Full Text

Neighbors watch as Berkeley police establish a crime scene investigation area around the prone body of Marcus Mosley.
Jane Stillwater
Neighbors watch as Berkeley police establish a crime scene investigation area around the prone body of Marcus Mosley.
 

News

Interstate 580 Closed By Shooting, Bomb Scare until Sunday Evening

By Bay City News
Sunday July 18, 2010 - 06:07:00 PM

A bomb squad detonated a suspicious package found today in a pickup truck belonging to a man involved in an early-morning shootout with police on Interstate 580, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said. 

CHP officers attempted to stop the driver shortly after midnight this morning after observing a white Toyota truck allegedly speeding and weaving through traffic on westbound Interstate 580 near the Grand Avenue exit. 

After conducting a routine traffic stop, the driver did not respond when CHP officers tried directing him off the freeway with their loudspeaker, Oakland police said. CHP officers then approached the vehicle and allegedly saw firearms inside and the driver arming himself. He was allegedly armed with a handgun, shotgun, rifle and body armor.  

The suspect, described as a 45-year-old man, allegedly fired at officers as they moved back to their marked vehicles and CHP officers returned fire, Oakland police said. 

Two CHP officers were transported to a local hospital and treated for minor injuries after the exchange. 

The suspect was shot an unknown number of times and was listed in stable condition this afternoon, Oakland police said. He is under arrest for attempted murder. 

"This person blatantly and randomly shot at our officers without provocation," Morgan said. 

The CHP officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure, Morgan said. 

"This was a very aggressive person," Morgan said. "He shot at officers on a freeway that was opened to the public. Clearly his intentions were less than honorable." 

Oakland Homicide is conducting a criminal investigation, and CHP is conducting an administrative investigation into the incident. 

After the shootout, CHP officers and Oakland Homicide investigators found a suspicious package along with a binder while searching the truck, which was sitting in the westbound lanes of Highway 580 west of Harrison Street, said CHP spokesman Sam Morgan. 

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office Explosive Ordinance Disposal Squad was called to assist after the suspicious items were found inside the truck, Morgan said. 

A member of the bomb squad who was wearing a protective suit to search the truck could not confirm that the package was non-destructive, Morgan said. A robot was then used to retrieve the package, which was detonated in the westbound lanes of Interstate 580 near Harrison Street. 

Investigators also found a white binder with the word "California" on the front in the truck, Morgan said. Investigators do not know the full significance of the binder. 

"It's like a piece of the puzzle," Morgan said. 

The bomb squad remained on the scene for several hours but had left the area by 4:30 p.m., Morgan said. 

The shootout forced the closing of Interstate 580 in both directions and Interstate 980 and some surrounding exits for several hours. 

The eastbound lanes of Interstate 580 are now open, and the westbound lanes of Interstate 580 remained closed as of 5 p.m. with no estimated time of reopening, a CHP officer said. 

 

 



Popular Berkeley Video Store Closes

By Dan McMenamin(BCN)
Saturday July 17, 2010 - 03:20:00 PM

A popular video rental store in Berkeley closed its doors for good this week after fighting to stay in business when its parent company filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. 

Reel Video, located at 2655 Shattuck Ave., shut down for good on Monday. In the past couple of months, store officials had reached out to the community to try to raise thousands of dollars to stay afloat. 

Jenny Woolsey, an employee at the store, said three auditors for prospective investors came to the store Monday, and after looking at the inventory of more than 80,000 movies - many of which are rare or decades old - they suddenly announced that the store was closing. 

The closing of the store had been looming after its parent company, Movie Gallery, Inc., which operates the Hollywood Video chain of stores, filed for bankruptcy in February. 

The company purchased Reel Video more than a decade ago, but the store had sought to maintain an independent feel by focusing on older, hard-to-find movies rather than new releases. That approach attracted many movie lovers, as well as film students at the nearby University of California at Berkeley. 

Woolsey said the closing "was kind of a shock to everyone. We had no idea it was going to happen that fast." 

Store officials were trying to raise at least $200,000 to buy the business back from its parent company before it was liquidated and closed. At least $50,000 had been pledged to the effort, but it ultimately could not be saved. 

"We had been working so hard...getting investors, getting donations, then to just find out that we had closed, and not even getting a call from corporate headquarters, it was a blow," Woolsey said. 

She said most of the store's inventory has already been taken away. 

"It's pretty much just a shell," she said. "We're still all really bummed out about it." 

Woolsey said the store's workforce of more than a dozen people are now looking for other jobs. 

"It sucks we lost our jobs, it's not cool, but I feel the real detriment is to the community to lose that many movies, including some most likely that they'll never find again," she said. 

Woolsey said the investors plan to use the inventory of videos to open a new store elsewhere, but she did not know where or when that would happen. 

 

 

 


Flash: Berkeley Man Shot Dead On Milvia Street (UPDATED)

By Janna Brancolini (BCN), Thomas Lord, Becky O'Malley
Monday July 19, 2010 - 07:49:00 PM
Neighbors watch as Berkeley police establish a crime scene investigation area around the prone body of Marcus Mosley.
Jane Stillwater
Neighbors watch as Berkeley police establish a crime scene investigation area around the prone body of Marcus Mosley.

A man in his 30s was found fatally shot in a parked car in Berkeley today, a police spokeswoman said. A neighbor identified the victim for the Planet as Marcus Mosley Jr., and said that he grew up in Berkeley in the Savo Island Co-op and had attended Berkeley High. 

At about 5:10 p.m., police received reports of possible shots fired in the 2800 block of Milvia Street, just west of Adeline and Russell streets, police Sgt. Mary Kusmiss said. 

Berkeley police found the man slumped over the wheel of a parked car in that block. 

Paramedics responded and tried to revive the man, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, Kusmiss said. 

The man was the city's third homicide victim of the year. 

The reported victim, Marcus Mosley, had been injured in a 2008 incident in Berkeley, when Mosley was shot and his former brother in law, Maceo Smith, was killed. 

Mosley had been involved in a dispute near Durant Avenue and Bowditch and called on Smith for help. After Smith arrived both were shot, Smith fatally. 

There were many witnesses to today's shooting, which took place in broad daylight on a busy street near the "Arnieville" tent city which has been set up by disabled protesters and the busy Berkeley Bowl parking lot. 

Some witnesses who asked that their identity not be published reported that Mosley was shot while in his car, possibly from a black or dark gray vehicle.  

They described hearing five quick shots, followed later by a sixth.  

Other witnesses said that it seemed that the shooters knew the victim and had deliberately shot him. 

Some reported seeing that Mosley had been shot in the head and chest.  

Police cordoned off the crime scene, and a number of police officers with several police cars and motorcycles were still there at 11 p.m. tonight (Friday).


BART Police Oversight Bill Signed

By Bay City News Service
Friday July 16, 2010 - 05:35:00 PM

A BART police oversight bill signed into law on Thursday will take effect on Jan 1, 2011, exactly two years after a BART police officer shot and killed an unarmed passenger on the Fruitvale station platform in Oakland, BART officials announced today.  

Former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for shooting and killing 22-year-old Oscar Grant III on Jan. 1, 2009. Mehserle is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 5.  

"Today really is a historic day for BART," BART Board President James Fang said at a news conference held in Oakland this morning to discuss the signing of the bill.  

Existing law allows the board to contract with outside auditing entities, but the new law enables the board to also establish two BART police oversight entities: an independent police auditor and a citizen review board.  

Lynette Sweet, a member of the BART board of directors, explained that these entities will work together to improve transparency following certain incidents, such as the use of force by an officer or a discriminatory charge.  

"This is the people's bill," Sweet said, adding that the bill is in part the result of discussions in the 20 community meetings that followed the fatal shooting of Grant.  

Assemblyman Sandre Swanson, D-Alameda, who introduced the bill, said that although everyone is pleased about the bill's passage, "this is not a time to celebrate" given the tragic circumstance of Grant's death.  

Sweet said that if the auditor and citizen review board had existed on the day Grant was killed, events directly following the shooting would have transpired differently.  

The auditor would have been called to the scene right away, and then made recommendations to the citizen review board, who then would have been able to make recommendations to the BART police chief, Sweet said.  

The citizen review board will consist of 11 people, nine chosen individually by BART board members, one chosen by the board together, and another chosen by BART police.  

Fang said that although the changes may not be able to completely prevent another incident from occurring, it will certainly improve oversight and accountability.  


Press Release: Intestinal Illness Closes Tuolomne Camp for the Weekend

From Berkeley Parks and Recreation Department.
Friday July 16, 2010 - 04:16:00 PM

Tuolumne Camp News Update (July 15, 2010): Due to multiple cases of an intestinal illness at Tuolumne Camp, the camp is being closed to campers for the weekend of July 16-19, 2010. Camp will re-open for dinner on Monday, July 19. 

 

While we regret any and all interruption of camp activities, the health of our campers has to be our first priority. The closure will ensure that overlapping groups do not continue to spread this illness. 

 

During this closure, the camp will be cleaned under the guidance of Tuolumne County and City of Berkeley health officials. 

 

Campers who were scheduled to come to camp this weekend are being notified directly by Parks, Recreation and Waterfront staff. If anyone has any questions about their planned trip to Tuolumne, please contact us at 510/981-5140 or recreation@CityofBerkeley.info.


Brown Sues to Defend PACE Financing Program

By Thomas Lord
Thursday July 15, 2010 - 12:15:00 PM

California’s Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. is striking back in defense of PACE programs. PACE (“Property Assisted Clean Energy”) programs, such as Berkeley FIRST, are described in a July 13 story in the Berkeley Daily Planet. Brown has filed a suit on behalf of the state of California against the Federal Housing Finance Agency, its director Edward DeMarco, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Freddie Mac, its CEO Charles E. Haldeman, Jr., Fannie Mae, and its CEO Michael J. Williams.. 

The suit urgently asks the US District Court for the Northern District of California to reverse the effect of recent letters from Fannie Mae, Freddy Mac, and FHFA that have caused the suspension of PACE programs throughout the state and around the nation. The court is asked to declare that PACE financing to homeowners is, under California law, a tax assessment not a loan.  

Freddie and Fannie treat PACE financing as a loan superior to any first mortgage, and therefore decline to buy or sell mortgages for properties with PACE liens under their lending rules. Assessments, traditionally used for such things as sidewalk improvements or burying utility lines, are consistent with the lending rules but loans superior to a mortgage are not. In California, PACE was authorized by the legislature as an assessment but mortgage holders disagree with that characterization. The court is asked to affirm that PACE repayment does, as an assessment, take legal priority over mortgage repayment. The suit argues that the defendants have engaged in unfair business practices under California law by asserting their objections. 

In a curious twist, the suit also argues that FHFA’s recent actions have enormous environmental impact. Under the National Environmental Protection Act, federal agencies must complete and environmental assessment or impact report before taking such actions. The suit asks that FHFA be ordered to take no further action against PACE programs until such an environmental study is completed. 

In his press release, Brown stressed the economic and employment benefits of PACE programs and noted that their suspension means California may lose over $100 million in federal economic stimulus funds. In an earlier letter to FHFA, Brown’s office estimated the potential PACE-related losses to Fannie and Freddie at between $75 and $100 per California mortgage. If California-style PACE programs spread to all 50 states, with Freddie and Fannie holding approximately 31 million mortgages, that would amount to between $2.3 billion and $4.7 billion in losses for the mortgage giants.


Cost of New Downtown Plan (so far): $1 Million

By Zelda Bronstein
Monday July 19, 2010 - 09:09:00 PM

In the nearly five years since the City of Berkeley started preparing a new plan for downtown, the actual costs of the planning process have never been publicized. On July 1, two days after the council voted 6-2-1 to place the “Green Vision for the Downtown” sponsored by Mayor Bates and Councilmembers Moore, Maio and Capitelli on the November 2010 ballot, the City’s Budget Office told this writer that since Fiscal Year 2006, the City has spent $939,760 on the still-to-be-formulated Downtown Area Plan. Of that sum, officials said, $651,827 has gone to the planner who’s overseeing the project, Matt Taecker. Taecker was reportedly paid with funds the City received from UC as part of the secret 2005 agreement that settled the City’s lawsuit of the University over campus expansion. What remains unclear is whether these arrangements honor the terms of the settlement agreement, and how these two avowedly cash-strapped public entities have found a million dollars (and counting) between them to fund this project. 

The details of the settlement agreement merit scrutiny, because the call for a new downtown plan originated with that contract, which was formulated and approved behind closed doors. Indeed, that call came as a shock to the community; the City’s lawsuit had said nothing about downtown. Nor had the general public been clamoring for a new downtown plan. It still isn’t, to judge by the 9,200 signatures gathered last summer on the petition to referend the council majority’s first stab at a Downtown Area Plan. 

Facing a fight at the ballot, in February 2010 the council rescinded that proposal. Since then, it’s drafted two more, each one skimpier than the last. In fact, at the council’s June 29 meeting, City Attorney Zack Cowan opined that the five-page “Green Vision for the Downtown” (effort # 3) is not a plan at all but merely an advisory measure. 

The settlement agreement stipulated that UC would “pay 50% of the City’s cost of preparing the DAP EIR [Downtown Area Plan Environmental Impact Report], up to a maximum amount of $250,000.” It also said that the City would “employ a minimum of one FTE land use planner for four (4) years.” To fund the preparation of the EIR, the City was authorized to draw up to $250,000 out of the campus’ annual (through 2020) payment to the City of $1.2 million, the latter sum to increase annually by 3%. 

One caveat: Funds annually allocated for transportation demand management ($200,000) and neighborhood programs ($200,000) could not be touched. The agreement also allocated $200,000 annually to City sewer and storm drain infrastructure projects, and $600,000 annually to City fire and emergency equipment, capital improvements and training. (A 2004 study commissioned by the City found that UC annually used $5,760,000 worth of City fire and emergency services and $2,698,000 worth of City sewer/stormwater facilities.) 

What’s perplexing, then, is that all these allocations add up to $1.2 million. In other words, unless the City was raiding the UC monies designated for the City’s sewers, storm drains and fire services, there would seem to have been nothing left to fund the preparation of the DAP EIR, except the paltry 3% annual increase on UC’s initial $1.2 million contribution. 

Taecker has been paid $651,827—all of it, according to the Budget Office, from UC. But the settlement agreement stipulated that UC would pay a maximum of $250,000 to the planner overseeing the DAP EIR. It also said that the City would share equally in that planner’s compensation. Did UC end up paying it all? And by so doing, has UC paid 70% of the total costs of preparing a new plan for downtown Berkeley? 

The settlement agreement stipulated that the City would hire a planner to work on the DAP for four years. Taecker was hired five years ago, in Fall 2005; he’s still on the City payroll. Most recently, he’s been paid out of funds provided by a grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to implement the DAP. But there still is no DAP, and thus nothing to implement. So what’s he actually doing? 

The answer seems to be that he’s working on the mayor’s ballot measure: On June 29, Taecker joined planning director Dan Marks at the staff table, as the council discussed the “Green Vision for the Downtown.” Isn’t it problematic that funds earmarked for DAP implementation are being used to pay for the preparation of a ballot measure? 

Finally, the settlement agreement stipulates that if, due to “City action or inaction not caused by UC Berkeley’s failure to perform under this Agreement,” within 48 months of the agreement’s execution”—which is to say, by May 2009—the new Downtown Area Plan [DAP] has not been adopted and its Environmental Impact Statement has not been certified, the University’s annual payment to the City will be reduced by $180,000 each year or $15,000 per month of delay, until certification of the EIR and adoption of the Plan. The agreement also stipulated that the deadline could be extended by mutual agreement of UC and the City. 

When the city council launched the DAP planning process on September 27, 2005, the staff report acknowledged that “if the City fails to meet the [May 2009] target for completing the new plan and certifying its EIR, “the University will reduce its financial contributions to the City under the settlement agreement; however planning and environmental review may continue to completion.” 

The City missed the May 2009 deadline. On June 2, 2009 the council extended the DAP/EIR deadline to July 15, 2009. On July 14, 2009 the council passed its now-rescinded, first edition of the DAP. Berkeley still lacks a new downtown plan, and the deadline has not been extended a second time. 

Is that why the words “University of California” and “settlement agreement” appear nowhere in either the “Downtown Area Ballot Measure” or the accompanying July 13 staff report to the council? In keeping with the settlement agreement, has the University reduced its payments to the City? If so, by how much? Is UC now contributing anything to DAP preparation? If not, how does the City, which faces a $16.2 million deficit in Fiscal Year 2011, intend to fund the future downtown planning process? 

The July 13 staff report on the “Downtown Area Ballot Measure” devotes two sentences to the measure’s fiscal impacts. We read that if the measure passes, “there will be significant follow-up efforts by staff to adopt a Downtown Area Plan and implementation measures,” and that “additional environmental review may be necessary, depending on the exact changes proposed in the final plan. Not a word about costs of such efforts or how they will be funded. 

On July 1 and 2, I asked the City Budget Office to provide an itemized and annualized account of planning for downtown Berkeley since 2005. As of July 12, I had yet to receive that account. 

 


Solar Financing Program Invented in Berkeley, Now National, is In Trouble

By Thomas Lord
Monday July 19, 2010 - 04:42:00 PM

A plan that might sound like the work of those hooligans on Wall Street was in fact invented by an employee of the City of Berkeley in cooperation with Renewable Funding LLC, an Oakland-based corporation that helped to design, administer, and fund the Berkeley FIRST solar installation project.

Conceptually, it’s a simple business model: Issue loans to homeowners based on the value of their property, no deep credit check required. Combine those loans into pools and sell shares in those pools. The interest rates will be a bit high, so welcome borrowers who already have a lot of outstanding debt against their homes. Ensure that tax-payers are on the hook for these loans as much as possible. If you can, try to get some laws passed to ensure that, in the event of foreclosure, these loans are repaid first—even ahead of a primary mortgage on the property and even, if necessary, at taxpayer expense. 

Berkeley FIRST was the nation’s first PACE program (PACE stands for Property Assessed Clean Energy). PACE programs are a way to finance clean energy. They are were invented in Berkeley by Mayor Bates’ then Chief of Staff, Francisco (Cisco) DeVries, reportedly with some help from Daniel Kammen of UC Berkeley. DeVries later resigned his position with the city to help start Renewable Funding LLC, a privately held company, along with Kammen and Stephen Compagni Portis (a venture capitalist and also a colleague of Kammen’s at UCB). 

Although PACE started with a small pilot program in Berkeley, it rapidly spread around the state and the nation. Today, twenty-one states plus the District of Columbia have PACE programs. This rapid growth, spurred in part by concerns for the environment and in part by efforts to create jobs, happened in roughly two years. Renewable Funding LLC rode the wave, participating in PACE program design, administration and funding in many municipalities. The company recently received venture capital funding of $12.2 million dollars. 

Proponents argue that PACE is a clever way to fund essential clean energy improvements to vast numbers of US households and commercial buildings. But problems have arisen, stemming from the financial structure of PACE: PACE programs have been suspended around the country in response to objections raised by mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. 

 

PACE Put on Hold 

 

PACE programs seek to encourage clean energy and energy efficiency improvements in homes and commercial structures by helping property owners to finance the upfront costs. For example, the Berkeley FIRST program enabled 13 homeowners to install solar power systems, using money from bonds issued by the City. In exchange, owners of participating homes agreed to an increase in their property taxes to repay the bonds. The idea is that this funding method is revenue-neutral for the city, but helps to decrease the city’s overall “carbon footprint” and reliance on imported energy. 

However, mortgage holders, particularly Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, object to the use of PACE programs by their borrowers. The increased taxes PACE imposes on a property take the form of a lien with seniority over the mortgage. In the event of a foreclosure, PACE taxes must be paid before mortgage lenders are paid. 

A July 6 letter from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) further asserts that PACE programs do not evaluate the borrowers who wish to receive these funds carefully enough, and that the programs are not supported by any evidence that they increase property values or achieve the intended clean energy benefits. 

The FHFA says that PACE programs benefit the investors (those who buy the bonds) but place mortgage holders at risk: 

“While the first lien position offered in most PACE programs minimizes credit risk for investors funding the programs, it alters traditional lending priorities. Underwriting for PACE programs results in collateral-based lending rather than lending based upon ability-to-pay, the absence of Truth-in-Lending Act and other consumer protections, and uncertainty as to whether the home improvements actually produce meaningful reductions in energy consumption.” 

The objections raised by FHFA have caused the suspension of nearly all PACE programs across the country. Twenty one states (including California) and the District of Columbia are affected. 

 

Profit for Inventors, Trouble for Mortgages 

 

PACE programs are frequently described as the joint invention of DeVries, now President of Renewable Funding, and Kammen, then and still Director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) at the University of California, Berkeley. With Stephen Compagni Portis, a venture capitalist and visiting scholar at UC Berkeley and member of the RAEL lab, they founded Renewable Funding, LLC. Compagni Portis is now the company’s chairman. 

According to the company’s web site, Renewable Funding offers “a turnkey solution specifically engineered to support the development of property-assessed clean energy (PACE) financing districts.” It helps municipalities to draft legislation and design programs, assists in marketing and administering PACE programs, and helps to secure financing—sometimes including buying up the bonds. In Berkeley, Renewable Funding bought up approximately $1.5 million worth of the bonds it had helped to design. 

Renewable Funding collected fees and taxpayer-secured bond interest associated with these programs during a period when the foreclosure crisis began to rear its ugly head. As mortgage holders were suffering, PACE programs piled on with senior liens and taxpayer guarantees. 

 

The PACE Timeline 

 

May 23, 2006: Mayor Tom Bates places an item on Council’s Action Counter, seeking a ballot measure initially drafted to say “Should the People of the City Berkeley advise the Berkeley City Council to adopt and support aggressive efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and actively engage in climate-disaster preparations to address the likely local climate change impacts such as flooding, shortages of potable water, and dramatically increased costs of energy?” 

With some changes, this would eventually become Measure G, reading (on the ballot): “Should the People of the City of Berkeley have a goal of 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and advise the Mayor to work with the community to develop a plan for Council adoption in 2007, which sets a ten year emissions reduction target and identifies actions by the City and residents to achieve both the ten year target and the ultimate goal of 80% emissions reduction?” 

November 7, 2006: Measure G passes overwhelmingly. 

November 9, 2006: : At a celebration and kick-off for measure G, Mayor Bates announces Sustainable Berkeley’s Greenhouse Gas Initiative, “that came out of a 2 year dialog with business leaders,” according to a City press release. 

Dan Kammen of UC Berkeley is scheduled to “invigorate the evening with his thoughts on how Berkeley can meet the Measure G mandate.” 

Sometime in 2007: Cisco DeVries and Daniel Kammen are reported to have invented the PACE program. 

January 30, 2007: Mayor Bates seeks and receives council consent to tentatively reserve $100,000 in the next budget to fund Measure G work. 

In his memo placing this consent item on the agenda, Bates remarks: “I am reorganizing my office to focus more effort on our greenhouse gas reduction efforts. Beginning February 1st, my chief of staff Cisco DeVries will work half time on green house gas reduction efforts for the remainder of 2007. Some of his duties will be transferred to other staff.” 

February 22, 2007: Termed-out lame-duck Assemblyman Lloyd Levine introduces Assembly Bill 811, which gives necessary state-level authorization to PACE programs. AB 811 is sponsored by the city of Palm Desert, California, which goes on to become a flagship client of Renewable Funding. 

October 30, 2007: The Berkeley Daily Planet reports that the proposed PACE program in Berkeley is expected to add 125 new installations (it eventually adds 13). The city applies for a $160,000 grant from the EPA to create the program indicating that Daniel Kammen and Steven Chu (now Secretary of Energy) will serve among the advisors to the project. 

Sometime in 2008: Renewable Funding LLC is founded by Compagni Portis, soon joined by DeVries, reportedly with Kammen’s participation. 

February 13, 2008: Cisco DeVries’ resignation as Mayor Bates’ Chief of Staff is announced after two months of prior “transitioning” activity. In his remaining three weeks on the job, he will work exclusively on Berkeley’s solar PACE program. 

June 21, 2008: AB 811 is signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger. 

September 16, 2008: Berkeley City Council approves the PACE program known as Berkeley FIRST. The New York Times quotes Daniel Kammen, in response to concerns about troubled financial markets, “Mr. Kammen, the Berkeley professor, was not worried, pointing out that venture capitalists have been pouring billions of dollars into the development of alternative-energy technology and looking for new ways to finance potential breakthroughs. ‘There’s so much more money there than ideas,’ he said. “ 

September 23, 2008: Berkeley City Manager Phil Kamlarz places an item on the Council’s action calendar to approve the contracts with Renewable Funding. This measure puts Berkeley taxpayers on the hook for a theoretical maximum of $1.5M but only requires a $97,500 set aside. It is expected that, in the case of Berkeley’s pilot program, none of this taxpayer money will need to be spent. 

October 23, 2008: Renewable Funding announces that registrations for Berkeley FIRST will open on their web site on November 5th, just one month after the contract is formally approve 

November 5, 2008: Applications swamp the Berkeley FIRST program and all available slots are filled within 9 minutes of opening. Most applicants at this stage will ultimately choose to not enter the program, many citing the unfavorable interest rate and repayment terms of the bonds. Thirteen applicants, most with large first and second mortgages on their house already, remain. 

Sometime in 2009: Renewable Funding purchases $1.5 million of bonds from Berkeley and, meanwhile, expands into many other cities. They become the “go to” firm which helps municipalities design, implement, execute and finance PACE programs. 

June 18, 2009: FHFA issues the first warning letter that PACE programs create undue risks to homeowners and to lenders, according to a recent report from Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. 

October 13, 2009: The Boulder County CO Board of Commissioners writes to FHFA defending certain aspects of their PACE program. Notably, Boulder County’s loans (unlike Berkeley’s) require “acceleration” (full and immediate repayment) in the event of a default on the property. Boulder County points out that they were advised that, otherwise, the bonds they issued would be unattractive to the market and the program not viable. Boulder County’s PACE program was designed in consultation with Renewable Funding, which cites the county as a featured client. 

October 29, 2009: Renewable Funding announces closing a deal to receive $12.2 million in venture capital funding. 

July, 2010: After a year of discussion with Congress, the White House and other stakeholders, the FHFA, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae pull the plug and force the suspension of PACE programs. Cisco DeVries remarks to the New York Times: “For all intents and purposes, until cooler heads prevail or congress acts, it’s very difficult to envision PACE going forward.” 

 

A Saner PACE Possible? 

 

PACE programs as currently implemented have tended to extend credit at less favorable terms than are often available from private sources for credit-worthy borrowers. This is not to say, at all, that PACE borrowers are anticipated to be deadbeats: merely that Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are not completely out to lunch in raising their concerns. 

Fixes to the PACE scheme might take the form of a court challenge to Freddie and Fannie’s objections, or the form of new federal legislation, or, as the state of Maine is considering (according to a March 25 online article from the Wall Street Journal) by making PACE loans junior rather than senior to existing mortgages. 

Creative financing for domestic clean energy improvements appears to be excellent social policy yielding both environmental and economic benefits. What remains to be seen is if it can be done in a less problematic way. 

Renewable Funding LLC could not be reached in time to comment for this article. We hope to talk to them later for a follow-up report.


News Analysis: Doctors without Morals

By Ralph E. Stone
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 12:02:00 PM

There is increasing evidence that United States physicians, psychologists, nurses, and medics have been complicit in torture and other illegal procedures in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantánamo. They violated one of the principal precepts of medical ethics: "First, do no harm." Government physicians and psychologists who participated in and authorized the torture of detainees have escaped discipline, accountability or even internal investigation. The Pentagon, the C.I.A., state licensing boards, and professional medical societies have not initiated any action to investigate, much less discipline, these individuals. Presumably these health care professionals continue to treat an unknowing public with little or no fear of prosecution or disciplinary action. 

Background  

On April 16, 2009, President Obama released four top secret memos that allowed the CIA under the Bush administration to torture al-Qaeda and other suspects held at Guantánamo and secret detention centres round the world. According to the memos, ten techniques were approved: attention grasp (grasping the individual with both hands, one hand on each side of the collar opening, in a controlled and quick motion); walling (in which the suspect could be pushed into a wall); a facial hold; a facial slap; cramped confinement; wall standing; sleep deprivation; insects placed in a confinement box (the suspect had a fear of insects); and the waterboarding. In waterboarding the individual is bound securely to an inclined bench, which is approximately four feet by seven feet. The individual's feet are generally elevated. A cloth is placed over the forehead and eyes. Water is then applied to the cloth in a controlled manner which produces the perception of suffocation and incipient panic. 

In the now-discredited August 2002 memorandum from then Assistant Attorney General Jay Bybee to then White House Counsel Alberto Gonzalez narrowly defined physical torture as requiring pain "equivalent in intensity to the pain accompanying serious physical injury, such as organ failure, the permanent impairment of a significant bodily function, or even death." 

And we all remember former Vice President Cheney's comment that: "enhanced interrogation techniques" (a euphemism for torture) sanctioned by the Bush administration are not torture and dismissed criticism as "contrived indignation and phony moralizing." 

Under, the "Yamashita standard," based upon the precedent set by the United States Supreme Court in the case of Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita (In re Yamashita, 327 U.S. 1 (1946). He was prosecuted in 1945, in a still controversial trial, for atrocities committed by troops under his command in the Philippines. Yamashita was charged with "unlawfully disregarding and failing to discharge his duty as a commander to control the acts of members of his command by permitting them to commit war crimes." Would the "Yamashita standard" apply to those in the chain of command right up to then President Bush as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Donald Rumsfeld, his Secretary of Defense, Alberto Gonzales, his attorney general, and the directors of the Central Intelligence Agency? 

It is a moot point now as President Obama has ruled out prosecutions against those who had been involved in torture. It is a "time for reflection, not retribution," he said. 

Defining Medical Torture  

Medical torture (also known as a medical interrogation) describes the involvement and sometimes active participation of medical professionals in acts of torture, either to judge what victims can endure, to apply treatments which will enhance torture, or as torturers in their own right. Medical torture may involve the use of their expert medical knowledge to facilitate interrogation or corporal punishment, in the conduct of torturous human experimentation or in providing professional medical sanction and approval for the torture of prisoners. The term also covers torturous scientific (or pseudo-scientific) experimentation upon unwilling human subjects. 

Pentagon top health official doctor William Winkenwerder Jr. in 2005 allowed military physicians to participate in torture and share medical records with interrogators so long as a detainee wasn't officially their patient. Winkenwerder got an award from the AMA that year for outstanding contributions "to the betterment of the public health." The AMA has refused to condemn Pentagon and CIA torture practices and made no response when in Feb., 2006, the U.N. Commission on Human Rights condemned U.S. doctors for having "systematically" participated in detainee abuse. Bioethicist Steven Miles of the University of Minnesota Medical School said the U.N. condemnation should have been "a call to arms" yet "the AMA said nothing." 

Yet, according to an AMA opinion, "Physicians must oppose and must not participate in torture for any reason. Participation in torture includes, but is not limited to, providing or withholding any services, substances, or knowledge to facilitate the practice of torture. Physicians must not be present when torture is used or threatened." (AMA Code of Medical Ethics opinion 2.067) 

According to the American Pychological Association: " BE IT RESOLVED that the APA reaffirms its 1986 condemnation of torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment wherever it occurs." (American Psychologists Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (2006)). However, in May, 2006, APA President Steven Sharfstein noted that psychiatrists "wouldn't get into trouble" if they heeded military orders despite the APA's advice that members should not directly assist in interrogations, which he added should not be considered "an ethical rule." 

Torture is prohibited under international law and the domestic laws of most countries. Although, Amnesty International estimates that at least 81 world governments currently practice torture, some openly. 

Nuremberg "Doctor's Trial"  

The "doctor's trial." one of many trials at Nuremberg is somewhat instructive. Twenty-three German physicians who willingly participated in the Nazi program to euthanize persons deemed "unworthy of life" (the mentally ill, mentally retarded, or physically disabled or who conducted pseudoscientific medical experiments utilizing thousands of concentration camp prisoners without their consent. Most died or were permanently crippled as a result. Most of the victims were Jews, Poles, Russians, and also Roma (Gypsies). After almost 140 days of proceedings, including the testimony of 85 witnesses and the submission of almost 1,500 documents, the American judges pronounced their verdict on August 20, 1947. Sixteen of the doctors were found guilty. Seven were sentenced to death. They were executed on June 2, 1948. The tribunal rejected the defense that the accused were only following orders issued by others. Instead, individuals were held responsible for their actions, although for those found guilty, the tribunal indicated that a person's place in the hierarchy of authority and the nature of those orders could be considered as mitigating circumstances in the determination of sentencing. 

But you say, these German doctors' actions resulted directly or indirectly in thousands of deaths and the crippling of prisoners. Is there a difference in kind or is the difference really one of degree? 

Disobeying Unlawful Orders  

The Constitution states (Article VI) states: 

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding. 

Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions states in pertinent part: 

In the case of armed conflict not of an international character occurring in the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties, each party to the conflict shall be bound to apply, as a minimum, the following provisions: 

1. Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria. 

To this end the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons: 

(a) Violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture; 

(b) Taking of hostages; 

(c) Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment." 

Article 3 is straightforward and clear. Under Article VI of the Constitution, it forms part of the supreme law of the land. 

Thus, a member of the military is personally held responsible for all of his or her actions, in all countries, at all times and places. "I was only following orders" is not a defense. 

To disobey an unlawful order seems clear in principal, but not always in practice. A military physician is subject to a potential moral conflict between healing, on the one hand, and obeyance to the military hierarchy and the command structure, on the other. American doctors at prisons in Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantánamo, and elsewhere, are supposed to know their medical responsibility to document injuries and raise questions about possible abuse. Yet, those physicians and other medical personnel are part of a command structure that permitted, encouraged, and sometimes committed torture to a degree that it became the norm in the prison environment and to which they were expected to comply. 

The Nazis provided the most extreme example of physicians becoming socialized to atrocity. In addition to cruel medical experiments, many Nazi doctors, as part of military units, were directly involved in killing. To reach that extreme point, they underwent a sequence of socialization: first to the medical profession, a self-protective guild; then to the military, where they became subjected to the chain of command; and finally to camps such as Auschwitz, where adaptation included assuming leadership roles in the death factory. Most of these physicians were ordinary people who had killed no one before joining murderous Nazi institutions. They were corruptible and certainly responsible for what they did, but they became murderers mainly in atrocity-producing settings. 

Did any medical personnel refuse to engage in torture and, if so, were they disciplined? 

Conclusion  

Those who sanctioned torture either don't know the law, or advocated flaunting the law. Human torture is not only morally unacceptable – it is also a crime. Waterboarding, for example, is explicitly prohibited by the Convention Against Torture and the Geneva Conventions. Using torture places us in the same company as history's infamous torturers. Waterboarding, for example, dates back to the Dark Ages. By using torture, we lost any ideological advantage we might have had -- the promotion of democracy, freedom and human rights. We became the thugs our enemies say we are. 

Where does that leave us as a society if we do not punish those who carry out unlawful orders? We expect our physicians and psychologists to maintain a high standard of ethics, a high duty to their patients, and often to put the interests of their patients ahead of their own interests. Failure to meet these standards is an unconscionable disservice to the thousands of ethical physicians and psychologists in and out of the military. 

 

Ralph E. Stone is a retired attorney. 

 


Temporary Transbay Terminal to Open Aug. 7

By Andy Hamilton (BCN)
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 11:26:00 AM

Beginning next month, San Francisco's transit hub will move from the existing Transbay Terminal at Mission and First streets to a temporary terminal at Howard and Main streets.  

The move, effective Aug. 7, allows work to begin on a new, $4 billion Transbay Transit Center at the site of the existing terminal. Completion of the 1 million-square-foot terminal is expected in 2017.  

An open house for the temporary terminal will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 3, said Courtney Lodato, spokeswoman for Transbay Joint Powers Authority. Transit officials will be available to assist riders at the current terminal the week before its closure, and also at the temporary terminal for the first week it's open.  

The temporary terminal will have 24-hour security. There are no public restrooms.  

The temporary terminal will serve AC Transit, Greyhound and West CAT Lynk on the inside of the terminal. Muni, Golden Gate Transit and SamTrans will be accommodated around the perimeter of the open-air facility.  

Payment will continue to be accepted on board the buses, Lodato said.  

Riders must enter the temporary terminal from Main Street during the first two months of operation while construction crews demolish an elevated bus ramp to build the last corner of the terminal, Lodato said. Bus stops will change in November once upgrades are complete.  

Transit riders should visit temporaryterminal.org for more information and for construction updates.  

"We're encouraging people to plan ahead and learn about it," Lodato said.  

San Francisco voters approved Measure G last month, affirming city policy to locate the northern terminus of the planned San Francisco-to-Los Angeles high-speed rail line at the Transbay Transit Center.  

More information on the new transit center is available at transbaycenter.org.  

 


The Reaction to the Mehserle Verdict

Sunday July 11, 2010 - 02:21:00 PM

The big news last week was the relatively restrained reaction to an L.A. jury’s verdict that Johannes Mehserle was guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting of Oscar Grant. Last week’s Planet covered it in depth, on the theory that the Berkeley Bubble is not an island unto itself. We hope to cover, as well as we’re able, significant stories like this one which affect the whole urban East Bay, both Berkeley and beyond. Oscar Grant was a Hayward resident, and the policeman who shot him worked for BART, a regional agency which includes Berkeley in its coverage—it just happened that the initial outraged reaction to the shooting manifested itself in Oakland, many of whose citizens, like Oscar Grant, are African-Americans. Many Berkeleyans and people from all over the Bay Area took part in last week’s demonstrations—among those few who were arrested for intemperate behavior, 75% were from outside Oakland, some perhaps even from Berkeley. 

For full details, see last week’s issue.


Opinion

Editorials

What's News in Berkeley? More Than You Might Think

By Becky O'Malley
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 09:40:00 AM

The big news last week was the relatively restrained reaction to an L.A. jury’s verdict that Johannes Mehserle was guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting of Oscar Grant. Be sure not to miss the many fine pieces which appear as "Extras" in last week’s Planet, which covered it in depth, on the theory that the Berkeley Bubble is not an island unto itself. We hope to cover, as well as we’re able, significant stories like this one which affect the whole urban East Bay, both Berkeley and beyond.  

Oscar Grant was a Hayward resident, and the policeman who shot him worked for the Bay Area Rapid Transit district, commonly known as BART, a regional agency which includes Berkeley—it just happened that the initial outraged reaction to the shooting manifested itself in Oakland, many of whose citizens, like Oscar Grant, are African-Americans. Many Berkeleyans and other people of conscience from all over the Bay Area took part in last week’s demonstrations. Among those few who were arrested for intemperate behavior, 75% were from outside Oakland, some perhaps even from Berkeley. 

Only the Chronicle, of all the various news sources I scanned online and in print, tried to hype the violence which played a role in the demonstrations. The tactic seems to have paid off, with sensational coverage in the Friday paper near or at the top of the paper’s “Most Read” list on Sunday. In other publications, and later in the Chronicle, equal time was eventually given to the overwhelming majority who demonstrated without rioting. 

The recent phenomenon of hyper-local blogging, and blogging in general, added interesting depth and human interest to this story. The urban East Bay now has local bloggers too numerous to count, and many chimed in with details which contributed to providing a well-rounded picture of the full sweep of events. 

Some hyper-locals outside of Oakland chose instead to say that “it’s not in our backyard”—to ignore the story altogether, and that’s a defensible choice. You can only do so much, particularly if you’re working for free on your own time, and it’s tempting to say that news stops at the city limits. 

It’s hard to know where to stop, but arbitrary distinctions may be the easiest way for small time operators to maintain sanity. Unfortunately, sometimes news from other political jurisdictions spills over to adjacent areas. 

This is particularly true in the increasingly tightly packed Bay Area. If Oakland gets a stay-away injunction against known gang members in North Oakland, they’re likely to move a few blocks across the border into South and West Berkeley. Safeway’s plans to exploit their real estate holdings to the max with major building expansions will impact Berkeley neighbors of their Solano Avenue store (in Albany) and their Claremont and College store (in Oakland). 

Even stories which seem to be just Berkeley stories have to be considered in regional perspective. My first California journalism job thirty years ago was as “regional government reporter” for the Bay Guardian, back in the days when the whole thing—the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and many more—when the whole alphabet soup which makes the rules and the deals about development in the Bay Area was able to fit into the basement of the Claremont Hotel. 

These days, those agencies and the state government are most often the movers behind what seem on the surface to be local phenomena. Part of the push for building high rises in Berkeley comes from ABAG’s housing quota system. 

The hot controversy over Berkeley’s downtown plan or lack thereof is fueled by true believers who would have you think that building pricey condos in Berkeley will protect farmland elsewhere. But an excellent piece by Susan Sward in Monday’s Bay Citizen spotlights threats to California’s Williamson Act, which has protected agricultural land by giving tax breaks to farmers in the Bay Area and elsewhere. No matter how many highrises developers cram into Berkeley if the council majority has its way, loss of the Williamson Act will mean inevitable loss of open space at the margins—and a Berkeley-only focus won’t illuminate that point. 

The fate of Berkeley’s Measure C is another story that goes beyond Berkeley. Many Berkeley residents swim by preference at the several fine pools in Albany and El Cerrito—I took my late father to the lovely Albany pool for water-based therapy after he had a stroke. It’s not surprising that some voters saw no need to maintain Berkeley pools. 

On the other hand, since Berkeley has the only warm pool of its type in the urban East Bay, we’re providing a regional resource which is used by swimmers from several jurisdictions, and the cost should probably be shared by all. An intelligent approach to planning for public recreational facilities would be regional, not local, and coverage of Berkeley should reflect that possibility. 

Even something as seemingly local as the Berkeley Unified School District’s concern about excessive drug use at Berkeley High crosses the city limits, as a recent BUSD report on the topic notes: 

 

“Substance use and abuse is related to high-risk behaviors such as binge drinking, drinking and driving, violence, engaging in unprotected sex, and other negative behaviors that can ultimately lead to death. The use of alcohol and marijuana also impacts school performance, which compromises the opportunities for students to have healthy and successful adult lives. Unfortunately, this growing problem is one that BUSD and the City share with other cities in Alameda County, the state, and the nation.” [emphasis added].
Things haven’t changed much in this regard since my own kids, now with their own teenagers and pre-teens, were at Berkeley High in the late 70s. Students still cross the street into Provo Park to indulge in forbidden substances—only the name of the park has changed, to MLK Civic Center Park, and the substances are now grouped by bureacrats under the name of ATODs. It’s still the case that no one in authority at Berkeley High seems to be able to keep track of who’s in class and who’s not—why this should still be the case is still not clear. 

But districts to the north and south of Berkeley in the urban East Bay corridor report very similar problems, as do schools both public and private that I’m familiar with in San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and probably everywhere else in the state. Perspective, again, is important in order to avoid undue hysteria. 

None of this is to say that light features with a local emphasis aren’t pleasant to read. Many readers, myself included, guiltily enjoy a bit of what’s sometimes unkindly referred to as Real Estate Porn, especially if it’s about grand properties open for view which are close enough for a Sunday stroll. Many Berkeleyans are caught up in the national foodquake which has its epicenter in Berkeley, and we like reading about local purveyors. 

(A high school student whom I once hired to organize my excessive book collection set up a shelf of mixed cookbooks and health books labeled “Food: Pro and Con.” He grew up to become a critic.) 

What’s great about this internet age for the consuming reader is that if you have the time you can have it all. You can see what oddities the national papers, especially the New York Times, perceive when they look at the Bay Area from the wrong end of the telescope. You can sign up for your super-extra-hyper-local neighborhood news source to learn that unsupervised toddlers break branches on delicate shrubs in the mini-park across the street. And everything in between is available to you on demand—it’s just a matter of learning how to use the bookmarks in your browser.


Cartoons

Odd Bodkins: A token of affection.

