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THIS MODERN WORLD

I SAW YOU

9p TOM TOMOROW

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ISawYou@metronews.com Send us your anonymous rants and raves about your co-workers or any badly behaving citizen—or about citizens you admire. I SAW YOU, Metro, 550 S. First St., San Jose, 95113, or via email.

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Blow by Blow COMMENTS Letters@metronews.com Metro welcomes letters. Like any great work of art, they should be originals—not copies of material sent elsewhere. Please include your name, city of residence and daytime telephone number. (Phone number will not be published.) Letters may be edited for length and clarity or to correct factual inaccuracies known to us. = SanJoseInside

= via email

Think Local I picked up “Gift Theory” (Metro, Nov. 24) and eagerly read the article titled “Keep it Local,” but was disappointed to find out what your definition of local is. I didn’t get past the first page of pictures before I realized all of the local

business were websites.

Many of my friends and neighbors who own businesses and maintain a storefront in San Jose’s neighborhood business districts are struggling during these tough times, and it hurts me to see the ever-growing amount of storefront vacancies.

Independent storefronts whether on the Alameda, in Japantown, East Santa Clara or Willow Glen are vital to our neighborhoods by bringing stability, vibrancy, community support and tax dollars during these tough times. They personalize the neighborhood by showing a face to the neighborhood.

I do realize that this is the Silicon Valley and online sales are a part of our economic culture here, but please help support communitybased businesses and their owners by highlighting the services they

provide. There’s a reason you showed the good people of Barefoot Coffee on your cover; they are the faces of their business.

CARLOS BABCOCK | SAN JOSE

Rift Tide

Joe [DiSalvo], I wonder why you are deepening the rift on the county board of education (“More Drama at Board of Education,” SanJoseInside, Nov. 24), instead of discussing the successes at the school sites under the direct control of the county board of education.

Readers want to hear about your successes with real students. Has San Jose 2020 failed to produce results at your own schools?

DALE WARNER | SAN JOSE

Whistleblowers like Bradley Manning, Julian Assange and the WikiLeaks staff are protected by law (“Wikileaks’ Domain ‘Killed,’” SV411.com, Dec. 8).

The pursuit of Assange on rape charges sounds like a frame-up to take him out and discredit him at the same time. I applaud what they’ve done and appreciate the risks they’ve taken.

We need them desperately because so many others are willing to participate in the craziness and keep secrets.

MOSS HENRY | SANTA ROSA

Trotters The Turkey Trot crowd does not ethnically/economically reflect San Jose. (“A Bartender’s Vantage Point,” SanJoseInside, Dec. 1).

BENJAMIN CASTAÑOS | SAN JOSE

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THEFLY FLY THE

SVNEWS

Boyo Wonder They’re calling him “RF Jay” at the district attorney’s office after a newspaper columnist compared him to late Attorney General ROBERT F. KENNEDY. And deposed DA DOLORES CARR probably wishes she hadn’t demoted I= A8P the office’s 9fpXijbp newly named chief assistant, JAY BOYARSKY, back in 2007.

That move ultimately wound up costing her her job. Oops.. . .Boyo had been a supervising deputy district attorney running the Palo Alto office, named in his mid-30s to that post by then-DA GEORGE KENNEDY. Life was good, with a one-mile commute to work, until Carr stripped him of the management post and reassigned him as a trial attorney, working in a courtroom a half-hour from his home. Boyarsky tried to get out of the office by running for judge in 2008, but DIANE RITCHIE wound up taking that bench Don’t in a five-way contest. forget After that, Boyarsky to tip! became the chief architect of the regime FLY@ change scheme to place METRONEWS. his buddy JEFF ROSEN COM in the top prosecutor’s slot. Success is the best revenge, they say, but Boyarsky is taking the high road. “This is not the time to rehash what happened four years ago,” he deflects. “We have a lot of important work to do.” He says prosecuting violent sexual predators “turned out to be great experience.” And if the plan was to shorten his commute, it was a failure.

Even though he has since moved even closer to the office he once oversaw, he’ll be making his way on freeways to the county building on Hedding Street each day, where he’ll clock in to the powerful role of running the prosecutorial machine for newly elected DA Rosen.

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“Parents come into the store bombarded by marketing messages.

There’s so much advertising,” Chen laments. “It’s really hard for them to filter out all that misinformation.

“Play is the experience of generating ideas critically and creatively, and solving problems.

Our toys inspire the question, ‘What do I want to do with this?’ Instead

of ‘What am I supposed to do with this?’ The ideas for play should come from the children. So we sell wellmade, open-ended toys.”

Chen is part of a growing nationwide movement to make the holiday season a tad less commercial.

Think of it as a slow-foods movement for kids, wherein independent toystore owners are the organic farmers, and where Toys-R-Us and Disney are McDonald’s and Costco.

“We always remind parents that the complexity comes from the child, not the toy,” Chen says. “If the toy is complex and seems interesting to the adult, the toy designer had a lot of fun designing it but that didn’t leave very much room for your child to be creative and come up with his or her own ideas.”

Stacy Stafford Scott, owner of San Jose’s Treehouse in the Glen, subscribes to a similar philosophy.

“Our toys aren’t limited to what a corporation decides is important or will lead to more sales,” Scott says.

“They feed children’s imaginations.”

Scott, who also requires that the toys in her Willow Glen store be made of nontoxic materials, says she has seen firsthand that kids still like old-fashioned, simple toys.

“Take little plank blocks,” she says.

“Two-year-olds like to pour them, older children build with them, and because adults love them, they’re playing with their children, which all increase the child’s development opportunities. Toys like these have no limits.

“In my store we don’t have anything that has batteries and that’s on purpose. If it has a battery, the toy is doing everything and the child is learning how to push a button.

We’re brainwashed to believe that certain toys are good for our children because we’re being told this by marketers.”

K_\ gXiX$ g_\ieXc`X f] Z_`c[_ff[ `j \dYcXqfe\[ n`k_ c`Z\ej\[ Z_XiXZk\ij Xe[ cf^fj Golin’s organization, a coalition of health-care professionals, educators, advocacy groups and parents, warns that heavily advertised toys hurt kids.

“Children are taught through advertising that if they don’t get a particular toy, this holiday season will be a failure,” he says. “It becomes easy for holidays to become all about nagging and having the perfect toy.”

CCFC warns that heavily marketed toys are advertisements for a range of other products. “A Shrek or Dora toy advertises movies, clothes and the unhealthy foods these characters help promote,” Golin says. “There are 40,000 Disney Princess items, so when you give a Disney Princess toy, you’re advertising their other 39,999 products to a child who’s told to ‘collect them all.’ You’re feeding into the commercial pressure put on children that they always have to have more.”

Taking the Fun Out of Fun The documentary Race to Nowhere, which plays next month in Palo Alto as part of a nationwide screening, is about the pressure put on students

to load up their schedules with homework and extracurricular activities—which new research says doesn’t help children. CCFC says research debunks similar myths about the role of educational toys in child development.

“Parents have been sold a bill of goods that educational toys and videos like Baby Einstein and Brainy Baby are going to help their kids get ahead and make them smarter,” Golin says. “So one of our featured campaigns has been challenging the marketing of these products.”

The organization was instrumental in getting Baby Einstein to give refunds because they were “falsely and deceptively” marketing these products, Golin says.

While national and international public health organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization and the American Psychological Association have called for restrictions on marketing to children, the blitz goes on like never before.

In 1983, companies spent about $100 million annually marketing to children in the United States. Now they spend more than $17 billion a year. In addition to targeting children through TV and movies, they use video games, phone apps, and the Internet, as well as schoolbus billboards and fast-food wrappers.

The paraphernalia of childhood is emblazoned with licensed characters and logos.

Reagan-era deregulation championed by toy and cereal manufacturers and broadcasters eliminated the FTC’s authority to limit advertising to children, making marketing to children less regulated in the United States than it is in any other Western democracy.

“The good news is there’s a tremendous push back against this,” Golin says. “We’re seeing more parents organizing and taking advertisers out of their children’s schools and really questioning what we’re doing to children when we just throw them into the marketplace.”

THE FLY

Endless Drug War “What part of ‘yes’ don’t you understand?” That’s what San Jose voters might want to ask City Manager DEB FIGONE and some other local officials. Back in November, Measure U, a plan to tax and regulate local medical pot clubs, won by almost 80 percent, strongly suggesting that local voters are OK with herbal healing. And yet Figone, along with deputy DA FRANK CARRUBBA, is proceeding as if medical marijuana dispensaries are like the sketchy dudes hustling eighths on the corner. Figone asked the council to shut down every one of the 100 or so existing dispensaries and allow 10 of them to reopen following a random lottery— ignoring the fact that some clubs have been actively working with the SJPD and Planning Department, while others are dealing out of car trunks. The lucky few would have to come up with a $104,645 “registration fee,” and would not be allowed to accept money. Instead, Figone proposed a system of bartering and labor exchange, as though San Jose’s medical marijuana patients and their providers operate under a Burning Man economic model. PIERLUIGI OLIVERIO, the author of Measure U, took strong exception to that idea, pointing out that (aside from being ridiculous) it would not work. At a special meeting Monday, Oliverio put forward his own proposal to limit the number of dispensaries to about 30. Carrubba— who helped Figone write the ban plan— said he believed all of the dispensaries in the state might be illegal, drawing hoots from the meeting’s attendees. Following a sharply worded argument from SAM LICCARDO, the council voted 8-2 against the city manager’s plan. However, Oliverio could not muster a majority to support his seemingly reasonable plan to implement Measure U. The council once again kicked the can down the road, as it has since March, referring the matter to the Rules Committee for some future vote. Meanwhile, armed raids on the dispensaries by the county’s Special Enforcement Team continue.

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With the holiday season in full flower, retailers and marketers are hitting parents and kids hard.

Josh Golin, of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, says parents are getting a double whammy. “One pressure is coming from the kids for the must-have hot toy of the season, and the other pressure is the marketing that’s going directly to the parents saying ‘This is the leap frog product that you have to get so your child can go to Stanford or Harvard,’” Golin says.

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sv 411.com Space Politics

Praise for SpaceX Last week, SpaceX— the private rocketship company owned

by Tesla’s Elon Musk—performed a virtually flawless inaugural flight of its Dragon spacecraft from launch at JK8IJ?@G <EK<IGI@J< JgXZ\OÊj =XcZfe ( Cape Canaveral to ifZb\k cXleZ_\[ `kj ;iX^fe jgXZ\ZiX]k `ekf splashdown in the fiY`k cXjk n\\b% JgXZ\O# fne\[ Yp K\jcXÊj <cfe Dljb# `j k_\ Ó ijk jlZZ\jj]lc Zfdd\iZ`Xc Pacific nearly 3 1/2 jgXZ\Ô `^_k ZfdgXep% hours later. The mission was widely billed as a major milestone not just for SpaceX and NASA but for commercial spaceflight in general, an issue that proved contentious in Congress in the last year. Several members of Congress made public statements congratulating SpaceX on their achievement.

“We’ve arrived at the dawn of new era of U.S. space exploration that should ensure America remains a leader in space exploration,” said Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee’s space subcommittee, in a statement. The release also modestly describes Nelson as the “leading congressional authority on the U.S. space program”.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), the ranking member of the full Commerce Committee, called the flight an “important milestone” in her statement. “Supporting the development of these commercial activities will allow NASA to focus its efforts on the development of a new launch system and crew exploration vehicle to move beyond low-Earth orbit,” she said.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), perhaps the biggest proponent of commercial spaceflight in the House, also congratulated SpaceX on the mission. “SpaceX has taken one more step into

changing the paradigm of space flight,” he said. “By demonstrating that we can use commercial companies to meet national goals, the continued success of SpaceX will enable NASA to focus their efforts into the far frontiers of space.”

Dennis Berube While this achievement by Musk is great, and I’m not attempting to downplay it here, let’s not forget that NASA sent men to the Moon. Also while Musk did accomplish much, he did have NASA’s help.

Major Tom Watch last week’s press conference. Musk made repeated statements to about SpaceX standing on the shoulders of giants with respect to NASA’s prior accomplishments.

Feris Valyn If anybody could make a low-cost rocket, why hasn’t NASA figured out how to? Because if they could, then we could’ve been back to the moon by now.

E<I; 8K ?<8IK N`b`C\Xbj ]fle[\i Alc`Xe 8jjXe^\ i\m\Xc\[ X cfk XYflk _`dj\c] `e Xe fc[ FB:lg`[ gifÓ c\% unlikely that someone would have faked the relatively unknown Assange’s profile before Wikileaks had even gotten off the ground.

Anyway, take a look. Did you know Julian Assange has “Asian teengirl stalkers?” (What is it with nerds and Asian girls?) One line proves oddly prophetic, if you consider Assange’s recent alleged predatory behavior: “I am DANGER, ACHTUNG, and ??????????????!” —ADRIAN CHEN, VALLEYWAG.GAWKER.COM

Julian Assange’s ‘Asian Teengirl Stalkers’ Discussion of Julian Assange’s sex life of late has focused on the rape and sexual molestation charges filed against him by two Swedish women.

But he was once a nerdy Australian posting on OKCupid under the pseudonym “Harry Harrison.”

That is, if this profile is to be believed. It certainly demonstrates the self-mythologizing that Assange prefers, casting himself as an enigmatic, globe-trotting nerdy sex god. The first thing most people notice about him is that he is “often carrying mystery brown paper packages tied up with strings.”

And he boasts that he is currently “directing a consuming, dangerous human rights project which is, as you might expect, male dominated.”

The last log in on the account was December 2006, the same month Assange launched Wikileaks with a handful of volunteers. It seems

Canayan Someone is trying a bit too hard to make his webmaster job sound like he’s Jason Bourne.

Wendy_Kroy Honestly, if this profile had come up on my OKC page, I’d probably message him just because he was tall, moderately articulate and made a geeky Star Wars reference. ahleeeshah Man, if we’re judging people based on random crap they put in an OKC profile, I’m screwed. My entire “Six things I couldn’t do without” section is about an alligator missile launcher, and according to my “What I do on a Friday Night” section, I trade children candy for guns. rising Are we sure this isn’t Bill Maher’s OkCupid profile? rkwittman I hope I never get famous.

Voyou_Charmant OMG! International supervillains are just as introverted and bad at dating in real life as the rest of us! lukeoneil47 “Julian Assange is a rapist” is the new “Al Gore lives in

a mansion, therefore global warming is fake.”

Nice Profile Picture. Like.

If Pablo Picasso or Belgian surrealist René Magritte were alive and on Facebook, their profiles would probably be works Magritte would also write, something along the lines of “This is not a Facebook profile” or “Ceci n’est pas un profil Facebook” somewhere on his Facebook page.

Yet, while Picasso and Magritte may not be around to wow us with a little contemporary Facebook art, the profile of French artist Alexandre Oudin is probably the next best thing.

The co-director of La Bande Originale managed to maximize the new Facebook design released officially last week in order to express himself in a rather innovative and original way.

While Facebook’s simple blue and white layout is sometimes a little less funky than what one could find on other social platforms, like MySpace’s over-the-top personalization options and whatnot, Oudin has clearly demonstrated that there are still creative ways to express yourself on Facebook.

