Willow Glen Extra (WGx) just reported (well, a couple of days ago—I was away from my computer this weekend) that Zanotto’s Family Markets is committed to opening a new store at the corner of Cherry and Foxworthy in Willow Glen. So despite challenges for the downtown Zanotto’s (which is under a slightly different ownership than Zanotto’s Family Markets), the small grocery chain is prepared to expand, and we’re finally seeing a development Metblogs’ own Joann Landers predicted, or at least hoped for more than two years ago.

I couldn’t make it to the unveiling ceremony I mentioned in a previous post, but I did stop by after work this afternoon to check out the new NASA images on display at the library.

I have to admit I’m underwhelmed. It turns out “mural size” was a slight exaggeration; in fact, a gross exaggeration. The image is about twice the size of the Bob Marley poster I had in my college dorm room.

On the other hand, the image is pretty cool, with different colors representing the view of the universe seen by three different NASA observatories. And the science is pretty interesting too: each of the component images tells us something different about the structure and history of the universe. So stop by and check it out when you’re downtown.

To the delight of South Bay audiences, the San Jose Repertory Theatre is bringing back the much loved A Christmas Story this winter. They are also offering more ways for families to enjoy the play. A Christmas Story runs from November 21 – December 20, 2009, at the San Jose Repertory Theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio in downtown San Jose.

The San Jose Rep is again trying to help everyone afford to see a show this season. Besides their Pay What You Will Tuesdays, their second annual Black Friday Ticket Sales Event will be Friday, November 27. You can save up to 41% on tickets for any of their remaining shows of the 09-10 Season. All Balcony tickets will be $29 each if purchased on Black Friday. They are even waiving the handling fee! Tickets are available for all their remaining shows: A Christmas Story, The Weir, Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Sonia Flew.

To take advantage of San Jose Rep’s Black Friday Event, patrons may purchase tickets by calling the box office at (408) 367-7255 or in person at the San Jose Rep Box Office at 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, CA 95113. The box office will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

And more! Pay What You Will Tuesday for A Christmas Story is November 24. Family Packs, which include two adult and two youth tickets, are available for A Christmas Story at the affordable rate of $99 and $119. New this year, are Stocking Stuffer Gift Packs for $89 and $69. Live theatre makes the perfect holiday gift – it’s good for the environment and uplifting for the human spirit. The $89 stocking includes two ticket vouchers for any show in the 09-10 Season, a box of assorted chocolates from San Jose’s own Schurra’s Confectioners, and a bottle of champagne. The $69 stocking includes two ticket vouchers for any show in the 09-10 Season. A gift of live theatre at the Rep is creative, hassle-free and green. To order San Jose Rep Stocking Stuffers, call the box office at 408-367-7255.

Last year the folks at Epic Change did an amazing job creating a stir about Tweetsgiving and raised over $10,000 to build a classroom in Arusha, Tanzania in just over 48 hours. When I met Stacy Monk and Avi Kaplan at the NTEN Conference I couldn’t help but offer to chip in and help this year to benefit the school, where a dormitory/orphanage, library, school cafeteria and additional classrooms are sorely needed.

This year there will be a fundraiser in over 40 cities around the world to raise funds for the school and one of those events is right here in San Jose at Santana Row’s Rosie McCanns.

Wednesday Nov. 25, 2009
6 PM- 9 PM
Local authors will be signing books including:
Shel Israel – Twitterville
Mitchell Levy 42 Rules for Driving Success with Books
Janet Fouts- Social Media Success!

Donations are recommended, and each donor will get a raffle ticket for some great prizes as well as a drink at the bar (soda, wine, beer or well), plenty of lively conversation and the knowledge that you’ve made a big difference in the lives of these children. Watch this video to see more about where the funds go. Tweetsgiving is for the kids and how you can help.

What are you waiting for? Sign-up and celebrate Thanksgiving twice!

In celebration of the International Year of Astronomy, the San Jose Public Library will be one of only two locations in the bay area, and 150 around the country, to display a new mural-sized image of the Milky Way’s galactic center.

2009 was declared an International Year of Astronomy by the International Astronomical Union and UNESCO, to promote understanding of the importance of astronomy and other basic science in daily life. IYA2009 commemorates the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first telescopic observations in 1609.

The mural display was developed by NASA to celebrate IYA2009. The images are created by combining images from three of NASA’s “Great Observatories”, each of which views the sky in a different portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The source images include a near-infrared view from the Hubble Space Telescope, infrared from the Spitzer Space Telescope, and X-ray images from the Chandra Deep Sky Observatory. The combined image shows “the unique science each observatory conducts, [and] also how far astronomy has come since Galileo.”

