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The new Berkeley Public Library "BranchVan" was purchased and registered with nearly $88,000 in funds taken from Berkeley's Measure FF bond designated to renovate and expand the four branch libraries.  The mobile bookmobile is parked on Bancroft Way, west of Shattuck, in a former yellow zone now designated by the City as a reserved parking spot for the vehicle.
Steven Finacom
The new Berkeley Public Library "BranchVan" was purchased and registered with nearly $88,000 in funds taken from Berkeley's Measure FF bond designated to renovate and expand the four branch libraries. The mobile bookmobile is parked on Bancroft Way, west of Shattuck, in a former yellow zone now designated by the City as a reserved parking spot for the vehicle.
 

News

Press Release: Alameda County D. A. Announces a Major Operation Against Large-scale Prostitution Ring in Berkeley and Throughout the Bay Area.

From the Alameda County District Attorney's Office
Friday January 21, 2011 - 02:31:00 PM

On January 20, 2011, a team of 125 law enforcement personnel assisted the Hayward Police Department (HPD) in serving search and arrest warrants at ten locations in Alameda, Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties. Participating agencies include Hayward, Oakland, Berkeley, Sunnyvale, Newark, Danville, and San Jose Police Departments, Contra Costa and Santa Clara County Sheriffs Offices, California Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office (ACDAO). Yesterday’s joint effort was intended as both an enforcement and rescue operation. Eight people were arrested for their role in operating the ring. Ten adult females were recovered, provided with support services, and all but one taken into custody. Asian Community Mental Health, Standing Against Global Exploitation, Bay Area Women Against Rape, Women Inc., Community Violence Solutions and an ACDAO H.E.A.T. (Human Exploitation and Trafficking) Unit advocate participated in the operation. The investigation as well efforts to further identify victims and suspects is ongoing. 

This operation is the culmination of a year-long investigation by HPD uncovering a sophisticated ring of brothels where scores of immigrant Asian women were exploited to further the ring’s lucrative enterprise. The investigation began when an HPD patrol officer looked into neighborhood complaints of suspected prostitution in a local residence. Attentive HPD officers eventually uncovered evidence supporting the claim. An in-depth undercover investigation ensued, establishing that the home in question was a clandestine brothel and part of a larger ring of similar brothels. Investigators estimate dozens of women have been brought into the United States from Taiwan and China, placed on the prostitution circuit in this country, and cycled through these targeted Bay Area brothels. In addition to crimes associated with operating brothels, investigators continue to determine the degree to which human exploitation and trafficking is involved in procuring and enslaving the women recovered from these brothels.  

H.E.A.T. is one of the fastest growing criminal industries in this country. ACDAO’s award-winning H.E.A.T. Watch Program is nationally acknowledged as a model response. Recognizing that H.E.A.T. knows no borders – locally, nationally, or internationally – heads of all 29 Alameda County law enforcement agencies as well as San Francisco and Contra Costa county law enforcement leaders, joined ACDAO last July as committed participants in H.E.A.T. Watch. Yesterday’s multi-agency operation, stemming from the HPD investigation, is a testament to this regional commitment. “This is a historic operation because so many agencies from all over the Bay Area came together under the umbrella of H.E.A.T. Watch for what represents the first multi-jurisdictional and multi-agency Regional H.E.A.T. Watch operation. Efforts of this magnitude and this degree of collaboration by local, state and federal law enforcement and service providers are unprecedented and bode well for future efforts to successfully combat the H.E.A.T. epidemic plaguing our region,” said Sharmin Bock, Assistant District Attorney in Charge of Special Operations and Policy Development.


New: Sex Change Surgery is Beside the Point (Reader Commentary)

By Barbara Gilbert
Thursday January 20, 2011 - 03:44:00 PM

Sex change surgery is beside the point when examining Berkeley’s budget and its employee health care program.  

The City has a Rolls-Royce plan that would astound and create envy in 99.9% of Americans—rich, poor or middle class. For the basic plan, employees pay nothing and receive these benefits tax-free. In some cases, employees actually receive cash in lieu of coverage. 

I refer interested and concerned readers to the City of Berkeley Consent Calendar Item #5 on November 16, 2010.  

For families of active employees, the City pays up to the Kaiser rate of $16,800 annually. For families of pre-Medicare retirees, the City pays $28,800 annually. For retiree families, the City pays $18,000 annually. The payments for single and two-party households are of course lower, but still astronomical. Beneficiaries who choose pricier Health Net coverage plans pay the difference out of pocket. For retirees, the City has paid, since 1988, premium increases of up to 4.5% annually (so for a 1988 retiree, the City’s premium cost has about doubled). 

The scope of employee Kaiser coverage is apparently limitless. For active employees and pre-Medicare retirees, there is $0 co-pay for office visits and $5 RX co-pay. For post-retirees the office visit co-pay rises to $5 and the RX co-pay stays at $5. 

My take on health care reform, shared by most other commentators, is that reasonable co-pays discourage abuse of the system by providers and patients, and of course promote sensible cost containment. 

We also know that physical fitness absolutely promotes good health. Berkeley employees receive free gym membership at the Downtown YMCA at a cost of almost $300,000 annually. Does the City even know how many employees use this valuable benefit? To my knowledge, there has been no serious effort to encourage or require at-risk employees to use this benefit. 

Then there is the cash-out issue. The point of health insurance is to address health issues, not to enrich employees. I briefly worked for the City about ten years ago and was amazed to learn that I could take my health benefits in cash since I was insured through my then-husband. I cannot recall whether this cash was tax-free but it may well have been. This wasteful policy is apparently still operative so that some number of otherwise-insured beneficiaries are literally cashing-in. Can the City provide this number and the dollar cost? Perhaps this “free” money should be used for borderline coverage in elective surgery and mental health. 

I really wish that the public and press would not get distracted by push-button issues such as sex-change surgeries, but would instead do the harder work of reading, thinking, and analysis of the very serious structural issues facing our communities. 


Press Release: UC Berkeley appoints new vice chancellor for administration and finance

Thursday January 20, 2011 - 11:52:00 AM

University of California, Berkeley, Chancellor Robert Birgeneau today (Thursday, Jan. 20) announced the appointment of John Wilton, an economist and senior manager with nearly 25 years’ experience with the World Bank, as UC Berkeley’s chief administrative officer. 

Wilton is expected to begin his new position as vice chancellor-administration and finance on Feb. 1. He was selected after a nationwide search that followed the departure of Nathan Brostrom, the campus’s former vice chancellor-administration, who took a post early last year at the UC Office of the President. Vice Chancellor Frank Yeary and Associate Vice Chancellor Ron Coley have been performing these duties in the interim. 

Wilton, 55, most recently was a managing director and the director of international research for Farallon Capital Management LLC, a global, multi-strategy, U.S.-based investment manager. Prior to that, he worked from 1982-2006 for the World Bank, which provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries worldwide, in positions including chief financial officer, vice president for strategy, finance and risk management, and senior economist. 

“Given the state of California’s economy and UC’s severe budget crisis, we are thrilled that John, with his vast experience in finance, economics and managing highly complex, large organizations, will guide us through these difficult times,” said Birgeneau. “His work with the World Bank also has equipped him with a keen understanding of world politics, global economies, the forging of public-private sector partnerships and the importance of public service.” 

Wiltonwill partner with the chancellor and the executive vice chancellor and provost to set the campus’s long-range administrative and financial goals, and take a strong leadership role in management of the campus, the development of campus policies, and the distribution and utilization of financial, capital and human resources. 

This vice chancellor position has broadened to include leadership of increasingly urgent campus priorities: the continuing design and implementation of Operational Excellence, the campus’s initiative to reduce costs and improve campus operations; stabilization of the budget; and the establishment of a sustainable financial model for the future. The focus on these goals as the immediate agenda for the next vice chancellor led to a change in title from vice chancellor-administration to vice chancellor-administration and finance. Erin Gore will continue to serve as chief financial officer, reporting directly to Wilton. 

Wiltonwill manage UC Berkeley’s annual operating budget of more than $1.8 billion, including nearly $700 million in research funding. The divisions he will oversee comprise nearly 2,400 employees and campus operations that include financial and human resources, auxiliary and business services, athletics, and environment, health and public safety. 

Wiltonsaid he is honored to join UC Berkeley, and to help at such a crucial time in its history. 

“If the U.S. is going to be competitive in a global environment, education and first-class research is central,” said Wilton. “The preeminent public research university in the world is UC Berkeley, and it faces serious challenges to maintain its excellence. I felt that if I was going to make an important contribution, nothing could be more important than working for Berkeley, and working there now, because the next few years could be crucial.” 

“One of my priorities will be to ensure that UC Berkeley is well-positioned and resourced to succeed in this difficult environment,” he said. “I look forward to working with the chancellor, his senior administration, and the faculty, staff and students, not only to meet Berkeley’s current financial headwinds, but to ensure that it has a sustainable financial model that will enable it to adapt and grow to meet the challenges ahead.” 

Wilton, a British national, received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from Sussex University. He left his Ph.D. program at Cambridge University in 1982 to join the World Bank’s Young Professionals Program, and remained with the international financial institution until 2006. 

While at the World Bank, he worked as an economist in several of the bank’s overseas operations, including in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, then became the bank’s director and chief credit officer, and ultimately was chief financial officer and vice president for strategy, finance and risk. 

The World Bank’s financial and technical expertise leads to development projects that improve living standards and reduce poverty worldwide. Last year, it provided $46.9 billion for 303 projects in developing countries. 

Wiltonl eft the bank in 2006 to become a managing director of Farallon Capital Management LLC, where he established and built out a dedicated macroeconomic research capability. Two years later, he also began work as a consultant to Hellman and Friedman, a large private equity firm based in San Francisco. 

A resident of Marin County, Wilton is married with two children. 

 

### 

 

Information about Wilton’s compensation is online at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/24841

 


Flash: UC Berkeley Appoints Former World Bank Executive to Finance Position

Thursday January 20, 2011 - 09:59:00 AM

An anonymous correspondent has forwarded to the Planet the following letter from U.C. Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgenau, announcing the appointment of a former World Bank executive to the position of Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance:  

 


"It gives me very great pleasure to announce the appointment of John Wilton as Vice Chancellor - Administration and Finance. John was identified to fill this critical position for the Berkeley campus from a field of outstanding candidates in a nation-wide search following the move of Nathan Brostrom to the Office of the President. John is expected to begin his new position on February 1st.

John Wilton has extensive experience in both the public and private sector. For almost 25 years, he worked at the World Bank - a complex, global organization with an annual budget of $2Billion that provides low-interest loans, interest-free credits, grants and policy advice to developing countries for a wide array of purposes to assist their advancement, including in education. While there, he worked in most parts of the Bank, including operations in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe as well as in the Economic Research and Treasury departments. He also undertook two overseas assignments working on specific economic policy issues in Indonesia and the broader set of issues related to the process of transition to a market economy in Eastern Europe. In 2002, he became Vice President for Strategy, Finance and Risk, and two years later was named Chief Financial Officer. During this time he was responsible for defining the Bank's overall business strategy, overseeing its financi!
al policies and risk management functions, and ensuring that the administrative budget was consistent with the Bank's financial outlook and aligned with its strategic priorities. He oversaw a team of over 400 staff at the World Bank.

Since leaving the Bank in 2006, John has worked as a Managing Director and the Director of International Research for Farallon Capital Management LLC, a global multi-strategy US-based investment manager. He was also a consultant to Hellman & Friedman, a private equity firm. John provided these firms with global macroeconomic advice and research on specific issues.

John grew up and was educated in the United Kingdom, where he attended the University of Sussex, receiving his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in economics and statistics. He then spent two years working as an economist for the Government of Tanzania before returning to the UK to study at the University of Cambridge for his PhD in economics. He was working on his doctoral degree when he left to join the World Bank.

John will play an instrumental leadership role at UC Berkeley at a time of continuing and challenging resource constraints, partnering with the Chancellor and the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost to set long-range administrative and financial goals, and in management of the campus, the development of campus policies, and the distribution and utilization of financial, capital and human resources.

This Vice Chancellor position has broadened to include leadership of increasingly urgent campus priorities: the continuing design and implementation of Operational Excellence, the campus's initiative to reduce costs and improve campus operations; stabilization of the budget; and the establishment of a sustainable financial model for the future. The focus on these goals as the immediate agenda led to a change in title from Vice Chancellor-Administration to Vice Chancellor-Administration and Finance. Associate Vice Chancellor Erin Gore will continue to serve as chief financial officer, reporting directly to John.

I am most grateful to Vice Chancellor Frank Yeary and Associate Vice Chancellor, Business and Administrative Services, Ron Coley, who have set aside some of their other priorities to help us manage this critical portfolio, while we searched to fill this position.

I also want to express my thanks to the search committee, which was aided by the consulting firm of Spencer Stuart, for their outstanding work in advising me on this appointment.

Please join me in warmly welcoming John Wilton to UC Berkeley.

A press release announcing the appointment will be posted later today on the campus NewsCenter at
http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2011/01/20/vice-chancellor-for-administration-and-finance

Robert J. Birgeneau
Chancellor"
 


Berkeley Council Worksession Examines Unfunded Liabilities

By Charlotte Perry-Houts
Thursday January 20, 2011 - 09:56:00 AM

The Berkeley City Council discussed the city's unfunded liabilities with City Auditor Anne-Marie Hogan, City Manager Phil Kamlarz, and Budget Manager Teresa Berkeley-Simmons at Tuesday night's Worksession. Facing a projected $11.5 million deficit this fiscal year, the city is trying to figure out how to deal with its employees' pension, vacation, and health benefits that it doesn't have the money to pay for. Hogan's report shows that while 77% of the city's total benefits are funded, several categories of benefits are significantly lower, with only 2% of Sick and Vacation payouts funded and 13% of Police Retiree Medical expenses funded. The report lists the dollar amount of unfunded liabilities to be $252.81 million. 

Council members discussed the problems with contributing more money to CalPERS to reduce the amount of unfunded pensions. Given the city's large deficit, increasing CalPERS contributions would mean more cuts to city services. City Manager Phil Kamlarz pointed out that most of the cuts have been restricted to administrative staff in order not to negatively affect key city services like Police and Fire. 130 full-time positions have been eliminated through attrition in dealing with the budget problems, and there are plans to cut 75 more. Since fewer employees have been leaving, layoffs are scheduled for March and April of this year. 

Council members emphasized the importance of employee and union participation in the upcoming discussions about budgets, benefits, and cuts. The first closed session on employee benefits negotiations is on January 31st.


Berkeley Council Approves Local Hiring, Safeway Project--Postpones Funding Sex Reassignment.

By Charlotte Perry-Houts
Thursday January 20, 2011 - 09:23:00 AM

At Tuesday night's regular meeting, the Berkeley City Council took action on the Community Workforce Agreement, discussed sex reassignment surgery, and upheld a ZAB decision to allow the Safeway on North Shattuck to expand and remodel. Councilmember Max Anderson was absent due to back problems. 

The meeting began on a sad note: Tim Moellering, who was being recognized and honored by the City Council for his work as a baseball coach and history teacher at Berkeley High School, had passed away earlier the same evening. Dozens of friends, students, and family members came and held a moment of silence in his memory. Moellering recently helped secure funding for Berkeley's Measure I, and has long been trying to get regulation-sized fields for Berkeley athletics. Council requested that the Derby Street field renovation be made a priority project. Efforts are being made to get the field named “Tim Moellering Field.” 

Councilmember Linda Maio read a proclamation honoring the Covenant Worship Center for its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day community service. This year, 35 volunteers cleaned up the area in and around San Pablo Park and collected 65-75 bags of trash. Councilmember Darryl Moore read a proclamation declaring 2011 the Year of the Black Man, promising that Berkeley will focus on enriching the lives of its black men, particularly through the efforts of the 2020 Vision project. 

The City Manager noted that the citywide homeless count would be starting on January 25th, and expressed hope that it will reveal improvements in the problem of homelessness. 

Non-agenda public commentators included a woman expressing anger about the recent closing of Willard Pool, which community members are hoping will re-open. Another public commentator, who was clearly not in high school, proposed that Berkeley pay its students to go to high school. 

Item 6 on the Consent Calendar, proposing that the city set aside a $20,000 per fiscal year fund to help employees afford sex reassignment surgery, was held off until February 15th for further consideration and re-wording. Representatives of The Pacific Center and the Transgender Law Center, as well as Lynn Riordan, a clerk in the finance department who has undergone sex reassignment surgery, came forward to support Berkeley's efforts to promote civil liberties by creating the fund. There has been some community concern that the city is spending the extra money on this legislation when there is little money to spare for city services and projects, but most Councilmembers and public commentators at Tuesday's meeting seemed to be in support of the legislation. 

Item 9 on the Consent Calendar, regarding early bird parking fees for parking garages, was held until February 8th so that the Transportation Manager could attend and answer questions. 

The Consent Calendar, with the aforementioned items removed, was passed unanimously. It included the repeal of the Zoning Ordinance amendment allowing libraries to make renovations without variance permits. Concerned Library Users opposed the ordinance last year, because the City had not prepared an Environmental Impact Report. The city is now going to prepare an EIR and move forward with the Zoning Ordinance amendment to facilitate the renovation of the South and West neighborhood branch libraries. 

Also on the Consent Calendar were the extension of the 9th Street bicycle boulevard with the collaboration of the City of Emeryville, a $50,000 lawsuit settlement, and a request for a follow-up report on the Property and Evidence Room POST Study. The POST study is designed to evaluate BPD's implementation of 18 recommendations regarding their property and evidence function. 

The main attraction of the evening was the Community Workforce Agreement, which the Council passed unanimously. A large crowd of union representatives and workers appeared at the meeting to encourage the Council to adopt the Agreement, which is supposedly designed to create local jobs. The CWA dictates terms of agreement between contractors and unions for demolition, construction, and landscaping projects worth $1 million or more. Contractors are required to hire within union recommendations, give 30% of the hours worked to Berkeley residents, pay prevailing wages, and give ten cents for every hour worked to the city for implementation of the agreement. If there is not enough labor to hire within Berkeley, second priority goes to workers in the “green corridor” areas, or places that have short commutes to Berkeley, and then to workers within Alameda County. In 14 months, the city will assess whether the CWA is working, and whether it should be extended to projects worth less than $1 million. They will be assessing whether the CWA has done its job in increasing jobs for Berkeley and green corridor residents, whether the costs of implementing the agreement are greater than one per cent of the cost of the construction contracts, and whether there has been an impact on the number of contracts and subcontracts being awarded to small, Berkeley-based businesses. 

Many of the public commentators were Berkeley carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and other manual laborers who have been unemployed lately, partly because other cities are enforcing agreements like Berkeley's CWA. They were pleased with the legislation and urged the city to make a strong effort to enforce the terms of the agreement. 

Council then passed Item 20, inviting proposals and bids for projects that could create some local jobs 

Councilmember Susan Wengraf secured an appointment to the Association of Bay Area Governments, while Kriss Worthington got one for the East Bay group of the League of California Cities, which he joked was a consolation prize, since he'd sought the ABAG post. 

Finally, the Council upheld the ZAB's decision to allow the North Shattuck Safeway to expand and remodel. Two appellants from the neighborhood had complained about the traffic, safety, and appearance of the proposed building, and a third appellant was upset that the project had been characterized as an urban infill project, giving it lots of exemptions and freedom from the California Environmental Quality Act. One neighbor removed her appeal after having discussed the matter with Councilmember Capitelli and Safeway representatives. One of the Safeway representatives referred to Councilmember Capitelli as “the new Henry Kissinger of the City of Berkeley,” which was unprecedentedly controversial-sounding. The Council unanimously voted in favor of Safeway, so look forward to a much larger grocery store on Shattuck and Henry in the near future.


Library Buys Temporary Bookmobile – Paid for out of Branch Permanent Renovation Funds

By Steven Finacom
Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 07:44:00 AM
The new Berkeley Public Library "BranchVan" was purchased and registered with nearly $88,000 in funds taken from Berkeley's Measure FF bond designated to renovate and expand the four branch libraries.  The mobile bookmobile is parked on Bancroft Way, west of Shattuck, in a former yellow zone now designated by the City as a reserved parking spot for the vehicle.
Steven Finacom
The new Berkeley Public Library "BranchVan" was purchased and registered with nearly $88,000 in funds taken from Berkeley's Measure FF bond designated to renovate and expand the four branch libraries. The mobile bookmobile is parked on Bancroft Way, west of Shattuck, in a former yellow zone now designated by the City as a reserved parking spot for the vehicle.

The City of Berkeley has purchased and registered with the State, at a cost of nearly $88,000, a bookmobile to bring limited Berkeley Public Library services to Berkeley neighborhoods when their branch libraries are closed down for renovation or demolition, starting this year.

To buy and register the temporary-use van the City dipped into bond money Berkeley voters approved for the permanent physical renovation of the branches. 

The City Council gave approval for the purchase in July 2010. The vehicle, which the Library calls the “BranchVan”, was apparently paid for last December, and recently stored on Bancroft Way behind the Central Branch library in a special curbside parking zone designated by the City at the same time the Council approved buying the van. 

It’s expected to begin operation when the North and Claremont Branch libraries are closed later this spring. The Library bills the van as part of the branch renovation program; the vehicle is prominently painted with the slogan “Berkeley Public Library: Branch Improvement Program.” 

Funds from Measure FF, the 2008 Bond measure to finance renovation and expansion of Berkeley’s four branch libraries, were used to buy the van, according to a City Council item from July 2010. 

Measure FF, as presented to Berkeley voters, authorized $26 million in bonds to “renovate, expand and make seismic and access improvements at the four neighborhood branch libraries.” Berkeley voters approved it in November 2008. 

The ballot Measure and City Attorney analysis of it made no mention of using funds from the bond to buy a bookvan or bookmobile for the library system or cover other expenses connected to ongoing branch operations but not directly related to the renovation, expansion, or making of seismic and access improvements to the branches. 

The branch library plan is currently embroiled in community controversy—and a citizen lawsuit—over the decision of the City to demolish and rebuild, rather than “renovate and expand” the South and West branch libraries. 

(Disclosure: this writer is of the opinion that Measure FF did not allow for funds to be spent on branch demolition, and has written about that issue in previous Planets). 

In June, 2010, Director of Library Services Donna Corbeil told the Board of Library Trustees “Measure FF funds can be used to purchase the vehicle with the caveat it will be used to continue providing library services when a branch is closed.” 

The next month the Library told the City Council in writing that the proposed purchase of the van using Measure FF funds was "best aligned with the use restrictions imposed on funds sourced through general obligation bonds."  

Funding for a vehicle purchase is sourced from the 2.4% (or $623,683) share of Measure FF bond proceeds currently allocated to the overall program contingency,”City staff told the Council in the approval item. 

The City Council accepted the recommendation. City staff did also tell the Council at the time that the book van was desirable, but not essential to, the renovation of the branch libraries. 

"The successful completion of the Branch Libraries Improvement Program does not require that alternative services be offered; however, a strong preference for continued services in the neighborhoods affected by a closure has been expressed in all four branch communities.” (emphasis added) 

When I asked Corbeil, via an e-mail exchange at the end of last week, to clarify whether the City Attorney had given her an opinion on the legality of using Measure FF funds to buy the bookvan, she refused to answer. 

