering Early Music radio program, “Chapel, Court & Countryside,” debuted on KPFK in Los Angeles in the 1970s, eventually airing on KPFA and finally on the tiny KMZT until 2001, the year of his death—came on board in 1987. “Joseph managed the record store,” she said. “I’ve always managed the café.”  

In Los Angeles, they hosted the nascent Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra at the first West Coast Early Music Festival. “It was way before the critics wrote about Baroque music,” Spencer said. “They thought we were like the Renaissance Faire! No critical press—and a thousand people showed up.”  

The Philharmonia Baroque players still show up. There’s a signed poster of Philharmonia artistic director Nicholas McGegan on the wall. “Joseph was close to the American Bach Soloists, too,” Spencer reminisced. “And we were deeply involved in the San Francisco Early Music Society. Joseph started the Wildboar recording label [after his middle name, Wilbur].” 

“We do a lot of public events,” Spencer continued, “Receptions, that sort of thing. We put on one for Daniell Revenaugh and Larry Smith when they brought out their CD of Busoni’s complete two-piano music, displaying some of Daniell’s big collection of Busoni memorabilia. There have been dinners for Berkeley Symphony, Harmonia Mundi ... Kent Nagano would eat dinner here before concerts. Robert Coles of Cal Performances comes in often. And Cecilia Bertolli when she’s in town. We’re closely related to UC events, and the Café-Bistro offers special dinner menus on the nights of Zellerbach shows. I think we’re an institution—and for many, many years, an oasis.” 

The Café-Bistro features an ever-changing menu for omnivores and vegetarians alike. Recent dinner and late afternoon/evening tapas menus reveal such delectables as crispy-skin duck over confit, lamb shoulder braised with preserved lemon, served with sumac salad and flatbread, as well as an entrée of roasted baby eggplant stuffed with ratatouille. The chef, Erick B. (for Balbueno), “walked in the door one day,” Spencer recalls. “Born in Spain, raised in Mexico, trained in New York—and an insatiable learner—I knew after talking with him for five minutes that he was a terrific chef. And his presentations are beautiful.” 

The CD shop features 10,000 discs, according to Nadja Matisoff, co-manager (with Don Kaplan, who edits the “occasional newsletter,” Take Note, the current issue featuring his interview with viola da gamba maestro Jordi Savall and his wife soprano Montserrat Figueras, both store visitors during the annual Berkeley Early Music Festival), a “broad, yet shallow collection—many titles, but not too many copies of any one.” Matisoff commented, “It’s amazing how much influence on what we carry each person working here has.” 

“One of my visions, goals, is to have the Musical Offering be a joyous place, one that feeds the spirit as well as the body,” said Spencer. “That’s the bottom line.” 

Above the bookstore door is its slogan: “Ten Thousand Minds On Fire.” McClung says it’s from Emerson, “but I changed it from ‘A Mind’ to ‘Ten Thousand’” Besides the stock of books from scholarly and academic presses, there’s now a specialty shop upstairs in back, Handsome Books (Martin Holden, proprietor), with scarce and unusual books, often with decorated covers and spines, from over the past century or so.  

McClung also points to the big, handsome table in the back, where “we have our University Press Bookstore Conversations—creating conversations between authors and what we call interlocutors.” (Next Tuesday at 7 p.m., Christina Creveling of UPB will be in conversation with Priscilla Royal, author of Forsaken Soul, from the Medieval Mystery Series.) And to the gallery in the Café-Bistro, where Marty Knapp’s stunning photos of the Point Reyes Peninsula are on display. 

“If we sold just two more CDs a day, it would make a big difference,” said Jean Spencer.  

“We’re in a community,” William McClung said. “We have something to offer. But we need people to buy.” 

MUSICAL OFFERING 

849-0211. www.musicaloffering.com. 

UNIVERSITY PRESS BOOKS 

548-0585. www.universitypressbooks.com. 

Stew, the contemporary troubadour whose Tony, Obie and New York Drama Critic Circle Award-winning musical, Passing Strange (now a Spike Lee film), debuted at Berkeley Rep in 2006, will return to play an unusual solo concert Friday at the Oakland Metro Operahouse.  

It was at the Metro where he developed much of his musical’s material as “increasingly theatrical cabaret” from 2002-04.  

An Evening with Stew: Alone and Unguarded, which he described as “a solo acoustic-ish thing even though I will without doubt have a drummer playing quietly and a keyboardist on acoustic piano,” will be presented as a benefit for Oakland Opera.  

Alone and Unguarded will feature songs from Passing Strange as well as other numbers from throughout his career—fittingly, as Passing Strange itself told the semi-autobiographical story of an African-American musician, called The Youth, from Los Angeles searching for himself in Europe. The musical, which won Best Book of a Musical in 2008 Tonys, Best New Theater Piece and Best Performance Ensemble at the Obies, as well as Best Musical from the New York Drama Critics Circle, featured Berkeley native, actress, songwriter and playwright Eisa Davis in the role of The Youth’s mother. 