For anyone who wants to copy his style, all you have to do is block the other photos you’re tagged in and upload photos to your profile pictures album that are the exact size (yes, down to the pixel) of the display on Facebook and voilà!

—ROXANNE VARZA, TECHCRUNCH

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SanJoseInside.com An inside look at San Jose politics

The End Is Nigh for Team San Jose

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@KP :FLE:@CNFD8E Ifj\ ?\ii\iX [`[eÊk d`eZ\ _\i nfi[j% Ç@] n\ n\i\ k_\ gi`mXk\ j\Zkfi n\ nflc[ Y\ Xjb`e^ ]fi i\j`^eXk`fej#È j_\ jX`[ XYflk K\Xd JXe Afj\# n_`Z_ ilej k_\ DZ<e\ip :fem\ek`fe :\ek\i Xe[ M`j`kfij 9li\Xl% Councilman Sam Liccardo reported that when compared with six other similar-sized California cities, San Jose comes in dead last in the number of conventions booked.

Meanwhile, special events like the Genghis Khan exhibition not only end up losing money—they have to be bailed out by the city. Yet shortly after CEO Dan Fenton informed the city that Team San Jose was $950,000 over budget, he went and gave bonuses to himself and his staff.

The oversight does not appear to be much better. At one point there was a 28-member board of directors that met once every quarter. The board now consists of 15 members, though they now meet once a month.

Finally, the city has stepped in. At Tuesday night’s council meeting, it

was decided unanimously to put out a Request for Proposal (RFP) to see if some other group might manage the Convention Center better. With $120 million worth of renovations in the works, the city does not want to see its money misused.

Mayor Chuck Reed said he is prepared to reconsider the agreement that lumps the Convention Center and Visitors Bureau under the same umbrella organization. He notes that this was a deal he worked out several years ago with Cindy Chavez of the South Bay Labor Council, but said the time has come to reconsider the packaging.

“Looking at the last couple of years it’s clear we were not on the right course,” Reed said.—Silicon Valley Newsroom

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However, H owever, of of all all his his relapses relapses throughout th throughout the he last ffew ew yyears, ears e , nothing ccompares ompares to the t inevitable inevitable bender bender rresulting esulting from from any an ny survey survey o off w what’s hat’s lleft eft aatt tthe he H Hacienda accienda G Gardens ardens S Shopping hopping Center C enter near Meridian M and Hillsdale.

Hillsdale. It is p perhaps erhaps thee blight to end all blight, a ggross ross d disappointing isappointing ffailure ailure b byy aany ny definition d efinition of of those those w words. ords. IIff tthere here

eexisted x xisted such a concept concept as “shopping“shoppinggccenter enter eeuthanasia, uthanasia,” iitt would would apply apply to to Hacienda H accienda G Gardens. ardens. The The p place lacce iiss beyond beyond help.. JJust h help ust take tak ke it off lif life fe support support and d let itt die peacefully. peacefullyy. Please.

Please.

Some S ome b background: acckground: Hacienda Hacienda Gardens G ardens first first opened opened for for business business iin n 11959 959 an and nd eeventually ventuallly grew grew into into ap popular opular sshopping hopping center center with with department d depar tment stor stores, es, clothing shops shops,, two tw wo b ookstores and man ny mom-and-p o op bookstores many mom-and-pop p laces, aall ll o which thrived thrived as as recently recently places, off which att the late ’8 ’80s.

0s.

Van’s Hobby Store was V an’s H obby S tore w as an n aawesome wesome p lace ffor or aany ny inquisitive inquisitive youngster youngster place who w ho enjoyed enjoyed llearning earrning things. things. Little Little Professor P rofessor B Bookshop ookshop w was as tthe he d definitive efinitive neighborhood n eighborhood sstore tore ttucked ucked aaway way iin n the decent th he ccorner, ornerr, with a dec ent magazine sselection election aand nd loads loads of of Cliffs Cliff ffss Notes Notes no n oo one ne eelse lse h had. ad. By By 1987, 1987, Hacienda Haccienda

Gardens was Gar dens w aas one of thee Top Top o 20 highesthighesttSanta ggrossing rossing shopping shopping centers centers in in S anta Clara County, with million C lara C ounty, w ith $33 $33 m illion iin n retail retail sales ffor or that yyear. o ear e .

After that,, everything eveerythin ng that could could go wrong wr ong did. Some tenants tenan nts went broke, brok ke, w while hile o others thers ssimply imply bailed. bailed. L Landlord andlord neglect n eglect added added fuel fuel to to the the fire, fire, and and aafter fter p phases hasses o off aattempted ttempted renovations renovations aand/or nd/or extensions, extensions, pieces pieces of of the the center center were w ere sstill till left left unfinished. unfinished. Economies Economies ttanked, ank ked, e , pap paperwork erwork cha changed anged hands, hands, people went bankrupt, were p eople w ent b ankrupt, lloans oan ns w ere defaulted on and fforeclosures or o ecllosures loomed. loomed.

IItt aappeared ppeared tthat hat n no oo one ne aanywhere nywhere wanted the w aanted to deal with th he situation an nyymore. anymore.

Ther Theree w was aas thought tto be be “mixeduse use”” de development veelopment on the th he way, way, thus hastening the ne next ext x round roun nd of the suburban ccondopocalypse. ondopocalyypse. N Now, ow w, ma maybe ayb ybe a Walmar W Walmart l t or a yyogurt ogurt shop shop. h .

W Who ho k knows? nows? The The recent recent demise demise o off the the Cardinal Lounge, Red C ardinal L ounge, fformerly orm o merly the R ed e C Coach oach C Coffee off ffeee Shop Shop,, w was a essentially as the last stra straw, aw, regardless regardlesss of the reason. reason.

A ccelebrated elebrated San Jose Jose rretro etro diner sspecializing pecializing iin n post-2am post-2am scarfing, scarfing, the the C Cardinal ardinal is not replaceable. replaceaable. Those ar aree

imp ossiblee sho es to fill. impossible shoes A ght now w, Hacienda Gar dens Ass of rig right now, Gardens ffeatures eatures eempty mpty pieces pieces of of the the o riginal original ccomplex, omplex, ssplotches plotches o mpty p arrking off eempty parking llots, ots, p iles o ubble an nd n ewer buildings buildings piles off rrubble and newer painted p ainted w with ith tthe he same same red, red, orange orange and an nd olive o live ccolor olor sscheme cheme o one ne sees sees on on every every sstrip trip m mall all ffrom rom C Capitol ap pitol E Expressway xpressway tto o Mountain Mount ain V View. iiew.

It’s It ’s almo almost ost as if the de developer eveloper went to Home Dep D Depot, ot,, ffound o ound the aisle lab labeled eled ““San San n Jose Jose S Strip trip M Mall all S Supplies” upplies” an and nd bought b ought a few few prefab fe prefab ab buildings. buildings. The The entiree ar entir area eaa is depr depressing essing to look look at, let alone drive d ve b driv by. y. No No wonder some neighbors n eighbors are arre frustrated. frustrated. W Who ho w would ould want w an ant tto o llive ive n near ear an an atrocity atrocity like like tthis? his?

How H ow iiss an anyone nyone supposed supposed tto o muster muster any an ny ssense ense of of civic civic p pride? ride? T They hey flattened flattened the the Marie M arrie C Callender’s, allender’s, meaning meaning even even the the ccomfort-food omfort-food ccrowds rowds llose ose out out in in this this mess.. L mess Locals ocals a now ha have ave to driv drive ve all the way w ay tto oB Blossom lossom H Hill ill aand nd C Chesbro hesbro ffor or that famou famous us lemon meringue pie pie..

Like Lik ke an any ny addict,, the Urban Urban r Blight Exploration E xploration JJunkie’s unkie’s p path ath tto o rrelapse elapse begins b egins with with feelings feelings of of hopelessness. hopelessness. He He begins b egins to to tthink hink that that iiff n no o one one else else cares cares about ab bout any any of of this, this, then then why why should should he? h e? Due Due to to low low self-esteem self-esteem imprinted imprinted sincee childh sinc childhood, hood,, he starts starts to feel feeel like lik ke he’s h e’s losing losing al all ll ccontrol ontrol o off w what hat ggoes oes o on n around ar ound him m in San Jose.

Jose.

The stru structure ucture in his lif life fe is falling apart, ap part, and and no no one one else else in in town town can can n possibly p ossibly k know now h how ow he he feels feels or or what what he’s he’s ggoing oing tthrough. hrough. H Hee b becomes ecomes irritable irritable and an nd o overwhelmed verwhelmed w with ith basic basic everyday everyday inconveniences, inc on nveenieences, aavoiding vo oiding anyone an nyone o who w ho provides provides honest honest feedback feedback on on his his drug fixx b becomes only ccondition. ondition. A d rug fi ecomes the the o nly perceivable make himself p erceivable way way tto om ake h imself feel feel any better. an ny b etter. All All of of which which is is eeven ven more more holiday ccommon ommon during d the holida ay season. wagon” He then n falls “off the w aagon” and on an nd ggoes oes o n a bender bender through through any an ny wasteland blighted w aasteland he can can find,, only once how tto o rrealize ealize o nce again aggain h ow bad bad d iitt really really out And hee keeps iiss o ut tthere. here. A nd each eacch time, time, h keeps promising will bee tthe hee p romising iitt w ill b he llast asst ttime ime h rrelapses. elapses. It won’t won’t happen happen again,, he says. saayys.

Alas,, with m more Alas more and more more rundown dead sshopping hopping ccenters enters aand nd d ead retail retail over sscattered cattered aall ll o ver tthis his vvalley, alley, the the triggers triggers will always bee there. ffor or rrelapse elap pse w ill al lways b there. For For the the Urban Blight U rrban Blig ght Exploration Junkie, Junkie, it seems the th struggle st l will ill never neeveer end. d

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ANTI-ENERGY DRINKS 17

8]k\i X n_`c\# n_Xk ZXe fecp Y\ [\jZi`Y\[ Xj X nXid# ]lqqp ]\\c`e^ b`Zbj `e# Yi`e^`e^ X cXqp jd`c\ kf dp ]XZ\ Xe[ \m\e ^ffj\ Yldgj kf dp Xidj A solution has emerged, fast making its way into the mainstream.

Behold the anti-energy drink.

This budding microindustry is like its energetic predecessor, featuring eye-catching logos, bulletstyle cans and names like iChill and Dream Water. And while these magic, somnolent potions may have different ingredients and ad campaigns, they all make essentially the same claims: a feeling of relaxation, an increase in concentration, a reduction of stress and even a good night’s sleep.

While their composition may vary slightly, the majority of relaxation drinks contain at least one of a select few ingredients. Gammaaminobutyric acid (otherwise known as GABA, not to be confused with GHB) is a nerotransmitter that regulates nueroexcitability throughout the nervous system.

5-HTP, or 5-hydroxytryptophan, is a naturally occurring amino acid,

sold over the counter as a sleep aid, antidepressant or appetite suppressant.

Valerian, a perennial with pink flowers, is used to treat insomnia— it’s what the doctor in Fight Club recommends to Edward Norton’s character to help him sleep at night—and kava roots possess mild sedative properties and are traditionally consumed by Pacific Island cultures. Finally, melatonin is a hormone that may aid sleep but is not to be messed with carelessly.

With so many ingredients and effects, I decided to get to the bottom of this anti-energy-drink thing. Were any of them truly effective? Relaxing? Stomachable?

Determined to find out, I scouted as many as I could find, hopped on that crazy melatonin train and drank it all the way to the end of the line.

Tangy Memories My inaugural drink in this experiment is a beverage called NEURO SLEEP. Suspended in a sleek orange bottle, it looks more like a lava lamp than a consumable beverage.

According to Neuro Sleep’s website, the drink’s specific combination of melatonin and magnesium “works together to aid in healthy sleep quality and normalize the circadian rhythm.” Sounds scientific, right?

Feeling a little like Alice in Wonderland as I down the bottle, I’m expecting it to have that familiar vaguely chemical taste of the typical energy drink, a delicate bouquet of citrus and pomegranate with hints of children’s Tylenol.

I am pleasantly surprised. Neuro Sleep’s flavor harks back to the “orange-drink” memories of childhood, somewhere between Tang and Gatorade with a bit of a chalky aftertaste. My initial reaction after downing the bottle is a slight headache, though admittedly it’s probably nothing more than a standard, run-of-the-mill brain freeze. After a while, what can only be described as a warm, fuzzy feeling kicks in, bringing a lazy smile to my face and even goose bumps to my arms.

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I have not been immune to this trend. Cheaper and far easier to acquire than, say, methamphetamine, energy drinks are more than able to provide that extra, sometimes much-needed boost one needs. But what about the aftereffects, when stress is sky high and it’s impossible to relax? Or those endless nights when the clock is ticking the hours away, but the brain is still going at warp speed?

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ANTI-ENERGY DRINKS 19

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Forty-five minutes later, after a hot shower, I am left with a feeling of relaxation but a trace of nausea and a headache that still won’t subside.

The end result isn’t much different from the crash after a few beers or a large Long Island iced tea. While I’m undoubtedly experiencing a mildly relaxing experience, on the whole, it’s also mildly disappointing.

Next on the list is JONES GABA, from the makers of those delightful, brightly colored Jones sodas. Each 12-ounce can of Jones Gaba contains 150 milligrams of the intimidatingly named gamma-aminobutyric acid.

While not so much a sleep aid as a relaxation and concentration aid, Jones Gaba promises “focus and clarity” in each obnoxiously energydrink-sized can.

This so-called juice-tea comes in four different flavors: lemon-honey, grapefruit, nectarine and Fuji apple, all of which sound at least slightly unappealing, especially considering I’ve never been a big fan of tea to begin with. But this isn’t about a pleasant taste. That became my mantra, in fact: “It’s about the effects,” I chant, as I struggle to finish that 12-ounce can.

Upon first opening the can, the drink itself smells strongly and very apple-y, like a Jolly Rancher. The taste is more like watered-down apple juice with a distinctive tealike flavor. Again, allow me to reiterate that I am not a big tea drinker. Tea makes me gag and always has. Jones Gaba is technically classified as a teajuice, contains white tea, and, dear Lord, it is no exception.

It does manage to give me a fuzzyheaded feeling of relaxation, though, but not exactly what I would describe as “focus” or “clarity.” And while it does make me want to take a nap, I decide to fight the urge to succumb to sleep and indulge in some creative pursuits instead. I have an art project that I’ve been neglecting for a while, and this seems like the perfect opportunity to work on it. After all, creativity and substance abuse go hand in hand, right?

Maybe not. Rather than bursting with inspiration, my project that is supposed to consist of illustrations of people and cats ends up with the people looking a little cubist (but not in the good, Picasso-esque way)

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ANTI-ENERGY DRINKS 20 and with one of the cats wearing shoes. Ugh. So much for heavy machinery. It seems I can’t even operate a mechanical pencil under the influence of this stuff.