Dan O'Neill
Monday July 12, 2010 - 09:40:00 PM
Dan O'Neill


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 10:18:00 AM

Pelosi Backs Two Ferries for Berkeley;Post-Verdict Riots;Anarchism?The Post-Reagan Era;Arizona Cracks Down Again; The Walls Came Tumbling Down;Planning to Plan Downtown; Coal Kills; Mayor's proposed Downtown Area Plan Ballot Measure; Kenneth Thiesen’s 2008 Opinion; Feminists for Life

 

 Pelosi Backs Two Ferries for Berkeley

 

I wanted to bring to your attention our latest Pork Alert highlighting wasteful earmarks that were included in the fiscal year 2011 Department of Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Act.  One of the earmarks that we highlighted was for acquisition of two ferries for a new ferry service in Berkeley that was requested by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.):

 

 

"$500,000 by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for a new ferry service in Berkeley.  According to Rep. Pelosi’s website, these funds would be used for the acquisition of two ferries, which would come equipped with solar panels.  In this instance, going green wastes the taxpayers’ greenbacks."

 

 

MacMillin Slobodien

 

Citizens Against Government Waste

 

Washington, DC

 

***

 

Post-Verdict Riots

 

 

 

The 3 or so rallies-turned-riotous that have occurred since the killing of Oscar Grant have a couple of things in common from my perspective. First, the masses--especially last week--of cops gathered to keep order magically couldn't or wouldn't prevent vandalism and looting of stores of innocent merchants in downtown Oakland, who have had to foot the recovery bill each time. Since so "few" vandals were involved, and since the trashing took place in the same confined area, why couldn't the OPD have learned something from the earlier 2 events and been ready, instead of massing their troops some blocks away?

 

Second, about these "white professional out-of-town anarchist inciters", as they have been characterized by Chief Batts (and his predecessor): could he be using this coded term to refer to some Berkeley citizens, who seem to invite glib categorization? Since he apparently knows their places of origin, they must be return guests. If so, why were they not severely dealt with before, ie, told not to return? I don't recall the First Amendment guaranteeing the right to non-peaceful assembly, which is what each of these events predictably became.

 

The formalities of protest developed since the 60s--placards, slogans, sieg-heiling fashionably angry speakers (some with real titles!), chants ("Hey hey, ho ho.." is especially annoying), overtime cops ($$$) and adjournments to riot have become sooo lame. A prime reason for working for an optimate world is to see an end to such predictable and tiresome displays. Any ideas, readers?

 

 

 

Phil Allen 

 

***

 

Anarchism?

 

 

 

The Oakland police chief and commercial media blame the violence and trashing following the demos protesting the light verdict in the Oscar Grant case on "anarchists". I’m getting sick and tired of this kind of blame game. I see the trashers more as nihilists or angry people prone to violence than as anarchists, whose ideal of human freedom is the most beautiful in the world. Most anarchists I know and read about believe in a non-authoritarian, un-coercive world of cooperation and mutual aid for community in which all share and participate for a better life. We oppose hierarchy and domination whether by state or corporation. We may never realize those goals but do try to live by the means and values of the ends we'd like to see realized. Mayhem is not a part of it.

 

 

 

 Harry Siitonen

 

***

 

The Post-Reagan Era

 

 

 

"It just boggles me to hear people say and write: The post-Reagan era encompassed one of the greatest economic expansions in history, without, yet, realizing that a synonym for expansion is to bubble and that it was the bursting of that unregulated, unmonitored bubble that brought on the economic misery we are in today, paying for that alleged “greatest economic expansion in history.”

 

Keith Kreitman

 

When Ronald Reagan became president, he brought into the office something that had been lacking in the previous three administrations: confidence. His programs were innovative (to be sure), and he was an eloquent orator. Simply put, Americans (in general) trusted his leadership, and he capitalized on that.

 

"Reaganomics" instituted sweeping tax cuts, particularly for the upper-income taxpayers. The Reagan advisers assessed (correctly I believe) that more money in the hands of those with a surplus would be reinvested in the economy. The American economy boomed for nearly eight years, but President Reagan left the White House having bloated our economy with debt. The largest deficits in the history of any economy (nearly $2.2 trillion) were accumulated during the longest period of uninterrupted economic growth.

 

"He's a warmonger, he's a militarist, he's rash and he's going to get us into a war"--so the people voted for him! They voted for war! Definitely a vote for rearmament, a vote for war, a vote for do something about the hostages, a vote for do something about the economy, a vote against high taxes, a vote for cutting taxes. All the things that Reagan has promised to do were things that you can see now the American people were in the mood for and are popular issues but in the end it lead to bankruptcy today!

 

 

 

Ted Rudow II,MA

 

***

 

Arizona Cracks Down Again

 

It appears Arizona is not done cracking down on unsavory characters. Upcoming legislation (tongue in cheek) calls for many harsh new changes and a number of new groups police will be able to stop and detain on sight.

 

These groups include: Scandinavians with exceptional mechanical knowledge of Saab automobiles; Those with IQs between 70 and 79 which is considered "borderline" and has the word border in it; people who may have voted for the "dark-skinned fellow" for president; parents who had a pinata at their child's last birthday. You get my drift.

 

There are too many dark-complexioned people who are legal citizens that are going to be stopped and if anyone of them does something stupid (like reach down in their car to get their proof of identity), someone is going to get shot and killed.

 

In the larger scheme of things Arizona's "one state" law is unconstitutional and targets a whole segment of society who don't look white, Asian or Afro-American.

 

If you have dark skin would you want to vacation in Arizona and be singled out for no other reason than how you look? This law smacks of 50's racial segregation.  

 

 

 

Ron Lowe

 

***

 

The Walls Came Tumbling Down

 

If you happened to be in the vicinity of Berkeley Way and Shattuck Avenue last week, you undoubtedly observed the bleak shell of an abandoned building, bearing an eerie resemblance to World War II bombed out structures in London.  That forlorn building would be the former California State Department of Public Health, which for several decades provided valuable health advice and service to all Californians.  Ah, but that was before then-Governor Ronald Reagan, in his infinite wisdom, decided to relocate the Health Department to Sacramento, with only a few laboratories remaining in the Berkeley building.

 

My first job upon arriving in Berkeley was with this Health Department, where I worked in the Health Education Services Film Library, booking instructional films to schools, hospitals and individual borrowers. I had several friends who were Health Educators, making field trips to various regions throughout the state (i.e., giving much needed advice on nutrition and sanitation to migratory field workers in the Central Valley.)  For most of these Health Educators the move to Sacramento was a great personal sacrifice, and they were understandably very unhappy at being forced to leave their home and friends in the Bay Area.  I didn't have to make that painful move; I simply quit my job and went to work at the University of California.

 

This afternoon, on impulse, I  drove past Berkeley Way only to discover that the Health Department had  been totally demolished—reduced to rubble.  I lingered at the site, thinking back to the six years I had worked there and I must admit that nostalgia swept over me as I bid farewell to that once proud building that had served the community so well.

 

Dorothy Snodgrass

 

***

 

Planning to Plan Downtown

 

I appreciate what the majority on the Berkeley City Council is doing regarding the downtown plan. I always plan to plan before I plan, so that my planning can incorporate not only the planning of the plan, but the plan to plan the planning of the plan, at which point the planning of the planning of the plan's plan is well organized and resembles a well-planned plan for a plan.

 

Carol Denney

 

***

 

Coal Kills

 

We must get off of coal it is by far the dirtiest fuel. The mining and burning of coal has killed more people than all other forms of energy combined.

 

Frank Ackerman

 

***

 

Mayor's proposed Downtown Area Plan ballot measure

 

Here's my counter proposal to the mayor's proposed Downtown Area Plan ballot measure.

 

Resolution:

 

"Adopt an Action Plan that calls for all citizens of Berkeley to be happy, ( thus) making Berkeley one of the happiest cities in the United States."

 

Jurgen Aust, AICP

 

Realtor

 

***

 

Kenneth Thiesen’s 2008 Opinion

 

I just read the article as I ran across the link while reading a current story.  Had I read this when current, I would have really given this asshole an earful.  Hopefully this prick has moved to another country by now.  Reminds me of an old Merle Haggard song… The Fightin Side of me.  This asshole Thiesen should listen to it and be very happy that’s he’s far..far away from Chicago and my neck of the woods.

 

 Donald C. Walls, Jr.

 

Mount Prospect, Illinois

 

Sergeant USMC 79-83

 

***

 

Feminists for Life

 

Ruth Rosen has many interesting insights into why women dominate the Tea Party. But her characterization of Feminists for Life's work is, to use one of her phrases, cleverly disingenuous.

 

First of all, I never gave Rosen a statement about taxes or government subsidies. Second, her statements are just plain wrong.  In fact, Feminists for Life worked with other women's organizations to achieve legislative victories for women, including the Violence Against Women Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and enhanced child support enforcement. Feminists for Life was the first to advocate for the inclusion of pregnant women in the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. We are proud to have helped secure critical votes for these historic pieces of legislation, which have improved the lives of women and children. 

 

Today we continue to work in coalition with East Bay Community Law Center and many other advocates for the poor to fight the welfare "family cap" and other child exclusion provisions that make it more difficult for impoverished women to choose to parent their children.

 

Furthermore, while FFL has worked to bring attention to the needs of birthmothers, our track record clearly indicates that we equally support the needs of married, single, or partnered parents as well as those parents who ultimately choose to make an adoption plan. Most recently, our advocacy for on-campus resource centers for parents and birthmothers helped lead to the inclusion of such resource centers in the health care reform legislation. Readers can easily find this and more factual information about FFL at www.feministsforlife.org.

 

Because women deserve better,

 

Serrin M. Foster

 

President

 

Feminists for Life of America

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Facts and Figures Prove No New Landmark Rules Needed in Downtown Plan

By Steven Finacom
Monday July 19, 2010 - 08:10:00 PM

A major and pernicious element of the Mayor’s new, proposed, “Downtown Plan” involves sweeping away the existing, established, process governing the designation of historic structures and creating a special, abbreviated, procedure for reviewing potential historic resources in Downtown Berkeley only.

The Mayor and a majority of the City Council have essentially argued that this is necessary because developers and property owners are quaking in their boots, unwilling and/or unable to develop Downtown because they fear that historic regulation and all-powerful preservationists may stop them.

Nonsense.  

I took a look at the actual—not the anecdotal—evidence of Downtown development and its relationship to potential historic sites over the past generation. Here’s what I found. 

Over the past thirty years about 49 new construction buildings or building complexes have been built or fully approved in the area defined as the Downtown by the Mayor’s plan. 

I am not talking about renovations, remodels, or small additions to existing buildings—there have been dozens of those, as well. I’m describing new construction structures or major new construction additions that made existing structures double or more in size. 

Several of those projects affected historic buildings generally by demolishing them, but occasionally by moving them to other sites.  

And how many times was Berkeley’s existing landmarks law put into effect with the result of seriously delaying one of those projects? 

Once—perhaps twice—out of 49 occasions. 

In other words, if you did a successful new construction development in the Downtown in the past three decades, you had maybe a two to five percent chance—one or two out of 49—that the existing Landmark Preservation Ordinance might prove a serious impediment or delay to your proposed project. 

And, as we shall see, you also had essentially a zero percent chance that the Landmarks Ordinance would actually stop, significantly alter, or seriously delay your project. 

Both City officials and private developers anxious to reduce regulation and increase the size of Downtown development have used the Landmarks Ordinance as a great bogeyman. But the facts tell a different story. 

Let’s look at the evidence. 

The 49 new construction developments in the Downtown are identified in the attached pdf.  

(If you like, you can consult City records to see exactly when they were approved and built. I do not believe you will find any of them that weren’t under construction sometime between the beginning of 1980 and the present year, 2010. I watched most of these buildings under construction. 

If you do find an error in this list, please let me know. I will be happy to adjust the list accordingly. However, unless you can find several big errors in it out of 49 projects, my basic arguments still stand. One or two buildings added or subtracted won’t affect the statistics or this analysis in a major way.) 

Those 49 projects divide up as follows: 

Sixteen were multi-story housing developments, either apartments or condominiums.  

Thirteen of these are private developments, ranging from two to nine stories tall—most of them are around four or five stories, often above ground floor retail. One is a University-owned apartment complex; two are non-profit, affordable housing developments. 

22 were private sector office, commercial, or mixed-use buildings not containing housing. Two of these are one story commercial on small lots, but the majority are large structures, with up to four or five stories of offices and covering as much as a square block. All were for-profit developments, with the exception of the David Brower Center office building. 

That totals 38 buildings, 34 of them for-profit, private sector developments—exactly the sorts of projects the Mayor tells us that developers are afraid to try to build in Downtown because of our Landmark Ordinance.  

Developers apparently haven’t gotten that dismal message; for decades they’ve been successfully building at an average of more than one big new construction project a year in Berkeley’s relatively small and compact Downtown. 

Then add six new, private or non-profit sector, institutional buildings built Downtown in the same period, including two theaters (Berkeley Rep’s Roda stage, and Freight & Salvage), the KPFA headquarters, a major new construction addition to the Downtown YMCA, the new, freestanding, YMCA Youth Center at Center and MLK, Jr. Way, and the Institute of Buddhist Studies on Durant Avenue. 

This brings us to 44 new construction building projects, total. 

Finally add three major public sector new construction projects; Berkeley City College, the major addition to the Central Berkeley Public Library, and a two-block long complex of new buildings at Berkeley High School. 

47 building projects, total, forty of them built by the for-profit private sector or private non-profit organizations. 

Finally, there are two buildings that have gone through the public review process, received approvals, and await construction. One is the University’s Helios building at Hearst and Oxford, where demolition of the old State Department of Health building is finishing up; the other is private sector infill housing adjacent to the old Fidelity Bank on Shattuck, south of Dwight, where demolition has occurred but the new construction has not yet started. 

That gives us 47 buildings or building complexes that were constructed in the Mayor’s proposed Downtown zone between 1980 and 2010, and two others approved and awaiting construction—49 projects, total. 

Now let’s look at the landmarks issue in relation to these developments.  

Here, we’ll make a distinction between a possible “historic resource”—a building or site that may prove historic, but has not been fully researched or officially designated—and an official City of Berkeley Landmark. 

How many of the 49 new construction projects involved officially designated historic resources? Five, by my count. 

§ University Walk (1942 University) involved the construction of a major addition running from the back of a historic building—the landmarked Bonita Apartments—through the block to Addison Street. 

§ An approved infill housing development on Shattuck south of Bancroft would construct new housing adjacent to the old landmarked Fidelity Savings & Loan and renovate the later for commercial space. 

§ The Institute of Buddhist Studies project at Durant and Fulton involved the renovation and expansion of the landmark Howard Automobile showroom. 

§ The addition to the Central Berkeley Public Library. 

In each of these four cases the developer planned the retention and renovation of the historic building, with an adjacent, new construction, addition.  

§ A fifth site—the Gaia Building—involved demolition of a Structure of Merit. 

And how many of the 49 projects involved potential historic resources? 

By my count, about ten. 

§ The Fine Arts building (Haste / Shattuck) resulted in the demolition of the Fine Arts Theater. 

§ The Shattuck Senior Homes (2425 Shattuck Avenue) resulted in the demolition of the Berkeley Theater, one of Downtown’s early movie palaces. 

§ The Gaia Building removed the old Red Cross headquarters—once a private creamery—and part of a 19th century livery stable, behind. 

§ The Touriel Building (2004 University Avenue) resulted in the demolition of the 19th century home of one of Berkeley’s “Founding Fathers”. 

§ The Promenade Building (1936 University Avenue) demolished an old—late 19th or early 20th century—unresearched house. 

§ 1846-86 University resulted in the demolition of a commercial building that had been the first independent home of a Berkeley institution, Moe’s Books. 

§ The Golden Bear Building on University Avenue resulted in the relocation of an older house to another site in Berkeley and the Tipping Mar Building (1906 Shattuck) led to the move of a 19th century house from the site and out of Berkeley. 

§ 2001 Addison resulted in the demolition of the remains of Downtown Berkeley’s last remaining manufacturing building—the 19th century Pape Planing Mill. 

§ 2115 Milvia resulted in the demolition of the old Wheeler building, built for a homegrown business. 

§ The new three-story Downtown Berkeley Inn required the demolition of a Deco-style early 20th century one-story motel. 

So let’s consider these 10 buildings that were only “potential” historic structures when their removal (or moving) was proposed to make way for new development. 

Now here’s where the Mayor or his allies might say, “Aha! 10 ‘potential historic resources’ out of 49 projects. That means more than 20 percent of those projects were in the ambiguous zone where the developer didn’t know if they were dealing with a real historic landmark site.” 

“Proves our point! We need different landmark rules Downtown to give developers certainty.” 

It proves nothing of the kind. 

In fact, it proves the opposite. 

In several of those ten cases, voices—sometimes lone voices—were raised in opposition to the proposed demolition of a possible historic structure. 

In only two of the ten instances, however, did a significant struggle focused principally on historic resource issues result. 

At the Touriel Building site historic preservationists (myself included) argued that the old house on the property should be saved, or moved to a nearby site—a lot was actually offered where it could be relocated.  

Berkeley Architectural Heritage (BAHA) filed a lawsuit. But when the legal dust cleared, the house was torn down. It had not been landmarked, and it had not been saved. The development was built as proposed. 

At the Fine Arts Building site, some individuals proposed landmarking the old Fine Arts Theater. This was, I believe, the only instance, in these 49 developments, where a development dispute directly resulted in a formal landmark proposal that was reviewed by the Landmarks Preservation Commission.  

And what was the result?  

The Landmarks Preservation Commission itself voted to reject the landmark application! The building was demolished and the development proceeded. No need for the developer to appeal the designation to the City Council, or file a lawsuit, or abandon the project because of uncertainties or delays.  

So the City body officially charged with designating landmarks decided at the very first step of review that the building wasn’t officially historic. 

What can we construe from all this?  

Certainly not that our existing historic resource laws in Berkeley extensively block or hinder development in the Downtown, as the Mayor would have us believe.  

Berkeley’s development community is hardly dismayed—it has been briskly building, building, building to the tune of tens of millions of dollars, most likely millions of square feet, and hundreds of residential units in the Downtown for decades. 

During that still-unexhausted run of development our existing Landmarks Preservation Ordinance was routinely applied in five cases where there were already designated historic resources on proposed development sites, and was almost never formally brought into play for the other “potential historic” resources. 

To recap: 

Nearly fifty new-construction Downtown developments—most of them large—have been built in the past thirty years. Only about fifteen of them involved sites with designated or potential historic resources.  

Only a couple of those projects resulted in lawsuits or efforts to landmark a building. 

And in the one case where the Landmarks Preservation Ordinance was formally invoked, the Landmarks Commission killed the landmark designation at its first official stage, and the development proceeded. 

There is no need to have special new, watered down, rules for potential landmark designation in Downtown Berkeley. 

There is a need for the Mayor and his allies on this issue to respect the facts rather than reciting discredited shibboleths. 

See the actual buildings here. (Steven Finacom has periodically served on the Landmarks Preservation Commission and is a long-time Berkeley resident. This piece represents his personal views, not the position of any organization with which he is associated.)


Wednesday Planning Commission to Address the Future of West Berkeley

From WEBAIC
Sunday July 11, 2010 - 04:59:00 PM

There’s a key Planning Commission meeting on Wednesday July 14th to decide the future of protected industrial spaces and the location and definitions of research and development. The Planning Commission is set to have their last discussion (before a final Commission Public Hearing in September) on opening up now-protected industrial space, on Wednesday, July 14th, 7pm, at the North Berkeley Senior Center - MLK at Hearst • As at the May 19th meeting, the Commission will likely take a "sense" vote on the issue.* 

Why Attend: 

As these protections are the central mechanism by which West Berkeley maintains a viable, local-serving industrial base with over 320 companies & almost 7000 family-wage jobs, your attendance at this meeting can accomplish three critically important things:

1. It can assure that the Planning Commission doesn't reverse its May 19th decision to not open up protected manufacturing space.

2. It can convince the Commission that their ill advised vote to open up the protections on all Wholesale Trade & Warehouse space (almost 2 million sq ft, over 1000 jobs) is:
a.) Unnecessary to accomodate R&D. WEBAIC has already agreed to allow millions of R&D sq ft (able to accomodate many times more R&D than projected demand) on large Master Use Permit sites.

b.) Destructive of existing economic activity (R&D uses are documented as paying on average 3X protected uses, creating displacement pressure on functioning companies and productive jobs), and

c.) Not legal (violates West Berkeley Plan and Berkeley General Plan Goals and Policies, and hasn't studied as required (in the West Berkeley Project Draft Environmental Impact Report) potential environmental impacts from the opening up of this large amount of space to uses (R&D) generating 50% more traffic than existing uses.
3. It can assure that where R&D locates on now-protected space in West Berkeley (ideally on MUP sites), it has an industrial character requiring wet lab or bench space, thus making sure that the precious 4% of Berkeley's land base set aside for industrial production & distribution uses isn't taken up by pure office uses that are already allowed to locate on the large land base in all Commercial districts and on the large amount of West Berkeley space not under protections.
The West Berkeley Plan intentionally put R&D outside the protected category because R&D is more highly capitalized and would displace protected uses. This fact is as real today as when the policy was enacted. Even in this economic downturn, Berkeley aggregate vacancy rates for warehouse and manufacturing space are the second lowest of all East Bay cities, (lower than for offices), revealing the resiliency of these sectors. This is also no time to be putting displacement pressure on the jobs of people who've taken the brunt of regressive federal economic policies over the last several decades and who are most likely to be a paycheck or two away from foreclosure, loss of healthcare, or other economic calamity. These jobs are the linchpin of Berkeley's economic and ethnic diversity and are recognized as such in the West Berkeley Plan. The City should be seeking to expand, not contract, them. 

Express Chimes In 

Even the East Bay Express, a paper previously showing no understanding of WEBAIC's efforts, put the article: "Factories for the Future...momentum shifts toward preservation of land suitable for light manufacturing" as their cover story on the June 30-July 6th issue. As cities everywhere are recognizing the value of maintaining a PDR (Production, Distribution, & Repair) base, it's up to all of us together to guide the Planning Commission away from its present unsustainable course and in the direction of rational, equitable, and productive policy choices that recognize the value of the revenue, jobs, goods, and services that flow from West Berkeley's successful industrial and artisan economy and culture. 

Master Use Permit and other Proposals at Wednesday, July 28th PC Meeting 

The last Planning Commission Meeting until the fall will be held on July 28th (same place & hour) on the critical issues relating to the Master Use Permit. Among these issues are allowable heights and density (FAR - Floor Area Ratio), how much of West Berkeley will be subject to this permit and over what period of time, what are permitted uses on these sites, and how development on these sites will affect the residents & homes in the Mixed Use Residential (MUR) districts. 

*When Democracy is Denied, the Antidote is More Democracy: 

At the May 19th meeting, the Planning Commission denied many business owners, employees, and residents the basic democratic right to inform decision-makers with their opinions and experience on issues critical to their lives and livelihoods before those decision-makers voted on these issues. Since only a short period of time was set aside for public comment before this important vote, many of the citizens packing the room were relegated to speaking late at night (if they were even able to stay), after the decisions had been made. Though violating the spirit of democracy, this action was likely "legal" due to the "vote" taken (though clearly setting direction for staff) somehow not qualifying as an "official" vote. 

Voting before citizens have their say reveals a deep disrespect toward citizens taking valuable time from their lives and families to exercise their right to express their opinions in a timely manner. If Commissioners don't possess the patience or energy to listen to citizens they're tasked with serving, there are adequate numbers of able citizens willing to shoulder this responsibility. 

In the face of such action, it's more important than ever to show up and respectfully express our opinions until such time as the weight of our facts, experience, passion, and dare we say, sometimes wisdom, result in a positive outcome for West Berkeley and the Berkeley community as a whole.


Press Release: After Mehserle Verdict Community Should Turn to Human Rights Law

From the Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 09:45:00 AM

The Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute (MCLI), a Human Rights and international law think-tank, is calling for the use of United Nations treaties and treaty law in the aftermath of the Oscar Grant trial verdict. 

The murder of Oscar Grant by former BART police office Johannes Mehserle is a human rights violation and must be treated as such. As soon as the verdict was announced Thursday, the call went out to take the case to the United Nations. The U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday that it would investigate possible civil rights abuses in the Grant case. MCLI calls for federal, state and local officials to utilize U.S.-ratified human rights treaties along with constitutional protections in their investigations and legislative processes. 

In May 2010, MCLI filed a complaint to the United Nations Human Rights Committee enumerating the violations of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in the Oscar Grant case. These include Article 26 of the ICCPR guaranteeing equal treatment under the law without regard to race, and Article 10, which states that “all persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person”. The Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute is concerned that all of the rights ensured by applicable international treaties be honored. 

On the state level, MCLI is sponsoring a piece of legislation that would request the Attorney General of California to assist state, county, and local agencies in filing regular reports to the United Nations on the status of Human Rights compliance in their jurisdictions. This groundbreaking legislation, ACR 129, authored by Assemblymember William Monning (Carmel), has passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee unanimously. MCLI calls for swift enactment of this legislation to ensure that international standards of human rights are respected domestically. 

MCLI has testified in the California State Assembly in support of effective, independent civilian review of the BART Police Department, and urges that such review be legislated and implemented swiftly as well. 

MCLI notes that some see the Oscar Grant murder and the involuntary manslaughter verdict as an isolated incident, rather than as an expression of continuing racial discrimination. In response, MCLI points out that people from diverse ethnic and social backgrounds, including long-time Oakland attorney, African-American community leader, and MCLI board member, Walter Riley, were targeted by police and arrested while acting in a legal and peaceful manner in after-verdict protests. 

“Efforts to treat all people fairly, equally, and with just accordance to the law are values all Americans can agree on,” points out Rev. Daniel Buford of MCLI, “which is why it is critical that we uphold all of our obligations contained in the United Nations treaties that the US has ratified.”  


City of Berkeley Should Take Over Warm Pool Building in Trade with BUSD

By Terry Cochrell
Sunday July 11, 2010 - 04:42:00 PM

Warm-pool users at BHS read with interest the online letter by Mr. Henrik Bull, FAIA, who is interested in matters familiar to us: the value of upgrading and altering the old-gym complex where the City of Berkeley (COB) operates the therapeutic, highly valuable warm-pool. 

 

Mr. Bull was awarded the designation of “Fellow” by a local chapter of the AIA, a high honor in the architectural profession. The term, “FAIA” denotes a designer, planner and firm-operator of great skill and wide accomplishment. 

 

We 700-800 warm-pool users should feel grateful to have such a master on board and sympathetically advising us about warm-pool and old-gym at BHS. 

 

As well, the city and public school district should feel honored to obtain pro bono advice and actual planning schemes from Mr. Bull re the architecture and planning in question. 

 

In his letter he discusses the successful effort to “…landmark the Old Gym…”:  

 

Landmarked buildings may not be demolished by law to be replaced by new construction for any functional purpose with the single ironic exception of classrooms, this according to the person most responsible for landmarking of old-gym complex at BHS. 

 

Landmark status in fact may be quite valuable to the district. 

 

Mr. Bull notes that the stadium “architects were assigned to design a new bleacher/ stadium …This would be built before the classroom/gym building.”: 

 

Before the new BHS stadium was to be built, BUSD hoped a new parking structure might be built nearby. 

 

This writer advocates that the city, COB could do exactly that in exchange for title to the existing warm-pool 2-room building, and as a public service to teachers and students at BHS. 

 

Bull discusses the charette, “Many interesting ideas were generated in this brief study session and a report was presented to the BUSD. They were not interested…”: 

 

With little if any discussion or media attention, BUSD dropped all ideas and suggestions in the circular files; the donated time involved was worth thousands of dollars; thanks BUSD. How sweet! 

 

BUSD had been ordered by a judge to implement this study group and examine the suggestions generated. What judge and why? 

 

A lawsuit (re: the EIR for the new BHS master-plan involving demolition of old-gym) had been begun in response to what seemed to some a careless, abbreviated writing of the environmental impact report ( EIR). The suit had to be dropped for financial reasons. The judge, however, wanted BUSD to seriously study the ideas of outside designers. 

 

The BUSD felt intimidated, one imagines, or at least inconvenienced. 

 

Working with the city bureaucrats to replace the warm-pool roof in the late 1990’s may have left BUSD feeling somewhat intimidated or at least inconvenienced. BUSD provided roof-upgrade design-documents that were less than succinct, mostly boilerplate, Alex Tara, city architect told this writer, upon seeing a set of specs. 

 

BUSD got in a hurry there, flew by the seat of their pants, then administered construction, then discovering that the specs, specification documents gave contractors insufficient instructions; this then required delays and triple funding to complete properly the work; 

 

The city was justifiably annoyed by the resulting need to cough–up more funding. 

 

Working with the superintendent’s warm-pool users-committee and the city’s departments to organize seismic-upgrades and much-needed alterations after the bond issue was passed for existing warm-pool also left the BUSD feeling overwhelmed and maybe intimidated; BUSD in any case refused to sign an MOU with COB for bond-funded upgrades. 

 

One wonders if this was the climax in the drama after which BUSD decided: “out, damned warm-pool.” 

 

One who witnessed the behavior of the city in some meetings with the district about those matters understands why the BUSD may have felt put-upon, intimidated. 

 

It’s is unwise of the city to build on non-COB property, this writer, a designer, believed and believes, and this may be near the heart of the matter; who would be liable for faulty construction? …and so on. 

 

The standing of BUSD may be brought somewhat into question by imposition of design and construction standards from outside as may seem necessary to the city and as may in some cases be much more professional, when remodel or new construction on BUSD and non-COB property is involved.  

 

Standing is both a legal and psychological concept of considerable importance. 

 

BUSD is under pressing financial constraints generated by the prop 13 consequences as well as by the economy-meltdown due to “wars” overseas; shortcuts tempt any organization under such pressures and are only to be expected. 

 

BUSD had a small, probably insufficient staff with lack of detailed education, experience and expertise in essential areas of planning, design and construction, 10-12 years ago. (Also, janitorial staff at BHS was about half that mandated by the state back then; endless problems resulted re: keeping restrooms in order.) 

 

This writer has always expressed doubt about COB building on BUSD property, either across from Milvia or at West Campus. 

 

This writer advocates that warm-pool room and north-pool building title be given to COB, the building be severed from old-gym and upgraded / remodeled by COB, all in trade for some equal property to BUSD from COB. 

 

Alternatively, BUSD should give $8 million to the city to build a new warm pool on COB property, maybe adjacent to Iceland. Voters probably would go along with such a proposal in November, given the interminable mess inflicted on all parties by the spat. 

 

Mr. Bull discusses “$3 million which the voters approved…”: 

 

As well the then city council soon voted another million dollar gift toward the same goal which million was recently redirected by Mayor Bates after no discussion with the pool-users’ committee, and it was soon chewed up by the mayor’s task-force to jawbone the upgrade of all city pools in Berkeley. 

 

Others and this writer feel this was illegal and unethical and must be redressed. 

 

In the event that BUSD continues to find intolerable the presence of the warm pool etc on BHS campus, the least they can do to make up for their really quite bizarre, unacceptable behavior is to hold-off dumping us in the nearest ditch until 1) private or public funding is secured, 2) a truly appropriate site is found, 3) proper title is given to COB or suitable non-profit body, 4) an agreeable designer and design is arrived at, 5) a reputable contractor is found, and 5) a facility is constructed. 

 

This could easily take more than just a few months that BUSD has budgeted prior to their outrageous plan to demolish buildings worth tens of millions of dollars, which as Mr. Bull points out can easily be saved and re-used,, as classrooms or what-have-you. 

 

We 700-800 pool users beg the rational members of the public school board at BUSD to swallow their pride, to listen to expert advice from Mr. Bull and others, to reconsider the bumbling South-of-Bancroft-Master-Plan, to at the very least work with COB and coordinate timelines, rather than behaving like distasteful, petty tyrants. 

 

 

 

 


There are No “Outsiders” in the Struggle against Oppression

By Reiko Redmonde
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 10:03:00 AM

To those who talk about “inoculating” people against the so-called “violence” of the masses. Who preach against protest. Who say “be cool.” Who say they want to preserve a “peaceful and thriving Oakland” when the reality is that every day the police run rampant, brutalizing and killing our youth. Who cynically invoke the names of Malcolm X and Huey Newton in attempts to pre-emotively quell the outrage of the people. Who speak of “love” while they denigrate those who have taken a stand, calling them “outside agitators” and “extreme fringe groups” We say: 

WHERE IS YOUR OUTRAGE AT THE MURDER OF OSCAR GRANT? Oscar Grant, 22 years old, with his whole life ahead of him, was shot in the back at point blank range in front of his friends and hundreds of BART passengers. It was a horror. A violent, brutal, totally unjustified execution. 

WHERE IS YOUR OUTRAGE AT THE EPIDEMIC OF POLICE BRUTALITY? At least 100 people are killed by police each year in California. At least 1000 people are killed by law enforcement each year across the US. Sergio Hernandez, 15, shot by Border Patrol while committing no crime and while on the Mexican side of the border. Aiyana Stanley Jones, only 7 years old, killed by Detroit police grenade and bullet. 

AND WHERE IS YOUR OUTRAGE AT THE PRE-EMPTIVE REPRESSIVE MEASURES, EDICTS, AND MILITARY EXERCISES BY THE POLICE? 

WHY ARE YOU SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THE PROTESTERS, INSTEAD OF STANDING WITH THEM AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY? 

To those officials who sound like southern sheriffs in 1964 when they talk of “outside agitators” we say: 

WHAT BLACK YOUTH IN THIS COUNTRY IS “OUTSIDE” OF AND NOT SUBJECT TO DEGRADATION AND POTENTIAL DEATH SENTENCE AT THE HANDS OF THE POLICE? 

WHAT PERSON IN THIS COUNTRY DOES NOT HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO STAND UP TO THAT OUTRAGE? 

This system of capitalism/imperialism is poisoning the oceans, creating dead zones; is waging unjust wars; is criminalizing immigrants; attacking women; and it enforces all of this oppression and injustice with brutality, repression and violence. 

We say it is right to rebel. If the people do not resist oppression, they will be demoralized and crushed -- forced to swallow their anger until they eventually turn it against each other. 

WHO DO YOU “LOVE”? WHERE DO YOU STAND? WHERE IS YOUR OUTRAGE AGAINST THE SYSTEM? WHAT KIND OF WORLD ARE YOU FIGHTING FOR? 

The system delivered its verdict, a slap on the wrist to Joannes Mehserle. It mobilized its armies of cops, its liars in the media, its networks of politicians, ministers, non-profits and snitches to stifle and suppress the people. We take heart that in the face of all that people took to the streets with courage and determination, and gave voice to the bitter anger of many, many more, in Oakland and beyond. There are no outsiders in the struggle against oppression. 

The whole damn system IS guilty. We are stepping up the battle for justice for Oscar, the battle against the whole damn system, and we are building a movement for revolution 

Fight the Power, and transform the people, for revolution! 

 

Reiko Redmonde is part of Revolution Books in Berkeley. 


The Mehserle Verdict Illustrates Institutionalized Racism

By Maris Arnold
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 09:55:00 AM

Now that the Mehserle verdict is in, the entire panorama of the case looks rotten to the core. It’s another crystal clear example of how institutionalized racism is perpetuated. It’s also a crystal clear example of the hidden (not so hidden) rule of government that the police mustn’t be held accountable for the grossest violations of human rights. The trial was tailored to fit this rule. 

Imagine the powers that be getting together in the aftermath of the myriad video clips and the subsequent uprising. Those clips made it impossible for the usual excuses, e.g. resisting arrest, failing to obey a lawful command, etc. to be offered up as justification for the shooting that was a murder. 

They tried to let the murder just slip by, from the stalling by then BART top cop Gary Gee to the failure to indict by then Alameda County District Attorney. That didn’t work because of too much persistent public outcry. 

But the uprising in Oakland really scared them. Kill an unarmed, handcuffed, on his belly black man, that’s ok. Break a window, can’t have that. It was obvious something had to be offered up to assuage the righteous rage before downtown business life came to a halt. 

Ok, give ‘em a trial. But it cannot, must not, be held in Oakland. San Diego would have been too blatant a cover-up. Simi(an) Valley had been used up for acquitting the Rodney King bashers. So it was moved to LA. 

Odor #1: The jury was selected with not one African American on it. That this was permitted is not an accident. The judge allowed an exclusionary jury.  

Selecting a majority white jury means cynically counting on its racism. More offensively, among the 7 majority white jurors, several had relatives who were cops. This also isn’t an accident. The smell’s getting really bad now. 

While Oscar Grant’s minor infraction of the law when he was just 16 was allowed in court, Mehserle’s past violent behavior as a cop was not. This also didn’t just happen. The presiding judge made this decision. It constitutes judicial prejudice. 

After deliberating less than 7 hours which is very disrespectful to Oscar Grant, his family, and the law, the jury came back with a verdict of involuntary manslaughter. This is the lowest possible sentencing charge short of acquittal. With time off for “good behavior” and time served, Mehserle could do maybe 3 months. He was whisked off to jail immediately after the verdict to start racking up time. Justice served! 

The weapons enhancement, if it stands, might mean that Mehserle will do some real time. But with the judge who presided being the same one who pronounces sentencing, guess what the chances are. BTW: if Mehserle’s that sorry, let him offer to serve 14 years. 

So there it is in all its ugly injustice. But what could be a next constructive step? For one thing, as Willie Brown suggested in his July 11 Chron column, BART cops should be disarmed for the safety of the riding public. In other words, gun carrying BART cops threaten the safety of the riding public no matter what their ethnicity. 100,000 or more signers to petitions demanding such disarmament would be too powerful to ignore. 

 

P.S. The Chronicle stories and local tv bites trying to prove that Oakland is safe for business are headlining statistics showing that among those arrested, the largest number were from out of town. In fact, Berkeley, although not specifically named, was obliquely referred to by Oakland police brass mentioning a nearby town growing and nourishing free-lance anarchists. This is a throwback to the cries of “outside agitators” from the Southern white power structure during the Civil Rights Movement as if the desire for justice should obey borders.  


Columns

New: Jane's Web Log: Spending the Night in Arnieville

By Jane Stillwater
Friday July 16, 2010 - 02:07:00 PM

Cold & Hard: Spending the night in Arnieville 

 

Mark Twain's autobiography is finally getting published -- almost one hundred years to the day after he wrote it. And from what I can tell after reading the book's advance reviews, Twain was also one hundred years ahead of his time, having apparently come back from the grave just in time to give us a much-needed warning about being wary of America's oligarchs and to nail today's corporatists for what they are -- greedy bastards. 

 

And I think that it was also Mark Twain who said, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." 

 

Me and my daughter Ashley stopped by Arnieville last night, where disabled people are camping out in protest of Governor Schwarzenegger's callous cuts to their home-care workers' salaries. Arnieville has been set up on a traffic island on Adeline Street near Russell in Berkeley, right down the street from my apartment. "How's it going?" I asked some folks in wheelchairs who were sitting in front of the campsite eating dinner and chatting about stuff. 

 

"It's going okay, considering the horrible mess that our state's finances are in," replied a blind woman. "And we've going to try to stay here until the State of California actually manages to come up with a budget." Yikes! That could take for-EVAH. 

 

"It's not so bad here during the day," said another woman in a wheelchair, "but at night it gets a bit heavy-duty." I can imagine -- you can't just take a hot bath, turn off the lights and pop into bed here. No pre-bed glass of warm milk and bedtime stories either. Plus you can't even turn off the street lights -- although the City of Berkeley has been kind enough to not run the sprinklers at 4 am. And the automobile, truck and bus traffic on Adeline Street goes on all night long, just five feet from your head. 

 

"We do have a security team that takes turns keeping watch so it's fairly safe here, but sometimes I'm the only woman at night and it gets a bit gender-heavy on the masculine side. I wish that we had more women camping out," looking directly at me as she said this, hint hint. She also wished that the campers had more monetary donations so that they could pay for their wheelchair-accessible PortaPotty. That's probably not covered in the state budget either. 

 

Then I went home and got to thinking. I gots bad knees. I'm 21% disabled. Those people are doing this for my sake too. I should be out there camping with them! So I went back this evening and asked if I could stay too. "You can borrow my tent," said my daughter Ashley who used to be a Girl Scout. 

 

And I could wear my warm flannel nightgown and my bunny slippers! 

 

But then, as we sat there chatting with the protesters, fog started rolling in from across the bay, the temperature dropped 20 degrees and I started to chicken out. "And besides, Big Brother 12 is on TV tonight," I whined. So much for roughing it for a good cause. 

 

So. Will I spend the night in Arnieville tonight? Or will I let people who are even physically weaker than me end up doing the heavy-lifting for all of us? Will I protest the injustice of having so much of California's tax money go to large corporations and rich people but not to the people who actually need and deserve it -- or will I just stay home snug in my bed and turn a blind eye to injustice like most other Californians seem to be doing? 

 

Or will I bite the bullet, haul my sleeping bag out of the closet, be brave like the disabled people down at Arnieville (and Mark Twain), and nail these corporatists for what they really are -- greedy bastards. 

 

PS: Yes, I finally did get up enough nerve to actually go camp out. Remember those baby chickens that I got at the county fair last week? Well, last night I looked at them and they looked at me and I swear I actually heard one of them saying, "And you're the one that's calling ME a chicken?" So I figured that I'd better put my money where my mouth is. 

 

"You can sleep in that yellow tent over there, said a member of the security team when I arrived (chickenless) at 1:00 am in the morning last night, pillow and blanket in hand. 

 

"And how's progress on the state budget coming along?" I asked. Not so good. And camping out didn't go so well either. The ground, like the Governator, was cold and hard too. Plus I'd forgotten my flannel nightgown and bunny slippers. I don't see how these disabled people do it. 

 

Last night I slept in a yellow tent next to an empty wheelchair, some crutches and an artificial leg. 

 

PPS: Country Joe McDonald is giving a free concert at Arnieville on Saturday July 17, 2010 at 3:00 pm. Please come to the concert. Please support Arnieville. Please donate air mattresses! 

 

PPPS: You can also donate $$$$ to keep Arnieville alive (and representing other Californians besides just the oligarchs) by going to their website at http://arnieville.org/. 

 

PPPPS: Does anybody out there want to adopt any baby chickens? Ones that I (almost) promise won't talk back?


Dispatches From The Edge: Africa: No Butter but Lots of Guns

By Conn Hallinan
Sunday July 11, 2010 - 09:56:00 AM

The developed world has a message for Africa: “Sorry, but we are reneging on our aid pledges made at the G8 summit at Gleneagles, Scotland back in 2005, but we do have something for you—lots and lots of expensive things that go ‘bang’ and kill people.” 

 

And that was indeed the message that came out of the G8-G20 meetings in Canada last month. The promise to add an extra $25 billion to a $50 billion aid package for the continent went a glimmering. Instead, the G8 will cut the $25 billion to $11 billion and the $50 billion to $38 billion. And don’t hold your breath that Africa will get even that much. 

 

The G-8 consists of Britain, the U.S., Germany, France, Italy, Japan, France, and Russia, although Moscow is not part of the aid pledge. 

 

Canada’s Muskoka summit hailed “significant progress toward the millennium development goals”—the United Nations’ target of reducing poverty by 2015—but when it came time to ante up, everyone but the United Kingdom bailed. The Gleneagles pledge was to direct 0.51 percent of the G-8’s gross national income to aid programs by 2010. The UK came up to 0.56 percent, but the U.S. is at 0.2, Italy at 0.16, Canada at 0.3, Germany at 0.35, and France at 0.47. Rumor has it that France and Italy led the charge to water down the 2005 goals. 

 

The shortfall, says Oxfam spokesman Mark Fried, is not just a matter of “numbers.” The aid figures “represent vital medicines, kids in school, help for women living in poverty and food for the hungry.” 

 

AIDS activists are particularly incensed. “I see no point in beating around the bush,” said AIDS-Free World spokesman Stephen Lewis at a Toronto press conference. He charged that Obama Administration’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief “is being flat-lined for at least the next two years.” Lewis said AIDS groups were treating five million patients, but that another nine million needed to be in programs. “There are AIDS projects, run by other NGOs [non-governmental organizations], where new patients cannot be enrolled unless someone dies.” 

 

But if the poor, sick, and hungry are going begging, not so Africa’s militaries. 

 

According to Daniel Volman, director of the African Security Research Project, the White House is following the same policies as the Bush Administration vis-à-vis Africa. “Indeed, the Obama Administration is seeking to expand U.S. military activities on the continent even further,” says Volman. 

 

In its 2011 budget, the White House asked for over $80 million in military programs for Africa, while freezing or reducing aid packages aimed at civilians. 