“Communications with the City Attorney’s Office are exempt from disclosure under Government Code Section 6254 (k) as they are confidential under the attorney / client communication privilege, and thus will not be disclosed”, she wrote back to me. 

Corbeil also refused to provide information on whether the operating costs of the book van as well as the purchase cost would come out of Measure FF funds. 

The Library projected, in 2010, that in addition to the purchase cost—then anticipated at $83,000, slightly more than was ultimately spent on buying the van—it would spend another $37,000 on "maintenance, fuel, on-going registration and related costs for the bookvan over the course of the branch library construction program. " I asked Corbeil if she could tell me how long the Library expected to have the BranchVan in operation? 

“The Library could find no document that contains information responsive to this question”, she answered. 

(In further research, I found this statement by Library staff from the notes describing a March 31, 2010 Community Meeting held at the Claremont Branch Library. 

(Question) “Will there be a temporary site during the closure?” (Answer) “The plan is to close two branches at a time and Claremont and North will be closed first. We would like patrons to visit the other branches that will be open, including the Central Library. South Branch is the closest branch to Claremont. The Board of Library Trustees is discussing the option of a book van to deliver holds and pick up materials in the neighborhoods of the closed branches.” 

While the Claremont and North library closures and renovations will begin this year, there appears to be no exact projection for the dates of the South and West branch renovations, aside from a six-month Environmental Impact Report process that is currently underway. In a staff report to the Library Board of Trustees this month Corbeil stated, “the West Branch and South Branch projects are on hold pending completion of the EIR process.” 

The staff report to the City Council from July 2010 also notes that the Library had explored purchasing a used bookmobile from other libraries but “the vehicles offered in every case were out of warranty due to the vehicle being older than ten years or over mileage targets.” 

This would imply that a bookmobile can be regarded as outworn or obsolete after ten years, which would be long before Berkeley voters finish paying off the purchase cost and interest assigned to the Measure FF bonds.) 

Corbeil also refused to provide information on the possibility of Berkeley Public Library use of the BranchVan after the branch library program is completed. 

“There are no documents responsive to this request”, Corbeil told me. 

Would the Library discontinue and/or sell the BranchVan if it isn’t going to be used after the branches reopen, I asked Corbeil? 

“There are no documents responsive to this request”, she again replied. 

(In later research, however, I found a reference in the May 2010, Board of Library Trustee minutes that “There is a possibility of selling bookmobile after branch improvement project is completed.”) 

Some cost details of the purchase were among the few fragments of information provided by Corbeil in response to my interview questions. She forwarded me two document pdfs, one a purchase invoice from the vendor and the other registration information and a tally of the costs to register the “BranchVan” as a motor vehicle with the State of California. 

The BranchVan is a 2010 model Mercedes-Benz CargoVan 3500, also known as an “Explorer / Sprinter Van”, purchased from “OBS Inc” of Canton, Ohio. 

According to their website, “OBS INC. is a leading supplier of Blue Bird school buses and a custom designer and builder of high quality specialty vehicles for customers nationwide. Our bookmobiles, mobile command centers, mobile classrooms, mobile methadone clinics, and more generally, our mobile medical units are used in a variety of challenging environments and are built to stand the rigors of daily use.” 

The “Explorer / Sprinter Van” is one of seven bookmobile models offered by the company, and is described on their website as having a capacity of up to 1,500 books. 

The OBS salesperson was Barbara Ferne. According to an invoice from OBS, the City approved payment on December 7, 2010, and the company apparently received the money on December 14, 2010. The van was registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles the next day. 

Registration with the State of California cost $8,689, according to the “Vehicle Registration Fee Calculator” summary Corbeil sent me. Expenses included $910 for the basic vehicle registration payment--$966 total, for all registration costs--and $7,712 for sales tax. 

I also asked Director Corbeil about the expected cost of operating the BranchVan. How much does the Library expect to pay to keep the vehicle in operation, and staff it, I asked? 

Instead of answering directly, she suggested I look at the City’s web page and the City Council agenda for July 13, 2009, and at two on-line .pdfs from the Board of Library Trustees, comprising hundreds of pages of miscellaneous reports and other materials on a variety of Library business operations. 

“Board of Library agendas, minutes, and recordings can be found online at (the city’s website)” Corbeil added. She gave me the City Council’s website address as a starting point. 

The July 13, 2010 City Council item contains this statement: 

“In addition to the vehicle purchase cost of a bookvan, added costs will include sales tax and use fees, vehicle registration and license fees, as well as other expenses for maintenance servicing and fuel, and miscellaneous fees assessed either by the City, county, or state. At present full costs including vehicle purchase is estimated at $120,000 over the life of the Branch Libraries Improvement Program.” 

Since the BranchVan cost $79,100, and the registration costs and sales tax bring the disclosed costs to date to $87,779, that leaves $32,211 of the $120,000, by the Library’s estimate, for “expenses for maintenance servicing and fuel”, spread “over the life of the Branch Libraries Improvement Program”. 

I also asked Corbeil if the Library expected to use any Measure FF Bond funds to pay for any of the operating costs? 

She declined to say, referring me instead to the same broad sets of Council and Library minutes. I could not find in any of the on-line City Council or Board of Library Trustees documents information shedding light on this question other than the statement in the July, 2010 City Council item that Vehicle staffing is expected to be primarily sourced from the pool of branch staff affected by the then closed facilities.” 

The “BranchVan” appears to have been acquired without a formal public announcement, to date, other than the mentions in City Council and Library Trustee minutes and reports. 

Although Director Corbeil told the Board of Library Trustees (BOLT) on January 12, 2011 that “staff continues to update the Library website with FAQs, announcements of meetings etc. as needed”, I have not found any press release from the Library describing the arrival of the BranchVan or its uses. 

Corbeil did add in that report to BOLT, “The Branch Van has been received and ‘wrapped’ with colorful graphics in anticipation of usage. The staff will identify opportunities to promote the service in advance of the closures so that the public is well aware of the temporary service.” 

When I reviewed it on January 18, 2011, the “Branch Construction Page” on the Library website did not contain any visible announcement of the van acquisition or the use of Measure FF funds to provide it. 

However, a January 13, 2011 posting by Frances Dinkelspiel on the Berkeleyside blog website characterizes the van, without attributing a City source, as “Berkeley’s newest ‘branch’ library.” 

“Take a look at the new mobile branch library, known in another era as a bookmobile. Now it’s called a BranchVan. It’s idle now, but starting in the spring it will be shifting back and forth to the neighborhoods around the Claremont and North branches. Library patrons will be able to go online, put books on hold, and visit the van to pick them up; return books, and take out books displayed in the van.” 

-- 

EXCERPTS FROM CITY DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE BRANCHVAN PURCHASE 

The purchase of a Bookvan by the City was discussed in at least three Board of Library Trustees meetings in spring, 2010. The relevant excerpts from the minutes are below. 

In April 2010, the Library Director reported to the Board of Library Trustees: 

“As we get closer to entering the construction phase of the Branch Library Improvement Program the Library is continuing its investigation of the logistics involved in providing limited mobile library services in the immediate neighborhoods affected by closure. A request to open an RFP has been made with the City’s Purchasing Department tentatively scheduled to run from May 20 through May 27. Likewise, on behalf of the Library, Purchasing posted a list serve notice announcing the Library’s interest to consider procurement of a used bookmobile. Staff expects to conclude its research in time to present its findings and a recommendation to the board at the June 9th regular meeting. Following board approval, a recommendation to purchase will be included on the City Council consent calendar.” 

The following month, May 2010, however, the BOLT minutes report a change in plans. 

“Discussion regarding bookmobile. Director Corbeil responded to trustee questions and comments: Firms usually don’t lease bookmobiles. Bookmobiles are generally custommade to fulfill a specific library’s needs. The library has explored other options, including lease. Many libraries buy very large RV style bookmobiles, we don’t think they would work well in Berkeley. There is a possibility of selling bookmobile after branch improvement project is completed. Trustees expressed a strong interest in purchasing a vehicle. There was a discussion of the type of fuel options, diesel is the norm, but will explore if can convert it to biodiesel after purchase. This item will be added to a future agenda.” 

The next month, June 2010, BOLT approved asking the City Council to spend up to $83,200 to buy a new bookvan. 

“The Board discussed the van presented to provide mobile library services during branch closures for construction. Staff responded to questions regarding the vehicle, it will be ADA accessible, have flexibility with moveable carts to take services inside partner organizations, and due to the size it will not require a special State of CA license to operate. Director Corbeil reported that Measure FF funds can be used to purchase the vehicle with the caveat it will be used to continue providing library services when a branch is closed. (emphasis added) Following approval by the board, staff will bring to City Council, following their approval a purchase order will be issued and the custom vehicle will be ordered. Preliminary schedule is for late fall delivery. Staff will explore local vendors for the personalized graphics/wrap, security system and bio-diesel options. Price does not include licensing and taxes.” 

City Manager Phil Kamlarz and Director of Library Services Donna Corbeil then conveyed the request to the City Council in a July 13, 2010, Consent Calendar item, excerpted below (emphasis added to document). 

“RECOMMENDATION 

Adopt a Resolution to authorize the City Manager to execute a purchase order with OBS Inc. of Canton, Ohio for the acquisition of a van configured for the provision of mobile library services during the closure periods of the four branch libraries while undergoing construction related to the Measure FF funded Branch Libraries Improvement Program in an amount not to exceed $83,200 and to redesignate a 25’-0” yellow-curbed parking zone on Bancroft Way to a grey-curbed zone for exclusive Library-use only parking. 

FISCAL IMPACT 

A purchase order will be executed by the City Manager for the not-to-exceed purchase price of $83,200, excluding sales taxes and user fees, vehicle registration and license fees, and miscellaneous fees assessed either by the City, county, or state. 

Funding for this purchase is available through Measure FF Fund (308) in budget code 308-9301-450.70-42, 10LB28. 

BACKGROUND 

In November 2008, voters approved the sale of $26M in bonds to renovate, expand, and make seismic and access improvements at the four neighborhood branch libraries. As the four branch improvement projects advance; and with the start of construction tentatively projected for March 2011 for the North and Claremont branches, the Board of Library Trustees requested that the Library explore cost effective alternative service models for the impacted neighborhoods. This request was made in recognition by the board of the concerns of many citizens who are unable or unwilling to go to the Central Library or other branches when their branch is closed. Among the options the Library considered were city-wide mailbox-style book drops and book vending machines, temporary satellite locations in partnership with a hosting organization, providing paid or downtown parking, and procurement of a vehicle to provide mobile services. At the conclusion of researching the options, the Library determined that mobile services presented the most viable, cost effective, flexible means for providing library services throughout the life of the improvement program and was best aligned with the use restrictions imposed on funds sourced through general obligation bonds. 

Determinants favoring mobile services included the ability to locate services where and when demand exists, to size the selected vehicle to Library needs and budgetary constraints, to configure the vehicle interior to service reserved/hold items and to provide a small browsing collection on roll-on/roll-off carts. Additionally, a book vehicle may serve as an important outreach tool to enhance the visibility of the Library’s civic presence and its offered services throughout the City. Drawbacks are the ongoing operational maintenance and fuel expenses, cargo carrying capacity limits, overnight and weekend parking (addressed in this report), and general on-road risks. 

CURRENT SITUATION AND ITS EFFECTS 

The City’s Purchasing Department released Request for Proposals (RFP) specification number 10-10522 on May 21, 2010 for a “Library Bookmobile.” The RFP closed on June 3, 2010 upon which shortly thereafter a staff panel convened to evaluate the two received proposals based on the Library’s needs and budgetary limitations. 

Prior to the release of the RFP, staff in its overall exploration of alternative service options did contact several library systems that utilize bookmobiles to investigate the logistics involved in procuring a vehicle, the operational and service issues related to various vehicle types, interior configurations, technical features, vehicle servicing costs, and costs associated with CA emissions compliance. From the responses received, it was decided to focus on a van as the more suitable vehicle type for reasons of costs and functionality rather than that of an RV or bus type bookmobile. For this reason the issued RFP was structured towards a bookvan. More specifically, in the context of mobile services it was determined that a bookvan addresses concerns related to vehicle size, neighborhood accessibility and parking flexibility; thus, offering enhanced flexibility to schedule multiple points of service in any single neighborhood whether it be at parks, shopping areas, or street corners – in each case, given adequate safety clearances. Vehicle staffing is expected to be primarily sourced from the pool of branch staff affected by the then closed facilities. 

In summary, selecting a bookvan is believed to provide greater neighborhood penetration; and, available staffing (with site scheduling to-be-determined) will allow the Library to more comprehensively satisfy patron demands during the closure phase of the Branch Library Improvement Program life… 

RATIONALE FOR RECOMMENDATION 

Funding for a vehicle purchase is sourced from the 2.4% (or $623,683) share of Measure FF bond proceeds currently allocated to the overall program contingency. 

Based on an evaluation of proposals, staff recommends OBS Inc. The OBS Inc. proposal at $83,200 represents an all-in vehicle price of a current year Explorer I 

Sprinter inclusive of a step-up in gross vehicle weight rate (GVWR) to 11,030, full vehicle graphics, use instructions and training, as well as specified equipment such as walls, floor, shelving, desk, swivel seats, bookcarts, and ramp. 

In addition to the vehicle purchase cost of a bookvan, added costs will include sales tax and use fees, vehicle registration and license fees, as well as other expenses for maintenance servicing and fuel, and miscellaneous fees assessed either by the City, county, or state. At present full costs including vehicle purchase is estimated at $120,000 over the life of the Branch Libraries Improvement Program. Lease options were not offered in either of the two received RFP proposals due to the manufacturer’s offer of the bookvans as custom-built vehicles. Staff did contact other libraries who were interested in leasing their bookmobile; however, the vehicles offered in every case were out of warranty due to the vehicle being older than ten years or over mileage targets. Additionally, the offered vehicles were not of the bookvan type judged as more appropriate to the needs of the Library. 

In regards to vehicle parking, the Library requests that the current yellow-curb zone on Bancroft Way and immediately to the south of the Library’s Bancroft wing be redesignated to exclusive Library-use for bookvan dedicated parking. An evaluation conducted by the Transportation Division of Public Works concluded that doing so would have minimal impacts to the surrounding residential parking and commercial activity. This conversion would allow the Library immediate and certain access to the vehicle during operating hours for materials loading and unloading and eliminate added labor expenses for employee travel time to and from the City’s corporation yard. 

ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS CONSIDERED 

Among the alternatives the Library explored was the option not to purchase a service vehicle. In such a situation, the Library would not provide limited in-community services for the distribution of library materials to patrons affected by a project closure. Impacted patrons would have the options of going to the Central Library or any of the other open branches. The successful completion of the Branch Libraries Improvement Program does not require that alternative services be offered; however, a strong preference for continued services in the neighborhoods affected by a closure has been expressed in all four branch communities.”


Massive West Berkeley Rezoning on Council Agenda (News Analysis)

By Zelda Bronstein
Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 02:42:00 PM

On January 25, the council will twice consider sweeping changes to West Berkeley zoning will be that would open the district up to high-rise, high-density, Emeryville-style development. In the works for three years, the proposed changes will come to the council for the first time at a 5:30 worksession. Then they are the subject of a public hearing at the council’s regular meeting, which starts at 7 pm. Both meetings will take place at Old City Hall, 2134 Martin Luther King, Jr., Way. 

The changes originated in a council directive that asked city staff and the planning commission to devise ways to facilitate the development of six large industrial sites in West Berkeley. But what the planning commission approved 7-2 last October with virtually no discussion goes far beyond the original directive: It would allow housing in West Berkeley’s manufacturing zones, stand-alone offices in the Manufacturing Zone, unlimited expansion of master use permit sites, and open up all wholesale trade and warehouse space in the Mixed Use-Light Industry and Mixed Manufacturing Zones to research and development. 

The planning commission also recommended increasing maximum building heights from 45 to 75 feet (the Fantasy Building at Parker and 9th is 75 feet high; the new Berkeley Bowl at Heinz and 9th is 40 feet) and increasing building mass and bulk by 50%: there could be three Fantasy Buildings on the same size site. 

If approved, the proposed changes would drastically transform all of West Berkeley. Not only would the whole area lose its low-density character, with modest bungalows finding themselves next door to towering offices, condos and labs: the deregulation of land use would drive up land values and drive out West Berkeley’s small and medium manufacturers, wholesalers and warehouses, destroying the city’s vital industrial economy. 

It’s highly unusual for the council to hold a public hearing on a complex matter on the same day that the matter first comes before it at a work session. West Berkeley Artisans and Industrial Companies (WeBAIC), which represents Berkeley’s industrial businesses, is questioning the legality of the public hearing. Public hearings require a two-week advance notice; this one, scheduled for January 25, wasn’t even officially finalized until January 18. Moreover, the City has never noticed all West Berkeley businesses and residences about the sweeping changes that are under consideration. 

This fast-tracking is consistent with the way in which the planning commission and City staff disregarded the scores of West Berkeley residents and businesspeople who over the past three years attended many meetings and repeatedly spoke out against the inflation of the council’s original call for change. Let’s hope their voices get a better hearing at the council. 


Press Release: UC Berkeley Police Report Armed Robbery on Grizzly Peak

From UC Berkeley Police Departent
Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 12:50:00 PM

On Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at approximately 11:30 p.m. an armed robbery occurred at “Vista Point” located at sign post 15 on Grizzly Peak. The male and female victims, both non-affiliates, were sitting in their parked car when four men exited a large pickup truck and approached their car. One suspect stood in the back of the vehicle to prevent it from leaving while another suspect approached the passenger side and pointed an automatic handgun at the victim. The other two suspects, wearing black ski masks, were standing next to the driver’s side window. The suspect with the gun spoke in both Spanish and English and demanded the victims’ property. The victims complied and the four suspects were last seen fleeing the scene in their pickup truck northbound on Grizzly Peak. UCPD searched the area but was unable to locate the suspects or the pickup truck. The victims were not injured during this incident. 

The suspects were described as: 

Four Hispanic males, in their late teens or early 20s. There is no further description at this time. 

If you have any information about this crime, please contact: 

University of California Police Department 

Criminal Investigation Bureau 

(510) 642-0472 / 8AM–5PM 

(510) 642-6760 / all other times


Firefighters Battle Two Alarm Blaze

By Bay City News
Tuesday January 18, 2011 - 09:57:00 AM

Firefighters battled a residential blaze that broke out near downtown Berkeley this morning, the city's fire chief said.

 

At 9:45 a.m., firefighters responded to a two-alarm blaze at 2606Milvia St., Fire Chief Debra Pryor said.

 

Because the building is old and lacks certain safety features, the fire was able to spread through the walls and into the attic, she said.

 

"It was a very stubborn fire for us to fight," Pryor said.

 

A firefighter suffered smoke inhalation and exhaustion and was taken to a hospital for treatment, Pryor said.

 

The residents got out of the building safely and no other injuries were reported.

 

Firefighters were still at the scene early this afternoon.

 

"We haven't even started the investigation, "Pryor said shortly after noon.

 

Six engines and two trucks responded to the fire.

 


Press Release: Books Available for Local Schools

By Anne Hawkins
Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 12:47:00 PM

Bruce Larkin, owner of Wilbooks, Inc and author of over 900 children’s books, has pledged that his company will donate 2,000 local interest books to Alameda County elementary schools in 2011. Wilbooks is a donor to the East Bay Children’s Book Project, and Larkin has even written a book about the literacy charity called “A Book For Every Child.” 

“Children need to read to enjoy all of the great opportunities that our country offers. I owe my success to the excellent education I received,” Larkin said. Each year, as his business has grown, so has Larkin’s commitment to philanthropy. 

Oklahoma State University’s Child Development Lab, said that Wilbooks products “give kids something they feel successful reading.” The local interest titles, which include books about California and Alameda County, are designed to pique students’ interest with topics that are relevant to them. Wilbooks is the only national educational publisher currently printing local interest titles at the state and county level. 

A passionate literacy advocate, Larkin’s goal is to help teachers reach reluctant students so they can, as the teaching maxim says, “learn to read and read to learn.” Teachers or schools in Alameda County interested in receiving the local interest titles can use the custom donation order form in the free books section of www.wilbooks.com. 

Wilbooks, Inc. has been publishing and distributing small, soft-cover books for pre-kindergarten through 2nd grade readers since 1998. Designed with criteria from nationally recognized reading programs in mind, the books are used in more than 50,000 schools in 91 countries. Wilbooks was started with the belief that all children deserve access to quality books. Our policy is to offer educators the books they need at the best possible price. At Wilbooks, literacy is not just our business, it’s our passion. 

Bruce Larkin has written more than 900 children’s books with Wilbooks and is working towards his goal of becoming the world’s most prolific children’s book author. He enjoys making classroom visits in elementary schools around the country and writing books for the curious young minds he encounters there.


Timothy J. Moellering, 1957-2011

Friday January 21, 2011 - 12:39:00 PM

Timothy J. Moellering , 53, of Berkeley, passed away on January 18, 2011. Tim was born in Chicago on September 7, 1957, but lived in Berkeley since the age of 2. 

He is survived by his mother, Clarice; brothers Dan, Toby and Aaron; nephews Matthew and Raymond; niece Wendy; and Santiago and Patrick Rizzo whom he helped raise. Tim graduated from Concordia HS (Oakland) in 1975 and from UC Berkeley (B.A. History) in 1979. 

Tim had been a teacher and coach at Berkeley High School and Willard Middle School for the past 30 years. Other than teaching and coaching, his greatest passions were listening to his massive collection of music, concerts, and rooting passionately for the SF Giants and Cal Bears. He will be greatly missed by his family and wide circle of friends. 

A memorial service, open to everyone, will be held on Saturday, Jan. 29, at the Willard Middle School Auditorium, starting at 12:30pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to "First Step" BHS Counselors' Scholarship Fund or the Berkeley Free Clinic. 


Opinion

Editorials

Celebrating and Preserving Our Civil Liberties

By Becky O'Malley
Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 12:41:00 PM

This week marks the 25th anniversary of the first observance of the U.S. holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. President Ronald Reagan signed the bill establishing it in 1983, but the holiday took until January 20, 1986, to get going. The states took their own sweet time getting on board—it was not until 2000 that all 50 states recognized Martin Luther King Day as a real holiday. And even today in some benighted parts of the country people can be surly about it  

But around here, this year is the first in my memory where it really does seem to be a national holiday, to be everywhere acknowledged and celebrated, not only because of the life and achievements of Dr. King but increasingly as a tribute to the whole civil rights movement of the late 20th century and its amazing successes. Not, of course, that there’s not a lot still to be done, but once in a while it doesn’t hurt for victors to rest on their laurels before going on to new battles.  

And as I was out and about in Berkeley on Monday’s sunny holiday afternoon, joining cheerful crowds doing a bit of recreating on Fourth Street, I saw posters about another January civil rights holiday celebration. Since it’s brand new this year, it might take a while to be universally recognized, but let’s hope it doesn’t take 25 years. On January 30 (his birthday) the first official celebration of Fred Korematsu Day will take place.  