The mural will be unveiled in a ceremony at noon on Tuesday, November 17, in the Fourth Street lobby of the main library. On Saturday, November 21, the library will host a follow-up day of activities, including lectures, films, educational activities, and night sky viewing. The November 21 activities last from Noon until 7 pm. The mural will remain on display through the end of 2010.

Among my take-aways from the recent World Fantasy Convention in San Jose is this excellent fantasy and science fiction story collection from San Francisco publisher Night Shade Books. Not only is the publisher more-or-less local, there are also a few Northern California authors featured among the 15 stories in the anthology.

Karen Joy Fowler (Santa Cruz/Davis) gives us “The Pelican Bar”, about a very difficult path to learning responsibility.

Ellen Klages (San Francisco) wrote “A Practical Girl”, a really sweet story where history, mathematics, and magic intersect.

Finally, Peter S. Beagle (Davis), provided “Sleight of Hand”, a story where there’s (so he says) no magic, but wishes can come true with a little prestedigitation.

I reviewed these stories and the rest of the collection on my personal blog.

Cord of Wood

The times they are a-changin’. It used to be give the chimney a thorough cleaning and order a cord of wood. Nowadays it’s check the website or e-mail alerts before thinking about sitting around a cozy fire.

Winter Spare the Air runs: November 1, 2009 – February 28, 2010

Get Notifications:
* Check the newspaper, radio, and TV
* Check the web for wood burning status.
* Sign up for e-mail or phone alerts.
* If that’s not enough there is a widget.

Report wood smoke concerns (snitch on the neighbors) call 1-877-4NO-BURN (1-877-466-2876).

One way to get that ‘warm cozy’ during “Spare the Air” is to put on a wearable fleece blanket with sleeves (odd looking monk robe), then put in a sold by Amazon Fireplace DVD, or try Comcast.

Comcast On Demand:
TV Entertainment go to Yule Log & More- click on Fireplace – or TV Entertainment scroll down to TV Screensavers.

I can not recommend the 20 minutes of “Island Sunset”. The squawking bird sounds turned thoughts of peaceful, soothing and warm to thoughts of an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle! – - but that’s another Christmas story.

Follow SpareTheAir on twitter.

I just saw this article on Stretsblog San Francisco, thanks to Jonathan at NNASJ. Basically, if a new bicycle plan passes in City Council on November 17, look forward to some dramatic improvements to bicycle access downtown in the coming years. The city is looking in to some experimental lane configurations (according to CalTrans, although they’re all things that have been done successfully elsewhere) that should make it safer and more convenient to ride major east-west and north-south corridors.

The Tech Museum of Innovation continues for another year to offer free admission to The Tech’s regular museum galleries on the second Sunday of each month.

The Free Second Sundays program runs through September 2010. It does not include admission to IMAX or to special exhibits, such as “Star Trek: The Exhibition.”

Check the Tech Museum of Innovation’s Website for directions, parking, and a plethora of information.

Free Sunday Dates:

November 8, 2009
December 13, 2009
January 10, 2010
February 14, 2010
March 14, 2010
April 11, 2010
May 9, 2010
June 13, 2010
July 11, 2010
August 8, 2010
September 12, 2010

Joaquin & Craig

My Facebook Birthday Reminder for Week of November 2nd:

Craig Saavedra - Director/Producer

I met Craig and Joaquin in 2008 at Cinequest 18. I wasn’t the only one to fall for this film entry.

“Sherman’s Way“(music plays) was recognized with:
* Audience Award for Best Feature: Cinequest Film Festival 2008
* Audience Award for Best Feature: Newport International Film Festival 2008
* Audience Award for Best Feature: Gaia Film Festival 2008
* Special Jury Award: Jackson Hole Film Festival 2008

“Sherman’s Way” was a delight to view. As a little red MG came into its own with a remodel and a new shine, so did the players of the film. Sherman (Michael Shulman) made the needed changes to help find his way. Palmer (James Le Gros) attempts to reconnect with family.

A good portion of “Sherman’s Way” was filmed around Clear Lake, California. I haven’t been to that region of the state, but Joaquin Sedillo’s gorgeous cinematography put it on my ‘places to visit’ list.

Sherman’s Way: Written by, Tom Nance.

iTunes
$9.99 Buy Movie
$3.99 Rent Movie

NETFLIX
DVD and streaming

Amazon
New and only 6 used

Just for fun: Heinz Midnight Snack

* The Morgan Autism Center, located in San Jose, is a non-profit special education program for children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. Founded in 1969 the center provides a very positive highly structured environment with a high staff to student ratio.

* Morgan Autism Center 40th Anniversary Celebration Starry Starry Night

A Cocktail & Hors d’oeuvre Reception with a special performance by the dynamic band SAGE – (< music will play)
A fun-filled evening of fine wines, champagnes and culinary delicacies.