 

The major vehicle for this is the U.S.’s African Command (AFRICOM) founded in 2008. Through the Trans-Saharan Counter-Terrorism Initiative, AFRICOM is training troops from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Chad. The supposed target of all this is the group al-Qaeda in the Islamic Meghreb (AQIM), but while AQIM is certainly troublesome—it sets off bombs and kidnaps people— it is small, scattered, and doesn’t pose a serious threat to any of the countries involved. 

 

The worry is that the various militaries being trained by AFRICOM could end up being used against internal dissidents. Tuaregs, for instance, are engaged in a long-running, low-level insurgency against the Mali government, which is backing a French plan to mine uranium in the Sahara. Might Morocco use the training to attack the Polisario Front in the disputed Western Sahara? Mauritanians complain that the “terrorist” label has been used to jail political opponents of the government. 

 

In testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson said the U.S. was seeking to bolster Nigeria’s “ability to combat violent extremism within its borders.” That might put AFRICOM in the middle of a civil war between ruling elites in Lagos and their transnational oil company allies, and the Movement for the Emancipation of the Delta, which is demanding an end to massive pollution and a fair cut of oil revenues. 

 

The National Energy Policy Development Groups estimates that by 2015 as much as 25 percent of U.S. oil imports will come from Africa. 

 

So far, AFRICOM’s track record has been one disaster after another. It supported Ethiopia’s intervention in the Somalia civil war, and helped to overthrow the moderate Islamic Courts Union. It is now fighting a desperate rear-guard action against a far more extremist grouping, the al-Shabaab. AFRICOM also helped coordinate a Ugandan Army attack on the Lord’s Resistance Army in the Democratic Republic of the Congo—Operation Lightning Thunder— that ended up killing thousands of civilians. 

 

The U.S. has been careful to keep a low profile in all this. “We don’t want to see our guys going in and getting whacked,” Volman quotes one U.S. AFRICOM officer, “We want Africans to go in.” 

 

And presumably get “whacked.” 

 

AFRICOM’s Operation Flintlock 2010, which ran from May 3-22, was based in Burkina Faso. Besides the militaries of 10 African nations, it included 600 U.S. Special Forces and elite units from France, the Netherlands, and Spain. Yes, there are other arms pushers out there, and the list reads like an economic who’s who: France, the United Kingdom, China, Russia, Sweden, and Israel. Some 70 percent of the world’s arms trade is aimed at developing countries. 

 

So, is AFRICOM about fighting terrorism, or oil, gas and uranium? Nicole Lee, the executive director of Trans Africa, the leading African American organization focusing on Africa has no doubts: “This [AFRICOM] is nothing short of a sovereignty and resource grab.” 

 

And who actually benefits from this militarization of the continent? As Nigerian journalist Dulue Mbachu warns, “Increased U.S. military presence in Africa may simply serve to protect unpopular regimes that are friendly to its interests, as was the case during the Cold War, while Africa slips further into poverty.” 


Senior Power : “Noah’s Ark Was Built By Volunteers”

By Helen Rippier Wheeler
Sunday July 11, 2010 - 09:35:00 AM

(The complete quotation, according to Energize, Inc- Especially for Leaders of Volunteers, is “Don't ever question the value of volunteers. Noah's Ark was built by volunteers; the Titanic was built by professionals.”)  

Volunteering is the practice of people working on behalf of others or a particular cause, without payment for their time and services. It is generally considered an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or improve human quality of life. People also volunteer for their own skill development, to meet others, to make contacts for possible employment, to have fun, and for a variety of other reasons, some of which might be considered self-serving and that I won’t go into now. 

Volunteering takes many forms and is performed by a wide range of people. Many volunteers are specifically trained for the areas in which they work, such as medicine , education, or emergency rescue and fire-fighting. Some volunteers serve on an as-needed basis, as in response to a natural disaster or for a beach cleanup. And there’s the volunteer army. Habitat for Humanity and international service clubs such as Rotary and Soroptimists are examples of nonprofit service organizations. 

Volunteerism is a tradition that encourages unpaid community and church service as the most acceptable activity for women away from home. 

Wikipedia Encyclopedia differentiates among 3 other volun… terms: (1) Voluntarism (action) , the use of or reliance on voluntary action to maintain an institution, carry out a policy, or achieve an end; (2) Voluntarism (metaphysics), a philosophical term emphasizing the primacy of the will; and (3) Voluntaryism, the philosophical position that the only legitimate interactions between and among people are those freely assented to by all parties concerned. 

xxxx 

From a senior citizen’s perspective, there are 2 approaches to volunteering and to volunteers-- the senior citizen as a volunteer, and volunteers as providers of various kinds of support for senior citizens.  

Once a week eighty-nine year old Aiko Yamamoto volunteers at the North Berkeley Senior Center front desk and served one term as an elected member of the Center’s Advisory Council. Asked about volunteer work, eighty-four year old Harry Siitonen focuses on labor, his lifelong concern; he had to quit the Alameda Central Labor Council because of his hearing but he writes for the Finnish-American newspaper and he pickets. When asked about her current volunteer work, seventy-eight year old Ying Lee mentions concern for “peace and social justice issues.” (She is a former member of the Berkeley Public Library board of trustees; service on Berkeley boards and commissions is appointive). (See April 27, 30, 2010 Berkeley Daily Planet)  

A young, unemployed, recent graduate who in the past was expected to complete a low-paying internship in her/his field now hunts for an internship to get experience that may lead to a “real job”, a paying job. “It will look good on your resume” may accompany an invitation to do work without pay. As a senior citizen, you can volunteer but you will usually be expected to submit an application or be invited to apply to volunteer. 

The City of Berkeley’s Division on Aging website reads “Volunteers are always welcome in all of our programs to deliver meals to home-bound seniors, to assist with the Mercy Brown Bag program , to teach classes, and to provide other expertise and help. Volunteer Forms are available on line.” This is followed by a broken link. Currently, most of the senior centers’ classes are conducted by unpaid volunteers. 

It is possible to apply online to volunteer at the Ecology Center, which runs Berkeley’s residential curbside recycling program , the Farmers' Markets, Farm Fresh Choice food justice program, Terrain magazine, EcoHouse demonstration home and garden, the Ecology Center Store, and a variety of Information and Climate Change Action programs

The BIN – Berkeley Information Network -- is a project of the Berkeley Public Library; hundreds of hits respond to “volunteer organizations.” 

The State of California website’s Volunteer Search Results generates 93 Alameda County “ongoing” hits; “at home” and “one-time” opportunities are listed. Some are “suitable for teens, seniors.” One – for a board member, minimum age 50, meets once a month… expects Board members to bring at least $500 to the organization each calendar year… 

xxxx 

There can be problems associated with volunteering and volunteer work. For example, as I write this, there are 50+ San Francisco Bay Area Craigslist responses when keywords volunteer + services or community are paired. Few sound like they are responses from genuine volunteers offering free services or things. Elsewhere on the Internet, there’s what may be better news, e.g. the Association of New Jersey Volunteer Centers declares “Volunteer! There are numerous volunteer positions available at our Centers - intake coordinators, facilitators, receptionists, computer specialists and more.”  

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) program contributes to peace and development through volunteerism. “Every year, close to 8,000 qualified and experienced women and men of 160 nationalities serve as UNV volunteers in 130 countries. They are professionals who play key roles contributing to peace and making an impact on development results.” To qualify for AmeriCorps*VISTA, one must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident . Most programs seek members with college degrees or at least 3 years of work experience. Many also seek retirees with extensive experience.  

xxxx 

The professional literature is full of research reportage on the subject of volunteering. Journals concerned with volunteering include: Alternative Lifestyles, Australian Journal of Psychology , Hospice Journal, Journal of Gerontological Social Work, Psychology of Women Quarterly, Social Work in Health Care, and Women & Aging. An entire book has been written on the subject of managing museum volunteers!  

Sex and gender appear to be frequently-considered factors when considering volunteers and volunteering. (Sex is the biological status of the person; gender is the cultural notion of what it is to be a woman or a man.) “Gender and work history in the placement and perceptions of elder community volunteers” were reported by Kara Fischer in the June 1991 Psychology of Women Quarterly. In “ Gender and religious differences associated with volunteering in later life ” (Journal of Women & Aging, April 2010), Lynda K. Manning reported investigating the effect of gender and religiosity on volunteer behavior in later life. When accounting for gender and religious differences specifically, there are assumptions that older women are more likely to volunteer in later life as opposed to men, and that gender is a better predictor than being religious for the likelihood of occupying a volunteer role in later life.  

In her PhD dissertation Masako Ishii-Kuntz considered “Formal activities for elderly women: determination of participation in voluntary and senior center activities” (Journal of Women & Aging 1990 2(1).) She found that age, race, and health status influence participation in voluntary organizations and senior centers. Elderly widows are more likely to participate in voluntary organizations than married women. Loneliness has a positive impact on senior center participation of these women. In both Japan and the United States, participation in senior center activities and classes is not necessarily associated with volunteering in the work of a senior center. High school students allegedly filling ‘community service’ requirements are often found engrossed in their homework at the senior center front desk! 

xxxx 

The National Displaced Homemakers Network grew out of a support group for unemployed older women. A displaced homemaker was defined as an individual who had been providing unpaid services to family members in the home and who, after managing a household for years, was forced by financial necessity to find a wage-paying job. The programs aimed to help them transition from home to workplace with free sessions on life-skills development, job-skills assessment, career counseling, pre-employment preparation, job referral, and placement. It was the era in which older women were told that retirement provides opportunity to pursue higher education through enrollment in a college or in short-term adult education or Elderhostel program. Although the Displaced Homemakers Self-Sufficiency Assistance Act was adopted in 1990 and repealed in 1998, the Network’s advice continues to be germane to senior citizens’ needs and interests: “Good volunteer opportunities are available in hospitals, schools, libraries, art museums, and numerous nonprofit organizations. Contact your local Council on Aging, Office of Elder Affairs, Area Agency on Aging, or Voluntary Action Center to find out about volunteer programs. Call your state house of representatives or city hall to find out which agency administers volunteer programs for elders in your community.” 

 

!SINGLE PAYER, UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IN CALIFORNIA! 

 

 

 

Helen Rippier Wheeler can be reached at pen136@dslextreme.com 

No email attachments; use “Senior Power” for subject. 


Wild Neighbors: Tales of the Lone Parrot

By Joe Eaton
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 10:08:00 AM

I got a handful of interesting responses to a column earlier this year about what I believed to be the last survivor of the wild parrots of Berkeley, a species known to the pet trade as cherry-headed conures and to ornithologists as red-masked parakeets. One writer bridges a gap in the story regarding the fate of the penultimate parrot. Another suggests that there may be another flock out there. 

Here’s Dennis Markham: 

“I saw your article in the Daily Planet. I counted up to five parrots at one time since living near Ninth & Delaware since 1992. Up until a couple of years ago, there were three parrots. One of the parrots died of an unknown disease according to a neighbor on Ninth who used to watch after them. 

“Last fall after the big unexpected rainstorm (September/October?), we found one of the two remaining walking on the sidewalk and unable to fly, its beak looking injured. We took it to the Contra Costa pet emergency, which was the only place that would take it after normal business hours. After some frustrating inquiries as to the status of the bird, I was told that one of the vets lived in West Berkeley and knew where the parrot had come from. 

“After the parrot recovered, the vet returned the bird to the neighborhood. Once again there were two parrots, until about a month later when one disappeared. I had noticed that the neighborhood ravens had been chasing both parrots for several weeks. I believe they weakened the injured one so much that it eventually died. I cringe every time I see the single parrot in the neighborhood. It seems that it is looking for its mate/family.” 

That account seems pretty definitive. Other readers had mentioned the parrots being harassed by corvids, mainly crows. 

One parrot was still being observed as recently as May, when I received the following from Rommel Batu: 

“I came across your articles when Googling Conures in Berkeley. Seems like you've been following these guys around for awhile. We saw Wild Parrots on Telegraph Hill and ever since, we are always on the lookout for those birds when we are around that area. 

“So one morning I go to work last week and I park my car on Camelia at 5th street near Gilman like usual. I get out of the car and I hear the bird, he's not really calling to anyone. I look up and I spot him on some telephone wires, he's just preening himself and making a sort of giggling sound. I took out my phone and I snapped a photo of him to show my girlfriend, otherwise she would never believe me. I watched him for about five minutes and went on my way. 

“I never thought I would see him again, but yesterday I was going to my car in the afternoon and I could hear him (or her). I didn't see it but I did hear it. Maybe it lives close by? It’s kind of industrial, I couldn't imagine that a parrot would want to live around that area...” 

But not long before, Bill Lanphier had reported a multiple-parrot sighting:  

“A group of maybe a dozen flying west to east, in the 500 block of Talbot, Albany, late afternoon” on April 13. “I was looking straight up at them and, because of the direct backlighting, I couldn't pick out much. But I'm 80% sure they were green and about the right size for, what I think is called, green conures (like most of the birds I recall seeing in the Telegraph hill documentary). They consistently stayed in relatively tight formation (also as I recall from the documentary).” 

So what’s going on here? Observer error is always possible; remember the ivory-billed woodpecker fiasco. But if Mr. Lanphier wasn’t seeing parrots of some kind, what were they? Do the Telegraph Hill parrots cross the Bay on occasion? Has there been a recent mass parrot escape in Albany? I would welcome any additional observations.


Restoration Comedy: Phoning It In

By Jane Powell
Sunday July 11, 2010 - 04:59:00 PM

Having returned from Indiana to a typical East Bay summer (i.e. fog, or what a friend refers to as “barbeque in a parka” weather), I’m a little testy. As I’ve grown older I’ve come to actually like heat— not that I’m thinking of moving to the other side of the hill or anything. Nope, still attempting to hold on to my house. So I had another appointment at NACA last week.

 

When I showed up, they told me I couldn’t talk to the counselor, I had to call the 800 number and ask to speak to a negotiator. They said a negotiator had been trying to contact me. Oh really? I had made two separate phone appointments (via the web) to speak to a negotiator and no one had called at the appointed time, or ever. (NACA is strictly a “don’t call us, we’ll call you” kind of organization.) Unless all those phone calls from 800 numbers that I never answer because they’re probably phone solicitors were from NACA, I don’t think they were trying to get in touch with me. They could have left a message, not to mention they also have my email address.

 

But I dutifully called the 800 number from my cell phone. This was about 9:15 a.m. I was helpfully informed that I was caller #196 waiting to speak with a customer service representative. Every couple minutes my status in the line was updated, going down two or three numbers each time. Thank God they don’t say “your call is very important to us”— I would have had to strangle someone. I put on the headset and proceeded to run a few errands. By the time I had to be at work at 10:30, I’d only gotten down to #27. Then I had to hang up. So that was 75 wasted daytime cell phone minutes. Ostensibly the lines are open till 8 p.m. California time, so I called again about 7:30 in the evening— the office was already closed. Tried again the next day— this time I only started at caller #50! Finally got a human, who said the next available phone appointment was July 16th. Swell.

 

There was a reason I wanted to talk to an actual human at the NACA office— because when they call on the phone, it’s like the worst cell phone call you’ve ever been on. Apparently there are no cubicles, because you can hear numerous other conversations going on in the background, there’s a lot of static on the line, and everything you say comes back as an echo. The person at the other end keeps cutting out intermittently, so you miss half of what they say, and have to keep asking them to repeat it. So I’m not exactly looking forward to the phone call on the 16th.

 

Those of you who have been following this whole thing may recall that I was going to NACA’s Save the Dream event in Washington, DC, which started on July 16th, meaning I wouldn’t be home to get the phone call anyway. But when I checked the website to find out if they actually had decided on a venue for it, I discovered that they had, and also, that they had changed the starting date to July 23rd. Luckily I was able to change my airline ticket or I would have been out 50,000 miles for nothing.

 

In the immortal words of George Carlin, “If you die while you’re on hold does your light go out?”

 

 

 

Jane Powell writes for the Planet whenever she feels like it. Apparently she’s feeling like doing it weekly for the moment. Enjoy it while you can, and contact her at hsedressng@aol.com.


News from Berkeley: The Alameda County Fair, Pick-N-Pull & Chez Panisse

Jane Stillwater
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 10:53:00 AM
The Alameda County Fair: "We had fun!"
Jane Stillwater
The Alameda County Fair: "We had fun!"
Pick-N-Pull:  America 50 years from now?
Jane Stillwater
Pick-N-Pull: America 50 years from now?

[Editor’s note: This is just a sample of Berkeleyan Jane Stillwater’s free-range blog. For the full treatment, complete with photos, click on her link at the right side of this page.]

If you are having trouble trying to keep from being driven completely nutso by all the grim, horrible and terrible national and international news headlines that just keep pouring down on our heads, then perhaps it's time to take a break and focus in on some of the good things in life instead. And there actually are a lot of good things happening here, locally, in my own home town -- which happens to be Berkeley. 

One good thing about living in Berkeley is that you can never get bored. 

For instance, a friend of mine just started working at a new Japanese grilled-chicken restaurant called Ippuku, and on July 15 at 7 pm, I'm going there for dinner -- so that I can compare their grilled chicken kebabs with all those chicken kebabs that I ate daily while in Iran for a month back in 2008. Iran is the Queen of too-dry chicken. Will Ippuku do better? They have to! Here's a review of Ippuku (which is the Japanese word for "Take a break"): 

I also have plans to spend the night at Arnieville on Russell Street and Adeline, camping out with the disabled people there who are protesting Governor Schwarzenegger's rather foolish budget cuts to salaries for their home-care workers. Will let you know how that goes. 

And here's a trilogy of articles I just wrote about Berkeley -- or at least the East Bay area. Hopefully these places will cheer you up too. 

The Alameda County Fair: "We had fun!"  

"Let's go to the Alameda County Fair on Wednesday," said my daughter Ashley -- and I, of course, replied, "Yawn." But I was wrong. We went and had a really good time. 

Not only was there a carnival with all the rides and monster foot-long corn dogs and all that kind of stuff but this really was a true county fair and there was pie judging and flower judging and demonstrations of gadgets that you never knew that you needed and quilt exhibits as well. 

And there were also chickens. We bought chickens. We now have four chickens -- they were four for $20 (and also came with food.) We named them Smokey Robinson, Sun Rocker, Mariqa Mustache and Scary Spice. 

"Did you like the fair?" I asked my two-year-old granddaughter Mena. 

"We had fun!" she replied. And we did. 

Pick-N-Pull: America 50 years from now? 

My daughter's friend recently needed some spare parts for his car. "Wanna go to Pick-N-Pull with me?" he asked. Pick-N-Pull? What's that? "It's an Elephant's Graveyard for old cars." Let's go! 

Pick-N-Pull is located way out in Richmond, in the Iron Triangle area. Guys (yes, it's a guy thing) go there to pull spare parts out of old cars so they can get used parts on the cheap. The place has HUNDREDS of old cars -- row after row, just sitting there. And looking like what American streets will look like in 50 years after we have run out of oil. 

Ashley's friend brought his tool box. A bunch of other guys did too. And, yes, there were a few women there, but not many besides me. And the pickers and the pullers were all leaning over engines with wrenches and stuff. I loved it. Rows and rows and rows of cars -- most were from the 1990s. There were only a few really old cars and trucks. We looked at them all -- but Ashley's friend never did find the right part for his car. 

PS: Approximately 40 rows at Pick-N-Pull were devoted to the ruins of American-made cars, mostly Cadillacs, Saturns, Buicks and Fords. And only approximately five rows there were devoted to broken-down foreign-made cars. What does that tell us? 

My birthday dinner at Chez Panisse 

"The American life-style is non-negotiable," said George H.W. Bush -- and then he and his sons almost immediately proceeded to negotiate away as much of it as they possibly could to bankers, tycoons, weapons manufacturers, lobbyists and Congressmen on the take. 

And not only was the Bush family's and corporatists' enthusiastic deregulation of our public safety guarantees and the wholesale looting of our treasury a huge threat to the American life-style, that but when our oil runs out in a few years, we can forget that life-style completely! According to James Howard Kunstler's book "The Long Emergency," in less years than we would like, we'll all be back to living like the Amish. 

But there is one part of the American life-style that I absolutely refuse to negotiate until I absolutely positively have to -- my yearly birthday dinner at Chez Panisse. Even if I have to scrimp and save all year long, even if I have to beg my grown children to treat me, I'm going! Nothing makes getting older more bearable than having a birthday dinner at Chez Panisse. 

I can't find the fancy little souvenir menu they gave me which says exactly what me and my son Joe ate, but I can still (vividly!) remember most of it anyway. Salmon carpaccio, rack of lamb and cherry pie. Plus I took plenty of photos. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Corruption in the Repair Industry

By Jack Bragen
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 12:12:00 PM

I worked as a television and video repairman in the 1980’s, was employed by several small repair shops and was self employed at it. I was pretty good at troubleshooting the circuitry in TV’s and VCR’s, yet some of the jobs were more stressful than I would have liked.  

In my time as a technician I learned that the retail price of repairs often didn’t reflect the amount of work put into someone’s unit, but instead reflected the company’s need to pay its overhead in order to stay in business. One reason why I never made it big as a repair shop owner was my fear of overcharging. I always wanted to give the customers a good deal, and in the process of that I didn’t make any money.  

Price gouging of automotive repair shops and electronic repair shops includes replacement of more parts than are required to make a unit functional again, charging for work that never took place, and making up ailments in someone’s unit that exist only in the imagination.  

I admit that a couple of the shops that I worked for, that were located in Concord and Pleasant Hill, participated in some of this price gouging. The owners of the shops justified this behavior by saying that it was the only way that their business could be profitable.  

In some instances, the same part invariably wears out in one make of television set, computer, or automobile; it means that the troubleshooting time is minimum for technicians who have “seen that before.” It further means that fifteen minutes can be spent to fix something, and yet the full repair price gets charged for the unit. In the 1980’s, the Hitachi made VCR’s were notorious for bad idler wheels. The symptom was “eating tapes.” This repair could often be performed without disassembling the unit, could be performed in five minutes or less, and about ninety dollars in labor could be charged because that was the standard rate.  

Home electronics repair law, and automotive repair law seem largely unchanged in the last twenty five years. Registration with Department of Consumer Affairs was and still is a legal requirement for someone who represents that they perform these repairs; although today more shops appear to be in violation of this requirement. Budget Cuts have forced the merger of the Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair with another agency.  

Having the license is no indication of repair prowess. There is no exam for a service dealer registration; it is a matter of completion of the paperwork and payment of their fee every year. A contractor’s license can also be used, and that license does involve testing.  

In some instances, a repair estimate is given for more than your unit is worth, not because it takes that much money to repair something, but instead because the technicians don’t want to deal with hours of troubleshooting that could otherwise be spent more profitably on someone else’s easier repair. This is called “shot gunning,” in which every part is replaced that might possibly cause the symptom, as opposed to doing the tests that would tell you which part is bad. The customer is told falsely that all of these parts were “shot,” meaning worn out. Should you accept such an estimate, you are paying for the technician’s laziness or lack of competence. Should you turn down the estimate, you’re paying a diagnostic fee for a diagnosis that didn’t happen. 


Inside Northside's Fabled Spring Mansion

By Steven Finacom
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 09:58:00 AM
The main façade of the mansion faces west, where the grounds step
              down in a formal terrace below the house.
Steven Finacom
The main façade of the mansion faces west, where the grounds step down in a formal terrace below the house.
A view from the main stair landing looks down on the two story
              columned atrium and across at the main entrance hall.
Steven Finacom
A view from the main stair landing looks down on the two story columned atrium and across at the main entrance hall.
The original living room has one of several huge fireplaces in the
              house, along with coffered ceiling, wood paneling, and built -ins.
Steven Finacom
The original living room has one of several huge fireplaces in the house, along with coffered ceiling, wood paneling, and built -ins.
Animals, flowers, and children fill a fantastical birch woodland in a
              portion of the atrium mural.
Steven Finacom
Animals, flowers, and children fill a fantastical birch woodland in a portion of the atrium mural.
In the garden east of the house a stranded mermaid raises a conch
              above a dry ornamental pool.
Steven Finacom
In the garden east of the house a stranded mermaid raises a conch above a dry ornamental pool.

Scores of curious sightseers—and perhaps some serious potential buyers—wandered this past Sunday through the closest thing to a residential palace in Berkeley, the John Hopkins Spring mansion.  

According to what the realtor told visitors on Sunday, the immense vacant house will be open again from 1 – 4 this coming Sunday, July 18. The asking price is $6,495,000. 

The Spring Mansion, which borders on The Arlington but has its practical access through two gated drives on San Antonio Avenue, is an approximately 12,000 square foot house that looks, inside and out, like a seat of landed aristocrats or minor nobility dropped into the North Berkeley Hills. 

The house was built in 1912 by wealthy developer and capitalist John Hopkins Spring as a centerpiece to the Thousand Oaks subdivision his firm had developed. It once stood prominently on the hillside, visible from considerable distances, but the landscape and other buildings have grown up around.  

You can—and probably will—pass by on The Arlington just a few hundred feet downhill from the house and not notice much except a curiously long stretch of dense vegetation and a fence. 

Daniella Thompson has written that the house was modeled on the Achillion Palace in Corfu. It also resembles, in plan at least, a considerably toned down version of The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island. 

The exterior sense of the monumental building, designed by John Hudson Thomas, is broadly neoclassical, with columned portico and symmetrical facades, but the grandly scaled interior spaces have interesting architectural characteristics of earlier eras.  

There’s an almost Minoan or Egyptian feel to the two story atrium with its flat lay light, four immense, unornamented, corner columns, simple decoration, oil-lamp-like sconces, and wrap-around second story balcony. 

The ground floor includes a vaulted entry hall (and a back entry hall as well), and vast, now largely empty, rooms that served as library, living room, dining room, and billiard room (a pool table now occupies the original dining room). 

Several of the formal rooms are wood paneled and have coffered ceilings. The downstairs spaces could host dining for scores or a party for hundreds, social living on the scale of a Gatsby or Stanford. There’s an enormous kitchen and butler’s pantry.  

Upstairs, six large bedrooms form a “U”. Fireplaces abound. Baths have an early 20th century character—lots of white subway tile and older tubs—there are some cavernous pass through closets and dressing rooms, and a sitting room with balcony is centered above the entry portico with splendid views to the west through the trees. 

Here and there are traces of the resources required to sustain early 20th century opulent living—enormous linen closets on either side of the second floor, three bedrooms for servants in a corner of the first floor, a carriage house (considerably altered) out near one of the entry gates. 

Look for John Hudson Thomas signature touches like oversized mantles, simple curves and scrolls, subtle groupings of four, square, raised blocks, and curious, angular, cutouts in unusual places including the trim of the butler’s pantry cabinets. 

One of the main bedrooms is still fitted out with bookcases—and books—from the Cora Williams Institute, the private school that occupied the property from 1917 until the 1970s. 

One wall of the atrium has a large ethereal mural bordered with the motto, “Go Free The Child For Self Realization”, presumably a relic of the Williams Institute days. 

The realty listing describes the surrounding site as “a 100 year old botanical garden”. It is immensely spacious for Berkeley—more than three acres for the whole property—and does have some treasures, including a rare old wine palm and some unusual pines, but at present it looks rather like a dry wooded hillside in Tilden Park. 

Some of the outdoor fixtures look to be in ruins. There’s a tennis court with rocks piled along one side and a tree sprawled onto it, one outbuilding pocked by graffiti, and two formal ornamental pools, both dry, with forlorn remnants of sculptures. 

Outbuildings include a structure and a house down by The Arlington, the converted carriage house (two residential floors and a basement) off San Antonio, a strange, squat, brick and wood eruption that looks like a 1970s fraternity lounge—complete with lava rock fireplace and ample bar counter—helicoptered onto one of the formal terraces, and a charmingly derelict cottage in the woods. 

Some ornamental features—statuary, light standards—that show up in pictures from just a few years ago are now damaged or absent, although grand exterior stairs and balustrades remain. 

The Spring Mansion is at 1960 San Antonio Avenue. Head up The Arlington from The Circle, turn sharply right and uphill on San Antonio, and wind around a few curves to reach the entrance gates. Be cautious of traffic and pedestrians on the narrow street, and park where it’s legal, instead of just convenient. 

Check http://www.redoakrealty.com/ for current listing information and any announcements about an open house on July 18. The property is listed as “1960 San Antonio Avenue.” 

The property is listed by Red Oak Realty, and on the handouts at the open house described as “presented by” realtors Robin Gaskins and Laurie Capitelli (who also serves on the Berkeley City Council). 

It’s being marketed as a property that ‘lends itself perfectly to either a grand executive residence or institutional uses such as a retreat, conference center, school or extended stay residences.” The property has been subdivided into four parcels that could be sold together, or separately; the main house occupies the largest. 

You can read two thorough articles about the history of the Spring Mansion in back issues of the Daily Planet online. 

February 22, 2006, Daniella Thompson wrote about the history of the building in the Planet, and later expanded her article into a longer piece that can be found online at Berkeleyheritage.com 

February 13, 2007, Dave Weinstein wrote about both the history, and about development plans for the building at that time. 


Arts & Events

Classical Music-East Bay Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 01:17:00 PM

BERKELEY ART MUSEUM AND PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE  

SLEEP, July 23, 7:30 p.m. Featuring Liz Harris and Eugene Petrushansky. $5.  

2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. < 

 

CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD  

Temescal String Quartet, July 18, 7 p.m. Works by Mendelssohn and Brahms. $12-$15.  

Temescal String Quartet, July 25, 7 p.m. Works by Samuel Barber Robert Schumann. $12-$15. (510) 769-2968. 

1005 Hearst Ave., Berkeley. (510) 549-1433, www.goodshepherdberkeley.org.

 

CROWDEN MUSIC CENTER  

Lee/Graber Duo, July 16 through July 23, Jul. 16, 20, 23, 7:30 p.m. Wayne Lee and Miles Graber play the complete Beethoven violin sonatas. Free. (510) 388-7437. 

Wayne Lee and Miles Graber, July 20, 7:30 p.m. Works by Beethoven. Free. (510) 388-7437. 

1475 Rose St., Berkeley. (510) 559-6910, www.crowdenmusiccenter.org.

 

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF BERKELEY  

"Midsummer Mozart Festival Program One," July 18, 7 p.m. All-Mozart program features performances by pianist Audrey Vardanega and violinist Robin Hansen. George Cleve conducts. $20-$65. (415) 627-9141. 

"Midsummer Mozart Festival Program Two," July 25, 7 p.m. All-Mozart program features performances by pianist Seymour Lipkin and basso Jeremy Galyon. George Cleve conducts. $20-$65. (415) 627-4191, www.midsummermozart.org. 

2345 Channing Way, Berkeley. (510) 848-3696, www.fccb.org.

 

FIRST COVENANT CHURCH OF OAKLAND  

"Summer Sing-ins," through Aug. 10, 7 p.m. Jul. 20: Bach's b minor Mss, conducted by Bob Worth.  

4000 Redwood Road, Oakland. (510) 531-5244, www.oaklandfcc.org.

 

LESHER CENTER FOR THE ARTS  

"Madama Butterfly," through July 18, Jul. 10, 13, 16, 8 p.m.; Jul. 18, 2 p.m. Conducted by Joseph Marcheso and directed by Brian Staufenbiel on a set designed by Matthew Antaky. $39-$100. (925) 943-7469. 

1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. (925) 943-7469, www.lesherartscenter.com.

 

ORINDA COMMUNITY CENTER  

Open Opera, July 25, 4 p.m. Opera singers perform classics and favorites. Free. (510) 547-2471, www.openopera.net. 

26 Orinda Way, Orinda. (925) 254-2445, www.ci.orinda.ca.us/.< 

 

SMITH CENTER AT OHLONE COLLEGE  

"Don Giovanni," July 16, 8:15 p.m. Film presentation of San Francisco Opera's performance of this work by Mozart. $10-12.  

43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont. (510) 659-6031, www.smithcenterpresents.com.

 

ST. JOHN'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH  

"Sacred Offering," July 17, 7 p.m. Classical Indian and world music, featuring Kit Walker, John Wubbenhorst and others. $20.  

2727 College Ave., Berkeley. (510) 845-6830, www.stjohns.presbychurch.net.<


Readings-East Bay Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 12:54:00 PM

A GREAT GOOD PLACE FOR BOOKS  

Andrew Beahrs, July 21, 7 p.m. The author talks about "Twain's Feast.''  

6120 LaSalle Ave., Oakland. (510) 339-8210, www.greatgoodplace.indiebound.com.

 

BERKELEY PUBLIC LIBRARY, CENTRAL BRANCH  

Novella Carpenter, July 22, 6:30 p.m. The author talks about "Farm City.''  

Free. Monday-Tuesday, noon-8 p.m.; Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 1-5 p.m. 2090 Kittredge St., Berkeley. (510) 981-6100, www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org/.< 

 

BOOKS INC., BERKELEY  

Oren Hartman, Kathleen Price, Annamarie Price, July 16, 7 p.m. The authors talk about "The Price Price of Altruism.''  

Justin Cronin, July 19, 7 p.m. The author talks about "Passage.''  

Jeffrey Ma, July 20, 7 p.m. The author tals about "House Advantage.''  

Jodi Liano, July 21, 7 p.m. The author talks about "Cooking From the Farmer's Market.''  

Jill Lebeau, Maureen Raytis, July 22, 7 p.m. The authors talk about "Feng Shui Your Mind.''  

1760 4th Street, Berkeley. (510) 525-7777, www.booksinc.net.

 

DIESEL, A BOOKSTORE  

Stefanie Syman, July 25, 3 p.m. The author talks about "The Subtle Body.''  

5433 College Avenue, Oakland. (510) 653-9965.< 

 

EASTWIND BOOKS  

Lian Gouw, July 18, 3 p.m. The author talks about "Only a Girl.'' Free.  

Brian Tom, July 24, 3:30 p.m. The author talks about "Sacramento's Chinatown.''  

2066 University Ave., Berkeley. (510) 548-2350.< 

 

MOE'S BOOKS  

Marc Hofstadter and Tim Kahl, July 22, 7:30 p.m. The authors read their poetry.  

10 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. 2476 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2087, www.moesbooks.com.

 

MRS. DALLOWAY'S  

Allison Benis White and Sandy Tseng, July 22, 7:30 p.m. White talks about "Self-Portrait with Crayon.'' Tseng talks about "Sediment.''  

2904 College Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 704-8222.<


Classical Music-San Francisco Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 01:16:00 PM

COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER  

"SfSoundSeries," July 16, 8 a.m. Featuring EKG, Matt Ingalls, John Ingle, Christopher Jones and Monica Scott. $8-$15.  

544 Capp St., San Francisco. (415) 647-6015, www.sfcmc.org.

 

DAVIES SYMPHONY HALL  

San Francisco Symphony, through July 16, 8 p.m. Featuring music from the "Final Fantasy'' video game series. $30-$105. (415) 864-6000. 

San Francisco Symphony, July 17, 8 p.m. Featuring Bernard Herrmann's music from Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho.'' $30-$70. (415) 864-6000. 

San Francisco Symphony, July 22, 8 p.m. Program features works by Ellington, Copland, Grofe and Dvorak. $15-$70.  

San Francisco Symphony, July 23, 8 p.m. Works by Glinka, Rachmaninoff, Mussorgsky and Dvorak. $15-$70.  

San Francisco Symphony, July 24, 8 p.m. Works by John Adams, Ives, Copland and Gershwin. $15-$90. (415) 864-6000. 

201 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 864-6000, www.sfsymphony.org.

 

ELECTRIC WORKS  

Duo Sonidos, July 17, 7 p.m. Traditional and contemporary Latin and Spanish repertoire. $10.  

Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 130 8th St., San Francisco. (415) 626-2396, www.sfelectricworks.com.

 

HERBST THEATRE  

"Schwabacher Summer Concert," July 16, 7:30 p.m. Featuring extended scenes from "Il Barbiere di Siviglia,'' "Werther,'' "Rodelinda,'' "The Bartered Bride'' and "The Merry Wives of Windsor.'' $25-$40. (415) 864-3330. 

401 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 392-4400, www.cityboxoffice.com.

 

LEGION OF HONOR MUSEUM DOCENT TOUR PROGRAMS -- Tours of the permanent collections and special exhibitions are offered Tuesday through Sunday. Non-English language tours (Italian, French, Spanish and Russian) are available on different Saturdays of the month at 11:30 a.m. Free with regular museum admission. (415) 750-3638.  

ONGOING CHILDREN'S PROGRAM --  

"Doing and Viewing Art," For ages 7 to 12. Docent-led tours of current exhibitions are followed by studio workshops taught by professional artists/teachers. Students learn about art by seeing and making it. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to noon; call to confirm class. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3658. 

ORGAN CONCERTS -- 4 p.m. A weekly concert of organ music on the Legion's restored 1924 Skinner organ. Saturday and Sunday in the Rodin Gallery. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3624. 

$6-$10; free for children ages 12 and under; free for all visitors on Tuesdays. Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Lincoln Park, 34th Avenue and Clement Street, San Francisco. (415) 750-3600, (415) 750-3636, www.thinker.org.

 

MAGIC THEATRE  

"The Magic Flute," July 24 through Aug. 1, Jul. 24, 30, 31, 8 p.m.; Jul. 25, Aug. 1, 2:30 p.m. Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute presents Mozart's opera. $20-$35. (415) 522-7376. 

Building D, Fort Mason Center, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 441-8822, www.magictheatre.org.

 

MISSION DOLORES Take a self-guided tour of the historic mission. Originally titled Mission San Francisco de Assisi, Mission Dolores is one of a chain of missions in California begun by Father Junipero Serra in 1776. The mission chain, a day's walk apart, stretches from San Diego to San Rafael. Mission Dolores was built in 1776. 

San Francisco Symphony, July 25, 2 p.m. Works by Marquez, Chavez, Rosas, Moncayo and Dvorak.  

$2-$3; $5 additional for Audio Tour. Daily, May 1-Oct. 31: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; November 1-April 30: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Good Friday: 9 a.m.-12noon, Easter Sunday: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. 3321 16th St., San Francisco. (415) 621-8203, www.missiondolores.org.

 

OLD FIRST CHURCH  

Daniel Glover, July 18, 4 p.m. Works by Barber and Chopin.  

Solo Acoustic Wizards: Ancient and Modern, July 23, 8 p.m. Featuring Michael Chikuzen Gould. $14-$17.  

Trevor Stephenson, July 25, 4 p.m. Works by Bach, Handel and Scarlatti. $14-$17.  

1751 Sacramento Street, San Francisco. (415) 474-1608.< 

 

OLD ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL  

Kumaran Arul, July 20, 12:30 p.m. Works by Chopin.  

$5 donation requested. 660 California St., San Francisco. www.oldsaintmarys.org/.< 

 

SAN FRANCISCO CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC  

Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute, through July 18, Jul. 15-17, 8 p.m.; Jul. 18, 2:30 p.m. "La Calisto'' offers a glimpse of the love affairs between divine and earthly beings. $20-$35.  

American Bach Soloists, July 17, 8 p.m. Featuring Handel's "La Resurrezione.'' $20-$40. (415) 621-7900. 

Suor Angelica, July 21, 8 p.m. Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute presents a one act opera by Puccini. $20-$35. (415) 522-7376. 

"Midsummer Mozart Festival Program Two," July 23, 8 p.m. All-Mozart program features performances by pianist Seymour Lipkin and basso Jeremy Galyon. George Cleve conducts. $20-$65. (415) 627-4191, www.midsummermozart.org. 

$15 to $20 unless otherwise noted. Hellman Hall, 50 Oak St., San Francisco. (415) 864-7326, www.sfcm.edu.

 

WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE  

Shen Yun Performing Arts, July 23, 8 p.m. Dance meets music and storytelling. $34-$80.  

301 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 865-2000.<


Galleries-East Bay Through July 18

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 01:12:00 PM

"BAY AREA HEART GALLERY," -- Exhibit consists of photographs of children, youth and families, accompanied by their compelling stories. The joint exhibit opens in the Alameda County Administration Building, 1221 Oak Street, Oakland and at the Eden Area Multi-Service Center, 24100 Amador Way, Hayward. 

Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.< 

 

ALBANY ARTS GALLERY  

"Silk Painting," through July 31. Works by Natasha Foucault.  

1251 Solano Ave., Albany. (510) 526-9558.< 

 

ALPHONSE BERBER GALLERY  

Kamau Patton, through Aug. 7. Works by the artist.  

2546 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. < 

 

BEDFORD GALLERY  

OPENING -- "Unbound: A National Exhibition of Book Art," July 11 through Sept. 19. Works by Ed Ruscha, Andy Warhol, Sas Colby, Lisa Kokin, Francesca Patine, Maria Porges, Nancy Selvin, Richard Shaw and others.  

$3 general; $2 youth ages 12 through 17; free children ages 12 and under; free Tuesdays. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. (925) 295-1417, www.bedfordgallery.org.

 

CHANDRA CERRITO CONTEMPORARY  

"Stillness," through July 24. Works by Keira Kotler.  

480 23rd St., Oakland. (415) 577-7537, www.chandracerrito.com.

 

EXPRESSIONS GALLERY  

"Labor and Art," through Aug. 6. Group art show features paintings, photography, sculpture, mixed media, digital art, monotypes and more.  

Free. Wednesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-3 p.m. 2035 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. (510) 644-4930, www.expressionsgallery.org/.< 

 

GALLERY 555 --  

Nemo Gould, through July 30. Presented by the Oakland Museum of California.  

Free. Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; third Thursdays, 7 a.m-8 p.m. Oakland City Center, 555 12th St., Oakland. < 

 

HALL OF PIONEERS GALLERY  

"Oakland Chinatown Pioneers," Twelve showcases, each focusing on historic leaders and personalities of the community.  

Free. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Chinese Garden Building, 275 Seventh St., Oakland. (510) 530-4590.< 

 

K GALLERY  

"The Locals II," through July 31. Works by Jon Kerpel, Ginny Parsons, K.C. Rosenberg, Peter Tonningsen and Danielle Wallis.  

Free. Thursday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. 2515 Blanding Ave., Alameda. (510) 865-5062, www.rhythmix.org.

 

LAFAYETTE GALLERY  

"Summer Daze," through Aug. 7. Works by Nancy Hartley and Jill Landau.  

50 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette. www.lafayettegallery.net.

 

PHOTOLAB  

"Between Borders," through July 31. Works by Patricia Monaco.  

2235 5th St., Berkeley. (510) 644-1400, www.photolabratory.com.

 

ROYAL NONESUCH GALLERY  

"Alula Editions," through July 30. Works by Jason Jagel.  

4231 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (415) 690-3041, www.royalnonesuchgallery.com.

 

SUN GALLERY  

"High Art," through Sept. 25. Works by local high school students and high school homeschoolers.  

1015 E. St., Hayward. (510) 581-4050, www.sungallery.org.

 

TRAYWICK CONTEMPORARY  

OPENING -- "2-D/3-D," July 18 through Sept. 18. Works by Mari Andrews, Jessica Martin, David McDonald, Aurora Robson and Lucrecia Troncoso.  

895 Colusa Ave., Berkeley. (510) 527-1214.<


Galleries-San Francisco Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 01:11:00 PM

A440 GALLERY --  

"Experience Painting," through Aug. 30. Works by Peter Onstad.  

49 Geary St., San Francisco. www.AA40gallery.com.

 

ANDREA SCHWARTZ GALLERY  

"Leisure Quest," through July 30. Works by Patrick Dintino.  

Free. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 1-5 p.m. 525 2nd St., San Francisco. (415) 495-2090, www.asgallery.com.

 

ARTHAUS  

"The Back Yard," through Sept. 30. Works by Chris Schiavo.  

Free. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 411 Brannan St., San Francisco. (415) 977-0223, www.arthaus-sf.com.< 

 

ARTZONE 461 --  

OPENING -- Keith Gaspari, Heidi McDowell, Brian Tepper, July 24 through Aug. 22. New works by the artists.  

461 Valencia Street, San Francisco. (415) 441-8680, www.artzone461.com.

 

BRAUNSTEIN-QUAY GALLERY  

"New Work," through July 31. Works by Dennis Luedeman.  

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 430 Clementina St., San Francisco. (415) 278-9850, www.bquayartgallery.com.

 

BRIAN GROSS FINE ART  

"Airborne," through Sept. 10. Works by Ed Moses.  

"Gesture," through Aug. 27. Group exhibition explores various uses of gesture in abstract painting.  

Free. Tuesday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 49 Geary St., San Francisco. (415) 788-1050, www.briangrossfineart.com.