About the Oakland Metro show’s title, Stew said, “Me and my friends in music have always thought that was the most hilarious Vegas-style show title ever ... I think it’s often used for comedians—which pleases me—and frankly I have waited my entire career to use it.” 

Spike Lee’s film of a performance of Passing Strange premiered this Jan. 16 in the Sundance Festival’s noncompetative Spectrum Documentary program. “Less a documentary than a vividly shot homage,” as the New York Times described it, Passing Strange is different than other coming-of-age plays and films in Stew’s words to The Times: “White teen angst is the most documented thing in the world. You got Jimmy Dean and Marlon Brando, and everybody is riding around on motorcycles all angry, but you know what? Black folks have that too. Ask around.” 

Spike Lee underlined the point: “When you are a young black kid, you see three options. You can be a rapper, a baller in the NBA or NFL, or end up slinging drugs on a corner. But being an artist? C’mon. ... You’ve seen this kid before, but never in a play.” 

Stew, 47, whose given name is Mark Stewart, collaborates with Heidi Rodewald, developing his sound, “Afro-Baroque Cabaret,” and has led two bands, The Negro Problem, and Stew. 

AN EVENING WITH STEW: ALONE AND UNGUARDED 

8:30 p.m., Feb. 20 at Oakland Metro Operahouse, 630 Third St. (near Jack London Square). $12 advance, $15 at door. 

763-1146. oaklandmetro.org. 

“What fools these mortals be!” When The Bard’s famous fairy trickster—aka Robin Goodfellow—utters this verse in otherworldly weeds, maybe to the strains of Mendelssohn, outdoors in an amphitheater some August night, the audience, well-conditioned, knows just where it is and what he is saying. 

But when a punk rock Puck in a Sex Pistols T-shirt says the same thing, it seems to mean something else, drawing everybody in—or throwing them out—of the party. A real blowout, no gauzy rout of precious elemental folk. 

So Impact Theatre’s production in mid-winter of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, envisioned and directed by Impact’s artistic director, Melissa Hillman, resets the goings on from an Athenian court and wood to an ’80s bar, an anachronism both more and less crude than some of the Festivalese stretching of Shakespeare like taffy.  

The conceit of placing the action in a late 20th-century bar-room turns The Bard over to burlesque—Impact’s usual product, with its Impact Briefs, burlesque spelled with a ‘K’ at the end, the next opening appropriately on May Day. And this is the fun of it, the confusion of identities, of different (if interlocking) worlds—of youth, court, “blue collar” and supernatural—shaken up in a cocktail mixer, spilling out with a lot of fizz. 

Jordan Winer plays an ardent Theseus in a short-brimmed fedora, pursuing his statuesque Hippolyta (Sarah Thomas); the lovers are Miyuki Bierlein as Hermia, a Madonna knock-off, and tomboyish Helena (Marissa Keltie) in denim jacket and cowboy boots; their beaux are the New Romantic-type Lysander (Nick Jackson) and Demetrius (Seth Thygesen) in Buddy Holly specs.  

Stanley Spenger, founder of the original Shakespearean troupe in La Val’s cellar, bestows a touch of Bardic gravity on father Egeus’s protesting; and Tim Redmond as a youthful clubber Oberon plays well off his bride Titania (Sarah Coykendall) as well as majordomo Puck—Pete Caslavka, who’s really the star of the show, grimacing punkishly and doing doubletakes at all, including himself. Luisa Frasconi and Jenny Kang delightfully attend as Cobweb and Moth. 

The Rude Mechanicals are a little more problematic, though very game: Steven Epperson plays Quince straight, so he is very funny, and sets up the silliness of those amateur thesbians, portrayed by Perry Aliado, Mike Delaney and Brian Turner. Notorious Bottom, heart-and-soul of this comedy—and one of Shakespeare’s greatest creations, like Falstaff, as well as one of his most ambiguous—is cast as a woman. Casi Maggio is full of juice, playing the old ham up as a hot barrista, full of herself, especially good in the scenes with Titania, wearing the ass’s ears. 

But something of the wildness of the old folk comedy is lost, the great contrasts, the grotesqueness beyond the Surreal that The Bard’s transformed into wonder ... 

But this is a burlesque, a jumble of routines that parades the spectacle comedically, provoking gales of laughter from the audience—for some of which, the ‘80s aren’t even Nostalgia: Shakespeare in period dress (costumer Virginia Thorne’s), indeed. 

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM 

8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday through March 14 at La Val’s Subterranean, 1843 Euclid Ave. 

$10-$17. www.impacttheatre.com.