Randy's Guide CCXVI (216)

Historic milestones: 7 years since the Concorde's final flight; 32 years since the deaths of Harvey Milk and George Moscone; 97 years since the introduction of the moving assembly line (by Ford Motor); 151 years since Charles Darwin's publication of "On the Origin of Species"; and 233 years since the founding of San Jose, Calif.


Local News
San Francisco Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff has gone from unemployed to a $22 million contract holder after a miraculous year. His rally thong epitomized the camaraderie in the clubhouse, and he ended up leading the team in home runs, hits, and walks. www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/23/SP9S1GGGFN.DTL


Deal of the Week
I know many of you will be among the 200 million shoppers to hit the stores this on Friday. Check out www.blackfriday2010.com beforehand to see all of the specials and plan out your day.


Change for Change
Charity: San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Foundation. I attended an informative discussion about the history of San Francisco's theaters, including the Castro, Vogue, and Alexandria. The group started in 2002 to preserve neighborhood movie theaters and to initiate the popular Film Night in the Park outdoor series. www.sfneighborhoodtheater.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, Shanti, and Curry Without Worry.


Holiday Weekend Weather
* San Francisco: Saturday rain, otherwise cold inland nights below freezing. High 53, Low 43.
* Los Angeles: Breezy and mostly clear. High 65, Low 44. {Hello, from sunny Seal Beach!}
* Yosemite: Saturday and Sunday snow showers. High 39, Low 25.
* Lake Tahoe: Saturday and Sunday snow showers. High 36, Low 10.
* Las Vegas: Clear. High 50, Low 35.
* Portland, OR: Friday and Saturday rain. High 40, Low 34.
* Denver: Partly cloudy. High 42, Low 20.
* Chicago: Wednesday rain and possible Thursday snow. High 37, Low 29.
* New York: Thursday and Friday rain. High 47, Low 33.
* Washington, D.C.: Friday rain. High 51, Low 39.
* Miami: Mostly sunny. High 80, Low 65.
* Houston: Warm start, cold finish. High 81, Low 67 -> High 60, Low 41.
* Honolulu: Chance of showers. High 79, Low 66.


Movies {domestic revenues for November 19-21}
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" soared to first place with $125.0 million [4125 theatres; $30,307 per theatre]. Russell Crowe's actioner "The Next Three Days" opened weakly in fifth with $6.5 million [2564 theatres; $2,552 per theatre]. The Naomi Watts-Sean Penn drama "Fair Game," based on Valerie Plame, expanded nicely with $1.5 million [386 theatres; $3,772 per theatre; $3.7 million overall]. Meanwhile, "Megamind" crossed the $100 million mark.

Mainstream films:
-Burlesque (PG-13): Musical; co-starring Cher and Christina Aguilera
-Faster (R): Action; co-starring Dwayne Johnson and Billy Bob Thornton
-Love and Other Drugs (R): Comedy; co-starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, and Hank Azaria
-Nutcracker in 3D (PG): Fantasy; co-starring Nathan Lane and John Turturro
-Tangled (PG): Animated; co-voiced by Mandy Moore, Brad Garrett, and Ron Perlman

Art-house films:
-Ahead of Time (NR): Documentary
-Made in Dagenham (R): Comedy; co-starring Sally Hawkins and Bob Hoskins
-Welcome to the Rileys (NR): Drama; co-starring James Gandolfini, Kristen Stewart, and Melissa Leo
-White Material (NR): Drama; co-starring Isabelle Huppert

DVD Pick - Young @ Heart (PG): This documentary will win you over, guaranteed. It focuses on a group of elders who form an a cappella group with tunes ranging from Coldplay to Bruce Springsteen. Domestic box office: $4.0 million; foreign: $3.1 million.


Free Weekend Activities
DJ Mark Farina [Wed 9p]: 8th annual. Just bring an unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots, or a non-perishable food item for Glide Memorial Food Bank for an evening with DJ Mark Farina. At Ruby Skye (SF). www.rubyskye.com/index1.html

Vegan Thanksgiving [Thu 11a-3p]: Free meal. At Cafe Gratitude (SF). www.cafegratitude.com

Winter Wonderland [Fri noon-8p, Sat 9a-noon]: 31st annual. Featuring free snow sledding, live entertainment, and wintertime parade. Along Fourth St (San Rafael). www.sresproductions.com

Ghirardelli Square Tree Lighting [Fri noon-5:30p]: Featuring all-day live entertainment and the tree lighting at 5:30pm. In Ghirardelli Square (SF). www.ghirardellisq.com

Macy's Tree Lighting [Fri 6p]: 21st annual. Featuring Katharine McPhee, Giants pitcher Barry Zito, the Glide Ensemble, UC Berkeley Men's Octet, and "Shrek: The Musical" cast. In Union Square (SF). www.unionsquareshop.com/TreeLightingUnionSquare.html

Rockridge in the Snow [Sat 3-6p]: Featuring a snow play area, live holiday entertainment, and vendor discounts. Near Rockridge BART (Oakland). www.rockridgedistrict.com

Pop-Up Black Sunday [Sun 11a-5p]: Featuring fashion bloggers, live makeup demos, photo booth, and local artisans. Donated clothing will go toward local charities. At the Metreon (SF). www.indiebazaar.net

Creating Coraline discussion [Sun 3-4:30p]: Speak with SF Playhouse Artistic Director Bill English about the process of translating the popular children's book into a musical. At the Main Library's Koret Auditorium (SF). www.sfpl.org

Castro Tree Lighting Ceremony [Mon 6p}: Featuring the Lesbian and Gay Freedom Band, Metropolitan Community Church Choir, San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, and merchant discounts. Near 501 Castro (SF). www.castrocbd.org

The Glass Menagerie discussion [Mon 7:30p]: Moderated discussion with a theatre professional, courtesy the Aurora Script Club. At the Aurora Theatre (Berkeley). www.auroratheatre.org