 

CALDWELL SNYDER GALLERY  

"Rusted Roses," through July 31. Works by Michael Kalish.  

Free. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 341 Sutter St., San Francisco. (415) 296-7896, www.caldwellsnyder.com.

 

CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF INTEGRAL STUDIES, MINNA STREET GALLERY  

"No Place But Now," through July 30. Transcontinental collaborative works created specifically for the Minna Gallery.  

Free. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 695 Minna St., San Francisco. (415) 575-6175, www.ciis.edu/lifelong.< 

 

CHINESE CULTURE CENTER GALLERY  

"Stella Zhang," through Sept. 5. Five large scale installation pieces in the artist's first major Bay Area solo exhibition.  

Free. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Hilton Hotel, Third Floor, 750 Kearny St., San Francisco. (415) 986-1822.< 

 

CREATIVITY EXPLORED GALLERY  

"Spectrum," through Aug. 11. Exhibition features psychedelic-style art.  

Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 1-6 p.m. 3245 16th St., San Francisco. (415) 863-2108, www.creativelyexplored.org.

 

DOLBY CHADWICK GALLERY  

"Renaissance," through Aug. 28. Works by Bill Armstrong.  

"The Long Year, New Paintings," through Aug. 28. Works by Gary Edward Blum.  

Free. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 210 Post St., Suite 205, San Francisco. (415) 956-3560, www.dolbychadwickgallery.com.

 

DON SOKER CONTEMPORARY ART  

"Sublimating," through July 31. Wall-mounted ceramic works by Shoichi Seino.  

100 Montogomery St., Suite 1430, San Francisco. (415) 291-0966.< 

 

FEMINA POTENS GALLERY  

"Speaking to Las Vegas in the Language of Las Vegas," through July 31. Exhibit focuses on the world of sex workers.  

Free unless otherwise noted. Thursday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. 2199 Market Street at Sanchez, San Francisco. (415) 217-9340, www.feminapotens.org.

 

GALLERY 645 AND MICHAEL THOMPSON FRAMING --  

"Etchings," through Aug. 6. Works by Beth Weintraub.  

645 7th St., San Francisco. (415) 861-5717.< 

 

GALLERY PAULE ANGLIM  

Gary Lapow, through Aug. 14. Works by the artist.  

James Drake, through Aug. 14. New works by the artist.  

Free. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 14 Geary St., San Francisco. (415) 433-2710, www.gallerypauleanglim.com.

 

GEORGE KREVSKY GALLERY  

"Summer Reading," through Oct. 2. Works by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Helen Berggruen, Ken Kalman, Rockewell Kent, Clifford Odets, Man Ray, Raymond Saunders, Ben Shahn and others.  

Free. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 77 Geary St., San Francisco. (415) 397-9748, www.georgekrevkygallery.com.

 

GREGORY LIND GALLERY  

"Cooler Heads Prevail," through Aug. 21. Works by Thomas Campbell, Jim Gaylord, Chris Gentile, Jake Longstreth and others.  

49 Geary Street, Fifth Floor, San Francisco. www.gregorylindgallery.com.

 

HOSFELT GALLERY  

"Seascapes and Surf Works," through Aug. 14. Works by Russell Crotty.  

430 Clementina St., San Francisco. (415) 495-5454, www.hosfeltgallery.com.

 

INCLUSIONS GALLERY  

"Original Collage," through July 30. Works by Kim Smith.  

627 Cortland Ave., San Francisco. (415) 817-1493.< 

 

JENKINS JOHNSON GALLERY  

"Summertime," through Sept. 3. Works by Nicolas Africano, Ben Aronson, Katherine Chang Liu and many others.  

Free. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 464 Sutter St., San Francisco. (415) 677-0770, www.jenkinsjohnsongallery.com.

 

JOHN BERGGRUEN GALLERY  

"Pre-existing Conditions," through July 31. Works by Alexander Gorlizki.  

228 Grant Ave., San Francisco. (415) 781-4629, www.berggruen.com.

 

LAKEGALLERY  

CLOSING -- "For the Time Being," through July 17. Works by Michael Ryan.  

661 Divisadero St., San Francisco. < 

 

LUGGAGE STORE  

"Rehistoricizing Abstract Expressionism," through July 31. Works by Carlos Villa.  

Free. Call for times 1007 Market St., San Francisco. (415) 255-5971, www.luggagestoregallery.org.

 

MARKET STREET GALLERY  

"Arkeeteckt, Vybrant, Image," through July 30. Works by Getbizi.  

Free. 1544 Market St., San Francisco. (415) 290-1441, www.marketstreetgallery.com.

 

MARX & ZAVATTERO --  

OPENING -- "Tilt," July 24 through Aug. 21. Works by Timothy Nolan.  

Tuesday-Friday, 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 77 Geary Street at Grant Avenue, 2nd Floor, San Francisco. (415) 627-9111, www.marxzav.com/index.php.< 

 

MICAELA GALLERY  

"Cold and Hot 2010," through Aug. 28. Works by Peter Bremers, Kathleen Elliot, Michael Janis, Michelle Knox, Weston Lambert and others.  

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 333 Hayes St., San Francisco. (415) 551-8118, www.micaela.com.

 

MODERNISM  

"Asymmetrical Chromachords," through Aug. 28. Works by James Hayward.  

"Paradise Lost," through Aug. 28. Works by Michael Dweck.  

"Photographs," through Aug. 28. Works by Michael Dweck.  

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 685 Market St., San Francisco. (415) 541-0461, www.modernisminc.com.

 

MODERNISM WEST  

"Alexandra's Heteronyms," through July 31. Works by Alex Nichols.  

Free. Evenings, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. (call to confirm). 2534 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 648-7600, www.modernismwest.com.

 

PAUL THIEBAUD GALLERY  

"Cigar Box Paintings," through Aug. 21. Works by Ed Musante.  

"Recent Paintings," through Aug. 21. Works by Eileen David.  

Free. Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 718 Columbus Ave., San Francisco. (415) 434-3055, www.paulthiebaudgallery.com.

 

RAYKO PHOTO CENTER  

"Between," through July 20. Works by Junie Anand and Damon Sauer  

"Epigraph," through July 20. Works by Luis Delgado-Qualtrough.  

Free. Tuesday-Thursday, noon-10 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. 428 Third St., San Francisco. (415) 495-3773, www.raykophoto.com.

 

ROBERT KOCH GALLERY  

"Photographs," through Aug. 21. Works by Miroslav Tichy.  

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 49 Geary St., Fifth Floor, San Francisco. (415) 421-0122, www.kochgallery.com.

 

ROBERT TAT GALLERY  

"Classic Photographs," through July 31. Photographs by Horst P. Horst and George Hoyningen-Huene.  

49 Geary St., Suite 211, San Francisco. (415) 781-1122, www.roberttat.com.

 

SAN FRANCISCO WOMEN ARTISTS GALLERY  

"Reflections," through Aug. 7. Juried exhibition features sculpture, jewelery, paintings and photography.  

Free. Wednesday through Saturday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. 3489 Sacramento St., San Francisco. (415) 440-7392, www.sfwomenartists.org.

 

SANDRA LEE GALLERY  

"Clouds and Abstractions," through July 28. Works by Donna McGinnis.  

251 Post St., Suite 310, San Francisco. (415) 291-8000, www.sandraleegallery.com.

 

SHOOTING GALLERY  

"ILL Romantic," through Aug. 7. Works by Casey Gray.  

839 Larkin Street, San Francisco. (415) 931-8035.< 

 

SUITE FIVE SALON  

Cynthia Milionis, through July 31. Featuring new works by the artist.  

305 Grant Ave., Suite 5, San Francisco. (415) 362-5005, www.suitefivesalon.com/blog.< 

 

TOOMEY TOURELL GALLERY  

"Recap," through Aug. 7. Works by Clinton Fein.  

Free. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 49 Geary St., San Francisco. (415) 989-6444, www.toomeytourell. com.< 

 

VELVET DA VINCI  

"Dichotomies in Objects," through July 31. Featuring contemporary South African studio jewelry from the Stellenbosch Area.  

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4 p.m. 2015 Polk St., San Francisco. (415) 441-0109, www.velvetdavinci.com.<


Museums-East Bay Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 01:02:00 PM

AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND LIBRARY AT OAKLAND The Oakland Public Library's museum is designed to discover, preserve, interpret and share the cultural and historical experiences of African Americans in California and the West. In addition, a three-panel mural is on permanent display. 

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5:30 p.m. 659 14th St., Oakland. (510) 637-0200, www.oaklandlibrary.org.

 

ALAMEDA MUSEUM The museum offers permanent displays of Alameda history, the only rotating gallery showcasing local Alameda artists and student artwork, as well as souvenirs, books and videos about the rich history of the Island City. 

"Cross Currents," through July 30. Works by 38 California artists in various media.  

Free. Wednesday-Friday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 2324 Alameda Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-1233, www.alamedamuseum.org.

 

BADE MUSEUM AT THE PACIFIC SCHOOL OF RELIGION The museum's collections include the Tell en-Nasbeh Collection, consisting of artifacts excavated from Tell en-Nasbeh in Palestine in 1926 and 1935 by William Badh, and the Howell Bible Collection, featuring approximately 300 rare books (primarily Bibles) dating from the 15th through the 18th centuries. 

"Tell en-Nasbeh," This exhibit is the "heart and soul" of the Bade Museum. It displays a wealth of finds from the excavations at Tell en-Nasbeh, Palestine whose objects span from the Early Bronze Age (3100-2200 BC) through the Iron Age (1200-586 BC) and into the Roman and Hellenistic periods. Highlights of the exhibit include "Tools of the Trade" featuring real archaeological tools used by Badh and his team, an oil lamp typology, a Second Temple period (586 BC-70 AD) limestone ossuary, and a selection of painted Greek pottery.  

"William Frederic Bade: Theologian, Naturalist, and Archaeologist," This exhibit highlights one of PSR's premier educators and innovative scholars. The collection of material on display was chosen with the hopes of representing the truly dynamic and multifaceted character of William F. Badh. He was a family man, a dedicated teacher, a loving friend, and an innovative and passionate archaeologist.  

Free. Tuesday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Holbrook Hall, Pacific School of Religion, 1798 Scenic Ave., Berkeley. (510) 848-0528, www.bade.psr.edu/bade.< 

 

BERKELEY ART MUSEUM AND PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE  

"Thom Faulders: BAMscape," through Nov. 30. This commissioned work, a hybrid of sculpture, furniture, and stage, is the new centerpiece of Gallery B, BAM's expansive central atrium. It is part of a new vision of the gallery as a space for interaction, performance, and improvised experiences.  

CLOSING -- "What's It All Mean: William T. Wiley in Retrospect," through July 18. This retrospective surveys the witty, idiosyncratic, and introspective work of William T. Wiley, a beloved Bay Area artist and "a national treasure'' (Wall Street Journal). Layered with ambiguous ideas and allusions, autobiographical narrative and sociopolitical commentary, Wiley's art is rich in self-deprecating humor and absurdist insight.  

"Perpetual and furious refrain / MATRIX 232," through Sept. 12. Exhibition features works by Brent Green.  

"Marisa Olson: Double Bind," through Aug. 31. With a pair of provocative YouTube videos, Olson unravels the promise and pitfalls of online participatory culture.  

"Himalayan Pilgrimage," through Dec. 19. Exhibition features sculpture and painting dating from the ninth to the eighteenth centuries and drawn from a private collection on long-term loan to the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive.  

OPENING -- "Hauntology," through Dec. 5. Drawn primarily from the museum's recent acquisitions of contemporary art, this exhibition explores a wide range of art through the lens of the concept of "hauntology,'' a term coined by the French philosopher Jacques Derrida in 1993 to refer to the study of social, psychological, and cultural conditions in the post-Communist period.  

2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. < 

 

BLACKHAWK MUSEUM  

AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM -- The museum's permanent exhibition of internationally renowned automobiles dated from 1897 to the 1980s. The cars are displayed as works of art with room to walk completely around each car to admire the workmanship. On long-term loan from the Smithsonian Institution is a Long Steam Tricycle; an 1893-94 Duryea, the first Duryea built by the Duryea brothers; and a 1948 Tucker, number 39 of the 51 Tuckers built, which is a Model 48 "Torpedo'' four-door sedan.  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"International Automotive Treasures," An ever-changing exhibit featuring over 90 automobiles.  

"A Journey on Common Ground," An exhibit of moving photographs, video and art objects from around the world exploring the causes of disability and the efforts of the Wheelchair Foundation to provide a wheelchair for every person in need who cannot afford one.  

ONGOING EVENT --  

Free Public Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. Docent-led guided tours of the museum's exhibitions. 

$5-$8; free for children ages 6 and under. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville. (925) 736-2280, (925) 736-2277, www.blackhawkmuseum.org.

 

CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY  

HISTORY WALKABOUTS -- A series of walking tours that explore the history, lore and architecture of California with veteran tour guide Gary Holloway. Walks are given on specific weekends. There is a different meeting place for each weekend and walks take place rain or shine so dress for the weather. Reservations and prepayment required. Meeting place will be given with confirmation of tour reservation. Call for details.  

678 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 357-1848, www.californiahistoricalsociety.org.

 

CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER State-of-the-art facility unifying science education activities around astronomy. Enjoy interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, indoor stargazing, outdoor telescope viewing and films. 

"Beyond Blastoff: Surviving in Space," An interactive exhibit that allows you to immerse yourself into the life of an astronaut to experience the mixture of exhilaration, adventure and confinement that is living and working in space.  

"Chabot Observatories: A View to the Stars," Explore the history of the Chabot observatories and how its historic telescopes are used today. Daytime visitors can virtually operate a telescope, experiment with mirrors and lenses to understand how telescopes create images of distant objects and travel through more than a century of Chabot's history via multimedia kiosks, historical images and artifact displays.  

EVENTS --  

"Galaxy Explorers Hands-On Fun," Saturday, noon-4 p.m. The Galaxy Explorers lead a variety of fun, hands-on activities, such as examining real spacesuits, creating galaxy flipbooks, learning about telescopes, minerals and skulls and making your own comet. Free with general admission. 

"Live Daytime Planetarium Show," Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Ride through real-time constellations, stars and planets with Chabot's full-dome digital projection system. 

"Daytime Telescope Viewing," Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. View the sun, the moon and the planets through the telescopes during the day. Free with general admission. 

Center Admission: $14.95; $10.95 children 3-12; free children under 3; $3 discount for seniors and students. Telescope viewing only: free. Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Also open on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. after June 29. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 336-7300, www.chabotspace.org.

 

HABITOT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM A museum especially for children ages 7 and under. Highlights include "WaterWorks,'' an area with some unusual water toys, an Infant Tree for babies, a garden especially for toddlers, a child-scale grocery store and cafe, and a costume shop and stage for junior thespians. The museum also features a toy lending library.  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"Waterworks." A water play gallery with rivers, a pumping station and a water table, designed to teach about water.  

"Little Town Grocery and Cafe." Designed to create the ambience of shopping in a grocery store and eating in a restaurant.  

"Infant-Toddler Garden." A picket fence gated indoor area, which includes a carrot patch with wooden carrots to be harvested, a pretend pond and a butterfly mobile to introduce youngsters to the concept of food, gardening and agriculture.  

"Dramatic Arts Stage." Settings, backdrops and costumes coincide with seasonal events and holidays. Children can exercise their dramatic flair here.  

"Wiggle Wall." The floor-to-ceiling "underground'' tunnels give children a worm's eye view of the world. The tunnels are laced with net covered openings and giant optic lenses. 

"Architects at Play," This hands-on, construction-based miniexhibit provides children with the opportunity to create free-form structures, from skyscrapers to bridges, using KEVA planks.  

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

$6-$7. Wednesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Closed Sunday-Tuesday. 2065 Kittredge St., Berkeley. (510) 647-1111, www.habitot.org.

 

HAYWARD AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM The museum is located in a former post office and displays memorabilia of early Hayward and southern Alameda County. Some of the features include a restored 1923 Seagrave fire engine and a hand pumper from the Hayward Fire Department, founded in 1865; a Hayward Police Department exhibit; information on city founder William Hayward; and pictures of the old Hayward Hotel. The museum also alternates three exhibits per year, including a Christmas Toys exhibit and a 1950s lifestyle exhibit. 

EVENTS --  

50 cents-$1. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 22701 Main St., Hayward. (510) 581-0223, www.haywardareahistory.org.

 

JUDAH L. MAGNES MUSEUM The museum's permanent collection includes objects of Jewish importance including ceremonial art, film and video, folk art and fine art, paintings, sculptures and prints by contemporary and historical artists. 

"Projections," Multimedia works from the museum's extensive collections of archival, documentary and experimental films. Located at 2911 Russell Street.  

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

$4-$6; free for children under age 12. Sunday-Wednesday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. CLOSED APRIL 3-4 AND 9-10; MAY 23-24 AND 28; JULY 4; SEPT. 3, 13 AND 27; OCT. 4; NOV. 22; DEC. 24-25 AND 31. 2911 Russell St., Berkeley. (510) 549-6950, www.magnes.org.

 

LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"NanoZone," Discover the science of the super-small: nanotechnology. Through hands-on activities and games, explore this microworld and the scientific discoveries made in this area.  

"Forces That Shape the Bay," A science park that shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building. You can ride earthquake simulators, set erosion in motion and look far out into the bay with a powerful telescope from 1,100 feet above sea level. The center of the exhibit is a waterfall that demonstrates how water flows from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Bay. Visitors can control where the water goes. There are also hands-on erosion tables, and a 40-foot-long, 6-foothigh, rock compression wall.  

"Real Astronomy Experience," A new exhibit-in-development allowing visitors to use the tools that real astronomers use. Aim a telescope at a virtual sky and operate a remote-controlled telescope to measure a planet.  

"Biology Lab," In the renovated Biology Lab visitors may hold and observe gentle animals. Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

"The Idea Lab," Experiment with some of the basics of math, science and technology through hands-on activities and demonstrations of magnets, spinning and flying, puzzles and nanotechnology.  

"Math Around the World," Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Networks.  

"Math Rules," Use simple and colorful objects to complete interesting challenges in math through predicting, sorting, comparing, weighing and counting.  

"Animal Discovery Room,,' 1:30-4 p.m. Visitors of all ages can hold and touch gentle animals, learn about their behavior and habitats and play with self-guided activities and specimen models.  

"Forces That Shape the Bay," This science park shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building.  

"Ingenuity in Action," Summer 2010. Enjoy the best of the Ingenuity Lab. Engage your creative brain and use a variety of materials to design, build and test your own innovations.  

"Kapla," Play with simple, versatile building blocks that can be used to build very large, high and stable structures.  

"KidsLab," This multisensory play area includes larger-than-life blocks, a crawl-through kaleidoscope, the Gravity wall, a puppet theater and a reading area.  

"NanoZone," Discover the science of nanotechnology through handson activities and games.  

"Planetarium," Explore the skies in this interactive planetarium.  

"Science on a Sphere," Catch an out-of-this-world experience with an animated globe. See hurricanes form, tsunamis sweep across the oceans and city lights glow around the planet.  

EVENTS --  

"Scream Machines -- The Science of Roller Coasters, through Jan. 2. This head-spinning, stomach-churning exhibition for thrill-seekers features interactive exhibits, artifacts and images to explore.  

"Summer Fun Days," through Aug. 18. Become a raptor expert, learn the science of the trapeze, engineer the perfect boat or test the ice cream that you yourself make.  

$6-$12; free children ages 2 and under. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. University of California, Centennial Drive, Berkeley. (510) 642-5132, www.lawrencehallofscience.org.

 

LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM This is the oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center in America, taking in 6,000 injured and orphaned animals yearly and returning 40 percent of them to the wild. The museum offers a wide range of educational programs using non-releasable wild animals to teach children and adults respect for the balance of nature. The museum includes a state-of-the art wildlife hospital which features a permanent exhibit, titled "Living with Nature,'' which houses 75 non-releasable wild animals in learning environments; a 5,000-square-foot Wildlife Hospital complete with treatment rooms, intensive care, quarantine and laboratory facilities; a 1-acre Nature Garden featuring the region's native landscaping and wildlife; and an "Especially For Children'' exhibit.  

WILDLIFE HOSPITAL -- September-March: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hospital is open daily including holidays to receive injured and orphaned animals. There is no charge for treatment of native wild animals and there are no public viewing areas in the hospital. 

EXHIBITS --  

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

$5-$7; free children under age 2. Wednesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

 

MEYERS HOUSE AND GARDEN MUSEUM The Meyers House, erected in 1897, is an example of Colonial Revival, an architectural style popular around the turn of the century. Designed by Henry H. Meyers,the house was built by his father, Jacob Meyers, at a cost of $4000.00. 

EXHIBITS --  

$3. Fourth Saturday of every month. 2021 Alameda Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-1247, www.alamedamuseum.org/meyers.html.< 

 

MUSEUM OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY SCIENCE VILLAGE A science museum with an African-American focus promoting science education and awareness for the underrepresented. The science village chronicles the technical achievements of people of African descent from ancient ties to present. There are computer classes at the Internet Cafi, science education activities and seminars. There is also a resource library with a collection of books, periodicals and videotapes. 

$4-$6. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.-6 p.m. 630 20th St., Oakland. (510) 893-6426, www.ncalifblackengineers.org.

 

MUSEUM OF CHILDREN'S ART A museum of art for and by children, with activities for children to participate in making their own art.  

ART CAMPS -- Hands-on activities and engaging curriculum for children of different ages, led by professional artists and staff. $60 per day.  

CLASSES -- A Sunday series of classes for children ages 8 to 12, led by Mocha artists. Sundays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

OPEN STUDIOS -- Drop-in art play activities with new themes each week.  

"Big Studio." Guided art projects for children age 6 and older with a Mocha artist. Tuesday through Friday, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. $5.  

"Little Studio." A hands-on experience that lets young artists age 18 months to 5 years see, touch and manipulate a variety of media. Children can get messy. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $5.  

"Family Weekend Studios." Drop-in art activities for the whole family. All ages welcome. Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. $5 per child.  

FAMILY EXTRAVAGANZAS -- Special weekend workshops for the entire family.  

"Sunday Workshops with Illustrators," Sundays, 1 p.m. See the artwork and meet the artists who create children's book illustrations. Free. 

EVENTS --  

"Saturday Stories," 1 p.m. For children ages 2-5. Free. 

Free gallery admission. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 538 Ninth St., Oakland. (510) 465-8770, www.mocha.org.

 

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Art a la Carte," Wednesdays, 12:30 p.m. Art docents offer a variety of specialized tours focusing on one aspect of the museum's permanent collection. Free with museum admission.  

"Online Museum," Thursdays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Explore the museum's collection on videodisks in the History Department Library.  

Docent Gallery Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. 

"Explore our New Gallery," through Dec. 2. The new Gallery of California Art showcases more than 800 works from OMCA's collection-one of the largest and most comprehensive holdings of California art in the world.  

"Gallery of California History," through Dec. 2. This new gallery is based on the theme of Coming to California.  

"Mini Okubo: Citizen 13660," through Aug. 1. Curated by Senior Curator of Art Karen Tsujimoto, this small exhibition of Okubo's poignant works on paper from the Museum's collection charts Okubo's odyssey.  

$5-$8; free for children ages 5 and under; free to all on the second Sunday of the month. Special events are free with museum admission unless noted otherwise. Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; first Friday of the month, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. 1000 Oak St., Oakland. (510) 238-2200, www.museumca.org.

 

PACIFIC PINBALL MUSEUM  

"Pinball Style: Drama and Design," through Aug. 1. Exhibition comments on pinball art from the 1940s through the 2000s.  

1510 Webster St., Alameda. www.pacificpinball.org.

 

PARDEE HOME MUSEUM The historic Pardee Mansion, a three-story Italianate villa built in 1868, was home to three generations of the Pardee family who were instrumental in the civic and cultural development of California and Oakland. The home includes the house, grounds, water tower and barn. Reservations recommended. 

EVENTS --  

$5; free children ages 12 and under. House Tours: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sundays by appointment. 672 11th St., Oakland. (510) 444-2187, www.pardeehome.org.

 

SAN LEANDRO HISTORY MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY The museum showcases local and regional history and serves as a centerpiece for community cultural activity. There are exhibits on Ohlone settlements, farms of early settlers, and contributions of Portuguese and other immigrants. There will also be exhibits of the city's agricultural past and the industrial development of the 19th century.  

ONGOING EXHIBIT --  

"Yema/Po Archeological Site at Lake Chabot," An exhibit highlighting artifacts uncovered from a work camp of Chinese laborers, featuring photomurals, cutouts and historical photographs. 

Free. Thursday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 320 West Estudillo Ave., San Leandro. (510) 577-3990, www.ci.sanleandro. ca.us/sllibrarymuseum.html.< 

 

SHADELANDS RANCH HISTORICAL MUSEUM Built by Walnut Creek pioneer Hiram Penniman, this 1903 redwood-framed house is a showcase for numerous historical artifacts, many of which belonged to the Pennimans. It also houses a rich archive of Contra Costa and Walnut Creek history in its collections of old newspapers, photographs and government records. 

EXHIBITS --  

$1-$3; free-children under age 6. Wednesday and Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; Closed in January. 2660 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. (925) 935-7871, www.ci.walnut-creek.ca.us.< 

 

SMITH MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, HAYWARD The museum houses significant collections of archaeological and ethnographic specimens from Africa, Asia and North America and small collections from Central and South America. The museum offers opportunities and materials for student research and internships in archaeology and ethnology. 

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

Free. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Meiklejohn Hall, Fourth Floor, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd., Hayward. (510) 885-3104, (510) 885-7414, www.isis.csuhayward.edu/cesmith/acesmith.html.< 

 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY HEARST MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"Native California Cultures," This is an exhibit of some 500 artifacts from the museum's California collections, the largest and most comprehensive collections in the world devoted to California Indian cultures. The exhibit includes a section about Ishi, the famous Indian who lived and worked with the museum, Yana tribal baskets and a 17-foot Yurok canoe carved from a single redwood.  

"Recent Acquisitions," The collection includes Yoruba masks and carvings from Africa, early-20th-century Taiwanese hand puppets, textiles from the Americas and 19th- and 20th-century Tibetan artifacts.  

"From the Maker's Hand: Selections from the Permanent Collection," This exhibit explores human ingenuity in the living and historical cultures of China, Africa, Egypt, Peru, North America and the Meditteranean. 

$1-$4; free for children ages 12 and under; free to all on Thursdays. Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4:30 p.m. 103 Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 643-7648, www.hearstmuseum.berkeley.edu.

 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY MUSEUM OF PALEONTOLOGY  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"Tyrannosaurus Rex," A 20-foot-tall, 40-foot-long replica of the fearsome dinosaur. The replica is made from casts of bones of the most complete T. Rex skeleton yet excavated. When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing.  

"Pteranodon," A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22 to 23 feet. The Pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs.  

"California Fossils Exhibit," An exhibit of some of the fossils that have been excavated in California. 

Free. During semester sessions, hours generally are: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-10 p.m. Hours vary during summer and holidays. Lobby, 1101 Valley Life Sciences Building, #4780, University of California, Berkeley. (510) 642-1821, www.ucmp.berkeley.edu.

 

USS HORNET MUSEUM Come aboard this World War II aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum. The Hornet, launched in 1943, is 899 feet long and 27 stories high. During World War II she was never hit by an enemy strike or plane and holds the Navy record for number of enemy planes shot down in a week. In 1969 the Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule containing the first men to walk on the moon, and later recovered Apollo 12. In 1991 the Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and is now docked at the same pier she sailed from in 1944. Today, visitors can tour the massive ship, view World War II-era warplanes and experience a simulated aircraft launch from the carrier's deck. Exhibits are being added on an ongoing basis. Allow two to three hours for a visit. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to climb steep stairs or ladders. Dress in layers as the ship can be cold. Arrive no later than 2 p.m. to sign up for the engine room and other docent-led tours. Children under age 12 are not allowed in the Engine Room or the Combat Information Center.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Limited Access Day," Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.  

"Flight Deck Fun," A former Landing Signal Officer will show children how to bring in a fighter plane for a landing on the deck then let them try the signals themselves. Times vary. Free with regular Museum admission.  

"Protestant Divine Services," Hornet chaplain John Berger conducts church services aboard The Hornet in the Wardroom Lounge. Everyone is welcome and refreshments are served immediately following the service. Sundays, 11 a.m. 

SPECIAL EVENTS -- Closed on New Year's Day. 

"Family Day," Discounted admission for families of four with a further discount for additional family members. Access to some of the areas may be limited due to ship maintenance. Every Tuesday. $20 for family of four; $5 for each additional family member. 

"Living Ship Day," Experience an aircraft carrier in action, with simulated flight operations as aircraft are lifted to the flight deck and placed in launch position. Some former crewmembers will be on hand. 

"Flashlight Tour," Receive a special tour of areas aboard the ship that have not yet been opened to the public or that have limited access during the day. 

"The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra," July 17, 8 p.m. Keeping the sound and spirit of the legendary World War II era big band leader alive, this swingin' concert will be in the perfect location, the historic aircraft carrier USS Hornet. $45-$98. 

$6-$14; free children age 4 and under with a paying adult. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pier 3 (enter on Atlantic Avenue), Alameda Point, Alameda. (510) 521-8448, www.uss-hornet.org.<


Professional Dance-San Francisco Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 12:54:00 PM

DANCE MISSION THEATER  

Run For Your Life!  It's a Dance Company! And Gadung Kasturi Balinese Dance and Music, July 16 through July 17, 8 p.m. Two diverse dance companies share the spotlight. $12-$18.  

Labayen Dance/SF, July 23 through July 25, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 7 p.m. Featuring "Tadtarin,'' inspired by the Philippine matriarchal ritual of the same name. $25-$30.  

3316 24th St., San Francisco. (415) 826-4441, www.dancemission.com.

 

PENA PACHAMAMA  

"Carnaval Del Sur," Saturdays, 8:30 p.m. Sukay, Eddy Navia and the Pachamama Dancers present a program of Latin music and dance. $13.50.  

"Cuban Nights," Fridays, 8:30 p.m. Fito Reinoso, Sukay and Eddy Navia present Latin dancing Buena Vista style. $13.50.  

"Flamenco Thursdays" with Carola Zertuche, Thursdays, 8:30 p.m. Music and dance with performers of traditional flamenco. $10.  

Georges Lammam Ensemble, Sundays, 8:30 p.m. Event features music and dancing from the Middle East. $10.  

Brisas de Espana Ballet Flamenco, July 25, 6 and 7:15 p.m. Featuring Carolina Lugo and Carole Acuna. $10-$15.  

For ages 21 and older. 1630 Powell St., San Francisco. (415) 646-0018, www.penapachamama.com.

 

SAN FRANCISCO OLD MINT  

Joe Goode Performance Group, through Aug. 1, Wednesday-Sunday, 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 p.m. Program features "Traveling Light.'' $30-$37.  

88 5th St., San Francisco. www.themintproject.org.<


Stage-East Bay Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 12:52:00 PM

ALTARENA PLAYHOUSE  

"Steel Magnolias," by Robert Harling, through Aug. 8, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.; Jul. 29, Aug. 5, 8 p.m. Truvy's beauty salon in small-town Louisiana is the social nucleus for a close-knit circle of women. $19-$22.  

1409 High St., Alameda. (510) 523-1553, www.altarena.org.

 

ASHBY STAGE  

CLOSING -- "Left of Oz," by Stephanie Reif, through July 18, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 7 p.m. Follow Dorothy as she comes out to Aunt Emma and goes to San Francisco to seek out womanly love. $25. www.leftofoz.com. 

1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. < 

 

AURORA THEATRE COMPANY  

CLOSING -- "Speech and Debate," by Stephen Karam, through July 18, Wednesday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sex. Secrets. Videoblogs and blackmail. Just another day in the life of a teenager in Salem, Oregon. $15-$55.  

Aurora Theatre, 2081 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 843-4822, www.auroratheatre.org.

 

BERNAL COMMUNITY PARK  

OPENING -- "Two Gentlemen of Verona," by William Shakespeare, July 24 through Aug. 8, Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 p.m.; Jul. 31, 6 p.m. Julia conspires to win back Proteus by dressing up like a boy.  

Off Valley Ave. south of Bernal Ave., Pleasanton. < 

 

CALIFORNIA SHAKESPEARE THEATER  

"Mrs. Warren's Profession," by George Bernard Shaw, through Aug. 10, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 4 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Forthright Cambridge student Vivie Warren comes home to discover a shocking secret about her mother and the source of her family fortune.  

$112-$220 for series. Bruns Memorial Amphitheater, 100 Gateway Blvd., Orinda. (510) 548-9666, www.calshakes.org.

 

CASA PERALTA Once the home of descendants of the 19th-century Spanish soldier and Alameda County landowner Don Luis Maria Peralta, the 1821 adobe was remodeled in 1926 as a grand Spanish villa, using some of the original bricks. The casa features a beautiful Moorish exterior design and hand painted tiles imported from Spain, some of which tell the story of Don Quixote. The interior is furnished in 1920s decor. The house will be decorated for the holidays during the month of December. Call ahead to confirm hours. 

OPENING -- "Earth vs. Altair, Queen of Outer Space! Episode II, the Deadly Ray," by Daniel Dickinson, July 24 through Aug. 22, Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. San Leandro Players Theatre Company presents the saga of Pilot Craig Domer. $10-$15. www.sanleandroplayers.org. 

Free but donations accepted. Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 384 Estudillo Ave., San Leandro. (510) 577-3474, (510) 577-3491, www.ci.sanleandro. ca.us/sllibrarycasaperalta.html.< 

 

CEDAR ROSE PARK  

"Posibilidad," July 17 through July 18, 1:30 p.m. San Francisco Mime Troupe presents this modern song and tango about politics in the workplace featuring a live band. Free. (415) 285-1717, www.sfmt.org. 

1300 Rose St., Berkeley. < 

 

CONCANNON VINEYARD  

"Romeo and Juliet," by William Shakespeare, through Aug. 7, Jul. 10-11; 18, 24, Aug. 1, 6-7. Featuring Patrick Jones, Jennifer Le Blanc, Hope Mirlis, Ryan Taster, Joseph Salazar, Ashley Wickett, William Wolak and Tiffany Hoover. $25-$39.  

OPENING -- "The Real Thing," by Tom Stoppard, July 16 through July 31, Jul. 16-1, 23, 25, 30-31. Featuring Patrick Jones, Jennifer Le Blanc, Hope Mirlis, Ryan Taster, Joseph Salazar, Ashley Wickett, William Wolak and Tiffany Hoover. $25-$39.  

4590 Tesla Road, Livermore. < 

 

DIABLO ACTORS ENSEMBLE THEATRE  

OPENING -- "Laughter on the 23rd Floor," July 16 through Aug. 7, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. A team of writers vie for the approval of Max Prince, the star of '50s TV variety show. $10-$25.  

1345 Locust Street, Walnut Creek. (925) 482-5110, www.diabloactors.com.

 

EAST BAY IMPROV  

"Tired of the Same Old Song and Dance?" 8 p.m. East Bay Improv actors perform spontaneous, impulsive and hilarious comedy on the first Saturday of every month. $8.  

Pinole Community Playhouse, 601 Tennent Ave., Pinole. (510) 964-0571, www.eastbayimprov.com.

 

JOHN HINKEL PARK  

"Much Ado About Nothing," by William Shakespeare, through July 11 and July 17, 1 p.m. Woman's Will presents an all-female production.  

2 Southampton Ave., Berkeley. < 

 

JULIA MORGAN CENTER FOR THE ARTS  

OPENING -- "The Mothers of Ludlow," July 16 through July 25, Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Youth Musical Theater Company presents a world premiere musical drama about the massacre of striking coal miners and their families in Ludlow, Colorado in 1914. $12-$22.  

2640 College Ave., Berkeley. (510) 845-8542, www.juliamorgan.org.

 

LA PENA CULTURAL CENTER  

"La Esquinita USA," July 22 through July 23, 8 p.m. Ruben C. Gonzalez presents a solo performance about a town whose main source of employment has gone to China. $8-$10.  

3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2568, www.lapena.org.

 

LIVE OAK THEATRE  

OPENING -- "Blithe Spirit," by Noel Coward, July 23 through Aug. 21, 8 p.m. A medium and his two wives vie for his attention. $12-$15.  

1301 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-5580.< 

 

WILLOWS THEATRE COMPANY  

"Avenue Q," through Aug. 1, Wednesday, 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m. This "adult Sesame Street'' romp features puppets and live actors in high-energy, naughty fun. $25-$30.  

Willows Theatre, Willows Shopping Center, 1975 Diamond Blvd., Concord. (925) 798-1300, www.willowstheatre.org.

 

WOODMINSTER AMPHITHEATRE  

CLOSING -- "Hairspray," by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, through July 18, Jul. 9-11 and 15-18, 8 p.m. The dreams of a teenage girl play themselves out in equal parts social commentary and dance numbers. $10.  

3300 Joaquin Miller Road, Oakland. (510) 531-9597, www.woodminster.com.<


Stage-San Francisco Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 11:28:00 AM

ACTORS THEATRE OF SAN FRANCISCO  

"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," July 16 through Sept. 4, Wednesday-Saturday, 8 p.m. A wealthy Southern family deals with a shocking revelation. $26-$38.  

855 Bush St., San Francisco. (415) 345-1287, (866) 468-3399, www.actorstheatresf.org or www.ticketweb.com.

 

BEACH BLANKET BABYLON This long-running musical follows Snow White as she sings and dances her way around the world in search of her prince. Along the way she encounters many of the personalities in today's headlines, including Nancy Pelosi, Condoleezza Rice, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Harry Potter, Tiger Woods, Oprah Winfrey, Britney Spears, Dianne Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Hillary Clinton, George and Laura Bush, Michael Jackson, Martha Stewart, Tom Cruise, Angelina, characters from Brokeback Mountain and Paris Hilton. Persons under 21 are not admitted to evening performances, but are welcome to Sunday matinees. 

"Steve Silver's Beach Blanket Babylon," Wednesday and Thursday, 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.  

$25-$78. Club Fugazi, 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd. (formerly Green Street), San Francisco. (415) 421-4222, www.beachblanketbabylon.com.

 

CHANCELLOR HOTEL UNION SQUARE  

"Eccentrics of San Francisco's Barbary Coast," Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m. Audiences gather for a 90-minute show abounding with local anecdotes and lore presented by captivating and consummate conjurers and tale-tellers. $30.  

433 Powell St., San Francisco. (877) 784-6835, www.chancellorhotel.com.

 

CLIMATE THEATRE  

"The Clown Cabaret at the Climate," First Monday of the month, 7 and 9 p.m. Hailed as San Francisco's hottest ticket in clowning, this show blends rising stars with seasoned professionals on the Climate Theater's intimate stage. $10-$15.  

285 Ninth St., Second Floor, San Francisco. www.climatetheater.com.

 

EUREKA THEATRE  

"Piaf: Love Conquers All," through Aug. 7, Tuesday-Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 3 and 8 p.m. Naomi Emmerson stars in this musical tribute. $25-$36.  

215 Jackson St., San Francisco. (415) 255-8207, (415) 978-2787, www.42ndstmoon.org/42newweb/finding/eureka.htm or www.ticketweb.com/.< 

 

EXIT THEATRE  

"Obscura -- A Magic Show," through Aug. 14, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m. Featuring illusionist Christian Cagigal. $15-$25.  

"San Francisco Olympians Festival," through July 31, 8 p.m. No Nude Men Productions presents staged readings of 12 new full-length plays by 14 local writers, each focusing on one of the 12 Olympian gods of ancient Greece. Plays include "Dionysus'' by Nathan Tucker (Jul. 8), "Apollo'' by Garret Groenveld (Jul. 9), "Poseidon'' by Bryce Allemann, Danca Constance and Kathy Hicks (Jul. 10), "Hermes'' by Ben Fisher (Jul. 15), "Artemis'' by M.R. Fall (Jul. 16), "Zeus'' by Helen Noakes (Jul. 17), "Demeter'' by Claire Ann Rice (Jul. 22), "Aphrodite'' by Nirmala Nataraj (Jul. 23), "Ares'' by Sean Kelly (Jul. 24), "Athena'' by Ashley Cowan (Jul. 29), "Hera'' by Stuart Bousel (Jul. 30) and "Hephaestus'' by Evelyn Jean Pine (Jul. 31). $10.  

OPENING -- "A Most Notorious Woman," by Maggie Cronin, July 23 through Aug. 14. One-woman show features Christina Augello as the Irish pirate queen Grace O'Malley. $15-$25.  

156 Eddy St., San Francisco. (415) 673-3847, www.theexit.org.

 

GOLDEN GATE THEATRE  

CLOSING -- "Young Frankenstein," by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, through July 25, Wednesday and Sunday, 2 and 8 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. When Frederick Frankenstein, an esteemed New York brain surgeon and professor, inherits a castle and laboratory in Transylvania from his grandfather, deranged genius Victor Von Frankenstein, he faces a dilemma. Does he continue to run from his family's tortured past or does he stay in Transylvania to carry on his grandfather's mad experiments reanimating the dead and, in the process, fall in love with his sexy lab assistant Inga? $30-$99.  

1 Taylor St., San Francisco. (415) 512-7770, www.shnsf.com.

 

MAKE-OUT ROOM  

"Chatroulette Show," July 22 and Aug. 27, 8 p.m. The Illuminated Theater presents an interactive online event. $10-$15.  

$6 unless otherwise noted. Shows start at 8:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 3225 22nd St., San Francisco. (415) 647-2888, www.makeoutroom.com.

 

THE MARSH  

"The Mock Cafe," Stand-up comedy performances. Saturday, 10 p.m. $7.  

"The Monday Night Marsh," An ongoing series of works-in-progress. Monday, 8 p.m. $7.  

CLOSING -- "Reading My Dad's Porn and French Kissing the Dog," by Cherry Zonkowski, through July 17. Zonkowski takes you on a tour of the suburban living rooms, crowded dungeons and ultra-hip warehouses of San Francisco's sex and artist party scenes.  

EXTENDED -- "The Real Americans," by Dan Hoyle, through Sept. 25, Thursday and Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 5 p.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m. Hoyle connects liberal city life with small-town America. $18-$50.  

1062 Valencia St., San Francisco. (415) 826-5750, www.themarsh.org.

 

NEW CONSERVATORY THEATRE CENTER  

"Cowardly Things," through July 31, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m. Cindy Goldfield and Scrumbly Koldewyn explore and evaluate the work of Noel Coward. $20-$28.  

25 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 861-8972, www.nctcsf.org.

 

ORPHEUM THEATRE  

CLOSING -- "Wicked," Tuesday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m.; Oct. 11 and Dec. 27, 7:30 p.m.; Nov. 27, 2 p.m.; Dec. 21 and 28, 8 p.m. "Wicked'' is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. "Wicked'' tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. $30-$99.  

1192 Market St., San Francisco. (415) 512-7770, www.shnsf.com.

 

OUR LITTLE THEATER  

"What Mama Said About Down There," through Aug. 28, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m. An "educational show'' for ages 18 and up. $15.  

287 Ellis St., San Francisco. (415) 928-4060.< 

 

PIER 39 -- A pier filled with shops, restaurants, theaters and entertainment of all sorts from sea lions to street performers.  

"SAN FRANCISCO CAROUSEL" -- The Pier's two-tiered, San Francisco-themed carousel with hand-crafted ponies that rock and move up and down and tubs that spin. In addition, carousel has hand-painted pictures of San Francisco scenes like the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown and Coit Tower. $3 per ride. "FREQUENT FLYERS'' -- A bungee trampoline where people can safely jump and flip over 20 feet in the air thanks to the help of bungee cords and a harness. Jumpers must weigh at least 30 pounds and not more than 230 pounds. $10 per session. (415) 981-6300.  

"RIPTIDE ARCADE" -- A 6,000-square-foot, surfer-themed arcade offering the Bay area's only 10-gun, Old West-style shooting gallery and 100 cuttingedge video games, virtual reality units and popular novelty games. Included are the "Dance Dance Revolution'' game, driving and roller coaster simulators, the "Global VR Vortex'' virtual reality machine, "Star Wars Trilogy,'' "Jurassic Park,'' "Rush 2049,'' and classics such as "Pac Man'' and "Galaga.'' Games are operated by 25-cent tokens and range in price from 25 cents to $1.50. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; through Feb. 26: Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (415) 981-6300.  