DREAM WATER ensures users that its ingredients will lull them to sleep and lead to a more refreshed state the next day. On the whole, I find the idea of a good night’s sleep without feeling like a groggy zombie the next day very appealing. But for my Dream Water trial, I decide to try a bit of an unorthodox, wake-andbake-style approach. Rather than drinking it right before bed, I drink it first thing in the morning and

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While still in my flannel nightgown and bathrobe, I throw back the 2.5-ounce shot of snoozeberry-flavored Dream Water and wait for it to kick in.

Snoozeberry, it turns out, is not merely a bastardization of Willy Wonka’s “snozzberry” flavor, but a combination of blueberry and pomegranate. The scent is light and subtle, but the flavor is gaginducingly sweet. The snoozeberries taste like snoozeberries.

The bottle’s warning label cautions me not to drive, operate heavy machinery or do “other important tasks” while under the influence of Dream Water. Voting doesn’t count

as an important task, right? Under the influence or not, it’s business as usual on Election Day, but as the elixir begins to take effect, it suddenly occurs to me that I haven’t read up on any of the candidates or propositions and have no idea how to vote. It’s then that I find myself, still in my nightgown, curled up on my bathroom floor, poring over a sample ballot and marveling at what a lovely name Meg Whitman really is.

Lucky for me, the polling place is only a few blocks from my house, so I’m able to zigzag down the sidewalk and do my civic duty. I am determined to vote for the right candidates, and am not swayed by my doped-up fascination with the name Meg Whitman (like some glorious combination of Leaves of Grass and Little Women).

After I get home from voting, I think I eat lunch, but I honestly have no idea. Around 4pm, my eyelids are getting too heavy to fight. I decide to take a quick power nap to wake up feeling “refreshed and energized.”

The next thing I know, the room is totally dark, and I’m struggling to sit up and squint at the numbers on my alarm clock, which read 7:39pm.

What the hell?

If I thought my experiences thus far were unpleasant, they were only teasers for the main event: Aimee vs. ICHILL. Monday night finds me staying up way past my bedtime and completely wired. Knowing I need to get to sleep so I can be up early the following morning, now seems like the perfect opportunity to put one of these drinks to the use for which it was actually meant.

According to iChill’s website, it is the world’s first relaxation shot—a dubious honor at best. Its unique blend of melatonin, valerian root and rose hips promises to “help calm the body and mind at the end of a stressful day.” Perfect. Just what I need on this frazzled night. The flavor is called Blissful Berry, and while the scent is most certainly berry, the taste is what can only be described as horrific. It’s sickly sweet berry, but also something else. Something that tastes the way bug spray smells. Just drinking the 2-ounce bottle is difficult, like

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ANTI-ENERGY DRINKS 22 the name of the drink in bright blue graffiti-style letters, and a small disclaimer at the bottom of the can warns consumers not to drive or operate equipment while taking the product. I’m excited about this one, because according to its website, it’s nothing but orange juice and kava root extract—kind of like a screwdriver, only better. Surely there’ll be no awful chemical taste with this one.

Alas. While the taste isn’t exactly chemical, it is most certainly awful.

My first thought upon opening the can and sniffing the contents is that it has somehow gone bad. Does a canned drink have the ability to go bad? Even holding my nose, squeezing my eyes shut and just chugging isn’t enough to make the liquid nightmare palatable. After getting through about half the can, I promise myself I’ll finish it later and stash it in my fridge.

Luckily, I never have the chance.

Sometime within the next 24 hours, one of my poor, pitiable housemates drinks the last of my RZO. I take it as a sign. The anti-energy experiment has reached its end.

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Somewhere in the middle of all this, I am miraculously able to fall asleep. Needless to say, this will be the first and last time the wretched substance known as iChill will pass these lips.

The more of these drinks I sample, the worse they get, and the more I feel like I’m slowly poisoning myself.

After trying several containing melatonin, I decide to switch things up and try one emphasizing kava. RZO looks deceptively like an ordinary energy drink: the black 10.5-ounce can is emblazoned with

energy-drink junkies so far gone that they need to detox with a similarlooking bottle? Perhaps someone simply realized that with the success of energy drinks, an opposite product might result in some backlash profit. The free market abhors a vacuum, after all.

I’m beginning to suspect that any drink that promises a good night’s sleep is just as ridiculous as a drink that promises an energy boost or weight loss or a cure for erectile dysfunction. Maybe it works, but probably it’s too good to be true.

The drinks I’ve tried have been effective, there’s no doubt about that, but the unpleasant tastes and sometimes scary side effects simply aren’t worth it.

As for me, I’ll stick with an extralarge helping of Tylenol PM.

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swallowing some terrible green cough syrup that burns the throat and makes the eyes water.

Like every other relaxation drink I’ve tried, iChill starts off by giving me a slight headache and a trace of nausea. Similar to my Neuro Sleep trial, I figure I’ll take a shower and be fully ready for bed by the time the drink takes effect. But the shower actually makes the nausea worse, until I’m doubled over and praying to the relaxation-drink gods that I won’t throw up. If that mix of berry and bug spray was bad going down, it would surely be worse coming back up. As luck would have it, I

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mind body & spirit

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Felipe Buitrago

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Born in a Barn

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As a higher-rent shopping experience, the food is on a higher level as well. Topping my list is Tootsie’s. I just discovered the 2-yearold place, and it’s a gem. Tootsie’s is not actually in the Stanford Shopping Center but in the beautiful brick Stanford barn, a historic building just

across the street. For anyone who’s hungry and needs an excuse to break away from holiday shopping, consider this a ticket out.

Tootsie’s is open just for breakfast and lunch. The name is misleading: the restaurant specializes in Italian food, great sandwiches, salads and pastries.

Since Tootsie’s is near Stanford Hospital, many of the customers are doctors in lab coats taking a break from brain surgery and colonoscopies. It can make for some interesting eavesdropping to sit near a bunch of hungry doctors, especially inside, where there are only a halfdozen or so cramped tables. There’s more seating outside, which is quite nice when it’s sunny.

I asked owner Rocco Scordella about the name of his restaurant, and he released an audible sigh. “It’s the

name of Leland Stanford Jr.’s dog,” he explained.

I’m guessing he’s been asked that a few times before, and just like Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard, he’s a little tired of answering questions about the origins of the name.

Scordella didn’t even make up the name. It came with the building and was part of the lease he signed.

But he has transcended the twee name and made Tootsie’s into one of Silicon Valley’s top lunch stops.

(I didn’t come for breakfast, but I’d wager that’s good, too.)

Scordella, a native of Puglia, blends the cuisine of Italy (Puglia and Emilia-Romagna to be specific) and adds an American influence. For example, he resisted the urge to put a burger on the menu since it’s such a departure from Italy. Instead, he riffed on polpettone, Italian meatloaf with beef, pork, veal and olives, and formed it into a burger patty. Presto! Tootsie’s burger ($9.50) was born.

Seasoned with oregano and caramelized onions, topped with mozzarella cheese and served on a toasted rosemary roll with house-

made shoe-string fries, the sandwich stops just short of going over the top while still holding on to its Italian origins. “I’m so glad I did it,” says Scordella. “It’s one our top sellers.”

The menu at Tootsie’s changes periodically, but Scordella says there are a few things he has to keep on the menu lest he incite a customer revolt.

One of those dishes is the insalata di tonno ($8), a tuna salad with wild arugula, cannellini beans and shaved fennel tossed with a citrusy vinaigrette. It’s fresh, light and very satisfying and deserves to be a fixture on the menu.

Scordella’s thick-cut, thymesprinkled potato chips are a mainstay, too. They’re outstanding.

By all means order the pollone panini ($8.50), a finely breaded fried chicken breast, plump and juicy, laid between a toasted bun with a creamy endive slaw. It’s a simple sandwich expertly done. I say it tops Bake Sale Betty’s famed chicken sandwich in Oakland.

Don’t miss the hot coppa panini ($8), a cold-weather sandwich made with spicy coppa layered with roasted fennel, caramelized onions and provolone cheese on a ciabatta roll.

I didn’t get to try it but Scordella just put a braised-rib sandwich on the menu that comes from his grandmother’s recipe. I’ll be trying that when I go back.

On the glass counter in easy view while you stand in line is an array of fresh pastries, pizzettes ($7.95) and bruschetta ($7.95). The toppings change daily and echo the same simple but delicious refrain that Scordella has established with the sandwiches and salads.

Before opening Tootsie’s two years ago, Scordella cooked in England and at Mario Batali’s outstanding Del Posto in New York. The restaurant just received four stars from The New York Times; when Scordella was there it had just two stars. But when it comes to lunch on the peninsula, Tootsie’s is a star in its own right.

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More dining coverage

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Campbell ¿book online at campbell.net

CAPERS Well-heeled sports bar and restaurant. $$$. Capers is a sophisticated restaurant that uses sports as its theme. Welldevised menu full of inventive recipes and delicious finger foods. 11am-10:30pm Mon-Thu, 11am-midnight Fri-Sat and 9:30am-10:30pm Sun. 1710 W. Campbell Ave. 408.374.5777.

LA PIZZERIA Italian. $$. La Pizzeria specializes in simple pizzas that stand on the strength of a few high-quality ingredients, expertly prepared.

Open for lunch and dinner daily.

11am-10pm Sun-Tue, 11am11pm Wed, 11am-midnight Thu-Sat. 373 E. Campbell Ave. 408.370.0826.

MICHI Japanese. $$. Sushi standards are transformed into palate-awakening presentations; culinary boundaries are stretched.

11am-10pm daily. 2220 S. Winchester Blvd. 408.378.8000 or 378.0838.

NEGEEN Persian. $$. Mira ghasemi, grilled and puréed eggplant in a tomato sauce with scrambled eggs, and kashk-e-bademjan, puréed eggplant topped with mint and a creamy yogurt sauce, are great, as are the kebabs. Don’t miss the excellent Persian ice cream. 11:30am-10pm MonThu, 11:30am-midnight Fri-Sat and 11:30am-9pm Sun. 801 W. Hamilton Ave. 408.866.6400.

OLIO Mediterranean. $$$. Olio serves simple but expertly prepared Mediterranean food that dips into the underexplored cuisines of North Africa. Small but smart wine list.

Dinner 5-9pm Sun-Thu and 510pm Fri-Sat. 384 E. Campbell Ave. 408.378.0335.

PSYCHO DONUTS Donuts. $.

Psycho Donuts has taken rings of fried dough into new territory with flavors like apricot, the Cookie Monster (topped with Oreos) and Do-Nilla (sprinkled with bits of vanilla wafers) and the intimidating Psycho Donut, a maelstrom of marshmallow, pretzel and chile powder. 6am5pm Mon-Thu, 6am-11pm Fri, 7am-11pm Sat, 7am-5pm Sun. 2006 S. Winchester Blvd #C. 408.378.4540.

RUSSIAN CAFÉ AND DELI Russian. $$. This is a small Russian grocery store with a good little restaurant tucked in the corner. Borscht soup, pelmeni and solyankya sbornaya, a thick soup studded with chunks of mild pork sausage, black olives, pickles and barley all satisfy. 11am-8pm daily. 1712 S. Winchester Blvd.

408.379.6680.

SUSHI ZONE Japanese. $$. Fun sushi meets fun surroundings in this zone. 11:30am-2:30pm and 5-9:30pm Sun-Thu and 11:30am-2:30pm and 5-10pm Fri-Sat. 75 S. San Tomas Aquino Rd #1. 408.866.1323.

TIGELLERIA. Italian. $$.

Tigelleria’s menu centers on fine cheeses and Italian salumi paired with tigelle, free-flowing, piping hot flat-breads the size of mini pitas. The bread forms the addictive heart of the meal.

Lunch 11:30am-2pm and dinner 5-10pm daily. 76 E. Campbell Ave. 408.884.3808.

TWIST CAFE AND BISTRO French and American. $$$. Twist describes itself as “American food with a French twist,” but the menu includes Middle Eastern, Asian and Italian influences, too. Cafe 9am-3pm Tue-Sat, 9am-2:30pm Sun; Bistro 59pm Wed-Thu and 5-10pm Fri-Sat. 247 E. Campbell Ave. 408.374.8982.

SANJOSE.COM

¿= book online $ = $10 $$ = $11-$15 $$$ = $16-$20 $$$$ = $21 and up Ranges based on average cost of dinner entree and salad, excluding alcoholic beverages

CCupertino ti ¿book online at cupertino.com

ALEXANDER’S STEAKHOUSE American-Asian steakhouse. $$$$. Alexander’s is much more than a steakhouse. Add a 500-bottle wine list, multiple dining rooms and Asianaccented ambience and you’ve got a standout South Bay restaurant. Full bar. 5:30-10pm Mon-Thu, 5:30-11pm Fri-Sat and 5-9pm Sun. 10330 N. Wolfe Rd. 408.446.2222.

CAFE TORRE New Italian. $$$. A gem tucked away in an unassuming little mall, with a sophisticated interior and congenial hosts. Even better is the great pasta and seafood.

Beer, wine. 11:30am-2pm and 5-9:30pm Mon-Thu and 510:30pm Fri-Sat. Closed Sun. 20343 Stevens Creek Blvd.

408.257.2383.

CUPERTINO BAKERY Indian and bakery. $. Don’t be fooled by the name. Cupertino Bakery is really a great South Indian restaurant. Unlike many South Indian restaurants, Cupertino Bakery isn’t vegetarian. Good lunch buffet for $7.99. Don’t miss the dosa and utthappam.

11:30am-9:30pm daily, but weekdays kitchen closes 2:305:30pm. 102521 S. De Anza Blvd. 408.517.9000.

DYNASTY SEAFOOD RESTAURANT Hong Kongstyle Chinese. $$$. Dynasty specializes in Hong Kong-style seafood. The seafood is very fresh, especially the creatures swimming minutes before they arrive on your plate.

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WINE

C

FEJ@;<I@E> JXekX :ilqÊj i\glkXk`fe Xj X ZileZ_p# _`gg`\ _Xm\e Xe[ k_\ [fq\ej f] n`e\i`\j `e k_\ Xi\X# fe\ d`^_k k_`eb k_Xk k_\i\ nflc[ Y\ dfi\ fi^Xe`Z n`e\i`\j k_Xk j\\ k_\ m`ikl\ f] ]Xid`e^ ^iXg\j n`k_flk Z_\d`ZXcj% 9lk k_Xk `j efk k_\ ZXj\% While many Santa Cruz Mountain wineries eschew synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, there are only three that are certified organic. One of those is VINE HILL WINERY, which recently announced that it has received organic certification from California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). The 2010 vintages of estate-grown pinot noir and syrah are the first of Vine Hill’s wines to bear the “organically grow fruit” on the label.

The reasons more wineries don’t pursue organic certification are varied. For some, it’s because it’s a three-year process. Other winegrowers don’t want to give up the ability to use chemicals when they want to. And some fear the perception that organic wines made without the addition of sulfites or sulfur, two common additions to wine and grapes, aren’t as good.

But RACHEL ORMES, Vine Hill’s vineyard manager, is working to change those perceptions. She says environmental stewardship and education are what www.vinehill drove her to seek organic certification, that and winery.com better quality grapes.

“Raising awareness about organic practices is at the heart of what I do,” says Ormes. “I want to see birds. I want to see wildlife. . . . Part of humanity is to care for the planet that feeds us.”

