Randy's Guide LXIV

Thursday is former Secretary of State (and SF resident!) George Shultz’s 87th and Scandinavian Saint Lucia’s Day; Sunday is British writer Sir Arthur C. Clarke’s 90th and Kazakhstan Independence Day; and Tuesday is director Steven Spielberg’s 61st, singer Christina Aguilera’s 27th, and New Jersey’s Admission Day.


Special Holiday Event
Saturday, 11:30am-3pm: Check out unique silver and semi-precious jewelry, pashmina, and silk stoles & scarves. Complimentary wine & hors d’oeuvres will be served. At Vandana’s home (3708 Louis Rd, Palo Alto) – friend of Shivani! RSVP to 650.856.0816.


Special Airline Offer – extended
Save 25% off unlimited Virgin America flights. Use ELEVATE25 as your promotional code. Expires 12/21/07. Offer valid for travel through 3/19/08, with blackout dates of 12/19/07 - 1/6/08, 2/14/08, 2/15/08, and 2/18/08.


Local News Story of the Week
San Francisco’s MUNI will be testing a British company’s double-decker bus on various routes over the next four weeks. Rides will be complimentary on the 83-seat bus, which could be in the fleet’s future for use on busy lines like the 38-Geary and 14-Mission. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/13/BAEGTT7V1.DTL


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
Partly cloudy days, cool nights
High 52, Low 43: San Rafael
High 54, Low 42: Berkeley, Mill Valley
High 55, Low 45: SF, Daly City
High 56, Low 37: Pleasanton
High 57, Low 40: Oakland, San Mateo

High 65, Low 44: Beverly Hills, Calif. (sunny)
- The Hollywood Foreign Press released its Golden Globe nominations on Thursday, with "Atonement" and "Charlie Wilson's War" leading films, "Damages" and "30 Rock" guiding television

High 31, Low 23: Cleveland, Ohio (heavy snow)
- Madonna, John Mellencamp, The Ventures, Leonard Cohen, and The Dave Clark Five were announced on Thursday as Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees for 2008

High 22, Low 10: Des Moines, Iowa (slight chance of snow)
- Republicans discussed issues on Wednesday, while Democrats took the stage on Thursday, in both parties' final debates before the January 3 caucuses for the 2008 presidential nomination

High 20-42, Low 16: Hartford, Conn. (snow & ice)
- Connecticut's largest airport already cancelled a dozen flights by Thursday morning in advance of two major winter storms

High 39, Low 25: Tulsa, Okla. (more snow)
- In a state with at least 315,000 homes without power, residents hope for beds at the daily lottery held at the local John 3:16 Mission


Environmental Tip of the Week
LED holiday lights use about 90% less energy than typical incandescent lights. Consider purchasing a string from http://www.holidayleds.com/; be forewarned, though, that holiday lights often still contain lead and should be treated with caution.

Previous: You may wish to consider bamboo kitchen equipment for your holiday cooking needs (and 2008!). Bamboo is a grass that grows quickly and is very renewable. Check out cutting boards, salad servers, and salad bowls at http://www.branchhome.com/ and http://www.3rliving.com/.


Video of the Week
"Unravel" by Radiohead (UK)

The notoriously anti-capitalist British rockers have gone virtual with their seventh studio album. You can download their latest album from their Web site (www.radiohead.com) and pay whatever price you wish; also check out the live studio performances of their new songs.

Previous:
"Umbrella" by Tegan and Sara (Canada)

The lesbian twin sisters are going to regret covering Rihanna’s hit, judging from the high fan response. They’re back on tour showcasing its latest album “The Con,” with a few December shows in Australia.


Movie Box Office (through Dec. 9)
#1 The Golden Compass (PG-13), $25.8MM opening, 3528 screens, $7,308 per screen
#2 Enchanted (PG), $10.7MM, $83.9MM overall, 3520 screens, $3,042 per screen
#3 This Christmas (PG-13), $5.0MM, $42.7MM overall, 1879 screens, $2,640 per screen
#15 Atonement (R), $0.8MM opening, 32 screens, $25,014 per screen recommended, 7 Golden Globe nominations

All This in Tea (NR): Documentary; about a tea importer’s search throughout China for premium teas

Alvin and the Chipmunks (PG): Live-action animation; about the three chipmunk brothers adopted by a man named Dave

I Am Legend (PG-13): Sci-fi; about a scientist’s effort to rid the world of a manmade plague; co-starring Will Smith

It Is Fine! Everything Is Fine! (NR): Drama; about a man with cerebral palsy and his many experiences with women

Juno (PG-13): Comedy; about a teen who confronts an unplanned pregnancy; co-starring Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner

Kite Runner (PG-13): Drama; about two Afghan friends whose lives change after a kite-fighting tournament; directed by Marc Forster

Outlaw (R): Drama; about an Iraqi veteran who forms a vigilante group in London; co-starring Bob Hoskins

Perfect Holiday (PG): Comedy; about a fatherless family’s effort to make it through another Christmas; co-starring Queen Latifah and Terrence Howard

Protagonist (R): Documentary; about four men with widely different stories – a German terrorist, a bank robber, an ex-gay evangelist, and a martial arts students

Starting Out in the Evening (PG-13): Drama; about a struggling, aging writer’s attempts to close out one final novel; co-starring Lili Taylor and Frank Langella

Walker (R): Drama; about a popular gay socialite who runs into a criminal situation with one of his lady friends in Washington D.C.; co-starring Woody Harrelson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lauren Bacall, and Willem Dafoe

War Dance (PG-13): Documentary; about a school in northern Uganda who treks to compete in an annual festival in the aftermath of a lengthy civil war; winner of Best Documentary at Sundance

Youth Without Youth (R): Drama; about a professor’s life-altering event in pre-WWII Europe; co-starring Tim Roth; directed by Francis Ford Coppola


Free Activities
Macy’s PG&E Bulb Exchange [Weekends through Dec 16, noon-4pm]: Exchange up to 5 standard light bulbs for new compact fluorescent bulbs. On Holiday Lane, Level 6, in Macy’s Union Square (SF). Recommended

Holiday Lights Parade [Fri 6pm]: With over 100 lighted boats along the waterfront. Near Fort Mason Piers (SF). www.visitfishermanswharf.com

Ice Skating at Justin Herman Plaza [Sat 10am-10pm]: Complimentary ice skating, beverages, pastries, and Sasha Cohen’s 6pm performance, all courtesy of Starbucks. At Embarcadero Center (SF). www.sashacohen.com Recommended

Holiday Art Sale [Sat-Sun 10am-4pm]: Featuring glass blowing and blacksmithing demonstrations, plus the potential holiday gifts (Oakland). www.thecrucible.org

Holiday Craft Craze [Sat-Sun noon-4pm]: At ZNE (Pleasanton). www.znestore.com


Other Activities
Live Music - Blues Traveler [Th 8pm]: With Jesse Malin opening. At The Fillmore (SF), $28. www.bluestraveler.com

Symphony - Handel’s Messiah [Th/Fri 8pm]: At Davies Symphony Hall (SF), $20-82. www.sfsymphony.org

Dance - Sophie and the Enchanted Toyshop [Sat 1pm/5pm]: Featuring 130 dancers ages 5-19 from the Marin Dance Theatre. At Marin Auditorium (San Rafael), $20-30. www.mdt.org

Festival - Bazaar Bizarre [Sat 11am-6pm]: Craft fair with musical entertainment. At the County Fair Building (SF), $1. www.bazaarbizarre.org

Symphony - Peter and the Wolf [Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm/4pm]: With narration by Sara Ramirez of Grey’s Anatomy. At the California Theatre (San Jose) and Davies Symphony Hall (SF), $15-46. www.sfsymphony.org

Dance - Berkeley Ballet’s The Nutcracker [through Sunday]: At the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts (Berkeley), $22. www.berkeleyballet.org

Live Music - Charlie Hunter [through Sunday]: With The Campbell Brothers. At Yoshi’s (SF), $22-30. www.yoshis.com

Dance - California Revels’ The Christmas Revels [through Sunday]: At the Scottish Rite Theatre (Oakland), $15-50. www.calrevels.org

Dance - City Ballet’s Nutcracker [through Sunday]: At Fort Mason’s Cowell Theatre (SF), $24. www.cityballetschool.org

Live Music - Colors of Christmas [Mon-Wed 8pm]: Featuring Peabo Bryson, Ben Vereen, and others. At Davies Symphony Hall (SF), $20-80. www.sfsymphony.org

Theatre - A Christmas Carol [through Dec 23]: At the American Conservatory Theatre (SF), $16-80. www.act-sf.org

Dance - Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet [through Dec 23]: At the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (SF), $18-55. www.smuinballet.org

Theatre - Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza [through Jan 20]: At AT&T Park (SF), $55-210. www.cirquedusoleil.com

Previous: Theatre - Lovers & Executioners [through Sunday in Mill Valley]; Theatre - Argonautika [through Dec 23 in Berkeley]; Dance - Peninsula Ballet’s Nutcracker [through Dec 23 in San Mateo]; Festival - Great Dickens Christmas Fair [through Dec 23 in Daly City]; Theatre - Jersey Boys [through Dec 30 in SF]