"TURBO RIDE" -- Three simulated rides where the hydraulic seats move in synchronization with events on a giant screen are available at the Turbo Ride complex. The 12-minute-long rides in 3-D and 4-D are: "Dino Island II''; "Haunted Mine Ride,'' and "Extreme Log Ride.'' $12 general for one ride; $8 seniors and children ages 3 to 12 for one ride; $15 general for two rides; $11 seniors and children ages 3 to 12 for two rides; $18 general for multi-rides; $14 seniors and children ages 3 to 12 for multi-rides. (415) 392-8872.  

STUDIO 39 MAGIC CARPET RIDES -- A comedy action adventure utilizing special effects to created a personalized movie with visitors as the "stars'' flying above San Francisco. The Magic Carpet Ride is free. No reservations required. Ride is approximately five minutes. Personalized videos will be available for $30 for one: $10 for each additional tape. (415) 397-3939. SEA LIONS -- California sea lions, nicknamed "Sea Lebrities,'' "hauled out'' on Pier 39's K-Dock shortly after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake and by January of 1990 had taken over the docks. Due to a plentiful supply of herring and a protected environment, the population has grown and now reaches as many as 900 during the winter months. Weather permitting, free educational talks are provided by Marine Mammal Center volunteers on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Free. (415) 705-5500. 

"Tony n' Tina's Wedding," The original interactive comedy hit where audience members play the roles of "invited guests'' at a fun-filled wedding ceremony. The popular dinner comedy performs at Swiss Louis Italian Restaurant. Thursday-Saturday, 7 p.m.; Matinees: Thursday and Saturday, noon. $88.50-$115.50. (888) 775-6777, www.pier39shows.com. 

"Insignificant Others," by L. Jay Kuo, A musical comedy about the romantic foibles of two gay men and three straight women who move to San Francisco from the Midwest seeking love and adventure. Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. $39-$46. www.isomusical.com. 

Free. 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; certain attractions and shops have differing hours. The Embarcadero and Beach Street, San Francisco. (415) 623-5300, (800) SEADIVE, www.pier39.com.

 

RRAZZ ROOM AT HOTEL NIKKO  

CLOSING -- "Kinsey Sicks: Each Hit and I," through July 18, Tuesday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 7 p.m. The "dragapella'' beautyshop quarter present a brand new musical show. $35-$40.  

222 Mason St., San Francisco. (415) 394-1111, www.therrazzroom.com.

 

SAN FRANCISCO COMEDY COLLEGE CLUBHOUSE (800) 838-3006, www.clubhousecomedy.com.  

"Hump Day Comedy," Host Rich Stimbra and a variety of stand-up comics will get you over the Wednesday work hump. BYOB for 21 and over. Wednesday, 8 p.m. $5. 

"Naked Comedy," A comedy showcase featuring some of the best comedians in San Francisco. BYOB for 21 and over. Saturdays, 9 p.m. $10. 

414 Mason St., Suite 705, San Francisco. (415) 921-2051, www.sfcomedycollege.com.

 

SHELTON THEATER  

"Shopping! The Musical," by Morris Bobrow, A quick-paced musical about those obsessed with buying things. Friday-Saturday, 8 p.m. $27-$29. www.shoppingthemusical.com. 

Big City Improv, Friday, 10 p.m. $20. (510) 595-5597, www.bigcityimprov.com. 

533 Sutter St., San Francisco. (415) 433-1227, www.sheltontheater.com or www.sheltontheater.com.

 

STAGE WERX THEATRE  

"Bi-Poseur," by Paolo Sambrano, June 6 and July 18, 7 p.m. Paolo Sambrano stars in this one-man show about a possibly bi-polar man coping with life. $15. www.brownpapertickets.com/event/109491. 

"Nymph O' Mania," by Morgan Ludlow, through Aug. 15, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m. Willy West Productions presents a modern twist on "A Midsummer Night's Dream.'' $12-$24.  

533 Sutter Street, San Francisco. < 

 

THE STUD  

"Trannyshack," A drag cabaret show that incorporates popular music, dance, props and outrageous humor into a stage show. Hosted by Heklina. Tuesday, midnight. $7. (415) 252-7883, www.heklina.com/. 

399 Ninth St., San Francisco. < 

 

THICK HOUSE  

CLOSING -- "Beijing, California," by Paul Heller, through July 17, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m. An unflinching study of one nation's invasion by another - but this time, the victim is not Iraq or Afghanistan; rather, it is America, and the invader is China $15-$25.  

1695 18th St., San Francisco. www.thickhouse.org.<


Exhibits-San Francisco Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 01:14:00 PM

"SUN SPHERES," -- "Sun Spheres'' is a trio of mosaic sculptures by artist Laurel True at the intersection of Ocean and Granada Avenues in the OMI District of San Francisco. 

(415) 252-2551, www.sfartscommission.org/pubart.< 

 

CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF THE ARTS WATTIS INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS  

"We Have As Much Time As it Takes," through July 31. Works by Nina Beier and Marie Lund, David Horvitz, Jason Mena, Sandra Nakamura, Roman Ondak, Red76, Zachary Royer Scholz, Tercerunquinto, Lawrence Weiner and Christine Wong Yap.  

Free. Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 1111 Eighth St., San Francisco. (415) 551-9210, www.wattis.org.

 

CONSERVATORY OF FLOWERS The Victorian landmark has 1,500 species including rare and beautiful tropical plants from 50 countries. Exhibits include Highland Tropics, the Aquatic Plants, Lowland Tropics, Potted Plants and the new Special Exhibits gallery. Opened in 1879, the wood and glass greenhouse is the oldest existing conservatory in the Western Hemisphere. 

"Chomp 2! Return of the Carnivorous Plants," through Oct. 31. Special exhibition of carnivorous plants features living plants and activities for families.  

$5 general; $3 seniors, students and youth ages 12-17; $1.50 children ages 5-11; free for ages 4 and under; free first Tuesdays. Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. John F. Kennedy Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. (415) 666-7001, www.conservatoryofflowers.org.

 

EVENING GALLERY WALKS These monthly evening gallery walks or "crawls'' are a way to learn about art for the casual viewer without the intimidation of visiting a gallery with no one else around. Generally the galleries are filled on the "walk'' evenings with people drinking wine and talking. Gallery owners are happy to answer questions about the art on view. The important thing to remember is that it is free to gaze and drink. 

"First Thursday," 5:30-8 p.m. Generally some 20 galleries participate in this monthly evening of open galleries. Many are located around Union Square. Some of the galleries that participate on a regular basis are Pasquale Iannetti Gallery, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, and Hackett-Freedman Gallery, all on Sutter Street; Meyerovich Gallery and Dolby Chadwick Gallery on Post Street; and Rena Bransten Gallery and Stephen Wirtz Gallery on Geary Street. Sponsored by the San Francisco Art Dealers Association. First Thursday of the month. Free.  

San Francisco. < 

 

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH  

"Paintings of Albania, Serbia and Moldava," through July 29. Works by Joan Colllet Brown.  

1187 Franklin St., San Francisco. (415) 771-3352.< 

 

FLAX ART AND DESIGN  

"STILLmatic: Documenting the StreetSmARTS Urban Murals," through July 31. Exhibition addresses graffiti vandalism in San Francisco.  

1699 Market St., San Francisco. (415) 552-2355, www.flaxart.com.

 

HOTEL DES ARTS The boutique 51-room art hotel in Union Square features an art gallery by Start SOMA. 

"Painted Rooms," An exhibit of painted rooms in the hotel by emerging artists.  

Free. Daily, 8 a.m.-11 p.m. 447 Bush St., San Francisco. (415) 956-4322, www.sfhoteldesarts.com.

 

JAZZ HERITAGE CENTER  

"The Art of Michael Rios," through Aug. 22. Features a Rios retrospective and a tribute to Miles Davis and Carlos Santana.  

1320 Fillmore Street, San Francisco. < 

 

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF SAN FRANCISCO  

"The Digital Liberation of G-d," A permanent interactive media installation created by New York-based artist Helene Aylon, which examines the influences of patriarchal attitudes upon Jewish traditions and sacred texts.  

Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. 3200 California St., San Francisco. (415) 292-1200, Box Office: (415) 292-1233, www.jccsf.org.

 

JEWISH COMMUNITY LIBRARY  

"The Jew and the Mask," through July 31. More than 25 Bay Area artists provide a contemporary perspective on Jewish identity.  

1835 Ellis Street, San Francisco. (415) 567-3327.< 

 

SAN FRANCISCO ART INSTITUTE  

"We Remember the Sun," Artwork by 15 Bay Area artists.  

"Pure Consciousness at 19 Kindergartens," through Sept. 18. Works by On Kawara.  

Free unless noted otherwise. Lecture Hall, 800 Chestnut St., San Francisco. (415) 771-7020, www.sfai.edu/.< 

 

SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY, BAYVIEW-ANNA E. WADEN BRANCH  

"Bayview's Historical Footprints," A permanent photographic exhibition celebrating the diverse history of Bayview Hunters Point featuring multimedia oral histories from community elders.  

Free. Monday, Tuesday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Wednesday, 1 p.m.-8 p.m.; Thursday, 1 p.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. 5075 Third St., San Francisco. (415) 355-5757, www.sfpl.org.

 

SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY, MAIN BRANCH  

"Digging Deep: Underneath San Francisco Public Library," Exhibition collects archaeological remains from the Gold Rush-era cemetery and the ruins of old City Hall destroyed in the 1906 earthquake.  

"Hand Bookbinders of California 38th Anniversary Exhibition," through Aug. 15. Exhibition features work of professional bookbinders, as well as amateurs and students of the art and craft of hand bookbinding.  

"Empire of Thirst," through Aug. 1. Photographs by Robert Dawson.  

Free. Monday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday, noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 100 Larkin St., San Francisco. (415) 557-4400, www.sfpl.org.

 

SF CAMERAWORK  

"Soldiers' Stories from Iraq and Afghanistan," through Aug. 7. Works by Jennifer Karady.  

"Theater of War: Pretend Villages of Iraq and Afghanistan," through Aug. 7. Works by Christopher Sims.  

$2-$5. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. 657 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 863-1001, www.sfcamerawork.org.

 

SOMARTS CULTURAL CENTER  

"Totally Unrealistic: The Art of Abstraction," through July 30. Works by Cecil C. Childress, Ralph Joachim, and Marilyn Kuksht.  

Free unless otherwise noted. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-7 p.m. 934 Brannan St., San Francisco. (415) 552-2131, www.somarts.org.

 

THEATER ARTAUD  

CLOSING -- "The Dresses/Objects Project," through July 18, Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Katrina Rodabaugh and over 30 women artists present works inspired by Gertrude Stein's poems. Free.  

450 Florida St., San Francisco. (415) 621-7797, www.theaterartaud.org.

 

YERBA BUENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS The center's visual arts exhibitions feature contemporary art and popular culture by local, national and international artists. There are four rounds of exhibitions in the galleries each year. 

"The Bowls Project: Secrets of the Apocalyptic Intimate," through Aug. 22. An interactive sound sculpture/immersive performance installation by Jewlia Eisenberg and Charming Hostess.  

"PlayCRAFT: A Game of Your Design," through Oct. 3. Create your own design object as you explore the "TechnoCRAFT'' exhibition.  

"Something from Nothing: Films on Design and Architecture," through Sept. 5. Jul. 18, 2 p.m.: "Citizen Architect: Samuel Mockbee and the Spirit of the Rural Studio.''  

Jul. 25, 2 p.m.: "Wow and Flutter.''  

"TechnoCRAFT: Hackers, Modders, Fabbers, Tweakers and Design in the Age of Individuality," through Oct. 3. Exhibit explores disappearing boundary between designer and consumer.  

$3-$6; free the first Tuesday of every month. Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, noon-8 p.m. 701 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 978-2787, www.ybca.org.<


Exhibits-East Bay Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 01:13:00 PM

CARMEN FLORES RECREATION CENTER  

"El Corazon de la Communidad: The Heart of the Community", Painted by Joaquin Alejandro Newman, this mural installation consists of four 11-foot panels that mix ancient Meso-American and contemporary imagery to pay homage to local activists Carmen Flores and Josie de la Cruz.  

Free unless otherwise noted. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. 1637 Fruitvale Ave., Oakland. (510) 535-5631.< 

 

CREATIVE GROWTH ART CENTER  

CLOSING -- "Straight to the Bone," through July 23. Works by Regis-R, Prince of Plastic and Creative Growth artists.  

Free. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 355 24th St., Oakland. (510) 836-2340 X15, www.creativegrowth.org.

 

DAVID BROWER CENTER  

"Water, Rivers and People/ Agua, Rios y Pueblos," through Aug. 31. Exhibition depicts those who are fighting to defend rivers and the people who depend on them.  

2150 Allston Way, Berkeley. < 

 

FLOAT  

"Surrender," through July 31. Digital paintings by Android Jones and light sculptures by Michael Clarke.  

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; by appointment. 1091 Calcot Place, Unit 116, Oakland. (510) 535-1702, www.thefloatcenter.com.

 

JOHANSSON PROJECTS  

CLOSING -- "If Only ," through July 17. Works by Rune Olsen.  

Free. Thursday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m. 2300 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (510) 444-9140, www.johanssonprojects.com.

 

LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"NanoZone," Discover the science of the super-small: nanotechnology. Through hands-on activities and games, explore this microworld and the scientific discoveries made in this area.  

"Forces That Shape the Bay," A science park that shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building. You can ride earthquake simulators, set erosion in motion and look far out into the bay with a powerful telescope from 1,100 feet above sea level. The center of the exhibit is a waterfall that demonstrates how water flows from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Bay. Visitors can control where the water goes. There are also hands-on erosion tables, and a 40-foot-long, 6-foothigh, rock compression wall.  

"Real Astronomy Experience," A new exhibit-in-development allowing visitors to use the tools that real astronomers use. Aim a telescope at a virtual sky and operate a remote-controlled telescope to measure a planet.  

"Biology Lab," In the renovated Biology Lab visitors may hold and observe gentle animals. Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

"The Idea Lab," Experiment with some of the basics of math, science and technology through hands-on activities and demonstrations of magnets, spinning and flying, puzzles and nanotechnology.  

"Math Around the World," Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Networks.  

"Math Rules," Use simple and colorful objects to complete interesting challenges in math through predicting, sorting, comparing, weighing and counting.  

"Kapla," The hands-on exhibit features thousands of versatile building blocks that can be used to build very large, high and stable structures and models of bridges, buildings, animals or anything else your mind can conceive.  

$6-$12; free children ages 2 and under. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. University of California, Centennial Drive, Berkeley. (510) 642-5132, www.lawrencehallofscience.org.

 

LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM This is the oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center in America, taking in 6,000 injured and orphaned animals yearly and returning 40 percent of them to the wild. The museum offers a wide range of educational programs using non-releasable wild animals to teach children and adults respect for the balance of nature. The museum includes a state-of-the art wildlife hospital which features a permanent exhibit, titled "Living with Nature,'' which houses 75 non-releasable wild animals in learning environments; a 5,000-square-foot Wildlife Hospital complete with treatment rooms, intensive care, quarantine and laboratory facilities; a 1-acre Nature Garden featuring the region's native landscaping and wildlife; and an "Especially For Children'' exhibit.  

WILDLIFE HOSPITAL -- September-March: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hospital is open daily including holidays to receive injured and orphaned animals. There is no charge for treatment of native wild animals and there are no public viewing areas in the hospital. 

EXHIBITS --  

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

$5-$7; free children under age 2. Wednesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

 

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ART AND DISABILITIES  

"Word Play," through Aug. 20. NIAD artists manipulate and repeat letters to create their own language, transform words into hybrid forms, utilize captions to tell a story, or their autograph can become a focal point of their work.  

551 23rd St., Richmond. (510) 620-0290, www.niadart.org.

 

OAKLAND ASIAN CULTURAL CENTER  

"Oakland's 19th-Century San Pablo Avenue Chinatown," A permanent exhibit of new findings about the rediscovered Chinatown on San Pablo Avenue. The exhibit aims to inform visitors about the upcoming archaeological work planned to explore the lives of early Chinese pioneers in the 1860s.  

Free. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Pacific Renaissance Plaza, 388 Ninth St., Suite 290, Oakland. (510) 637-0455, www.oacc.cc.

 

OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT  

"Going Away, Coming Home," A 160-foot public art installation by Mills College art professor Hung Liu. Liu hand painted 80 red-crowned cranes onto 65 panels of glass that were then fired, tempered and paired with background panes that depict views of a satellite photograph, ranging from the western United States to the Asia Pacific Area. Terminal 2.  

Free. Daily, 24 hours, unless otherwise noted. Oakland International Airport, 1 Airport Drive, Oakland. (510) 563-3300, www.flyoakland.com.

 

OAKLAND MARRIOTT CITY CENTER  

"Spirits Known and Unknown," through July 31. Photographs of Kamau Amen-Ra.  

1001 Broadway, Oakland. (510) 451-4000.< 

 

SCULPTURE COURT AT OAKLAND CITY CENTER  

Shawn E. HibmaCronan, through July 30. Presented by the Oakland Museum of California.  

Free. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; third Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oakland City Center, 1111 Broadway, Oakland. < 

 

WOMEN'S CANCER RESOURCE CENTER  

"Benny's Garden," through Sept. 3. Works by Benny Alba, Jen Downey, Anna Edwards, Jeremy Qwan and L. Hickox Robinson.  

5471 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. <


Museums-San Francisco Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 01:00:00 PM

"TARGET ARTS AND WONDER FREE FAMILY EVENT," -- July 16 through July 18. The de Young Museum, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Contemporary Jewish Museum, The Museum of the African Diaspora, Zeum and Yerba Beuena Gardens Festival take turns opening their doors to the public for free with free art making activities. See website for more information. 

www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/target.< 

 

ASIAN ART MUSEUM OF SAN FRANCISCO The Asian Art Museum-Chon-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture recently unveiled its new building in San Francisco's Civic Center. The building, the former San Francisco Public Library, has been completely retrofitted and rebuilt to house San Francisco's significant collection of Asian treasures. The museum offers complimentary audio tours of the museum's collection galleries.  

ONGOING EXHIBIT --  

"In a New Light," There are some 2,500 works displayed in the museum's new galleries. They cover all the major cultures of Asia and include Indian stone sculptures, intricately carved Chinese jades, Korean paintings, Tibetan thanksgas, Cambodian Buddhas, Islamic manuscripts and Japanese basketry and kimonos.  

ONGOING FAMILY PROGRAMS --  

Storytelling, Sundays and the first Saturday of every month, 1 p.m. This event is for children of all ages to enjoy a re-telling of Asian myths and folktales in the galleries. Meet at the Information Desk on the Ground Floor. Free with general admission.  

"Target Tuesday Family Program," first Tuesday of every month. Free with general admission.  

"Family Art Encounter," first Saturday of every month, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Drop in to make art related to the museum's collection. Children must be accompanied by an adult. In the Education Studios. Free with admission.  

DOCENT-LED ART TOURS -- The museum's docents offer two types of tours: a general introduction to the museum's collection and a highlight tour of specific areas of the collection. Free with museum admission.  

ARCHITECTURAL GUIDES -- Tuesday through Sunday at noon and 2:30 p.m., Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Learn about the former Main Library's transformation into the Asian Art Museum on this 40-minute tour. Free with museum admission.  

RESOURCE CENTER -- Tuesday through Sunday, 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Watch a video, or learn more about Asian art with slide packets, activity kits and books. Free with museum admission. 

SPECIAL EVENTS -- Free with general admission unless otherwise noted.  

"Shanghai," through Sept. 5. Exhibition features more than 130 artworks including oil paintings, Shanghai Deco furniture, revolutionary posters, works of fashion and more.  

"Japan's Early Ambassadors to San Francisco, 1860-1927," through Nov. 21. Timed to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the ship Kanrin Maru and the first Japanese embassy to the United States, this thematic exhibit focuses on some of the first Japanese diplomats and cultural emissaries in San Francisco, and how they responded to the experience of being in America.  

$7-$12; free children under age 12; $5 Thursday after 5 p.m.; free to all first Sunday of each month. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. 200 Larkin St., San Francisco. (415) 581-3500, www.asianart.org.

 

BEAT MUSEUM Formerly located on the California coast in Monterey, the Beat Museum now sits in historic North Beach. The Museum uses letters, magazines, pictures, first editions and more to explore the lives of leading beat figures such as Jack Kerouac, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Neal Cassady and many others. A gift shop and bookstore are open to the public free of charge. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"North Beach Walking Tour,", A 90-minute walking tour of North Beach with Beat Museum curator Jerry Cimimo. See the bars, coffeehouses, homes, and other Beat-related highlights of North Beach. Call for info. $15. 

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

$4-$5. Monday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. CLOSED MONDAY. 540 Broadway, San Francisco. (800) KER-OUAC, www.kerouac.com.

 

CABLE CAR MUSEUM The museum is located in the historic Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse. Visitors can see the actual cable winding machinery, grips, track, cable and brakes, as well as three historic cable cars, photo displays and mechanical artifacts. The best way to get to this museum is by cable car; street parking is practically non-existent. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

Free. April 1-Sept. 30: daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 1-March 31, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1201 Mason St., San Francisco. (415) 474-1887, www.cablecarmuseum.org.

 

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES  

"Nightlife," Thursdays, 6 p.m. Every Thursday night, the Academy transforms into a lively venue filled with provocative science, music, mingling and cocktails, as visitors get a chance to explore the museum.  

"Where the Land Meets the Sea," Exhibition features sculpture by Maya Lin.  

BENJAMIN DEAN LECTURE SERIES --  

"Extreme Mammals," through Sept. 12. Exhibition features a far-reaching survey of members of the mammal family.  

$14.95-$24.95. Daily, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. (415) 379-8000, www.calacademy.org.

 

CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY  

HISTORY WALKABOUTS -- A series of monthly walking tours that explore the history, lore and architecture of California with veteran tour guide Gary Holloway. Walks take place rain or shine so dress for the weather. Reservations and prepayment required. Meeting place will be given with confirmation of tour reservation. Tour price includes admission to the Museum.  

MUSEUM -- The museum's permanent collection is made up of the Fine Arts Collection, consisting of 5,000 works of art that represent the history of California from pre-Gold Rush days to the early decade of the 20th century; and The Photography Collection, containing nearly a halfmillion images in an array of photographic formats documenting the history of California in both the 19th and 20th centuries. The Library and Research Collection contain material relating to the history of California and the West from early exploration time to the present including texts, maps, and manuscripts.  

"Landscape and Vision: Early California Painters from the Collections of the California Historical Society," open-ended. An exhibit of oil paintings including a large number of early landscapes of California, from the museum's collection.  

"Extreme Mammals," through Sept. 12. Exhibition explores mammals, from the towering to the tiny.  

"Think California," through Feb. 5. Exhibition features artworks, artifacts and ephemera exploring California's colorful history.  

$1-$3; free children under age 5. Wednesday-Saturday, noon-4:30 p.m. 678 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 357-1848 X229, www.californiahistoricalsociety.org.

 

CARTOON ART MUSEUM  

ONGOING EXHIBIT --  

"An Exploration of Cartoon Art," This exhibit explores the history of cartoon art including works from the most renowned and creative cartoonists of the last century. The exhibit traces the evolution of cartooning through its many forms including animation, comic strips, comic books, editorial cartoons and underground cartoons.  

CARTOONING CLASSES FOR KIDS -- Saturday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. For children ages 6 to 14. Call for schedule. Free with admission. 

"60 Years of Beetle Bailey," through Sept. 19. Exhibition showcases the comics of Mort Walker.  

"Sita Sings the Blues," July 20, 7-10 p.m. The Electronic Frontier Foundation presents a screening of this animated feature. $25-$30.  

$2-$6; free children ages 5 and under; the first Tuesday of the month is paywhat-you-wish day. Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 655 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 227-8666, www.cartoonart.org.

 

CHINESE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA The CHSA Museum and Learning Center features a permanent exhibition, "The Chinese of America: Toward a More Perfect Union'' in its Main Gallery, and works by Chinese-American visual artists in its Rotating Galleries.  

ONGOING EXHIBIT --  

"Leaders of the Band," An exhibition of the history and development of the Cathay Club Marching Band, the first Chinese American band formed in 1911. 

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

$1-$3; free children ages 5 and under; free for all visitors first Thursday of every month. Tuesday-Friday, noon-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-4 p.m. 965 Clay St., San Francisco. (415) 391-1188, www.chsa.org.

 

CONTEMPORARY JEWISH MUSEUM The museum, formerly known as the Jewish Museum San Francisco, has a new addition designed by Daniel Libeskind and is dedicated to exploring the richness and diversity of Jewish thought and culture.  

GALLERY TOURS -- Sunday and Wednesday, 12:30 p.m. Free. 

"Jews on Vinyl," through Aug. 22. Exhibition showcases the history of Jewish recorded music from the 1940s to the 1980s.  

"As It Is Written: Project 304,805," through Oct. 3. Exhibition centers around a soferet (a professionally trained female scribe) who writes out the entire text of the Torah, at the Museum, over the course of a full year. She will be one of the few known women to complete an entire Torah scroll, an accomplishment traditionally exclusive to men.  

"Reinventing Ritual: Contemporary Art and Design for Jewish Life," through Oct. 3. The first major international exhibition to examine the reinvention of Jewish ritual in art and design.  

"Maira Kalman: Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World)," through Oct. 26. The first major museum survey of the award-winning illustrator, author and designer.  

$4-$5; free for children under age 12; free third Monday of every month. Sunday -Thursday, noon-6 p.m. DEC. 25, NOON TO 4 P.M.; CLOSED JAN. 1. 736 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 655-7800, www.thecjm.org.

 

DE YOUNG MUSEUM The art museum has now reopened in a new facility designed by Swiss architecture firm Herzog and de Meuron and Fong and Chan Architects in San Francisco. It features significant collections of American art from the 17th through the 20th centuries; modern and contemporary art; art from Central and South America, the Pacific and Africa; and an important and diverse collection of textiles. 

ARTIST STUDIO PROGRAM -- Wednesday-Sunday, 1-5 p.m. A monthly interactive program during which the public can meet and work with a featured artist. Demonstrations take place in the Kimball Education Gallery, which does not require paid admission. (415) 750-7634. 

CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES --  

"Children's Workshops: Doing and Viewing Art and Big Kids-Little Kids," Saturdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon and 1:30-3 p.m. Family tour and art activity for ages 4-12. 

LECTURES AND SYMPOSIA --  

LECTURES BY DOCENTS -- These lectures are free and are held in the Koret Auditorium unless otherwise noted.  

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Friday Nights at the de Young: Cultural Encounters," 5-8:45 p.m. The de Young stays open until 8:45 p.m. each Friday night and hosts special events including live music, dance, film, lectures and artist demonstrations.  

Aug. 22: "Cultural Encounters presents Hot Brazilian Nights.''  

Event features music by Forro for All and art-making for the entire family.  

Aug. 29: "Cultural Encounters.''  

Event features live music by the Scott Amendola Trio. Free with admission. 

"Poetry Series," 7-8:30 p.m. $8-$12. (415) 750-7634. 

"Photo/Synthesis," through Oct. 3. Exhibition highlights the dynamic trend in the field of contemporary photography, collages, assemblages, and other multi-part or composite photo-based projects.  

"Birth of Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Musee d'Orsay," through Sept. 6. Exhibition puts forth nearly 100 works by the famous masters who called France their home during the mid-19th century and from whose midst arose one of the most original and recognizable of all artistic styles, Impressionism.  

$6-$10; free for children ages 12 and under; free for all visitors the first Tuesday of every month. Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5:15 p.m.; Friday, 9:30 a.m.-8:45 p.m. Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco. (415) 863-3330, www.deyoungmuseum.org.

 

EXPLORATORIUM A hands-on museum of science, art and human perception.  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"Tactile Dome," ongoing installation. The dome is composed of many chambers, which are pitch black inside and full of different tactile sensations. The only way to find one's way through is by using the sense of touch. Reservations required. $12 includes museum admission.  

"Distorted Room," Watch your friends inside the room grow to twice their size by walking left to right or shrink to half their size by walking in the opposite direction. A series of geometric tricks and optical illusions in the room makes the brain think that people shrink and grow before one's eyes.  

"Play Lab," An area for children ages 4 and under, designed to help them develop their motor skills and exercise their imaginations and social skills.  

"Listen: Making Sense of Sound," This "ears-on'' exhibit helps visitors focus on subtle and profound aspects of hearing, experiment with new ways of listen deeply and carefully, and think about how others hear the world. 

"Geometry Playground," through Sept. 6. Explore giant 3d shapes, curved mirrors and more.  

"Geometric Threads," through Aug. 22. Experience geometry as found in traditional handicrafts and contemporar design as artisans demonstrate the mathematics in crafts across the globe.  

$9-$14; free children ages 4 and under. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Dec. 24, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; CLOSED DEC. 25. 3601 Lyon St., San Francisco. (415) EXP-LORE, (415) 563-7337, (415) 561-0360, www.exploratorium.edu.

 

GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM The museum is a project of the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) Historical Society. 

EVENTS --  

EXHIBITS --  

$2-$4. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. 657 Mission St., Suite 300, San Francisco. (415) 777-5455, www.glbthistory.org.

 

INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN  

EVENTS --  

101 Howard Street, Suite 480, San Francisco. (415) 543-4669, www.imow.org/home/index.< 

 

LEGION OF HONOR MUSEUM DOCENT TOUR PROGRAMS -- Tours of the permanent collections and special exhibitions are offered Tuesday through Sunday. Non-English language tours (Italian, French, Spanish and Russian) are available on different Saturdays of the month at 11:30 a.m. Free with regular museum admission. (415) 750-3638.  

ONGOING CHILDREN'S PROGRAM --  

"Doing and Viewing Art," For ages 7 to 12. Docent-led tours of current exhibitions are followed by studio workshops taught by professional artists/teachers. Students learn about art by seeing and making it. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to noon; call to confirm class. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3658. 

ORGAN CONCERTS -- 4 p.m. A weekly concert of organ music on the Legion's restored 1924 Skinner organ. Saturday and Sunday in the Rodin Gallery. Free with museum admission. (415) 750-3624. 

SPECIAL EVENTS -- In the Gould Theater unless otherwise noted. $4 after museum admission unless otherwise noted. (415) 682-2481. 

"Sunday Jazz Brunch," 11 a.m.-3 p.m. $21-$53. 

"Very Postmortem: Mummies and Medicine," Oct. 31. Exhibition explores the modern scientific examination of mummies providing new insights into the conditions under which the Egyptians lived, bringing us closer to understanding who they were.  

"Impressionist Paris: City of Light," through Sept. 26. Exhibition explores various aspects of life in and around the city in which artists came of age. Visitors to the exhibition are transported to Impressionist Paris as represented in over 150 prints, drawings, photographs, paintings, and illustrated books from the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and several distinguished private collections.  

$6-$10; free for children ages 12 and under; free for all visitors on Tuesdays. Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Lincoln Park, 34th Avenue and Clement Street, San Francisco. (415) 750-3600, (415) 750-3636, www.thinker.org.

 

MARKET STREET RAILWAY MUSEUM The museum will permanently display a variety of artifacts telling the story of San Francisco's transportation history, including dash signs, fare boxes, a famed Wiley "birdcage'' traffic signal and more. 

Free. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 77 Steuart St., San Francisco. (415) 956-0472, www.streetcar.org.

 

MEXICAN MUSEUM  

THE MEXICAN MUSEUM GALLERIES AT FORT MASON CENTER ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED --  

The Mexican Museum holds a unique collection of 12,000 objects representing thousands of years of Mexican history and culture within the Americas. The permanent collection, the Museum's most important asset and resource, includes five collecting areas: Pre-Conquest, Colonial, Popular, Modern and Contemporary Mexican and Latino, and Chicano Art. The Museum also has a collection of rare books and a growing collection of Latin American art. 

Fort Mason Center, Building D, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 202-9700, www.mexicanmuseum.org.

 

MUSEO ITALOAMERICANO The museum, dedicated to the exhibition of art works by Italian and Italian-American artists, has a small permanent collection of paintings, sculptures, photographs and works on paper by such renowned artists as Beniamino Buffano, Sandro Chia, Giorgio de Chirico and Arnaldo Pomodoro.  

DOCENT TOURS -- Wednesdays, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Free. 

$2-$3; free children under age 12; free to all first Wednesday of the month. Wednesday-Sunday, noon -4 p.m.; first Wednesday of the month, noon-7 p.m. Fort Mason Center, Building C, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 673-2200, www.museoitaloamericano.org.

 

MUSEUM OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS AT SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY  

EXHIBITS --  

Free. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Humanities Building, Room 510, SFSU, Font Boulevard and Tapia Drive, San Francisco. (415) 405-0599, www.sfsu.edu/~museumst/.< 

 

MUSEUM OF CRAFT AND FOLK ART The museum, now open at a new downtown location, features craft and folk art from various cultures, both past and present, and includes styles ranging from utilitarian objects to contemporary art. 

"Clare Rojas: We They, We They," through Aug. 22. Where neo-folk meets contemporary art, artists operate as "authors'' of the collective voice. The new exhibition showcases the first solo exhibition of the Bay Area artist who identifies and inserts herself in the folk art continuum. MOCFA is proud to present new work that has yet to be seen by the public.  

$4-$5; free for youths under age 18. Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 51 Yerba Buena Lane, Mission Street between Third and Fourth streets, San Francisco. (415) 227-4888, www.mocfa.org.

 

MUSEUM OF PERFORMANCE AND DESIGN  

EXHIBITS --  

Free. Wednesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Veterans Building, 401 Van Ness Avenue at McAllister, 4th Floor, San Francisco. (415) 255-4800, www.mpdsf.org.

 

MUSEUM OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA A new museum exploring and celebrating the influence of the African Diaspora on global art and culture through interactive, permanent and changing exhibits and special programs. The museum occupies the first three floors of the new St. Regis Hotel at Third and Mission streets.  

PERMANENT EXHIBITS --  

"Celebrations: Rituals and Ceremonies," "Music of the Diaspora,'' "Culinary Traditions,'' 'Adornment,'' "Slavery Passages,'' and "The Freedom Theater.'' 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Urban Kidz Film Series," Noon-3 p.m. An offshoot of the San Francisco Black Film Festival, featuring a striking assemblage of short and feature films designed to spark the imaginations of the 5-to-12-year-old set. $10 adults; children free. (415) 771-9271. 

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

$5-$8; free children age 12 and under. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; CLOSED MARCH 13 THROUGH MARCH 21. 685 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 358-7200, www.moadsf.org.

 

NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM LIBRARY (THE J. PORTER SHAW MARITIME LIBRARY) Closed on federal holidays. The library, part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, focuses on sail and steam ships on the West Coast and the Pacific Basin from 1520 to the present. The museum library holdings include a premiere collection of maritime history: books, magazines, oral histories, ships' plans and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park's 250,000 photographs. 

Free. By appointment only, Monday-Friday, 1-4 p.m., and the third Saturday of each month. Fort Mason Center, Building E, Third Floor, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 560-7080, (415) 560-7030, www.nps.gov/safr/local/lib/libtop.html.< 

 

PACIFIC HERITAGE MUSEUM The museum presents rotating exhibits highlighting historical, artistic, cultural and economic achievements from both sides of the Pacific Rim. The museum features a permanent display documenting the history and significance of the Branch Mint and Subtreasury buildings. 

Free. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 608 Commercial St., San Francisco. (415) 399-1124.< 

 

RANDALL MUSEUM  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"Earthquake Exhibit," Learn about plate tectonics. Make a small quake by jumping on the floor to make a "floor quake'' that registers on the seismometer in the lobby. See the basement seismometer that registers quakes around the world. Walk through a full-size earthquake refugee shack that was used to house San Franciscans after the 1906 earthquake that destroyed so many homes.  

"Creativity and Discovery Hand in Hand," A photography exhibit that gives visitors a look into the wide variety of programs the Museum offers in the way of classes, workshops, school field trips, and special interest clubs.  

"Toddler Treehouse," Toddlers may comfortably climb the carpeted "treehouse'' and make a myriad of discoveries, from the roots to the limbs.  

"Live Animal Exhibit," Visit with more than 100 creatures including small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, raptors and small birds, insects, spiders and tide pool creatures.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Saturdays Are Special at the Museum," Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A series of drop-in ceramics and art and science workshops. All ages are welcome, though an adult must accompany children under age 8. $3 per child, $5 per parent-child combination.  

"Bufano Sculpture Tours," first and third Saturdays of the month, 10:15 a.m. A tour of the giant animal sculptures of Beniamino Bufano. The sculptures were carved out of stone in the 1930s and include a giant cat and a mother bear nursing her cubs.  

"Animal Room," Visit some of the animals that live at the museum, including reptiles, raptors, tide pool creatures and small mammals.  

"Meet the Animals" Saturdays, 11:15 a.m. to noon. See the Randall's animals close-up and in person.  

"Animal Feeding," Saturdays, noon. Watch the animals take their meals.  

"Golden Gate Model Railroad Exhibit," Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

DROP-IN ART AND SCIENCE WORKSHOPS -- 1-4 p.m. $3-$5.  

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Drop-in Family Ceramics Workshop," Saturday, 10:15-11:15 a.m. $5. 

"Golden Gate Model Railroad Exhibit," Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 

"Meet the Animals," 11:15 a.m.-noon. 

"Animal Feeding," Saturday, noon. 

"Drop-in Family Ceramics Workshop," Saturday, 1:15-2:15 p.m. 

"Third Friday Birders," 8 a.m. The hike through Corona Heights Park allows participants to enjoy the early morning views and learn more about the feathered inhabitants of the area. Children aged 10 and older if accompanied by adult. 

"Meet the Animals," Saturdays, 11:15 a.m. Learn about the animals that live at the Randall Museum. 

"Film Series for Teenagers," Fridays, 7 p.m. 

Free. All ages welcome; an adult must accompany children under age 8. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; CLOSED ON CHRISTMAS. 199 Museum Way, San Francisco. (415) 554-9600, www.randallmuseum.org.

 

SAN FRANCISCO CABLE CAR MUSEUM The museum is located in the historic Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse. Visitors can see the actual cable winding machinery, grips, track, cable and brakes, as well as three historic cable cars, photo displays and mechanical artifacts. The best way to get to this museum is by cable car; street parking is practically non-existent. 

Free. October 1-March 31: Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; April 1-September 3-: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Closed on New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving and Christmas. 1201 Mason St., San Francisco. (415) 474-1887, www.cablecarmuseum.com.

 

SAN FRANCISCO MARITIME NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK One of only a few "floating'' national parks, the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park includes four national landmark ships, a maritime museum, a maritime library and a World-War-II submarine named the USS Pampanito.  

HYDE STREET PIER -- Demonstrations, ship tours, programs, music and special events offered throughout the day. Check ticket booth for schedule. At the foot of Hyde Street, Hyde and Jefferson streets.  

Entering the Pier is free but there is a fee to board the ships.  

HISTORIC SHIPS AT THE HYDE STREET PIER -- The historic ships at the Pier are the 1886 square-rigger "Balclutha,'' the 1890 steam ferryboat "Eureka,'' the 1895 schooner "C.A. Thayer'' (not available at this time due to restoration), the 1891 scow schooner "Alma,'' the 1907 steam tug "Hercules,'' and the 1914 "Eppleton Hall,'' a paddlewheel tug.  

"Balclutha." This historic ship, a three-mast square-rigger, has undergone extensive repairs and preservation work. She now contains more original materials and fittings than any other historic merchant square-rigger in the United States. The Balclutha is a designated National Historic Landmark. At Hyde Street Pier.  

"Eureka." Explore this 1890 ferryboat with a 40-foot walking-beam engine. The boat once carried passengers and autos across the San Francisco Bay. At Hyde Street Pier. Daily, call for times of boat tour.  

"C.A. Thayer." A three-mast schooner used in the lumber and cod fishing trades. At Hyde Street Pier.  

"Alma." Between 1850 and the early 1900s, the best highways around the San Francisco Bay area were the waterways and the delivery trucks and tractortrailer rigs of the time were the flat-bottomed scow schooners. Able to navigate the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta region's shallow creeks, sloughs and channels, the scows' sturdy hulls could rest safely and securely on the bottom providing a flat, stable platform for loading and unloading. Made of inexpensive Douglas fir, scow's designs were so simple they could be built by eye or without plans.  

"Hercules." Tugs in the early part of the 20th century towed barges, sailing ships and log rafts between Pacific ports. Because prevailing north/west winds generally made travel up the coast by sail both difficult and circuitous, tugs often towed large sailing vessels to points north of San Francisco. In 1916 Hercules towed the C.A. Thayer to Port Townsend, Wash., taking six days to make the trip. At the end of the sail era, the Hercules was acquired by the Western Pacific Railroad Company and shuttled railroad car barges back and forth across San Francisco Bay until 1962.  

"Eppleton Hall." Built in England, the steam side-wheeler plied the Wear and Tyne rivers of Northeast England. Designed to tow ocean-going colliers (coal-carrying sail vessels) the tugs saved transit time getting the sail vessels upriver to load. The side-wheelers were also used to tow newly built ships out to sea. From 1969 to 1979, the Eppleton Hall served as a private yacht. She was modified for an epic steam via the Panama Canal to San Francisco, passing through the Golden Gate in March of 1970.  

HISTORIC SHIP AT FISHERMAN'S WHARF --  

"USS Pampanito." This World-War-II-era submarine is berthed at Fisherman's Wharf. The submarine celebrated her 50th anniversary in November of 1993 and is perhaps best known for her participation in a "wolf pack'' attack on a convoy of enemy ships during World War II. The entrance fee includes a taped audio tour that describes what life on this submarine was like. At Pier 45, near foot of Taylor Street. Monday through Thursday, Sunday and holidays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. $9 general; $5 seniors, $4 active duty military, $4 youth ages 6 to 12; free children under age 6. (415) 775-1943.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Historic Ship Volunteer Work Party," Saturday, 9 a.m. Become part of an effort to preserve four of the park's nautical treasures. Work on a different ship each Saturday. Bring work clothes, work shoes and lunch. Call for meeting place. (415) 332-8409.  

Unless noted otherwise, events take place on the Hyde Street Pier, located at the foot of Hyde Street on Jefferson Street. 

EXHIBITS -- Current Exhibits at the Visitor Center:  

"What's Your Pleasure? Recreational Boats of California's Past," openended. This exhibit includes 1940s Sacramento Hydroplanes, a Russian River launch from the 19th century, classic wooden motor launches and motor boats, and other smaller crafts.  

"Hydroplanes and Racing Boats," open-ended. A small exhibit showcasing 1930s racing engines and hydroplane boats.  

"Frisco Bound," an exhibition about immigration to San Francisco, clipper ships, and the Gold Rush era.  

"Hyde Street Ship Models," an exhibit of models of the historic ships at the Hyde Street Pier.  

"Discovery Room," a preview of the Maritime Library where visitors can look up documents and photographs.  

(415) 447-5000. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Adventures at Sea: Life Aboard a 19th century Sailing Ship," Daily, 2:15 p.m.-3 p.m. Take a guided tour of the sailing ship Balclutha and learn about the hardships and awards of the sailors show fought for survival during the treacherous Cape Horn passage. Vessel admission. 

VISITOR CENTER -- Daily, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.  

Entering the Pier is free but there is a fee to board the ships. The fee allows access to all ships and is good for seven days. $5; free children under age 16. May 28-Sept. 30: daily, 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Oct. 1-May 27: Daily, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Foot of Hyde Street, San Francisco. (415) 561-7100, www.nps.gov.

 

SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF CRAFT AND DESIGN A museum celebrating and promoting the art of contemporary craft and design. The museum showcases diverse exhibitions from regional, national and international artists, working in mediums such as wood, clay, fiber, metal and glass. 

EVENTS --  

"FourSite: 4 Artists, 4 Materials, 4 Sites," through Sept. 18. Artists Tanya Aguiniga, Paul Hayes, Tom Hill and Christine Lee transform the museum space with four distinct, large-scale installations of fiber, paper, metal and wood.  

$2-$4; free youths under age 18. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 550 Sutter St., San Francisco. (415) 773-0303, www.sfmcd.org.