If the name seems familiar but the facts don’t, Fred Korematsu was the guy who refused to go along with the federal government’s round-up of Japanese-Americans during World War II. He took his case all the way to the Supreme Court, where he lost in 1944.  

But he didn’t give up—four decades later he filed suit to have his conviction overturned as a judicial error, and in 1983, the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California granted his petition and overturned his conviction on the basis of factual information having been withheld by the government. He devoted the rest of his life to educating Americans the need for protecting their own civil liberties and those of others.  

The Asian Law Caucus, who represented him in his suit, and his family have established the Korematsu Institute to continue this educational endeavor. They’re sponsoring a kickoff celebration of the Fred T. Korematsu Day for Civil Liberties and the Constitution (the full official title) at Wheeler Auditorium on the UC Berkeley Campus on Sunday from 2 to 5.  

This is the first national holiday to be named after an Asian American, but it’s not intended to be just a tribute to Asian achievement. Rather, the goal is to remind all of us that preserving our traditional liberties is everyone’s job. To that end, the keynote speaker on Sunday will be the Reverend Jesse Jackson, a veteran of African American struggles.  

After all these triumphs, what else is there that needs to be done? Quite a lot, it turns out. 

An obvious problem is the perennial human temptation to ethnic stereotyping: to suspect all members of a recognizable group of being guilty of crimes possibly attributable to some group members. All Moslems are not de facto terrorists, all Latinos are not de facto illegal immigrants and so on…. which should be obvious, but isn’t to many Americans. And even though Fred Korematsu’s conviction was reversed on factual grounds, some legal advocates still claim that the government may detain members of suspected groups on the basis of suspicion alone, despite habeas corpus, a theory fraught with peril.  

During World War II, many Americans sincerely believed that Japanese Americans were likely to be spies or saboteurs for their ancestral country, which could not have been farther from the truth. In this context I think of the Planet’s late and beloved landlord, Bob Sugimoto, who went from Watsonville to serve the United States in the Pacific as an intelligence specialist, listening to Japanese-language communications.  

Searching online for more information after hearing Bob’s stories about Watsonville, where members of my family later lived, I discovered a marvelous site created for a 2002 re-enactment of the wartime removal of the whole Nikkei (Japanese American) population of Watsonville. It includes generous tributes to the substantial number of local European American citizens who stood up for the internees (including the whole Mormon Church) and cared for their property while they were gone. It’s reassuring to know that even in the fearful days of the 1940s some Watsonville residents kept their values straight, and we should hope to do the same when other groups are threatened by stereotyping.  

Another more complex civil liberties question is the appropriate remedy for past injustice. In the case of Japanese Americans, the token gesture of paying each internee $20,000 as redress for injuries suffered was passed by Congress, but of course the financial damage done to many was much greater than this amount, and the emotional damage was incalculable.  

And what could compensate African Americans for the centuries of slavery which their ancestors endured? A few tens of thousands of dollars per person wouldn’t begin to suffice.  

This is the cue for the usual whingers to complain that their ancestors came after slavery ended or weren’t slaveholders themselves, but such people totally miss the point—whose specific individual ancestors did what, when, has nothing to do with it. The United States as a nation amassed its enormous wealth in significant part because of exploiting the labor of slaves, and even recent immigrants still benefit from the proceeds of this theft. And descendants of slaves still suffer from the deprivations of their grandparents. It should be the responsibility of the modern federal state, the current government of the United States, to attempt to make them whole again, though that may be a Herculean endeavor.  

[P.S. Check out the Wikipedia discussion of reparations for slavery, including its Talk page, to see some embarrassingly ignorant and unsupported grandstanding against the concept. Those fabled volunteer editors should clean this entry up, deleting the obvious Libertarian propaganda and the delusional raving of David Horowitz and sticking to citable facts and reasoned opinion identified as such.]


Cartoons

Cartoon Page: Odd Bodkins, BOUNCE

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 12:08:00 PM

 

Dan O'Neill

 

 

Joseph Young

 


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 10:56:00 AM

Guns; Anagram; Gun Violence; The Violence and the Rhetoric; Darfur; Another Predictably Inane Editorial; Re: banning guns and/or high-capacity magazines; A short allegory in reference to current events; Living Independently; People's Park does not want a tree sit 

Guns 

Amid all the blather about "civility" it's a relief to read Becky's editorial about the real problem—guns—and her sensible suggestion for a start toward getting rid of them by re-instating Feinstein's expired, modest prohibition on gun magazines holding more than ten shots. 

Aside from the tragedy of the latest mass shooting, what's depressing is the timidity of leading politicians of both major parties. Is the gun lobby so strong that elected officials are willing to just let people die? not only at the hands of deranged shooters, but at the hands of ordinary people losing control in a fit of anger, or, our children, in street fights that used to be settled with fists, and only in very extreme, furiously disapproved cases, with threat of a knife. (I'm showing my age, of course, describing the tough Mission District, SF, of my youth.) 

It's an ugly fact that people sometimes lose it, and attacks other people with whatever is available. The obvious remedy is to limit what's available. 

Thanks, Becky. 

Dorothy Bryant 

*** 

Anagram: 

THE LATE GREAT MARTIN LUTHER KING: 

Think tall! A dreamer greeting truth. 

Ove Ofteness 

* * * 

Gun Violence 

I know that citizens have a right to carry guns for self-protection but they also have a responsibility to acknowledge the freedom of other people to assemble and express their views. I hear comments that the person who became murderous in Tucson, Arizona is mentally unstable. If that is so, how was he able to purchase a gun? What kinds of background checks were made? What kind of waiting period was required?
This may be a good time to think again whether guns should be available only to the police who are assigned the task of keeping citizens safe on behalf of all of us. 

Romila Khanna 

*** 

 

The Violence and the Rhetoric 

After this most recent shooting, folks on the right got angry (it is what they do best) over attempts to link their uncivil discourse to the shooting in Tucson, by what everyone agrees is a madman. 

OK...maybe they have a point. Military and gun metaphors have been used by both sides in political campaigns since forever. Heck, even the word "campaign" is a military term. 

But Sharon Angle's quote about "Second amendment remedies" was no metaphor. Words like that could easily have the effect of inspiring some dim bulb on the right to take up arms. Gabrielle Giffords had previously expressed such concerns herself. 

Is it too much to ask both sides to tone down the hyperbole regarding their political opponents? 

John Davis, RN 

*** 

We Must Keep the Spotlight on Darfur 

I am writing to you as a Jew, as a citizen of Berkeley, as a high school student, and as a person. For the past few years, I have followed closely the conflict in Sudan, and have done what I could to help out in small ways and raise awareness in my own community. I feel a particular connection to the people suffering there because although I don't know what it was like to have experienced the Holocaust, I have seen the destruction and pain it caused in my fellow Jews, and I do not want something of that magnitude to happen ever again, no matter who to. 

The last civil war between the north and south lasted for 22 years and resulted in the deaths of over 2 million civilians mostly from South Sudan. In December, over 32,000 Darfuri civilians were forced to flee from their homes of aerial attacks by the Government of Sudan and clashes between the government and rebel groups. In 2010, an estimated 300,000 civilians were displaced in Darfur and over 1/3rdof the population 2.7 million people - is living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. 

It is so easy to let these numbers float over your head and not be processed, but please don't. As you are probably aware, according to the referendum in Southern Sudan, the vote began on January 9th and will last until January 15th. If the vote is free and fair, the south is expected to overwhelmingly vote for independence. 

As we wait for the results, it is of the utmost importance that the media keeps the spotlight on Sudan. If the world turns its back on Sudan after the referendum, I fear that the country will lapse back into chaos. Please think about this when you consider what to include in each article. 

Yael Platt 

*** 

Another Predictably Inane Editorial 

So only government officials can be trusted to own certain types of weapons? And that is based on what moral code? And what reading of history? 

Considering the literal hundreds of millions killed by government in just the 20th Century alone, how could anyone come to such a bizarre conclusion? 

The only type of weapons that should be outlawed are the ones incapable of pinpointing a specific individual target. 

Those are all owned by governments, the famed WMDs. 

Of course the gun is never the culprit, it is always the specific criminal who misuses them. 

Since leftists abjure personal responsibility they always look to collectivist solutions that invariably punish the innocent with no effect on the guilty. 

The same with the mental illness racket. People should check out the massive work of Thomas Szasz,MD, in this. 

Hitler was a declared Socialist and all one has to do is to actually read the original 1920 Platform of the NSDP. 

He was no more on the Right than Stalin or Marx. 

As far as the old Southern Segregationists go they were wrong in defending compulsory segregation but totally right in opposing compulsory integration. 

The "vileness" is always in the eye of the beholder. 

Michael Hardesty 

* * * 

Re: banning guns and/or high-capacity magazines 

Please note: 1] Rights predate government; 2] Self-defense against the tyranny of violence - whether initiated by government or criminal action - is an Unalienable Right; 3] You can't legislate against crazy; and 4] The U.S. Supreme Court has consistently ruled the police are not responsible for the safety of the individual citizen. 

I would seem that Ms. Becky O'Malley's letter is offered in response to the latest attack by a lunatic, this time in AZ. Whereas I applaud her well-intentioned zeal and compassion, I doubt Ms. O'Malley is old enough to remember the societal breakdown referred to as the L.A. riots, much less consider those events in light of the recent happenings.  

During the L.A riots, the police abandoned certain parts of the city to mob rule and refused to enter these areas (yes, that occurred right here in America). While unchecked violence, burning and looting from roving mobs numbering in the hundreds reigned supreme, tens of thousands of law-abiding citizens were abandoned by officialdom to survive the chaos on their own. Caught in this no-man's-land of violence were a number of law-abiding businessmen of Korean ancestry, who - along with their family members - stood on the rooftops of their businesses bearing their privately owned weapons in order "to protect and defend" (Hmmm, now there's a familiar phrase) their lives and property from the ravaging hordes.  

It's undeniable that Ms. O'Malley is well intentioned. However, one wonders how she would manage to convince those American businesspersons of Korean ancestry that "There's absolutely no reason why private persons should have easy access to technology for firing multiple lethal shots in rapid succession from a pistol. Absolutely no reason." Knowing their lives were at risk and their businesses faced imminent destruction, these U.S. citizens thanked Almighty God for the U.S. Constitution's guarantee that our government protects "the right of the people to keep and bear arms" - an Unalienable Right so disputed and disdained by Ms. O'Malley. These courageous Americans armed themselves to the teeth and successfully managed to face down the mob.  

Life lesson #1: when SCOTUS says the cops aren't responsible for your safety and the national guard is nowhere to be found, "'Tis better to have a gun and not need one, than to need one and not have it." - author unknown but thanked. 

"Resistance to sudden violence, for the preservation not only of my person, my limbs and life, but of my property is an indisputable right of nature which I have never surrendered to the public by the compact of society, and which perhaps I could not surrender if I would." - John Adams - American Patriot, U.S. President, British Traitor 

Lee McGee, sovereign citizen 

New Iberia, LA  

* * * 

A short allegory in reference to current events 

My granddaughter Chelsea asked me after watching the latest news about the shooting in Arizona, "why don't they take the guns away?" Because, I tried to explain, "One of the rules in our Constitution says that Americans have the right to own weapons." 

Hmm," she mused, "then what about bullets? Is there anything that says Americans have the right to own bullets?" "No there isn't," I remarked. "Then they should take away the bullets. Bullets are what kill things, not guns." 

Smart kid. 

Her logic is sound, but how can I tell her that here in America the National Rifle Association has/exerts an undue influence and are in essence lobbyists for the weapons industry. How can I tell her that Second Amendment rights advocates cherish their guns with a fervor bordering on religious fanaticism? 

Gun violence will continue in America because nobody will stand up to the NRA, because of the easy accessibility of weapons and because a few egocentric NRA talking heads are dictating the debate on guns. 

Ron Lowe  

* * * 

Living Independently 

Included in Brown's $3 billion in health and welfare spending cuts, is a plan to end the adult day care program. Many people use the service as a way to remain in their homes, rather than moving into far more costly nursing homes. 

Nursing homes cost five times as much per IHSS client. The number of skilled-nursing-centre beds has dwindled through the years as IHSS’ success has grown at helping the elderly continue living independently. 

Ted Rudow III,MA 

* * * 

People's Park does not want a tree sit 

People's Park does not want a tree sit nor does it want the offensive poster of four Native Americans with rifles. People's Park does not want a name change. How do I know? I went to the Park and the wind cried Mary (not tree sit). 

Budgetary times ahead are challenging enough for UC and the state and I am sure the tree sit will wither if pragmatic Park supporters understand that no Park is an island; the trees must be thinned in the East End, the homeless and other users in the East End need triaging for help and training, as No Park is an Island and the Park cannot create miracles until all boats rise in Richmond and Oakland and Berkeley, etc. 

The original motto of People's Park was "Everybody Gets a Blister." That means that along with all the fun of picnicing and conversing, playing music, basketball, and enjoying diversity, Park supporters and users should help garden and clean the Park. Nature evolves with cycles of decay and renewal. 

I was against the first Berkeley tree sit as well. Love live sports! No one can repeat the magnificence of Luna and her tree sitter. 

Wendy Schlesinger


Changes to YMCA Warm Pool are Bad for Disabled Users

By Lorie Brillinger
Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 08:00:00 AM

The people taking the arthritis water classes at the Berkeley "Y" have been unpleasantly surprised by an error made in restoring the "Shallow Pool". All 3 pools are being given new water purification systems, and new tiling, etc. The pool we were using was out of commission for 3 months., so although were using Grace's Pool for our classes, we were glad on Jan.3, 2011 to get back to the pool we had been using before. Our classes are three times/week, and many of us had been attending these classes for 2 or more years.  

 

We discovered right away that the railing we used to help us get into the pool was not the railing we had before! In fact, it had replaced a device that had 2 rails, which is much more helpful for those people with severe arthritis or other disabilities. When we brought this to the attention of Jodie, the head of water activities, we were told that the "Y" management was aware of this error, and they were sorry that it had occurred. However, now another Permit to change the incorrect railing will have to be approved by the City, and most likely the cost will be increased. Also, it may be May or June before the job is completed. This is not good for community relations!

Some of us in the class think that having a Senior and/or Disabled member of the "Y" on the Board would be a useful and democratic addition to the present Board. We wanted the City Council to know that this was happening in Berkeley. The class is between 12 and 18 people, and many in the group are on welfare.


Columns

Dispatches From The Edge:Afghanistan: Killing Peace

By Conn Hallinan
Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 09:17:00 AM

In spite of a White House declaration that “progress” is being made in Afghanistan, by virtually any measure the war has deteriorated significantly since the Obama Administration surged troops into Kandahar and Helmand provinces. This past year has been the deadliest on record for U.S. and coalition troops. Civilian casualties are on the rise, and, according to the Red Cross, security has worsened throughout the country. U.S. allies are falling away, and the central government in Kabul has never been so isolated. Polls in Afghanistan, the U.S. and Europe reflect growing opposition to the nine-year conflict. 

So why is the White House pursuing a strategy that is almost certain to accelerate a descent into chaos, and one that runs counter to the Administration’s stated goal of a diplomatic solution to the war? 

It is not an easy question to answer, in part because the major actors are hardly being straight with the public. 

For instance, while U.S. commander Maj. Gen. David Petraeus says his strategy of counterinsurgency is making headway, in fact the military abandoned that approach long ago. Instead it has ramped up the air war and replaced the campaign to win “hearts and minds” with “night raids” aimed at assassinating or capturing Taliban leaders and supporters. 

“Night raids” have more than tripled, from an average of 5 a night to 17, and they more and more resemble the Phoenix Program during the Vietnam War. Phoenix was aimed at decapitating the leadership of the National Liberation Front (NLF) and dismantling the NLF infrastructure in the countryside. It ended up assassinating somewhere between 40,000 and 60,000 people. 

As in the Phoenix Program, night raids are directed at destroying “shadow governments” the Taliban have established in virtually every province in the country. Over the past three months, U.S. and NATO forces claim they have killed or captured 360 “insurgent leaders,” 960 “low-level leaders,” and some 2,400 fighters. 

The Taliban have responded by assassinating government officials in Kandahar and increasing their cooperation with the two other insurgent groups, the Hizb-i-Islami and the Haqqani Group. 

In spite of the raids, United Nation’s maps show that the central battlegrounds of Kandahar and Helmand provinces are still considered “very high risk” and the situation has grown considerably worse in the north and east. 

The White House argues that the only solution to the long-running war is a diplomatic one, but the administration seems bent on systematically sabotaging that outcome by trying to kill the very people who will be central to any negotiated peace. 

“By killing Taliban leaders, the war will not come to an end,” former Taliban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmad Muttwakil told the Nation’s Jeremy Scahill, “on the contrary, things get worse.” Indeed, according to former Taliban leader Abdul Salam Zaeef, the killings push more radical leaders to the fore. “It will be worse for everyone if the [current] Taliban leadership disappears,” Zaeef told Scahill. 

The US has also sharpened its criticism of Pakistan to the point that a recent intelligence analysis essentially says the Islamabad is the major problem. There is even talk about sending U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) and the special 3,000-man Afghan army organized by the CIA into Pakistan to attack insurgent camps near the border, an act that would almost certainly further inflame anti-Americanism in that country. 

In reality, there is not a whole lot Pakistan’s 600,000-man army can do. It is already fighting a homegrown Taliban, and its tense relations with India require it keep substantial forces on their mutual border. It has also largely taken over the job of dealing with Pakistan’s devastating floods last year. But even were it use all its forces, it is doubtful it could control the mountainous, 1553-mile border with Afghanistan. 

The Pakistanis argue that current U.S. policy, not the border, is the problem. They point to the fact that the Americans have hitched themselves to the corruption-plagued Karzi government and have little to show for the billions spent to train the Afghan Army and police. “The Americans are looking for a scapegoat,” says leading Pakistan politician Mushahid Hussain. 

Is the problem that Obama has turned the war over the military? 

For all of Petraeus’ talk about “hearts and minds,” the military’s job description is to kill people. That is why Karl von Clausewitz, the great theoretician of modern war, pointed out that war is much too important a matter to be left in the hands of generals. 

The Obama Administration seems paralyzed by a combination of those in its ranks who support a muscular foreign policy, like Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the late Richard Holbrooke, a fear that the Republicans will brand them as “soft” in the 2012 elections, and an unwillingness to confront the generals. 

The tragedy here is that many of the pieces for a deal are already in place. The Taliban and its allies are not tightly organized groups with a common ideology other than expelling invaders. They range from dedicated jihadists to local people fighting over turf or for revenge. And while Afghans have a reputation for being fierce, they actually excel at the art of the deal. If they did not, the country would have been depopulated long ago. 

Of course, there are substantial roadblocks to overcome. The Taliban insists all foreign troops must leave, and the U.S. and Karzi demand the insurgents accept the Afghan constitution and put down their weapons. None of the above is likely to happen. 

But the Taliban said back in 2008 that they would accept a “timetable” for foreign troops to leave. Of course both sides would have to agree to a ceasefire. 

The U.S will have to back off from its insistence that the insurgents accept the current constitution. The document establishes a powerful centralized government, a form of organization that flies in the face of the country’s history and which few Afghans outside of Kabul support. A constitution based on strong local autonomy would garner more support. In turn, the insurgents would have to guarantee that groups like al-Qaeda could not set up shop. 

The Americans insist they will not talk with the Haqqani Group or others they consider “irreconcilables,” but you have to negotiate with the people you are fighting. No party has the right to veto the participation of another. 

Any agreement will have to take into account regional security issues, including Islamabad’s fear that India will make Afghanistan a client state, thus surrounding Pakistan on both sides. 

The polls are on the side of those who want to end the war. 

A recent survey found that 83 percent of Afghanis want negotiations, (though 55 percent show little sympathy with the insurgency). According to an ABC/Washington Post poll, 60 percent of the American public say the war “is not worth fighting.” Opposition to the war is much higher in Europe, reaching 70 percent in Germany. 

The U.S. polls suggest that any Republican charge of the administration being “soft” is not likely to make much headway with voters. 

Further, the conflict is hemorrhaging money at a time of severe economic crisis. The war is costing $8 billion a month, not counting the tens of billions the U.S. has spent training the Afghan Army and police. So far, the cost of the Iraq and Afghan wars is $1.1 trillion, but, according to economists Joseph Stiglitz and Linda Bilmer, the long-term costs of both wars will be $3 trillion. 

One thing Democrats in Congress can do is to press for a troop drawdown starting this year. Again, the polls show 55 percent support withdrawals starting in summer 2011, with another 27 percent saying it should begin sooner. 

According to the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, delaying the withdrawal date from the end of 2011—the President’s original goal—to 2014 will cost an extra $125 billion. As a comparison, the House Republicans pledge to cut $100 billion from the domestic budget—excluding the military, Homeland Security, and veterans—would require a 20 percent across-the-board cut in all programs. 

The war is lost. We are broke. Many of the key protagonists are prepared to talk. It is time to silence the guns and seek common ground. 

 

Read Conn Hallinan at dispatchesfromtheedgeblog.wordpress.com 

 

 

 


The Public Eye: Is the Giffords Shooting a Teachable Moment?

By Bob Burnett
Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 09:00:00 AM

While there is little doubt about the facts of the Tucson tragedy, that one man pulled the trigger on the automatic revolver that shot Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, killed six others, and wounded 12 more, the open question is whether it is a teachable moment. 

No one who heard the awful news on Saturday, January 8th, should have been surprised. Since the political rhetoric escalated during the 2008 Presidential campaign, Americans have being holding their breath expecting an assault on Barack Obama. Then the bombast surrounding 2009’s healthcare legislation led to a sharp increase in threats to Congresspeople and suggested that sooner or later there a Senator or Representative would be attacked. (Over the past twenty-four months, Giffords had been the target of multiple threats.) The United States seems to be on a long slide into a pit of violence and anguish. 

Many fault America’s lax gun laws. Over the past few years there’s been a spurt in weapon purchases and there’s believed to be one gun for every person in the US. Nonetheless, it’s difficult to see how a legal change regarding firearm possession could have presented this tragedy. 

Many fault our inadequate mental health system. Some say this tragedy could have been averted if the perpetrator had received counseling after his run in with school administrators (who recommended to his parents that he receive psychiatric treatment). But mental health facilities were dismantled during the Reagan Administration and are woefully inadequate throughout the US. At a time when most Republicans are calling for cutbacks in health services, in general, it’s unlikely that mental health will receive more support. 

Many fault the media. Objective commentators feel the hate talk that fills right-wing radio and TV – specifically, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck – contributed to this crime; that there was digital contagion. That talk of killing this or that public figure has created a climate where disturbed individuals are more likely to take up arms against governmental officials. Certainly the hate talk is reprehensible, but the alternative – draconian limits on free speech – is unthinkable. And right-wing media is a huge and very successful business. Sarah Palin probably won’t be the Republican candidate for President, but she’ll make millions as a conservative media icon. 