When she joined Vine Hill, Ormes recognized the potential the winery’s property possessed to contribute to ecosystem health.

With a complete replanting of the winery’s eight acres of vineyards under way at the time, it represented an ideal point from which to implement sustainable and organic practices in the vineyard.

With a degree from UC–Santa Cruz in agro-ecology and plant biology, as well as a personal commitment to being environmentally responsible, Ormes was ready to shepherd a new era for the viticulturally historic Vine Hill property in the Santa Cruz Mountains that dates back to the 1860s.

She’s concerned about how consumers perceive the concept of organic farming in general. “There are a number of misconceptions about the differences between organic, sustainable, biodynamic and conventional farming practices,” she explains. “I think it’s important for the organic consumer to understand that there is sustainable farming—and there is organic farming—and they are not always the same thing.”

Sustainable has no legal definition. It’s in the eye of the beholder—or the marketer. Organic is a legally defined term.

CCOF certification holds farmers to a higher standard than the increasingly low bar set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

But ultimately the proof will be in the bottle. Ormes said the 2010 harvest produced grapes of great integrity with thick skins full of well-developed tannins and flavor. Happy, well-cared-for grapes make good wine.—Stett Holbrook

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Green Grapes

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30 Good dim sum, too. Full bar.

11am-2:30pm and 5-9:30pm Mon-Thu and 10am-3pm and 5-9:30pm Fri-Sat. 10123 N. Wolfe Rd (in Cupertino Square).

408.996.1680.

FLORENTINE RESTAURANT Italian. $. Bold flavors, fresh ingredients and lavish portions.

Casual to dressy. Beer, wine.

10257 S. De Anza Blvd. (plus six other locations, some with full bars). 11:30am-9pm Mon-Thu, 11:30am-10pm Fri-Sat and 49pm Sun. 408.253.6532.

FONTANA’S California/Italian. $$$. A steady performer, Fontana’s rarely disappoints pasta lovers. Beer, wine.

11:30am-9pm Mon-Thu, 11:30am-10pm Fri, 5-10pm Sat and 4:30-9pm Sun. 20840 Steven Creek Blvd.

408.725.0188.

GOCHI Japanese. $$$. Gochi is a globally inspired izakaya (small plates) restaurant.

Most of the food is straightup Japanese fare, but there are a few American, French and Korean twists. Highly recommended. 19980 Homestead Rd. 408.725.0542.

Happy Holidays!

J. LOHR SAN JOSE WINE CENTER

1000 Lenzen Avenue San Jose, 95126 TASTING DAILY 10AM – 5PM* *Closed Christmas and New Year’s Day

LOON WAH Chinese. $. The kitchen produces good wokcentric dishes, but its main draw is fresh, hand-pulled noodles. Casual. Beer, wine.

11am-9:30pm Mon-Thu and 11am-10pm Fri-Sun. 1146 De Anza Blvd. 408.257.8877.

TODAI Japanese. $$. Billed as a Japanese seafood buffet, Todai doesn’t limit itself to Japanese dishes. Pan-Asian and just plain odd specialties rotate.

11:30am-2:30pm and 5:309pm Mon-Fri and 11:30am3pm and 5:30-9:30pm SatSun. Cupertino Square mall (near Sears), 10123 N. Wolfe Rd #2001. 408.996.3444.

Gilroy/ Morgan Hill ¿book online at gilroycalifornia.com

MAURIZIO’S AUTHENTIC ITALIAN RISTORANTE Italian. $$. You don’t dine here for a quick upscale fix, you dine here for down-home atmosphere.

Tender vitello saltimbocca tops

More dining coverage

SANJOSE.COM

the menu. 11:30am-2pm and 5-9pm Mon-Thu, 11:30am-2pm and 5-10pm Fri and 5-10pm Sat. Closed Sun. 25 E. First St, Morgan Hill. 408.782.7550.

2:30pm, 5-9:30pm Mon-Fri 10:30am-3pm, 4:30-9:30pm Sat-Sun. 296 Barber Court.

408.433.5199.

RAGOOTS American. $$.

Bustling Ding Sheng restaurant specializes in Shanghai-style Chinese food but features a wide variety of regional dishes.

Shanghai dishes include cold weather fare like dumplings, braised meats and sweet and savory meats. 11am-2:30pm and 5pm-midnight daily. 686 Barber Lane. 408.943.8786.

Ragoots offers a menu of recognizable favorites with a gourmet kick—salade niçoise with salmon instead of tuna; flatiron steak with blue-cheese herb butter; smoked salmon and prosciutto fettuccini.

11:30am-9pm Tue-Sat.10am2pm Sun. 17305 Monterey Rd, Morgan Hill. 408.201.9200.

Milpitas ¿book online at milpitas.com

ABC SEAFOOD RESTAURANT Chinese. $$. ABC is a Hong Kong-style restaurant, and that means dim sum and lots of fresh, fancifully prepared seafood. At lunch the place is a traffic jam of dim sum carts proffering an assortment of little snacks 11am-2:30pm and 5-9:30pm daily. 768 Barber Lane. 408.435.8888.

BANANA LEAF Southeast Asian/Malaysian. $$$. A charming, exotic gem of a place with some of the best Southeast Asian food in the county. Sauces are masterfully crafted and reduced to glossy consistencies. 11am-3pm, 5-9:45pm Mon-Thu, 510:30pm Fri-Sat. 182 Ranch Dr. 408.719.9811.

CHILI GARDEN Szechuan. $$.

There’s a lot to recommend at this Szechuan standout.

Mapo tofu is a classic that rules here. For sheer fireworks, go for the Chongqing spicy chicken, a fearsome-looking dish of chicken lightly battered and crisp. 10:30am2:30pm and 4:30-10pm MonThu, 10:30am-2:30pm and 4:30-10:30pm Fri-Sun. 210 Barber Lane. 408.526.9888.

DARDA SEAFOOD RESTAURANT Islamic Chinese. $. Darda serves halal meat and draws parts of its menu from western China, a region that borders the Muslim countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Seafood and noodle dishes are particularly good.

No alcohol served. 11am-

DING SHENG Chinese. $$.

LIOU’S HOUSE Chinese. $$.

A shopping center next to a miniature golf course is an unlikely place to find a classically trained Chinese chef, but Silicon Valley offers good food in unexpected places.

Check out the Hunan tofu, kung pao chicken and stir-fried pea greens. 11am-2:30pm and 4:30-9:30pm Tue-Sun. 1245 Jacklin Rd. 408.263.9888.

SAVORY CHICKEN Filipino. $. Savory Chicken offers a Filipino take on fried poultry.

The chicken is tossed in a proprietary blend of herbs and spices and fried in soybean oil.

No flour or bread crumbs are used. The result is an almost translucent skin that is so crisp it shatters on contact. 11am8pm Tue-Sun. 1557 Landess Ave. 408.945.8616.

SOUTH LEGEND SICHUAN RESTAURANT Szechuan Chinese. $. The menu of this Milpitas standout reads like an encyclopedia of Szechuan food. Couple beef, kung pao chicken and Chen ma pa tofu are all great. 11am-2:30pm and 5-9:30pm Mon-Fri and 11am-9:30pm Sat-Sun. 1720 N. Milpitas Blvd. 408.934.3970.

SWAGAT Indian. $. Swagat explores both southern and northern Indian cuisine in its traditional and extensive menu. Casual. Beer, wine.

Buffet daily 11am-3pm, 5:30-10pm. 68 S. Abel St. 408.262.1128.

TIRUPATHI BHIMAS Indian. $$. Tirupathi Bhimas specializes in vegetarian food from south India, particularly that of Andra Pradesh, a spicy and aromatic cuisine, as well as a few north Indian dishes and “Indo-Chinese.”

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SVDINING 11:30am-2pm and 6-9:30pm Tue-Thu, 11:30am-2:30pm and 6-9:30pm Fri and Sat and 11:30am-2:30pm and 69:30pm Sun. 1208 S. Abel St. 408.945.1010.

Mountain View ¿book online at mountainview.net

AMBER INDIA Northern Indian, tandoori. $$. Meals unfold like a bolt of rare silk, served with care and efficiency in a rich, luminous interior. Dishes are complex and varied. 11:30am-2:30pm Mon-Sun, 5-9:45pm MonSun. 2290 El Camino Real.

650.968.7511.

AMICI’S EAST COAST PIZZERIA Pizza/Italian. $$.

When it’s done right, East Coast pizza can be a glorious thing. Dough is rolled ultrathin and served noticeably charred on the sides and bottom, the ideal combination for a “foldable” slice on the go. It’s done right here. 11am-10pm Mon-Thu, 11am-11pm Fri, 11:30am-11pm Sat, 11:30am10pm Sun. 790 Castro St. 650.961.6666.

BODRUM CAFE Turkish. $$.

The menu at Bodrum Cafe is extensive and covers a lot of ground, but it’s the lamb dishes that stand out. A good place to start is with the lahmacun (Turkey’s take on pizza) and the kebabs. 10am10pm daily. 383 Castro St. 650.396.7010.

CASCAL Spanish Tapas. $$$. The tapas menu yields big tastes in small portions at this pan-Latin charmer.

Calamari, roasted quail and minted lamb meatballs are among the delicacies. Full bar.

11:30am-10pm Mon-Sun. 400 Castro St. 650.940.9500.

CHAAT PARADISE Vegetarian Indian. $. Golden spices predominate at this popular spot for inexpensive, funto-eat traditional Indian fare. Casual shopping-center surroundings. 11:30-10pm Mon-Sun. 165 E. Camino Real.

650.965.1111.

CHINA CAFE Mandarin, Szechuan. $$. A little surprise in the Blossom Valley Center promises uptown ambience, spotless surroundings and well-presented classical Chinese cuisine. 1760 Miramonte Ave. 650.968.2298.

DON GIOVANNI Italian. $$$.

This pumpkin-hued eatery faces the bustling downtown with a handsome demeanor of mahogany and candlelight. Full bar. 11am-2pm, 5-9pm Mon-Fri, 11am-9pm Sat-Sun. 235 Castro St. 650.961.9749.

LE PETIT BISTRO Classic French. $$. There’s a lot to like about this pinch of a place with its simple, practiced French cuisine and quiet dining. Casual.

Beer, wine. 5:30-9:30pm TueSat. 1405 W. El Camino Real.

650.964.3321.

MARU ICHI Japanese noodles. $.

Maru Ichi is a true noodle shop.

While there are a few appetizers on the menu, the slurpable house-made noodles—ramen, soba and udon—are what you want. Go for the house specialty kuro ramen or the soy sauce ramen. Beer and wine. Cash only. 11:30-2:15pm, 5-9:45pm, 11:30am-9:45pm, 11:30am-9pm Sun. 368 Castro St. 650.564.9931.

NAMI NAMI Japanese. $$$.

Nami Nami specializes in kappo-style Japanese food, food prepared in the artful, laborintensive, seasonally driven style associated with the city of Kyoto.

For diners willing to open their minds and mouths, it offers one of the most exciting restaurant experiences in the Bay Area.

11:30am-2pm Tue-Sun, 7-10pm Tue-Thu and 6-11pm Fri-Sat. 240 Castro St. 650.964.6990.

NETO CAFFE AND BAKERY CAFE $$. Neto Caffe and Bakery is a busy, good-looking space that has a happy buzz about it.

The first thing you notice as you walk in is all the fresh pastries on the counter. There’s a little bit of everything including a number of Middle Eastern specialties. 7am-10pm daily. 135 Castro St. 650.625.9888.

PHO TO CHAU Vietnamese noodle house. $. The pho here is an honest noodle soup.

First-timers might want to stick with the basic pho chin, topped with slices of beef brisket.

SANJOSE.COM

11am-10pm daily. 853 Villa St. 650.961.8069.

ROSEINTERNATIONAL MARKETPersian. $. Part Middle Eastern grocery store, part Persian food take-out counter and part kebab grill, Rose International Market is a gold mine of good food. The white plastic tables out front are packed with customers eating the market’s signature mesquite-grilled kebabs. 8am9pm Mon-Sat, 9am-8pm Sun. 1060 Castro St. 650.960.1900.

THESPICEISLANDSCAFE Singaporean, Malaysian, Indonesian. $$. This restaurant will send your taste buds to the tropics. Talented chefs put out dishes full of spice and passion, like jumbo chile prawns, papaya salad and Malaysian spareribs.

The menu is expansive. Prices are reasonable. 210 Hope St. 650.960.1888.

SUSHITOMIJapanese. $$. Sushi Tomi serves Japanese food with an elegant simplicity. Sushi and sashimi are ocean fresh. For a real treat, ask for an omakase dinner and let the chef put together a tasting menu for you.

11:30am-2pm 5:30-9:30pm. 635 W. Dana St. 650.968.3227.

TAQUERÍALOSCHARROS Mexican. $. This clean and fetching diner is the place for authentic fare. Generous portions. 6:30am-10pm Mon-Fri, 6:30am-11pm Sat, 8am-10pm Sun. 854 W. Dana St. 650.969.1464.

VASOAZZURRO Ristorante Italian. $$$. Entrees are attractively presented, and the waiters will make you feel as though you were the most important guests in the place. Dessert lives up to the rest of the meal. Beer, wine.

11:30am-2:30pm Mon-Fri, 5-9:30pm Mon-Thu, 5-10pm Fri-Sat, 5-9:30pm. 108 Castro St. 650.940.1717.

XANHRESTAURANT Modern Vietnamese. $$. Xanh epitomizes the new breed of upscale, contemporary Vietnamese restaurant. The appealing menu ranges from the traditional to the unconventional and includes rolls, salads, noodles, small plates and fullsize entrees. 11:30am-2pm and dinner 4:30pm-close Mon-Fri. 110 Castro St. 650.964.1888

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metroactive

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*thu

NORTHERN SON VooDoo Lounge, San Jose Thu – 9pm; $5/$10 Northern Son’s primary influences include Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and Wilco, and like all of those musicians, the key to their immense appeal locally is their ability to coat simple, slightly rootsy songs in gorgeous, surprising arrangements. It’s a big, powerful sound with instant accessibility, and on “Spin,” from their new EP of the same name, they evince even more pop prowess, showing glints in the melody of two NorCal hitmakers, Third Eye Blind and San Jose’s own Smash Mouth. (SP)

MITCH WOODS

FISHBONE

Poor House Bistro, San Jose Thu – 6pm; free

The Avalon, Santa Clara Thu – 7:30pm; $15/$17

If Louis Jordan or even Brian Setzer ever made you want to jump, jive ’n’ wail, Mitch Woods is the man for you. The boogiewoogie king of San Francisco, Woods has been recording with the Rocket 88s since the early ’80s, rockin’ the West Coast jump-blues style, giving it up for the Chicago greats and even finding his muse in the New Orleans sound. A versatile pianist, he calls his style “rock-a-boogie,” and he’ll be touring it nationally and internationally again next year. (SP)

For more than 25 years, the seminal alt-rock outfit from SouthCentral Los Angeles—anchored by founding members Angelo Moore, John Norwood Fisher and “Dirty” Walter Kibby—has craftily blended ska, funk and punk. The band recently helped fashion its own legacy with the documentary Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone, which came out this summer and has been a hit on the festival circuits. Insolence and Fungo Mungo open. (BD)

*fri

*sat

MARTIN LUTHER

STUNT MONKEY

Pagoda Restaurant & Bamboo Lounge, Fairmont Hotel, San Jose Fri – 9pm; $10

Homestead Lanes, Cupertino Sat – 8pm; $8

Best known for playing the Hendrix-inspired “Jo-Jo in Across the Universe,” the Bay Area’s own Martin Luther McCoy dropped the McCoy for his stage name because—well, wouldn’t you?

