Home Finance January 2008

January 2008

Monday, 07 January 2008

MAJOR EVENTS Macworld Conference & Expo Mon-Fri, Jan 14-18 Moscone Center It’s Mac attack, extreme edition! Learn from successful leaders in industries from movie-making to business management, and discover what’s possible with a vast exhibition of the latest technology and tools. www.macworldexpo.com 7th Annual San Francisco Dine About Town Daily, Jan 15-31 Throughout San Francisco The San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau and Visa once again team up with over 100 of the City’s finest restaurants – use your Visa card and enjoy specially prepared 3-course lunches for $21.95 or dinners for $31.95. www. onlyinsanfrancisco.com/dineabouttown 18th Anniversary of the Arrival of the Sea Lions Saturday, Jan 19, 12-4 p.m. Pier 39 It’s sensory overload for your eyes, ears and nostrils as hundreds of sea lions clamor for a spot on Pier 39’s K-Dock, designated a “watchable wildlife” area by the California Watchable Wildlife Project. Free viewing, educational exhibits and docent tours. 415-705-5500, www.pier39.com COMMUNITY CORNER Biometric Fingerprinting and DNA Identification Kit Saturday, Jan 12, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. San Francisco Chrysler Jeep (475 S. Van Ness Ave.) Get a child safety kit with an FBI-certified Biometric 10-digit fingerprint profile, a high-resolution full color digital photograph of your child, a child safety journal, and a home DNA identification kit. Free. 800-599-8519 Ham Cram: Amateur Radio Study Session & Test Saturday, Jan 12 Dianne Feinstein Elementary School (2550 25th Ave.) NERT is sponsoring this “ham cram” offered by the Bay Area Amateur Radio Educational Society for those interested in getting or upgrading their FCC amateur radio license. Please register in advance. 650-349-5349, www.baears.com Family Appreciation Day Sunday, Jan 13 Throughout San Francisco San Francisco families with children enjoy free entrance to 35 museums and attractions in the City. Kids ride free on Muni from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. when accompanied by a paying adult. For a list of participating attractions and hours, visit www.dcyf.org. Sustainable Business Happy Hour Thursday, Jan 17, 6-8 p.m. Elixir (3200 16th St.) Casual monthly meeting of people interested in supporting the growth of green businesses in San Francisco through networking, sharing information about products and services and job seeking. Free. www.sfenvironment.org Green Your Business Thursday, Jan 31, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Pacific Energy Center (851 Howard St.) Learn how small businesses can make sustainable changes with Kevin Danaher, cofounder of Global Exchange and executive director of the Global Citizen Center and Liz Linale, manager of Cole Hardware. Free. 415-355-3700, www.sfenvironment.org GALAS & BENEFITS The Help Raise Healthy Children Gala Monday, Jan 14 City Hall Rotunda & War Memorial Opera House A black-tie dinner and gala show featuring Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson, music legend Marvin Hamlisch and the world renowned Bouncing Bulldogs International Rope Skipping Team supports programs promoting healthful eating and active living for children. Alice Waters will be honored, with event proceeds benefiting the Chez Pannise Foundation, Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital, San Francisco General Hospital, and Oakland Children’s Hospital. 415-409-4299, www.helpraisehealthychildren.org S.F. Fine Print Fair Gala Preview Friday, Jan 18 Conference Center, Bldg. A, Fort Mason Center Guests get an advanced look at the weekend show with wine and hors d’oeuvres. Proceeds benefit the acquisition fund of the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, part of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. 