Event Co-Chairs: Helen Marchese Owen & Angela McConnell
Honorary Co-Chairs:
Mayor Chuck Reed, City of San Jose
Supervisor Elizabeth Kniss, Santa Clara County

$100 per person – Tickets can be purchased at the door.
Cocktail Attire preferred.
Raffle Tickets Available: 1 for $10, 3 for $20, 8 for $50

* Tap To Talk
Cupertino based Assistyx has developed a communication device:

Regardless of cause–autism, developmental disability, mental retardation, down syndrome, apraxia, and many diseases–TapToTalk can help those who are non-verbal or have other speech or learning challenges communicate and learn.

TapToTalk

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YouTube

Wednesday, November 11, is Veterans Day. There will be a memorial ceremony and a parade in downtown San Jose. In honor of Veterans Day, entrance fees waived at National Parks and other areas.

The Parade‘s Opening Ceremony begins on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month with a memorial ceremony at Plaza de Cesar Chavez on Market Street.

The Parade begins at noon from Delmas Street (near HP Pavilion) and travels east along Santa Clara to Market Street. The Parade then proceeds south on Market Street and ends at San Carlos Street. The reviewing stand is near Park Street.

Vice Admiral Jody A. Breckenridge, Commander United States Coast Guard Defense Forces West and Pacific Area, is this year’s Grand Marshal.

In addition, entrance fees waived on Veterans Day at public recreation lands managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with the Bureau of Land Management. Click on the service’s link for more information (other fees still apply). There are a number of public recreation lands in the Bay Area or head on over to Yosemite.

Veterans Day
Wednesday, November 11, 2009

fun-size bar

The San Jose Tech Museum is looking for yucky leftover Halloween candy. It can be traded for a yummy NESTLÉ CRUNCH fun-size bar, and 10% off admission through November 8.
The collected candy is being transformed into a rocket ship sculpture. What fun!

Whats new at The Tech

Malinda Lo is one of a few local authors at the World Fantasy Convention in San Jose.

The World Fantasy Convention coming to San Jose could have been an opportunity to meet authors from around the world; but since this is the “hyper-local” Metblogs, I used it instead to meet a few local fantasy authors.

San Francisco-based Malinda Lo has just published her first novel, Ash. It’s a lesbian retelling of the Cinderella story, aimed at young adult readers. Malinda told me that having successfully published this novel, she’s been able to quit her day job and make writing her full-time job. She now has a second novel in the works, due out in spring of 2011. Malinda will be back in the South Bay next week for the Friends of the Los Gatos Public Library Friday Forum. The event is Friday, November 6, starting at 6:30 in the Town Council Chambers at 110 E. Main St. in Los Gatos.

North Bay-based Ann Wilkes has published several short stories, and recently released a short novel, Awesome Lavratt, a humorous story of galactic conquest. I also met Healdsburg writer Camille Picott, who just published a story for elementary-school kids, Raggedy Chan, with illustrations by Joey Manfre. The book is published by Picott’s own recently-launced publishing venture, Pixiu Press, and comes with an associated teaching curriculum.

Also from Healdsburg, the writing couple of Michael Shea (a two-time World Fantasy Award winner) and Lynn Cesar were there with a limitted edition of Michael’s anthology, Copping Squid, featuring Lovecraftian fantastic horrors. A “trade” edition is due out shortly. Michael has been writing since the 1970’s, and his stories have appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and have bene collected in various “Best of the Year” anthologies. Michael’s next novel, The Extra, set in a horrific near-future Hollywood, is due out in January. Lynn’s novel Apricot Brandy is marketed as romance, but mixes in elements of horror and fantasy, as it brings the Mayan gods to life in Northern California.

The 2009 World Fantasy Convention celebrates Edgar Allen Poe's bicentennial.

The 2009 World Fantasy Convention kicked off today at the Fairmont Hotel in downtown San Jose.

This isn’t the kind of fantasy convention where you can dress up like a hobbit or chase your friends around with a styrofoam pole-axe. It’s more a gathering of industry insiders, like authors, artists, and publishers, getting together to talk shop. In fact, if you haven’t already bought a (pricey) membership in the convention, you won’t even get in the door.

For those insiders, though, the convention holds 3 and a half days of panel discussions, presentations, and readings about the craft of making fantasy, as well as an art show and a dealer’s room. On Sunday afternoon, they’ll award the World Fantasy Awards for the best novel, best artist, and so on, in the field of fantastic literature (a list of nominees is found here).

Public events associated with the convention are few, but there will be over a dozen authors will be available for signings at Borderland Books in SF on Monday, November 2, at 6:30 pm.