He’s put out three records of funky soul music on his own label, the latest being this year’s Love Is the Hero, while finding time to collaborate with the Roots and appear on Oprah. (SP)

Stunt Monkey has been around San Jose since 1997. In that time, they’ve been on the Warped Tour three years in a row, drove to Colorado to record an album with Bill Stevenson (Black Flag, Descendents, All), broke up and now play reunion shows every few years. You just can’t keep a good pop-punk band down, although their catchy tunes make me wonder why this band didn’t make it bigger. The Huxtables and Gnarboots open. (BD)

* concerts

41

SEASON OF HOPE

WILD JAM 2010

THE ROCKETTES

Dec 16 at 7:30pm, HP Pavilion

INTERFAITH GOSPEL CHOIR IN Dec 17 at 7:30pm, Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts C

MAGNIFICAT MIDNIGHT MASS MAG Dec 17 at 8pm, St. Patrick’s Seminary, Menlo Park

GAELIC CHRISTMAS Dec 18 at 7pm, Trinity Episcopal D Cathedral, San Jose

GRYPHON CAROLERS Dec 18 at 8pm, Spangenberg Auditorium, Palo Alto

MISSION CITY OPERA Dec 18 at 7:30pm, Dec 19 at 2:30pm, Mission CCity Center for Performing Arts, Santa Clara

SOUTH BAY GUITAR SOCIETY SOU Dec 18 at 3pm, Cambrian Branch Library, San Jose; Dec 21 at 6:30pm, Santa Teresa Branch Library, San Jose; free.

WINCHESTER ORCHESTRA W D 18 at 7:30pm, West Valley Dec College, Colle Saratoga; Dec 19 at 7pm, Trinity Cathedral, San Jose.

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PALO ALTO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Eagle Theater, Los Altos High School Sat – 8pm; $5-$15 Has it really been 240 years since Beethoven was born? Well, then, happy birthday, Ludwig! (Baptized Dec. 17, 1770, an auspicious run of 7s.) The Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra celebrates the occasion with a performance of the composer’s Piano Concerto no. 1, with guest artist David Deveau, and Symphony no. 6 (Pastoral).

The program, under the direction of Benjamin Simon, also features Shostakovich’s String Quartet no. 3 and Pavel Haas’ Study for String Orchestra. The later work adds the Sinfonia Orchestra to the mix. (MSG)

THE ROCKETTES HP Pavilion, San Jose Sat – 4 and 7pm, Sun – noon, 3:30 and 6:30pm; $37-$102 The grand tradition of leggy chorines performing with paradeground precision (best exemplified in the movies of Busby Berkeley and best paraphrased from William James as “The aesthetic equivalent of war”) lives on in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular With the Rockettes, which has been dazzling adults and children alike since the early 1930s. Now that we’re in another depression, the highstepping choreography, special effects and grand costumes of the traveling version of the show arrive just in time to help us forget, at least temporarily, our economic woes and pretend that “happy days are here again.” (MSG)

*sun BEACHKRIEG

VooDoo Lounge, San Jose Sun – 9pm; $5-$10 Three World War I German soldiers immersed themselves in surf music after being torpedoed by a French submarine and swimming to a tropical island. Ever since then, France has also been using propaganda to try to convince the band members that World War I is over. As if!

Taking nods from the Viscounts, Dick Dale and music of the seven seas, Beachkrieg makes you feel like grabbing your board and hitting the waves with Colonel Klink. With a keyboardist/vocalist, a drummer and a guitarist who occasionally plays the tuba, they stay true to form by also singing in German (even

Dec 31 at 9pm, HP Pavilion

EMANUEL AX Jan 12 at 8pm, Dinkelspiel Auditorium, Stanford

their covers—“Meine Generation,” anyone?). Other favorites include “Der Polizei” and “Das Juggernaut” from their latest album, Beach Attack.

Gott in Himmel, what a talented bunch of deutsch-bags! (BD)

WINTER’S GIFTS: BELLS Mission Santa Clara de Asis Sun – 7pm; $20/$30 Three groups—the Choral Project, San Jose Chamber Orchestra and Sonos Handbell Ensemble—get together for a holiday show with an emphasis on sounding brass. The selections for the concert include art-song carols like “Ring Out, Wild Bells” (a world premiere of a work by Brian Holmes) and “Fantasy on Carol of the Bells” as well as touchstones like “Ding, Dong Merrily on High” and “Silent Night.” (MSG)

LANG LANG Jan 23 at 7:30pm, California Theatre, San Jose

LUIS MIGUEL Jan 30 at 8pm, HP Pavilion

JEFF DUNHAM Feb 2 at 7:30pm, HP Pavilion

OZZY OSBOURNE SLASH Feb 3 at 7:30pm, HP Pavilion

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Sea Seasonal concerts thru Dec 23 at 7:30pm, Cathedral C Basilica of St. Joseph

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Abraham Lincoln’s Big Gay Dance Party Thursday–Saturday, 8pm, Sunday, 2pm; City Lights Theater, San Jose; $25–$35 Was the rail-splitter gay? This controversy lies at the heart of City Lights Theater Company’s flamboyant new political and social farce. The tale isn’t historical but contemporary, as a third-grade teacher is put on trial for telling her students about Abe’s supposed inclination. The action includes an energetic ensemble (playing multiple Lincolns) and audience participation.

Hybrid Spaces

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Exhibit runs through Jan. 8; MACLA, San Jose Three artists have collaborated on an installation show subtitled “Family Origins and Collaborations” for MACLA. Sisters Lisa and Janelle Iglesias (a.k.a. Las Hermanas Iglesias) use multimedia strategies to tease out the meaning of their unusual Norwegian/Dominican identities. Their piece Drawn Together takes off from local input by gallery visitors. Amy Diaz-Infante from Salinas looks at migration and identity in her works, including Wallpaper (pictured).

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Backwards in High Heels Runs through Dec. 19; San Jose Repertory Theatre; $35–$74

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This new musical follows the route to stardom of Ginger Rogers from a contest-winning Charleston to movies with Fred Astaire to an Oscar for Kitty Foyle. The story isn’t without pain—Ginger’s relationship to her mother was fraught, and she endured several divorces—but there are many glorious numbers by Berlin and Gerswhin to balance the hard times. Anna Aimee White displays skill and exuberance in the lead role.

Dave Lepori

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Every Christmas Story Ever Told Wednesday–Thursday, 7:30pm, Friday– Saturday, 8pm, Sunday, 2pm; The Stage, San Jose; $20–$45 Imagine Charles Dickens, Rankin/Bass, fruitcake and Santa Claus all stuffed into a blender and puréed, and you’ll have some idea of what Every Christmas Story Ever Told is about. In a short span of time, this zany holiday mashup comes extremely close to being literally what its title says it is. This is the last week to catch the San Jose Stage Company production.

Dance

BALLET SAN JOSE NUTCRACKER Choreographed by Dennis Nahat. This week: Fri, 7:30pm, Sat, 1:30 and 7:30pm, Sun, 1:30pm. Tue, 1:30 and 7:30pm.

Runs thru Dec. 26. $30-$100.

San Jose Center for the Performing Arts.

THE MESHUGANUTCRACKER! A different angle on the famous holiday ballet. Sat, 7:30pm, Sun, 1:30pm. Runs Thru Dec. 19. $24$36. The Retro Dome, San Jose.

408.404.7711.

MOSCOW BALLET The Russian version of Tchaikovsky’s tale. Fri, 8pm. $27.50-$87.50. Flint Center, Cupertino.

A WINTER FAIRY TALE A magical holiday show by Bayer Ballet Company of Mountain View. Sat, 5pm, Sun, Dec 19, 2pm. $25-$30.

Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.

Dance MISSION CITY OPERA A double bill of “Truce of Carols” and “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” Sat, 7:30pm, Sun, 2:30pm. $15-$45.

Mission City Center for the Performing Arts, Santa Clara.

Theater ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S BIG GAY DANCE PARTY Aaron Loeb’s farce gets its South Bay premiere by City Lights Theater Co. Thu-Sat, 8pm, Sun, 2pm. Runs thru Dec 19. $25-$35.

City Lights, San Jose.

BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS A musical about the life and career of Ginger Rogers. Tue, 7:30pm, Wed, 8pm, Thu-Fri, 8pm, Sat, 3 and 8pm, Sun, 2pm.

Runs thru Dec 19. $35-$74. San Jose Repertory Theatre.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL The Dickens tale as told by Northside Theatre Company.

Wed-Fri, 8pm, Sat, 5 and 8pm, Sun, 3pm. (Dec 24, 1pm). Runs thru Dec 24. $15-$20. Northside Theatre, San Jose.

A musical about family and giving at the holidays by TheatreWorks. Tue-Wed at 7:30pm, Thu-Fri at 8pm (plus Dec 23 at 2pm and Dec 24 at 7pm), Sat at 2 and 8pm, Sun at 2 and 7pm. (No show Dec 25.) Runs thru Dec 26. $19-$67.

Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto.

650.463.1960.

EVERY CHRISTMAS STORY EVER TOLD A romp through the holiday classics at high speed from San Jose Stage Company. Wed-Thu, 7:30pm, Fri-Sat, 8pm, Sun, 2pm.

Runs thru Dec 19. $20-$45. The Stage, San Jose.

THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI A musical version of two O. Henry stories by Tabard Theatre Company. Fri, 8pm, Sat, 3 and 8pm, Sun 2pm. Runs thru Dec 19. $10-$24. Theatre on San Pedro Square, San Jose.

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE A stage musical based on the Frank Capra film. Thu-Sat, 2 and 8pm, Sun, 2pm. Runs thru Dec 19. $32. Hillbarn Theatre, Foster City.

NOISES OFF South Valley Civic Theatre presents the farce by Michael Frayn. Fri-Sat, 8pm, Sun, 2:30pm. Runs thru Dec 18. $14/$18. Morgan Hill Community Playhouse.

Comedy COMEDYSPORTZ An interactive improvised comedy show. Fri, 9 and 11pm and Sat, 7 and 9pm. $12/$15.

ComedySportz, San Jose.

ROOSTER T. FEATHERS Wed, 8pm: New Talent Showcase. $10. Thu, 8pm, Fri, 9pm, Sat, 8 and 10:30pm, Sun, 8pm: Sadiki Fuller, Quinn Dahle and Daymon Ferguson. $12-$17.

Sunnyvale.

Wed, 8pm: Slanted Comedy. $12.

Thu, 8pm: Neal Brennan, creator of “Chappelle’s Show.” $16. FriSat, 7 and 9pm, Sun, 7pm: Rob Schneider. $30. San Jose.

Museums CANTOR ARTS CENTER

SANTASTIC!

DE SAISSET MUSEUM

A TUNA CHRISTMAS The holidays done Texas style.

Wed, 7:30pm, Thu-Sat, 8pm, Sun 3pm. Runs thru Dec 18. $30-$34. Bus Barn Stage, Los Altos.

XANADU AUDITIONS The Retro Dome is looking for actors to appear in first professional regional production of “Xanadu the Musical.” Singers/actors/

www.thetech.org

*art

Broadway West Theatre Company mounts Howard Burman’s play about a stranger who starts telling stories to some homeless people. ThuSat, 8pm, Sun, 1pm. Runs thru Dec 18. $17/$22. Broadway West Theatre, Fremont.

A holiday musical review with dancing elves and audience participation. Opens Fri, 7:30pm.

Regular shows: Fri, 7:30pm, Sat, 1:30pm, Wed-Thu, 7:30pm.

Runs through Dec 18. $24-$36.

The Retro Dome, San Jose.

408.404.7711.

World Premiere Now Open

SAN JOSE IMPROV

“Vodoun/Vodounon: Portraits of Initiates.”Thru Mar 20.

“Collection Highlights From Europe 1500-1800, Ancient Greece and Rome.”Thru Dec 30. “Mami Wata: Arts for Water Spirits in Africa and Its Diasporas.”Thru Jan 2.

“Chiaroscuro Woodcuts From 16th-Century Italy.”Thru Feb 27. Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm, Thu, 11am-8pm. Stanford.

AN O. HENRY CHRISTMAS

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dancers with comic timing sought. Prepare a showtune in ’80s pop vein. By appointment, Dec 15. Send headshot and résumé to contactus@ guggyent.com.

“LandsCApes: Glimpses of Everyday California.”Thru Jan 28. Tue-Sun, 11am-4pm. Santa Clara University.

HISTORY PARK SAN JOSE “Celebrating Local Artists: The Fifth Anniversary of the McKay Gallery. A look at the McKay’s collection, including paintings and rare sketches by ADM Cooper. Thru Mar 2011. Tue-Sun, 11am-5pm. San Jose.

Presented P resented by by

“Camp Days: 1942-1945.” Works about the internment camps by Chizuko Judy Sugita de Queiroz.

Thru Apr 30. Thu-Sun, noon4pm. San Jose.

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A CHRISTMAS MEMORY

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metroactive ARTS 43 SAN JOSE MUSEUM OF ART “Scaffolding + Sky.” A new installation by Denicia Gantner in skybridge. Ongling. “The Modern Photographer: Observation and Intention.”Thru Jul 3. “Leo Villareal.”Thru Jan 9. “Retro-Tech.”

Thru Feb 6. “Vital Signs: New Media From the Permanent Collection.”Thru Feb 6. “Degrees of Separation: Contemporary Photography From the Permanent Collection.”Thru Mar 14. Tue-Sun, 11am-5pm, closed Mon. San Jose.

SAN JOSE MUSEUM OF QUILTS AND TEXTILES “Cream of the Cloth: Quilts From the Marbaum Collection.” A rich sampling of contemporary quilts and fiber art. “Yvonne Porcella: Bold Strokes.” A 25-year survey.

Both shows run thru Jan 30. TueSun, 10am-5pm. San Jose.

TECH MUSEUM OF INNOVATION “Body Worlds Vital.” Mon-Wed, 10am-5pm, Thu-Sun, 10am-8pm.

San Jose.

TRITON MUSEUM OF ART “Heidi Brueckner.”Thru Feb 20.

“2010 Statewide Watercolor Competition/Exhibition.”Thru Feb 27. “Sweet Obsession.” Works

by Lynn Powers. Thru Feb 27. TueWed and Fri-Sun, 11am-5pm. Thu, 11am-9pm. Santa Clara.

Galleries

Hermanas Iglesias and Amy Diaz-Infante. Thru Jan 8. WedThu, noon-7pm, Fri-Sat, noon5pm. San Jose.

MAIN GALLERY Holiday show features gifts by local artists. Thru Dec 23. WedSun, 10am-3pm. Redwood City.

MONTALVO ARTS CENTER Sand mandala in the Project Space Gallery will be displayed until Thu (Dec 16) and then destroyed at closing ceremony.