Many fault the political process. In recent years the gulf between Democrats and Republicans has widened. There’s a notable lack of comity in Congress; politicians, such as Michele Bachmann, make savage remarks that in another era would have brought ridicule but in this period brings fame and fortune. Once again, this seems unlikely to change in the short term. The Republican tactic of taking extreme positions – specifically calling upon Americans to take up arms to defend their life and liberties – worked for them in 2010. Why would they change when they’ve developed an approach – amplify and harness the rage of Americans – that is likely to sweep them back into power? 

Many feel we need to engage in a “national dialogue.” That citizens from different persuasions need to sit down and talk about our hopes and dreams for America; we should search for ideological common ground. While this approach does need to be encouraged, the logistics are daunting. Americans tend to live in communities of like-minded individuals; those of us who want to dialogue would have to travel miles outside our comfort zone to be part of an assembly that represents the diverse sentiments that characterize our nation. And the dialogue groups would have to be expertly facilitated; for example, would non-gun owners feel comfortable in discussions with citizens packing weapons? 

While the shooting of Congresswoman Giffords seems like a teachable moment, there remains the vexing question of how to take advantage of this. In his stirring memorial speech, President Obama said, “let us use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy, and remind ourselves of all the ways our hopes and dreams are bound together.” But the President didn’t suggest next steps for us to take. 

The United States is a religious country, where more than ninety percent of residents are believers and more than eighty percent identify as Christians. If there is to be a teachable moment stemming from the Tucson tragedy, it will have to happen in our churches, synagogues, temples, and meetinghouses. 

While there are many ethical teachings that characterize the religion of Jesus, two of the most important are the Golden Rule – do unto others, as you would have them do unto you – and the admonition to speak the truth. How different American political rhetoric would be if our elected officials truly reflected these ethics: if they spoke the truth and acted as their brother and sister’s keeper. How different politics would be if, in the President’s words, we made sure “we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds.” 

Yes, the Giffords’ shooting is a teachable moment. For every American who subscribes to the ethical teachings of Jesus.  

 

Bob Burnett is a Berkeley writer, retired Silicon Valley executive, and Quaker. He can be reached at bobburnett@comcast.net 


On Mental Illness: My Take on the Tucson Shootings

By Jack Bragen
Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 09:59:00 AM

I am deeply saddened and shocked at the shooting in Tucson, and my heart goes out to the families of the victims of it, and to the survivors. In order for a person to commit such a crime, in addition to suffering from Schizophrenia, (which I also suffer from), the perpetrator must have a complete disregard for human life, and must completely lack any shred of conscience, (unlike me).

 

In my past I have had plenty of reasons to be angry or to have sour grapes. However, this hasn’t made me into a serial killer. I have taken my anger and dissatisfaction and have found healthy outlets for it, and have channeled it into the determination to do better in life.

 

Millions of people in the US have a major mental illness, while only a handful become dangerous like this.

 

Rather than this being a wake up call to put more restrictions on mentally ill people, it should be one in which more funding is provided for the treatment of these illnesses in a humane and caring manner. Yet, I don’t believe it would be a problem to prohibit mentally ill people from purchasing ammunition or weapons. In my day to day existence, I could not conceive of having a use for firearms. If someone gave me five hundred dollars, I would use it to buy a new laptop.

 

In order for someone to be unhappy enough to commit a crime like this, that person must be socially deficient, and must lack a support network that everyone ought to have.

 

Most mentally ill people do not commit crimes.

 

I ascribe to the ethic that says “the best revenge is living well.” I am admittedly out for myself. And if, in my lifetime quests, anyone gets in my way, I will go around them. I might lack manners and I might not know which fork is the salad fork, but I am essentially a peaceful man because that is the person I must be. And while there are other schizophrenic people who can’t articulate that as well as I can, their nature is still essentially peaceful, in most cases.

 

What happened in Tucson was partly a failure of the mental health treatment system there. The professionals with whom the shooter has come into contact were not able to discern in advance that this particular mentally ill person was potentially extremely violent. Mental health science, as far as I can tell, is developed enough to predict such a thing. Perhaps funding cuts in mental health treatment has played a role in the lack of screening that this individual has received.

 

It is also difficult for our system as it currently exists to prevent crimes of this nature. Our criminal justice system relies on punishment as a deterrent to breaking the law. When you have someone who simply does not care, the prospect of punishment isn’t good enough to prevent them from committing a crime.

 

Whenever there is a shooting spree like this, it gets a lot of press; and people’s perception of mentally ill people becomes that we’re all potentially homicidal. Mentally ill persons are well behaved ninety nine percent of the time, and this fact doesn’t get any press.
In short, most people with mental illness are unlike the shooter in Tucson; this man is severely socially deficient rather then merely psychotic. Most mentally ill people, unlike the perpetrator of this crime, deserve to be regarded as decent human beings.


Eclectic Rant:Preventing Identity Theft

By Ralph E. Stone
Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 09:26:00 AM

Identity theft is a serious crime. It occurs when your personal information is stolen and used without your knowledge to commit fraud or other crimes. Identity theft can cost you time and money. It can destroy your credit rating and ruin your good name. By taking a few cautionary steps, you can deter, detect, and defend against identity theft. 

"But he that filches from me my good name/Robs me of that which not enriches him/And makes me poor indeed." –Shakespeare , Othello, act iii. Sc. 3. 

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2008, an estimated 11.7 million persons, representing 5 percent of all persons age 16 or older in the United States, experienced at least one type of identity theft in a 2-year period; the total financial cost of identity theft was nearly $17.3 billion.  

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. Victims come from all walks of life – from everyday people to celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Robert De Niro, Ted Turner, and Warren Buffet. 

As technology increases so will the number of victims of identity theft. The places where our information is stored, and the ways that identity thieves can get at that information, continue to multiply. Easy availability of confidential financial information, coupled with sloppy credit-granting practices by creditors and credit bureaus, makes it easy for identity thieves to open accounts in our name. 

What protections do Americans have? In the fall of 1998, Congress passed the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1028. This legislation created a new offense of identity theft, which prohibits knowingly transferring]or using, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person with the intent to commit, or to aid or abet, any unlawful activity that constitutes a violation of Federal law, or that constitutes a felony under any applicable State or local law. 

In California, it is a felony to use the personal identifying information of another person without the authorization of that person for any unlawful purpose including to obtain credit, goods, services, or medical information.  

California also requires businesses and government agencies to notify consumers if hackers gain entry to computers that contain unencrypted personal information, such as credit card numbers, pass codes needed for use of personal accounts, Social Security numbers or driver’s license numbers. Under California law, notices must be given immediately following discovery of the privacy breach unless a law enforcement agency determines the notice would impede a criminal investigation. Any customer injured by a violation of the law may file civil suit to recover damages. [Penal Code §530.5 to 530.8] 

To investigate and prosecute identity theft, California operates five regional Hi-Tech Crimes Task Forces. The Attorney General also administers the statewide Identity Theft Registry to assist identity theft victims who are wrongfully identified as criminals. Through the California ID theft data base, law enforcement and anyone else designated by the victim can have quick official confirmation that the criminal history does not belong to the person. 

The Data Accountability and Trust Act 2009 (DATA) (H.R. 2221) is pending in Congress. In its current form, DATA requires businesses to notify customers and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if sensitive information has been exposed to a security breach. 

A security freeze is a way to give consumers real control over access to their credit reports. A freeze prevents access to one’s credit report to new creditors. This closes the loophole that identity thieves have exploited, since most businesses will not issue new credit or loans to people without first reviewing their credit reports. California enacted the first freeze law in 2001, and 24 states have followed with their own laws. 

Ultimately, the best protection against identity theft is a careful, alert consumer. Consumers should be extremely careful to whom they provide confidential information, including Social Security numbers, credit and debit card numbers, and bank account numbers. Thieves are constantly “phishing” for confidential information. Phishing is the attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an e-mail purporting to be from popular social web sites, auction sites, online payment processors, or information technology (IT) administrators. 

Consumers should carefully check their monthly credit and debit card and bank statements and immediately dispute unauthorized charges. Credit card holders have the protection of the Fair Credit Billing Act ,which is enforced by the FTC 

It is also advisable to check your credit reports and dispute any credit report errors, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which is also enforced by the FTC. Consumers are entitled to a free copy of their credit reports annually from each of the three credit reporting agencies — TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. 

Consumers should also be careful how they throw away paperwork containing confidential information. It is a good idea to shred such documents. 

Finally, if you are a victim of identity theft, I suggest that you follow the California Attorney General’s “Tips for Victims.” 

 

Ralph E. Stone is a retired Federal Trade Commission attorney. 


Senior Power:The Driving Force

By Helen Rippier Wheeler
Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 08:08:00 AM

I fell down recently, in downtown Berkeley, California – blood, paramedics and firefighters from Fire House #5, police, cervical collar, ambulance – the whole megillah. And there was a woman who heard the 155-pound thud, called 911, and came out of her store and stayed with me. My thanks to all of these people. They did a great job. Guys and gal: you were great. 

Then came the inexplicable part—the hospital emergency department, TV’s “ER”. To add insult to injury, I shortly received a survey and a SASE from a company located 2,204 miles away regarding my emergency room experience, which only compounded the incredible lack of care and evident waste of money! The Better Business Bureau (BBB) identifies the company as engaged in “medical business administration.” 

xxxx 

The American Association for the Advancement of Science reports that a popular sleep medicine puts older adults at risk for falls and cognitive impairment. Several billion doses of zolpidem, a generic drug marketed under several different brand names, including Ambien, Zolpimist, Edluar, Hypogen, Somidem and Ivedal, have been prescribed worldwide. New guidelines for preventing falls in the elderly include starting tai chi and cutting back on meds. (Eurekalert Jan. 13, 2011). 

xxx 

Driving a car represents independence for many people. Especially senior citizens. Especially low-income and disabled senior citizens and those with no families. Within fifteen years, people 65 and older will make up more than 20 percent of the driving population. 

Driving a car can mean the difference between getting to and from the pharmacy, grocery store and public library and going without sustenance. It’s not surprising that fear of losing that independence – the ability to drive -- negatively affects the quality of many lives, especially in areas lacking strong public transportation systems. 

If you're worried about hanging on to your driver's license, make sure you understand your state's laws regarding senior citizens. In Pennsylvania, for example, each month a mature driver reexamination program selects (randomly, presumably) 1,900 drivers, ages 45 and older, for retesting six months prior to renewal of their driver license. Selected drivers are required to undergo vision and physical examinations, conducted by any licensed physician at no charge. Oregon requires certain medical care providers to submit a confidential form to Driver and Motor Vehicle Services if they detect potential driving impairment. DMV then decides to suspend a license or require additional tests. California residents must who drive must be able to pass a driving test “upon request.” 

Some state DMV offices also offer their own driver education programs for senior citizens. Mature drivers age 55 or older who successfully complete an approved course, maybe eligible for a reduction in their vehicle insurance premium. Check with your insurance provider. The California DMV manual suggests that “If you are concerned about maintaining your driving skills, you could contact your local senior groups for more information about mature driver education courses.” A call to the nearest senior center informs me that there is nothing going at that center-- “call the county.” A list of the approved programs is available on California DMV’s website at dmv.ca.gov

Driving simulators can help older adults improve their road skills according to an Association for Psychological Sciences news release. 

The AARP Driver Safety Program (used to be called AARP 55 Alive) offers fee-based driver ed refresher courses for seniors. Contact Summit Hospital, Emeryville Senior Center, Albany Senior Center, Kaiser Hospital in Oakland, and Mastick Senior Center in Alameda. This program is “the first and most recognized comprehensive nationwide course designed especially for the older driver.” 

Many baby boomers are concerned about their parents’ driving. Though middle-class retirement communities in the Sun Belt continue to grow, the majority of baby boomer retirees are opting to stay in the suburban communities where they raised their families. Life in most of those places requires a car. Aging baby boomers mean more seniors on the road. As boomers age, 1 in 5 drivers will be oldsters. Yet another label. I have begun a list of epithets and euphemisms assigned to senior citizens. “Oldsters” is derived from the Boston Globe. And I see “spritely” in Japan’s Daily Yomiuri. 

xxxx 

In November 2010 a two-day forum, “Safety, Mobility and Aging Drivers,” considered crash data, travel patterns, vehicle protections, highway design and driver screening and training. There were unexpected findings. Older drivers are doing better than they used to. They are getting into fewer deadly automobile accidents. Though highway fatalities have dropped overall in the past few years, the declines have been dramatic among the elderly, declining by half among those over 80. 

Anne McCartt of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and co-author of a recent report on older drivers pointed out that, while highway deaths have dropped across the board, the decline in fatal crash involvement from 1997 to 2006 for drivers over 70 was much greater — 37 percent — than it was among drivers ages 35 to 54. Police data from 13 states also suggest that older drivers are involved less often in nonfatal injury crashes and in those causing only property damage. "When there is a crash, older drivers are less likely to die," according to McCartt. "We don't havea good explanation for this yet… it may be, in part, because older drivers are more healthy and fit than they once were.” 

Women tend to give up driving earlier than men their age, yet they live longer. University of Alberta gerontologist Bonnie Dobbs pointed out that as a result, men outlive their driving careers by six years but women by seven, potentially restricting their independence and mobility sooner than necessary. Some panelists noted that women might be more accustomed than men to being passengers rather than drivers. 

The 2010 edition of the American Medical Association’s “Physician's Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers” is available online. It was developed by the AMA in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

International and Local news: 

"Shingles vaccine is effective, even in older patients, study finds," by Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times, January 11, 2011. 

"Shingles Vaccine Looks Like a Safe Bet for Seniors: Study," by Amanda Gardner, HealthDay, January 11, 2011. 

Thursday, February 3, 1:30-3PM. Alameda County Library Albany Branch at 1247 Marin Av (510 526-3720): Interactive Program for Older Adults. “Mental fitness and memory.” Speaker, Hope Klein Levy, Lifelong learning specialist. For dates of this program at other branches, www.aclibrary.org

The 704-member Elder Justice Coalition’s Leadership Council met on January 7 to review 2010 and to set priorities for 2011. “Obviously, the top priority for 2011 is funding for the EJA in FY 2011 and FY 2012.” Two very important laws are up for reauthorization—the Older Americans Act (OAA) (Title VII is dedicated to enhancing elder rights and promoting elder justice) and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). In addition to the Elder Justice Act, the Coalition hopes to assist in the redrafting and supportofseveral other elder abuse/elder justice bills itendorsed in the last Congress. They are: 

 

  • The Elder Abuse Victims Actwould provide grant funding for elder abuse prevention and assistance programs as well as training, technical assistance, and support to law enforcement officials in catching those who commit crimes of elder abuse.
  • The National Silver Alert Actwould create a national network for locating missing seniors.
  • The Senior Financial Empowerment Actrequires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to disseminate to seniors and their families and caregivers information on mail, telemarketing, and Internet fraud targeting seniors, including on ways of referring complaints to appropriate law enforcement agencies. The legislation also calls for the creation of a website to use as a resource in preventing fraud targeting seniors.
  • The Preventing Affinity Scams on Seniors (PASS) Actwould offer “senior protection accounts” which allow senior customers to opt-in for services that stop the processing and investigate the legitimacy of those transactions suspected to be part of affinity scams; report suspected affinity scams to the pertinent law enforcement agencies; anddesignate a staff person to handle affinity scams against seniors and provide training to their staff and educate their customers on affinity scams targeting senior citizens.
The American Society on Aging meeting in San Francisco April 26-30, 2011, has accepted a panel discussion highlighting the Older Women’s League: The Voice of Midlife and Older Women’s impacts on women’s issues and current efforts to develop community partnerships through its chapters and members at large to serve the diversity of women. If you would like to be a participant on the panel and have stories and ideas on the subject, “Women like you make the world better for all women”, contact owlcalif@gmail.com

The Golden Girls Organization at the California Institution for Women (CIW) consists of 100+ women age 55 and older. Females have almost 0% recidivism rate. OWL member Jane Benson, W28860, EB517 CIW, 16756 Chino Corona Road, Corona , CA 02880-9508. 

 

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Arts & Events

Stage-East Bay Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:37:00 PM

ASHBY STAGE  

"Shotgun Players present Of The Earth," through Jan. 30, 8 p.m. Thu.-Sat.; 5 p.m. Sun.; 7 p.m. Wed. Written and directed by Jon Tracy. $17-$60. (510) 841-6500, www.shotgunplayers.org. 

1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. < 

 

EAST BAY IMPROV  

"Tired of the Same Old Song and Dance?" ongoing. 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.<


Stage-San Francisco Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:37:00 PM

"CIRQUE DU SOLEIL'S OVO," -- through Jan. 24. A lively rush into a world of insects and acrobatics. Written and directed by Deborah Colker. See website for times, dates and complete details. Performances take place under the "Grand Chapiteau'' at AT&T Park. 

$38-$250.www.cirquedusoleil.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," ongoing. 8 p.m. Wed. - Thurs.; 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. Fri. - Sat.; 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sun.  

$25-$134. 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," ongoing. 8 p.m. Fri. -Sat. Audiences gather for a 90-minute show abounding with local anecdotes and lore presented by captivating and consummate conjurers and taletellers. $30.  

433 Powell St., San Francisco. (877) 784-6835, www.chancellorhotel.com.

 

CLIMATE THEATRE  

"The Clown Cabaret at the Climate," ongoing. 7 and 9 p.m. First Monday of the month. 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.

 

KIMO'S BAR  

"Fauxgirls," ongoing. 10 p.m. Every third Saturday. Drag cabaret revue features San Francisco's finest female impersonators. Free. (415) 695-1239, www.fauxgirls.com. 

1351 Polk St., San Francisco. (415) 885-4535, www.kimosbarsf.com.

 

THE MARSH  

"The Mock Cafe," ongoing. 10 p.m. Saturdays. Stand-up comedy performances. $7.  

"The Monday Night Marsh," ongoing. 8 p.m. Mondays. An ongoing series of works-in-progress. $7.  

1062 Valencia St., San Francisco. (415) 826-5750, www.themarsh.org.

 

PIER 29 SPIEGELTENT  

"Teatro Zinzanni," through March 6, 6 p.m. Wed.-Sat.; 5 p.m. Sun. Teatro Zinzanni presents a new production, "License To Kiss II, A Sweet Conspiracy,'' offering a blend of European cabaret, circus arts, music, comedy and more. $117-$145.  

Embarcadero at Battery Street, San Francisco. (415) 438-2668, www.zinzanni.org.

 

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," ongoing. 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. 

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.

 

SHELTON THEATER  

"Shopping! The Musical," by Morris Bobrow, ongoing. A quick-paced musical about those obsessed with buying things. Friday-Saturday, 8 p.m. $27-$29. (800) 838-3006, www.shoppingthemusical.com. 

Big City Improv, ongoing. 10 p.m. Fridays. $20. (510) 595-5597, www.bigcityimprov.com. 

533 Sutter St., San Francisco. (415) 433-1227, www.sheltontheater.com or www.sheltontheater.com.

 

THE STUD  

"Trannyshack," ongoing. 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. < 

 

THRILLPEDDLERS HYPNODROME  

"Pearls Over Shanghai," ongoing. 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.; 7 p.m. Sun. See San Francisco's longest running Cockettes musical, running through Dec. 19. $30-$35.  

575 10th Street, San Francisco. www.thrillpeddlers.com/.< 

 

WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE  

San Francisco Ballet: Giselle, Jan. 29 through Feb. 13, Performances vary; see website for complete schedule. Composed by Adolphe Adam. Choreography by Helgi Tomasson. $48-$150.  

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


Professional Dance Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:36:00 PM

ZELLERBACH HALL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY  

Tango Buenos Aires, Jan. 21, 8 p.m. Works include "Fire and Passion of Tango.'' $22-$52.  

UC Berkeley campus, Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 642-9988.< 

"CIRQUE DU SOLEIL'S OVO," -- through Jan. 24. A lively rush into a world of insects and acrobatics. Written and directed by Deborah Colker. See website for times, dates and complete details. Performances take place under the "Grand Chapiteau'' at AT&T Park. 

$38-$250.www.cirquedusoleil.com.< 

 

COUNTERPULSE  

"2nd Sundays,"310 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 626-2060, www.counterpulse.org.

 

ODC THEATER  

"ODC/Dance: Unplugged." Jan. 21, 6:30 p.m. Choreography by Kimi Okada. $18.  

3153 17th St., San Francisco. (415) 863-9834, www.odctheater.org.

 

PENA PACHAMAMA  

"Flamenco Thursdays" with Carola Zertuche, ongoing. 8:30 p.m. Thursdays Music and dance with performers of traditional flamenco. $10.  

Brisas de Espana Ballet Flamenco, ongoing. 6:15 and 7:15 p.m. Sun. $10-$15.  

For ages 21 and older. 1630 Powell St., San Francisco. (415) 646-0018, www.penapachamama.com.

 

PIER 29 SPIEGELTENT  

"Teatro Zinzanni," through March 6, 6 p.m. Wed.-Sat.; 5 p.m. Sun. Teatro Zinzanni presents a new production, "License To Kiss II, A Sweet Conspiracy,'' offering a blend of European cabaret, circus arts, music, comedy and more. $117-$145.  

Embarcadero at Battery Street, San Francisco. (415) 438-2668, www.zinzanni.org.

 

WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE  

San Francisco Ballet: Giselle, Jan. 29 through Feb. 13, Performances vary; see website for complete schedule. Composed by Adolphe Adam. Choreography by Helgi Tomasson. $48-$150.  

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


Readings-East Bay Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:36:00 PM

BOOKS INC., ALAMEDA  

Ken Denmead, Jan. 27, 7:30 p.m. "Geek Dad.''  

Oliver Chin, Jan. 29, 2 p.m. "Year of the Rabbit.''  

Free. Readings at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 1344 Park St., Alameda. (510) 522-2226, www.booksinc.net.

 

BOOKS INC., BERKELEY  

Julian Smith, Jan. 24, 7 p.m. "Crossing The Heart of Africa.''  

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

 

DIESEL, A BOOKSTORE  

Risa Kaparo, Jan. 30, 3 p.m. "Awaken.''  

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

 

EASTWIND BOOKS  

Nicole Kwan, Jan. 29, 3 p.m. "The Dragon and the Crown.''  

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

 

MOE'S BOOKS  

Judy Grahn, Jan. 27, 7:30 p.m. "The Judy Grahn Reader.''  

10 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. Reabooks.com.< 

 

MRS. DALLOWAY'S  

Jimmy Williams and Susan Heeger, Jan. 22, 4 p.m. "From Seed To r work.  

Abby Wasserman, Jan. 28, 7 p.m. "Mary Tuthill Lindheim: Art &Inspiration.''  

2904 College Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 704-8222, www.mrsdalloways.com.

 

PLEASANTON PUBLIC LIBRARY  

Zoe Ferraris, Jan. 23, 2 p.m. "City of Veils.''  

Free. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. 400 Old Bernal Ave., Pleasanton. (925) 931-4300, www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us/library.html.<


Galleries-San Francisco Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:27:00 PM

ARC STUDIOS AND GALLERY  

"SOMANIA: Artist Gone Wild," Jan. 22, 7-10 p.m. An evening featuring artwork by 50 artists working in the South of Market district. Free. www.arc-sf.com. 