415-472-7021, www.sanfrancisco-fineprintfair.com Mind Reading By The Bay Saturday, Jan 19 Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center Psychic entertainer Professor Paranormal (Loyd Auerbach) performs mind-reading, predictions and more with a sense of humor to raise funds for the Forever Family Foundation, a group dedicated to research into the survival of consciousness and “Afterlife Science.” 415-345-7575, www.foreverfamilyfoundation.com S.F. Ballet’s Opening Night Galas Wednesday, Jan 23 City Hall & War Memorial Opera House Celebrate the S.F. Ballet’s 75th season with a memorable program of mixed repertory selected by Helgi Thompson to showcase the company’s extraordinary talent and artistry. • The S.F. Ballet Auxiliary hosts The Diamond Gala Celebration with a dinner and postperformance party in the City Hall Rotunda to benefit the ballet and its programs. 415-553-4658, www.sfballet.org • ENCORE! celebrates An Evening of Brilliance in the War Memorial Building with a cocktail reception, dinner and postperformance party. Proceeds benefit the school and educational programs of S.F. Ballet. 866-282-1832, www.encoresf.org Glaucoma Research Foundation’s 30th Anniversary Gala Wednesday, Jan 23 Westin St. Francis Hotel Speeding the Cure, Spreading the Word will showcase recent advances in GRF-funded research, followed by a reception, silent auction and dinner. 415-986-3162, www.glaucoma.org/index.php 8th Annual Edwardian Ball Fri-Sun, Jan 25-27 Great American Music Hall (859 O’Farrell St.) Three nights of turn-of-the-century, costumed revelry in an Edward Gorey-inspired venue. Visit the Edwardian World’s Fair on Friday, or indulge in Saturday and Sunday’s cavalcade of Gorey-esque entertainment ranging from avant-garde cabaret to ballroom dancing to midnight burlesque. 800-225-2277, www.edwardianball.com Chevron Australia Day Ball Saturday, Jan 26 Mark Hopkins Hotel (One Nob Hill) The Australian-American Chamber of Commerce hosts its annual gala commemorating the settlement of Australia in 1788. The evening includes a champagne and cocktail reception, dinner paired with fine Australian wines, and live entertainment. 415-485-6718, www.sfaussies.com The Capitol Steps Thursday, Jan 31 Palace of Fine Arts Theatre In celebration of the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, and in preparation for the 2008 primary election, this irreverent political comedy troop will deftly put the “mock” into democracy. The evening benefits Planned Parenthood Golden Gate, and a backstage event is included with “The Front ROE” and “ROE of 10” tickets. 415-392-4400, www.ppgg.org/roevwade 12th Annual Arts of Pacific Asia Show Preview Opening Gala Thursday, Jan 31 Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center The preview benefits the museum’s Bridge Program, a series of initiatives that  expand access to high quality K-12 teaching materials about Asia. The evening is a stunning spectacle with colorful lanterns, traditional Chinese stilt-walkers and lion dancers. 415-581-3788, www.asianart.org The Poetry of Gratefulness Sunday, Feb 3 Herbst Theatre Inspirational poets and musicians perform to benefit A Network for Grateful Living, a worldwide community dedicated to gratefulness as the core inspiration for personal change, international cooperation and sustainable activism. 415-392-4400, www.gratefulness.org ARTS & CULTURE Trash Mash-Up Mon-Fri, thru Feb 28 S.F. Environment’s EcoCenter (11 Grove St.) TMU’s community art project will display original “maskostumes” – original pageant masks and costumes inspired by traditions from around the world and constructed from salvaged trash – made by youth from the Western Addition. Free. 415-752-5537, http:// trashmashup.googlepages.com/whatsnew Looking at Light Through Flowers Exhibit: Daily, Jan 2-Mar 31 Reception: Thursday, Jan 17, 5-7 p.m. San Francisco Botanical Garden Library, Strybing Arboretum, Golden Gate Park Joanne Koltnow created this collection of photographs on a flatbed scanner with a transparency adapter, uniquely capturing light through plant materials. 