Randy's Guide CXVI (116)

Today is "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest's 34th; Thursday is Christmas, political advisor Karl Rove's 58th, and Colombian senator (and former hostage) Ingrid Betancourt's 47th; Friday is Boxing Day and the start of Kwanzaa; Saturday is French actor Gerard Depardieu's 60th; Sunday is musician John Legend's 30th; Monday is Mexican actor Diego Luna's 29th; and Tuesday is golfer Tiger Woods' 33rd.


Local News
The famed Maverick's surfing contest, originating in the 1970s, has received enough sponsorship to continue for this year. 24 surfers will be given 24-hour notice to compete during the Jan. 1 through Mar. 31 timeframe. Catch the action live off Pillar Point near Half Moon Bay, at AT&T Park, or online at www.maverickssurf.com.


Change for Change
Join in the season for giving. Donate to one (or more) of the groups spotlighted over the past 115 issues.

-Aldea Inc: mental health care for Napa and Solano county; www.aldeainc.com
-Bay Area Community Services: mental health and senior services in Alameda County; www.bayareacs.org
-blueEnergy Group: wind and solar energy solutions for marginal communities, based in San Francisco; www.blueenergygroup.org
-City CarShare: socially responsible car sharing program in the Bay Area; www.citycarshare.org
-College Track: after-school college-preparatory program for under-privileged youths in Oakland, San Francisco, East Palo Alto, and New Orleans; www.collegetrack.org
-Common Ground Relief: rehabilitation of New Orleans; www.commongroundrelief.org
-Farm Sanctuary: animal advocacy, with educational farms in California and New York; www.farmsanctuary.org
-Foundation for the People of Burma: humanitarian aid for Burmese individuals, based in San Francisco; www.foundationburma.org
-Friends of the Urban Forest: the planting and caring for trees in San Francisco; www.fuf.net
-Glide Memorial: assistance to homeless, poor, unemployed, and HIV+ communities in San Francisco; www.glide.org
-Little Angel Fund: support and education for parents with premature or seriously ill infants; www.littleangelfund.org
-Loaves and Fishes: daily lunches for the hungry in six Contra Costa cities; www.loavesandfishesofcontracosta.org
-LYRIC: support for LGBTQQ youth, based in San Francisco; www.lyric.org
-Maitri: South Asian women facing domestic abuse or violence; www.maitri.org
-My New Red Shoes: new clothing for homeless and low-income youths, based in Menlo Park; www.mynewredshoes.org
-Natural Resources Defense Council: environmental activism group with lawyers, lobbyists, and scientists to promote action; www.nrdc.org
-San Francisco Health Services Coalition: public awareness and funds distribution for homelessness, based in San Francisco; www.sfhsc.org
-Vital Life Services: services for individuals with HIV+/AIDS and other critical illnesses, based in Oakland; www.vitalcalifornia.org

Donate through the nonprofit's Web site or your corporate donation program.


Bay Area Holiday Weekend Weather
It'll be a wet Christmas. The driest days should be Friday (happy shopping) and Sunday.

Highs: low-to-mid-50s
Lows: mid-30s (inland) to mid-40s (coast)


Environmental News
Your used cooking oil should not go down the drain, as this causes sewer clogs and costly city repairs. Store the oil in leakproof containers, and then compost it or give it to a biofuel producer. SFGreasecycle is collecting used oil (no food scraps or soap please) for biofuel production at Whole Foods and Costco stores from December 27-30.

Previous:
Various restaurants (from Cheesecake Factory to Tartine Bakery to Foreign Cinema), wineries, wine retailers, and Whole Foods stores will be collecting used corks for the next several months. They will be recycled by the world's #1 producer of natural cork, a Portuguese company called Amorim & Irmaos.


Music Videos
"Fancy Footwork" by Chromeo (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)

Electrofunk gets a workout with this duo from Canada. Before heading off to Australia in February, catch them at Los Angeles' Key Club on January 22.

Previous:
"Stay Out" by Hit the Lights (Lima, Ohio)

The band takes its name from a Metallica song. The pop punk quintet filmed this music video in the Bay Area earlier this year. Look for them as part of the 2009 AP Tour.


Movies (domestic revenues through December 21)
#1 Yes Man (PG-13): $18.3MM opening; 3434 screens; $5,318 per screen
#2 Seven Pounds (PG-13): $14.9MM opening; 2758 screens; $5,385 per screen
#3 The Tale of Despereaux (G): $10.1MM opening; 3104 screens; $3,255 per screen
#15 Doubt (PG-13): $0.7MM; $1.4MM overall; 39 screens; $17,460 per screen; the Tony Award-winning play has successfully transferred to the Big Screen, with deft performances from Meryl Streep (as the stern, suspecting head nun), Philip Seymour Hoffman (as the pastor), and Viola Davis (her few minutes as an emotional mom are mind-blowing); nominated for 5 Golden Globes and 5 Screen Actors Guild awards

Amusement (R): Horror; about a traumatized woman and the cop and psychiatrist who try to understand what happened to her

