Events & Info

The Berkeley(Oakland)Branch of the California Writers Club is holding it’s 26th annual Fifth-Grade Story Contest. Open to any fifth-grade writer in a school in Alameda or Contra Costa County is eligible to enter. Only teachers are permitted to submit entries, so students should talk with their teachers about this. Stories can be up to 1,000 words and there is an entrance fee of $1 to defray expenses and provide prizes. Prizes range from $20 to $100. Deadline to enter is March 15, 2012. For more information and a downloadable flier go to calwritersclub.wordpress.com.

Each Friday in February this festival will be held at City Hall Oakland on the 3rd floor. It is free of charge and open to the public and features films made recently by African American filmmakers. It will be held from 6pm with Q & A afterward.

The first film to be shown Friday, February 3, 2012 is called “The American Dream” (formerly called How To Make A Movie Like Spike Lee). The filmmaker, Brittany Ballard, is a lifelong Oakland resident and has a very impressive biography. There will be a reception for her before the 6pm showing and she will be presented with an award by Oakland Vice Mayor, Desley Brooks. You can find out more about Brittany & the calendar of films to be shown each Friday at http://oaklandcityhallblackhistoryfilmseries.wordpress.com. You can also google search it.

Once again a most wonderful festival is coming to us. Very family friendly. It is immensely informative and entertaining. If you want to see some of our local wildlife as well as some that isn’t so local there will be presentations by all the bird and wildlife rescuers as well as crafters and artists selling terrific hand made products all around bird and animal subjects. The Plein Aire painters of Vallejo will be on exhibit. Many really interesting presentations of nature and also scientific subjects. Good organic food will be sold although you can bring your own, of course. This event is free to the public and depends on donations and grants. When you support an artist or crafter or buy the very reasonably priced food, you help keep this event free. Bring your binoculars for ecowalks.
The website is: www.sfbayflywayfestival.com

A very interesting evening is in store Saturday, January 14th, 2012 at the Peralta Hacienda 1488 Coolidge in Oakland. The event is from 6 to 7:30 and is free of charge. It will appeal to any history buffs and lovers of Oakland.

Saturday, January 7th, 2012 is a chance to tour this Italian Stick Victorian home built 127 years ago and also have tea with the Cohen Bray family. Sandi Morey will be singing for the high tea seatings which are at 12:30, 2pm and 3:30. $20 to $25. Dress warmly and vintage dress is encouraged. The house is decorated for the holidays and its furnishings are original to the house. For more information go to www.cohenbrayhouse.info. For reservations call 510 843-2906. The house is located at 1440 29th avenue in Oakland near International Blvd.

KPFA is over 60 years old and the Flagship station of the Pacifica Network. It’s presence is very different from NPR or the commercial stations. It has contemporary world music and music from all over the world. In addition it presents news coverage that is not brought to us by any other media.
If you spend time anywhere else in the country you will not hear important coverage that we are able to hear because KPFA brings it to us.

KPFA takes no corporate funding. It runs almost completely on listener support. One of the biggest fundraisers for KPFA is the Holiday Craft Fair. It is also one of the most beautiful, juried shows in the area and perhaps in the country. Artists come from all over the country, as far as Hawaii, to be in this show. In addition there is lovely food and music. There is programming especially for children and it is an extraordinary place to buy your holiday gifts. There are many fair trade and recycle artists included.

When: December 9, 10, 11
Where: the Concourse at 8th and Brannan, San Francisco
Take BART to Civic Center, there is a free shuttle from 8th and Market to the Concourse.
For more information, and schedule of music groups, go to www.KPFA.org

In addition to concerts in Menlo Park, Pt. Reyes Station, San Francisco, there are two Holiday concerts in
Oakland in December.
Candlelight Concert: Friday, December 9 at 8pm
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
114 Montecito Avenue, Oakland

Community Sing: Saturday, December 17th at 3:30pm
Temple Sinai Chapel
2808 Summit Street, Oakland

Kitka is located in Oakland and has been an integral part of our music community for more than 30 years. It is composed of 8 women and they often include guest artists. Mostly they sing unaccompanied (acapella). They concentrate on the traditional music of Eastern Europe and they have lush harmonies and wonderful arrangements for this music. They sing from Balkan, Turkish, Georgian, Russian, Jewish and many other traditional repertoires. Additionally, they sing contemporary compositions and liturgical works recently composed. Please check their website for additional information. www.kitka.org You can also call them at 510 444-0323.

Celebrate the Winter Solstice in King Arthur’s Court. There are some wonderful prices the first weekend. Go to www.Californiarevels.org to see the seating chart, prices and order tickets. King Arthur summons his lords, ladies, knights & knaves to Camelot. Song, dance, tales of adventure & undoubtedly a tall tale or two. Revels is always a wonderful show, very family friendly and the audience gets to participate. Bring the whole family-bring the whole neighborhood!
Dates: December 9-11 & December 16-18

Fridays 8pm, Saturdays & Sundays 1 & 5pm
Tickets $19-$52, Group discounts for 10 or more
Oakland Scottish Rite Center on Lake Merritt
1547 Lakeside Drive, Oakland, CA 94612
You can call 510 452-8800 if you don’t want to go on line to order

Eleanor, Pinky and Caroline from our Wednesday, Albany Sing Thing group are performing this weekend Saturday 10/29 11am to 12:30pm at the Freight and Salvage and Sunday 10/30 3pm to 4:30pm at Ashkenaz.

Saturday at the Freight
They are part of the Bungee Jumping Cows and Vaudevillians Stage Troupe, a group of 6 to 10 year old stage-lovers who have created an original Halloween Variety show for children of all ages. They will lead “the Limbo Rock”, host an evil laughing contest and perform many more trick or treats! Feel free to wear your costumes! www. freightandsalvage.org/patchwork-series-featuring-halloween-caberet-carnival

Sunday at Ashkenaz
Raising money for UNICEF. Kid Kaleidescope & Vaudevillians Stage Troupe & Kid Kaleidescope is releasing its CD, “Look Inside”. The Vaudevillians will present the same program as Saturday. Costumes encouraged but not required. Sounds like a hoot to this owl. www.ashkenaz.com/html/list.php?offset=#3688

Sandi is the newest artist at Bottega Veneziana, a wonderful Italian gift shop located at the Lake Chalet Seafood Bar and Grill on Lake Merritt in Oakland. The shop is run by Gondola Servizio, the full service gondolas seen gliding around the lake day and evening. Sandi’s hand-knotted necklaces feature vintage Murano millefiore glass beads (1960’s) with fresh water pearls. Each necklace has earrings to match. The price point is moderate. The gallery has clothing, jewelry, masks, specialty food items. The Gondola rides start at $40 per couple and they offer a selection of special rides. Their website is
www.gondolacruise.com