Randy's Guide CLXIV (164)

Happy Thanksgiving to all from 80-degree Orange County! Most of you won't get this until the weekend has passed... so I hope all of you were able to share some good times with family, friends, colleagues, and your local community.

Today is Thanksgiving and singer Tina Turner's 70th; Friday is Minnesota Governor (R) Tim Pawlenty's 49th; Saturday is Albania's Independence Day; Sunday is Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's 52nd; Monday is supermodel Chanel Iman's 20th; Tuesday is World AIDS Day and comedian Sarah Silverman's 39th; and Wednesday is retired tennis player Monica Seles' 36th.


Local News
Bi-Rite has built up a very sizable, loyal following with its grocery market, which has four times the business of an average Whole Foods and ten times the average Safeway (on a per-square-foot basis). Its Creamery down the block regularly has lines on the weekend for wildly inventive flavors such as Salted Caramel, Ricanelas, and Apple Pie. And now its food collective 18 Reasons hosts events that connect consumers to farmers and chefs. Check them out in the Dolores Park region near 18th St. and Dolores. www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/26/BU5T1APE66.DTL


Deal of the Week
Free parking for carpoolers! Through December 27, those who carpool to garages at 123 O'Farrell, 5th/Mission, Sutter-Stockton, 333 Post, 2055 Lombard, Mission-Bartlett, 3255 21st St., and 766 Vallejo St. will receive free parking between 10am-6pm, seven days a week. Three passengers equal one free hour; four or more passengers, two free hours. The Civic Center garage at 355 McAllister will offer the free parking on weekends only. www.sfmta.com


Change for Change
Charity to consider: Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center. I walked by its home offices the other day en route to KFC, and this section of Polk Gulch is a mess. The group has promoted sexual health and broken down barriers within the Asian and Pacific Islander communities since 1987. Its support of the LGBT community, abused women, and no-insurance individuals includes an alliance with health care providers and organizations. www.apiwellness.org

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

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, Bay Area Community Services, Blue Energy, My New Red Shoes, College Track, Foundation for the People of Burma, Vital Life Services, Little Angel Fund, San Francisco Health Services Coalition, Natural Resources Defense Council, Bay Localize, San Francisco Women Against Rape, Sustainable Conservation, Ashoka, Old Skool Cafe, Darfur Sister Schools, and Rebuilding Together San Francisco.


Bay Area Holiday Weekend Weather
Seasonal. Mild, sunny afternoons; cool evenings.

Highs: low-60s
Lows: low-40s


The Environment
One of my readers recently had a school assignment that asked each person to list the various sources of greenhouse gases directly made by the individual. The largest factor appeared to be the purchase of goods. Please reconsider your spending for Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. For those purchases you must make, take a hard look at locally crafted items that more directly benefit your economy and have a smaller impact on the ecosystem.


Movies (domestic revenues through November 22)
Werewolves and vampires, oh my. With an audience of 80% females and 50% under 21, "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" roared into theatres with $142.8 million, the highest opening of the year and third-highest in history {rated PG-13, 4,024 theatres, $35,497 per theatre}. Sandra Bullock's "The Blind Side" scored the highest sports drama opening ever with $34.1 million {rated PG-13, 3110 theatres, $10,971 per theatre}. The sci-fi animation "Planet 51" brought in some families but few others, as it tallied $12.3 million {rated PG, 3035 theatres, $4,048 per theatre}. And the Oprah-Tyler Perry-backed drama "Precious" continued its slow expansion, with revenues of $10.9 million {rated R, 3rd weekend, $21.3 million overall, 629 theatres, $17,300 per theatre}.

Fantastic Mr. Fox (PG): Animation; about an idyllic family of foxes whose lives are upturned when the father turns back to his wild ways of being a chicken thief; co-voiced by George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, and Bill Murray; directed by Wes Anderson ("Rushmore" / "The Darjeeling Limited")

Ninja Assassins (R): Action; about a deadly assassin who breaks free from his clan and plans his revenge for the death of his close friend

Oh My God (NR): Documentary; about global perceptions of God; co-starring Hugh Jackman, Ringo Starr, David Copperfield, Seal, and Baz Luhrmann

Old Dogs (PG): Comedy; about two best friends who have to take care of 7-year-old twins while trying to seal a huge business deal; co-starring John Travolta and Robin Williams

Red Cliff (R): Action; about a general who wishes to crush two meddling warlords during the Han era

The Road (R): Sci-fi drama; about the survival of a father and his young son in post-apocalyptic U.S.; co-starring Viggo Mortensen, Robert Duvall, and Guy Pearce; based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy ("No Country for Old Men")

Sophie's Revenge (NR): Comedy; about a cartoonist and an actress who fight over a surgeon's heart; co-starring Ziyi Zhang

DVD Pick - Food Inc. (PG): It's often summarized as a food version of "An Inconvenient Truth" - and with good reason, as two executive producers share credits for both films. "Fast Food Nation" author Eric Schlosser and "The Omnivore's Dilemma" writer Michael Pollan share screen time with disturbing short stories about cattle, soybeans, poultry, and corn. You'll think twice about passing over non-GMO vegetables, sustainable meats, local produce, and organic consumables. Domestic box office: $4.4 million; foreign box office: $0.1 million.


Free Activities
Parade of Lights & Winter Wonderland [Fri 3-9p]: 30th annual. Featuring a holiday marketplace, live entertainment, snow sledding, and children's activities. Along Fourth St. (San Rafael). www.sresproductions.com

Macy's Tree Lighting [Fri 6p]: 20th annual. Featuring Santa Claus, various musical performances, and of course the massive tree lighting and related ornament sponsorship. In Union Square (SF). www.unionsquareshop.com/TreeLighting.html

Classic Black: African-American Voices from 19th c. San Francisco [Sun 3-4:30p]: Featuring former San Francisco Poet Laureate Devorah Major, Richard Howell on saxophone, and Mark Izu on bass. At the Main Library (SF). http://sfpl.lib.ca.us/news/classic_black.htm

Free Art Museums [Tue and Wed]: Check out previous posts online for additional information about free museum days.

Tree of Hope 2009 [Wed 5:30-8p]: Featuring a concert by the San Francisco Boys Chorus, a tree lighting ceremony with Mayor Gavin Newsom and others, and a party with Veronica Klaus. At City Hall (SF). www.rainbowfund.org/wish


Paid Activities
Bach's Christmas Oratorio [Fri-Sat 8p, Sun 2p]: Featuring the San Francisco Symphony Chorus in selections from all six cantatas, sung in English. At Davies Symphony Hall (SF), $35-135. www.sfsymphony.org

Boom [through Dec. 6]: A sex farce about a young female journalism student who answers a personals ad from a grad student (who happens to be gay) on the eve of a huge comet strike. At the Marin Theatre Company (Mill Valley), $20-51. www.marintheatre.org

Nutcracker [through Dec. 6]: Featuring the Peninsula Youth Ballet. At the San Mateo Performing Arts Center, $15-35. www.pyb.org

Previous: Theatre - Tings Dey Happen [through Sunday in SF]; Theatre - Another Night Before Christmas [through Dec. 20 in San Jose]