Saratoga.

PSYCHO DONUTS “Creatures, Donuts and Such.”

Thru Jan 28. San Jose.

SAN JOSE INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART “Old Technology.” A retrospective

by SJSU artist Tony May. Thru Feb 26. Tue-Fri, 10am-5pm, Sat, noon-5pm. San Jose.

WORKS/SAN JOSE “Ring in the New.” A member exhibit. Thru Jan 7. San Jose.

*kids

THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER From California Theatre Center.

Fri, 7pm, Sat, 11am. $11/$12.

McAfee Center, Saratoga High School.

MADELINE’S CHRISTMAS

ANNO DOMINI

A family holiday show presented

by California Theatre Center. Fri, 7pm, Sat, 11am and 7pm, Sun, 2pm. $11/$12. Sunnyvale Theatre.

“Fresh Produce.” Thru Jan 8.

San Jose.

MADELINE’S CHRISTMAS

CONTINUING

CAFFE TRIESTE “Robot Girl.” Works by Christine Benjamin. Thru Jan 28. San Jose.

Palo Alto Children’s Theatre.

Wed-Fri, 7pm, Sat, 2 and 7pm, Sun, 2pm. Runs thru Dec 19. $8/$12.

Children’s Theatre, Lucie Stern Community Center, Palo Alto.

GAVILAN COLLEGE

Joshua Redma Redman: an: sol solo o sax saxophone opho one

A faculty exhibition. Thru Dec. 17. Fine Arts Gallery, Gavilan College, Gilroy.

Wed, W e ed, Jan 19, 7:30p 7:30pm pm St Starting arting at $36

GOOD KARMA VEGAN CAFE

The Berk Berkeley-born eleyy-born born sax saxophonist ophonist and ccomposer omposer is one of the mos mostt acclaimed charismatic artists emerge ac claimed and charismat ic jazz artis ts tto o emer ge in tthe he 1990s.

“SJSU Color 112: Exploring the Hyperreal.” An exhibit by photography students. Thru Jan 28. San Jose.

Redman ranks ranks with the top top o sax saxophonists ophonists in the world”( worlld”(Bos Boston ton Her Herald ra ald) and has been hail ed as “a a supr emelly aff able and flo owing impr ovisorr, at hailed supremely affable flowing improvisor, times a bor derline brillia ant one, w orking in a gl ow of o clarity y.” . (NY Times) borderline brilliant working glow clarity.”

Carriage House Theatre Theattre Box O Box Office, ffice, 408.961.5858, 408.961.5858 8, M-F, 10am-4pm tticketmaster.com icketmaster.com or montalvoarts.org mo ontalvoarts.org F ree on-site on-site parking!

Free

15400 Montalvo Montalvo Road Sar atoga, C A 95070 Saratoga, CA

HIGHER FIRE CLAYSPACE

*events DAVID BOZA

Urban folk rocker performs. Sat, 8pm. $50/$60. Schultz Cultural Arts Hall, Palo Alto.

CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK

“Geo Geometry.” Works by Doris Fischer-Colbre and Linda Mau. Thru Jan 1. San Jose.

Vintage displays create a North Pole atmosphere. Runs thru Jan 1, 9am-midnight. Plaza de Cesar Chavez, San Jose.

MACLA

DOWNTOWN ICE

“Hybrid Spaces: Family Origins & Collaborations.” Works by Las

Runs thru Jan 17. Downtown San Jose on Market at San Fernando.

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METROACTIVE.COM FANTASY OF LIGHTS Vasona Park is transformed into an illuminated wonderland with thousands of colorful displays along a 1.5-mile driving route.

Runs thru Dec 31, 6-10pm. $10/$15 per vehicle. Vasona Lake County Park, Los Gatos.

FUZZY BLANKET DRIVE Donations of clean blankets and towels for help SJ Animal Shelter.

Wed, 8-11pm. Cinebar, San Jose, and get a free well drink.

HALLELUJAH! IT’S THE HOLIDAYS STOCtet and Fun Times Singers perform traditional and contemporary seasonal songs. Fri-Sat, 7:30pm. $12-$15.

Cambrian Park United Methodist Church, San Jose.

HOME FOR THE HOLLA’DAYS II Magnetic North, Taiyo Na, Vudoo Soul and more appear in a benefit to raise money for women at risk of trafficking in Vietnam and Cambodia. Sat, 7pm. $20-$50.

Montgomery Theater, San Jose.

SANTA AND WAGON RIDES A chance to ride in a wagon pulled by a Percheron draft horse and meet Santa. Sat, all day.

Thru Dec 18. $8-$15. Bergmann Building, Willow Glen, San Jose.

SANTA IN THE TOWN PLAZA A chance to visit the man himself.

Sun, 11am-3pm. Thru Dec 19. $5.

Downtown Los Gatos.

SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS With five singing brothers from American Samoa. Sun, 6pm.

Venture Christian, Los Gatos.

SOUTH BAY GUITAR SOCIETY Two free holiday shows by SBGS Quartet. Sat, 3pm. Cambrian Library, Tue, 6:30pm. Santa Teresa Library, San Jose.

TIKKUN OLAM AWARD Nominations are being accepted by 2011 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam award; five California Jewish teens will be chosen. Anyone but family members can nominate.

Deadline is Dec 17. See www .jewishfed.org/diller/teenawards for details.

VIVACE TEEN ENSEMBLES A winter concert. Sat, 5pm. $8/$15. Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, San Jose.

STAGE

Nutty YOU HAVE probably never seen anything quite like The MeshugaNutcracker!, a crazy Chanukah celebration set almost entirely to the music of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker. It was conceived

by Guggenheim Entertainment as a Jewish alternative to the vast sea of Christmas-themed productions (for example, Santastic!, which is playing alongside The MeshugaNutcracker! at the Retro Dome with much of the same cast and crew) and is certain to be popular among Jewish families for this reason.

However, you don’t have to be Jewish, or even familiar with Jewish culture, to enjoy it. It’s educational as well as entertaining, so for anyone who has ever wondered what this holiday is all about, the show answers a lot of questions. Shannon Guggenheim (who also wrote the lyrics), Tony DiCorti, Hilary Little, Ashley Rae Little, Richard Sanchez, Gabrielle McColgan, Isai Centeno and Justin Basl play the townspeople of Chelm, whom Jewish tradition regards as amusingly foolish. This cast of characters certainly looks and acts the part. In their colorful, gaudy clothing, they sing and dance all over an equally colorful set. After remaking their dreidels to read “all” on each side (so that everyone who plays dreidel will win), the Chelmniks spin around in giant dreidel costumes. They also use an K_\ D\j_l^X upside-down Christmas tree as a menorah, ElkZiXZb\i singing “This is a menorah, can’t you see?/ What but a menorah could it be?” to the Saturday, 7:30pm tune of Tchaikovsky’s “The March.” Later, Sunday, 1:30pm “Chinese Dance” becomes a song about Retro Dome, San Jose making potato latkes. $24–$36 There are a few traditional Jewish songs included in the mix, but the rest is all Tchaikovsky, albeit played in a klezmerish style. This might seem like a strange combination, but it works surprisingly well (it got the whole audience clapping along), and there is some precedence for it. Back in the ’90s, Shirim Klezmer Orchestra released their Klezmer Nutcracker album, which more recently became the basis for an Off-Broadway production. And, as it turns out, Tchaikovsky himself may have been at least a little bit Jewish. Along with the music, there are stories told of Chanukah’s origins, of Judah Maccabee’s heroics and the Miracle of the Oil. Even the more serious tales convey an uplifting message of hope, and The MeshugaNutcracker! is an altogether lighthearted celebration of the holiday spirit and the perseverance of the Jewish people in the face of adversity that audiences of all ages will enjoy.—Sean Conwell

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Edmond Kwong

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STAGE

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O. Henry Treat MOST OF US are familiar with O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi” and, given the large number of adaptations and parodies it has spawned, it’s possible that some of us are a little sick of it. Nevertheless, a musical version now playing at the Tabard Theatre Company proves that this classic parable of love and generosity can be as fresh and enjoyable as it ever was.

O. Henry is famous for his ironic, playful stories with their witty depictions of average folk, especially New Yorkers, for whom he had great affinity. The Gifts of the Magi, a musical created in the 1980s by Randy Courts and Mark St. Germain, is actually based on two of these stories. It draws most prominently from the tale of Jim and Della (Matt DeMeritt and Charlotte Self, respectively), a young couple living in a tiny New York flat. They have very little money, but are deeply in love, and with Christmas approaching each wants to buy the other a special present. Almost everyone knows how this situation plays out, but for the sake of the few who might not, I won’t say any more about it.

While Jim is searching for work, a bum named Soapy (Kurt Gravenhorst), whose “blood turns blue at the slightest passing mention K_\ >`]kj f] of a job,” is desperately trying to get arrested K_\ DX^` and thrown in jail—a holiday vacation from the city streets. This subplot, taken from Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 3 O. Henry’s short story “The Cop and the and 8pm, Sunday at 2pm Anthem,” brings a large dose of humor that Theatre on San Pedro complements the main plot nicely.

Square, San Jose Our guide for the evening is Willy (Kevin $10–$24 Cornelius), a newsboy narrator who seems to know everyone on the streets of New York. Charles Woodson Parker and Irene Trapp play all the minor characters, including a couple of avaricious shopkeepers. Their musical number “Greed,” in which the two descend from the stage and get in the audience’s faces, even snatching a sip from one patron’s wine glass, is a high point. Another nice touch is the group of caroling children who provide bookend songs for the play and also sing outside the theater before the show starts.

Tabard’s The Gifts of the Magi fares very well in the intimate confines of the Theatre on San Pedro Square, and like the stories it was inspired by, it is warm, funny and sentimental in the very best sense of the word.—Sean Conwell

John Gerbetz

STAGE

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Nutcracker Notions ’TIS THE SEASON for Nutcrackers, and the Bay Area has many to choose from. If you want something refreshingly different that retains all the beauty and wonder of the tradition, make it to the Nutcracker produced by Ballet San Jose. Dennis Nahat has kept the traditional story of a young girl and her nutcracker Prince, and Tchaikovsky’s beloved music, but reimagined the scenario as she travels with him in a magical dream world. The result is a delightfully original staging.

Act 1 is a much more extended version of the family Christmas party, with a richness of detail in the staging that is fun to watch. Maria (Junna Ige) and her family have invited other families for a Christmas Eve dinner, and Herr Drosselmeyer (Raymond Rodriguez) arrives to hand out gifts and create some party fun. Rodriguez is a standout, as are Sarah Stein and Akira Takahashi as Grandma and Grandpa, and Shaina Leibson as the Maid, but everyone joins in the comical antics.

When Maria begins dreaming, the real fun begins, including the battle between the Mouse King (Willie Anderson) and the Nutcracker (Maykel Solas), his transformation into Prince Alexis, and their journey into a K_\ ElkZiXZb\i spectacular land of snow. Ige is lovely as Maria, a sweet ingénue with exceptional Through Dec. 26 technique, and her duets with the handsome San Jose Center for the and terrifically talented Solas are a treat.

Performing Arts $30–$100 Act 2 takes them through Spain, Arabia, Japan and finally Russia, with exotic marvels for each land. Lead Harem Girl Alexsandra Meijer is especially good. Tsar (Rudy Candia) and Tsarina (Beth Ann Namey) host a ball for the honored travelers, leading to a fabulous waltz for the school company—the kind of number that makes every little girl in the audience dream of becoming a ballerina, full of elegant lifts and flowing satin gowns. The dance also shows off the depth of talent and skill in the school company, which is considerable, displaying professionalism and expert training. The ball is punctuated by more dancing from Maria and Alexis, and the requisite pas de deux by the Tsar and Tsarina, all of whom are superb dancers, quite up to the challenges of Nahat’s stylish and graceful choreography. Statuesque Namey is particularly memorable, with outstanding pointe work and impeccable lines.

The second act does feel somewhat long, and the reprise of the ball dance a little redundant, but the closing scene is suitably charming.

The sets by David Guthrie are truly spectacular, generating appreciative applause with each reveal, and include the best snowstorm ever.

Kenneth Keith’s lighting nicely complements the stunning sets, often enhancing the beauty of the costumes. —Jeanie K. Smith

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M E T R OAC T I V E . C O M | SA N J O S E . C O M | D E C E M B E R 1 5 -2 1 , 2 0 1 0 | M E T R O S I L I C O N VA L L E Y

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in nK Kerouac’s er e ouac’s town of L Lowell, owell,, Mass Mass.. A Ass always, al lwayys, serious lo location cation work reduces reducces tthe he n need eed ffor or a llot ot o off eexplanatory xplanatory dialogue.

Fighter begins with di ialogue. The F iightteer be gins w ith a parade paarade of sor sorts: ts: ffollowed ollowed b o byy ccameras, ameraas, the the ttwo wo ggo o ffor or a w walk aallk tthrough hrough tthe he their highth heir town,, shaking hands and high hfiving fivving the passers-by. passers-b by. One disgruntl disgruntled ed local off w water loc o al ttosses osses a ccup up o ater aatt tthem hem from from o his second-story second-story window, window w, and d the film fillm slips into a gr groove oove of b believability. elievabiilitty.

Road-crew and Road-crew llaborer ab borer an nd sstriving triving boxer bo oxer M Micky icky W Ward arrd ((Mark Mark W Wahlberg) ah hlberg) has been his with has be en ttraining raining aall ll h is llife ife w ith his his elder elder half-sibling, hallf-sibling, Dicky Dicky Eklund Eklund (Christian (Christian nB Bale). alle). W Wee ssee ee tthem hem ttogether ogether on on a ccouch, ouch, ttalking alking tto o tthe he ccamera amera n what seems to be be a do cumentary in documentary ab bout the ttwo w wo br others’’ ccomeback. omeback. about brothers’ Dicky’s was Dicky’s ggreat reat cclaim laim tto o ffame am ame w as

knocking out Sugar Ra knocking Ray ay L Leonard eonard (the smo oth L eonard pla ayys himself here), here), smooth Leonard plays and he he’s ’s rready eady to rremind emin nd an any ny listener bout. of that b out.

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p ressure o nM icky tto ok eep D icky aass pressure on Micky keep Dicky his trainer a e .O Onee lit tlee pr p oblem o e with trainer. little problem tthe he eelder lder h alf-brother’s w ork: h e’s a half-brother’s work: he’s hop eless cr rack addict. hopeless crack The F ighteer h as aan n eexcellent xcellent ssubject ubject Fighter has ffor o or a working-class workiing-class film: the pr oblem problem o off ssomeone omeone rrising, ising, aanchored nchored b byy a cclose lose ffamily—anchored amily—anchored iin n tthe he ssense ense o off tthe he w word ord tthat hat m means eans ““something something that drags yyou o ou down.”

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Bale is a sm smoking, moking, ruined lo locomotive comotive fr om the gget -go go. from get-go.