 

SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"Matisse and Beyond: The Painting and Sculpture Collection," This newly reconceived exhibition of SFMOMA's modern art collection features paintings, sculptures and works on paper from the first 60 years of the 20th century. Featured artists include: Joseph Cornell, Ellsworth Kelly, Yves Klein, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, Diego Rivera, Andy Warhol and Paul Klee.  

"Between Art and Life: The Contemporary Painting and Sculpture Collection," This new presentation of the SFMOMA collection features works from the past five decades by Louise Bourgeois, Robert Gober, Eva Hesse, Anish Kapoor, Sherrie Levine, Brice Marden, Gordon Matta-Clark, Barry McGee, Bruce Nauman, Robert Rauschenberg and Kara Walker.  

"The Art of Design: Selections from the Permanent Collection of Architecture and Design," The exhibit will feature 100 selections from their architecture, graphic design and industrial design collections on a rotating basis. It features classic works plus new designs by up-andcoming artists.  

"Picturing Modernity: Photographs from the Permanent Collection," Photography is possibly the quintessential modern art medium because its 160-year history corresponds almost exactly with Modernism's duration as a cultural movement. This exhibit looks at the photograph's unique pictorial ability and its ever-growing pervasiveness in modern culture, putting the medium in dialogue with paintings and other kinds of art.  

KORET VISITOR EDUCATION CENTER -- This facility includes multimedia display technology, "Pick Up and Go'' guides for adults and children, art videos, and a community art gallery created by participants in school, teen and family programs. Thursday, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Tony Labat's I Want You," The latest installment in the newly launched program series "Live Art at SFMOMA.'' The artist invites denizens of the Bay Area to make their own demands of the public which riffs on the iconic "I Want You'' army recruitment campaigns of World Wars I and II, he asks you what you would do if you had only one minute to seize the voice of authority, to be the finger-pointing Uncle Sam. 

"Paul Klee: Three Exhibitions from the Djerassi Collection," through Aug. 1. Carl Djerassi's generous promise to give SFMOMA a substantial group of intimate works - mostly drawings, prints, and watercolors - by Paul Klee allowed the museum to begin in 1984 what would become an ongoing series of exhibitions devoted to this beloved artist.  

"Calder to Warhol," through Sept. 19. Exhibition showcases the quality of the Fisher Collection, much of which has never been seen by the public.  

Jesse Hazelip, through Nov. 13. Artists Gallery showcases the work of the Oakland-based artist.  

$7-$12.50; half price on Thursdays after 6 p.m.; free for all visitors on the first Tuesday of every month. Monday, Tuesday and Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5:45 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-8:45 p.m. 151 Third St., San Francisco. (415) 357-4000, www.sfmoma.org.

 

SAN FRANCISCO PERFORMING ARTS LIBRARY AND MUSEUM  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"Dance in California: 150 Years of Innovation," This permanent exhibit traces the history and artistic range of modern dance in California, with photographs and documents highlighting the achievements of Lola Montez, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, Martha Graham, the Christensen brothers, the Peters Wright School, the company of Lester Horton, Anna Halprin and Lucas Hoving.  

"Maestro! Photographic Portraits by Tom Zimberoff," This permanent exhibit is a comprehensive study of a generation of national and international conductors. In Gallery 5.  

"San Francisco 1900: On Stage," In Gallery 4.  

"San Francisco in Song," In Gallery 3. 

Free. Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 1-5 p.m. San Francisco War Memorial Veteran's Building, 401 Van Ness Ave., Fourth Floor, San Francisco. (415) 255-4800, www.sfpalm.org.

 

SEYMOUR PIONEER MUSEUM The museum, owned by The Society of California Pioneers, houses a permanent research library, art gallery and history museum. Exhibits include a photography collection documenting California history. 

$1-$3. Wednesday-Friday and the first Saturday of the month, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Society of California Pioneers, 300 Fourth St., San Francisco. (415) 957-1859, www.californiapioneers.org.

 

TREGANZA ANTHROPOLOGY MUSEUM AT SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY The museum, founded in 1968, houses collections of archaeological and ethnographic specimens from Africa, Oceania, Asia, and North America as well as small collections from Central and South America. There are also collections of photographs, tapes and phonograph records from Africa and Europe. In addition, there is an archive of field notes and other materials associated with the collections. The museum also houses the Hohenthal Gallery that is used for traveling exhibits as well as exhibits mounted by students and faculty. 

Free. Museum office: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; Hohenthal Gallery, SCI 388: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Science Building, SFSU, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco. (415) 338-2467, www.sfsu.edu/~treganza/.< 

 

ZEUM Zeum is a technology and arts museum for children and families featuring exhibits and workshops that cover a variety of fascinating subjects. 

EVENTS --  

$6-$8. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday. 221 Fourth St., San Francisco. (415) 820-3220, www.zeum.org.<


Popmusic-East Bay Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 12:55:00 PM

924 GILMAN ST. -- All ages welcome. 

Zolar X, Swann Danger, Terran Traumatics, Kill the Capulets, The Need, July 17, 7:30 p.m. $8.  

$5 unless otherwise noted. Shows start Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 924 Gilman St., Berkeley. (510) 525-9926, www.924gilman.org.

 

ALBATROSS PUB  

Whiskey Brothers, First and third Wednesdays, 9 p.m. Free.  

Derek Smith, July 24, 9:30 p.m. $3.  

Free unless otherwise noted. Shows begin Wednesday, 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 1822 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 843-2473, www.albatrosspub.com.

 

ARMANDO'S  

Matt Eakle Band, July 16, 8 p.m. $10.  

Red Hot Chachkas, July 17, 8 p.m. $10.  

Garageland Rodeo Unplugged, July 18, 3 p.m. $5.  

Jazz Jam, July 19, 7 p.m. $3.  

SF Bayharpers Harmonica Jam, July 21, 7 p.m. $5.  

Mal Sharpe and Big Money in Jazz, July 22, 8 p.m. $10.  

Savannah Blue, July 23, 8 p.m. $10.  

Epicenter, July 24, 8 p.m. $10.  

Derek Rolando, Ray Obiedo and Friends, July 25, 3 p.m. $10.  

707 Marina Vista Ave., Martinez. (925) 228-6985, www.armandosmartinez.com.

 

ASHKENAZ  

Pellejo Seco, July 16, 9:30 p.m. $10-$13.  

Zulu Spear and Kalahari: Voices of South Africa, July 17, 9:30 p.m. $10-$13.  

Asheba, July 18, 3 p.m. $4-$6.  

Tip Trio, July 20, 8:30 p.m. $10.  

California Honeydrops, July 21, 9 p.m. $10.  

Locust the Lurker, DJ Metaman, July 22, 9 p.m. $6.  

Play Live Dead, Thugz, David Gans, July 23, 9 p.m. $10.  

Zydeco Flames, July 24, 9 p.m. $10-$13.  

Tropical Vibrations, July 25, 8:30 p.m. $10.  

1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5054, www.ashkenaz.com.

 

BECKETT'S IRISH PUB  

Guns for San Sebastian, July 16.  

DiiGiin, July 17.  

Summertime Open Mic, July 21.  

Trio of Doom, Amber-oh-Amber, July 22.  

Bassment, July 23.  

Jacques Ibula, July 24.  

Eastbay Beastgrass, July 25.  

Free. Shows at 10 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2271 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 647-1790, www.beckettsirishpub.com.

 

BLAKE'S ON TELEGRAPH  

Warbringer, Bonded by Blood, Savage Machine, July 16, 9 p.m. $10.  

Sibb Amour, Pinstriope Rebellion, Fever Charm, IS, July 18, 7 p.m. $8-$10.  

Soft White Sixties, Dandelion War, Travis Bill, July 24, 8:30 p.m. $10.  

For ages 18 and older. Music begins at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2367 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley. (510) 848-0886, www.blakesontelegraph.com.

 

FOX THEATER  

New Pornographers, Dodos, Imaad, Wasif, July 18, 7:30 p.m. $27.50.  

Keane, Ingrid Michaelson, Fran Healy, July 20, 7 p.m. $39.50.  

MGMT, Francis and the Lights, July 21, 8 p.m. $37.50.  

1807 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (510) 452-0438.< 

 

FREIGHT AND SALVAGE  

"Freight Open Mic," Tuesdays. $4.50-$5.50.  

Ed Gerhard, July 16. $20.50-$21.50.  

Houston Jones with Stevie Coyle and Joe Craven, July 17. $18.50-$19.50.  

Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys, July 18. $18.50-$19.50.  

West Coast Songwriters Competition, July 19. $6.50-$7.50.  

Parno Graszt, July 20. $18.50-$19.50.  

Tao Seeger Band, July 21. $18.50-$19.50.  

Paul Thorn, July 22. $20.50-$21.50.  

Iris Dement, July 23. $28.50-$29.50.  

Victor Krummenacher, July 24. $18.50-$19.50.  

Hani Naser Band, July 25. $22.50-$23.50.  

Music starts at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 548-1761, www.freightandsalvage.org.

 

GREEK THEATRE  

Michael Franti and Spearhead, Brett Dennen, July 16, 8 p.m. $37.50.  

Jackson Brown with David Lindley, July 24, 8 p.m. $55.50-$85.50.  

Hearst Avenue and Gayley Road, Berkeley. (510) 548-3010, www.apeconcerts.com.

 

JACK LONDON SQUARE  

Joshua Cedar, July 16, Noon.  

Lee Waterman Trio, July 20, Noon-2 p.m.  

Mestiza Trio, July 23, Noon-2 p.m.  

Foot of Broadway, Oakland. (866) 295-9853, www.jacklondonsquare.com.

 

JAZZSCHOOL  

Chris Sullivan Quartet, July 16, 8 p.m. $10.  

Jua Howard, Andrea Claburn, July 17, 8 p.m. $15.  

Happy Hour Jam, July 18, 7:30 p.m. $5-$10.  

Malachi Whitson Quintet, July 18, 4:30 p.m. $10.  

Lost Trio, July 23, 8 p.m. $15.  

Rikki Gibson and Kathy Blackburn, July 24, 8 p.m. $15.  

Chase Baird, July 25, 4:30 p.m. $10.  

Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 4:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2087 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 845-5373, www.jazzschool.com.

 

JUPITER  

"Americana Unplugged," Sundays, 5 p.m. A weekly bluegrass and Americana series.  

"Jazzschool Tuesdays," Tuesdays, 8 p.m. Featuring the ensembles from the Berkeley Jazzschool. www.jazzschool.com. 

DJ Scully and Glennrocks, July 16, 5 p.m.  

Ghost Ear Trio, July 17, 8 p.m.  

California Honeydrops, July 18, 5 p.m.  

Kurt Ribak Trio, July 21, 8 p.m.  

Travis Callison, EkTek and DJ Scully, July 22, 8 p.m.  

Kat 010, Teodross Avery, July 23, 5 p.m.  

Polyglot Quartet, July 24.  

Perry Smith Trio, July 25, 8 p.m.  

The Skinny, July 25, 5 p.m.  

8 p.m. 2181 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 843-8277, www.jupiterbeer.com.

 

KIMBALL'S CARNIVAL  

"Monday Blues Legends Night," 8 p.m.-midnight. Enjoy live blues music every Monday night. Presented by the Bay Area Blues Society and Lothario Lotho Company. $5 donation. (510) 836-2227, www.bayareabluessociety.net. 

522 2nd St., Jack London Square, Oakland. < 

 

LA PENA CULTURAL CENTER  

Berta Olivia y su Mariachi Mexicanisimo, July 16, 8 p.m. $20-$35.  

John Santos and His Sextet, July 17, 8 p.m. $14-$16.  

Orquesta la Moderna Tradicion, July 24, 9:30 p.m. $14.  

Avotcja's 69th Birthday Basy, July 25, 7 p.m. $10-$20.  

Mexican Tardeada, July 25, 3 p.m. Free.  

3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2568, www.lapena.org.

 

ORACLE ARENA  

Justin Bieber, Sean Kingston, July 17, 7 p.m. $29.50-$49.50.  

Carole King and James Taylor, July 19, 8 p.m. $39.50-$125.  

Aerosmith, Sammy Hagar and the Wabos, July 23, 7:30 p.m. $45.50-$200.  

Hegenberger Road and Interstate 880, Oakland. (510) 625-8497, (925) 685-8497, (415) 421-8497, www.ticketmaster.com or www.theoaklandarena.com.

 

RHYTHMIX CULTURAL WORKS  

"Taiko Concert," July 23 through July 24, 8 p.m. $20-$25.  

Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 2513 Blanding Ave., Alameda. (510) 845-5060, www.rhythmix.org.

 

SHATTUCK DOWN LOW  

"It's the Joint," Thursdays, 9:30 p.m. Featuring DJs Headnodic, Raashan Ahmad and Friends. $5.  

"King of Kings," Doors 10 p.m. $6-$8.  

"Live Salsa," Wednesdays. An evening of dancing to the music of a live salsa band. Salsa dance lesson from 8:30-9:30 p.m. $5-$10.  

"Thirsty Thursdays," Thursday, 9 p.m. Featuring DJ Vickity Slick and Franky Fresh. Free.  

Forrest Day, July 17, 9 p.m. $8-$10.  

Orquestra America, July 21, 8 p.m. $10.  

For ages 21 and older. 2284 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 548-1159, www.shattuckdownlow.com.

 

STARRY PLOUGH PUB  

The Starry Irish Music Session led by Shay Black, Sundays, 8 p.m. Sliding scale.  

For ages 21 and over unless otherwise noted. Sunday and Wednesday, 8 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-2082, www.starryploughpub.com.

 

UPTOWN NIGHTCLUB  

Birdmonster, July 16, 9 p.m.  

Hella Gay, July 17, 9 p.m. $7.  

Or the Whale, Dusty Rhodes, July 22, 9 p.m. $8.  

Attitude Adjustment, Everything Must Go, Cheapskate, Loose Endz, July 23, 9 p.m. $10.  

Minipop, Trophy Fire, Hot Toddies, Geoff Register, July 24, 9 p.m. $10.  

1928 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (510) 451-8100, www.uptownnightclub.com.

 

YOSHI'S  

Pete Escovedo 75th Birthday Celebration Latin Jazz Orchestra featuring Sheila E., Juan and Peter Michael Escovedo, through July 18, Thursday-Saturday, 8 and 10 p.m.; Sunday, 2 and 7 p.m. $18-$28.  

Kurt Ribak with Sheilani Alix, July 19, 8 p.m. $12.  

Gail Jhonson and 3 Piece Suit, July 20, 8 p.m. $16.  

Etran Finatawa, July 21, 8 and 10 p.m. $14-$22.  

Ron Thompson & Chris Cain, July 22, 8 p.m. $10-$18.  

Lee Ritenour & Dave Grusin, July 23 through July 25, Friday and Saturday, 8 and 10 p.m.; Sunday, 2 and 7 p.m. $18-$26.  

Shows are Monday through Saturday, 8 and 10 p.m.; Sunday, 2 and 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted. 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. (510) 238-9200, www.yoshis.com.<


It's Mozart Time Again

By Ira Steingroot
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 03:18:00 PM

The wonderful time of the year has come, the time of the 2010 Midsummer Mozart Festival, the only all-Mozart festival in the country. This year’s celebration of the heartbreakingly beautiful music of the Salzburg-born genius will feature two programs, each presented at four locations around the Bay Area over the next two weekends. The selections include symphonies, concertos, ballet music and vocal arias performed by top local performers and internationally renowned artists, all under the direction of Maestro George Cleve, a Bay Area treasure and one of the world’s greatest interpreters of Mozart’s music.  

Program I will begin with an early Symphony, No. 15 in G major, K.124, and close with Mozart’s penultimate Symphony, No. 40 in G minor, K.550. No. 15 was written when Mozart was sixteen and although many of his early symphonies lack the interest of his later works, this is one of the exceptions. It has four movements, but the whole piece can be played in less than ten minutes, a lovely little gem with a particularly beautiful third movement Menuetto. Sixteen more years separate this proficient work by the world’s most brilliant teenager from No. 40, a work that can only be compared to transcendent works on the level of King Lear, the Sistine Chapel or Mozart’s own Don Giovanni.  

Mozart entered the opening bars of this and his other two last symphonies, Nos. 39 and 41, the Jupiter, into his Verzeichnis aller meiner Werke, his autograph thematic catalogue of his compositions, between June 26 and August 10 of 1788. That means that during a six week period in the summer of 1788, after the failure of Don Giovanni in Vienna, during the time that his infant daughter died, while composing half a dozen other pieces, he carried these three symphonies around in his head and then wrote them down one after the other in fully orchestrated versions. Not only would that be difficult in itself, but these are the greatest symphonies of the Eighteenth Century and among the greatest pieces of music ever composed. In these monumentally exquisite late symphonies Mozart presents the Nineteenth Century with the seeds that would flower into a hundred years of romantic music.  

Sandwiched into this symphonic roll, Cleve has chosen two meaty concertos to fill his Mozart hoagy, Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K.467, and Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major, K. 218. Fourteen-year-old piano and violin prodigy Audrey Vardanega will perform No. 21 with its famously haunting Andante. This slow second movement is well known from its use in the movie Elvira Madigan, but let’s not hold that against it. Like Cleopatra, “Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety.” Indeed, variety is the very essence of this composition with an abundance of unique ideas in all three movements. It is through its position between the fast opening Allegro maestoso and the equally spirited closing Allegro vivace assai that the lyricism and simplicity of the Andante becomes fully realized as music and not programmatic musical shmaltz. Then it takes on the purity and rigor of Bach or Satie.  

The Festival orchestra’s talented concertmaster, Robin Hansen, steps forward as soloist for the Violin Concerto, No. 4. In general, Mozart’s concertos present a perfect balance between the individual soloist and the orchestral ensemble. Here, the soloist has the best of it with plenty of opportunities to show off both emotionally and technically. The final movement is so imbued with the feeling of dance that Mozart later transformed it into the four contredanses, K.269b. Astoundingly, Mozart composed this accomplished piece when he was nineteen.  

With three masterpieces featuring orchestra, violin and piano, plus an undeservedly neglected early symphony, Program I of the Festival promises to be a delicious immersion into the creative realm of the greatest genius European music has ever produced. Look for my preview of Program II of the Midsummer Mozart Festival in next week’s issue of the Planet.  

 

Program I of the Midsummer Mozart Festival will be performed Thursday, July 15, 8 pm, Mission Santa Clara, SCU Campus in Santa Clara; Friday, July 16, 8 pm, San Francisco Conservatory of Music Concert Hall, in San Francisco; Saturday, July 17, 6:30 pm, Gundlach Bundschu Winery, in Sonoma (outdoors); and Sunday, July 18, 7 pm, First Congregational Church, in Berkeley. For more information call 415-627-9141 or visit www.midsummermozart.org .


Silent Film Festival Celebrates Cinema’s First Golden Era

By Justin DeFreitas
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 10:39:00 AM
Harry Langdon.
Harry Langdon.
Metropolis.
Metropolis.

The silent era of filmmaking was an age of discovery, innovation and supreme achievement in the new medium. In the early years of the 20th century, motion pictures steadily grew from novelties and brief, flickering diversions to full-scale narratives. But it was in the 1920s that cinema truly blossomed into the great art form of the 20th century: techniques were refined; innovation was at full force; actors became international stars; and without the hindrance of nationalities and dialects, the medium established itself as a sort of universal language. 

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival, now in its 15th year, showcases the breadth and depth of the first golden era of cinema, presenting the full range of film treasures—from slapstick to science fiction, from Russian avant garde to the American western—as they were meant to be seen: on the big screen, in a beautiful 1920s movie palace, and with live musical accompaniment. This year the festival expands to four days, beginning Thursday night, July 15, at the Castro Theater with John Ford’s The Iron Horse (1924) and continuing all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday with films from America, France, Germany, China, Italy and Scandinavia. 

 

METROPOLIS 

Perhaps the festival's highlight this year is the Friday night presentation of the recently discovered original version of Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927). One of the most influential of all science fiction films, Metropolis is a dystopian nightmare in which the age of machines enables a repressive societal structure in which workers are forced underground to work as slaves, running the machinery that enables the ruling class to thrive above ground. 

The film is full of typical Langian imagery—stark, symmetric compositions, grand in size and scope—including the iconic moment when the protagonist is bound to a machine that resembles a large clock, trying to keep up with the never-ending task of matching the movement of the machine’s arms to a series of flashing lights. The purpose of the machine is never explained but used merely as an expressionistic and symbolic device: mankind enslaved to both time and its own machines. Later in the film the mad scientist Rotwang sends his robot into the workers’ netherworld, disguised as their saintly leader Maria, with the intent of using the machine-woman to spark a revolt. Again, man’s demise is threatened by the specter of his own machines run amok. 

The complete film has been lost for eight decades, the original version never having been seen since its 1927 premiere in Berlin. Cut by producers and censors, in Germany and abroad, it has since existed only in fragmented form. A semi-reconstructed version circulated in 2002, the most complete version to date at that time, but still missing about 40 minutes of material, including one or two subplots. Then, last year, a nearly complete print of the original Metropolis was discovered in Argentina. This, the most complete version of the film we are likely to ever see, premiered once again in Berlin this year and now comes to San Francisco. The film will be accompanied by the Alloy Orchestra, performing their own score. 

 

HARRY LANGDON 

Saturday's screenings include one of the least known of the silent era's greatest clowns. Comedians were a dime a dozen in the days of silent film, but great comedians were precious and few. The judgment of history has left us maybe a half-dozen top-notch talents, and just a few of those names are much remembered today. Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd are the heavy hitters of course, the names that immediately come to mind, with perhaps Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Mabel Normand, Charley Chase, and a few others lagging not so far behind in name recognition. Still others, like Laurel and Hardy, did well in silent films but are today best known for their sound work. 

But the name of Harry Langdon still languishes in relative obscurity. The consistency and quantity of his best work may not quite place him among the ranks of the big three, but he is awfully close. Or at least he would be, if his work was more widely seen and appreciated. One his best films, The Strong Man (1927), directed by Frank Capra, will show at 4 p.m. Saturday. 

Langdon's tenure at the top was brief, a meteoric streak across the comedy horizon. Walter Kerr, with his landmark book The Silent Clowns, has become the de facto authority on the comedian, with virtually every discussion of Langdon centering on Kerr's insightful distillation of the essence of the comedian's work. It was Kerr's view that Langdon "existed only in reference to the work of other comedians." The form had to exist already, and "with that form at hand—a sentence completely spelled out—Langdon could come along and, glancing demurely over his shoulder to make sure no one was looking, furtively brush in a comma." 

By 1926, Kerr wrote, audiences were well versed in the mechanics and traditions of screen comedy. The major comedians delighted viewers by their unique approaches to the form, by the idiosyncratic ways in which they both met and flouted those conventions. But Langdon more often than not simply defied those conventions altogether, usually by doing...nothing. In situations where another comedian would have leapt into action, or at least turned tail and run, Langdon just stood there. As the world moved around him, he stood watching and blinking, allowing us to observe the slow thought process that left him hilariously ineffectual. 

Kerr: "[L]angdon's special position as a piece of not quite necessary punctuation inserted into a long-since memorized sentence means that he remains, today, dependent on our memory of the sentence. It is not even enough to know the sentence. We must inhabit it, live in its syntax in the way we daily take in air, share its expectations because they are what we expect, if we are to grasp—and take delight in—the nuance that was Langdon. You would have to soak yourself in silent film comedy to the point where Lloyd seemed a neighbor again, Chaplin a constant visitor, Keaton so omnipresent that he could be treated as commonplace, and the form's structure as necessary as the roof over your head in order to join hands with Langdon once more and go swinging, fingers childishly interlocked, down the street. That sort of immersion can never really take place again, except perhaps among archivists, and we shall no doubt continue to have our troubles with Langdon. It seems likely, however, that our reacquaintance with silent film comedy is going to develop a good deal beyond what it is now; the closer we come to feeling reasonably at home in it, the larger will Langdon's decorative work—all miniature—loom."
 

Silent comedy has indeed seen a resurgence since Kerr's day, and this year's festival provides just the sort of context viewers necessary to fully appreciate Langdon: Saturday's screenings begin at 10 a.m. with a series of comedy shorts, including the work of Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Buster Keaton and Laurel and Hardy, that should at least provide viewers with a passing familiarity with the syntax of the form. 

 

Other screenings: 

• Louise Brooks, one of the most beautiful and iconic of silent film actresses, in G.W. Pabst's Diary of a Lost Girl. 

• The 1922 Danish/Swedish production Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages, in which director Benjamin Christensen applies the tenets of psychoanalysis to the witches of the Middle Ages 

• William Wyler's 1929 action-drama Shakedown. 

• Dziga Vertov’s The Man with a Movie Camera (1929), a dizzying work which attempts to grant the camera the agility of the human eye. 

• The Woman Disputed (1928), one of the few surviving films of Norma Talmadge, one of the era's biggest stars. 

L'eureuse mort, a French comedy from 1924. 

The Flying Ace (1926), one of the earliest films to feature African Americans in positive roles;  

• A Spray of Plum Blossoms (1931), a Chinese adaptation of Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona, featuring two of China's most popular actors, Jin Yan and Ruan Ling-yu, sometimes referred to as China's Greta Garbo. 

• Rotaie (1929), one of the silent era's most important Italian films, which had a strong influence on the work of the great German director F.W. Murnau. 

• Three educational presentations: "Variations on a Theme: Musicians on the Craft of Composing and Performing for Silent Film," and two installments of the popular "Tales From the Archives" series, in which archivists present rare short films and clips and discuss the art and craft of preserving our cinematic history. 

 

San Francisco Silent Film Festival. July 15–18 at the Castro Theater, 429 Castro St., San Francisco. For tickets and a complete schedule, see www.silentfilm.org.


Press Release: Benefit Concert Features Recent Graduates

By Debi Wong
Friday July 16, 2010 - 02:17:00 PM

I am a recent M.Mus graduate from the Yale School of Music's Voice Program. I am teaming up with a conductor from the Bay Area, and a graduate from the Choral Conducting program at Yale - Arianne Abela to give a benefit concert for the East Oakland School of the Arts. For this benefit concert we have programed a song cycle for Mezzo Soprano and piano by San Francisco composer, Joseph Gregorio, as well as Antonio Vivaldi's Gloria. Lastly we have commissioned American Composer, Colin Britt, to create a new work for Mezzo Soprano, Mixed Choir and Orchestra. His new piece "House of Clouds" written for this event will be premiered at this concert as well! 

> The chorus in this concert are alumnists from Yale University as well as the San Francisco Girl's Chorus and the orchestra is made up of professional players from the bay area who have graciously donated their time and talents. 

> The idea for this concert was inspired by a joint passion Arianne and I have for supporting and fostering music in young and aspiring artists. This is our first benefit concert, but we intend to give one every summer to support young artists and arts schools from our respective communities. I have attached a letter to this email with more details about the concert as well as the school itself. Please find the concert details below: 

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

> Gloria! A Benefit to keep music in the lives of our children. 

> A benefit concert presented by Yale School of Music Alumnist and conductor, Arianne Abela, featuring Antonio Vivaldi's riveting "Gloria" as well as works written by San Francisco composer, Joseph Gregorio, and a the world premiere of "House of Clouds" by American Composer, Colin Britt. 

> This volunteer chorus, made up of alumni from Yale School of music as well as the San Francisco girl's chorus, will be supported by a professional orchestra of players from the Bay area, and emerging Mezzo Soprano, Debi Wong. 

> Join us for a wonderful evening of music and support the young aspiring artists from the East Oakland School of the Arts. 

> Friday July, 23rd, 8pm 

> St. Mark's Church 

> 2300 Bancroft Way 

> Berkeley, CA 

> Admission by donation 

> All proceeds will go to the East Oakland School of the Arts. 

> For more information, please contact: 

> Deborah Wong: 

> deborah.wong@yale.edu 

 

 


Wild Neighbors: Tales of the Lone Parrot

By Joe Eaton
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 10:08:00 AM

I got a handful of interesting responses to a column earlier this year about what I believed to be the last survivor of the wild parrots of Berkeley, a species known to the pet trade as cherry-headed conures and to ornithologists as red-masked parakeets. One writer bridges a gap in the story regarding the fate of the penultimate parrot. Another suggests that there may be another flock out there. 

Here’s Dennis Markham: 

“I saw your article in the Daily Planet. I counted up to five parrots at one time since living near Ninth & Delaware since 1992. Up until a couple of years ago, there were three parrots. One of the parrots died of an unknown disease according to a neighbor on Ninth who used to watch after them. 

“Last fall after the big unexpected rainstorm (September/October?), we found one of the two remaining walking on the sidewalk and unable to fly, its beak looking injured. We took it to the Contra Costa pet emergency, which was the only place that would take it after normal business hours. After some frustrating inquiries as to the status of the bird, I was told that one of the vets lived in West Berkeley and knew where the parrot had come from. 

“After the parrot recovered, the vet returned the bird to the neighborhood. Once again there were two parrots, until about a month later when one disappeared. I had noticed that the neighborhood ravens had been chasing both parrots for several weeks. I believe they weakened the injured one so much that it eventually died. I cringe every time I see the single parrot in the neighborhood. It seems that it is looking for its mate/family.” 

That account seems pretty definitive. Other readers had mentioned the parrots being harassed by corvids, mainly crows. 

One parrot was still being observed as recently as May, when I received the following from Rommel Batu: 

“I came across your articles when Googling Conures in Berkeley. Seems like you've been following these guys around for awhile. We saw Wild Parrots on Telegraph Hill and ever since, we are always on the lookout for those birds when we are around that area. 

“So one morning I go to work last week and I park my car on Camelia at 5th street near Gilman like usual. I get out of the car and I hear the bird, he's not really calling to anyone. I look up and I spot him on some telephone wires, he's just preening himself and making a sort of giggling sound. I took out my phone and I snapped a photo of him to show my girlfriend, otherwise she would never believe me. I watched him for about five minutes and went on my way. 

“I never thought I would see him again, but yesterday I was going to my car in the afternoon and I could hear him (or her). I didn't see it but I did hear it. Maybe it lives close by? It’s kind of industrial, I couldn't imagine that a parrot would want to live around that area...” 

But not long before, Bill Lanphier had reported a multiple-parrot sighting:  

“A group of maybe a dozen flying west to east, in the 500 block of Talbot, Albany, late afternoon” on April 13. “I was looking straight up at them and, because of the direct backlighting, I couldn't pick out much. But I'm 80% sure they were green and about the right size for, what I think is called, green conures (like most of the birds I recall seeing in the Telegraph hill documentary). They consistently stayed in relatively tight formation (also as I recall from the documentary).” 

So what’s going on here? Observer error is always possible; remember the ivory-billed woodpecker fiasco. But if Mr. Lanphier wasn’t seeing parrots of some kind, what were they? Do the Telegraph Hill parrots cross the Bay on occasion? Has there been a recent mass parrot escape in Albany? I would welcome any additional observations.


Restoration Comedy: Phoning It In

By Jane Powell
Sunday July 11, 2010 - 04:59:00 PM

Having returned from Indiana to a typical East Bay summer (i.e. fog, or what a friend refers to as “barbeque in a parka” weather), I’m a little testy. As I’ve grown older I’ve come to actually like heat— not that I’m thinking of moving to the other side of the hill or anything. Nope, still attempting to hold on to my house. So I had another appointment at NACA last week.

 

When I showed up, they told me I couldn’t talk to the counselor, I had to call the 800 number and ask to speak to a negotiator. They said a negotiator had been trying to contact me. Oh really? I had made two separate phone appointments (via the web) to speak to a negotiator and no one had called at the appointed time, or ever. (NACA is strictly a “don’t call us, we’ll call you” kind of organization.) Unless all those phone calls from 800 numbers that I never answer because they’re probably phone solicitors were from NACA, I don’t think they were trying to get in touch with me. They could have left a message, not to mention they also have my email address.

 

But I dutifully called the 800 number from my cell phone. This was about 9:15 a.m. I was helpfully informed that I was caller #196 waiting to speak with a customer service representative. Every couple minutes my status in the line was updated, going down two or three numbers each time. Thank God they don’t say “your call is very important to us”— I would have had to strangle someone. I put on the headset and proceeded to run a few errands. By the time I had to be at work at 10:30, I’d only gotten down to #27. Then I had to hang up. So that was 75 wasted daytime cell phone minutes. Ostensibly the lines are open till 8 p.m. California time, so I called again about 7:30 in the evening— the office was already closed. Tried again the next day— this time I only started at caller #50! Finally got a human, who said the next available phone appointment was July 16th. Swell.

 

There was a reason I wanted to talk to an actual human at the NACA office— because when they call on the phone, it’s like the worst cell phone call you’ve ever been on. Apparently there are no cubicles, because you can hear numerous other conversations going on in the background, there’s a lot of static on the line, and everything you say comes back as an echo. The person at the other end keeps cutting out intermittently, so you miss half of what they say, and have to keep asking them to repeat it. So I’m not exactly looking forward to the phone call on the 16th.

 

Those of you who have been following this whole thing may recall that I was going to NACA’s Save the Dream event in Washington, DC, which started on July 16th, meaning I wouldn’t be home to get the phone call anyway. But when I checked the website to find out if they actually had decided on a venue for it, I discovered that they had, and also, that they had changed the starting date to July 23rd. Luckily I was able to change my airline ticket or I would have been out 50,000 miles for nothing.

 

In the immortal words of George Carlin, “If you die while you’re on hold does your light go out?”

 

 

 

Jane Powell writes for the Planet whenever she feels like it. Apparently she’s feeling like doing it weekly for the moment. Enjoy it while you can, and contact her at hsedressng@aol.com.


News from Berkeley: The Alameda County Fair, Pick-N-Pull & Chez Panisse

Jane Stillwater
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 10:53:00 AM
The Alameda County Fair: "We had fun!"
Jane Stillwater
The Alameda County Fair: "We had fun!"
Pick-N-Pull:  America 50 years from now?
Jane Stillwater
Pick-N-Pull: America 50 years from now?

[Editor’s note: This is just a sample of Berkeleyan Jane Stillwater’s free-range blog. For the full treatment, complete with photos, click on her link at the right side of this page.]

If you are having trouble trying to keep from being driven completely nutso by all the grim, horrible and terrible national and international news headlines that just keep pouring down on our heads, then perhaps it's time to take a break and focus in on some of the good things in life instead. And there actually are a lot of good things happening here, locally, in my own home town -- which happens to be Berkeley. 

One good thing about living in Berkeley is that you can never get bored. 

For instance, a friend of mine just started working at a new Japanese grilled-chicken restaurant called Ippuku, and on July 15 at 7 pm, I'm going there for dinner -- so that I can compare their grilled chicken kebabs with all those chicken kebabs that I ate daily while in Iran for a month back in 2008. Iran is the Queen of too-dry chicken. Will Ippuku do better? They have to! Here's a review of Ippuku (which is the Japanese word for "Take a break"): 

I also have plans to spend the night at Arnieville on Russell Street and Adeline, camping out with the disabled people there who are protesting Governor Schwarzenegger's rather foolish budget cuts to salaries for their home-care workers. Will let you know how that goes. 

And here's a trilogy of articles I just wrote about Berkeley -- or at least the East Bay area. Hopefully these places will cheer you up too. 

The Alameda County Fair: "We had fun!"  

"Let's go to the Alameda County Fair on Wednesday," said my daughter Ashley -- and I, of course, replied, "Yawn." But I was wrong. We went and had a really good time. 

Not only was there a carnival with all the rides and monster foot-long corn dogs and all that kind of stuff but this really was a true county fair and there was pie judging and flower judging and demonstrations of gadgets that you never knew that you needed and quilt exhibits as well. 

And there were also chickens. We bought chickens. We now have four chickens -- they were four for $20 (and also came with food.) We named them Smokey Robinson, Sun Rocker, Mariqa Mustache and Scary Spice. 

"Did you like the fair?" I asked my two-year-old granddaughter Mena. 

"We had fun!" she replied. And we did. 

Pick-N-Pull: America 50 years from now? 

My daughter's friend recently needed some spare parts for his car. "Wanna go to Pick-N-Pull with me?" he asked. Pick-N-Pull? What's that? "It's an Elephant's Graveyard for old cars." Let's go! 

Pick-N-Pull is located way out in Richmond, in the Iron Triangle area. Guys (yes, it's a guy thing) go there to pull spare parts out of old cars so they can get used parts on the cheap. The place has HUNDREDS of old cars -- row after row, just sitting there. And looking like what American streets will look like in 50 years after we have run out of oil. 

Ashley's friend brought his tool box. A bunch of other guys did too. And, yes, there were a few women there, but not many besides me. And the pickers and the pullers were all leaning over engines with wrenches and stuff. I loved it. Rows and rows and rows of cars -- most were from the 1990s. There were only a few really old cars and trucks. We looked at them all -- but Ashley's friend never did find the right part for his car. 

PS: Approximately 40 rows at Pick-N-Pull were devoted to the ruins of American-made cars, mostly Cadillacs, Saturns, Buicks and Fords. And only approximately five rows there were devoted to broken-down foreign-made cars. What does that tell us? 

My birthday dinner at Chez Panisse 

"The American life-style is non-negotiable," said George H.W. Bush -- and then he and his sons almost immediately proceeded to negotiate away as much of it as they possibly could to bankers, tycoons, weapons manufacturers, lobbyists and Congressmen on the take. 

And not only was the Bush family's and corporatists' enthusiastic deregulation of our public safety guarantees and the wholesale looting of our treasury a huge threat to the American life-style, that but when our oil runs out in a few years, we can forget that life-style completely! According to James Howard Kunstler's book "The Long Emergency," in less years than we would like, we'll all be back to living like the Amish. 

But there is one part of the American life-style that I absolutely refuse to negotiate until I absolutely positively have to -- my yearly birthday dinner at Chez Panisse. Even if I have to scrimp and save all year long, even if I have to beg my grown children to treat me, I'm going! Nothing makes getting older more bearable than having a birthday dinner at Chez Panisse. 

I can't find the fancy little souvenir menu they gave me which says exactly what me and my son Joe ate, but I can still (vividly!) remember most of it anyway. Salmon carpaccio, rack of lamb and cherry pie. Plus I took plenty of photos. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Corruption in the Repair Industry

By Jack Bragen
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 12:12:00 PM

I worked as a television and video repairman in the 1980’s, was employed by several small repair shops and was self employed at it. I was pretty good at troubleshooting the circuitry in TV’s and VCR’s, yet some of the jobs were more stressful than I would have liked.  

In my time as a technician I learned that the retail price of repairs often didn’t reflect the amount of work put into someone’s unit, but instead reflected the company’s need to pay its overhead in order to stay in business. One reason why I never made it big as a repair shop owner was my fear of overcharging. I always wanted to give the customers a good deal, and in the process of that I didn’t make any money.  

Price gouging of automotive repair shops and electronic repair shops includes replacement of more parts than are required to make a unit functional again, charging for work that never took place, and making up ailments in someone’s unit that exist only in the imagination.  

I admit that a couple of the shops that I worked for, that were located in Concord and Pleasant Hill, participated in some of this price gouging. The owners of the shops justified this behavior by saying that it was the only way that their business could be profitable.  

In some instances, the same part invariably wears out in one make of television set, computer, or automobile; it means that the troubleshooting time is minimum for technicians who have “seen that before.” It further means that fifteen minutes can be spent to fix something, and yet the full repair price gets charged for the unit. In the 1980’s, the Hitachi made VCR’s were notorious for bad idler wheels. The symptom was “eating tapes.” This repair could often be performed without disassembling the unit, could be performed in five minutes or less, and about ninety dollars in labor could be charged because that was the standard rate.  

Home electronics repair law, and automotive repair law seem largely unchanged in the last twenty five years. Registration with Department of Consumer Affairs was and still is a legal requirement for someone who represents that they perform these repairs; although today more shops appear to be in violation of this requirement. Budget Cuts have forced the merger of the Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair with another agency.  

Having the license is no indication of repair prowess. There is no exam for a service dealer registration; it is a matter of completion of the paperwork and payment of their fee every year. A contractor’s license can also be used, and that license does involve testing.  

In some instances, a repair estimate is given for more than your unit is worth, not because it takes that much money to repair something, but instead because the technicians don’t want to deal with hours of troubleshooting that could otherwise be spent more profitably on someone else’s easier repair. This is called “shot gunning,” in which every part is replaced that might possibly cause the symptom, as opposed to doing the tests that would tell you which part is bad. The customer is told falsely that all of these parts were “shot,” meaning worn out. Should you accept such an estimate, you are paying for the technician’s laziness or lack of competence. Should you turn down the estimate, you’re paying a diagnostic fee for a diagnosis that didn’t happen. 


Inside Northside's Fabled Spring Mansion

By Steven Finacom
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 09:58:00 AM
The main façade of the mansion faces west, where the grounds step
              down in a formal terrace below the house.
Steven Finacom
The main façade of the mansion faces west, where the grounds step down in a formal terrace below the house.
A view from the main stair landing looks down on the two story
              columned atrium and across at the main entrance hall.
Steven Finacom
A view from the main stair landing looks down on the two story columned atrium and across at the main entrance hall.
The original living room has one of several huge fireplaces in the
              house, along with coffered ceiling, wood paneling, and built -ins.
Steven Finacom
The original living room has one of several huge fireplaces in the house, along with coffered ceiling, wood paneling, and built -ins.
Animals, flowers, and children fill a fantastical birch woodland in a
              portion of the atrium mural.
Steven Finacom
Animals, flowers, and children fill a fantastical birch woodland in a portion of the atrium mural.
In the garden east of the house a stranded mermaid raises a conch
              above a dry ornamental pool.
Steven Finacom
In the garden east of the house a stranded mermaid raises a conch above a dry ornamental pool.

Scores of curious sightseers—and perhaps some serious potential buyers—wandered this past Sunday through the closest thing to a residential palace in Berkeley, the John Hopkins Spring mansion.  

According to what the realtor told visitors on Sunday, the immense vacant house will be open again from 1 – 4 this coming Sunday, July 18. The asking price is $6,495,000. 

The Spring Mansion, which borders on The Arlington but has its practical access through two gated drives on San Antonio Avenue, is an approximately 12,000 square foot house that looks, inside and out, like a seat of landed aristocrats or minor nobility dropped into the North Berkeley Hills. 

The house was built in 1912 by wealthy developer and capitalist John Hopkins Spring as a centerpiece to the Thousand Oaks subdivision his firm had developed. It once stood prominently on the hillside, visible from considerable distances, but the landscape and other buildings have grown up around.  

You can—and probably will—pass by on The Arlington just a few hundred feet downhill from the house and not notice much except a curiously long stretch of dense vegetation and a fence. 

Daniella Thompson has written that the house was modeled on the Achillion Palace in Corfu. It also resembles, in plan at least, a considerably toned down version of The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island. 

The exterior sense of the monumental building, designed by John Hudson Thomas, is broadly neoclassical, with columned portico and symmetrical facades, but the grandly scaled interior spaces have interesting architectural characteristics of earlier eras.  

There’s an almost Minoan or Egyptian feel to the two story atrium with its flat lay light, four immense, unornamented, corner columns, simple decoration, oil-lamp-like sconces, and wrap-around second story balcony. 

The ground floor includes a vaulted entry hall (and a back entry hall as well), and vast, now largely empty, rooms that served as library, living room, dining room, and billiard room (a pool table now occupies the original dining room). 

Several of the formal rooms are wood paneled and have coffered ceilings. The downstairs spaces could host dining for scores or a party for hundreds, social living on the scale of a Gatsby or Stanford. There’s an enormous kitchen and butler’s pantry.  

Upstairs, six large bedrooms form a “U”. Fireplaces abound. Baths have an early 20th century character—lots of white subway tile and older tubs—there are some cavernous pass through closets and dressing rooms, and a sitting room with balcony is centered above the entry portico with splendid views to the west through the trees. 

Here and there are traces of the resources required to sustain early 20th century opulent living—enormous linen closets on either side of the second floor, three bedrooms for servants in a corner of the first floor, a carriage house (considerably altered) out near one of the entry gates. 

Look for John Hudson Thomas signature touches like oversized mantles, simple curves and scrolls, subtle groupings of four, square, raised blocks, and curious, angular, cutouts in unusual places including the trim of the butler’s pantry cabinets. 

One of the main bedrooms is still fitted out with bookcases—and books—from the Cora Williams Institute, the private school that occupied the property from 1917 until the 1970s. 

One wall of the atrium has a large ethereal mural bordered with the motto, “Go Free The Child For Self Realization”, presumably a relic of the Williams Institute days. 