1246 Folsom St., San Francisco. <


Classical Music-San Francisco Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:24:00 PM

AUDIUM  

"Audium 9," ongoing. 8:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. An exploration of the spatial dimension of music in a unique environment of 176 speakers. $15.  

$15. 8:30 p.m. 1616 Bush St., San Francisco. (415) 771-1616, www.audium.com.

 

DAVIES SYMPHONY HALL  

San Francisco Symphony, through Jan. 23, 2 p.m. Thu., Sun.; 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Works by Beethoven. Conducted by Marek Janowski. $15-$150.  

Itzhak Perlman, Jan. 23, 7 p.m. The legendary violinist performs. $40-$160.  

San Francisco Symphony, Jan. 26 through Jan. 28, 8 p.m. Wed.; 6:30 p.m. Fri. Works by Dukas and Prokofiev. Conducted by David Robertson. $15-$135.  

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

 

HERBST THEATRE  

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Jan. 21, 1 p.m. Works by Bach and Telemann. Conducted by Nicholas McGegan.  

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," ongoing. 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 -- ongoing. 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.legionofhonor.org.

 

OLD FIRST CHURCH  

Navitas Ensemble, Jan. 21, 8 p.m. Works by Bartok, Schulhoff, Schnittke and Dohanyi.  

William Wellborn, Jan. 23, 4 p.m. Works by Franz Liszt.  

Ann Moss and Steven Bailey, Jan. 28, 8 p.m. Works by Heggie, O'Malley, Wade and more.  

Roy Oakley, Jan Bures, Carol Rice and William Corbett-Jones, Jan. 30, 4 p.m. Works by Brahms, Schubert and Beethoven.  

$14-$17; children 12 and under free. 1751 Sacramento Street, San Francisco. (415) 474-1608, www.oldfirstconcerts.org.

 

WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE  

San Francisco Ballet: Giselle, Jan. 29 through Feb. 13, Performances vary; see website for complete schedule. Composed by Adolphe Adam. Choreography by Helgi Tomasson. $48-$150.  

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


Classical Music-East Bay Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:23:00 PM

ST. JOHN'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH  

"Chamber Music Sundaes," Jan. 30, 3 p.m. Works by Bach. $20-$25.  

2727 College Ave., Berkeley. (510) 845-6830, www.stjohnsberkeley.org.

 

ST. MARY MAGDALENE CHURCH  

"MusicSources presents Extravagant Music From 17th Century Italy and Spain," Jan. 23, 5 p.m. Works by Castello, Falconieri, Rognoni and more. $15-$20.  

2005 Berryman St., Berkeley. <


Popmusic-East Bay Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:34:00 PM

924 GILMAN ST. All ages welcome. 

Brutal Truth, Lack of Interest, Plutocracy, Voetsek, Iron Lung, Drunken Hardcore, Jan. 21, 7 p.m. $12. 

Flagitous Idiosyncracy In The Dilapidation, Capitalist Casualties, Bastard Noise, Despise You, PLF, Population Reduction, Jan. 22, 7 p.m. $12. 

$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, ongoing. 9 p.m. First and third Wed.  

Free.  

Lou Lou and The Gypsy Jivers, Jan. 22, 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  

Gary King & Friends, Jan. 21, 8 p.m. $10. 

The Steve Freund Blues Trio, Jan. 22, 8 p.m. $10. 

"Blues Jam," Jan. 24, 7 p.m. $7. 

"Blues Jam," Jan. 26, 7 p.m. $3. 

Mal Sharpe's Big Money in Jazz Band, Jan. 27, 8 p.m. $10. 

Steve Erquiaga, Frank Martin & Friends, Jan. 28, 8 p.m. $10. 

Rusty, Jan. 29, 8 p.m. $15. 

Dan Hicks & Bayside Jazz, Jan. 30, 4 p.m. $25. 

707 Marina Vista Ave., Martinez. (925) 228-6985, www.armandosmartinez.com.

 

ASHKENAZ  

The Caribbean Allstars, Jan. 21, 9:30 p.m. $10-$13. 

Baguette Quartette, Jan. 22, 9 p.m. Parisian dance lesson at 8 p.m. $10-$13.  

Bandworks, Jan. 23, 1 p.m. $5. 

Bandworks, Jan. 25, 7:30 p.m. $5. 

Dedicated Maniacs, David Gans, Jan. 26, 9 p.m. $10. 

The Felix Samuel Band, Jan. 27, 9 p.m. $10. 

Steve Lucky & The Rhumba Bums, Jan. 28, 9 p.m. East Coast Swing dance lesson at 8 p.m. $10-$13.  

Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole, Jan. 29, 9 p.m. Cajun/Zydeco dance lesson at 8 p.m. $12-$15.  

Flamenco Open Stage, Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m. $10. 

Gerry Tenney & California Klezmer, Jan. 30, 3 p.m. $4-$6. 

1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5054, www.ashkenaz.com.

 

BECKETT'S IRISH PUB  

Shark Alley Hobos, Jan. 21.  

Dgiin, Jan. 22.  

Shark Alley Dive, Mikie Prasad, Jan. 26.  

Adrian Gormley Jazz Ensemble, Jan. 27.  

Cradled Duende, Jan. 28.  

Free. Shows at 10 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2271 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 647-1790, www.beckettsirishpub.com.

 

BLAKE'S ON TELEGRAPH  

Treehouse, Steinway Junkies, Jan. 22, 9 p.m.  

Trainface, Floozy, Silkscrew, Jan. 29, 9 p.m.  

For ages 18 and older unless otherwise noted. Music begins at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2367 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley. (510) 848-0886, www.blakesontelegraph.com.

 

CHOUINARD VINEYARDS AND WINERY The winery features an exhibit of stone craft and baskets honoring the rich culture of the Ohlone Indians. Palomares Canyon was a summer home to the Ohlone Indians. The exhibit also includes historical photos and artifacts that document more recent colorful inhabitants to the canyon."Music at Chouinard," ongoing. 4:30-8:30 p.m. on select Sundays June-August. The rest of the year features live music in the tasting room on the second Sunday of each month. Enjoy the best of Bay Area artists at Chouinard. Bring your own gourmet picnic (no outside alcoholic beverages). Wines are available for tasting and sales.  

$40 per car. 

Free. Tasting Room: Saturdays-Sundays, noon-5 p.m. 33853 Palomares Road, Castro Valley. (510) 582-9900, www.chouinard.com.

 

FOX THEATER  

Ween, Jan. 28, 8 p.m. $35. 

1807 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (510) 452-0438, www.thefoxoakland.com.

 

FREIGHT AND SALVAGE  

"Freight Open Mic," ongoing. Tuesdays. $4.50-$5.50. 

Red Molly, Jan. 21, 8 p.m. $20.50-$22.50. 

Ray Manzarek & Roy Rogers, Jan. 22, 8 p.m. $24.50-$26.50. 

Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin, Laurel Bliss & Clifford Perry, Jan. 23, 8 p.m. $20.50-$22.50. 

The Handsome Family, Sean Rowe, Jan. 25, 8 p.m. $20.50-$22.50. 

"Long Gone -- The Life and Times of Utah Phillips Tribute Show," Jan. 26, 8 p.m. $18.50-$20.50. 

Chuck Brodsky, Jan. 27, 8 p.m. $18.50-$20.50. 

Girlyman, Jan. 28, 8 p.m. $28.50-$30.50. 

Lou & Peter Berryman, Jan. 29, 8 p.m. $20.50-$22.50. 

The Bobs, Jan. 30, 8 p.m. $28.50-$30.50. 

Music starts at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 548-1761, www.freightandsalvage.org.

 

JAZZSCHOOL  

Amikaeyla and Trelawny Rose, Jan. 21, 8 p.m. $15. 

Julian Waterfall Pollack Trio, Jan. 22, 8 p.m. $15. 

"Vocal Jam Session," Jan. 23, 7:30 p.m.  

Free.  

Jim Santi Owen, Jan. 23, 4:30 p.m. $10. 

Grupo Falso Baiano, Jan. 28, 8 p.m. $12. 

Laurie Antonioli and the American Dreams Band, Jan. 29, 8 p.m. $15. 

UC Jazz Faculty Group, Jan. 30, 4:30 p.m. $12. 

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," ongoing. 5 p.m. Sundays. A weekly bluegrass and Americana series.  

"Jazzschool Tuesdays," ongoing. 8 p.m. Tuesdays. Featuring the ensembles from the Berkeley Jazzschool. www.jazzschool.com. 

George Lacson Project, Jan. 21, 8 p.m.  

Justin Hellman Trio, Jan. 22, 8 p.m.  

DJ fflood, Jan. 27, 8 p.m.  

cvDUB, Jan. 28, 8 p.m.  

Nathan Clevenger Group, Jan. 29, 8 p.m.  

8 p.m. 2181 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 843-8277, www.jupiterbeer.com.

 

KIMBALL'S CARNIVAL  

"Monday Blues Legends Night," ongoing. 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  

"The Rubinoos Junior Show," Jan. 22, 10:30 a.m. $4-$5. 

Free unless otherwise noted. 3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2568, www.lapena.org.

 

THE NEW PARISH  

Zion I, Jan. 21, 9:30 p.m. $20-$25. 

People Party, Jan. 22, 10 p.m. $5. 

El Ten Eleven, Superhumanoids, Return To Mono, Jan. 25, 9 p.m. $8-$12. 

Black Thought, DJ J Period, Lunar Heights, Jan. 26, 9:30 p.m. $25. 

Great American Taxi, Jan. 27, 9 p.m. $15-$18. 

579 18th St., Oakland. (510) 444-7474, www.thenewparish.com.

 

SHATTUCK DOWN LOW For ages 21 and older. 

"King of King's," ongoing. 9 p.m. Sun. $10. 

"Live Salsa," ongoing. Wednesdays. An evening of dancing to the music of a live salsa band. Salsa dance lessons from 8-9:30 p.m. $5-$10. 

"Thirsty Thursdays," ongoing. 9 p.m. Thursdays. Featuring DJ Vickity Slick and Franky Fresh. Free.  

California Honey Drops, The Expanders, Jan. 21, 9 p.m. $8-$10. 

DJ Platurn, Jan. 22, 9 p.m.  

Free.  

Rockstar Karaoke, Jan. 25, 8 p.m.  

Orquestra Candela, Jan. 26, 8 p.m. Salsa dance lessons at 8:30 p.m. $5-$10.  

The Grease Traps, Bulk, DJ Riddm, Jan. 28, 9 p.m. $5-$7. 

"Non Stop Bhangra presents Family Vibes," Jan. 29, 9 p.m. $10. 

2284 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 548-1159, www.shattuckdownlow.com.

 

STARRY PLOUGH PUB  

The Starry Irish Music Session led by Shay Black, ongoing. Sundays, 8 p.m. Sliding scale.  

Dominique Leone, Fred Frith, Jack O' The Clock, Jan. 21, 9 p.m. $10. 

Hang Jones, Loretta Lynch, Mighty Lynchpins, Jan. 22, 9 p.m. $8. 

Interchangeable Hearts, Canons and Clouds, Black Balloon, Cityzen, Jan. 27, 9 p.m. $8. 

Tempest, Pandemonaeon, Nine Pound Shadow, Jan. 28, 8 p.m. $15. 

Rough Waters, Pockit, Beatific, Jan. 29, 9 p.m. $8. 

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  

Total B.S., The Dashing Suns, A Decent Animal, Jan. 21, 9 p.m. $5. 

Skinlab, Saint Vernon, Severed Fifth, MadAtSam, Jan. 22, 9 p.m. $10. 

Or, The Whale, Poor Bailey, Cash Pony, Jan. 26, 9 p.m. $10. 

Cabaret Perilous, Jan. 28, 9 p.m. $10. 

Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys, Red Meat, The Honeybees, Jan. 29, 9 p.m. $12. 

1928 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (510) 451-8100, www.uptownnightclub.com.

 

YOSHI'S  

Ledisi, through Jan. 23, 8 and 10 p.m. Thu.-Sat.; 7 and 9 p.m. Sun. $24-$28. 

Khalil Shaheed and Mansa Musa, Jan. 24, 8 p.m. $20. 

Angelo Luster, Jan. 25, 8 p.m. $16. 

Chris Cain, Jan. 26, 8 p.m. $16. 

Bobby Hutcherson Quartet, Jan. 27 through Jan. 28, 8 and 10 p.m. $16-$24. 

Lizz Wright, Jan. 29, 8 and 10 p.m. $24. 

Ledward Kaapana, Nathan Aweau, Dennis Kamakahi, Jan. 30, 5 and 7 p.m. $20-$25. 

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.

 

ZELLERBACH HALL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY  

Joshua Redman, Jan. 22, 8 p.m. $22-$50. 

UC Berkeley campus, Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 642-9988.<


Annual 'Noir City' festival shines a spotlight on cinematic darkness

By Justin DeFreitas
Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 09:59:00 AM
Olivia de Havilland portrays identical twins caught in a murder investigation in Robert Siodmak's The Dark Mirror (1946).
Olivia de Havilland portrays identical twins caught in a murder investigation in Robert Siodmak's The Dark Mirror (1946).

The American roots of film noir begin with the crime fiction that emerged during the 1930s from the pens of writers like Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, James M. Cain, and multitudes of lesser-known talents. In the wake of the Great Depression, these pulp authors reshaped the literary landscape with dark, cynical, morally ambivalent tales of crime, sex and vice — stories steeped in shadowy imagery, tough talk, and a hardscrabble hyper-realism that portrayed a brutal, hostile world. There were no heroes, only anti-heroes — self-preserving pragmatists whose cynicism was born of dashed hopes and faded ideals.

It was only a matter of time before these stories infiltrated Hollywood, merging with the stark, shadowy imagery of German Expressionism, which crossed the Atlantic along with the refugees who left Germany just ahead of Hitler's advancing stormtroopers. And thus a bold and distinctly downbeat genre was born, a German-American hybrid that introduced a stock of melodramatic characters: the dangerous and brooding urban gangster-villain; the tormented innocent caught up in nefarious circumstances beyond his control or comprehension; the icy, diabolical femme fatale; and an array of edgy protagonists ranging from the introspective, tormented, world-weary anti-hero to the twitchy, slippery, would-be hero, the third-rate, small-time hood looking to get ahead in a hostile world for which he is ill-equipped.

Noir City, the annual film festival that celebrates these dark cinematic gems and presents them on the big screen in all their tawdry glory, returns to San Francisco's Castro Theater this Friday with another 10-day program of dames, destruction and depravity. The festival is full of rarities; in fact, most of films in this year's program are not available on DVD. 

The festival features 24 films, from A-list masterpieces to B-movie programmers, and kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Friday with Robert Taylor and Audrey Totter in Curtis Bernhardt's High Wall (1947), presented in a new 35-mm print preserved by the Film Noir Foundation. The double feature continues with Stranger on the Third Floor (1940), a Peter Lorre film that some consider the first American noir. 

Highlights include two classics from George Cukor: Gaslight (1944), starring Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer, and A Double Life, with Ronald Colman's Oscar-winning performance as a Broadway actor slipping into madness; Strangers in the Night (1944), just one of director Anthony Mann's many great films; Marilyn Monroe as a mentally unstable babysitter who seduces Richard Widmark in Don't Bother to Knock (1952); Barbara Stanwyck in Sorry, Wrong Number (1948), playing the role created by Agnes Moorhead in the original radio production that was one of the most famous broadcasts from that medium's golden age; and what noir festival would be complete without at least one Humphrey Bogart film? This year, it's The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947), in which Bogart plays a mentally unhinged painter with murderous designs on his wife — Stanwyck again. 

But the festival's best shows are often the lesser-known gems, pictures large and small that have, for one reason or another, slipped into semi-obscurity over the years.  

Olivia de Havilland turns in two strong performances The Dark Mirror (1946), portraying identical twins caught up in a murder investigation. A psychologist aids in unravelling the crime by subjecting the sisters to the usual round of Rorschach tests, and though de Havilland ably delineates the sweet, kindly sister from the jealous and possibly dangerous one, director Robert Siodmak takes pity on the audience by giving the girls personalized necklaces that spell out their names in bold letters — it's as though Siodmak was taking advice from a bad editorial cartoonist.  

Woman on the Beach (1947) was directed by the great Jean Renoir, yet the film was drastically cut before its release. Still, it's a strong enough little film, with Robert Ryan as the lovestruck innocent caught in the grip of seductress Joan Bennet. Like an apparition, she appears on the beach and before long Ryan has stepped into the role of savior, trying to free the distressed damsel from the clutches of her husband, an aging painter who has lost his sight, his muse, and, we're left to assume, his virility.  

Joan Bennett appears again in a film by another festival regular, director Fritz Lang, whose German films exerted a strong influence on noir. In America, Lang's vision was curtailed, sometimes for the better, but oftentimes for the worse. With Secret Beyond the Door (1948), Lang had simply lost his mojo, spinning a nonsense tale of psychoanalytic babble while hoping his visual flair would carry the day. It didn't, but it's still an entertaining affair, with Bennet struggling to unravel the mysteries of Michael Redgrave's tormented psyche. The film will be presented in a new print restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive, a project funded by Martin Scorcese's Film Foundation.  

Noir City 9. Through Jan 30 at the Castro Theater, 429 Castro St., San Francisco. For more information see www.noircity.com or www.thecastrotheatre.com .


Around and About in the Performing Arts

By Ken Bullock
Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 09:35:00 AM

--Berkeley Symphony produces Landscapes of Sound, this Thursday's concert at 8, Zellerbach Hall on the UC campus, featuring the world premiere of Du Yu's orchestral piece Mantichora, celebrating the Manticore, fabulous beast with the body of a red lion and a very toothy human head, as well as Olivier Messaien's Oiseaux exotiques, featuring pianist Natasha Paremski (Berkeley Symphony has a long relationship with Messaien's groundbreaking music, Kent Nagano having worked with the composer decades ago) and Beethoven'sSymphony no. 6 in F major, The Pastoral Symphony, all under the baton of musical director Joana Carneiro. Pre-concert talk at 7. Tickets: $20-$60. 841-2800; berkeleysymphony.org  

 

--Thingamajigs Performance Group, an East Bay music ensemble "combining Eastern sensibilities with Western technology and performance practices," utilizing instruments from made, found and recycled objects, plus Asian wind instruments and homemade electronics, performs their music, realized "more as a theater or dance group works" (and its members have worked extensively with troupes such as San Francisco's Theatre of Yugen classical Japanese theater company), plays this Saturday at 8 at Meridian Gallery, 535 Powell Street in San Francisco, featuring Dylan Bolles, Suki O'Kane, Edward Schocker and Zachary Watkins, with special guests Keith Evens and Kanoko Nishi. $5-$10. 444-1322; thingamajigs.org

Theater:

--Actors Ensemble of Berkeley will present Bernard Shaw's Heartbreak House, directed by Robert Estes, opening this friday at 8, through February 19, Fridays-Saturdays at 8, some Thurday evenings and Sunday matinees, at live Oak Thater on Shattuck, just north of the North Berkeley business district in Live Oak Park. $12-$15. 649-5999; aeofberkeley.org

--Altarena Playhouse presents Steinbeck's Of Mice & Men, adapted by George Kaufman, directed by Gene Kahane, this Friday at 8 through February 20, Fridays-Saturdays at 8, Sundays at 2 (and Thursday February 17 at 8), at Altarena Playhouse on High Street, Alameda. Tickets: $19-$22 (plus $5 student tickets). 523-1553; altarena.org

(There's something of a Steinbeck fest in this part of the East Bay ... TheatreFirst will open their production of Frank Galati's adaptation of Grapes of Wrath next week--more of that, then ... )


Film Review: The Illusionist: The Re-animation of Jacques Tati

By Gar Smith
Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 09:12:00 AM

The wordless French comic, Jacques Tati (“Mr. Hulot’s Holiday,” “Mon Oncle”), lives again, thanks to the magic of a well-drawn line and the vision of Sylvain Chomet (director of the Oscar-winning animated feature, “The Triplets of Belleville”). 

Nearly 28 years after his death, Tati takes to the stage once more, as the protagonist of a bittersweet tale that sends Tati’s animated avatar pirouetting through life’s struggles atop two pole-stiff legs that constantly seem about to bolt off in opposite directions. 

Going beneath Tati’s standard attire (cap, cloak and pipe), the animators of The Illusionist (devoted fans, who rewatched each of Tati’s classic movies at least ten times) have managed to capture the actor’s signature moves. As a result, The Illusionist’s aging and perpetually confused magician stumbles through life in Tati’s patented tip-toe dance of indecision — a marionette lifted not by his shoulders but steered by his hip strings. (Watching Tati’s comic gait is something like watching a stork trying to walk off a wedgie.) 

The story is based on an unproduced screenplay that Tati wrote as a “love letter” to his daughter, Sofie Tatischeff. The tale — delivered in a glorious 2-D world of artful sketches and watercolored landscapes — unfolds almost without words. (When the characters do speak, the sound of their voices actually becomes a distraction.) Producing this carefully wrought film required the work of 80 “core artists” and the assistance of another 100 animators from several outside studios. 

The artwork supports a somewhat grim worldview — a vision of humanity largely populated by grotesques who face a daily struggle to survive. A world where even those gifted with talents that set them apart may be doomed to fail — forever at risk of winding up penniless on some dark street corner. On the plus side, redemption can arrive in the form of something as simple as a free bowl of soup or a gift magically conjured out of thin air. 

It is the dawn of the television era and audiences are dwindling in Britain’s fading music halls. Beset by thinning crowds, the hardscrabble illusionist, “Tatischeff,” accepts every rebuff and indignity with solemn, stoic resignation. Equipped with little more than a rolled-up publicity poster and a rolling set of props that includes a carnivorous rabbit, Tatisheff finds himself playing second fiddle to a foppish British rock band. (Some may fail to see the humor in the running joke that portrays the “Britoons” as a band of giggling, flip-wristed sissy-boys.) 

Forced to look for work in ever-smaller venues, Tatischeff takes a job performing in a bar in a remote fishing village in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides. And it is here that Alice, a young Scottish servant girl, enters the magician’s life. 

In a blessed relief from Beauty and the Beast, The Princess and the Frog, and Tangled, Alice is far from Disney-cute. (The overall look of this finely drawn film is more Dickens than Disney.) Alice has the common face of someone’s forgotten child trapped in difficult circumstances. A simple act of sleight-of-hand brings Alice hope that the world might actually offer some bright surprises — instead of a daily routine of predictable drudgery. So it’s no surprise (for the audience, at least) that, when the magician decides to move on, he finds he has a new companion. 

Tatischeff struggles to protect and nurture Alice, working several jobs on the sly to finance the illusion that new shoes and fancy clothes materialize by magic. Alice grows to become a young woman and falls in love. As her life expands, the magician’s life narrows. Disappointingly, when he accepts his inevitable separation from Alice, it comes without a word, a touch, a hug or a kiss — with nothing more than an unsigned farewell note about the illusion of human mastery over life. 

