Just collecting a few random flyers around downtown and SJSU and passing the info on to you. This stuff ranges from comedy to theater to nightclub events to ballroom dance lessons to talent shows to… well, you’ll see. There’s got to be something here you’re interested in. I’m also splicing in some events I found here on the San Jose Downtowner e-mail newsletter, and a couple of gems I saw on Artsopolis.com. I wish I could do this more often. Alas, school.

Wednesday, Oct. 1

Comedy at the Improv: Komedy Kegger – San Jose Bar and Grill teams up with The Improv to supply top notch laughs and affordable drinks and appetizers.  Tickets are good for buy one get one drink at San Jose Bar and Grill after the show.  8 pm.  62 S. Second St.  $10, 280-7475 or www.symfonee.com/Improv/sanjose/home/index.aspx

Thursday, Oct. 2

Groove Suite — An Open Turnatble Gathering: Every first Thursday of the month. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. at SFB Lounge, 420 South First St. All styles and genres welcome. Featuring a heavy monthly line-up of local and international guest DJs, live art, vendors, billiards, arcade/gaming area, food and drink specials all night. All sets are recorded live and will be available free to download at http://www.groovesuite.podomatic.com/. Resident: ThatGirl. Guest list free all night: thatgirlmelanie@yahoo.com. Email for priority open turntable sign-up.

Ma’BOO’Hay Talent Showcase: In celebration of Pilpino History Month, Akbayan presents their 8th annual talent showcase. Pilipino artists from around the Bay Area perform for a night of great music and fun, with proceeeds going to Bantay Bata 163, a charity that serves sick and abused children. Sponsored by the Akbayan Filipino-American Organization of SJSU. Tickets are $8 presale and $12 at the door. Doors open 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m. Email maboohay2008@gmail.com for tickets or more information, or visit http://akbayansjsu.wordpress.com/.

Comedy at the Improv presents Henry Cho: (Thursday-Sunday) Cho is going to star in his own sitcom based on his life as a Korean-American born and raised in Tennessee.  He has also been featured on Comedy Central and several films like “Material Girls,” “Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation” and “Say It Isn’t So.”  8 pm Thurs; 8 pm and 10 pm Fri; 7 pm and 9 pm Sat; 7 pm Sun.  62 S. Second St. $16-$18, 280-7475 or www.symfonee.com/Improv/sanjose/home/index.aspx

City Lights Theatre presents “Noises Off”: A funny story of an English acting ensemble that is touring a production of a farce called “Nothing On.”  Thursday-Saturday through October 19. 8 pm Wed-Sat; 7 pm Oct 5; 2 pm Oct 12 and Oct 19.  529 S.  Second St.  $15-$40, 295.4200 or www.cltc.org

Friday, Oct. 3

South First Fridays: Downtown art venues are free and open to the public late into the evening, every first Friday of the month. You can also ride the new rickshaw service between galleries. See highlights, read about the venues and download a map at http://www.southfirstfridays.com/

Ballroom Dance: Take lessons every Friday from now to Oct. 24. This Friday and Friday Oct. 10 both focus on the Bolero. Oct. 17 and 24 teaches Salsa, Nov. 7 is the Foxtrot and Nov. 14 and 21 are East Coast Swing. No dance experience necessary! Cost is $25 for a semester or $3 for drop-in. Beginning classes are at 7:30 p.m. and intermediate is at 8:30 p.m. Visit the Ballroon Dance Club’s website at http://studentorgs.sjsu.edu/sjsubdc.

SiliCon 2008: Through Oct. 5. The SiliCon 2008 Convention for Fans of Science, Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror features seminars covering hard science, science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres. Some of the topics covered include astronomy, robotics, and other scientific areas, as well as writing, painting, costuming, singing, model making, computer graphics, and film studies, along with diabetes education and outreach. SiliCon is a non-profit organization devoted to science education and raising funds and awareness for diabetes education and research. Info: http://www.siliconventions.com/2008/

Death of a Salesman: October 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11 at 7 p.m., University Theatre, SJSU. Tickets are $10 students/seniors, $20 general admission. For more info or to order tickets online, go to http://www.tvradiofilmtheatre.com/.

San Pedro Farmers’ Market: Fresh produce, food vendors and live music, takes place each Friday to Dec. 12 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. along San Pedro Street between Santa Clara and St. John streets. http://www.sjdowntown.com/eve_eve_far.html.

WAIT! There’s 7 more events behind the jump!

(more…)

San Jose-based eBay with an auction featuring flights.

Take a look at JetBlue on eBay

The stage for ‘Leonardo: 500 Years into the Future’ is being set at The Tech. Though there is not yet much to see, I was able to get into the mood as the team of workers would speak, and occasionally sing in their native Italian. Over 200 artifacts, drawings, working models, and paintings will be on display. Visitors to the exhibit should emerge with an awareness of the genius that was Leonardo. Anticipation for this exclusive U.S. showing is great, so I suggest purchasing tickets in advance.

The Tech

Posing by ‘Sforza’, (click the pic) the San Jose Horse Mounted Unit helped to welcome Leonardo - 500 Years Into the Future.

Many people have told me how sorry they were to have missed Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS just because they waited too long to buy tickets.

Leonardo - 500 Years Into the Future will be another must see event. The exhibition opens on September 27th and runs through January 4th. Tickets can be booked now.

The San Jose Sforza model: is 24 feet tall - made of steel and Fiberglass - weighs 6,600 pounds

About the San Jose Horse Mounted Unit - TACK

Leonardo: 500 Years into the Future - Tickets

The glorious 24-foot bronze horse that was never completed stands at The Tech.*

Leon Battista Alberti (1404–72), said that “a man can do all things if he will.” Leonardo da Vinci, the quintessential Renaissance man, gave it his all.

