Randy's Guide LIX

Today is singer Bonnie Raitt’s 58th; Friday is Germany’s Schicksalstag (Fate Day); Sunday is actress Demi Moore’s 48th and Veteran’s Day. Welcome to all new readers. Please forward on to friends, family, and colleagues...


Local News Story of the Week:

Every vote really does count. Tuesday’s historic mayoral election in Vallejo has resulted in a tie – councilman Gary Cloutier and former county supervisor Osby Davis each has 5,158 votes. Provisional and absentee ballots remain to be counted before anointing either the first openly gay or African-American mayor of Vallejo. http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_7404935


Change for Change (no change from last week)

Charity to consider: Blue Energy. The San Francisco-based nonprofit, which started as a graduate project at MIT, provides low-cost wind and solar electric systems in Nicaragua and eventually will spread its model worldwide. http://www.blueenergygroup.org/

Previous organizations Randy's Guide has spotlighted and donated: Common Ground Relief, LYRIC, Aldea Inc., Glide Memorial, City CarShare, Maitri, Loaves and Fishes, Friends of the Urban Forest, Farm Sanctuary, and Bay Area Community Services.

Donate through the non-profit's Web site or your corporate donation program.


Holiday Weekend Weather:

Slight chance of rain, otherwise cool
High 59, Low 47: Berkeley
High 59, Low 50: SF (downtown/beaches)
High 63, Low 47: Oakland, Pleasant Hill
High 65, Low 50: San Jose

High 43, Low 30: Fargo, ND (mostly cloudy)
High 79, Low 64: Fort Lauderdale, FL (partly cloudy)
High 74, Low 52: Las Vegas, NV (partly cloudy)
High 66, Low 48: Nashville, TN (partly cloudy)
High 44, Low 27: Portland, ME (partly cloudy)
High 53, Low 38: Salem, OR (rain)
High 66, Low 55: San Diego, CA (partly cloudy)
High 83, Low 53: Tucson, AZ (partly cloudy)


Environmental Tip of the Week:

Purchase eco-friendly wood brushes to complement your bathroom routine. FSC-certified brushes from Widu (http://www.widu.com/) come in a range of sizes and wood types.

Previous:

Even during winter, your car needs to be groomed occasionally. Check out car washes that recycle their water, or Eco Touch’s Waterless Car Wash product (http://www.ecotouch.net/).


Video of the Week:

“1 2 3 4” by Feist (Canada)

The solo artist, also a member of Broken Social Scene, will be in San Francisco tomorrow, Los Angeles on Monday, and selected U.S. and Canada stops for the next month.

Previous:

“Oh My” by Office (Chicago)

The band has moved to a new label and re-released several of its hits this past September.


New Films: {#1 American Gangster (R), $43.6MM, 3054 screens; #2 Bee Movie (PG), $38.0MM, 3928 screens; #3 Saw IV (R), $10.3MM, 3183 screens; #18 Lars and the Real Girl (PG-13), $0.8MM, 321 screens, $2.4MM to date}

Darfur Now (PG): Documentary; about the catastrophe unfolding in Darfur, Sedan; co-starring Don Cheadle

Fred Claus (PG): Comedy; about Santa Claus’ older brother; co-starring Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, and Kevin Spacey

Future Is Unwritten: Joe Strummer (NR): Documentary; about the front man of The Clash; appearances by Bono, John Cusack, Johnny Depp, and Matt Dillon

Lions for Lambs (R): Drama; about two university students who decide to join the battle in Afghanistan, much to the dismay of their idealistic professor; co-starring Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, and Tom Cruise; directed by Robert Redford

No Country for Old Men (R): Thriller; about a man who finds a pickup truck filled with heroin and two million dollars; co-starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, and Woody Harrelson; directed by Joel Coen

P2 (R): Thriller; about a corporate woman who must work late on Christmas Eve; co-starring Wes Bentley

Rails and Ties (PG-13): Drama; about two families affected by the suicide of a woman along Amtrak’s Coastal Starlight route; co-starring Kevin Bacon and Marcia Gay Harden


Free Activities:

Public Art Making Day [Fri 11am-10pm]: At the Creative Growth Center (Oakland). http://www.creativegrowth.org/

Housing Resource Fair [Sat 10am-3pm]: Hear from official representatives from Concord, Martinez, Pleasant Hill, and Walnut Creek. At Diablo Valley College (Pleasant Hill). http://www.mtdhoc.org/

Serendipity Fine Arts & Crafts [Sat-Sun 10am-6pm]: At Fort Mason (SF). http://www.serendipityshow.com/

Museums Free-4-All [Sat 11am-5pm]: 12 museums – including SFMOMA, the Academy of Sciences, and the Museum of the African Diaspora – will be free in the Yerba Buena neighborhood (SF). www.yerbabuena.org/freeforall recommended

Veterans Day Parade [Sun 1pm]: Along Market St, between 2nd and 8th (SF). http://www.usssanfrancisco.org/Foundation%20News.htm


Other Activities:

Ballet – American Ballet Theatre [Th-Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 3pm]: Featuring works by Twyla Tharp and George Balanchine. At Zellerbach Hall (Berkeley), $38-100. http://www.calperformances.net/

Comedy – David Alan Grier [Th-Sun 8pm]: At Cobb’s Comedy Club (SF), $20-25. http://www.cobbscomedyclub.com/

Festival – Green Festival [Fri 2-8pm, Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 11am-6pm]: Sample from over 400 green businesses, watch films, take part in yoga classes, and drink up on organic beer, wine, and food. Featuring speakers Deepak Chopra, Supervisors Chris Daly and Ross Mirkarimi, Amy Goodman, and Medea Benjamin. At the San Francisco Concourse Exhibition Center (SF), FREE-$25. http://www.greenfestivals.org/ recommended

Live Rock – Swell Season [Fri 8pm]: Irishman Glen Hansard and Czech Marketa Irglova perform the songs from this year’s art-house favorite, Once. With special guest Martha Wainwright. At the Regency Center (SF), $25. www.myspace.com/swellseason

Dance – Festival of Aerial Dance [Fri-Sat 8pm, Sun 6pm]: At the Dance Mission (SF), $20-25. http://www.dancemission.com/

Live Rock – Kelly Clarkson [Sat 7:30pm]: The American Idol winner, in a more intimate setting. With Jon McLaughlin opening. At the San Jose Events Center, $40. http://www.kellyclarkson.com/

Theatre – Stardust and Empty Wagons: Stories from the Katrina Diaspora [through Nov 25]: Developed from the words of Katrina survivors in the Bay Area; featuring music from New Orleans’ The Hot 8 Brass Band. At the Brava Theater (SF), $14-50.

Opera – Puccini’s La Rondine [through Nov 29]: A worldly woman falls in love with a naïve younger man. At the Opera House (SF), $10-275. http://www.sfopera.com/

Previous: Theatre – The Bluest Eye [through Sunday in SF]; Film – 11th Annual International Latino Film Festival [through Nov 18 in SF]; Jazz – 25th SF Jazz Festival [through Nov 30]; Outdoors – Fallon Islands’ Whale Watching Tours [weekends through Nov 30]; Theatre – The Color Purple [through Dec 9 in SF] recommended