415-661-1316 ext. 303, www.sfbotanicalgarden.org New West Coast Design: Contemporary Objects Tue-Sun, Jan 18-Apr 27 S.F. Museum of Craft + Design (550 Sutter St.) An eclectic collection of new designs for contemporary living originating on the West Coast, including functional pieces for interiors, outdoor sports gear and landscape design. 415-773-0303, www.sfmcd.org Compostmodern Design Conference Saturday, Jan 19 Academy of Art University, Morgan Auditorium (491 Post St.) An interdisciplinary design conference dedicated to promoting sustainable solutions within the design community at large. Get your green on and learn how to transform idealism into actual business practice. 415-626-6008, www.compostmodern.org The San Francisco Fine Print Fair Sat-Sun, Jan 19-20 Conference Center, Building A, Fort Mason Center Fine art dealers from the U.S. and Canada present five centuries of fine prints from the Old Masters to contemporary artists. 415-472-7021, www.sanfrancisco-fineprintfair.com The Transforming Art of Chris Hardman Exhibit: Wed-Sun, Jan 23-May 4, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Reception: Wednesday, Jan 30, 7 p.m. Presidio Officers’ Club, (50 Moraga Ave.) This site-specific exhibit fuses light, movement, mirrors, and textured sound to remind viewers they are active participants in their environment. Free. 415-561-5000, www.presdio.gov/calendar PERFORMANCES BATS Improv Rock ’n’ Roll Theatresports Tournament Every Fri-Sat, Jan 4-Feb 23 Bayfront Theater, Fort Mason Center Music, dancing and fuzzy dice return in this annual comedy tournament. Eight of the Bay Area’s best improv “bands” compete in games, songs or scenes inspired by audience suggestions. 415-474-6776, www.improv.org Bill’s Birthday Bash Friday, Jan 11 The Fillmore (1805 Geary Blvd.) An evening of duets with Aaron Neville and Linda Ronstadt, Phil Lesh and Jackie Greene, Jackie Greene and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Ray Manzarek and Roy Rogers, Tuck and Patti, and a closing dance set by Booker T. Jones. 415-346-6000, www.thefillmore.com Farewell My Concubine Fri-Sun, Jan 11-13 War Memorial Opera House The Chinese American Inter-Cultural Exchange Foundation presents a newly westernized interpretation of a classic Chinese love story. This new opera made its debut in Beijing in Oct. 2007, and this marks its premiere outside China. 415-392-4400, www.farewellmyconcubineusa.com San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival Auditions Sat-Sun, Jan 12-13 & 19-20 Palace of Fine Arts Theater Representing dance traditions from around the world, over 100 Northern California dance companies will perform over four days, hoping for a coveted spot in the 2008 San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival in June. $7 gives you in-and-out privileges for a full day. 415-474-3914, www.worldartswest.org Territories Wed-Sun, Jan 12-Feb 10 Magic Theatre, Bldg. D, Fort Mason Center Christian and Muslim perspectives are explored through the barbed wit of a French knight and his captive, the sharp-tongued sister of an Arab ruler. Live percussion music and choreography enhance this historical love story set during the Crusades. 415-441-8822, www.magictheatre.org 11th Annual Bringing the Noise Monday, Jan 21 Herbst Theatre Come out to honor the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders by celebrating the voices of a new generation. Youth Speaks presents an evening of spoken word and poetry performance by the Bay Area’s finest emerging writers. 415-392-4400, www.cityboxoffice.com Chinese New Year Spectacular Wed-Sat, Jan 23-26 Orpheum Theatre, Market at 8th St. Inspired by over 5,000 years of history and tradition, the fast-paced performance is considered the most authentic cultural observance offered today. 