R Russell u ussell handles h Dick Dicky’s ky’ y s turning p oint,, his rrecovery, ecovery, with an point, inter interestingly estinggly antique method: method: doubledoubleeexposure-like xposure-liik ke images of his bout bout with L Leonard eonard fli flicker ick ker e ab above ove his b bed ed as he ssweats weats out out the the crack cracck cocaine. cocaine. There There are are o only nly sso om many any ways ways to to shoot shoot a boxing boxing mo vie, let alone a a boxing boxing scene. scene. R ussell u movie, Russell aavoids vo oids mos most st of the R Raging aging a Bull Bullisms lisms b tfor o waardly as a byy filming as straight straightforwardly d documentary ocumentary cameraman. cameram man n. Russell Russell shows us th he scienc the sciencee of prizefighting prizefighting,, tthe he d dodging odging and an nd dancing dan ncing more more than than the slamm ming fists slamming fists..

IInevitably, nevitab bly, there there is is that that visual visuall n ecessity: the the slo-mo, slo-mo, sweat-splashing sweat-splasshing necessity: jaw, punch to the th he ja aw, a shot just derided Jackass Ass in J aackass 3D 3 ass “The “The Rocky.

Ro ocky.” A usual in a b boxer’s oxer’s biopic biopic,, the height o off tthe he ar arm’s rm’s arc, arrc, the the n narrowness arrrowness o off tthe he vvictories ictories and and eeven ven tthe he size size of of the the opp opponents onentss ar aree exaggerated. exaggerated. xaggerated It’s It’s already already notorious on o the Internet that Mik Mikee M Mungin ungin had had fewer fewer than than n 110 0 po pounds unds on on War Ward, d,, not 20 as it says saays y her here. e.

The plea pleasures asures of The F Fighter iightteer ccome ome iin n tthe he well-done well-done performances perfforman nces and an nd tthe he well-filled-in well-filled-i in backgrounds backgrounds more more than in the struc structure cture itself itself.f. If the facts are are sslightly lightly fast faasst and and loose, loose, so, so, blessedly, blessedly, is is Russell’s R u ussell’s di direction. irection.

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FROM THE DIRECTOR OF â&#x20AC;&#x153;CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANSâ&#x20AC;?

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metroactive FILM HOW DO YOU KNOW

New ALL GOOD THINGS

THE HUFFINGTON POST

(R; 101 min.) See review on page 52.

(Opens Fri at Camera 3 in San Jose and the Guild in Menlo Park.)

THE FIGHTER (R; 114 min.) Review, page 48. (Opens Fri.)

(PG-13; 116 min.) Two men contend for the affections of Lisa (Reese Witherspoon), an exâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;softball player. Matty (Owen Wilson) is a genial, promiscuous pitcher for the Washington Nationals. George (Paul Rudd) is too nice and too intimidated to pounce on Lisa. Sedation sets in. How Do You Know is ďŹ lmed

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by director James L. Brooks with little interest for the cityscapes of Washington, D.C. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s staffed by easily recognized sitcom types who stay typed throughout the ďŹ lm. Brooks is trying to force these actors into the mold of some of his older stars, but Witherspoon is too seething to be Mary Tyler Moore, and Rudd doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the shrewdness of Albert Brooks. Using the same kind of rhythms, gags and teaching moments of â&#x20AC;&#x2122;70s network-TV comedy, director Brooks is trying to address recession misery. Lisa and George are without jobs and may not get hired again. Unfortunately, as in his last ďŹ lm, Spanglish, Brooks has no handle on the way the lower class lives today. (Read a full-length review online at metroactive.com) (Opens Fri.) (RvB)

THE KINGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SPEECH (R; 118 min.) Colin Firth plays King George VI, who works to overcome a speech impediment with the help of Geoffrey Rush. Helena Bonham Carter plays the queen. (Opens Fri at CinĂŠArts Palo Alto.)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;OUTRAGEOUSLY FUNNY!â&#x20AC;?

-Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

â&#x20AC;&#x153;THE FUNNIEST FILM OF THE YEAR!â&#x20AC;?

-Peter Debruge, THE VILLAGE VOICE

TRON: LEGACY (PG; 127 min.) The long-awaited sequel (we guess) to the beforeits-time virtual-world adventure.

(Opens Fri.)

YOGI BEAR (PG; 80 min.) A big-screen version of the popular TV show. (Opens Fri.)

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ANDY HARDY MEETS DEBUTANTE/SUN VALLEY SERENADE (1940/1941) One hears so much about dysfunctional families. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a ďŹ lm about probably the only functional family that ever existed, and wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you know it, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re imaginary. The deb is Diana Lewis, who quit showbiz to marry William Powell. Mickey Rooney stars, as always. Judy Garland sings â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Nobodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Baby.â&#x20AC;? BILLED WITH Sun Valley Serenade. Glenn Miller ďŹ&#x201A;ies to Idaho and gets wrapped up with some musical-comedy complications involving a Norwegian war refugee (ice-skating champ Sonja Henie).

Well-appointed stuff that skates along, with the aid of Astaire-Rogers choreographer Hermes Pan, songs

by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chattanooga Choo-Chooâ&#x20AC;? as performed by Dorothy Dandridge and the Nicholas Brothers. (Plays Dec 18-20 in Palo Alto at the Stanford Theatre.) (RvB)

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REVIEW

metroactive FILM CHARULATA/MAHANAGAR (1964/1963) â&#x20AC;&#x153;The setting is a Western-style mansion, the dĂŠcor is Victorian . . . but beneath the veneer of familiarity the ďŹ lm is chockablock with details to which he [the Western viewer] has no access. Snatches of song, literary allusions, domestic details . . . all give the ďŹ lm a density missed by the Western viewer.â&#x20AC;? This

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ďŹ rm critic-prooďŹ ng comes from an interview with director Satyajit Ray in Sight and Sound, quoted by Andrew Robinson. In fact, Charulata is a particularly dense and slow ďŹ lm, pregnant with details about the struggle to liberalize India. And yet itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impossible not to respond to the plight of Charuâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;called Charulata as a pet nameâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as played by Madhabi

â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;THE FIGHTERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; IS â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ROCKYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; PLUS â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;THE BLIND SIDEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; PLUS â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;THE DEPARTEDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; BUT ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MORE SATISFYING THAN ANY OF THEM N8K:? FLK =FI ?L99P IpXe >fjc`e^ `j k_\ g\i]\Zk _ljYXe[ ]fi B`ijk\e ;lejk lek`c _\ `jeĂ&#x160;k `e Ă&#x2030;8cc >ff[ K_`e^j%Ă&#x160;

Class Divide IT IS strangely comforted watching how mixed up All Good Things is; one feels a lot better about not being able to draw a bead on the ďŹ lm from seeing its previews. Andrew Jarecki (of the fascinating documentary Capturing the Friedmans) directs this ďŹ ctionalized account of the Robert Durst case. A miscast Ryan Gosling plays David Marks, the recessive, tight-nerved scion of a New York real estate fortune.

On the one hand, Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arrogant father (Frank Langella) is buddies with Sen. Daniel Moynihan. On the other, part of the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immense fortune depends on David acting like a bag man, picking up briefcases full of dollars as rent from the seedy hotels and grindhouse theaters of Times Square in the 1970s.

Alienated by this dirty job (and haunted by the terrible death of his mother), David tries to ďŹ nd some happiness in his marriage with Katie (Kirsten Dunst).

But her desire to have a family shakes him up; he starts to go more erratic, ever more violent.

Dunst canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do much with this lambto-slaughter role; neither can Kristen Wiig in a serious part as Katieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conďŹ dent. Diane Venora gives the least-heated performance in this movie full of obsessives and victims. Playing a prosecutor, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seen leaning back,

talking to an aide, while resting a nice leg on her desk. She looks sure of herself, in short, and we feel like somethingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to get solved when sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on the case, but that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen.

BECAUSE OF ITS VIGOR, ITS AFFECTION FOR ALL THESE DAFT SOULS AND ITS SENSE OF HUMOR.â&#x20AC;?

RICHARD CORLISS

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; THIS IMMERSIVE MARVEL OF A MOVIE SNEAKS UP AND FLOORS YOU.â&#x20AC;?

PETER TRAVERS

Taking place between the 1970s and the year 2000, All Good Things sprawls.

Worse, Jarecki uses a patchwork of cinematic styles, none of which seem right: 8cc >ff[ the scavenged homeK_`e^j movie ďŹ&#x201A;ashbacks, or the R; 101 min.

Venetian-blind-shaped Opens Friday shadows of a ďŹ lm noir. at Camera 3 The conventional-thriller in San Jose and the Guild stylings of soundtrack in Menlo Park artist Rob Simonsen and a few amoral Steely Dan tunes suggest that the best way to proceed would have been fast, dark and cynical, but All Good Things is soggy with pity; it stresses David as a damaged child who goes on to do damage.

This murder story got overinďŹ&#x201A;ated.

Jarecki considers it a telling record of a time, but the movie lacks period atmosphere. The tale is too unusual to credit as an indictment of rich peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s privilege, plus it seems equally uneasy on both sides of the class divide.

Ultimately All Good Things dies trying to be an American Tragedy in the Dreiser sense.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Richard von Busack

STARTS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17 AT THEATRES EVERYWHERE

53 grows hair on her nose after dreams of lycranthropy and runs with wolves after many a sex scene. Co-starring Howard Ross, of 1971â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s When Men Carried Clubs and Women Played Ding Dong. (Plays Dec 17 at midnight in Campbell at Camera 7; free.) (RvB)

NILES FILM MUSEUM Dec 18: The Cure (1917) with

M E TR O S I L I C O N VA L L E Y | D E C E M B E R 1 5-2 1 , 2 0 1 0 | SA N J O S E . C O M | M E T R OAC T I V E . C O M

Mukherjee. At heart, she represents the plight of any woman who masks her intelligence in the name of love. The time is 1879. An earnest limousine-liberal heir named Bhupat (Shailen Mukherjee) has started a weekly newspaper aligned with the British left. His rafďŹ sh cousin Amal (Soumitra Chatterjee) arrives to help but ďŹ nds himself drawn to the neglected wife, Charu. The fact that there is such a high level of propriety in this mĂŠnageâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and the fact that Charlu isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the kind of woman who would have an affairâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;makes this relationship between Charu and Amal more complex. Ray felt this ďŹ lm was his best. BILLED WITH Mahanagar. A city clerk loses his job; and with immense injury to his pride, his wife (Mukherjee) becomes a saleswoman. Director Ray handles the dispute between husband and wife with a sensitivity that other feminist ďŹ lmmakers would do well to emulate. (Plays Dec 16-17 in Palo Alto at the Stanford Theatre.) (RvB)

Charlie Chaplin as a wealthy drunk taking the waters. Among Those Present (1921) with Harold Lloyd impersonating a society fox hunter.

Convict 13 (1920) with Buster Keaton mistaken for an escaped prisoner.

Big Business (1929) with Laurel and Hardy. Judy Rosenberg at the piano.

(Plays Dec 18 in Fremont at the Edison Theater.) (RvB)

Jim Ferguson, ABC-TV

Francine Brokaw, Los Angeles Family Magazine

THE LEGEND OF THE WOLF WOMAN (1976) Also known as The Wolf Woman or Werewolf Woman. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She is Daniella, possessed with an evil that is older than time itself, an evil that turns her life into a bloody nightmare. So brutal, so horrifying, that it was kept from the public for over a century!â&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201D;from the trailers.

Where the inevitable becomes evitable department: Annik Borrel

For showtimes, advance tix and more, go to

cameracinemas.com

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â&#x20AC;˘ 41 N. Santa Cruz â&#x20AC;˘ 395-0203 *TRON LEGACY (PG)

COLUMBIA PICTURES PRESENTS A GRACIE FILMS PRODUCTICO- ON A FILM BY JAMES L. BROOKS â&#x20AC;&#x153;HOW DO YOU KNOWâ&#x20AC;? KATHRYN HAHN PRODUCER ALDRIC LAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;AULI PORTER MUSIC MUSIC EXECUTIVE SUPERVISION BY NICK ANGEL BY HANS ZIMMER PRODUCERS JOHN D. SCHOFIELD RICHARD SAKAI PRODUCED WRITTEN AND

BY JAMES L. BROOKS PAULA WEINSTEIN LAURENCE MARK JULIE ANSELL DIRECTED BY JAMES L. BROOKS

LOVE & OTHER DRUGS (R) BURLESQUE (PG-13)

â&#x20AC;˘ 201 S. 2nd St, S.J. â&#x20AC;˘ 998-3300 Student Night Wednesdays -- $6 after 6pm *TRON LEGACY (3D & 2D) (PG) DUE DATE (R) *THE FIGHTER (R) *HOW DO YOU KNOW (PG-13) *YOGI BEAR (PG) LOVE & OTHER DRUGS (R) *BLACK SWAN (R) *BURLESQUE (PG-13) *CHRONICLES OF NARNIA (in 2D) (PG) *THE TOURIST (PG-13) UNSTOPPABLE (PG-13) HARRY POTTER 7 (PG-13) TANGLED (2D) (PG)

â&#x20AC;˘ 288 S. Second, S.J. â&#x20AC;˘ 998-3300 *ALL GOOD THINGS (R) *I LOVE YOU, PHILLIP MORRIS (R) OPENS 12/22! LITTLE FOCKERS TRUE GRIT OPENS 12/24! TINY FURNITURE OPENS 12/25! KINGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SPEECH GULL. TRAVELS

DISCOUNT (10 Admits/$60) / GIFT CARDS

STARTS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17

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metroactive MUSIC

Enter Sandman

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?<E L^cp N`ee\iÊj ?<E L^cp N`ee\iÊj K XbXj_` DXb`ef KXbXj_` DXb`ef jXpj _\ nfibj fe jXpj _\ nfibj fe _`j dlj`Z Çgi\kkp _`j dlj`Z Çgi\kkp dlZ_ Xcc k_\ k`d\#È _\ `jeÊk dlZ Xcc k_ dlZ_ _\ k`d\#È _\ `jeÊk b`[ b`[[`e^% NXb`e^ X _flij Xcfe\# b`[[`e^% NXb`e^ _flij Xcfe\# `e ]XZk# Xi\ efk \efl^_% `e ]XZk# XZk Xi\ \ efk \efl^_% ““A A lot of it h has to do with dreams, dreams,” saays ssays ys Makino.

Makino M no. “In “ the last few few yyears, ears e , been pretty wake tthey’ve the hey’v y ve b een pr p ettty vivid. I w ak ke up in the morning the morning, m ni , and I rremember emember these tthings..” thin things Makino M ak kino says says tthat hat aabout bout h b half alf o off tthe he so songs he write writes es come come fr from om dr dreams. eams.

That anyone who’s T hat at shouldn’t shouldn’t surprise surprise an nyone w ho’s heard new h hear ard Ugly Ugly Winner’s Wiinner’ n s ne w album, Minutes, Minu M Minut tes es, Years Yeearrs and Never, Never, which gets with a proper proper release release celebration celebration w ith

the b the band’s and’s sshow how W Wednesday ednesday aatt tthe he B lank Club ke Blank Club.. Some of the songs songs,, lik like ““Bloodlines” Bloodlines” an and nd ““Dreamer, Dream mer,” ccontain ontain eexplicit x xplicit rreferences effeerences to their origins in n the subconscious. th he sub conscious.

