Randy's Guide CCVI (206)

Historic milestones: 8 years since the first public release of Mozilla Firefox; 12 years since the founding of Google; 53 years since the forced integration of Central HS (Little Rock, Ark.); 62 years since the founding of Honda Motor Company; 94 years since John D. Rockefeller became the world's first billionaire; 164 years since the discovery of Neptune; and 251 years since the formation of Guinness Beer Company.


Local News
Sixth Street, part of San Francisco's redevelopment efforts, has faced increased crime - and subsequent arrests - in the past few months. Passion Cafe, a French bistro, and Split Pea Seduction are among the high-profile openings. My own visit yesterday to Tu Lan at lunch showed 95% capacity. www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/23/BACB1FI0FS.DTL


Deal of the Week #1
Visit one of the 1,302 Panda Express restaurants for a free serving of Kobari Beef on September 29 (Wed). The San Francisco locations are in the Westfield Mall (Union Square), UCSF, Fillmore Center, and Stonestown Mall. http://184.106.246.200/PX_FB_tab/images/Kobari-10-ecoupon.jpg


Deal of the Week #2
Free Museum Day on Saturday, courtesy of the Smithsonian Institute. Some California options include the Academy of Sciences (SF), The Getty Center (LA), and the Walt Disney Museum (SF). http://microsite.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/venue.html


Change for Change
Charity: Curry Without Worry. Since 2006, this San Francisco-based nonprofit has served over 23,000 warm vegetarian Nepalese meals on Tuesday evenings in San Francisco's Civic Center. www.currywithoutworry.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, The East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse, and Shanti.


Bay Area Weekend Weather
Here comes the sun during our first autumn weekend! A major warm-up is in store, with possible record heat on Sunday and Monday.

Highs: low-70s (coast); low-80s (SF); upper-80s (bay); mid-90s (inland)
Lows: upper-50s


Movies {domestic revenues for September 17-19}
"The Town," with numbers similar to "The Departed," tallied $23.8 million [2861 theatres; $8,322 per theatre]. The "Easy A" audience was primarily younger females, and it earned $17.7 million [2856 theatres; $6,209 per theatre]. "Devil" was M. Night Shyamalan's worst opening yet, with $12.3 million [2809 theatres; $4,375 per theatre]. The animated "Alpha and Omega" primarily showed to mothers and children, with $9.1 million [2625 theatres; $3,469 per theatre]. In milestone news, "Twilight: Eclipse" crossed the $300 million mark domestically, while "The Expendables" moved past $100 million.

Mainstream films:
-Buried (R): Thriller; co-starring Ryan Reynolds
-Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (PG): Animated; about a young owl that tries to find the Great Tree with his friends' help; co-voiced by Sam Neill, Helen Mirren, and Geoffrey Rush
-The Virginity Hit (R): Comedy
-Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (PG-13): Drama sequel; co-starring Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, and Carey Mulligan; directed by Oliver Stone
-You Again (PG): Comedy; co-starring Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Sigourney Weaver

Art-house films:
-Desert of Forbidden Art (NR): Documentary; co-starring Ben Kingsley, Ed Asner, and Sally Field
-Howl (NR): Drama; co-starring James Franco, Jon Hamm, Jeff Daniels, and Alan Alda
-Jack Goes Boating (R): Romantic drama; co-starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Ryan; directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman
-Last Train Home (NR): Documentary
-Never Let Me Go (R): Fantasy thriller; co-starring Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan
-The Romantics (PG-13): Romantic comedy; co-starring Elijah Wood, Katie Holmes, Josh Duhamel, Anna Paquin, and Adam Brody
-Whiz Kids (NR): Documentary

DVD Pick - The Invention of Lying (PG-13): A high-concept comedy is hard to pull off. For the most part, director and lead Ricky Gervais has fun with the notion of inventing the lie, with supporting cast members like Jennifer Garner, Rob Lowe, and Tina Fey as good sports. Domestic box office: $18.5 million; foreign box office: $14.0 million.