Leonardo the scientist experimented with anatomy, zoology, botany, geology, optics, aerodynamics, and hydrodynamics. Leonardo the inventor used levers and gears in many of his inventions, and recognized water as a source of power. His study of light and shadow, plus his knowledge of anatomy gave reality and depth to his art. Leonardo found time to compose music too.

* Ludovico Sforza commissioned Leonardo to make a four times larger than life bronze statue of the late Duke of Milan on horseback. Unfortunately It took Leonardo so many years to study horses (and then to perfect a casting technique) that all was lost when France invaded Italy. The bronze that had been set aside for the project was instead turned into weapons of mass destruction - in those days cannons!

Note: The statue at The Tech is constructed of steel and Fiberglass. It will be on display through January 4, 2009.

The works of Leonardo da Vinci and his contemporaries: Leonardo - ‘500 Years into the Future’ the exhibit - will give visitors a rare opportunity to see what is possible.

The Tech Museum of Innovation - ‘500 Years into the Future’

September 27, 2008 - January 4, 2009 (This will be the only U.S. showing)

San Jose's Katee Shean is Top Girl Dancer

My daughter sat, with her ever-present MacBook, watching ‘So You Think You Can Dance’. The computer came to life when Katee was chosen for the last Top 20 spot. My daughter and other Atlas School of Dance (former) students were thrilled.

Last night Katee became the top girl dancer, and she was awarded $50,000 for her amazing performance. Though Joshua is now America’s favorite dancer, Katee is the favorite in San Jose.

More good news, she won’t have to star in “Step It Up 3D” the movie (?)

So You Think You Can Dance Tour 2008
HP Pavilion 9/25/08

She is best known as Star Wars’ Princess Leia, some may know her as an author, and you may know that she contributed to numerous film scripts. She has been outspoken about her life and career. Carrie Fisher’s Wishful Drinking begins this Wednesday July 23 and runs through August 2 at the San Jose Repertory Theatre.

From the San Jose Repertory Theatre website: “Carrie Fisher is the life of the party with Wishful Drinking, an uproarious look at her Hollywood hangover. Fisher tells a true and intoxicating story with her trademark wit and humor. From starring as Princess Leia to penning the bestseller Postcards from the Edge, from having Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher as parents to marrying and divorcing Paul Simon… this Tinseltown toddler lands among the stars when she’s cast in a little movie called Star Wars. But it isn’t all sweetness and light sabers: as a single mom, she also battles addiction, depression, mental institutions, and that awful hyperspace hairdo.”

Carrie Fisher’s Wishful Drinking
San Jose Repertory Theatre
101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose

July 23 - August 2

Tickets $34 - $60

More information here.

Our busy take-out lifestyle has helped childhood obesity become epidemic, and I was shocked to hear the recent American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that cholesterol-fighting drugs be given to some young children. Luckily, DooF (food spelled backwards) the new PBS program that is all about helping kids to make healthier food choices will begin airing in 2009.

DooF-a-Palooza 2008:
Help raise funds for DooF while having family fun - A DooF-a-Palooza admission ticket includes hands-on activities, games, food, music, free stuff, and a silent auction for the adults.

The place to be with the kids this Saturday: Purchase Tickets and Information

Google Headquarters
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View
Saturday, July 12, 2008
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

One thing I love about going to Cinequest, especially to the premiers, is mingling with the cast and crew. They are often around before, and after the show. I was able to have a few words with Director Craig Saavedra and Cinematographer Joaquin Sedillo. I met Enrico (Rico) Colantoni. He plays D. J. (short for Dijon - like the mustard) The guy he was with liked my brown Nikes. (?)

Sherman’s Way was filmed, for the most part, in Northern California up in Lake County. I am already making plans for a spring road trip.

The town of Kelseyville, thanks to the beautiful work of Joaquin, is now a must see vacation destination.

I didn’t want Sherman’s Way to end. I kept hoping for one more scene - I wasn’t ready to say goodbye…

Screenings: Dates and Times

Joaquin Sedillo and Craig Saavedra

The night began in the Filmmaker’s/Press Lounge (refreshments and computers) at the Hotel Montgomery. There were only three other people in the room with me. One was a member of the Cinequest staff, and it thrilled me to find that the other two were filmmakers!

Director/Producer Craig Saavedra (Rhapsody In Bloom) and Director of Photography Joaquin Sedillo (Veronica Mars) were checking things out on the computers when I approached them for an interview.

The unbounded enthusiasm of these passionate filmmakers fueled my desire to be in the audience on the 29th for the World Premiere of ‘Sherman’s Way’

Scheduled Screenings

Hitch a ride Start it up Watch the trailer.

I said goodbye to the guys and walked over to the California Theatre.

Opening Night Film: Eden Court

I was sitting alone in the beautiful California Theatre when I noticed Jason. He was front row and center. I asked if the seat next to him was taken. It turned out to be a good choice. Where better to enjoy a film than to next to the #1 movie fan!

Jason Watches Movies

Eden Court:

The proverbial mid-life crisis is an overused premise in modern film making, but I found Eden Court so entertaining I hardly noticed. The laughs came on cue.

With the approach of Duncan’s 30th birthday he chooses to run away rather than face the hard truths of his life. He tells a friend that he will find the American Dream, even if he must move to Australia to do it.

Kimberly Williams-Paisley’s (Bonnie Duncan) performance could have so easily gone over the top, but she held it to perfection.

Stephnie Weir (Barb) kept on a pink robe and a smile on me.

Eden Court is the movie to pull out on a dreary day.