415-551-2000, www.shnsf.com Piano Concert from the S.F. Conservatory of Music Thu-Fri, Jan 24-25, 7:30 p.m. Golden Gate Club, 135 Fisher Loop, the Presidio Pacific Union, in partnership with the Presidio Trust, presents classical concerts and recitals highlighting young artists. Free. Reserve seats by calling 415-447-6274. www.presidio.gov/calendar Harvesting Beauty in the Dark: Butoh Dance Performance Thursday, Jan 24 Samsung Hall, Asian Art Museum Distinguished Japanese Butoh performer Katsura Kan performs with Bay Area artists in a presentation of his new post-Butoh work, a collaboration of KATSURA Kan & Saltimbanques (Japan), SF Butoh LAB (USA), Ledoh’s Salt Farm Butoh (USA), and salto donec moriar (U.K.). Free with museum admission ($5 after 5 p.m.). 415-581-3500, www.asianart.org Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam Monday, Jan 28 Davies Symphony Hall Mariss Jansons leads a program designed to showcase the extraordinary relationship the orchestra shares with Mahler – built on the many Concertgebouw performances that Mahler conducted personally. 415-552-8000, www.sfsymphony.org FILM & LECTURES indieWIRE Presents Filmmaker Michel Gondry Monday, Jan 7, 7 p.m. Apple Store (One Stockton St.) Gondry will participate in a discussion and show scenes from his latest film, Be Kind Rewind, which stars Jack Black and Mos Def. Free. www.apple.com/retail/sanfrancisco Pasta, Paesani and Puccini Tuesday, Jan 8, 7:30 p.m. Jewish Community Center of S.F. (3200 California St.) North Beach history and Renaissance man Alessandro Baccari offers a close encounter of the Italian kind. Baccari will discuss the Italian social life of North Beach from the late 19th through the early 20th centuries, including tales of the cathedrals, restaurants and “Italian nickel operas” (and how the S.F. Opera got started during a poker game). Free. 415-775-1111 ext. 5, www.sfhistory.org A Walk on the Italian Side Saturday, Jan. 12, 10 a.m. North Beach Museum (1435 Stockton St.) North Beach historian and Renaissance man Alessandro walks the walk in a 90-minute tour of North Beach. Participants will see where Enrico Caruso hung out, and learn about San Francisco residents such as Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Joe DiMaggio and Benny Bufano. Free. 415-775-1111 ext. 5, www.sfhistory.org From Odysseus to Nord IV: A Raft Voyage Across the Pacific Saturday, Jan 12 J. Porter Shaw Library, Bldg. E, Fort Mason Center Sailor and author Dr. Andrew Urbanczyk tells the story of his voyage of 7,000 miles in 140 days from California to Guam aboard a 40-foot raft – the world’s record for the longest blue-water raft voyage. 415-561-7040, www.maritimelibraryfriends.org Remarks by Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright Friday, Jan 25 Terrace Room, Fairmont Hotel Madeleine Albright will discuss current international affairs and her new book, Memo to the President Elect: How We Can Restore America’s Reputation and Leadership. 415-293-4600, www.itsyourworld.org Writers Remembered: A Bay Area Literary Tribute Sunday, Jan 27, 1-3 p.m. San Francisco Public Library The Bay Area literary community gathers to honor the literary minds who died in 2007. Friends, relatives and colleagues of the authors will celebrate their work and lives with readings, personal stories and reflections. Free. 415-557-4400, www.sfpl.org 5th Annual San Francisco Ocean Film Festival Fri-Sun, Feb 1-3 Opening Night Party: Aquarium of the Bay, Pier 39 Film Festival: Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center Celebrate the joy, power and mystery of the sea with inspirational documentaries and short films from around the world that aim to increase our appreciation of the oceans that sustain us. Festival topics range from oceanography to sports and coastal cultures shaped by the sea. 415-561-6251, www.oceanfilmfest.org SCIENCE & THE ENVIRONMENT Virtual Unreality Exhibition Tue-Sun, thru June 1 The Exploratorium Three digital artworks by internationally known artists that use game technology to explore the unreality of virtual landscapes. 