Free Weekend Activities
SF Public Library's Big Book Sale [Thu-Sat 10a-8p]: 46th annual. Check out over 500,000 books, DVDs, CDs, books on tape, vinyl, and other media forms. At Fort Mason's Festival Pavilion (SF). www.friendssfpl.org

Waterfront Outdoor Movie Night [Thu 7:30p]: Featuring "Land of the Lost." In Jack London Square (Oakland). www.jacklondonsquare.com

San Francisco Symphony concert [Fri noon]: At Justin Herman Plaza (SF). www.sfsymphony.org

* Opera in the Ballpark [Fri 8p]: This year's production, Verdi's "Aida," will likely bring in a crowd of over 25,000 spectators. Gates open at 6:30pm. At AT&T Park (SF). www.sfopera.com/simulcast

* Film Night [Fri-Sat 8p]: Final weekend. Featuring "Wall-E" at San Geronimo Community Center on Friday, and "The Big Lebowski" in Dolores Park (SF) on Saturday. www.filmnight.org

Dragon Boat Festival [Sat-Sun 8a-5p]: 15th annual. Featuring 110+ dragon boat teams, arts and crafts, acrobatic martial arts, Taiko drums, local favorite food trucks (incl. Chairman Bao and Hapa SF), and more. On Treasure Island (SF). www.sfdragonboat.com

California Coastal Cleanup Day [Sat 9a-noon]: Bring your own bucket or reusable bag, lightweight gloves, and reusable water bottle for a morning of good work. Sites in San Francisco include Mission Creek behind AT&T Park, Ocean Beach, and Fisherman's Wharf. www.signuptocleanup.org

Saratoga Festival [Sat-Sun 10a-6p]: In Saratoga Village. www.saratogachamber.org

Tenderloin Community Fair [Sat 11a-3p]: Featuring free sandwiches, health screenings, legal services, and more. At Tenderloin's Children's Playground (SF). http://globalexchange.org/getInvolved/bayarea.php?uid=11339

Tour de Fat [Sat 11a-5p]: Featuring a bicycle parade, live music, DIY silkscreening, New Belgium's Fat Tire beer, and more. At Golden Gate Park's Lindley Meadow (SF). www.sfbike.org

Monument Festival [Sat 11a-4p]: 2nd annual. Featuring a pie-eating contest, dunk tank, BBQ food, and more. At Bay and Fremont Blvd (Fremont). www.monumentfestival.com

Shakespeare in the Park [Sat 7:30p, Sun 2:30p]: 28th annual. Featuring "Two Gentlemen of Verona." At Presidio's Main Lawn (SF). www.sfshakes.org

Cole Valley Fair [Sun 10a-5p]: 8th annual. Featuring a live entertainment stage (incl. a taiko group), historical Cole Valley photographs, vintage autos owned by neighborhood residents, popular mobile food carts (incl. Senor Sisig, 51st State, and Seoul on Wheels), and more. Near Carl and Cole (SF). www.cviasf.org/cole-valley-fair-2010

* Folsom Street Fair [Sun 11a-6p]: The world's largest leather event, featuring two live stages with 16 alternative acts, a large dance area, outrageous fetish attire, and more. Along Folsom St, between 7th and 12th (SF). www.folsomstreetfair.com

Cal Performances' Free for All [Sun 11a-6p]: Featuring four stages of entertainment, including the Kronos Quartet, San Francisco Opera Adler Fellows, Mark Morris Dance Group, and several others. At Zellerbach Hall, Hertz Hall, Wheeler Auditorium, and Lower Sproul Plaza (all in Berkeley). www.calperfs.berkeley.edu

* Alice Now & Zen Fest [Sun noon-5p]: Featuring Sara Bareilles, Plain White T's, Five For Fighting, Natasha Bedingfield, and Ryan Star. At Golden Gate Park's Sharon Meadow (SF). www.radioalice.com

Out & About in Rockridge [Sun noon-6p]: Featuring live music, fashion shows, cooking demos, community booths, and more. Along College Ave. (Oakland). www.rockridgeoutandabout.com

Golden Gate Park Band [Sun 1p]: 128th season. Featuring Richard Wagner. At Golden Gate Park's Music Concourse (SF). www.goldengateparkband.org