Atop a hill in Edinburg, he takes his final bow from the performing life and the film takes flight in an extraordinary panoramic swoop across the city’s rooftops and hills. (Campbell McAllister, the animator who worked on this remarkable scene, fondly calls it “the flying away farewell to Edinburgh.”) 

If you’re a fan of Tati and/or the “ancient art” of hand-drawn animation, this film will be a treat. (And, if you are a Tatiphile, you might even forgive Chomet for the tempting-but-avoidable scene in which Tatischeff darts into a dark theater and finds himself staring at the image of Jacques Tati cavorting onscreen in Mon Oncle.) 

The Illusionist opens January 21 at the Shattuck. 


Eye from the Aisle: Teatro Zinzanni--Save up your singles for a special occasion!

By John A. McMullen II
Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 09:10:00 AM

I never went to TEATRO ZINZANNI before because it seemed so expensive. But I now recommend starting to squirrel away a dollar a day in your special occasion piggy bank, because THIS IS THE PLACE TO GO. 

Under a lush, plush Sheik-of-Araby tent, showgirls cinched tightly into their bustiers show you to the table. The entertainment is all Vaudeville, all done table-side in the round. Word has it that this one—LICENSE TO KISS II: A SWEET CONSPIRACY is the best of the last several that periodically refresh so you can come enjoy it anew. 

Crazy, crazy fun acts and characters abound: A Nordic, vampiric MC, a manager ala Riff Raff out Rocky Horror, a squeaky voiced Magenta in love with DICK, a pastry chef with Peter Lorre’s persona, a stunning hot girl on the flying trapeze, an enormous Teddy Bear walking the tightrope, a Bette Midler-esque soprano émigré from the Merola program, tap-dancing that makes your forget Savion Glover, touching duets. There so much shtick in tandem that if you don’t like one, wait a minute and you’ll love the next one. Acts flow seamlessly and seemingly as endlessly like a family of clowns exiting a VW.  

The band keeps your juices flowing with sounds redolent of a jumping Brian Setzer orchestra.  

The highlight of the evening is Kevin Kent who regales you with the best improv since Robin Williams quit cocaine. In Marie Antoinette drag, Kent drags a willing victim from the audience and runs the best gay repartee this side of old Finocchio’s…and it goes on and on till you belly hurts. 

The food is excellent, and the service even better. You have a cheese plate, soup, then salad served in courses, but the main course does not come till 9 pm (it’s a 4 hour show, my lovelies!). I would recommend the shrimp cocktail as appetizer to tide you over that comes with an extraordinarily tasty house-made tomatoey cocktail sauce. The maple-glazed chicken was moist and tasty and the sweetness just right. Go for the ala carte wild mushrooms. 

The service commences with the servers tangoing with plates in hand to serve you. It is amazing that they can get hot, delectable food to so many people so quickly without a hesitation. The wait staff is witty, genial—oh, and did I mention lovely young things of both genders—and dedicated to your comfort and desires—er, that is, as far as comestibles go. 

It is a definite bacchanalian atmosphere that will make a special occasion as special as it can get and be a lasting memory. It plays at Pier 38 and there is $10 parking in the back. 

Even the box office staff was superb, making changes to accommodate my partner’s allergies, and Morgan, our waiter, had that info when took our order—impressive! 

They present a particularly good website with videos, excellent descriptions and menus. 

Contact them at for tickets and info at: 

http://love.zinzanni.org/cast.htm or 415-438-2668. 


Museums-San Francisco Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:33:00 PM

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. "In a New Light," ongoing. 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.Free with general admission unless otherwise noted.  

$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."North Beach Walking Tour,", ongoing. 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.$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.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," ongoing. 6 p.m. Thursdays. 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," ongoing. Exhibition features sculpture by Maya Lin.  

BENJAMIN DEAN LECTURE SERIES -- ongoing.  

$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 -- ongoing. 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 -- ongoing. 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.  

"Think California," through Feb. 5, Wed.-Sat. noon-4:30 p.m. An exhibition highlighting the colorful history of California through the institution's remarkable collection of artwork, artifacts and ephemera. Themes include: Coming to California, Scenic Splendors, Earthquakes, Floods and Volcanoes, and more. $1-$3; members are always free. 

"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.

 

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. "Leaders of the Band," ongoing. An exhibition of the history and development of the Cathay Club Marching Band, the first Chinese American band formed in 1911.$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.

 

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. 

"Van Gough, Gauguin, Cezanne and Beyond: Post-Impressionist Masterpieces from the Musee d'Orsay," ongoing. Exhibit open through Jan. 18, 2011.  

LECTURES AND SYMPOSIA -- ongoing.  

"Pat Steir: After Hokusai, after Hiroshige," through Jan. 30. Exhibition shows the continued influence of the Japanese print on Western artists into the late twentieth century.  

$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.

 

GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM The museum is a project of the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) Historical Society.EXHIBITS -- ongoing.  

$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 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," ongoing. 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 -- ongoing. 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.legionofhonor.org.

 

MARKET STREET RAILWAY MUSEUM ongoing. 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 ongoing.  

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 ongoing. 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 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 PERFORMANCE AND DESIGN 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.''"Urban Kidz Film Series," ongoing. 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.$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) ongoing. 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 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fort Mason Center, Building E, Third Floor, Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, San Francisco. (415) 560-7080, (415) 560-7030, www.nps.gov/safr.< 

 

PACIFIC HERITAGE MUSEUM ongoing. 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 "Earthquake Exhibit," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. Toddlers may comfortably climb the carpeted "treehouse'' and make a myriad of discoveries, from the roots to the limbs.  

"Live Animal Exhibit," ongoing. Visit with more than 100 creatures including small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, raptors and small birds, insects, spiders and tide pool creatures. "Saturdays Are Special at the Museum," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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 -- ongoing. 1-4 p.m. $3-$5. "Drop-in Family Ceramics Workshop," ongoing. Saturday, 10:15-11:15 a.m. $5. 

"Golden Gate Model Railroad Exhibit," ongoing. Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 

"Meet the Animals," ongoing. 11:15 a.m.-noon. 

"Animal Feeding," ongoing. Saturday, noon. 

"Drop-in Family Ceramics Workshop," ongoing. Saturday, 1:15-2:15 p.m. 

"Third Friday Birders," ongoing. 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. 

"Film Series for Teenagers," ongoing. Fridays, 7 p.m. 

"Meet the Animals," ongoing. Saturdays, 11:15 a.m. Learn about the animals that live at the Randall Museum. 

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 ongoing. 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: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Daily; 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. "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.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."Adventures at Sea: Life Aboard a 19th century Sailing Ship," ongoing. 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. 

"Historic Waterfront Walking Tour," ongoing. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Park Rangerled, hour long tour of San Francisco's northern waterfront. Tour takes place on various days throughout December; see website for full details. Free. 

"Chantey Sing," ongoing. 8 p.m.-12 a.m. Monthly sing-a-long aboard a historic ship. Bring a mug for hot apple cider served from the ship's galley. Free; reservations required. Reservation line: (415) 561-7171. 

"A Singing Tour of BALCLUTHA," Jan. 9 and Jan. 23, 3-3:45p.m. Listen to examples of sea chanteys -- work songs sung by sailors. Join in to haul a line and sing along! $5, children under 16 are free. 

"Lifesaving At the Golden Gate," Jan. 22, 3-3:45p.m. In San Francisco's heyday, countless lives were saved by the brave men of the Lifesaving Service. Join visitor center staff to view the tools of the trade. 

VISITOR CENTER -- ongoing. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Daily  

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.TEMPORARILY CLOSED.  

$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 PERFORMING ARTS LIBRARY AND MUSEUM ongoing. "Dance in California: 150 Years of Innovation," ongoing. 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," ongoing. This permanent exhibit is a comprehensive study of a generation of national and international conductors. In Gallery 5.  

"San Francisco 1900: On Stage," ongoing. In Gallery 4.  

"San Francisco in Song," ongoing. 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 ongoing. 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 ongoing. 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.$8-$10. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday. 221 Fourth St., San Francisco. (415) 820-3220, www.zeum.org.<


Outdoors-North Bay Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:33:00 PM

ANGEL ISLAND STATE PARK ongoing. On the island there are guided history tours, TramTour and nature walks featuring the Quarantine Station, the ImTramTour are one-hour, audio-enhanced tours which cover the island's military history from the Civil War to the Cold War; its past use as an immigration station where 175,000 Chinese, other Asians and Europeans were detanted on the island. Call for ferry schedule.  

RESIDENTS APPRECIATION DAYS -- ongoing. Show your photo ID (with proof of residence) at the Cove Cafi and receive either half-off on the purchase of tickets for the Angel Island TramTour or half-off on mountain bike rentals.  

Appreciation Days by County:  

Monday: Marin County.  

Tuesday: San Francisco and San Mateo counties.  

Wednesday: Contra Costa and Alameda counties.  

Thursday: Napa and Sonoma counties.  

Friday: Santa Clara and Solano counties.  

Open-air Tour Trams travel around the island and offer breathtaking views of San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline as well as information about the island's military history and cultural past.  

May-September: Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays, 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m., and 1:30 p.m.  

October: Wednesday-Friday,10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 1:30 p.m. Schedules may change so check in at the Cove Cafe on arrival on the island for the current days schedule. $9.50-$13.50; free children ages 5 and under. (415) 897-0715.  

"Segway Tours," ongoing. Daily, 10:30 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. The Segway is an electric, self-balancing, personal-transportation device designed to travel miles on a single electrical charge. The 2-hour, 5-mile historic and interpretive tour will circle the island's Perimeter Trail,0715. 

Prices vary depending on which ferry is used. Bicycle rentals: $10 per hour or $35 all day for basicSTATE PARK -- ongoing. The park is on the eastern edge of Santa Rosa and features 35 miles of trail, 5,000 acres of rolling hills and a great variety of spring and summer wildflowers. Lake Ilsanjo offers fishing, and occasionally there are guided tours about the history and ecology of the region. There is no camping in the park. m.-5 p.m. 6201 Channel Drive, Santa Rosa. (707) 539-3911, www.parks.ca.gov.

 

BALE GRIST MILL STATE HISTORIC PARK ongoing. Learn about the history of the Old Bale Mill, built in 1846 and restored to operating condition complete with its 36-foot wooden waterwheel and big millstones. Also learn about the historic milling process. The water-powered wheel and grinding stones have been reconstructed and are operational. Tours of the mill are available and milling for the public takes place weekends and holidays. Walk the History Trail between the park and Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. 

Open Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Three miles north of Saint Helena on state Highways 29 and 128, Saint Helena. (707) 942-4575, (707) 963-2236, www.parks.ca.gov.

 

BALLOONS ABOVE THE VALLEY ongoing. Take an hour-long, early morning, hot air balloon ride over the Napa Valley. The flight includes a narration by the certified balloon pilot, a replica balloon pin, a certificate of ascension, and a Champagne Brunch in a serene Napa Valley wine country setting. Reservations required. Meet at the Napa General Store, 540 Main St., Napa. 

Chase and Brunch Option -- ongoing. Daily, one half hour before sunrise, weather permitting. This is a chance to participate in the festivities without the flight. Come watch the inflation of the balloon, have a picture taken in front of the balloon before lift-off, and then join the company's hospitality staff to meet the flight on landing and the Champagne Brunch celebration. Reservations required. $40 per person. 

$185-$230. Daily, one half hour before sunrise, weather permitting. Vineyard Gardens, 5091 Solano Ave., Napa. (800) 464-6824, (707) 252-2222, www.balloonrides.com.

 

BAY AREA RAIL TRAILS ongoing. A network of trails converted from unused railway corridors throughout the Bay Area by the Rails to Trails Conservancy.  

FAIRFIELD LINEAR PARK, Ongoing. This four-mile trail is primarily a commuter route that leads from downtown Fairfield to the Solano Community College. A portion of the trail runs through a nicely landscaped greenbelt featuring small playgrounds and benches. The trail surface is asphalt and concrete and may be used for walking, biking, and In-line skating. It is wheelchair accessible. Access is from the baseball diamond of the Community College across the bridge behind the backstop and home plate. Useable year round. LARKSPUR PATH, ongoing. This easy one-mile asphalt path from Corte Madera to Larkspur runs through a lovely slice of Marin County that illustrates why the area has become such a desirable place to live. The trail begins at the dirt parking area on Montecito Drive in Corte Madera. The trail, which is suitable for walking, horseback riding, biking, and In-line skating, is passable year around, but the dirt portions may be muddy during the rainy season. The trail is also wheelchair accessible.  

MILL VALLEY-TO-SAUSALITO PATH, ongoing. A paved, level 3-mile trail that traverses a tidal marsh and passes the San Francisco Bay Model. Suitable for walking, In-line skating, biking, horseback riding and bird watching. Runs from East Blithedale Avenue in Mill Valley to Dunphy Park in Sausalito. The trail is open year-round.  

NORTHERN SONOMA BIKE PATH, ongoing. This easy, mile-long, paved trail runs from Maxwell Farms Regional Park to the Sebastiani Winery through the northern part of the town of Sonoma. Suitable for walking, In-line skating, biking, and horseback riding. It is also wheelchair accessible. Trail access is from Fourth Street East, north of East Spain Street. Free parking at the Sebastiani Winery. Open year-round.  

OLD RAILROAD GRADE, ongoing. A steep, partly paved, 9-mile trail converted from a rail line that was once referred to as "the crookedest railroad in the world.'' Suitable for hikers, horseback riders and mountain bikers. Vegetation ranges from dense redwood forests in steep canyons to scrub chaparral in drier locations. Runs from Blithedale Park in Mill Valley almost to the peak of Mount Tamalpais. Open year-round but can be closed on short notice due to extreme fire weather.  

SIR FRANCIS DRAKE BIKEWAY, ongoing. A 6-mile trail (3.4 miles paved and the rest gravel) converted from the North Pacific Coast Railroad line between Larkspur and Cazadero. The bikeway parallels Lagunitas Creek. Suitable for hikers, runners, bikers and equestrians. Runs from Platform Bridge Road and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, east past Samuel P. Taylor State Park to Shafter Bridge.  

TIBURON LINEAR PARK, ongoing. An easy paved, 3-mile shoreline rail-trail. Runs from the junction of Trestle Glen Road and Tiburon Boulevard to Mar West Street in Belvedere. Suitable for skaters, strollers and cyclists. The path runs on the old rail spur to the Port of Tiburon. The trail is open year-round. There is a large parking area at Blackies Pasture.  

WEST COUNTY OR JOE RODOTA TRAIL, ongoing. A paved, 6-mile trail that crosses creeks and traverses Sonoma County farmlands. Runs near the intersection of state Highway 12 and Merced Avenue in Santa Rosa to Sebastopol. Open year-round. 

Free. (415) 397-2220, www.traillink.com.

 

BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL ongoing. 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. 

Free. (415) 561-2595, www.ridgetrail.org.

 

BLUE WATERS KAYAKING ongoing. Beginner and advanced sea kayaking classes and tours are offered in the Point Reyes National Park area and beyond. Point Reyes tours include Drake's Estero, a stunning place to paddle on the California coast offering viewing of wildlife such as harbor seals, bat rays, leopard sharks and many bird species. Another tour is of Tomales Bay, appropriate for the whole family and first-time paddlers. The Day on the Bay tour goes to secluded beaches, and the Tule Elk-Hog Island tour is a shorter tour that takes paddlers to Nick's Cove. Also offered is the Estero Americano Tour, which explores farmland in West Marin. A detailed schedule of tours, classes and other events is available online or by phone. 

12938 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Inverness, or 19225 Shoreline Highway, Marshall. Reservations: (415) 669-2600, Marshall Site: (415) 663-1754, Inverness Site: (415) 669-2600, www.bwkayak.com.

 

BOLINAS LAGOON PRESERVE ongoing. The 1,000-acre preserve hosts one of the largest Great Blue Heron, Great Egret and Snowy Egret nesting sites on the West Coast and averages about 100 active nest sites yearly in a grove of redwoods and on the property. Blue Lagoon Preserve features bird and wildlife viewing platforms, eight miles of hiking trails, picnic locations, an environmental education-focused bookstore and an education hall. 

$15 suggested donation. March 17-July 15: Weekends and holidays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; weekdays, by appointment. 4900 Highway One, 30 miles north of Stinson Beach. (415) 868-9244, www.egret.org/bolinas_lagoon.html.< 

 

BOTHE-NAPA VALLEY STATE PARK ongoing. The park is located in the heart of the Napa Valley wine country. It offers a variety of activities including camping, picnicking, swimming and hiking. The park has 50 campsites in Richey Creek Canyon. The Native American Plant Garden, a demonstration garden of some of the plant communities that were important to the first people of this area, is next to the visitor center. A guide to the plants and their uses is available. Walk the History Trail between the park and Bale Grist Mill State Park.  

Campgrounds, ongoing. Camping Facilities: Open year-round. Reservations required. $25 per night for single vehicle; extra charge for more than one vehicle. (800) 444-PARK.  

Swimming Pool. Open until Labor Day. Tickets to the swimming pool must be purchased at the entrance station. Lifeguards do not sell tickets. 

Day use entrance fee per vehicle: $8. 8 a.m. to sunset. 3801 St. Helena Highway North, Calistoga. (707) 942-4575, www.parks.ca.gov.

 

DI ROSA PRESERVE The preserve contains one of the largest regional art collections in the country as well as a bounty of flora and fauna. Explore the Meadow Trail and outdoor sculpture gardens, the art galleries and the wildlife preserve. Reservations are required for tours of the preserve. 

TOURS --  

"Introductory Tour," ongoing. April 1-October 31: Wednesday-Friday, 11 a.m. and 12noon. November 1-March 31, Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Tour provides an overview of the main gallery, di Rosa residence, courtyard, and north lawn. $7-$10. 

"Art & Meadow Tour," ongoing. April-September only: Saturdays, 10 a.m. On this extended tour, visitors will visit the former di Rosa Residence packed with art, the garden areas and the Sculpture Meadow where some two dozen works may be seen up close. Tour takes about 2.5 hours. $15. 

"Discovery Tour," ongoing. April 1-October 31: Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. and 12noon.; November 1-March 31: Wednesday-Friday, 1 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12noon. On this tour, visitors can e. In addition, visitors may walk through the garden areas, the glass chapel and the central courtyard, viewing some 150 pieces of outdoor sculpture. The collection may not be appropriate for all age groups. Children must be under adult supervision. Still photography of outdoor works of art, for personal purposes only, is welcome. Weekday Tour takes two hours; Saturday tour takes two and a half hours. Reservations required. $15. 

5200 Sonoma Highway, Napa. (707) 226-5991, www.dirosapreserve.org.

 

DORAN REGIONAL PARK ongoing. The park includes a boat launch, fish-cleaning station, boat rinsing station and picnic areas. The campgrounds are open year-round and offer camping facilities in beautiful surroundings. 

$6 parking. Sunrise-sunset. 201 Doran Beach Road, Bodega Bay. (707) 875-3540, www.sonoma-county.org/parks/pk_doran.htm.< 

 

GARDEN VALLEY RANCH ongoing. This Victorian ranch is home to 8,000 rose bushes, a nursery, fragrance garden and All-American Rose Selection test garden. The garden is in full bloom from May through November and the fragrance gar scheduled by reservation with two weeks notice. These tours require a 20-person minimum and include a comprehensive brochure on the gardens. Pets are not allowed. 

Rose Pruning Classes, Jan. 22, 10 a.m. Call or visit the website for reservations. $25. 

Self-guided tours: $5; children must be accompanied by an adult; Docent tours: $10. Wednesday-Sunday; October-April, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; May-September, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 498 Pepper Road, Petaluma. (707) 795-0919, www.gardenvalley.com.

 

GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA CONTINUING MARIN PROGRAMS --  

Point Bonita Lighthouse, Saturday through Monday, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Watch the sunlight dancing through the fog from this historic lighthouse. The half-mile trail to the lighthouse is steep in parts, and often very windy. Children must be accompanied by adults. Access is from the Point Bonita Lighthouse parking lot on Field Road. (415) 331-1540.  

Marin Headlands Visitor Center, daily, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Stop by to learn more about the Headlands and what can be done and seen there. In the historic Fort Barry Chapel, at the corner of Bunker and Field Roads. (415) 331-1540.  

Muir Woods, daily, 8 a.m. to sunset. Visit a grove of majestic redwoods, the tallest tree species in the world. $3 general; free children under age 17. (415) 388-2595.  

Muir Woods Visitor Center, daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit the informative displays and ask questions before or after walking through the ancient redwoods. (415) 388-7368.Free unless noted otherwise. Marin County. www.nps.gov/goga.< 

 

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 hikes. 

MARIN COUNTY -- ongoing. Free unless otherwise noted.  

"Self-Guided Urban Outing: San Rafael," ongoing. Since the founding of Mission San Rafael Arcangel as a northern outpost of the California Mission system in 1817, San Rafael has occupied a central role in Marin County. Following the path of many American cities, San Rafael's downtown began to decline during the early 1960s, but has over the last decade worked with citizens and business groups to implement a downtown revitalization plan. See the results on this 90-minute walking tour focused on mixed-use projects. Included are the C. Paul Bettini Transit Center, the Clocktower, the Rafael Town Center, Boyd Court, the Restored Pacific Telephone Building, Centertown and Lone Palm Court. Download the itinerary which gives specific directions by entering www.greeenbelt.org and clicking on "get involved,'' "outings programs,'' and then "urban outings.'' Drop down to San Rafael. Free. 

"Muir Beach Birdwalk," ongoing. First Sunday of each month, 9-11 a.m. An easy 1-mile walk on level terrain. Meet at the Picnic Area. Free. 

"Tam's Fantastic Falls," Jan. 30, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. View breathtaking waterfalls surrounded by verdant foliage on this greatal house where Luther Burbank lived from 1884 to 1906. The Carriage House was originally used to store carriages and horse tack. The building now houses a museum relating to Burbank's life and work as well as a gift shop. Built in 1889 by Burbank, the Greenhouse houses a replica of Burbank's office and many of the tools he used.  

BURBANK GARDENS -- The Gardens are open year-round, daily, 8 a.m. to dusk (approximately 5 p.m. during the winter). Visitors can take a self-guided tour featuring the flowers, vegetables and trees planted in the garden, which Burbank used as an outdoor laboratory. Raised beds showcase Burbank developed plants including Shasta daisies, lilies, poppies and potatoes. The rose garden has the theme "California-Developed Roses.'' In addition there is a Bird-Attracting Garden and an area specially developed to demonstrate plant materials that attract birds.  

EVENTS ongoing. Gardens open daily, 8 a.m.- dusk.  

HOME, CARRIAGE HOUSE MUSEUM AND GIFT SHOP -- ongoing. The Home, Carriage House Museum and Gift Shop is open April-October. Docent led, drop in tours of the Burbank home, Greenhouse and a portion of the gardens are offered every half hour, Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $3-$4.  

LUTHER BURBANK AUDIO GARDEN TOURS -- ongoing. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Tues. -Sun. Enjoy a leisurely tour of the gardens using the new MP3 audio player system. There are 28 stops to hear the history of and view Mr. Burbank's plants, including the Spineless Cactus, Paradox walnut tree, Plumcot and others. $3 per person.  

