Randy's Guide LX

Today is Judge Joseph Wapner’s 88th and Austria’s St. Leopold’s Day; Saturday is entertainer Rupaul’s 47th and Slovak-Czech Democracy Day; and Tuesday is both Universal Children’s Day and Transgender Remembrance Day. Welcome to all new readers. Please forward on to friends, family, and colleagues!


Local News Story of the Week:

San Francisco’s pedestrian-only Mint Plaza will officially reopen on Friday, with a festive gala complete with a speech from Mayor Gavin Newsom, free sparkling wine and baked goods, and live music and dancing. The $3.5 million stylish renovation along Jessie Street, near Mission and 5th, has added restaurants, wi-fi Internet, and plants in place of a poverty-stricken street with parked cars and drug dealers. http://www.sfgate.com/flat/archive/2007/11/15/chronicle/archive/2007/11/15/BACOT7FHJ.html


Change for Change

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. 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.


Weekend Weather:

Mostly cloudy, cool
High 60, Low 51: SF (beaches), Berkeley
High 63, Low 52: SF (downtown)
High 66, Low 48: San Jose, San Mateo, Walnut Creek

High 37, Low 20: Burlington, VT (Friday snow, then clearing)
High 62, Low 48: Charleston, SC (clear)
High 61, Low 26: Flagstaff, AZ (partly cloudy)
High 54, Low 30: Lake Tahoe, CA (mostly cloudy)
High 45, Low 28: Madison, WI (mostly cloudy)
High 66, Low 48: Tulsa, OK (clear)
High 34, Low 22: Yellowstone, WY (snow)


Environmental Tip of the Week:

Family-owned Diestel Farms offers a great alternative to the mass-produced turkeys in grocery stores. Along with Heidi’s Organic Hens, Diestel turkeys provide naturally produced meat with full control over the entire supply chain to ensure the highest quality. Look for Diestel at Whole Foods, Lunardi’s, Draeger’s, Gelson’s, and other specialty grocers. www.diestelturkey.com


Previous:

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


Video of the Week:

“100 Days, 100 Nights” by Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings (Brooklyn, NY)

Formerly a prison guard at Rikers Island and Sing Sing, Sharon Jones channels no-nonsense soul that even Amy Winehouse can appreciate (especially since she’s borrowed Jones’ band for her last album). Right now, the group is touring the Midwest, with future stops in Los Angeles (Dec 4) and San Francisco (Dec 5).

Previous:

“1 2 3 4” by Feist (Canada)

The solo artist, also a member of Broken Social Scene, will be in selected U.S. and Canada stops for the next month.


New Films: {#1 Bee Movie (PG), $25.6MM, 3944 screens; #2 American Gangster (R), $24.0MM, 3059 screens; #3 Fred Claus (PG), $18.5MM, 3603 screens; #11 Om Shanti Om (NR), $1.8MM, 114 screens}

Beowulf (PG-13): Sci-fi animation; about the mighty warrior and his epic battles against Grendel and his seductive mother; co-starring Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, and Robin Wright Penn; directed by Robert Zemeckis

Life of Reilly (NR): Documentary; about the TV game show icon and his path through Broadway and The X-Files

Love in the Time of Cholera (R): Drama; about a man who waits 50 years for his true love in a magical city in Colombia; co-starring Benjamin Bratt, John Leguizamo, and Javier Bardem; directed by Mike Newell

Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium (G): Family comedy; about a magical toy store and its wondrous owner; co-starring Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman, and Jason Bateman

Redacted (R): Drama; about a small group of U.S. soldiers stationed at an Iraqi checkpoint; directed by Brian De Palma

Southland Tales (R): Drama; about a group of Los Angeles residents and their attempts to deal with disaster; co-starring Justin Timberlake, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Seann William Scott, Mandy Moore, Jon Lovitz, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson


Free Activities:

Norwegian Holiday Fair [Fri-Sat 10am-4pm]: At Norwegian Church (SF). www.sjomannskirken.no/sanfrancisco

Embarcadero Holiday Festival [Fri 4-8pm]: Winter carnival, tree lighting, ice and pyrotechnics show, and live choral performances. At Embarcadero Center (SF). www.embarcaderocenter.com

SF BeerFest 07 [Sat 2:30pm]: Modeled after the film, this event features teams of people involved in beer-drinking games. $20 to participate; free to watch. At the Endup (SF). www.myspace.com/sfbeerfest07

Pier 39 Holiday Tree Lighting [Sun 1-6pm]: Tree lighting at 5:30pm, plus music and merriment celebrating Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa. At Pier 39 (SF). www.pier39.com


Other Activities:

Festival – 8th Hecho en Califas Festival [Th-Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 7pm]: Featuring hip-hop music, theatre, and other artists from L.A., N.Y., and the Bay Area. At La Pena Cultural Center (Berkeley), $10-12. www.lapena.org

Festival – Cycle World [Fri 4-9pm, Sat 9:30am-8pm, Sun 9:30am-5pm]: Featuring 2008 model street bikes, ATVs, vintage bikes, and more. At the San Mateo County Event Center (San Mateo), $6-13. www.motorcycleshows.com

Festival – World of Flavor [Sat 5:30-8:30pm]: All-you-can-eat food sampling from 10 countries, plus wine-tasting and cooking demos. At St. Anne (SF), $5-15. www.localwineevents.com

Live Rock – David J [Sat 9:30pm]: Co-founder of both Bauhaus and then Love and Rockets. At Café Du Nord (SF), $20. www.cafedunord.com

Festival – Croatian Festival [Sun 2-8pm]: At the Croatian-American Cultural Center (SF), $10. www.croatianamericanweb.org

Theatre – After the Quake [through Dec 2]: A reflection by different individuals after the big earthquake. At the Berkeley Repertory, $27-69. www.berkeleyrep.org

Theatre – Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza [through Jan 13]: Making its U.S. premiere in San Francisco. At AT&T Park, $39-90. www.cirquedusoleil.com


Previous: Film – 11th Annual International Latino Film Festival [through Nov 18 in SF]; Theatre – Stardust and Empty Wagons: Stories from the Katrina Diaspora [through Nov 25 in SF]; Opera – Puccini’s La Rondine [through Nov 29]; 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