The realty listing describes the surrounding site as “a 100 year old botanical garden”. It is immensely spacious for Berkeley—more than three acres for the whole property—and does have some treasures, including a rare old wine palm and some unusual pines, but at present it looks rather like a dry wooded hillside in Tilden Park. 

Some of the outdoor fixtures look to be in ruins. There’s a tennis court with rocks piled along one side and a tree sprawled onto it, one outbuilding pocked by graffiti, and two formal ornamental pools, both dry, with forlorn remnants of sculptures. 

Outbuildings include a structure and a house down by The Arlington, the converted carriage house (two residential floors and a basement) off San Antonio, a strange, squat, brick and wood eruption that looks like a 1970s fraternity lounge—complete with lava rock fireplace and ample bar counter—helicoptered onto one of the formal terraces, and a charmingly derelict cottage in the woods. 

Some ornamental features—statuary, light standards—that show up in pictures from just a few years ago are now damaged or absent, although grand exterior stairs and balustrades remain. 

The Spring Mansion is at 1960 San Antonio Avenue. Head up The Arlington from The Circle, turn sharply right and uphill on San Antonio, and wind around a few curves to reach the entrance gates. Be cautious of traffic and pedestrians on the narrow street, and park where it’s legal, instead of just convenient. 

Check http://www.redoakrealty.com/ for current listing information and any announcements about an open house on July 18. The property is listed as “1960 San Antonio Avenue.” 

The property is listed by Red Oak Realty, and on the handouts at the open house described as “presented by” realtors Robin Gaskins and Laurie Capitelli (who also serves on the Berkeley City Council). 

It’s being marketed as a property that ‘lends itself perfectly to either a grand executive residence or institutional uses such as a retreat, conference center, school or extended stay residences.” The property has been subdivided into four parcels that could be sold together, or separately; the main house occupies the largest. 

You can read two thorough articles about the history of the Spring Mansion in back issues of the Daily Planet online. 

February 22, 2006, Daniella Thompson wrote about the history of the building in the Planet, and later expanded her article into a longer piece that can be found online at Berkeleyheritage.com 

February 13, 2007, Dave Weinstein wrote about both the history, and about development plans for the building at that time. 


Dance-East Bay Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 01:15:00 PM

ASHKENAZ  

"Hipline Bellydance Recital," July 18.  

1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5054, www.ashkenaz.com.

 

ELKS LODGE, ALAMEDA  

"All You Can Dance Sunday Socials," Sunday, 4-6 p.m. Marilyn Bowe and Robert Henneg presents monthly socials with ballroom, swing, Latin and rock & roll themes. www.dancewithme.info. 

2255 Santa Clara Ave., Alameda. (510) 864-2256.< 

 

JACK LONDON SQUARE  

"Dancing Under the Stars," July 16 and July 23, 8:30-10 p.m. The Linden Street Dance Studio provides free dance lessons to all at the foot of Broadway.  

Foot of Broadway, Oakland. (866) 295-9853, www.jacklondonsquare.com.

 

SHATTUCK DOWN LOW  

"Live Salsa," Wednesdays. An evening of dancing to the music of a live salsa band. Salsa dance lesson from 8:30-9:30 p.m. $5-$10.  

For ages 21 and older. 2284 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 548-1159, www.shattuckdownlow.com.

 

SOLAD DANCE CENTER  

"Persian Dance," Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:30 and 10 p.m. Rosa Rojas offers traditional dance classes. $10.  

Citrus Marketplace, 2260 Oak Grove Rd., Walnut Creek. (925) 938-3300.< 

 

STARRY PLOUGH PUB  

"Ceili and Dance," Traditional Irish music and dance. The evening begins with a dance lesson at 7 p.m. followed by music at 9 p.m. Mondays, 7 p.m. Free.  

For ages 21 and over unless otherwise noted. Sunday and Wednesday, 8 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-2082, www.starryploughpub.com.<


Highlights-East Bay Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 01:08:00 PM

"LASTSUNDAYSFEST," -- July 25. Event features two stages, one spotlighting up-and-coming and well known Bay Area bands, and a second outdoor cafi stage presenting smaller groups and individual performers, food, games and more. Event held on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley from Dwight to Bancroft Ave. 

Noon-7 p.m.www.lastsundaysfest.com.< 

 

ASHKENAZ  

California Honeydrops, July 21, 9 p.m. $10.  

1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5054, www.ashkenaz.com.

 

FOX THEATER  

New Pornographers, Dodos, Imaad, Wasif, July 18, 7:30 p.m. $27.50.  

 

1807 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (510) 452-0438.< 

 

FREIGHT AND SALVAGE  

Iris Dement, July 23. $28.50-$29.50.  

Victor Krummenacher, July 24. $18.50-$19.50.  

Music starts at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 548-1761, www.freightandsalvage.org.

 

GREEK THEATRE  

Michael Franti and Spearhead, Brett Dennen, July 16, 8 p.m. $37.50.  

Jackson Brown with David Lindley, July 24, 8 p.m. $55.50-$85.50.  

Hearst Avenue and Gayley Road, Berkeley. (510) 548-3010, www.apeconcerts.com.

 

JACK LONDON SQUARE  

"Star Trek: The Future Begins," July 22, Sundown. An outdoor movie presentation on the waterfront.  

Foot of Broadway, Oakland. (866) 295-9853, www.jacklondonsquare.com.

 

ORACLE ARENA  

Justin Bieber, Sean Kingston, July 17, 7 p.m. $29.50-$49.50.  

Carole King and James Taylor, July 19, 8 p.m. $39.50-$125.  

Aerosmith, Sammy Hagar and the Wabos, July 23, 7:30 p.m. $45.50-$200.  

Hegenberger Road and Interstate 880, Oakland. (510) 625-8497, (925) 685-8497, (415) 421-8497, www.ticketmaster.com or www.theoaklandarena.com.

 

YOSHI'S  

Pete Escovedo 75th Birthday Celebration Latin Jazz Orchestra featuring Sheila E., Juan and Peter Michael Escovedo, through July 18, Thursday-Saturday, 8 and 10 p.m.; Sunday, 2 and 7 p.m. $18-$28.  

Shows are Monday through Saturday, 8 and 10 p.m.; Sunday, 2 and 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted. 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. (510) 238-9200, www.yoshis.com.<


General-East Bay Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 01:08:00 PM

"LASTSUNDAYSFEST," -- July 25. Event features two stages, one spotlighting up-and-coming and well known Bay Area bands, and a second outdoor cafi stage presenting smaller groups and individual performers, food, games and more. Event held on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley from Dwight to Bancroft Ave. 

Noon-7 p.m.www.lastsundaysfest.com.< 

 

ALBANY COMMUNITY CENTER  

"Shabbat Celebration," July 23, 7:30 p.m. Bring finger food to share.  

1249 Marin Ave., Albany. < 

 

ASHKENAZ  

"I Like My Bike Night," First Friday of the month, 9 p.m. This monthly series brings bicycle innovators, enthusiasts, artists and organizations together under one roof, as well as encourages regular Ashkenaz show-goers to leave their cars in the driveway and arrive at the venue by bicycle instead. $8-$25.  

1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5054, www.ashkenaz.com.

 

AUCTIONS BY THE BAY  

"ArtiFacts: A Lecture Series for Collectors," Guest curators, scholars and conservation experts from throughout the Bay Area discuss the art of collecting. First Sunday of every month, 3 p.m. $7.  

Auctions by the Bay Theater-Auction House, 2700 Saratoga St., Alameda. (510) 835-6187, www.auctionsbythebay.com.

 

BAY AREA FREE BOOK EXCHANGE  

"Free Books," Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Donate your unwanted books and receive new titles for free.  

10520 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito. (510) 526-1941, www.bayareafreebookexchange.com.

 

CALIFORNIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY AND LIBRARY  

"California Genealogical Society and Library Free First Saturday," 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Event takes place on the first Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Trace and compile your family history at this month's open house event. Free. www.calgensoc.org. 

2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland. (510) 663-1358.< 

 

CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY  

HISTORY WALKABOUTS -- A series of walking tours that explore the history, lore and architecture of California with veteran tour guide Gary Holloway. Walks are given on specific weekends. There is a different meeting place for each weekend and walks take place rain or shine so dress for the weather. Reservations and prepayment required. Meeting place will be given with confirmation of tour reservation. Call for details.  

678 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 357-1848, www.californiahistoricalsociety.org.

 

CALIFORNIA MAGIC THEATER  

"Dinner Theater Magic Show," Friday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Enter the joyous and bewildering world of illusions and magic while chowing down on a home cooked meal. Each weekend features different professional magicians. Recommended for ages 13 and older. $54-$64 includes meal.  

729 Castro St., Martinez. (925) 374-0056, www.calmagic.com.

 

CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER State-of-the-art facility unifying science education activities around astronomy. Enjoy interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, indoor stargazing, outdoor telescope viewing and films. 

ASK JEEVES PLANETARIUM -- The planetarium features one of the most advanced star projectors in the world. A daily planetarium show is included with general admission. Call for current show schedule.  

"Sonic Vision," Friday-Saturday, 9:15 p.m. This show uses the latest digital technology to illuminate the planetarium with colorful computer-generated imagery set to today's popular music, including Radiohead, U2, David Bowie, Coldplay, Moby and more. 

"Sunshine," A 15-minute planetarium show for children ages 5 and under. In the show, Sunshine, a lovable animated cartoon of the Sun, urges the children to sing and play along with his tricks. In the process, he introduces the colors of the day sky and the other suns of the night sky. Free with regular general admission. 

"Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity," Take a ride to the inside of a massive black hole and learn about the latest scientific evidence, which suggests that black holes are real. Narrated by Liam Neeson. Suitable for age 12 and older. Free with General Admission ticket. 

"Space NOW!", Each week, this real-time ride through constellations, stars, and planets will reflect current happenings in our sky. Space NOW! will also tie in activities going on throughout the center. This is Chabot's first daytime guided tour of the universe. 

"Astronaut," What does it take to be part of the exploration of space? Experience a rocket launch from inside the body of an astronaut. Explore the amazing worlds of inner and outer space, from floating around the International Space Station to maneuvering through microscopic regions of the human body. Narrated by Ewan McGregor. 25 min. 

"Secret of the Cardboard Rocket," Take a journey through the solar system with two young adventurers who turn an old cardboard box into a rocket. Recommended for ages 5-10. 

"The Search for Life: Are We Alone?" A voyage from the ocean deep to the outer reaches of the cosmos in search of life, narrated by Harrison Ford. 

"Tales Of The Maya Skies," "Tales of the Maya Skies'' is a new full-dome planetarium show that explores the cosmology of the ancient Maya, along with their culture and their contributions to astronomy. Starts November 21. 

"The Sky Tonight," Saturdays, 8 p.m. Take a live tour of the starry sky overhead on the night of your visit. The show includes a look at constellations, planets and special celestial objects. 

"Immersive Space: Fly Through the Cosmos," Fridays, 8 p.m. Experience the "digital universe'' in a new full-dome system. Travel to the nearest star and beyond in seconds. 

CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER -- "Escape from the Red Planet," a cooperative venture for families and groups of up to 14 people, age 8 and up. The scenario on this one hour mission: You are the crew of a shuttle to Mars that has been severely damaged in a crash landing. Your replacement crew is gone, the worst dust storm ever recorded on Mars approaches, and air, food, and water are extremely low. The mission: get the shuttle working again and into orbit before the dust storm hits. Reservations required. Children age 8-12 must be accompanied by an adult; not appropriate for children under age 8. $12-$15; Does not include general admission to the Center. Reservations: (510) 336-7421. 

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

"Chabot Observatories: A View to the Stars," This new permanent exhibit honors the 123-year history of Chabot and its telescopes. The observatory is one of the oldest public observatories in the United States. The exhibit covers the three different sites of the observatory over its history as well as how its historic telescopes continue to be operated today. Included are informative graphic panels, multimedia kiosks, interactive computer programs, hands-on stations, and historic artifacts. 

TIEN MEGADOME SCIENCE THEATER -- A 70-foot dome-screen auditorium. Show times subject to change. Call for current show schedule. Price with paid general admission is $6-$7. Theater only: $7-$8. (510) 336-7373, www.ticketweb.com. 

"Dinosaurs Alive," A global adventure of science and discovery, featuring the earliest dinosaurs of the Triassic Period to the monsters of the Cretaceous, "reincarnated" life-sized for the giant screen. Audiences will journey with some of the world's preeminent paleontologists as they uncover evidence that the descendents of dinosaurs still walk (or fly) among us. From the exotic, trackless expanses and sand dunes of Mongolia's Gobi Desert to the dramatic sandstone buttes of New Mexico, the film will follow American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) paleontologists as they explore some of the greatest dinosaur finds in history. 

"Cosmic Voyage," A breathtaking journey through time and space. Zoom from the surface of the Earth to the largest observable structures of the Universe and back down to the sub-nuclear realm, a guided tour across some 42 orders of magnitude. Explore some of the greatest scientific theories, many of which have never before been visualized on film. 

"Forces of Nature," This film showcases the awesome spectacle of earthquakes, volcanoes, and severe storms as scientists continue their quests to understand how these natural disasters are triggered. 

"The Human Body," This show explores the daily biological processes that go on in the human body without our control and often without our notice. This amazing story is revealed in detail on the giant screen. 

"The Living Sea," The film celebrates the beauty, power and importance of the ocean. Produced in association with The National Maritime Center, the Ocean Film Network and Dr. Robert Ballard. 

Center Admission: $14.95; $10.95 children 3-12; free children under 3; $3 discount for seniors and students. Telescope viewing only: free. Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Also open on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. after June 29. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 336-7300, www.chabotspace.org.

 

DUNSMUIR HOUSE AND GARDENS HISTORIC ESTATE Nestled in the Oakland hills, the 50-acre Dunsmuir House and Gardens estate includes the 37-room Neoclassical Revival Dunsmuir Mansion, built by coal and lumber baron Alexander Dunsmuir for his bride. Restored outbuildings set amid landscaped gardens surround the mansion.  

ESTATE GROUNDS -- Self-Guided Grounds Tours are available yearround. The 50 acres of gardens and grounds at the mansion are open to the public for walking Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Booklets and maps of the grounds are available at the Dinkelspiel House. Free.  

GUIDED TOURS -- Docent-led tours are available on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. (except for July) and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. $5 adults, $4 seniors and juniors (11-16), children 11 and under free. 

Dunsmuir House and Gardens, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. (510) 615-5555, www.dunsmuir.org.

 

FRANK OGAWA PLAZA  

"Oakland Artisan Marketplace," Fridays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The City of Oakland and Cultural Arts & Marketing Department presents a weekly market featuring fine arts and crafts of local artists. Free. (510) 238-4948, www.oaklandartisanmarketplace.org. 

14th Street and Broadway, Oakland. < 

 

JACK LONDON AQUATIC CENTER  

"Oakland Artisan Marketplace,"' Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sundays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The City of Oakland and Cultural Arts & Marketing Department presents a weekly market featuring fine arts and crafts of local artists. Free. (510) 238-4948, www.oaklandartisanmarketplace.org. 

115 Embarcadero, Oakland. < 

 

JACK LONDON SQUARE  

"Dancing Under the Stars," July 16 and July 23, 8:30-10 p.m. The Linden Street Dance Studio provides free dance lessons to all at the foot of Broadway.  

Joshua Cedar, July 16, Noon.  

Lee Waterman Trio, July 20, Noon-2 p.m.  

"Star Trek: The Future Begins," July 22, Sundown. An outdoor movie presentation on the waterfront.  

Mestiza Trio, July 23, Noon-2 p.m.  

"Market Cooking Demonstration," July 25, 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Sim Peyron presents a cooking demonstration that utilizes seasonal ingredients.  

Foot of Broadway, Oakland. (866) 295-9853, www.jacklondonsquare.com.

 

JEWISH GATEWAYS  

"Chocolate Chip Challah," July 25, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Join other families with young children to make and take home challah.  

409 Liberty St., El Cerrito. < 

 

LA PENA CULTURAL CENTER  

Viva el Mariachi, July 16, 8 p.m. $20-$35.  

"Quien Dijo Miedo," July 18, 7 p.m. A chronicle of the nonviolent struggle of the Honduran people to resist dictatorship. $10.  

"Avotcja's 69th Birthday Bash," July 25, 7 p.m. Musicians and poets celebrate Avotcja's 68th birthday. $10-$20.  

3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2568, www.lapena.org.

 

LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"NanoZone," Discover the science of the super-small: nanotechnology. Through hands-on activities and games, explore this microworld and the scientific discoveries made in this area.  

"Forces That Shape the Bay," A science park that shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building. You can ride earthquake simulators, set erosion in motion and look far out into the bay with a powerful telescope from 1,100 feet above sea level. The center of the exhibit is a waterfall that demonstrates how water flows from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Bay. Visitors can control where the water goes. There are also hands-on erosion tables, and a 40-foot-long, 6-foothigh, rock compression wall.  

"Real Astronomy Experience," A new exhibit-in-development allowing visitors to use the tools that real astronomers use. Aim a telescope at a virtual sky and operate a remote-controlled telescope to measure a planet.  

"Biology Lab," In the renovated Biology Lab visitors may hold and observe gentle animals. Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

"The Idea Lab," Experiment with some of the basics of math, science and technology through hands-on activities and demonstrations of magnets, spinning and flying, puzzles and nanotechnology.  

"Math Around the World," Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Networks.  

"Math Rules," Use simple and colorful objects to complete interesting challenges in math through predicting, sorting, comparing, weighing and counting.  

 

HOLT PLANETARIUM Shows on Saturdays and Sundays. Programs recommended for ages 6 and up unless otherwise noted. $2.50-$3 in addition to general admission.  

$6-$12; free children ages 2 and under. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. University of California, Centennial Drive, Berkeley. (510) 642-5132, www.lawrencehallofscience.org.

 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE Exploring cinema from the Bay Area and cultures around the world, the Pacific Film Archive offers daily film screenings, including rare and rediscovered prints of movie classics; new and historic works by world famous directors; restored silent films with live musical accompaniment; retrospectives; and new and experimental works. Check Web site for a full schedule of films.  

"First Impressions: Free First Thursdays," first Thursday of every month. Special tours and movie presentations. Admission is free. 

Single feature: $5-$8; Double feature: $9-$12 general. PFA Theater, 2575 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. (510) 642-5249, www.bampfa.berkeley.edu.

 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, MORRISON LIBRARY  

"Lunch Poems," First Thursday of the month, 12:10-12:50 p.m.  

2600 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. (510) 642-3671.< 

 

USS HORNET MUSEUM Come aboard this World War II aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum. The Hornet, launched in 1943, is 899 feet long and 27 stories high. During World War II she was never hit by an enemy strike or plane and holds the Navy record for number of enemy planes shot down in a week. In 1969 the Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule containing the first men to walk on the moon, and later recovered Apollo 12. In 1991 the Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and is now docked at the same pier she sailed from in 1944. Today, visitors can tour the massive ship, view World War II-era warplanes and experience a simulated aircraft launch from the carrier's deck. Exhibits are being added on an ongoing basis. Allow two to three hours for a visit. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to climb steep stairs or ladders. Dress in layers as the ship can be cold. Arrive no later than 2 p.m. to sign up for the engine room and other docent-led tours. Children under age 12 are not allowed in the Engine Room or the Combat Information Center.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Limited Access Day," Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.  

"Flight Deck Fun," A former Landing Signal Officer will show children how to bring in a fighter plane for a landing on the deck then let them try the signals themselves. Times vary. Free with regular Museum admission.  

"Protestant Divine Services," Hornet chaplain John Berger conducts church services aboard The Hornet in the Wardroom Lounge. Everyone is welcome and refreshments are served immediately following the service. Sundays, 11 a.m. 

SPECIAL EVENTS -- Closed on New Year's Day. 

"Family Day," Discounted admission for families of four with a further discount for additional family members. Access to some of the areas may be limited due to ship maintenance. Every Tuesday. $20 for family of four; $5 for each additional family member. 

"Flashlight Tour," Receive a special tour of areas aboard the ship that have not yet been opened to the public or that have limited access during the day. 

"Living Ship Day," Experience an aircraft carrier in action, with simulated flight operations as aircraft are lifted to the flight deck and placed in launch position. Some former crewmembers will be on hand. 

"The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra," July 17, 8 p.m. Keeping the sound and spirit of the legendary World War II era big band leader alive, this swingin' concert will be in the perfect location, the historic aircraft carrier USS Hornet. $45-$98. 

$6-$14; free children age 4 and under with a paying adult. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pier 3 (enter on Atlantic Avenue), Alameda Point, Alameda. (510) 521-8448, www.uss-hornet.org.<


Outdoors-East Bay Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 12:57:00 PM

ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM Ardenwood farm is a working farm that dates back to the time of the Patterson Ranch, a 19th-century estate with a mansion and Victorian Gardens. Today, the farm still practices farming techniques from the 1870s. Unless otherwise noted, programs are free with regular admission.  

ONGOING PROGRAMS --  

"Blacksmithing," Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Watch a blacksmith turn iron into useful tools.  

"Horse-Drawn Train," Thursday, Friday and Sunday. A 20-minute ride departs from Ardenwood Station and Deer Park.  

"Animal Feeding," Thursday-Sunday, 3-4 p.m. Help slop the hogs, check the henhouse for eggs and bring hay to the livestock.  

"Victorian Flower Arranging," Thursday, 10:15-11:30 a.m. Watch as Ardenwood docents create floral works of art for display in the Patterson House.  

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Horse-Drawn Train Rides," Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10:15 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Meet Jigs or Tucker the Belgian Draft horses that pull Ardenwood's train. Check the daily schedule and meet the train at Ardenwood Station or Deer Park. 

"Country Kitchen Cookin'," Sundays, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Enjoy the flavor of the past with treats cooked on Ardenwood's wood burning stove. Sample food grown on the farm and discover the history of your favorite oldtime snacks. 

"Animal Feeding," Thursday-Sunday, 3 p.m. Feed the pigs, check for eggs and bring hay to the livestock. 

"Toddler Time," Tuesdays, 11-11:30 a.m. Bring the tiny tots out for an exciting morning at the farm. Meet and learn all about a new animal friend through stories, chores and fun.  

"Potato Harvesting," Learn the spectacular history of this New World native as you dig with your spade and help find the spuds. 

"Chores in the Vegetable Garden," July 10 and July 17, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Plant seeds and turn compost in the vegetable garden. 

"Have a Marvelous Moo-Tastic Day," July 17, 10:30 a.m. Listen to stories and color a cow picture. 

"Afternoon Fun and Games," July 17 and Aug. 28, 2-3 p.m. Try old-fashioned games. 

"Oreos Galore," July 17, 1-2 p.m. Learn about the famous cookie's past. 

"The Little Red Hen," July 18, 11 a.m. Meet a Rhode Island Red and help read the story of the Little Red Hen. 

"Fixin' Feed," July 18, Noon-1 p.m. Learn about the many types of corn. 

"Rope Makin' and Hay Hoistin," July 18, 10:30 a.m. Learn to make rope. 

"Saturday Rail Adventure," July 24 and Aug. 28, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Explore the fields and eucalyptus groves. 

"Perfectly Tasty Peach Marmalade," July 24, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Learn to make this food. 

"Peacocks with Pizazz," July 24, 1-2 p.m. Learn about these birds and look for feathers. 

$1-$5; free children under age 4. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont. (510) 796-0199, (510) 796-0663, www.ebparks.org.

 

BAY AREA RAIL TRAILS A network of trails converted from unused railway corridors and developed by the Rails to Trails Conservancy.  

BLACK DIAMOND MINES REGIONAL PRESERVE RAILROAD BED TRAIL -- This easy one mile long rail trail on Mount Diablo leads to many historic sites within the preserve. Suitable for walking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Accessible year round but may be muddy during the rainy season. Enter from the Park Entrance Station parking lot on the East side of Somersville Road, Antioch.  

IRON HORSE REGIONAL TRAIL -- The paved trail has grown into a 23 mile path between Concord and San Ramon with a link into Dublin. The trail runs from the north end of Monument Boulevard at Mohr Lane, east to Interstate 680, in Concord through Walnut Creek to just south of Village Green Park in San Ramon. It will eventually extend from Suisun Bay to Pleasanton and has been nominated as a Community Millennium Trail under the U.S. Millennium Trails program. A smooth shaded trail suitable for walkers, cyclists, skaters and strollers. It is also wheelchair accessible. Difficulty: easy to moderate in small chunks; hard if taken as a whole.  

LAFAYETTE/MORAGA REGIONAL TRAIL -- A 7.65 mile paved trail converted from the Sacramento Northern Rail line. This 20-year old trail goes along Las Trampas Creek and parallels St. Mary's Road. Suitable for walkers, equestrians, and cyclists. Runs from Olympic Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Road in Lafayette to Moraga. The trail can be used year round.  

OHLONE GREENWAY -- A 3.75-mile paved trail converted from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway. Suitable for walkers, strollers and skaters. It is also wheelchair accessible. The trail runs under elevated BART tracks from Conlon and Key Streets in El Cerrito to Virginia and Acton Streets in Berkeley.  

SHEPHERD CANYON TRAIL -- An easy 3-mile paved trail converted from the Sacramento Northern Rail Line. The tree-lined trail is gently sloping and generally follows Shepherd Canyon Road. Suitable for walkers and cyclists. It is also wheelchair accessible. Begins in Montclair Village behind McCaulou's Department Store on Medau Place and ends at Paso Robles Drive, Oakland. Useable year round. 

Free. (415) 397-2220, www.traillink.com.

 

BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL The Bay Area Ridge Trail, when completed, will be a 400-mile regional trail system that will form a loop around the entire San Francisco Bay region, linking 75 public parks and open spaces to thousands of people and hundreds of communities. Hikes on portions of the trail are available through the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council. Call for meeting sites.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

ALAMEDA COUNTY -- "Lake Chabot Bike Rides." These rides are for strong beginners and intermediates to build skill, strength and endurance at a non hammerhead pace. No one will be dropped. Reservations required. Distance: 14 miles. Elevation gain: 1,000 feet. Difficulty: beginner to intermediate. Pace: moderate. Meeting place: Lake Chabot Road at the main entrance to the park. Thursday, 6:15 a.m. (510) 468-3582.  

ALAMEDA-CONTRA COSTA COUNTY -- "Tilden and Wildcat Bike Rides." A vigorous ride through Tilden and Wildcat Canyon regional parks. Reservations required. Distance: 15 miles. Elevation gain: 2,000 feet. Difficulty: intermediate. Pace: fast. Meeting place: in front of the North Berkeley BART Station. Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. (510) 849-9650. 

Free. (415) 561-2595, www.ridgetrail.org.

 

BICYCLE TRAILS COUNCIL OF THE EAST BAY The Council sponsors trail work days, Youth Bike Adventure Rides, and Group Rides as well as Mountain Bike Basics classes which cover training and handling skills.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Weekly Wednesday Ride at Lake Chabot," Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. A 13- to 20-mile ride exploring the trails around Lake Chabot, with 1,500 to 2,000 feet of climbing. Meet at 6:15 p.m. in the parking lot across from the public safety offices at Lake Chabot in Castro Valley. Reservations requested. (510) 727-0613.  

"Weekly Wednesday 'Outer' East Bay Ride," Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. Ride some of the outer East Bay parks each week, such as Wild Cat Canyon, Briones, Mount Diablo, Tilden and Joaquin Miller-Redwood. Meeting place and ride location vary. Reservations required. (510) 888-9757. 

Free. (510) 466-5123, www.btceb.org.

 

BLACK DIAMOND MINES REGIONAL PRESERVE Originally the home of several Native American tribes, white men began coal mining in the area in the 1860s. The preserve today features old mines and displays of the history of the area. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Green Aliens," July 24, 10 a.m.-noon. Meet chlorophyllous aliens. 

Free unless otherwise noted; $5 seasonal parking fee on weekends. Daily, 8 a.m. to dusk Somersville Road, about five miles south of state Highway 4, Antioch. Information: (925) 757-2620, Tickets: (925) 555-1212, www.ebparks.org.

 

BOTANIC GARDEN  

EVENTS --  

Intersection of Wildcat Canyon Road and South Park Drive, Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley. www.ebparks.org.

 

COYOTE HILLS REGIONAL PARK The park is located on the shoreline of Fremont Bay and features rich wetland areas as well as Ohlone Indian shellmound sites. Hiking in the park allows scenic views of San Francisco Bay and southern Alameda County. The 12-mile Alameda Creek Trail runs from the Bay east to the mouth of Niles Canyon and features an equestrian trail as well as a bicycle trail; hikers are welcome on both. The park conducts naturalist programs and has a visitor center with a nature store and Ohlone, natural history and wildlife exhibits.  

SPECIAL EVENTS -- Free unless otherwise noted.  

"Ohlone Village Site Hike," July 18, 10 a.m.-noon. Visit an Ohlone site and learn about their way of life. 

"Reptiles with Styles," July 25, 1-3 p.m. Discover the unique qualities of reptiles. 

"Reptiles with Styles," July 25, 1-3 p.m. Get up close and personal with reptiles. 

Free unless otherwise noted; A parking fee may be charged. Registration required for events. April through October: daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; October through April, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., unless otherwise posted. 8000 Patterson Pass Road, Fremont. (510) 636-1684, (510) 795-9385, www.ebparks.org.

 

CRAB COVE VISITOR CENTER At Crab Cove, you can see live underwater creatures and go into the San Francisco Bay from land. You can also travel back in time to Alameda's part. The goal is to increase understanding of the environmental importance of San Francisco Bay and the ocean ecosystem. Crab Cove's Indoor Aquarium and Exhibit Lab is one of the largest indoor aquariums in the East Bay. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Sea Siblings," Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Explore the natural world and take part in a theme related craft. Designed for the 3-5 year old learner. Registration is required. $4. (888) 327-2757. 

"Catch of the Day," Sundays, 2-3 p.m. Drop by to find out more about the Bay and its wildlife through guided exploration and hands-on fun. 

"Sea Squirts," 10-11:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Discover the wonders of nature with your little one. Registration is required. $6-$8. 

"Nature Games by the Bay," July 17, 11 a.m.-noon. Play nature themedgames. 

"Beach Art by the Bay," July 18, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Transform found objects into art. 

Free unless otherwise noted; parking fee may be charged. 1252 McKay Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-6887, www.ebparks.org.

 

DUNSMUIR HOUSE AND GARDENS HISTORIC ESTATE Nestled in the Oakland hills, the 50-acre Dunsmuir House and Gardens estate includes the 37-room Neoclassical Revival Dunsmuir Mansion, built by coal and lumber baron Alexander Dunsmuir for his bride. Restored outbuildings set amid landscaped gardens surround the mansion.  

ESTATE GROUNDS -- Self-Guided Grounds Tours are available yearround. The 50 acres of gardens and grounds at the mansion are open to the public for walking Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Booklets and maps of the grounds are available at the Dinkelspiel House. Free.  

GUIDED TOURS -- Docent-led tours are available on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. (except for July) and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. $5 adults, $4 seniors and juniors (11-16), children 11 and under free. 

Dunsmuir House and Gardens, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. (510) 615-5555, www.dunsmuir.org.

 

FIFTY-PLUS ADVENTURE WALKS AND RUNS The walks and runs are 3-mile round-trips, lasting about one hour on the trail. All levels of ability are welcome. The walks are brisk, however, and may include some uphill terrain. Events are held rain or shine and on all holidays except Christmas and the Fifty-Plus Annual Fitness Weekend. Call for dates, times and details. 

Free. (650) 323-6160, www.50plus.org.

 

FOREST HOME FARMS The 16-acre former farm of the Boone family is now a municipal historic park in San Ramon. It is located at the base of the East Bay Hills and is divided into two parts by Oak Creek. The Boone House is a 22-room Dutch colonial that has been remodeled several times since it was built in 1900. Also on the property are a barn built in the period from 1850 to 1860; the Victorian-style David Glass House, dating from the late 1860s to early 1870s; a storage structure for farm equipment and automobiles; and a walnut processing plant. 

Free unless otherwise noted. Public tours available by appointment. 19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon. (925) 973-3281, www.ci.sanramon. ca.us/parks/boone.htm.< 

 

GARIN AND DRY CREEK PIONEER REGIONAL PARKS Independent nature study is encouraged here, and guided interpretive programs are available through the Coyote Hills Regional Park Visitor Center in Fremont. The Garin Barn Visitor Center is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In late summer, the Garin Apple Festival celebrates Garin's apple orchards. The parks also allow picnicking, hiking, horseback riding and fishing. 

Free; $5 parking fee per vehicle; $2 per dog. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 1320 Garin Ave., Hayward. (510) 562-PARK, (510) 795-9385, www.ebparks.org/parks/garin.htm.< 

 

GREENBELT ALLIANCE OUTINGS A series of hikes, bike rides and events sponsored by Greenbelt Alliance, the Bay Area's non-profit land conservation and urban planning organization. Call for meeting places. Reservations required for all trips.  

ALAMEDA COUNTY --  

"Self-Guided Urban Outing: Berkeley," This interactive smart growth walking tour of central Berkeley examines some of the exciting projects that help alleviate the housing shortage in the city as well as amenities important to making a livable community. The walk, which includes the GAIA Cultural Center, Allston Oak Court, The Berkeley Bike Station, University Terrace and Strawberry Creek Park, takes between an hour-and-ahalf to two hours at a leisurely pace. Download the itinerary which gives specific directions by entering www.greeenbelt.org and clicking on "get involved'' and then "urban outings.'' Drop down and click on Berkeley. Free. 

Free unless otherwise noted. (415) 255-3233, www.greenbelt.org.

 

HAYWARD REGIONAL SHORELINE With 1,682 acres of salt, fresh and brackish water marshes, seasonal wetlands and the approximately three-mile San Lorenzo Trail, the Hayward Shoreline restoration project is one of the largest of its kind on the West Coast, comprising 400 acres of marshland. Part of the East Bay Regional Park District. 

EVENTS --  

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 3010 W. Winton Ave., Hayward. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org/parks/hayward.htm.< 

 

HAYWARD SHORELINE INTERPRETIVE CENTER Perched on stilts above a salt marsh, the Center offers an introduction to the San Francisco Bay-Estuary. It features exhibits, programs and activities designed to inspire a sense of appreciation, respect and stewardship for the Bay, its inhabitants and the services they provide. The Habitat Room offers a preview of what may be seen outside. The 80-gallon Bay Tank contains some of the fish that live in the Bay's open waters, and the Channel Tank represents habitats formed by the maze of sloughs and creeks that snake through the marsh. The main room of the Center features rotating exhibits about area history, plants and wildlife. Part of the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District.  

ONGOING EXHIBIT --  

"Exploring Nature," An exhibit of Shawn Gould's illustrations featuring images of the natural world. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Nature Detectives," 11 a.m.-noon. An introduction and exploration of the world of Black-Crowned Night-Herons. Ages 3-5 and their caregivers. Registration required. 

"Weekend Weed Warriors," 1-4 p.m. Help the shoreline to eliminate the non-native plants that threaten its diversity. Ages 12 and older. Registration required. 

"Waterfowl of the Freshwater Marsh," 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Join an expert birder to go "behind the gates'' to areas of the marsh that are not open to the public. 

"Introduction to Botanical Drawing for Adults," through July 25, Noon-3 p.m. Practice your drawing skills and learn about the ecosystem.  

"Build Your Own Bird Feeder," July 17, 11 a.m.-noon. Supplies provided.  

"Secret Lives of Snails," July 18, 11 a.m.-noon. Learn about snail anatomy and behavior.  

"Exploring Estuaries," July 24, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Learn about tides, plants and wetlands.  

"Freshwater Marsh Birding Exploration," July 24, 8 a.m. Search for Egrets, Black-necked Stilts and Killdeer.  

"Shoreline Van Tour for Seniors," July 25, 10 a.m. Join a naturalist for a van tour to discuss human and natural history. $5.  

Free. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 4901 Breakwater Ave., Hayward. (510) 670-7270, www.hard.dst.ca.us/hayshore.html.< 

 

JOHN MUIR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE The site preserves the 1882 Muir House, a 17-room Victorian mansion where naturalist John Muir lived from 1890 to his death in 1914. It was here that Muir wrote about preserving America's wilderness and helped create the national parks idea for the United States. The house is situated on a hill overlooking the City of Martinez and surrounded by nine acres of vineyards and orchards. Take a self-guided tour of this well-known Scottish naturalist's home. Also part of the site is the historic Martinez Adobe and Mount Wanda.  

ONGOING EVENT --  

Public Tours of the John Muir House, Begin with an eight-minute park film and then take the tour. The film runs every 15 minutes throughout the day. Wednesday through Friday, 2 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.  

MOUNT WANDA -- The mountain consists of 325 acres of grass and oak woodland historically owned by the Muir family. It offers a nature trail and several fire trails for hiking. Open daily, sunrise to sunset. 

JOHN MUIR HOUSE, Tours of this well-known Scottish naturalist's home are available. The house, built in 1882, is a 14-room Victorian home situated on a hill overlooking the city of Martinez and surrounded by nine acres of vineyards and orchards. It was here that Muir wrote about preserving America's wilderness and helped create the national parks idea for the United States. The park also includes the historic Vicente Martinez Adobe, built in 1849. An eight-minute film about Muir and the site is shown every 15 minutes throughout the day at the Visitor Center. Self guided tours of the Muir home, the surrounding orchards, and the Martinez Adobe: Wednesday-Sunday, 1 a.m.-5 p.m. Public tours or the first floor of the Muir home: Wednesday-Friday, 2 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Reservations not required except for large groups.  

$3 general; free children ages 16 and under. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 4202 Alhambra Ave., Martinez. (925) 228-8860, www.nps.gov/jomu.< 

 

KENNEDY GROVE REGIONAL RECREATION AREA The 95-acre park contains picnic areas, horseshoe pits and volleyball courts among its grove of aromatic eucalyptus trees.  

$5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs Through September: daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. San Pablo Dam Road, El Sobrante. (510) 223-7840, www.ebparks.org.

 

LAKE CHABOT REGIONAL PARK The 315-acre lake offers year-round recreation. Services include canoe and boat rental, horseshoe pits, hiking, bicycling, picnicking and seasonal tours aboard the Chabot Queen. For boat rentals, call (510) 247-2526. 

Free unless noted otherwise; $5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs. Daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. 17930 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.

 

LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM This is the oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center in America, taking in 6,000 injured and orphaned animals yearly and returning 40 percent of them to the wild. The museum offers a wide range of educational programs using non-releasable wild animals to teach children and adults respect for the balance of nature. The museum includes a state-of-the art wildlife hospital which features a permanent exhibit, titled "Living with Nature,'' which houses 75 non-releasable wild animals in learning environments; a 5,000-square-foot Wildlife Hospital complete with treatment rooms, intensive care, quarantine and laboratory facilities; a 1-acre Nature Garden featuring the region's native landscaping and wildlife; and an "Especially For Children'' exhibit.  

WILDLIFE HOSPITAL -- September-March: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hospital is open daily including holidays to receive injured and orphaned animals. There is no charge for treatment of native wild animals and there are no public viewing areas in the hospital. 

EXHIBITS --  

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

$5-$7; free children under age 2. Wednesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

 

LIVERMORE AREA RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT  

4444 East Ave., Livermore. (925) 373-5700, www.larpd.dst.ca.us/.< 

 

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SHORELINE This 1,200-acre park situated near Oakland International Airport offers picnic areas with barbecues and a boat launch ramp. Swimming is not allowed. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Grove, a group of trees surrounding a grassy glade, is at the intersection of Doolittle Drive and Swan Way. The area also includes the 50-acre Arrowhead Marsh (part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network) and a Roger Berry sculpture titled "Duplex Cone,'' which traces the summer and winter solstice paths of the sun through the sky. 

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted Doolittle Drive and Swan Way, Oakland. (510) 562-PARK, Picnic reservations: (510) 636-1684, www.ebayparks.org.

 

MILLER-KNOX REGIONAL SHORELINE A 295-acre shoreline picnic area with a secluded cove and swimming beach, and a hilltop offering panoramic views of the north Bay Area. 

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted. 900 Dornan Dr., Richmond. (510) 562-PARK, Picnic Reservations: (510) 636-1684, www.ebparks.org.

 

MOUNT DIABLO STATE PARK The 3,849-foot summit of Mount Diablo offers great views of the Bay Area and an extensive trail system. Visitors to the park can hike, bike, ride on horseback and camp. Notable park attractions include: The Fire Interpretive Trail, Rock City, Boy Scout Rocks and Sentinel Rock, Fossil Ridge, Deer Flat, Mitchell Canyon Staging Area, Diablo Valley Overlook, the Summit Visitor Center (open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), the Art Gallery, the Observation Deck and the Mitchell Canyon Interpretive Center. 

Free. $6 per vehicle park-entrance fee; $5 for seniors. Daily, 8 a.m. to sunset. Mount Diablo Scenic Boulevard, from the Diablo Road exit off Interstate Highway 680, Danville. (925) 837-2525, www.mdia.org or www.parks.ca.gov.

 

PLEASANTON RIDGE REGIONAL PARK This 3,163-acre parkland is on the oak-covered ridge overlooking Pleasanton and the Livermore Valley from the west. A multi-purpose trail system accommodates hikers, equestrians and bicyclists. 

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Foothill Road, Pleasanton. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.

 

POINT PINOLE REGIONAL SHORELINE The 2,315-acre parkland bordering Pinole, Richmond and San Pablo offers views of Mount Tamalpais, the Marin shoreline and San Pablo Bay. There are trails through meadows and woods, and along the bluffs and beaches of San Pablo Bay. Visitors can hike, ride bikes or take the park's shuttle bus to reach the 1,250-foot fishing pier at Point Pinole. 

$5 per vehicle; $4 per trailered vehicle; $2 per dog (guide/service dogs free). Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted. Giant Highway, Richmond. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.

 

QUARRY LAKES REGIONAL RECREATION AREA The park includes three lakes sculpted from former quarry ponds. The largest, Horseshoe Lake, offers boating and fishing, with a swim beach that will open in the spring. Rainbow Lake is for fishing only, and the third lake, Lago Los Osos, is set aside for wildlife habitat. In addition, there are hiking and bicycling trails that connect to the Alameda Creek Regional Trail. The park includes three lakes sculpted from former quarry ponds. The largest, Horseshoe Lake, offers boating and fishing, with a swim beach that will open in the spring. Rainbow Lake is for fishing only, and the third lake, Lago Los Osos, is set aside for wildlife habitat. In addition there are hiking and bicycling trails that connect to the Alameda Creek Regional Trail. 

$5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs; boat launch fees; Park District fishing access permit fee of $3. Through Labor Day: daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sept. 6 through Sept. 30, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. 2100 Isherwood Way,, between Paseo Padre Parkway and Osprey Drive,, Fremont. (510) 795-4883, Picnic reservations:: (510) 562-2267, www.ebparks.org.

 

ROBERT SIBLEY VOLCANIC REGIONAL PRESERVE East Bay residents have several volcanoes in their backyard. This park contains Round Top, one of the highest peaks in the Oakland Hills. 

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 6800 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.

 

RUTH BANCROFT GARDEN One of America's finest private gardens, the Ruth Bancroft Garden displays 2,000 specimens from around the world that thrive in an arid climate. Included are African and Mexican succulents, New World cacti, Australian and Chilean trees, and shrubs from California. 

DOCENT TOUR SCHEDULE -- Saturdays, 10 a.m. Docent-led tours last approximately an hour and a half. Plant sales follow the tour. By reservation only. $7; free children under age 12.  

SELF-GUIDED TOURS -- Monday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-noon; Friday, 9:30 a.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m. Self-guided tours last two hours. No reservations required for weekday tours; reservations required for Friday and Saturday tours. Plant sales follow the tours. $7; free children under age 12.  

Gardens open only for tours and special events listed on the garden's telephone information line. 1500 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek. (925) 210-9663, www.ruthbancroftgarden.org.

 

SHADOW CLIFFS REGIONAL RECREATION AREA The 296-acre park includes an 80-acre lake and a four-flume waterslide, with picnic grounds and a swimming beach. Water slide fees and hours: (925) 829-6230. 

$6 per vehicle; $2 per dog except guide and service dogs. May 1 through Labor Day: daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; shortened hours for fall and winter. Stanley Boulevard, one mile from downtown, Pleasanton. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.