Bedtime Stories (PG): Comedy; about a hotel repairman whose bedtime stories mysteriously come true; co-starring Adam Sandler, Courtney Cox Arquette, Keri Russell, and Guy Pearce

Ben X (NR): Drama; about a boy with Asperger's Syndrome, his online gaming obsessions, and the bullies who torment him

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (PG-13): Drama; about a man born in his eighties and ages backwards, based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story; co-starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, and Julia Ormond; directed by David Fincher

Gran Torino (R): Thriller; about a grumpy widower, his prized 1973 Gran Torino auto, and the Asian neighbors he protects one day; co-starring and directed by Clint Eastwood

Marley and Me (PG): Comedy; about a young couple, both reporters, who moves to Florida and adopts a Labrador puppy; co-starring Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, and Alan Arkin

The Spirit (PG-13): Action; about a masked crusader tracking a killer while fending off advances from beautiful women; co-starring Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, and Eva Mendes; directed by Frank Miller

Valkyrie (PG-13): Action; about the German colonel who launched a daring plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler; co-starring Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, and Tom Wilkinson; directed by Bryan Singer

The Wrestler (R): Drama; about a washed up pro wrestler who starts to build a new life when the prospect of a rematch appears; co-starring Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, and Evan Rachel Wood; directed by Darren Aronofsky

DVD Pick - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (R): A thinking biopic western at its heart, the film centers on two men: outlaw Jesse James and his assassin Robert Ford, well-played by Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck, respectively; awards and nominations (including for the Oscars) centered on cinematography and Affleck's supporting role; domestic box office: $3.9 million


Activities
Telegraph Avenue Street Fair [today 11am-6pm]: Featuring more than 200 artists, in addition to the usual storefront shops. Along Telegraph Avenue (Berkeley), FREE. www.telegraphfair.com

Home for the Holidays [today 5pm/7pm/9pm]: The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus sings classics that celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the winter solstice. At Castro Theatre (SF), $17-25. www.sfgmc.org

Oakland Interfaith Gospel Ensemble [today 7pm/9:30pm]: At Slim's (SF), $15. www.oigc.org

Free Museum Day [Thu 11am-4pm]: Featuring special performances, storytelling, and exhibitions. At the Contemporary Jewish Museum (SF), FREE. www.thecjm.org

Two Gallants [Fri 9pm]: San Francisco duo performing a blend of Southern folk and indie rock. With Crystal Antlers and The Tallest Man on Earth opening. At the Warfield (SF), $20. www.twogallants.com

Spawning Salmon Hike [Sat 10am]: Work off those holiday calories, and learn about local salmon on a three-mile hike through Muir Woods. Meet at Muir Woods National Monument south parking lot (Mill Valley), FREE. www.ggnrabigyear.org

Emerald Bowl [Sat 5pm]: Watch the California Golden Bears take on the Miami Hurricanes. At AT&T Park (SF), $40-75. http://emeraldbowl.cstv.com

Kung Pao Kosher Comedy [through Saturday]: 16th annual. Featuring Jewish comedians at a Chinese restaurant, over a dinner or cocktail show. At New Asia Restaurant (SF), $42-62. www.koshercomedy.com

Cinderella [through Sunday]: An updated version by the African-American Shakespeare Company. At Zeum Theater (SF), $10-25. www.african-americanshakes.org

Walking with Dinosaurs [through Tuesday]: $20 million production based on the successful BBC/Discovery Channel series. At HP Pavilion (San Jose), $35-70. www.dinosaurlive.com

Babes in Hollywood [through Dec 31]: A musical featuring the songs of Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. At the Hillbarn Theatre (Foster City), $30-110. www.hillbarntheatre.org

Holiday Ice Skating [through Jan 4 or 19, 10am-10pm Sun-Thu, 10am-11:30pm Fri-Sat]: Two outdoor ice rinks in San Francisco. At Embarcadero Center (Jan 4) and Union Square Plaza (Jan 19), $4-9 for 90-minute session, $3.50-5 for skate rental. www.unionsquareicerink.com www.embarcaderocenter.com

Macbeth [through Jan 11]: A contemporary look at Shakespeare's classic, with one witch instead of three, and two young attractive leads. At Ashby Stage (Berkeley), $18-30. www.shotgunplayers.org

Previous: Ballet - Nutcracker [through today in Oakland]; Theatre - A Christmas Carol [through Saturday in SF]; Theatre - Insignificant Others [extended through Saturday in SF]; Ballet - The Christmas Ballet [through Sunday in SF]; Theatre - Black Nativity [through Sunday in SF]; Ballet - Nutcracker [through Sunday in SF]; Art - Leonardo da Vinci: Drawings [through Jan 4 in SF]; Musical - Phantom of the Opera [through Jan 4 in SF]; Art - Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul [through Jan 5 in SF]; Art - Maya Lin: Systematic Landscapes [through Jan 18 in SF]


Upcoming January Activities
Jesus Christ Superstar [Jan 7-8 in Cupertino]; Inauguration West [Jan 20 in SF]; Burn the Floor: The International Dance Sensation [starts Jan 30 in SF]