415-561-0363, www.exploratorium.edu OpenEco’s Energy Camp 2008 Thursday, Jan 10, 9 a.m. UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center (1675 Owens St.) Get inspired to make positive environmental changes at work and at home. Participants will set the day’s agenda, with access to environmental leaders, creative tools to help spark ideas, food, and eco-minded colleagues. Free. Register at www.openeco.org/ energycamp. Winter Pruning with Friends of the Urban Forest Saturday, Jan 12 Garden for the Environment, 7th Ave. (at Lawton) A workshop covering seasonal tree care and basic types of pruning cuts. Learn from a professional arborist and get hands-on practice. Free with preregistration. 415-561-6890 ext. 108, www.gardenfortheenvironment.org Autism, Visual Thinking, Animal Behavior, and Design Thursday, Jan 17 The Exploratorium World-renowned author and animal scientist Dr. Temple Grandin will share her insights on human and animal minds. She draws from her own experiences to articulate the singular ways in which individuals with autism experience the world. Reservations required. 415-674-2870, www.exploratorium.edu Growing Roses Organically Saturday, Jan 19 Garden for the Environment, 7th Ave. (at Lawton) Learn how to forego toxic pesticides and fertilizers in your rose garden, and the importance of selecting disease-resistant varieties that will thrive in the unique microclimates of the City. Preregistration required. 415-731-5627, www.gardenfortheenvironment.org Orchids 101 Tuesday, Jan 22, 5:30 p.m. Sloat Garden Center (3237 Pierce St.) Master Gardener Glenn Smith from the Marin Orchid Society discusses the basic care and feeding of orchids. 415-440-1000, www.sloatgardens.com The Search for Universals in Human Emotion Tue-Sun, Jan 22-Apr 27 The Exploratorium This groundbreaking photographic exhibition by internationally acclaimed Bay Area psychologist Paul Ekman celebrates the 40th anniversary of his influential work with the isolated South Fore people of New Guinea. His study reveals universal human facial expressions independent of social exposure. 415-561-0363, www.exploratorium.edu The History of San Francisco’s Ocean Beach Thursday, Jan 24, 7:30 p.m. Randall Museum (199 Museum Way) Join Bob Battalio, a professional civil engineer practiced in coastal processes, for an in-depth look at the recent history of Ocean Beach. All ages welcome. Free. 415-554-9600, www.randallmuseum.org Rose Pruning Saturday, Jan 26, 10 a.m. Sloat Garden Center (327 3rd Ave.) The San Francisco and San Mateo Rose Societies demonstrate how to prune different roses, and offer tips on general rose care. 415-752-1614, www.sloatgardens.com Two-Day Garden Design Symposium Sat-Sun, Jan 26-27 San Francisco Botanical Garden, Strybing Arboretum, Golden Gate Park S.F. Botanical Garden Society and Horticulture magazine present Down to Earth Gardening and Gardens That Work. Learn the secrets from local, regional and international horticulturists, landscape architects and garden designers. Preregistration required. 415-661-1316 ext. 354, www.sfbotanicalgarden.org Lunar New Year Flower Market Saturday, Feb 2, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. S.F. Botanical Garden, Strybing Arboretum, Golden Gate Park This community event includes hands-on craft activities, entertainment and the sale of traditional flowers and plants known to represent omens for a rich and plentiful new year. Free. 415-661-1316, www.sfbotanicalgarden.org POTABLES & EDIBLES Mochitsuki! Japanese Mochi Pounding Party Saturday, Jan 5, noon Asian Art Museum Have you eaten fresh mochi before? Have you ever made it from scratch? Seize the perfect opportunity to do both at this celebration of Oshogatsu, the Japanese New Year. This lively ceremony includes music, dance and costumes, and will conclude with a hands-on art activity for the entire family. 