Randy's Guide CCXXVI (226)

Historic milestones: 40 years since the opening of NASDAQ; 71 years since the premiere of Pinocchio; 93 years since the opening of San Francisco's Twin Peaks Tunnel; 98 years since the ratification of the 16th Amendment (income tax); 168 years since the first U.S. minstrel show (NYC); and 321 years since the first paper money in North America (Massachusetts).


Deal of the Week
San Francisco's Asian Art Museum has a a special Year of the Rabbit Celebration on Sunday. Watch lion dancers, participate in hands-on activities, try out yoga, and tour the museum's exhibits. Pair this outing with a Saigon Sandwich or Brenda's grillades, and you've got a fine way to spend Super Bowl Sunday. www.asianart.org


Local News
The Claremont Hotel, a venerable spa resort in the Berkeley Hills, filed for bankruptcy. It was one of five luxury properties seized by lenders from Morgan Stanley's real estate funds. www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/02/02/BU9K1HHEPP.DTL


Change for Change
Charity: La Cocina. Low-income food entrepreneurs, particularly female minorities or immigrants, now have an outlet for their talents. Some products you may have seen at local farmers' markets or Rainbow Grocery include Kika's Treats or Clairesquares. www.lacocinasf.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, Curry Without Worry, and SF Neighborhood Theater Foundation.


Bay Area Weekend Weather
Continued good fortune - maybe it will be an early spring around here.

Highs: low-60s (coast); mid-60s (SF); upper-60s (bay); low-70s (inland)
Lows: low-40s (inland); mid-40s (coast-bay); upper-40s (SF)


Movies {domestic revenues for January 28-30}
Anthony Hopkins' supernatural tale "The Rite" topped the charts with $14.8 million [2985 theatres; $4,955 per theatre]. Action-packed "The Mechanic" opened in third with $11.4 million [2703 theatres; $4,226 per theatre]. "The King's Speech" expanded on the heels of its 12 Oscar nominations, and picked up $11.1 million [2557 theatres; $4,327 per theatre; $72.2 million overall]. "True Grit" tallied 10 Oscar nominations and saw its business increase to $7.5 million [3120 theatres; $2,410 per theatre; $148.3 million overall].

Mainstream films:
- The Roommate (PG-13): Thriller
- Sanctum (R): Action

Art-house films:
- Dogtooth (NR): Drama
- The Housemaid (NR): Romance
- The Time That Remains (NR): Drama

DVD pick: The Social Network (PG-13). A thoroughly compelling and invasive look into the early stages of Facebook, this semi-real drama features a scary-real performance by Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg. It's timely and poetic, with a great score (probably its best chance for an award, due to "The King's Speech"). And it reconfirms why I never wanted to support the Facebook empire. Domestic box office: $96.1 million (and growing); foreign: $117.7 million.


Free Weekend Activities
Berkeley Art Museum [Thu 11am-5pm]: There's time! At the UC Berkeley Art Museum. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu

First Thursday Art [Thu 5:30-7:30pm]: Featuring multiple Union Square art galleries along Geary, Post, and Sutter. www.firstthursdayart.com

White Crane Lion Dancing [Fri noon]: As part of the Rotunda Dance Series. At City Hall (SF). www.dancersgroup.org

A Sensory Feast [Fri 6pm]: Featuring 10 emerging Asian artists who test the five senses for this art opening. At SOMArts Cultural Center (SF). www.kearnystreet.org

Oakland Art Murmur [Fri 7-10pm]: Featuring multiple downtown art galleries between the MacArthur and 19th St. BART stations. Along Broadway and San Pablo (Oakland). www.oaklandartmurmur.com

SF Bike Party [Fri 7:30pm]: A kinder, gentler version of Critical Mass. www.sfbikeparty.wordpress.com

Oakland Standard Launch Party [Fri 8pm-1am]: Featuring local author talks, group performances, live DJ, and more. At the Oakland Museum of CA. www.museumca.org

Giants FanFest [Sat 10am-3pm]: 18th annual. Featuring stadium tours, autograph sessions, and photograph opportunities. At AT&T Park (SF). www.knbr.com

Lunar New Year Festival [Sat 11am-3pm]: Featuring acrobats, martial artists, Chinese lion dancers, and good food. In Courthouse Square (Redwood City). www.redwoodcity.org

Bus Stop Derby Block Party [Sat 3:30pm]: The winning neighborhood is North Beach. Featuring a concert with OK Go, several street-food vendors, and games. Concert is limited to the first 800 people. At the SF Art Institute. www.busstopderby.com

Lunar New Year Festival [Sun 10am-1pm]: Featuring a parade, lion dancers, martial artists, and schoolkid music groups. At the Albany Twin Theater. www.solanoavenueassn.org

Oakland Museum of CA {Sun 11am-5pm]: Free admission! www.museumca.org

Silent Happening [Mon 7pm]: Featuring a preview of the silent film "Replikaaa," a silent cocktail party, and local artist performances. At Z Space (SF). www.replikaaathemovie.com

Eric Drooker discussion [Wed 7:30pm]: Featuring the animation designer behind "Howl," a recent film and graphic novel. At CounterPULSE (SF). www.counterpulse.org

Our Soldiers' Stories exhibit [through April 22]: Featuring a photo exhibition by Maria Hohn and Martin Klimke focused on African-American GIs during the WWII era. At the African American Art & Culture Complex (SF). www.aaacc.org