Free. Santa Rosa and Sonoma Avenues, Santa Rosa. (707) 524-5445, www.lutherburbank.org.

 

MARIN AUDUBON SOCIETY TIBURON AUDUBON CENTER AND WILDLIFE SANCTUARY -- The center includes the Lyford House, an elegant yellow Victorian house on a cliff, overlooking San Francisco Bay and Tiburon, Sausalito, Angel Island and the San Francisco skyline. The house has been recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  

Monday through Friday except holidays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 376 Greenwood Beach Road, Tiburon. (415) 388-2821.  

AUDUBON CANYON RANCH -- Wildlife sanctuaries and centers for nature education. Egret-viewing season is May through mid-July. (415) 868-9244 or www.egret.org. 

MARIN AUDUBON FIELD TRIPS -- Bring lunch, a field guide and binoculars. Call or refer to Web site for directions. (415) 789-0703. 

Las Gallinas Storage Ponds Thursday Morning Walks, ongoing. Thursdays, 8:30 a.m.-noon Lowell Sykes and Jim White alternate leading these regular leisurely walks through the storage ponds. Meet at the pond's parking lot: From Hwy 101 in northern San Rafael, take the Smith Road exit, go east to the McInnis Park entrance, turn left immediately after crossing the railroad tracks and go to the end of the road. Cancelled when there's heavy rain.  

SPECIAL EVENTS ongoing.  

(415) 789-0703. 

Free. Marin County. www.marinaudubon.org.

 

MARIN COUNTY OPEN SPACE DISTRICT The MCOSD, the local government agency responsible for preserving public open space in Marin County, offers interpretive hikes with ranger staff and naturalist outings, open to the public. Dress for the outdoors and for changes in weather. Bring food and water as desired, and a flashlight for nighttime events.Free. (415) 507-2816, www.marinopenspace.org.

 

ve research and education programs are also performed yearround. Winter is usually the quietest time at the center, often with only one or two animals on site. Spring is pupping season and one of the busiest times of year for the center. Between February and June there are orphaned or abandoned northern elephant seal and Pacifind holidays, volunteer docents are on hand to answer visitor questions. 

"Docent-led Tours," ongoing. 1 and 3 p.m. Thu. and Sat. $5-$7. 

"Audio Tours," ongoing. Audio tours are now available to help visitors learn more about the newly remodeled center. $5-$10. 

Free. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Marin Headlands, 200 Bunker Rd., Sausalito. (415) 289-7325, www.marinemammalcenter.org.

 

MUIR BEACH OVERLOOK OWL TRAIL ongoing. This little dirt trail is unique in that it offers sweeping coastal views, a trip through Slide Ranch with its farm animals, and a descent to a hidden beach with a reef and tide pools. The trail begins at the northern end of the Muir Beach Overlook parking lot with a gentle downgrade toward the ocean through low-lying brush. Dogs and horses are not allowed on the trail.  

Directions: Exit U.S. Highway 101 at Stinson Beach/state Highway 1. Go half a mile to T-intersection with state Highway 1/Shoreline Highway. Turn left and drive past turnoffs to Muir Woods and Frank Valley Road. Go to Muir Beach Overlook Road and turn left to park. Driving Distance: about 8 miles. 

Overlook and Trail: free; $3 entrance fee to Muir Woods; $15 annual pass. Daily, 8 a.m.-sunset. Marin County Muir Woods Visitor Center: (415) 388-7368, Slide Ranch: (415) 381-6155, www.nps.gov/muwo/ or www.slideranch.org.

 

MUIR WOODS NATIONAL MONUMENT The forest along Redwood Creek, named for conservationist John Muir, contains one of the Bay Area's last uncut stands of old-growth redwood trees. The area features a variety of plant and animal life, including the coast redwood, the banana slug and Coho salmon. There are 1.5 miles of flat paved trails to hike in the park, as well as dozens of miles of trails and fire roads through forests and meadows and along creeks and ridge lines. Near the park's main entrance are the Muir Woods Visitor Center and a cafiand gift shop.$3 general; free for children ages 16 and under. Daily, 8 a.m. to sunset. From U.S. Highway 101, take the state Highway 1 exit near Mill Valley, and follow signs for Muir Woods. (415) 388-2595, www.nps.gov/muwo.< 

 

NAPA VALLEY WINE TRAIN The Wine Train travels 36 miles past 26 wineries through the heart of California's famed wine country. Passengers dine in white-linen style aboard authentically refurbished 1915-era Pullman cars pulled by 1950svintage diesel locomotives. All trains require reservations.  

REGULARLY SCHEDULED TRIPS -- ongoing.  

Daily Luncheon and Dinner Excursions, ongoing. A three-hour train trip with fine dining. There are three different styles of restaurants to choose from with prices varying according to the restaurant. Included in the ticket prices is a wine-tasting seminar prior to departure, train trip and lunch or dinner. Check-in is one-hour before the scheduled departure time, with boarding 20 to 30 minutes before departure. Advance reservations required for all trips. Luncheon Excursions: check in at 10:30 a.m. for 11 a.m. boarding; Dinner Excursions: check in at 5:30 p.m. for 6 p.m. boarding; Brunch Excursions: check in at 8:55 a.m. for 9 a.m. boarding; departures vary depending on special scheduled events and brunches. $80 to $150 per person.  

Domaine Chandon Winery Tour, Lunch and Train Fare, ongoing. Call for times. The tour includes a gourmet three-course luncheon on the train, disembarking at the Domaine Chandon Winery for a tasting and an exclusive tour through the winery, followed by dessert and coffee after re-boarding the train for the southbound journey. $130 per person.  

Grgich Hills Winery Tour, Lunch and Train Fare, ongoing. Call for times. The tour includes a gourmet three-course luncheon on the train, disembark at the Grgich Hills Cellars Winery for a tasting of four premium varietals and an exclusive tour through the winery, followed by dessert and coffee after re-boarding the train for the southbound journey. $110 per person."Moonlight Escape," ongoing. Enjoy a nighttime train ride bathed in the moonlight while savoring a gourmet dinner in the Vista Dome car, with its almost 180 degree view.  

Check with Wine Train for departure times. $154; Reservations Required. 

"Vintners Lunch," ongoing. Join Executive Chef Kelly Macdonald, Wine Director Ryan Graham and a special guest Vintner for a four course gourmet lunch. Each month the menu is specially developed to complement the day's wine choices. $154. 

"Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre," ongoing. Enjoy an evening of role playing as a famous detective or gum shoe, where you can dress the part, and mix and mingle with other participants, and see if you can solve the case.  

Check with the Wine Train to confirm varying departure times. $135; Reservations Required. 

Downtown Napa Station, 1275 McKinstry St., Napa. (707) 253-2111, (800) 427-4124, www.winetrain.com.

 

OLOMPALI STATE PARK ongoing. The park is a unique setting where many cultures that shaped California's history have passed through, from the coastal Miwok Indians to "Summer of Love'' hippies. Visitors today can enjoy 700 scenic acres. 

Free admission; $5 parking fee. The park entrance is 2.5 miles north of Novato in Marin County, but accessible only in the south-bound direction, Marin County. (415) 892-3383, www.parks.ca.gov.

 

PETALUMA ADOBE STATE HISTORIC PARK ongoing. The park consists of General Mariano Vallejo's adobe ranch home, the largest private hacienda in California from 1834 to 1846, and some of the ranch's lands, which reached a total of 175,000 acres by 1846. The park is open year-round. 

$2 general; free youth under age 17. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 3325 Adobe Road, Petaluma. (707) 762-4871, www.parks.ca.gov.

 

POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE Seasonal events at this park include bird migration, harbor seal popping, hiking and blooming wildflowers.  

OUTDOOR EXHIBITS  

"Earthquake Trail," ongoing. A short loop trail from the Bear Valley Visitor Center follows along the San Andreas Fault where the earth's crust separated and moved 16 feet in 1906. The trail features up-to-date exhibits of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and presents theories about geologic processes. The new educational panels have been installed as part of the National Seashore's upcoming celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake. The paved trail is wheelchair accessible. Daily, sunrise to sunset.  

"Kula Lolo," ongoing. This Coast Milo Cultural Exhibit is a replica of a typical Native American village of this area and provides a glimpse of life in California before European contact. This easy half-mile walk from the Bear Valley Visitor Center has exhibits along the trail that provide insight into the in Bear Valley for Morgan horses, the first American breed of horse, used by National Park Service rangers for backcountry patrol. Self-guided exhibits, corrals and demonstrations are part of the ranch. Daily, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  

''Pierce Ranch," ongoing. Established in 1858, this renovated ranch is one of the oldest and most successful dairy ranches of its time on the Point Reyes Peninsula. A short self-guided trail directs visitors through the complex. Daily, sunrise to sunset.  

VISITOR CENTERS --  

"Bear Visitor Center," ongoing. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is the park's primary visitor center and is located in the heart of the Lemma Valley. Stop here for an orientation to the park's roads, trails and activities. Exhibits provide an introduction to the plants, animals and people of the area. A new exhibit highlights the marine sanctuary wildlife found off the Point Reyes National Seashore, including blue whales, elephant seals, octopi and white sharks.  

Film Screenings in the Auditorium shown on request:  

"Enchanted Shore: Inspiring Images of the Seashore." A 20-minute slide presentation.  

"Life at the Water's Edge: Snowy Plovers and Least Terns." A 20-minute video.  

"A Barren Rock: Point Reyes Lighthouse History." An 11-minute video.  

"Point Reyes: The Point of Kings: Orientation and Introduction." A 15-minute video.  

"Something Special: Point Reyes Orientation and Introduction." A 22-minute video.  

"Spark of Life: Fire at Point Reyes." A 12-minute video of the 1995 Vision Fire.  

"Lighthouse Visitor Center," ongoing. Lighthouse Visitor Center: Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Lighthouse stairs and exhibits: Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weather permitting. Located on the Point Reyes Headland, the Lighthouse Visitor Center has exhibits on whales, wildflowers, birds and maritime history. To reach the visitor center, one must go up a moderately steep quarter-of-a-mile hill. A deck behind the center overlooks the historic Point Reyes Lighthouse. Exhibits about the lighthouse are at the base of the 308 stairs leading to it. Dress warmly as the weather is unpredictable. Free.  

"Ken Patrick Visitor Center," ongoing. Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; when the shuttles are running, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Located 30 minutes from Bear Valley on Drakes Beach, this visitor center has exhibits on 16th-century maritime exploration, marine fossils and marine environments. A 150-gallon saltwater aquarium highlights aquatic life from Drakes Bay. "Kula Lolo Workday," ongoing. Help maintain a re-created village that offers a glimpse of life in pre-European California. Wear work clothes and boots. Bring gloves, a bag lunch and drinking water. Rain cancels the workday. Second Saturday of the month, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. (415) 464-5140. 

FIELD SEMINARS -- ongoing. A series of seminars about Point Reyes offered through the Point Reyes National Seashore Association. Reservations required for all seminars.  

"Landscape Painting at the Seashore," Jan. 22, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. James Freed will provide instruction in technique, composition, color, and tactics for successful outdoor painting. $115-$135. 

RANGER-LED PROGRAMS -- ongoing.  

"On Shaky Ground," ongoing. Saturday, anger at the start of Earthquake Trail for this easy half-mile walk. Lasts one hour. A year-round program. Free. 

"Kule Loklo Walk," ongoing. Sunday, 2 p.m. A leisurely half-mile walk introduces the Coast Miwok Culture. Lasts one hour. Meet at the Bear Valley Visitor Center. A year-round program. Free. 

"Coastal Restoration Program," ongoing. First Saturday of the month. A monthly program for volunteers to help protect and restore endangered plant and wildlife habitat at Abbott's Lagoon and/or the lighthouse area. Work to eradicate invasive plant species like European Beachgrass and ice plant encroaching on the rare native habitat. Learn about invasive weed ecology and the flora and fauna of Point Reyes. Bring lunch, water and snacks. Wear sturdy shoes and work gloves. (415) 464-5231. 

"Experience Elephant Seals," ongoing. January-March: Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. View an elephant seal colony through binoculars and scopes as docents talk about the amazing adaptations and life cycles of northern elephant seals. Special slide program may be shown at 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the Lifeboat Station depending on staff availability. 

Free unless otherwise noted. Point Reyes National Seashore, Take Bear Valley Road off state Highway 1 to Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to South Beach turn-off. The road is closed here from mid-December through mid-April and a shuttle takes visitors from here, Point Reyes. (415) 464-5137, (415) 663-1092, www.ptreyes.org or www.ptreyes.org.

 

RAGLE RANCH REGIONAL PARK ongoing. This 157-acre park, home to the annual Gravenstein Apple fair, hosts sports fields for soccer, softball and volleyball, as well as individual and group picnic areas, walking trails, tennis courts and a children's playground. The park also includes a nature trail leading to Atascadero Creek, and a peace garden with a spectacular sculpture created by Masayuki Nagase. 

$4 parking. Sunrise-sunset. 500 Ragle Road, Sebastopol. (707) 823-7262, www.sonoma-county.org/parks/pk_ragle.htm.< 

 

RIVER'S EDGE KAYAK AND CANOE TRIPS Formerly known as W.C. "Bob'' Trowbridge, the company now has a new owner and a new name. Take an easy canoe or kayak trip down the beautiful Russian River. Canoeing and kayaking on the river require little experience or instruction but do not assume you will not fall in. Basic swimming skills required. Bring sunglasses, eyeglass strap, sunscreen lotion, fast-drying clothing, tennis shoes or river sandals, beverages, a change of clothing, a rope to secure supplies, a hat, a litter bag, lunch and snacks, and beach towels. Do not bring pets or dogs, Styrofoam coolers, glass containers or bottles, firearms, jewelry or valuables. Children under age 6 and visibly pregnant women not allowed. Shuttle transportation is included in rental price. Call to be sure trips are taking place. 

RIVER'S EDGE TRIPS, ongoing. Call for schedule information. Four trips of varying length are offered during the spring, summer and fall. In addition, hourly and day-long rentals are available. All trips down the river offer beautiful places to swim, fish, and picnic as well as an abundance of river wildlife. One canoe carries the equivalent of three average adults.  

Trip #3: Rio -- ongoing. Check-in noon-2:30 p.m. This half-day canoe trip runs between Rio Lindo and River's Edge Beach in Healdsburg. It is a 5-mile trip with 2 to 3 hours casual paddle time, a good choice for families with young children. The trip is scenic with less current but plenty of wildlife and places to swim and play. Difficulty: Class 1 plus current. Reservations recommended. Check-in at River's Edge Headquarters in Healdsburg. $55-$65 per canoe. 

Trip #4: Camp -- ongoing. Check-in 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. This two-day canoe trip runs between Asti and Healdsburg, a distance of 22 to 27 miles with a 4 to 6 casual paddle time each day. Put in at Asti and paddle to the Alexander Valley Campground for the night and then to either Rio Lindo or Healdsburg the next day. Overnight camping is included in price. Difficulty: Class 1 plus current. Reservations required. Check-in at Alexander Valley Campground. $70-$85 per canoe, per day. 

Trip #2: Alex -- ongoing. Check-in 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. This full day canoe trip offers an 11 to 15 mile run down the river with a 4 to 6 hour casual paddle time. This popular trip shows the river changing character and becoming more wooded with fewer vineyards as is snakes around the base of the mountains. There is choice of getting out at the Rio Lindo takeout or continuing to the beach at Healdsburg if reaching Rio Lindo before 2:30 p.m. Difficulty: Class 1 plus current. Reservations recommended. Check-in at River's Edge Headquarters in Healdsburg. $70-$85 per canoe. 

Trip #1: Asti -- ongoing. Check-in 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. This full day canoe trip offers an 11-mile run down the river with a 4 to 5 hour casual paddle time. This part of the river meanders through lush vineyards and woods and is available only in the early part of the season. Difficulty: Class 1 plus current. Reservations required. Check-in at the Alexander Valley Campground. $70-$85 per canoe. 

13840 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg. (800) 345-0869, (707) 433-7247, www.riversedgekayakandcanoe.com.

 

SEA TREK KAYAK TOURS  

Sea Trek offers the opportunity for everyone to get out on San Francisco Bay. Most trips listed here do not require previous experience with kayaks; paddling instructions and safety orientation are given on the beach before launching. The kayaks used are fiberglass doubles outfitted with spray skirts, lightweight paddles, lifejackets and dry bags for personal items. Reservations required for most trips. Call for a brochure listing trips. 

"Coastal Paddle," ongoing. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Tours vary by month; call for current schedules. There are caves along the Northern California coast that are only accessible by sea kayak. The kayaks will launch from blue cove of Muir Beach and paddle along the rugged Marin County coast, close to shore and out of shipping lanes, exploring sea caves and sea stacks as they ride the flood tide around Point Bonita and under the Golden Gate Bridge. The fee includes transportation from Sea Kayak in Sausalito to Muir Beach. Participants must have taken an introductory class in sea kayaking. All participants w Kirby Cove. $130 per person, includes transportation and lunch.  

"Scenic Sausalito," ongoing. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sat. - Sun. Sausalito's Richardson Bay is a perfect introduction to sea kayaking. This five-mile waterfront wilderness offers protected shallow waters, an ideal sea kayaking environment. Harbor seals, pelicans, cormorants, herons and other wildlife make this their home and often swim alongside the kayaks. $65 per person.  

"Starlight Paddle,", ongoing. Saturdays. Tours vary by month; call for current schedules. A short introduction prepares you for a leisurely paddle into the sunset along Sausalito's waterfront. Float past harbor seals and enjoy the city's eclectic and colorful houseboats with the silhouette of Mt. Tamalpais in the distance. $65.  

Sea Trek Ocean Kayaking Center, Schoonmaker Point Marina, Sausalito. (415) 488-1000, www.seatrekkayak.com.

 

SLIDE RANCH ongoing. At this ranch on the coast, you can milk the goats, feed the chickens, hike the trails and eat lunch in the garden. Projects include making bread and cheese, spinning wool, papermaking, and making solar ovens, candles and worm boxes. 

$15 general; free children ages 2 and under; $60 family of four or more, unless otherwise noted. 2025 Shoreline Highway, Muir Beach. (415) 381-6155, www.sliderano, the last and most northerly mission to be erected in California and the only one established by the Mexican government; the Plaza, the largest of its kind in California and the site of fiestas, parades and historical events; Sonoma Barracks, buildings facing the plaza erected in the late 1830s to house Mexican army troops under the command of General Mariano Vallejo; and "Lachryma Montis,'' home of General Mariano Vallejo, last Mexican commandante in Northern California. Guided tours available every Friday-Sunday that the park is open:  

Mission San Francisco Solano: noon.  

Downtown Historic Walking Tour: 1 p.m. Meets at the Mission and visits the Sonoma Barracks, the Blue Wing Inn and the Casa Grande site.  

General Vallejo's House: 2 p.m.  

The Toscano Hotel: Saturday-Monday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. 

$2 general; free youth under age 17. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Spain Street and First Street West, Sonoma. (707) 938-1519, www.parks.ca.gov.

 

SONOMA TRAINTOWN RAILROAD ongoing. Open all year. Ride on a scale model railroad. The engines are patterned after ones used by the New York Central Railroad during the 1930s. The 20-minute ride goes through 10 acres of landscaped grounds with a stop at Lakeville, a reproduction of an old mining town complete with a Wells Fargo office and other buildings of historic interest. There is also a petting zoo with miniature horses, sheep and birds. Trains leave l Ferris Wheel, Chatenooga Choo-Choo Chairs, the Sonoma Traintown Airlines, and the Dragon Train. 

Train: $4.25 per person. Merry-Go-Round, Ferris Wheel, Chatenooga Choo-Choo Chairs, Sonoma Traintown Airlines and Draunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. One mile south of Sonoma Plaza, on Broadway, Sonoma. (707) 938-3912, www.traintown.com.

 

SPRING LAKE REGIONAL PARK ongoing. A 320-acre park featuring camping, fishing, picnic areas, and trails for walking, hiking, bicycling and horseback riding. There is also a swimming lagoon and a lake.  

ENVIRONMENTAL DISCOVERY CENTER -- The center offers multi-sensory, hands-on activities for all ages, with rotating exhibits that focus on different aspects of the natural resources of Sonoma County. Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. (707) 539-2865. 

$4 to $5 per vehicle. May 1 through Sept. 30: daily, sunrise to sunset. Oct. 1 through April 30: weekends and holiday, sunrise to sunset. 391 Violetti Drive, Santa Rosa. (707) 539-8092, (707) 565-2041, www.sonomacounty. org/parks/pk_slake.htm.< 

 

TOLAY LAKE REGIONAL PARK Formerly the Cardoza Pumpkin Farm. Now part of the Sonoma County Regional Parks system.Ena0030baem-d e bc-LOG-OEB 01-16 4607Jan 16, 2011 - BCN30:LEISURE LOG OUTDOORS-EAST BAY THROUGH JANUARY 30 

- LEISURE LOG OUTDOORS -- EAST BAY 

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BAY CITY NEWS SERVICE LEISURE LOG FOR JAN. 21, 2011 THROUGH JAN. 30, 2011 

-OUTDOORS- 

EAST BAY- 

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. "Horse-Drawn Train Rides," ongoing. 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'," ongoing. Sundays, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Enjoy the flavor of the past with treats cooked on Ardenwood's wo "Animal Feeding,'' ongoing. Thursday-Sunday, 3 p.m. Feed the pigs, check for eggs and bring hay to the livestock. 

"Toddler Time," ongoing. 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," ongoing. Learn the spectacular history of this New World native as you dig with your spade and help find the spuds. 

$1-$5; free children under age 4. Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont.ils converted from unused railway corridors and developed by the Rails to Trails Conservancy.  

BLACK DIAMOND MINES REGIONAL PRESERVE RAILROAD BED TRAIL -- ongoing. 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 -- ongoing. 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 -- ongoing. 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 -- ongoing. 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 -- ongoing. An easy 3-mile paved trail converted from the Sacramento Northern Rail Line. The tree-lined trail is gently sessible. 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 ongoing. 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. 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 ongoing. 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. "Weekly Wednesday Ride at Lake Chabot," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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-Redwo.btceb.org.< 

 

BOTANIC GARDEN Intersection of Wildcat Canyon Road and South Park Drive, Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley. 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."Sea Siblings," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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. 

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 ongoing. 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 -- ongoing. Self-Guided Grounds Tours are availabriday, 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 ongoing. 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 ongoing. 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 ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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 ShoreliPart of the East Bay Regional Park District.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. "Exploring Nature," ongoing. An exhibit of Shawn Gould's illustrations featuring images of the natural world."Waterfowl of the Freshwater Marsh," ongoing. 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. 

"Nature Detectives," ongoing. 11 a.m.-noon. Aistration required. 

"Weekend Weed Warriors," ongoing. 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.< 

 

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. Public Tours of the John Muir House, ongoing. Begin with an eigh25 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, ongoing. 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 thatates. 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 ongoing. 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 ongoing. 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 here are no public viewing areas in the hospital.SPECIAL EVENTS -- ongoing.  