415-581-3500, www.asianart.org Is it Safe to Eat? Monday, Jan 7, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Port Commission Hearing Room, Ferry Building When the very thing that is meant to nourish us may also do us harm, how can consumers be conscious without being paranoid? CUESA hosts a panel discussion about food safety solutions with C. Noelle Ferdon, senior organizer with Food and Water Watch; Kevin Zelig Golden, staff attorney with Center for Food Safety; and Elisa Odabashian, West Coast director of the Consumers Union. Free. 415-291-3276, www.cuesa.org Fete du Bordeaux Dinner Sunday, Jan 13 The Clift Hotel (495 Geary St.) A champagne reception and multicourse dinner will be paired with 2005 vintages of Château Cos d’Estournel, Château Lynch Bages and Château Leoville Barton. Guests will also have the rare opportunity to sample wines from 1989 to 2001. 650-364-8544, www.klwines.com The San Francisco Beer Story: History, Culture, Taste, Cuisine Friday, Jan 25 The Commonwealth Club (595 Market St.) Join the San Francisco Brewers Guild and a panel of industry experts to learn about beer pairings, and explore the colorful history and culture of the area’s brewing scene, which has been thriving since before the Gold Rush. The program concludes with a tasting of artisan cheeses paired with local brews. 415-597-6700, www.commonwealthclub.org SPORTS & HEALTH AMP’D Mobile World Supercross Series Saturday, Jan 26 AT&T Park The ballpark will be transformed into a man-made dirt obstacle course for some of the best supercross riders in the world. 415-972-1800, www.sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com 4th Annual KCBS Health etc. Saturday, Feb 2 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium A full agenda of health issues will be explored through speeches, expert panels, seminars, and interactive exhibits.  Cardiac surgeon and television health expert Dr. Mehmet Oz will deliver the keynote address. 415-392-4400, www.cityboxoffice.com Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon and 5k Fun Run Sunday, Feb 3 Golden Gate Park, Fulton St. to Lincoln Way Ranked as one of the most scenic half-marathons in the country, the run features a course throughout Golden Gate Park and along the Pacific Ocean that both starts and finishes in the park. 415-759-2690, www.rhodyco.com CHILD’S PLAY Frogs and Amphibians: River of Words! Fri-Sun, Jan 4-25, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Crissy Field Center, the Presidio (603 Mason) Over 50 works of art and poetry featuring frogs and amphibians, created by children from California to Azerbaijan to the Ivory Coast, will be on display along with live animals and interpretive information from Tree Frog Treks. Free. 415-561-7752, www.crissyfield.org Rapunzel Sat-Sun, Jan 19-Feb 10 Young Performers Theatre, Bldg. C, Fort Mason Center “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair,” but who will climb up – the handsome prince or the wicked witch? 415-346-5550, www.ypt.org Digital Photography at Crissy Field Saturday, Jan 19: Learn Camera Basics Saturday, Jan 26: Learn Photo Editing Crissy Field Center, the Presidio (603 Mason) In the first class, learn the basics in the lab and then head out to the marsh to practice techniques and composition. Then learn how to touch up your photos in the second class using Adobe Photoshop Elements. Bring your own equipment and images or use classroom supplies. Ages 13 and up, preregistration required. 415-561-7752, www.crissyfield.org/center CREATURE FEATURES Closing Day at Academy of Sciences Sunday, Jan 6 Academy of Sciences (875 Howard St.) Celebrate the end of one chapter in the Academy of Sciences’s history, and the beginning of another with a day of festivities, including lectures, slideshows, and arts and crafts. The new museum opens in Golden Gate Park in the fall. 415-321-8000, www.calacademy.org GGNRA Endangered Species Big Year Kick-Off Party! Sunday, Jan 6, 1 p.m. San Francisco Zoo Come see Endangered Species Act success stories like the bald eagle and the peregrine falcon, along with local endangered species that still need our help, like the San Francisco garter snake, North America’s most beautiful serpent. Free. 415-564-4107, www.ggnrabigyear.org Docent Training Class Orientation Thursday, Jan 10, 10 a.m.