 

SULPHUR CREEK NATURE CENTER A wildlife rehabilitation and education facility where injured and orphaned local wild creatures are rehabilitated and released when possible. There is also a lending library of animals such as guinea pigs, rats, mice and more. The lending fee is $8 per week.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Toddler Time," Learn about animals by listening to stories and exploring. Themes vary by month. Call for schedule. $7 per family.  

"Day on the Green Animal Presentations," Meet an assortment of wild and domestic animals. Wildlife volunteers will present a different animal each day from possums to snakes, tortoises to hawks. Saturday and Sunday, 2:30 p.m. 

CHILDREN'S EVENTS --  

Free. Park: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Discovery Center: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Animal Lending Library: Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Wildlife Rehabilitation Center: daily, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 1801 D St., Hayward. (510) 881-6747, www.haywardrec.org/sulphur_creek.html.< 

 

SUNOL REGIONAL WILDERNESS This park is full of scenic and natural wonders. You can hike the Ohlone Wilderness trail or Little Yosemite. There are bedrock mortars that were used by Native Americans, who were Sunol's first inhabitants. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Sunol Sunday Hike," Sundays, 1:30-3 p.m. A natural history walk in the wilderness. 

"Sunol Sunday Hike," Sundays, 1:30-3 p.m. A natural history walk in Sunol Regional Wilderness. 

"Valley Nature Ride," July 18, 10 a.m. Learn about this preserve on a horseback ride. $25-$29. 

Free unless otherwise noted; $5 parking; $2 dog fee. Geary Road off Calaveras Road, six miles south of Interstate Highway 680, Sunol. (510) 652-PARK, www.ebparks.org.

 

TILDEN REGIONAL PARK This park is large and contains hiking trails, a golf course, a miniature scaled train to ride, The Brazilian Building and picnic areas. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Personal Acts, Global Impacts," July 18, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Learna bout ecological footprints. 

"Flutter by Butterflies," July 18, 2:30-4 p.m. Tour the butterfly garden. 

"Backcountry Gourmet," July 25, 2:30-4 p.m. Learn the fundamentals of making your own backpackign food and trail snacks. 

"Wonders of Watersheds," July 25, 2-3 p.m. Find out about the intricacies of the wayerways in your neighborhood. 

Free unless otherwise noted. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Entrances off Wildcat Canyon Road and Grizzly Peak Boulevard, Berkeley. (510) 525-2233, www.ebparks.org.<


Kids-East Bay Through July 25

Tuesday July 13, 2010 - 01:05:00 PM

ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM Ardenwood farm is a working farm that dates back to the time of the Patterson Ranch, a 19th-century estate with a mansion and Victorian Gardens. Today, the farm still practices farming techniques from the 1870s. Unless otherwise noted, programs are free with regular admission.  

ONGOING PROGRAMS --  

"Blacksmithing," Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Watch a blacksmith turn iron into useful tools.  

"Horse-Drawn Train," Thursday, Friday and Sunday. A 20-minute ride departs from Ardenwood Station and Deer Park.  

"Animal Feeding," Thursday-Sunday, 3-4 p.m. Help slop the hogs, check the henhouse for eggs and bring hay to the livestock.  

"Victorian Flower Arranging," Thursday, 10:15-11:30 a.m. Watch as Ardenwood docents create floral works of art for display in the Patterson House.  

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Horse-Drawn Train Rides," Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 10:15 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Meet Jigs or Tucker the Belgian Draft horses that pull Ardenwood's train. Check the daily schedule and meet the train at Ardenwood Station or Deer Park. 

"Country Kitchen Cookin'," Sundays, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Enjoy the flavor of the past with treats cooked on Ardenwood's wood burning stove. Sample food grown on the farm and discover the history of your favorite oldtime snacks. 

"Animal Feeding," Thursday-Sunday, 3 p.m. Feed the pigs, check for eggs and bring hay to the livestock. 

"Toddler Time," Tuesdays, 11-11:30 a.m. Bring the tiny tots out for an exciting morning at the farm. Meet and learn all about a new animal friend through stories, chores and fun.  

"Potato Harvesting," Learn the spectacular history of this New World native as you dig with your spade and help find the spuds. 

"Chores in the Vegetable Garden," July 10 and July 17, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Plant seeds and turn compost in the vegetable garden. 

"Have a Marvelous Moo-Tastic Day," July 17, 10:30 a.m. Listen to stories and color a cow picture. 

"Oreos Galore," July 17, 1-2 p.m. Learn about the famous cookie's past. 

"Afternoon Fun and Games," July 17 and Aug. 28, 2-3 p.m. Try old-fashioned games. 

"Rope Makin' and Hay Hoistin," July 18, 10:30 a.m. Learn to make rope. 

"The Little Red Hen," July 18, 11 a.m. Meet a Rhode Island Red and help read the story of the Little Red Hen. 

"Fixin' Feed," July 18, Noon-1 p.m. Learn about the many types of corn. 

"Saturday Rail Adventure," July 24 and Aug. 28, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Explore the fields and eucalyptus groves. 

"Peacocks with Pizazz," July 24, 1-2 p.m. Learn about these birds and look for feathers. 

"Perfectly Tasty Peach Marmalade," July 24, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Learn to make this food. 

$1-$5; free children under age 4. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont. (510) 796-0199, (510) 796-0663, www.ebparks.org.

 

BLACK DIAMOND MINES REGIONAL PRESERVE Originally the home of several Native American tribes, white men began coal mining in the area in the 1860s. The preserve today features old mines and displays of the history of the area. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Green Aliens," July 24, 10 a.m.-noon. Meet chlorophyllous aliens. 

Free unless otherwise noted; $5 seasonal parking fee on weekends. Daily, 8 a.m. to dusk Somersville Road, about five miles south of state Highway 4, Antioch. Information: (925) 757-2620, Tickets: (925) 555-1212, www.ebparks.org.

 

BLACKHAWK MUSEUM  

AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM -- The museum's permanent exhibition of internationally renowned automobiles dated from 1897 to the 1980s. The cars are displayed as works of art with room to walk completely around each car to admire the workmanship. On long-term loan from the Smithsonian Institution is a Long Steam Tricycle; an 1893-94 Duryea, the first Duryea built by the Duryea brothers; and a 1948 Tucker, number 39 of the 51 Tuckers built, which is a Model 48 "Torpedo'' four-door sedan.  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"International Automotive Treasures," An ever-changing exhibit featuring over 90 automobiles.  

"A Journey on Common Ground," An exhibit of moving photographs, video and art objects from around the world exploring the causes of disability and the efforts of the Wheelchair Foundation to provide a wheelchair for every person in need who cannot afford one.  

ONGOING EVENT --  

Free Public Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. Docent-led guided tours of the museum's exhibitions. 

$5-$8; free for children ages 6 and under. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville. (925) 736-2280, (925) 736-2277, www.blackhawkmuseum.org.

 

CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER State-of-the-art facility unifying science education activities around astronomy. Enjoy interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, indoor stargazing, outdoor telescope viewing and films. 

ASK JEEVES PLANETARIUM -- The planetarium features one of the most advanced star projectors in the world. A daily planetarium show is included with general admission. Call for current show schedule.  

"Astronaut," What does it take to be part of the exploration of space? Experience a rocket launch from inside the body of an astronaut. Explore the amazing worlds of inner and outer space, from floating around the International Space Station to maneuvering through microscopic regions of the human body. Narrated by Ewan McGregor. 25 min. 

"Space NOW!", Each week, this real-time ride through constellations, stars, and planets will reflect current happenings in our sky. Space NOW! will also tie in activities going on throughout the center. This is Chabot's first daytime guided tour of the universe. 

"Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity," Take a ride to the inside of a massive black hole and learn about the latest scientific evidence, which suggests that black holes are real. Narrated by Liam Neeson. Suitable for age 12 and older. Free with General Admission ticket. 

"Tales Of The Maya Skies," "Tales of the Maya Skies'' is a new full-dome planetarium show that explores the cosmology of the ancient Maya, along with their culture and their contributions to astronomy. Starts November 21. 

"Immersive Space: Fly Through the Cosmos," Fridays, 8 p.m. Experience the "digital universe'' in a new full-dome system. Travel to the nearest star and beyond in seconds. 

"Sunshine," A 15-minute planetarium show for children ages 5 and under. In the show, Sunshine, a lovable animated cartoon of the Sun, urges the children to sing and play along with his tricks. In the process, he introduces the colors of the day sky and the other suns of the night sky. Free with regular general admission. 

"Secret of the Cardboard Rocket," Take a journey through the solar system with two young adventurers who turn an old cardboard box into a rocket. Recommended for ages 5-10. 

"The Search for Life: Are We Alone?" A voyage from the ocean deep to the outer reaches of the cosmos in search of life, narrated by Harrison Ford. 

"The Sky Tonight," Saturdays, 8 p.m. Take a live tour of the starry sky overhead on the night of your visit. The show includes a look at constellations, planets and special celestial objects. 

"Sonic Vision," Friday-Saturday, 9:15 p.m. This show uses the latest digital technology to illuminate the planetarium with colorful computer-generated imagery set to today's popular music, including Radiohead, U2, David Bowie, Coldplay, Moby and more. 

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

"Chabot Observatories: A View to the Stars," This new permanent exhibit honors the 123-year history of Chabot and its telescopes. The observatory is one of the oldest public observatories in the United States. The exhibit covers the three different sites of the observatory over its history as well as how its historic telescopes continue to be operated today. Included are informative graphic panels, multimedia kiosks, interactive computer programs, hands-on stations, and historic artifacts. 

TIEN MEGADOME SCIENCE THEATER -- A 70-foot dome-screen auditorium. Show times subject to change. Call for current show schedule. Price with paid general admission is $6-$7. Theater only: $7-$8. (510) 336-7373, www.ticketweb.com. 

"Dinosaurs Alive," A global adventure of science and discovery, featuring the earliest dinosaurs of the Triassic Period to the monsters of the Cretaceous, "reincarnated" life-sized for the giant screen. Audiences will journey with some of the world's preeminent paleontologists as they uncover evidence that the descendents of dinosaurs still walk (or fly) among us. From the exotic, trackless expanses and sand dunes of Mongolia's Gobi Desert to the dramatic sandstone buttes of New Mexico, the film will follow American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) paleontologists as they explore some of the greatest dinosaur finds in history. 

"Forces of Nature," This film showcases the awesome spectacle of earthquakes, volcanoes, and severe storms as scientists continue their quests to understand how these natural disasters are triggered. 

"The Living Sea," The film celebrates the beauty, power and importance of the ocean. Produced in association with The National Maritime Center, the Ocean Film Network and Dr. Robert Ballard. 

"The Human Body," This show explores the daily biological processes that go on in the human body without our control and often without our notice. This amazing story is revealed in detail on the giant screen. 

"Cosmic Voyage," A breathtaking journey through time and space. Zoom from the surface of the Earth to the largest observable structures of the Universe and back down to the sub-nuclear realm, a guided tour across some 42 orders of magnitude. Explore some of the greatest scientific theories, many of which have never before been visualized on film. 

Center Admission: $14.95; $10.95 children 3-12; free children under 3; $3 discount for seniors and students. Telescope viewing only: free. Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Also open on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. after June 29. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 336-7300, www.chabotspace.org.

 

CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND A fairy tale theme park featuring more than 30 colorful fantasy sets. Designed especially for children ages 10 and under, there are gentle rides, a train, the "Peter Rabbit Village,'' puppet shows, story-telling and lots of slides and animals. Admission price includes unlimited rides, special shows, guest entertainers and puppet shows.  

OLD WEST JUNCTION -- Children's Fairyland's newest attraction is a Wild West-themed town sized just for children, with a livery stable, bank, jail and a water tower slide.  

PUPPET SHOWS -- Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. All shows are at the Open Storybook Theatre. Free with regular Fairyland admission.  

ARTS AND CRAFTS CENTER -- Activities on Saturday and Sunday, noon to 3 p.m.  

ANIMAL OF THE DAY -- Saturday and Sunday, 1-1:20 p.m. at the Humpty Dumpty Wall. Learn about one of Fairyland's animal friends. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Animal of the Day!" Saturdays and Sundays, 1-1:20 p.m. Come up close and learn about Fairyland's creatures. 

"Arts and Crafts," Noon-3 p.m. Event features arts and crafts projects for children and their families. $6. 

"Mariposa," July 17 through July 18, 12:30 and 3 p.m. A play woven from Latin American folktales about butterflies.  

"Puppet Show: The Petrified Princess," July 17 through July 18 and July 24 through July 18, 11 a.m., 2 and 4 p.m. Baron Bullyrag wishes to marry the lovely princess. The baron owns most of the lands and the poor, indebted princess is being forced into marriage. When she refuses, he turns her to stone. The knight Puff Louse has twenty four hours to find the ingredients to reverse the curse.  

Owen Baker Flynn, July 17 through July 18, 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. A lively show featuring juggling, fire eating and a multitude of surprises.  

Buki the Clown, July 24 through July 25, 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. Buki entertains with her crazy antics.  

The Fairyland Musicians, July 24 through July 25, 12:30 and 3 p.m. Written by Tony Jonick.  

$6; free for children under age 1; $2 for a Magic Key. No adult admitted without a child and no child admitted without an adult. Summer (June through Labor Day): Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Fall and Spring: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Winter: Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CLOSED DEC. 25-JAN. 4. 699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. (510) 452-2259, www.fairyland.org.

 

COYOTE HILLS REGIONAL PARK The park is located on the shoreline of Fremont Bay and features rich wetland areas as well as Ohlone Indian shellmound sites. Hiking in the park allows scenic views of San Francisco Bay and southern Alameda County. The 12-mile Alameda Creek Trail runs from the Bay east to the mouth of Niles Canyon and features an equestrian trail as well as a bicycle trail; hikers are welcome on both. The park conducts naturalist programs and has a visitor center with a nature store and Ohlone, natural history and wildlife exhibits.  

SPECIAL EVENTS -- Free unless otherwise noted.  

"Ohlone Village Site Hike," July 18, 10 a.m.-noon. Visit an Ohlone site and learn about their way of life. 

"Reptiles with Styles," July 25, 1-3 p.m. Get up close and personal with reptiles. 

"Reptiles with Styles," July 25, 1-3 p.m. Discover the unique qualities of reptiles. 

Free unless otherwise noted; A parking fee may be charged. Registration required for events. April through October: daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; October through April, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., unless otherwise posted. 8000 Patterson Pass Road, Fremont. (510) 636-1684, (510) 795-9385, www.ebparks.org.

 

CRAB COVE VISITOR CENTER At Crab Cove, you can see live underwater creatures and go into the San Francisco Bay from land. You can also travel back in time to Alameda's part. The goal is to increase understanding of the environmental importance of San Francisco Bay and the ocean ecosystem. Crab Cove's Indoor Aquarium and Exhibit Lab is one of the largest indoor aquariums in the East Bay. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Catch of the Day," Sundays, 2-3 p.m. Drop by to find out more about the Bay and its wildlife through guided exploration and hands-on fun. 

"Sea Squirts," 10-11:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Discover the wonders of nature with your little one. Registration is required. $6-$8. 

"Sea Siblings," Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Explore the natural world and take part in a theme related craft. Designed for the 3-5 year old learner. Registration is required. $4. (888) 327-2757. 

"Nature Games by the Bay," July 17, 11 a.m.-noon. Play nature themedgames. 

"Beach Art by the Bay," July 18, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Transform found objects into art. 

Free unless otherwise noted; parking fee may be charged. 1252 McKay Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-6887, www.ebparks.org.

 

DUNSMUIR HOUSE AND GARDENS HISTORIC ESTATE Nestled in the Oakland hills, the 50-acre Dunsmuir House and Gardens estate includes the 37-room Neoclassical Revival Dunsmuir Mansion, built by coal and lumber baron Alexander Dunsmuir for his bride. Restored outbuildings set amid landscaped gardens surround the mansion.  

ESTATE GROUNDS -- Self-Guided Grounds Tours are available yearround. The 50 acres of gardens and grounds at the mansion are open to the public for walking Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Booklets and maps of the grounds are available at the Dinkelspiel House. Free.  

GUIDED TOURS -- Docent-led tours are available on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. (except for July) and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. $5 adults, $4 seniors and juniors (11-16), children 11 and under free. 

Dunsmuir House and Gardens, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. (510) 615-5555, www.dunsmuir.org.

 

FOREST HOME FARMS The 16-acre former farm of the Boone family is now a municipal historic park in San Ramon. It is located at the base of the East Bay Hills and is divided into two parts by Oak Creek. The Boone House is a 22-room Dutch colonial that has been remodeled several times since it was built in 1900. Also on the property are a barn built in the period from 1850 to 1860; the Victorian-style David Glass House, dating from the late 1860s to early 1870s; a storage structure for farm equipment and automobiles; and a walnut processing plant. 

Free unless otherwise noted. Public tours available by appointment. 19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon. (925) 973-3281, www.ci.sanramon. ca.us/parks/boone.htm.< 

 

HABITOT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM A museum especially for children ages 7 and under. Highlights include "WaterWorks,'' an area with some unusual water toys, an Infant Tree for babies, a garden especially for toddlers, a child-scale grocery store and cafe, and a costume shop and stage for junior thespians. The museum also features a toy lending library.  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"Waterworks." A water play gallery with rivers, a pumping station and a water table, designed to teach about water.  

"Little Town Grocery and Cafe." Designed to create the ambience of shopping in a grocery store and eating in a restaurant.  

"Infant-Toddler Garden." A picket fence gated indoor area, which includes a carrot patch with wooden carrots to be harvested, a pretend pond and a butterfly mobile to introduce youngsters to the concept of food, gardening and agriculture.  

"Dramatic Arts Stage." Settings, backdrops and costumes coincide with seasonal events and holidays. Children can exercise their dramatic flair here.  

"Wiggle Wall." The floor-to-ceiling "underground'' tunnels give children a worm's eye view of the world. The tunnels are laced with net covered openings and giant optic lenses. 

SPECIAL EXHIBITS --  

$6-$7. Wednesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Closed Sunday-Tuesday. 2065 Kittredge St., Berkeley. (510) 647-1111, www.habitot.org.

 

HALL OF HEALTH A community health-education museum and science center promoting wellness and individual responsibility for health. There are hands-on exhibits that teach about the workings of the human body, the value of a healthy diet and exercise, and the destructive effects of smoking and drug abuse. "Kids on the Block'' puppet shows, which use puppets from diverse cultures to teach about and promote acceptance of conditions such as cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, leukemia, blindness, arthritis and spina bifida, are available by request for community events and groups visiting the Hall on Saturdays.  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"This Is Your Heart!" An interactive exhibit on heart health.  

"Good Nutrition," This exhibit includes models for making balanced meals and an Exercycle for calculating how calories are burned.  

"Draw Your Own Insides," Human-shaped chalkboards and models with removable organs allow visitors to explore the inside of their bodies.  

"Your Cellular Self and Cancer Prevention," An exhibit on understanding how cells become cancerous and how to detect and prevent cancer. 

Suggested $3 donation; free for children under age 3. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 2230 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 549-1564, www.hallofhealth.org.

 

HAYWARD SHORELINE INTERPRETIVE CENTER Perched on stilts above a salt marsh, the Center offers an introduction to the San Francisco Bay-Estuary. It features exhibits, programs and activities designed to inspire a sense of appreciation, respect and stewardship for the Bay, its inhabitants and the services they provide. The Habitat Room offers a preview of what may be seen outside. The 80-gallon Bay Tank contains some of the fish that live in the Bay's open waters, and the Channel Tank represents habitats formed by the maze of sloughs and creeks that snake through the marsh. The main room of the Center features rotating exhibits about area history, plants and wildlife. Part of the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District.  

ONGOING EXHIBIT --  

"Exploring Nature," An exhibit of Shawn Gould's illustrations featuring images of the natural world. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Nature Detectives," 11 a.m.-noon. An introduction and exploration of the world of Black-Crowned Night-Herons. Ages 3-5 and their caregivers. Registration required. 

"Waterfowl of the Freshwater Marsh," 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Join an expert birder to go "behind the gates'' to areas of the marsh that are not open to the public. 

"Weekend Weed Warriors," 1-4 p.m. Help the shoreline to eliminate the non-native plants that threaten its diversity. Ages 12 and older. Registration required. 

Free. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 4901 Breakwater Ave., Hayward. (510) 670-7270, www.hard.dst.ca.us/hayshore.html.< 

 

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF THE EAST BAY  

"Shabbat Celebration for Young Children," Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Join other families with young children to sharethis weekly Jewish holiday of joy and renewal.  

1414 Walnut St., Berkeley. (510) 848-0237, www.jcceastbay.org/.< 

 

JEWISH GATEWAYS  

"Chocolate Chip Challah," July 25, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Join other families with young children to make and take home challah.  

409 Liberty St., El Cerrito. < 

 

JUNIOR CENTER OF ART AND SCIENCE A center dedicated to encouraging children's active wonder and creative response through artistic and scientific exploration of their natural urban environment. The center's classes, workshops, exhibits and events integrate art and science.  

EXHIBITS -- Three educational exhibits are mounted in the "Children's Gallery'' each year. A docent-led tour, demonstrations, hands-on activities and art projects are available to school groups throughout the year.  

"Jake's Discovery Garden," Jake's Discovery Garden is a new interactive studio exhibit designed for preschool-aged children and their adult caregivers that teaches young visitors about the natural environments found in their backyards, playgrounds and neighborhoods. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

Free; programs and special exhibits have a fee. September through May: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June through August: Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 558 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. (510) 839-5777, www.juniorcenter.org.

 

LAKE CHABOT REGIONAL PARK The 315-acre lake offers year-round recreation. Services include canoe and boat rental, horseshoe pits, hiking, bicycling, picnicking and seasonal tours aboard the Chabot Queen. For boat rentals, call (510) 247-2526. 

Free unless noted otherwise; $5 parking; $2 per dog except guide/service dogs. Daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. 17930 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.

 

LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE  

ONGOING EXHIBITS --  

"NanoZone," Discover the science of the super-small: nanotechnology. Through hands-on activities and games, explore this microworld and the scientific discoveries made in this area.  

"Forces That Shape the Bay," A science park that shows and explains why the San Francisco Bay is the way it is, with information on water, erosion, plate tectonics and mountain building. You can ride earthquake simulators, set erosion in motion and look far out into the bay with a powerful telescope from 1,100 feet above sea level. The center of the exhibit is a waterfall that demonstrates how water flows from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Bay. Visitors can control where the water goes. There are also hands-on erosion tables, and a 40-foot-long, 6-foothigh, rock compression wall.  

"Real Astronomy Experience," A new exhibit-in-development allowing visitors to use the tools that real astronomers use. Aim a telescope at a virtual sky and operate a remote-controlled telescope to measure a planet.  

"Biology Lab," In the renovated Biology Lab visitors may hold and observe gentle animals. Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

"The Idea Lab," Experiment with some of the basics of math, science and technology through hands-on activities and demonstrations of magnets, spinning and flying, puzzles and nanotechnology.  

"Math Around the World," Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Networks.  

"Math Rules," Use simple and colorful objects to complete interesting challenges in math through predicting, sorting, comparing, weighing and counting.  

 

HOLT PLANETARIUM Shows on Saturdays and Sundays. Programs recommended for ages 6 and up unless otherwise noted. $2.50-$3 in addition to general admission.  

$6-$12; free children ages 2 and under. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. University of California, Centennial Drive, Berkeley. (510) 642-5132, www.lawrencehallofscience.org.

 

LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM This is the oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center in America, taking in 6,000 injured and orphaned animals yearly and returning 40 percent of them to the wild. The museum offers a wide range of educational programs using non-releasable wild animals to teach children and adults respect for the balance of nature. The museum includes a state-of-the art wildlife hospital which features a permanent exhibit, titled "Living with Nature,'' which houses 75 non-releasable wild animals in learning environments; a 5,000-square-foot Wildlife Hospital complete with treatment rooms, intensive care, quarantine and laboratory facilities; a 1-acre Nature Garden featuring the region's native landscaping and wildlife; and an "Especially For Children'' exhibit.  

WILDLIFE HOSPITAL -- September-March: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hospital is open daily including holidays to receive injured and orphaned animals. There is no charge for treatment of native wild animals and there are no public viewing areas in the hospital. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

$5-$7; free children under age 2. Wednesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

 

MUSEUM OF CHILDREN'S ART A museum of art for and by children, with activities for children to participate in making their own art.  

ART CAMPS -- Hands-on activities and engaging curriculum for children of different ages, led by professional artists and staff. $60 per day.  

CLASSES -- A Sunday series of classes for children ages 8 to 12, led by Mocha artists. Sundays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

OPEN STUDIOS -- Drop-in art play activities with new themes each week.  

"Big Studio." Guided art projects for children age 6 and older with a Mocha artist. Tuesday through Friday, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. $5.  

"Little Studio." A hands-on experience that lets young artists age 18 months to 5 years see, touch and manipulate a variety of media. Children can get messy. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $5.  

"Family Weekend Studios." Drop-in art activities for the whole family. All ages welcome. Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. $5 per child.  

FAMILY EXTRAVAGANZAS -- Special weekend workshops for the entire family.  

"Sunday Workshops with Illustrators," Sundays, 1 p.m. See the artwork and meet the artists who create children's book illustrations. Free. 

EVENTS --  

"Saturday Stories," 1 p.m. For children ages 2-5. Free. 

SPECIAL EVENT --  

"Saturday Stories," 1 p.m. For ages 2-5. Free. 

Free gallery admission. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 538 Ninth St., Oakland. (510) 465-8770, www.mocha.org.

 

OHLONE COLLEGE  

"Ohlone for Kids and Teens," through Aug. 12. Learn about biology, try lego robotics, journey into outer space and more. www.ohloneforkids.com. 

43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont. (510) 659-6285, www.ohlone.edu.

 

POINT PINOLE REGIONAL SHORELINE The 2,315-acre parkland bordering Pinole, Richmond and San Pablo offers views of Mount Tamalpais, the Marin shoreline and San Pablo Bay. There are trails through meadows and woods, and along the bluffs and beaches of San Pablo Bay. Visitors can hike, ride bikes or take the park's shuttle bus to reach the 1,250-foot fishing pier at Point Pinole. 

$5 per vehicle; $4 per trailered vehicle; $2 per dog (guide/service dogs free). Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted. Giant Highway, Richmond. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.

 

PREWETT FAMILY WATERPARK There are pools and water slides for all ages, from the Tad Pool for toddlers to Boulder cove for older swimmers. In addition to fun pools and slides there are fitness pools for lessons and exercise, lawns for relaxing, locker rooms, community room and kitchen. Lap lanes are open year round. Food and beverages are not permitted in the park. Picnic tables are available outside the park. 

$4-$10. Sunday through Friday: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. 4701 Lone Tree Way, Antioch. (925) 776-3070, www.ci.antioch.ca.us/CitySvcs/Prewett.< 

 

ROBERT SIBLEY VOLCANIC REGIONAL PRESERVE East Bay residents have several volcanoes in their backyard. This park contains Round Top, one of the highest peaks in the Oakland Hills. 

Free. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. 6800 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.

 

SAN RAMON LIBRARY  

"19th Annual International Storytelling Festival," through Aug. 2, 7 p.m. Jul. 19: Megumi.  

Jul. 26: Linda Gorham.  

Aug. 2: Bharata Natyam Free.  

100 Montgomery St, San Ramon. (925) 973-2850.< 

 

SHADOW CLIFFS REGIONAL RECREATION AREA The 296-acre park includes an 80-acre lake and a four-flume waterslide, with picnic grounds and a swimming beach. Water slide fees and hours: (925) 829-6230. 

$6 per vehicle; $2 per dog except guide and service dogs. May 1 through Labor Day: daily, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; shortened hours for fall and winter. Stanley Boulevard, one mile from downtown, Pleasanton. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.

 

SULPHUR CREEK NATURE CENTER A wildlife rehabilitation and education facility where injured and orphaned local wild creatures are rehabilitated and released when possible. There is also a lending library of animals such as guinea pigs, rats, mice and more. The lending fee is $8 per week.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Toddler Time," Learn about animals by listening to stories and exploring. Themes vary by month. Call for schedule. $7 per family.  

"Day on the Green Animal Presentations," Meet an assortment of wild and domestic animals. Wildlife volunteers will present a different animal each day from possums to snakes, tortoises to hawks. Saturday and Sunday, 2:30 p.m. 

CHILDREN'S EVENTS --  

Free. Park: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Discovery Center: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Animal Lending Library: Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Wildlife Rehabilitation Center: daily, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 1801 D St., Hayward. (510) 881-6747, www.haywardrec.org/sulphur_creek.html.< 

 

TILDEN REGIONAL PARK This park is large and contains hiking trails, a golf course, a miniature scaled train to ride, The Brazilian Building and picnic areas. 

SPECIAL EVENTS --  

"Personal Acts, Global Impacts," July 18, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Learna bout ecological footprints. 

"Flutter by Butterflies," July 18, 2:30-4 p.m. Tour the butterfly garden. 

"Backcountry Gourmet," July 25, 2:30-4 p.m. Learn the fundamentals of making your own backpackign food and trail snacks. 

"Wonders of Watersheds," July 25, 2-3 p.m. Find out about the intricacies of the wayerways in your neighborhood. 

Free unless otherwise noted. Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Entrances off Wildcat Canyon Road and Grizzly Peak Boulevard, Berkeley. (510) 525-2233, www.ebparks.org.

 

USS HORNET MUSEUM Come aboard this World War II aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum. The Hornet, launched in 1943, is 899 feet long and 27 stories high. During World War II she was never hit by an enemy strike or plane and holds the Navy record for number of enemy planes shot down in a week. In 1969 the Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule containing the first men to walk on the moon, and later recovered Apollo 12. In 1991 the Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and is now docked at the same pier she sailed from in 1944. Today, visitors can tour the massive ship, view World War II-era warplanes and experience a simulated aircraft launch from the carrier's deck. Exhibits are being added on an ongoing basis. Allow two to three hours for a visit. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to climb steep stairs or ladders. Dress in layers as the ship can be cold. Arrive no later than 2 p.m. to sign up for the engine room and other docent-led tours. Children under age 12 are not allowed in the Engine Room or the Combat Information Center.  

ONGOING EVENTS --  

"Limited Access Day," Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.  

"Flight Deck Fun," A former Landing Signal Officer will show children how to bring in a fighter plane for a landing on the deck then let them try the signals themselves. Times vary. Free with regular Museum admission.  

"Protestant Divine Services," Hornet chaplain John Berger conducts church services aboard The Hornet in the Wardroom Lounge. Everyone is welcome and refreshments are served immediately following the service. Sundays, 11 a.m. 

SPECIAL EVENTS -- Closed on New Year's Day. 

"Flashlight Tour," Receive a special tour of areas aboard the ship that have not yet been opened to the public or that have limited access during the day. 

"Family Day," Discounted admission for families of four with a further discount for additional family members. Access to some of the areas may be limited due to ship maintenance. Every Tuesday. $20 for family of four; $5 for each additional family member. 

"Living Ship Day," Experience an aircraft carrier in action, with simulated flight operations as aircraft are lifted to the flight deck and placed in launch position. Some former crewmembers will be on hand. 

"The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra," July 17, 8 p.m. Keeping the sound and spirit of the legendary World War II era big band leader alive, this swingin' concert will be in the perfect location, the historic aircraft carrier USS Hornet. $45-$98. 

$6-$14; free children age 4 and under with a paying adult. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pier 3 (enter on Atlantic Avenue), Alameda Point, Alameda. (510) 521-8448, www.uss-hornet.org.<


Outings: The Historic Shinn House and Gardens

By Steven Finacom
Monday July 12, 2010 - 09:09:00 PM
The wooden Victorian style Shinn House dates to the 1850s and showcases four generations of Shinn family artifacts and early Alameda County rural life. Beyond the rose arbor on the right a two-story water tower rises.
Steven Finacom
The wooden Victorian style Shinn House dates to the 1850s and showcases four generations of Shinn family artifacts and early Alameda County rural life. Beyond the rose arbor on the right a two-story water tower rises.
The “day room” has a round dining table where the adult members of the family often ate, a fireplace with inglenook seating, and a safe (empty) concealed behind one of the wooden panels.
Steven Finacom
The “day room” has a round dining table where the adult members of the family often ate, a fireplace with inglenook seating, and a safe (empty) concealed behind one of the wooden panels.
Docent Al Minard, in period costume, describes the intricacies of 19<sup>th</sup> century meals in the formal dining room.
Steven Finacom
Docent Al Minard, in period costume, describes the intricacies of 19th century meals in the formal dining room.
A needlepoint model of the house made by a volunteer sits in the corner of a bedroom that features painted bamboo wall coverings.
Steven Finacom
A needlepoint model of the house made by a volunteer sits in the corner of a bedroom that features painted bamboo wall coverings.
The house sits on a remnant 4.5 acres of the Shinn family farm and nursery. Lawns, ancient trees, a remnant apricot orchard, and historic and current ornamental plantings adjoin the house.
Steven Finacom
The house sits on a remnant 4.5 acres of the Shinn family farm and nursery. Lawns, ancient trees, a remnant apricot orchard, and historic and current ornamental plantings adjoin the house.
This little, originally one room, cottage was the first Shinn family home on the property before the main house was built.   It was constructed of timbers salvaged from schooners abandoned on the Alameda County bay shore.
Steven Finacom
This little, originally one room, cottage was the first Shinn family home on the property before the main house was built. It was constructed of timbers salvaged from schooners abandoned on the Alameda County bay shore.
An advertisement by James Shinn in the July-December 1889 <u>Overland Monthly</u>—which his daughter, Millicent, owned and published—highlights the fruit and nut trees he had available for sale from the Niles property.
Steven Finacom
An advertisement by James Shinn in the July-December 1889 Overland Monthly—which his daughter, Millicent, owned and published—highlights the fruit and nut trees he had available for sale from the Niles property.

“Thank you for visiting the beautiful half of Alameda County.”

Our guide was being somewhat facetious, but it was hard at the moment to disagree standing next to a handsome historic house surrounded by four and a half acres of gardens and grounds, with the golden—and undeveloped—hills of Fremont in the near distance.

Fremont?  

Yes. The city that Berkeleyans (including this writer, on occasion) tend to dismiss as a bland expanse of tract subdivisions and auto malls is also home to a number of historic houses, parks, and other properties where you can envision life of earlier days in what began as a prosperous agricultural district of Alameda County. 

We were at the Shinn House and Arboretum, which dates back to the 1850s and was the four-generation home of the Shinn family until given to the City of Fremont as a historic site and park in the 1960s. 

The house and grounds are a treasury of early Alameda County rural history and a pleasant spot to visit for a short tour and garden stroll. Located at the warmer end of the county in a district rich in deep, alluvial, soil, this area quickly became a focus of early agriculture in post-Gold Rush days. 

Dr. Joseph Clark from San Francisco bought the property in 1856 from the Sim (sic) family. He invited his sister, Lucy, and her husband James Shinn to move to California to manage it. They came from Texas with at least one young child by the sea route through Panama that same year. 

For several years the Shinns—who ultimately had seven children—lived in a tiny, literally one room, cottage built by the previous landowner “Captain” Sim out of timbers taken from Gold Rush era schooners that had been abandoned in the tidelands along the bay shore.  

This structure, now clapboarded and white painted, was moved to a site near the current property entrance and is used today as headquarters for a dedicated group of volunteer gardeners who maintain parts of the grounds.  

If on your visit you have a chance to peek inside, you’ll see the wide-timbered walls, a rustic fireplace across one end, and a lowered ceiling that housed a loft where the children slept. 

The main house—the feature attraction of tours—is a two and a half story above basement Stick Eastlake farmhouse which, our guide said, had Bavarian folk architectural touches reportedly suggested by Continental Shinn relatives. 

Now painted yellow, it’s built of clear-heart redwood that was logged not far away in Castro Valley. The main structure was under construction from 1865-1876 and weathered, reportedly without mishap, the great Hayward Fault Earthquake of 1868 that tore through the grounds within 100 feet of the building. 

The house has a generous front door shaded by a huge rose arbor. Left, when you enter, are formal parlor and dining room. To the right, the first room is a small office lined with agricultural texts where the ranch was managed. Beyond it, a generously sized “day room.” 

Big windows and French doors facing east, a fireplace with inglenook seating, a circular dining table, the kitchen conveniently next door, and plenty of informal sitting around room and daylight make this century and a half old space surprisingly approximate a “family room” of today.  

According to our guide this is where the Shinn family spent much of its indoor time and the adults regularly ate. Beyond, in the ample kitchen, is a L-shaped built in bench with table where the children and servants dined. Off to one side—and not on the tour—is a building extension and water tower, partially converted to park restrooms. 

Upstairs—accessible by formal staircase from the front hall, or steep back stairs from the kitchen—there are four bedrooms and a small nursery in the front of the house. One bedroom features a wall covering made from thin pieces of bamboo, mounted in a screen and painted with flowers and birds. 

A small bathroom represents a “modern”—that is, first half of the 20th century—improvement. Our guide noted that the house was originally lit by kerosene lamps, and then went straight to electricity, without a gas lighting era. 

Behind the back stairs there’s a second floor hall with another small bedroom, a bath, and a back bedroom, done as an early addition, and looking like a ship’s cabin with walls and ceiling paneled in redwood. 

The house is furnished with a mix of Shinn originals and collected objects from the 19th century. The pantry is stocked with period canned goods and hand-operated mechanical devices for food processing such as cherry pitters. There’s a laundry alcove and “sad irons”, so called because, after heating on the stove, they could easily transfer a speck of soot to a piece of laundry, ruining that piece of washing. 

Many of the furniture items are not original to the Shinn family, but there are ample authentic family artifacts from paintings to books, to a custom built indoor sedan chair in which a disabled member of the family could be carried up and downstairs from her bedroom. 

Our guide mixed in interpretations of 19th century life with Shinn stories. For example, he said the tradition of doing washing on Monday had roots in large Sunday dinners at which guests were often present and prosperous families prided themselves on never running short of food.  

This meant there were leftovers for meals the next day, leaving time for the women of the house to turn to another time-consuming task, like laundry. 

There’s a close and early tie between the Shinns and Berkeley. Four of the children went to Cal, son Joseph starting in 1879 when the University was just a dozen years old. 

The most notable academic Shinn was Joseph’s younger sister, Millicent. She not only received a degree as an undergraduate but, several years later, earned a PhD—the first graduate degree awarded to a woman by the University of California. 

Millicent Shinn’s advanced degree was based on study of her niece. Her dissertation was published as Biography of a Baby and, our guide said, is still used in teaching child psychology. 

There in her southwest facing bedroom in the house is a photo of her and other delegates on the Berkeley campus at an American Association of University Women convention. And there are also reminders of her adventurous literary life. 

In the early 1880s she bought the rights to the Overland Monthly magazine—a publication co-founded by Mark Twain—and published and edited it for several years, giving prominent place to poetry and women writers, mixed with luminaries from Joaquin Miller to Jack London. 

Outside the house, take time to stroll the grounds that are a combination of historic re-creation, imaginative landscapes, and fallow corners awaiting restoration. 

There are two barns at the back of the property, one of them salvaged and brought from another historic site in Fremont (the original Shinn barn burned in the 1970s when the house was vacant and awaiting restoration). By the barns is a small enclosure of bearing apricot trees, labeled as the last remnant of original orchard in Alameda County. 

The Shinn’s used the ranch for food production, but also built up a substantial and well known nursery business, one of several that made the future Fremont area famous by the late 19th century for its prolific production of useful plants—such as fruit trees—along with exotic species and ornamentals. 

“Niles has become the leading point in the township for the shipment of fruit, partly became the soil and situation are so excellent, but chiefly by reason of the comparatively early establishment of local and commercial nurseries here”, Charles Howard Shinn wrote about the neighborhood in 1889. “Even before tbe Shinn nurseries were begun, neighbors who saw my father extending his orchard would come in to see if he could spare a few trees.”  

At the time of the writing, Joseph Shinn was devoting 110 acres of his 250-acre property to fruit trees, besides his commercial nursery.  

Another source of income for the Shinns came from selling gravel from adjacent Alameda Creek, which annually washed down alluvium from Niles Canyon and the vast littoral of inland Alameda County beyond. The gravel mines are now the Alameda Creek Quarries Regional Park, just northwest of the historic house. 

Several early trees survive on the remnant Shinn property. There’s an enormous pair of wine palms planted around 1878 and rising like ancient temple columns, a Morton Bay fig with a tangle of sinuous surface roots dozens of feet across and a gingko older than the one on the UC campus. 

Rose beds, ornamental fountains, a lush shady lawn in front of the house, and a handsome modern-era Japanese garden off to one side are all open for strolling. The grounds would be a nice place to have a picnic lunch before or after a tour of the house. 

In fact, if you’d like to go to the Shinn House and a picnic, next Sunday—July 18—noon to 4 p.m. is a good opportunity. The Shinn House grounds will be put to use for a “Victorian Ice Cream Social”, benefitting the Mission Peaks Heritage Foundation that operates the house.  

Model A antique cars, an old West gunfighter’s re-enactment, lace making and quilt making demonstrations, and tours of the Shinn House are offered. 

The overall event is free. House tours are $5, and food—including hot dogs, popcorn, and ice cream sundaes—will be available for purchase. Call (510) 795-0891 for details. 

At other times house tours are offered on the first Wednesday and third Sunday of each month, from 1 to 3 pm. The Mission Peak Heritage Association operates the house and staffs tours. The grounds are open as a City park from sunrise to sunset.  

Our tour was led, in costume by an enthusiastic and well-informed Fremont community historian, Al Minard, who is also a leader in statewide history organizations. 

The visit was organized as one of the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association’s “First Friday” events, organized and led by BAHA Board member Sally Sachs. First Fridays take groups of visitors (advance sign-ups required) to local historic and architectural sites, often with a guided behind-the-scenes tour.  

Visits to the Berkeley City Club (August 6) and the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco (September 2) are currently scheduled. 

See the events page of BerkeleyHeritage.com for more information. 

If you want to explore the Fremont area further before or after a visit to the Shinn House, the Niles business district is not far away, just off Mission Boulevard north of the Alameda Creek bridge.  

It includes three or four blocks of one and two story wooden and brick storefronts mainly populated by antique stores and art galleries, along with the Essenay movie museum (open weekends) that recalls the era just before Hollywood when Niles was a major center of film production. 

The City of Fremont has just completed an extensive park across from the shops around a historic railroad depot. This is one end of the Niles Canyon Railroad that offers rides on historic rolling stock down what was the original Transcontinental Railroad route into the Bay Area. 

A drive up nearby Niles Canyon to Sunol is a trip back into rural Alameda County, where early Westerns were filmed. If you’re making an ambitious excursion you can circle ‘round the east side of the Berkeley Hills and return through the Caldecott Tunnel. 

This historic parts of the Niles district always remind me of what Berkeley may have felt like in the early second half of the 19th century with a rustic wooden downtown commercial district, quiet side streets of Victorian cottages, and unbuilt hills rising at the edge. 

The Shinn Historical Park and Arboretum is at 1251 Peralta Boulevard in Fremont, about 35 driving miles south of Berkeley. 

If you’re going by car you can take either the low road or the high road to the Shinn House from the Berkeley area. 880 runs south to Fremont, then take Mowry Boulevard east to Peralta Boulevard, then double back a block west on the latter. Or drive down 580 to Hayward and head south on 238, which becomes Mission Boulevard, to just past the entrance to Niles Canyon, where you turn west down Mowry, thence to Peralta.  

The 880 route is perhaps faster, if there are no traffic back-ups. The foothill route leads you through a rapidly developed district of Hayward and Fremont where condo tracts adjoin bait shops and defunct bowling alleys. 

The Fremont BART station is also about a 15-minute walk south of the property. 

 

USEFUL REFERENCES: 

City of Fremont website for the Shinn House 

http://www.fremont.gov/index.aspx?nid=325 

Website links for historic attractions in the Shinn House vicinity 

Niles Main Street Association http://www.niles.org/ 

Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum and theater 

http://www.nilesfilmmuseum.org/ 

Niles Canyon Railway 

http://www.ncry.org/ 

Niles Railway Museum (under development) in the historic Niles station. 

http://www.nilesdepot.org/niles/home.html 

 

(Steven Finacom wrote about another historic Fremont estate, Ardenwood and the, in the December 7, 2007 issue of the Planet, which can be found on line.)