$5-$7; free children under age 2. June 16-Sept. 15: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun.; Sept. 16-June 15: noon.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

 

LIVERMORE AREA RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT ongoing.  

4444 East Ave., Livermore. (925) 373-5700, www.larpd.dst.ca.us/.< 

 

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SHORELINE ongoing. 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 oaces 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 ongoing. 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 ongoing. The 3,849-foot summit of 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 o5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Foothill Road, Pleasanton. (510) 562-PARK, www.ebparks.org.

 

POINT PINOLE REGIONAL SHORELINE ongoing. 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 ongoing. 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-$11. Sunday through Friday: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Aug.23-27, 30-31. 4701 Lone Tree Way, Antioch. (925) 776-3070, www.ci.antioch.ca.us/CitySvcs/Prewett.< 

 

QUARRY LAKES REGIONAL RECREATION AREA ongoing. 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 as 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.

 

REI CONCORD A series of lectures on hikes and outdoor equipment. 

"Climbing the Indoor Wall," ongoing. Saturdays, noon-4 p.m.; Wednesdays, 6-8:30 p.m. $5.  

"Fents are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 1975 Diamond Blvd., Concord. (925) 825-9400.< 

 

REI FREMONT A series of lectures on hikes and outdoor equipment. 

"Climb the Indoor Pinnacle," ongoing. 1-6 p.m. Saturdays. $5.  

Events are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 43962 Fremont Blvd., Fremont. (510) 651-0305.< 

 

ROBERT SIBLEY VOLCANIC REGIONAL PRESERVE ongoing. 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 -- ongoing. 10 a.m. Saturdays. 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 -- ongoing. 9:30 a.m.-noon Mon. - Thurs.; 9:30 a.m. Fri.; 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sat.; 5 p.m. Sunday. 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;


Kids-East Bay Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:32:00 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. "Potato Harvesting," ongoing. Learn the spectacular history of this New World native as you dig with your spade and help find the spuds. 

"Horse-Drawn Train Rides," ongoing. 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'," ongoing. 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," ongoing. Thursday-Sunday, 3 p.m. Feed the pigs, check for eggs and bring hay to the livestock. 

"Toddler Time," ongoing. 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.  

$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.

 

ASHKENAZ  

Gerry Tenney & California Klezmer, Jan. 30,nt themed craft.  

Riverview Middle School, 205 Pacifica Ave., Pittsburg. (925) 458-9597.< 

 

BLACKHAWK MUSEUM ongoing.  

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. "Internation Common Ground," ongoing. 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. 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.

 

BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP ongoing. An interactive place where children, and adults, can learn how a stuffed animal is made, then choose an animal pattern from the offering of bears, elephants, dogs and rabbits; stuff the chosen animal; dress it; and create a birth certificate. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

$10-$25; clothing and accessories extra. Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m  

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 -- ongoing. 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.  

"Two Small Pieces of glass," ongoing. Celebrating the International Year of Astronomy, this show examines the history of the telescope, beginning 400 years ago, with Galileo's discoveries. 

"Tales Of The Maya Skies," ongoing. A full-dome planetarium show that explores the cosmology of the ancient Maya, along with their culture and their contributions to astronomy. 

"Dawn of the Space Age," ongoing. Starting with the launch of Sputnik, this show covers important Russian space history as well as the American Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle programs. Be transported to the International Space Station, the X-prize winning private space ship and onpace? 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!", ongoing. 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. 

"Sonic Vision," ongoing. 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."Tales of the Maya Skies," ongoing. A companion exhibit for the planetarium show which features the scientific achievements and cosmology of the Maya. All content is bilingual in English and Spanish. 

"Beyond Blastoff," ongoing. Get a glimpse iiving and working in space. 

"Chabot Observatories: A View to the Stars," ongoing. 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. 

"Bill Nye's climate lab," ongoing. Features Emmy-award-winning Bill Nye the Climate Guy as commander of the Clean Energy Space Station, and invites visitors on an urgent mission to thwart climate change. 

"Destination Universe," ongoing. Take a journey from our Sun to the farthest reaches of the cosmos. 

"One giant leap: a moon odyssey," ongoing. For all astronaut wannabees -take a simulated Moon-walk, try on a space helmet, climb into a Mercury capsule and land a lunar module in this hands-on exhibit that explores the legends and science fiction about the Moon. 

"Dinner, Movie and the Universe," ongoing. Every Friday and Saturday evening. Enjoy a bistro-style dinner, then cozy up for a film in the 70-foot MegaDome theater and end the evening with a telescope viewing. Call to purchase general admission tickets and to make dinner reservations. (510) 336-7373. 

TIEN MEGADOME SCIENCE THEATER -- ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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. 

"Mysteries of Egypt," ongoing. Experience the magic and majesty of Egypt as never before. Soar over the great pyramids of Giza, cross the Valley of the Kings, and descend into the shadowy chambers of the sacred tomb of King Tutankhamen. Suitable for families. 

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 aof 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."Animal of the Day!" ongoing. Saturdays and Sundays, 1-1:20 p.m. Come up close and learn about Fairyland's creatures. 

"Arts and Crafts," ongoing. Noon-3 p.m. Event features arts and crafts projects for children and their families. $6. 

$6; free for children under age 1; $2 for a Magic Key. No y 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.

 

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."Catch of the Day," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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. 

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 ongoing. 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 -- ongoing. 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 ongoing. 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 Infannd stage for junior thespians. The museum also features a toy lending library. "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.$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 ongoing. A community health-nds-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. "This Is Your Heart!" ongoing. An interactive exhibit on heart health.  

"Good Nutrition," ongoing. This exhibit includes models for making balanced meals and an Exercycle for calculating how calories are burned.  

"Draw Your Own Insides," ongoing. Human-shaped chalkboards and models with removable organs allow visitors to explore the inside of their bodies.  

"Your Cellular Self and Cancer Prevention," ongoing. 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 Francrespect 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 oh 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. "Exploring Nature," ongoing. An exhibit of Shawn Gould's illustrations featuring images of the natural world."Waterfowl of the Freshwater Marsh," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 1-4 p.m. Help the shoreline to eliminate the non-native plants that threaten its diversity. Ages 12 and older. Regi 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," ongoing. 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/.< 

 

JUNIOR CENTER OF ART AND SCIENCE ongoing. 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. 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," ongoing. 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.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 throug LA PENA CULTURAL CENTER --  

"The Rubinoos Junior Show," Jan. 22, 10:30 a.m. $4-$5.  

Free unless otherwise noted. 3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2568, www.lapena.org.

 

LAKE CHABOT REGIONAL PARK ongoing. 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. toIENCE -- "NanoZone," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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 m 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Networks.  

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

HOLT PLANETARIUM ongoing. 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.$5-$7; , 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

 

MICHAAN'S AUCTIONS  

"Bay Area International Children's Film Festival," Jan. 29 through Jan. 30, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. An exciting array of culturally diverse cinema by, for and about children. Screenings take place at the restored Art Deco Theater at the venue. $8-$15. www.baicff.com. 

2700 Saratoga St., Alameda. < 

 

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

Free gallery admission. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Satu PARK -- ongoing. This amusement park for children features pixie-sized rides such as a dragon roller coaster, swirling tea cups, a carousel, red baron airplanes, an antique car ride and a miniature train among other attractions sure to please the little ones. Classic carnival-style food and souvenirs round out the experience. Admission to the park is free; ride tickets are $1.25 each or 10 tickets for $10; Day wrist band for unlimited rides, $25. Specials and season passes are also available. 

Dec. 1-12 2010: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Closed Dec. 13-Jan. 8. 2740 E. Olivera Road, Concord. (925) 689-8841, www.pixieland.com.

 

POINT PINOLE REGIONAL SHORELINE ongoing. 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 ongoing. 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-$11. Sunday through Friday: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Aug.23-27, 30-31. 4701 Lone Tree Way, Antioch. (925) 776-3070, www.ci.antioch.ca.us/CitySvcs/Prewett.< 

 

ROBERT SIBLEY VOLCANIC REGIONAL PRESERVE ongoing. 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.

 

SHADOW CLIFFS REGIONAL RECREATION AREA ongoing. 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. "Toddler Time," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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 -- ongoing.  

Free. Park: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Discovery Cenehabilitation Center: daily, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 1801 D St., Hayward. (510) 881-6747, www.haywardrec.org/sulphur_creek.html.< 

 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY  

"Cal Science and Engineering Festival," Jan. ranging from Astronomy to Zoology. Event takes place at Sutardja Dai Hall on campus. Free. (510) 642-0352. 

2600 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. < 

 

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. "Limited Access Day," ongoing. Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.  

"Flight Deck Fun," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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.Closed on New Year's Day. 

"Family Day," ongoing. 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. 

"History Mystery After Hours Tour," ongoing. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Explore the USS Hornet after hours and learn the history of this ship while it is illuminated in red lights used for "night ops." Also, hear stories about the ships' legendary haunts. Reservations required. (510) 521-8448 X282. 

"Flashlight Tour," ongoing. 8:30 a.m. 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. $30-$35 per person. 

$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.< 

 

WATERWORLD CALIFORNA ongoing. ` 

$19.95-$31.95 General Admission; Season pass: $39.99-$59.99. Park closes in October and reopens in May. 1950 Waterworld Parkway,, Concord. (925) 609-1364, www.waterworldcalifornia.com.<


Museums-East Bay Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:32:00 PM

AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND LIBRARY AT OAKLAND ongoing. 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 ongoing. 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. 

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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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.  

2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. < 

 

BLACKHAWK MUSEUM ongoing.  

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

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

"Daytime Telescope Viewing," ongoing. 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. 

"Galaxy Explorers Hands-On Fun," ongoing. 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. 

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. "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," ongoing. This hands-on, construction-based miniexhibit provides children with the opportunity to create free-form structures, from skyscrapers to bridges, using KEVA planks. $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 ongoing. 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. "This Is Your Heart!" ongoing. An interactive exhibit on heart health.  

"Good Nutrition," ongoing. This exhibit includes models for making balanced meals and an Exercycle for calculating how calories are burned.  

"Draw Your Own Insides," ongoing. Human-shaped chalkboards and models with removable organs allow visitors to explore the inside of their bodies.  

"Your Cellular Self and Cancer Prevention," ongoing. 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 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.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," ongoing. Multimedia works from the museum's extensive collections of archival, documentary and experimental films. Located at 2911 Russell Street. $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 "NanoZone," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Networks.  

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

"Animal Discovery Room,,' ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. Play with simple, versatile building blocks that can be used to build very large, high and stable structures.  

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

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

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

"Science on a Sphere," ongoing. 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. $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 -- ongoing.  

$5-$7; free children under age 2. June 16-Sept. 15: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun.; Sept. 16-June 15: noon.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 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.$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 ongoing. 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."Saturday Stories," ongoing. 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.

 

MUSEUM OF THE SAN RAMON VALLEY The museum features local artifacts, pictures, flags and drawings commemorating the valley's history. It also houses a historical narrative frieze. In addition to a permanent exhibit on the valley's history, the museum sponsors revolving exhibits and several guided tours. The restored railroad depot that houses the museum was built on the San Ramon Branch Line of the Southern Pacific Railroad 108 years ago.Free. August: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The Depot, West Prospect and Railroad avenues, Danville. (925) 837-3750, www.museumsrv.org.

 

MUSEUM ON MAIN STREET Located in a former town hall building, this museum is a piece of local history. It has a photo and document archive, collection of artifacts, local history publications for purchase, and a history library. It is supported by the Amador-Livermore Valley Historical Society.$2. Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; CLOSED DEC. 23-JAN. 8. 603 Main St., Pleasanton. (925) 462-2766, www.museumonmain.org.

 

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA "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.  

$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.

 

PARDEE HOME MUSEUM ongoing. 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. Group tours may be arranged between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tues.-Sun.  

Private Tours and Teas: Take a private tour followed by tea in the Pardee family dining room (available for 4-12 persons).  

Tour with light tea: $12 per person  

Tour with high tea: $25 per person.  

High tea without tour: $20 per person. 

$5-$25; free children ages 12 and under. House Tours: 10:30 a.m. every Wednesday and second Saturday of each month; 2 p.m. the second Sunday or each month. 672 11th St., Oakland. (510) 444-2187, www.pardeehome.org.

 

SAN LEANDRO HISTORY MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY ongoing. 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. "Yema/Po Archeological Site at Lake Chabot," ongoing. 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.$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.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. "Native California Cultures," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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. "Tyrannosaurus Rex," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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. "Limited Access Day," ongoing. Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.  

"Flight Deck Fun," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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.Closed on New Year's Day. 

"Family Day," ongoing. 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. 

"History Mystery After Hours Tour," ongoing. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Explore the USS Hornet after hours and learn the history of this ship while it is illuminated in red lights used for "night ops." Also, hear stories about the ships' legendary haunts. Reservations required. (510) 521-8448 X282. 

"Flashlight Tour," ongoing. 8:30 a.m. 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. $30-$35 per person. 

$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.<


Highlights-East Bay Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:31:00 PM

ARMANDO'S  

Dan Hicks & Bayside Jazz, Jan. 30, 4 p.m. $25.  

707 Marina Vista Ave., Martinez. (925) 228-6985, www.armandosmartinez.com.

 

ASHKENAZ  

Steve Lucky & The Rhumba Bums, Jan. 28, 9 p.m. East Coast Swing dance lesson at 8 p.m. $10-$13.  

1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5054, www.ashkenaz.com.

 

FOX THEATER  

Ween, Jan. 28, 8 p.m. $35.  

1807 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (510) 452-0438, www.thefoxoakland.com.

 

FREIGHT AND SALVAGE  

Red Molly, Jan. 21, 8 p.m. $20.50-$22.50.  

Ray Manzarek & Roy Rogers, Jan. 22, 8 p.m. $24.50-$26.50.  

The Bobs, Jan. 30, 8 p.m. $28.50-$30.50.  

Music starts at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2020 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 548-1761, www.freightandsalvage.org.

 

MICHAAN'S AUCTIONS  

"Bay Area International Children's Film Festival," Jan. 29 through Jan. 30, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. An exciting array of culturally diverse cinema by, for and about children. Screenings take place at the restored Art Deco Theater at the venue. $8-$15. www.baicff.com. 

2700 Saratoga St., Alameda. < 

 

SHATTUCK DOWN LOW For ages 21 and older. 

California Honey Drops, The Expanders, Jan. 21, 9 p.m. $8-$10.  

2284 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 548-1159, www.shattuckdownlow.com.

 

TOMMY T'S COMEDY AND STEAKHOUSE  

DL Hughley, Jan. 21 through Jan. 23, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Fri.; 7, 9:30, 11:45 p.m. Sat; 7 p.m. Sun. $30-$40.  

Steve O (From "Jackass''), Jan. 27 through Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m. Thu.; 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Fri.; 7 and 9:30 p.m. Sat.; 7 p.m. Sun. $25-$35.  

5104 Hopyard Road, Pleasanton. (925) 227-1800, www.tommyts.com.

 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY  

"Cal Science and Engineering Festival," Jan. 23, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Explore the wonders of science with free activities for the whole family, covering topics ranging from Astronomy to Zoology. Event takes place at Sutardja Dai Hall on campus. Free. (510) 642-0352. 

2600 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. < 

 

UPTOWN NIGHTCLUB  

Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys, Red Meat, The Honeybees, Jan. 29, 9 p.m. $12. 

1928 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. (510) 451-8100, www.uptownnightclub.com.

 

WHEELER AUDITIORIUM AT THE UNIVERISTY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY  

"Fred Korematsu Day," Jan. 30, 1-5 p.m. A day to honor the civil rights icon with a reception, film screenings, and a keynote address from Rev. Jesse Jackson. $5-4100. (510) 642-9988, www.tickets.berkeley.edu. 

UC Berkeley campus, Berkeley. < 

 

YOSHI'S  

Chris Cain, Jan. 26, 8 p.m. $16.  

Bobby Hutcherson Quartet, Jan. 27 through Jan. 28, 8 and 10 p.m. $16-$24.  

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.

 

ZELLERBACH HALL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY  

Tango Buenos Aires, Jan. 21, 8 p.m. Works include "Fire and Passion of Tango.'' $22-$52.  

UC Berkeley campus, Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 642-9988.<


General-East Bay Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:28:00 PM

"INTERNATIONAL FILM SHOWCASE," -- Jan. 28. A chance to view extraordinary movies not usually made available to the general public. 

.< 

 

ASHKENAZ  

"I Like My Bike Night," ongoing. 9 p.m. First Fridays of the month. 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," ongoing. 3 p.m. First Sundays of the month Guest curators, scholars and conservation experts from throughout the Bay Area discuss the art of collecting. First Sunday of at 10am.  

Auctions by the Bay Theater-Auction House, 2700 Saratoga St., Alameda. (510) 835-6187, www.auctin. 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," ongoing. 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 -- Ongoing. 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," ongoing. 7:30 p.m. Fri - Sat. Enter the joyous and bewildering world of illusion 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 aclanetarium 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.  

"Tales Of The Maya Skies," ongoing. A full-dome planetarium show that explores the cosmology of the ancient Maya, along with their culture and their contributions to astronomy. 

"Astronaut," ongoing. 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. 

"Sonic Vision," ongoing. 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. 

"Space NOW!", ongoing. 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. 

"Dawn of the Space Age," ongoing. Starting with the launch of Sputnik, this show covers important Russian space history as well as the American Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle programs. Be transported to the International Space Station, the X-prize winning private space ship and on to future Mars exploration. 

"Two Small Pieces of glass," ongoing. Celebrating the International Year of Astronomy, this show examines the history of the telescope, beginning 400 years ago, with Galileo's discoveries. 

CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER -- Ongoing. "Escape from the Red Planet,'' a cooperative venture for families and groups o 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.Ongoing.  

"Dinner, Movie and the Universe," ongoing. Every Friday and Saturday evening. Enjoy a bistro-style dinner, then cozy up for a film in the 70-foot MegaDome theater and end the evening with a telescope viewing. Call to purchase general admission tickets and to make dinner reservations. (510) 336-7373. 

"Tales of the Maya Skies," ongoing. A companion exhibit for the planetarium show which features the scientific achievements and cosmology of the Maya. All content is bilingual in English and Spanish. 

"Beyond Blastoff," ongoing. Get a glimpse into the life of an astronaut and experience the mixture of exhilaration, adventure, and confinement that is living and working in space. 

"Chabot Observatories: A View to the Stars," ongoing. 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. 

"Bill Nye's climate lab," ongoing. Features Emmy-award-winning Bill Nye the Climate Guy as commander of the Clean Energy Space Station, and invites visitors on an urgent mission to thwart climate change. 

"One giant leap: a moon odyssey," ongoing. For all astronaut wannabees -take a simulated Moon-walk, try on a space helmet, climb into a Mercury capsule and land a lunar module in this hands-on exhibit that explores the legends and science fiction about the Moon. 

"Destination Universe," ongoing. Take a journey from our Sun to the farthest reaches of the cosmos. 

TIEN MEGADOME SCIENCE THEATER -- Ongoing. 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. 

"Mysteries of Egypt," ongoing. Experience the magic and majesty of Egypt as never before. Soar over the great pyramids of Giza, cross the Valley of the Kings, and descend into the shadowy chambers of the sacred tomb of King Tutankhamen. Suitable for families. 

"Dinosaurs Alive," ongoing. A global adventure of science and discovery, featuring the earliest dinosaurs of the Triassic Period to the monsters of the Cretace 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. 

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. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 336-7300, www.chabotspace.org.

 

DUNSMUIR HOUSE AND GARDENS HISTORIC ESTATE ongoing. 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 -- Ongoing. 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," ongoing. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays. 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,"' ongoing. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays 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. < 

 

LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE  

ONGOING EXHIBctivities and games, explore this microworld and the scientific discoveries made in this area.  

"Forces That Shape the Bay," ongoing. 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 leves 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Neh through predicting, sorting, comparing, weighing and counting.  

HOLT PLANETARIUM Ongoing. 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.

 

MICHAAN'S AUCTIONS  

"Bay Area International Children's Film Festival," Jan. 29 through Jan. 30, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. An exciting array of culturally diverse cinema by, for and about children. Screenings take place at the restored Art Deco Theater at the venue. $8-$15. www.baicff.com. 

2700 Saratoga St., Alameda. < 

 

UNIVERSITY OFvent takes place at Sutardja Dai Hall on campus. Free. (510) 642-0352. 

2600 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. < 

 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE ongoing. 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," ongoing. 12:10-12:50 p.m. First Thursdays of each month  

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. "Limited Access Daysdays.  

"Flight Deck Fun," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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.Ongoing. Closed on New Year's Day. 

"Family Day," ongoing. Discounted admission for families of four with a further discount for additional family four; $5 for each additional family member. 

"History Mystery After Hours Tour," ongoing. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Explore the USS Hornet after hours and learn the history of this ship while it is illuminated in red lights used for "night ops." Also, hear stories about the ships' legendary haunts. Reservations required. (510) 521-8448 X282. 

"Flashlight Tour," ongoing. 8:30 a.m. 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. $30-$35 per person. 

$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.< 

 

WHEELER AUDITIORIUM AT THE UNIVERISTY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY  

"Fred Korematsu Day," Jan. 30, 1-5 p.m. A day to honor the civil rights icon with a reception, film screenings, and a keynote address from Rev. Jesse Jackson. $5-4100. (510) 642-9988, www.tickets.berkeley.edu. 

UC Berkeley campus, Berkeley. <


Exhibits-San Francisco Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:25:00 PM

"SUN SPHERES," -- ongoing. "Sun Spheres'' is a trio of mosaic sculptures by artist Laurel True at the intersection of Ocean and G  

ARC STUDIOS AND GALLERY --  

"SOMANIA: Artist Gone Wild," Jan. 22, 7-10 p.m. An evening featuring artwork by 50 artists working in the South of Market district. Free. www.arc-sf.com. 

1246 Folsom St., San Francisco. < 

 

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," ongoing. 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. < 

 

HOTEL DES ARTS The boutique 51-room art hotel in Union Square features an art gallery by Start SOMA. 

"Painted Rooms," ongoing. 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.

 

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF SAN FRANCISCO  

"The Digital Liberation of G-d," ongoing. 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,San Francisco. (415) 292-1200, Box Office: (415) 292-1233, www.jccsf.org.

 

SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY, BAYVIEW-ANNA E. WADEN BRANCH  

"Bayview's Historical Footprints," ongoing. 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.


Exhibits-East Bay Through January 30

Wednesday January 19, 2011 - 01:24:00 PM

CARMEN FLORES RECREATION CENTER  

"El Corazon de la Communidad: The Heart of the Community", ongoing. 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. Mon- "NanoZone," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. A neirtual sky and operate a remote-controlled telescope to measure a planet.  

"Biology Lab," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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," ongoing. Play some of the world's most popular math games, such as Hex, Kalah, Game Sticks and Shongo Networks.  

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

"Kapla," ongoing. 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 ar.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.< 

 

OAKLAND ASIAN CULTURAL CENTER  

"Oakland's 19th-Century San Pablo Avenue Chinatown," ongoing. 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," ongoing. 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.<