-noon San Francisco Zoo Docents are volunteer teachers that lead tours around zoo grounds, help teach children’s classes, visit Bay Area schools with animals in the Zoomobile, and help with other educational activities. 415-753-7073, www.sfzoo.org Quail Habitat Enhancement Project Saturday, Jan 12, 9 a.m.-noon The Presidio Help ensure the future of California Quail in the park by enhancing native habitat in key natural areas. 415-561-5333, www.presidio.gov/experiences/volunteer JUST FOR FUN Critical Manners Friday, Jan. 11, 5:30 p.m. Northeast corner, Larkin and Grove Put the nice back in the bike world in a helmet-wearing, bell-ringing, blinkie-sportin’ good time for all. Practice synchronized signaling, stopping at stop signs and not blowing red lights. Helmets and blinkies are mandatory. www.sfbike.org/?chain KUSF’s Rock ’n’ Swap Sunday, Jan 13 McLaren Hall, USF (Golden Gate Ave. at Masonic) Vinyl galore, CDs, DVDs, posters, books, and so much more at one of the biggest swaps of its kind in California. Proceeds help keep alternative radio station KUSF-FM (90.3) on the air. 415-386-KUSF, www.kusf.org/swap WORTH A RIDE ’CROSS TOWN 32nd Annual International Sportsmen’s Expo Thu-Sun, Jan 10-13 San Mateo County Expo Center (San Mateo) This is the Bay Area’s largest gathering for outdoor enthusiasts who want to check out new products and gear, and research travel destinations near and far. From a giant aquarium and a huge pool for trying out kayaks, to dog jumping contests and fly-casting ponds – there is something for everyone. 650-574-3247, www.sanmateoexpo.org 8th Annual Women on the Way Festival Thu-Sun, Jan 10-27 Shotwell Studios (3252-A 19th St.) & The Garage (975 Howard St.) Up-and-coming dance companies and solo artists have created new works for 18 performances being presented in two venues. 415-289-2000, www.ftloose.org Women on the Way Festival Gala Benefit Friday, Jan 11 Shotwell Studios (3252-A 19th St.) Meet, eat and party with the artists with performances, preshow and party ambience provided by a stellar lineup of guest artists including Sarah Bush Dance Project, Joshua Klipp, Circus Finelli, Katie Rubin, and others. 415-289-2000, www.ftloose.org San Francisco Rod, Custom and Motorcycle Show Fri-Sun, Jan 11-13 Cow Palace If you love the glint of polished chrome or covet the flare of a fender, this is the show for you. Over 500 cars, trucks, race cars, motorcycles, and classic trailers make this the biggest show of its kind on the West Coast. 866-270-1955, www.sfcustomshow.com Magevet Sunday, Jan 13 Congregation Beth Israel-Judea (625 Brotherhood Way) Yale University’s Jewish Chorale Ensemble sings Jewish music spanning from liturgical Renaissance to Israeli pop, including songs in Ladino and Yiddish. 415-678-0327, www.bij.org Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration Fri-Sun, Jan 20-22 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium San Francisco honors the civil rights leader with a host of festivities, including Youth and Family Day and the annual Freedom March Rally. 510-268-3777, www.norcalmlk.org Art at the Dump Friday, Jan 25, 5-9 p.m. Saturday, Jan 26, 1-5 p.m. S.F. Recycling and Disposal (503 Tunnel Ave.) An art reception for S.F. Recycling and Disposal’s current artists-in-residence. Philip Bonner’s The Circle of Acknowledgement is composed of two short video projects; sculptor and conceptual artist Scott Oliver’s Want Nots is created from utilitarian objects and concepts from our throw-away society. Free. 415-330-1414, www.sunsetscavenger.com Noir City 5 Film Festival Fri-Sun, Jan 25-Feb 3 Castro Theatre 10 days, 20 films and no happy endings. Fans of film noir will be treated to an astounding roster of rarities not available in any home entertainment format. Watch noir the way it was meant to be seen – on the big screen. 800-838-3006, www.noircity.com Golden Gate Kennel Club Dog Show Sat-Sun, Jan 26-27 Cow Palace It’s the Westminster of the West. More than 2,000 dogs in 157 breeds compete each day for Best in Show, and

Last Updated ( Saturday, 12 January 2008 )