Arts & Events

Arts Calendar

Friday December 29, 2006

FRIDAY, DEC. 29 -more-


Arts and Entertainment

Friday December 29, 2006

INTERNATIONAL COMEDY SHOWCASE -more-


Moving Pictures: ‘Backstage’ at Tale of Obsession and Celebrity

By Justin DeFreitas
Friday December 29, 2006

Backstage, opening today at Shattuck Cinemas, is a story of obsession and fantasy, depicting the relationship between a pop star and one of her fans, a teenage girl who has come to idolize the singer to the point of zealous obsession. -more-


Bobi Cespedes, John Santos Bring in New Year at Anna’s

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Friday December 29, 2006

Cuban singer extraordinaire Bobi Cespedes and her trio will be joined by Bay Area Latin music luminary John Santos on percussion for two shows and dinner, 7 and 10 p.m. New Year’s Eve at Anna’s Jazz Island on Allston right off Shattuck. Validated parking at Allston Way Parking across Shattuck next to Ross. -more-


Live Music Options For New Year’s In Berkeley

By Galen Babb
Friday December 29, 2006

If you want to hear great music New Year’s Eve but don’t want to go far from home there are fantastic options right here in Berkeley covering a wide range of styles, from kid friendly world music to a jazz combo that specializes in cover versions of the music of Radiohead. -more-


SF Chamber Orchestra, Le Bateau Ivre Mark New Year

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Friday December 29, 2006

New Year’s Eve and Day may be celebrated for free at two remarkable and complementary shows at two venerable Berkeley venues—the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Benjamin Simon, with guest artists pianist Robert Schwartz and trumpeter Jeffrey Strong at 8 p. m. on Sunday, New Year’s Eve, First Congregational Church (2345 Channing Way at Dana)—and Parlor Tango (bandoneon player Odile Lavault, pianist Marco Casasola and cellist David Morris) inaugurating a new, no cover Monday night Arts Events series, New Year’s Day at 7 p.m. at Le Bateau Ivre Restaurant & Coffee House, 2629 Telegraph Ave. -more-


‘Bobby’ Prompts Memories of Kennedy

By Scott Badler
Friday December 29, 2006

In “Bobby,” the final day of Robert Kennedy’s campaign for the presidency, is brought to life through the lives of an ensemble of characters. -more-


How to Make a Paper Peace Sign

By James K. Sayre
Friday December 29, 2006

Take two sheets of red construction paper, one sheet of green construction paper and one sheet of regular white paper. Pencil-sketch an outline for a large egg-shaped peace symbol on the white paper, making almost as big as the whole sheet. Staple the white sheet on top of the green construction paper and carefully cut out your peace sign through both sheets. -more-


Berkeley Fragments

By Mike Palmer
Friday December 29, 2006

A Short Review of Shakespeare’s Complete Works

By Josef Kay
Friday December 29, 2006

9 Laughers, 11 Laments; the rest just a combination of the two or wholly unclassifiable. -more-


Writing

By Roopa Ramamoorthi
Friday December 29, 2006

Saturday morning, make to do list -more-


Two Cheers

By George Brunn
Friday December 29, 2006

Two Cheers -more-


My First Walkure

By Bill Beckerman
Friday December 29, 2006

I was a sophomore to opera 25 years ago in 1981. It was early December and an opera friend, Alice, called me to offer a ticket to use her box seat at a performance of The Walkure. I knew only three things about The Walkure: It was long, loud and the costumes were strange. -more-


Books: ‘Single Mom Seeking’ Find Success in Publishing World

By Annie Kassof
Friday December 29, 2006

Single Mom Seeking: Playdates, Blind Dates and Other Dispatches from the Dating World is a spunky, sexy, page-turner of a book about Berkeley author Rachel Sarah’s search for a good man. I got to practically witness it being written as her story unfolded, since Rachel and I are in a writing group together. -more-


Black Hats: A Novel of Earp and Capone

By Joe Kemkes
Friday December 29, 2006

I always liked the guys in the black hats—the “bad guys”—when I went to the cowboy movies as a kid. Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Butch and Sundance: talk about grabbin’ for the gusto—these guys had it goin’ eight ways ‘til Sunday. -more-


Garden Variety: Short List: Three New Year’s Garden Resolutions

By Ron Sullivan
Friday December 29, 2006

Yes, there are New Year’s resolutions for gardeners. We’re prone to every other bad habit known to humanity; why not resolutions we know perfectly well we’re not going to keep for more than a month or two? -more-


About the House: The Stinky House Syndrome

By Matt Cantor
Friday December 29, 2006

Mr. & Mrs. American home owner, are you suffering from Stinky House Syndrome? Does your house smell bad? Do strangers flee your dwelling soon after entering? Do relatives plan family gatherings at the homes of less scintillating family members? Are you engaging in microbial experiments without possession of the pertinent advanced degree? If you answered yes to any of the above, you may be a candidate for dehumidifier ownership. -more-


Quake Tip of the Week

By Larry Guillot
Friday December 29, 2006

Don’t Blame Uncle Hayward -more-


Berkeley This Week

Friday December 29, 2006

FRIDAY, DEC. 29 -more-