Randy's Guide CCI (201)

Historic milestones: 4 years since Pluto's reclassification as a dwarf planet; 21 years since Pete Rose's eviction from baseball; 60 years since the first black competitor in international tennis (Althea Gibson); 100 years since the founding of Yellow Cab; 152 years since Charles Darwin's first publication on evolution; and 179 years since Nat Turner's slave rebellion.


Local News
British mega-grocer Tesco will be opening up seven Fresh & Easy stores in the Bay Area next year. Its model will be a hybrid between Safeway and Trader Joe's, as it looks to continue success drawn from previous expansions into Eastern Europe and Asia. The seven stores will be located in San Francisco's Bayview district, San Jose, Concord, Walnut Creek, Danville, Vacaville, and Pacifica. www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/08/19/BU851EVR2J.DTL


Change for Change
Charity: Shanti. Founded by Dr. Charles Garfield in 1974, the San Francisco nonprofit provides educational and supportive services to over 2,000 clients with HIV/AIDS and breast cancer. www.shanti.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, 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, Rebuilding Together San Francisco, Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center, Urban Solutions, San Francisco Suicide Prevention, and The East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse.


Weekend Weather
Another cooling trend, but forecasts are optimistic for a warm start to the work week.

Highs: upper-50s (coast); low-60s (SF); upper-60s (bay); upper-70s (inland)
Lows: low-50s (SF-coast); mid-50s (bay); upper-50s (inland)


Music
"Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (Los Angeles, Calif.)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4306i99LMXo
Their first full-length album has caught the Americana wave, plus some visibility on the "Cyrus" trailer and David Letterman. Check them out in LA and San Diego over the next week, plus later concerts in Tucson, Houston, New Orleans, and Fort Lauderdale. www.edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com


Movies {domestic revenues for August 13-15}
"The Expendables" scored well with young males, grossing $34.8 million [3270 theatres; $10,650 per theatre]. Meanwhile, older females consumed "Eat Pray Love" with $23.1 million [3082 theatres; $7,497 per theatre]. Michael Cera's comedy "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" debuted poorly with $10.6 million [2818 theatres; $3,765 per theatre]. Lastly, "Salt" crossed the $100 million threshold, and "Toy Story 3" topped $400 million overall.

Mainstream films:
-Lottery Ticket (PG-13): Comedy; co-starring Bow Wow, Bill Bellamy, Mike Epps, and Ice Cube
-Nanny McPhee Returns (PG): Comedy; co-starring Emma Thompson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Ralph Fiennes
-Piranha 3D (R): Suspense; co-starring Elisabeth Shue, Ving Rhames, and Richard Dreyfuss
-Vampires Suck (PG-13): Comedy

Art-house films:
-Animal Kingdom (R): Suspense; co-starring Guy Pearce
-Army of Crime (NR): Drama
-Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist, Rebel (R): Documentary
-Lebanon (R): Drama
-Mao's Last Dancer (PG): Drama; co-starring Joan Chen and Kyle MacLachlan
-The Switch (PG-13): Comedy; co-starring Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, and Jeff Goldblum

DVD Pick - An Education (PG-13): Nick Hornby's sparkling dialogue c.1960s Britain pushes this film into the upper reaches for 2009 releases. Newcomer Carey Mulligan nabbed an Oscar nomination for her role as a schoolgirl entranced by an older socialite. The story line, though familiar, is handled with wit and grace. Domestic box office: $12.6 million; foreign box office: $13.5 million.


Free Weekend Activities
Dancing Under the Stars [Fri 8:30-10p]: Featuring Argentine tango lessons, followed by a live band. In Jack London Square (Oakland). www.jacklondonsquare.com

Film Night [Fri-Sat 8p]: Featuring Hitchcock's "Notorious" on Friday and "Coraline" on Saturday. Both at Creek Park (San Anselmo). www.filmnight.org

Alamo Square Flea Market [Sat 9a-3p]: 27th annual. In Alamo Square (SF). http://alamosq.wordpress.com

*SF Street Food Festival [Sat 11a-7p]: 2nd annual. Featuring popular restaurants (e.g. Delfina and Slanted Door), up-and-comers (e.g. Flour+Water and Kasa), and mobile carts (e.g. Adobo Hobo and Hapa Ramen) all in one place. Drinks will be offered by mixologists from The Alembic, Beretta, and Rye. Near 25th St. and Folsom (SF). www.sfstreetfoodfest.com

San Jose Pride [Sat 11a-7p]: Featuring live performances, local LGBT nonprofits, a line-dancing corral, and more. At Guadalupe Park's Discovery Meadow (San Jose). www.sanjosepride.com

Assyrian Festival [Sat-Sun 11a-7p]: 18th annual. Featuring traditional Assyrian food, music, and entertainment. At the Assyrian Church of the East (San Jose). www.assyrianfest.com

Much Ado About Nothing [Sat-Sun 1p]: Featuring Woman's Will, the Bay Area's all-female Shakespeare company. At Dolores Park (SF) on both days. www.womanswill.org

San Francisco Mime Troupe [Sat-Sun 2p, Wed 6:30p]: Featuring the latest annual leftist production, "Possibilidad, or Death of a Worker." At Washington Square Park (SF) on Saturday, Yerba Buena Gardens (SF) on Sunday, and Richmond Civic Center on Wednesday. www.sfmt.org

Shakespeare in the Park [Sat-Sun 7:30p]: 28th annual. Featuring "Two Gentlemen of Verona." At Memorial Park (Cupertino). www.sfshakes.org

*Sunday Streets SF [Sun 10a-3p]: Featuring free bike rentals and maintenance, a family concert, a solar telescope, pet massage demos, "Glee" appearance competition, and more. Closed to cars along the Great Highway and Golden Gate Park's JFK Drive (SF). www.sundaystreetssf.com

Rock Make Street Festival [Sun 11a-6p]: 3rd annual. Featuring 15 local indie bands, including AB & the Sea and Tartufi, as well as 100 vendors. You think hipsters? Near Treat and 18th St. (SF). www.rockmake.com

Golden Gate Park Band [Sun 1p]: 128th annual. Weekly concert series. Celebrating St. Stephen's Day, a feast of Hungarian music, costumes, and dance. At Golden Gate Park's Bandshell (SF). www.goldengateparkband.org

*Stern Grove Festival [Sun 2p]: Featuring indie faves They Might Be Giants, with peppy Bay Area band Rogue Wave opening. Final weekend. At Stern Grove (SF). www.sterngrove.org

Lindy in the Square [Wed 6-8p]: Featuring swing lessons, followed by a live band to practice those moves. In Union Square Park (SF). www.unionsquarepark.us