Others O thers llike ike ““Summer Summer S Sun” un” an and nd “River “R River W Wild” iild”” ar aree built on spra sprawling awling w g unexpected waves ssoundscapes oundscap pes aand nd u nexpected w aves off instrument instrumentation ation that ccan an only b bee described de escribed as dr dreamlike. eamlike. In the samee way Lynch’s best w ay that David Daavvid L ynch’s b est films turn t eeveryday veryd daay set settings tttings into surr surreal eal st stages, agees, so do d oM Makino’s ak kino’s ssongs ongs ccreate reate tthe he ffeeling eeling tthat hat he he has hass one one foot fo oot iin n tthe he w waking ak king w world, , one in the ttwilight w wilight zone zone.. ““It It rreally eallly h has ass tto o ggrab rab bm mee iin no order rder ffor or about says. m to write ab me out it,” he sa ayys. “It ccan’t a ’t an just ju ust b bee an any ny old dr dream. eam. It has to ma make ak ke m ffeel me eeel lik likee it it’s ’s almost rreal. eal.”

Even E ven sso, o, M Makino ak kino h has ass be been en p prolific rolific enough en nough to write a flood flood of materia material, al, enough both Ugly Winner nough ffor o or b oth U gly W inner i and d en project, Soft Knife, which aanother nother p roject, S oft K nife, w hich

moree singer/ has a bit of a folkier, folkier o , mor m ssongwriter-oriented ongwriter-oriented ssound ound tthan han tthe he quirky driving quirk ky but often drivin ng indie rock rock of Ugly Winner.

Clearly, man U gly W inner. C learrly, tthe he m an sspends pends a fair amount on dream dream m journals journals..

“I’m luck ky, the last yyear eear or so songs lucky, have ha ave just b been een ccoming omingg out of me, me,” he sa says. ayys.

His has H is rrapidly apidly eexpanding xpan nding ssongbook ongbook h as ahead led Makino to push ah head relentlessly, relentlesslyy, tthough hough he’s he’s ssays ays tthat’s hat’s h his is n natural aturall anyway.

Even off a iinclination nclination an nyway. E ven tthe he iidea dea o CD-release CD -release l show h seemss dated d d to him, hi although Minut Minutes, teess, Y Years ear e rs and Ne Never ver is ccertifiably ertifiably brand spa spanking anking new. new.

Perhaps P erhaps tthat’s hat’s tto o be eexpected xpe p cted w when hen one written half o ne has hass aalready lready w ritten h allf tthe he ssongs ongs ffor or o the ne next xt album,, ma making aking this the raree CD rar CD-release -release show wher w wheree the band will w ill aalso lso be d debuting ebuting ssongs ongs ffrom rom tthe he rrecord ecord after the ne new w rrecord. ecord.

“I’m that guy who who’s ’s quick to sa say, ay, that’s done,, let let’s move ‘OK,, that ’s done ’s mo m ove on,’” admits Makino..

Makino One off tthe off d doing O ne o he cchallenges halllenges o oing Minutes, Years Never was Minut teess, Y eearrs and Ne ver er w aas holding ttogether ogether a b bunch unch o off ssongs ongs tthat hat ssounded, ounded, iin n ssome ome ccases, ases, vvery, eryy, vvery ery different. d iff ffeerent. IIt’s t’s a p problem roblem tthat hat M Makino ak kino brought himself,f, and admits he br ought on himself one hee could never have o ne he he ssays ays h could n ever h ave ssolved olved

LLeslie eslie Hampton H

54

without the th he abilities of bassist Todd Todd Flanagan g and a drummer Nick Lopez.

Lop pez.

“I ccouldn’t ouldn’t ask ffor o or a b etttter rhythm rh hythm y better section ffor o orr an ny band,” he sa ayys. “One any says. of the thin ngs with Ugly Ugly Winner Wiinner that I things alw ays y str e to the guys is trying ess trying not always stress to mak makee the th he songs sound an anything nything y But wee have aalike. like. B ut w have a ccertain ertain sound sound tthat hat makes makes tthose hose songs songs tthat hat sound sound so so different Winner. diff ffeerent from frrom ‘Ugly ‘U Uggly W iinner.’”

IIndeed, ndeed, tthe he unpredictable unpredictable fl flow ow of of off iits tthe he aalbum lbum is is one one o ts charms. charms. It It can can ssound ound llike ike buzzing, buzzing, chugging chugging rock rock o on n “River like “Riv er Wild” Wil ild”” or almost lik ke Americana Americana on “Mend Your Your o Hear Heart. t.” Horns come come nowhere, opening out of now where, and the op ening and cclosing losing ““Intro” Intro” and an nd “Outro” “Outro” are are like like raw slices post-punk psychedelia. ra aw slic es of o p ostt--punk ps ycchedelia.

A And nd yyet, et, tthere here are are cconstants—the onstan nts—the otherworldly o therworldly reverb, reverb, the the insistent insistent sstrum trum of of M Makino’s akino’s guitar, guitarr, the the stretch stretch of of range, his vvocal ocal ra ange, Lopez’s Lopez’s shuffling beat. beat.

Ugly Winner’s U gly W inner’s outside-of-the-box outside-of-the-box makes sound un nd mak kes them soul mates with thee ccrop rop off unusual South Bay Baay bands that at have have sprung sprung up up iin n tthe he last last couple couple of yyears, off which ears, o which tthe he Mumlers Mumlers aare re thee q quintessential uintessential example exam mple ((and an nd perhaps, erhaap ps, tthough hough they they have have never never been off een ggiven iven credit credit for for it, it, tthe he leaders leaders o a mo movement). oveemeent). Refreshingly, Refr e eshinglyy, Makino with passion; eembraces mbraces tthe he local local sscene cene w ith p assion; rather challenges,, rathe er than n focus focus on its challenges many do, hee ccredits with aass sso om any d o, h redits iitt w ith nurturing distinctivee sound sound. nur turing the band’s band’ band s distinctiv off tthe wee play ““One One o he reasons reassons w play in in San San because off tthe here, hee JJose ose iiss be cau ause o he sscene cene h ere,” h ssays. ays. ““We’re We’re friends friends with with Doctor Doctor Nurse Nurse Mumlers, umlers, those are are bands we and the M love. think lo ve. I thin nk a lot of [what we’re we’re doing] has do with wee ssurround h ass tto od ow ith tthe he bands ban nds w urround ourselves with. o urselves w ith. That That helped helped in in tterms erms little of making it a lit ttle t bit different. diff ffeerent.”

And A nd without without a doubt, doubt, Makino Makino is is all all iin n on on the the band’s band’s unique unique sound, sound, aware aware off the o the ssongs’ ongs’ ability ability to to connect connect quickly quickly with because off ttheir unique w ith tthe he llistener istener b ecause o heir u nique rather qualities ra ather than in spite of them. ““I’m I’m a little little bit bit hardheaded, harrdheaded, sticking sticking myy guns way to m gun ns and saying saaying y this is the w ay be,,” h hee ad admits. iitt sshould hould be b dmits. “I “I don’t don’t think think people should bee afraid of doing what p eople sho ould b tthey hey tthink hink iiss right, right, even even iiff it it means means no no one is goin going ng to listen to yyou. ou. o ”

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metroactive MUSIC

More listings:

55

METROACTIVE.COM

M E TR O S I L I C O N VA L L E Y | D E C E M B E R 1 5 -2 1 , 2 0 1 0 | SA N J O S E . C O M | M E T R OAC T I V E . C O M T

FEATURED LISTINGS

Kylle Reece Friday, 7pm, Art Boutiki, San Jose, Come with him if you want to live! Oh, wait, not that Kyle Reece. This one has two “l’s,” and while I don’t know if he can travel back in time to father a child before he himself was even born, I’m quite sure the San Jose singer/songwriter knows how to write a mean, Ted Leo–type guitar riff to give some edge to his alt-pop tunes. (SP)

Limousines Friday, 9pm, Blank Club, San Jose; $10–$12 The subtext of the Limousines’ latest single on Bay Area alt-radio is enough to drive you crazy: “The kids are disco dancing, they’re tired of rock and roll, don’t bother telling them that drum machine ain’t got no soul.” It was complicated enough trying to figure out how ironic/sarcastic Eric Victorino was being back when this electro duo only used a drum machine themselves. Now that they’ve got a live drummer, I give up. (SP)

Burnside Drive Saturday, 6pm, Nickel City, San Jose; $8 This San Jose metal band formed earlier this year and had their “Confined” single out by summer. Melodic with a touch of gloss, vocalist Erik keeps it raw with a yell that goes from screamo to neutral to straight-up Cookie Monster. (SP)

D\kifÊj dlj`Z ZXc\e[Xi ilej N\[e\j[XpÅKl\j[Xp%

Rock/Pop

Boxers, Those Charming Crooks.

Cupertino.

CAFFE TRIESTE ANGELICA’S BISTRO

Sat, 8pm: Bobby Boston. Free.

San Jose.

Mon, 7pm: Marty Atkinson.

Redwood City.

BLINKY’S Sat, 9:30pm-1:30am: Dave Crimmen, rock and blues. Free.

Santa Clara.

CAPERS

ART BOUTIKI

BOSWELL’S

CARAVAN

Wed: Jack Rip Off. Thu: Bitch’n Camaros. Fri: Suga Daddy. Sat: Whiskey Avengers. Mon: Drive!

Campbell.

Thu-Sat: Live music. San Jose.

Fri, 7pm: Kylle Reece, Hometown, the Devil’s Sunday Best. All ages. San Jose.

AVALON Thu, 7:30pm: Fishbone, Insolence, Fungo Mungo, Funk the Band, Dirty Filthy Mugs.

Benefit for Second Harvest Food Bank. $15/$17. Santa Clara.

THE BLANK CLUB Wed, 9pm: Ugly Winner, Summer Darling, Cannons and Clouds. Free. Fri, 9pm: Limousines. $10/$12. San Jose.

BRITANNIA ARMS ALMADEN Thu: After Party. Fri: Fast Times.

Sat, 7pm: Jennifer Haywood. Sat, 10pm: Groovenugget. San Jose.

BRITANNIA ARMS CUPERTINO Sat, 9pm: The Found, Los Hot

Fri-Sat, 8:30pm: Live music.

Campbell.

CLUB FOX Sat, 7pm: The Delgado Brothers, Stan Erhart. $15/$17. Redwood City.

THE GRAPEVINE Fri: Daemon City Lights, Peter Chung. Sat: Iwalani. Willow Glen.

HOMESTEAD LANES Sat, 8pm: Stunt Monkey, Jonny

56

Buy tickets at livenation.com. To charge by phone (800) 745-3000. Limit 8 tickets per person. All dates, acts and ticket prices are subject to change without notice.

All tickets are subject to applicable service charges.

M E T R OAC T I V E . C O M | SA N J O S E . C O M | D E C E M B E R 1 5 -2 1 , 2 0 1 0 | M E T R O S I L I C O N VA L L E Y

56

metroactive MUSIC 55 Manak & the Depressives, the Huxtables, Touch My Rash. All ages. Cupertino.

JOHNNYV’S Fri: Dub Massive. San Jose.

LILLYMAC’S Fri: Cadillac Jack. Sat: Aftershock.

Sunnyvale.

MOUNTAINCHARLEY’S Fri, 8pm: Almost Honest. $5. Los Gatos.

MURPHY’SLAW Thu: Maneck. Fri: Dave Abbott Band. Sat: Hook. Sunnyvale.

NICKELCITY Fri, 6pm: Burnside Drive, Next Stop Mars, Otonamous, Eyes Like Mine, Coin Laundry, Hysteria, Chris Vaughn. All ages. Sat, 6pm: Unconventional Thought Process, Adversara, Domination, Me the Mountain, Ayden James, Endings for Anastasia, To Memory and Me. All ages.

San Jose.

NUMBERONEBROADWAY Wed, 9:30pm: JC Smith Jam Band. Thu, 9:30pm: Marvin Banks. Fri, 9:30pm: Groove Doctors. $10 Sat, 9:30pm: Megatones. $10. Los Gatos.

Pantea. Fri: Salsa. Sat: Sabados Latinoamericanos. Sun-Mon: Argentine Tango. Tue: Salsa with Pantea. Mountain View.

GRAND DELL SALOON

AZUCAR

HEDLEY CLUB

Fri-Sat and Tue, 9pm: Live music with Son de Kali and Orquesta Saboricua. San Jose.

Wed, 7:30pm: Hedley Club Jazz Jam. Thu, 8-11pm: Russo Alberts Trio. Fri, 8:30pm-12:30am: Masha Campagna. Sat, 8:30pm12:30am: The VW Brothers.

Hotel de Anza, San Jose.

CASCAL Fri, 9:30pm: LaTiDo. Sat, 8:30pm: James Robinson.

Mountain View.

LILLY MAC’S Sun, 6pm: Irish music. Tue: Irish dancing. Sunnyvale.

MOROCCO’S RESTAURANT Wed, 6pm-midnight: Flamenco.

Fri, 6pm-midnight: Ambient lounge music and belly dancing.

Sat, 6pm-midnight: Doris Williams and friends. Sun, 6pm: Moroccan music and belly dancing. Mon: French Music Night. San Jose.

PARRANDA NIGHTCLUB Thu-Sat: Live music. Sunnyvale.

RISTORANTE FRATELLO

SOUTHFIRSTBILLIARDS Fri: Sporadic Spontaneous, Factory Minds and Cadent. Sat: Distant Dice. San Jose.

VOODOOLOUNGE Thu, 9pm: Northern Son. CDrelease show. $5/$10. Sat, 9pm: BeachKreig. $5/$10. Tue, 7pm: Anti Anti Holidaze R Bizzare. Live music. San Jose.

World ALBERTO’S Wed: Bachata. Thu: Salsa with

LOFT BAR AND BISTRO Thu, 7-10pm: Live jazz. San Jose.

MOROCCO’S RESTAURANT Thu, 6pm-midnight: Jazz night with Jason. San Jose.

A PERFECT FINISH

Sat, 10pm: Peruvian. Tue, 7:30pm. Irish. Mountain View.

Fri, 7:30-9:30pm: Celtic Rose.

Mountain View.

Fri: Rhythmscapes. Free. Sat: Brandon Walker’s Holiday Smash. Free. Mountain View.

Wed, 7pm: Blues Angel. Thu, 7pm: Bob Gonzalez, TJ Politzer and more. Fri, 7pm: KSCU Christmas party with JC Smith, the Lucky Man Blues Band, Dog House Riley. $10. Sat, 7pm: Vicious Groove. $10. Sun, 7pm: Larry Valdez. Mon, 7pm: Wayne’s Way Band. Tue, 7pm: Dennis and Stuart, Blue J. San Jose.

STEPHENS GREEN

WILLOW GLEN COFFEE

REDROCKCOFFEEROASTING

J.J.’S BLUES CAFE

MURPHY’S LAW

Fri, 9pm: Martin Luther and Quetzal Guerrero. Inside Fairmont Hotel, San Jose.

Fri, 8:30pm: Artistic Lube. Sat, 8:30pm: Horizon of Fire, Wicked Fools. $8. Sat, 3:30pm: Phil Berkowitz. Sun, 8:30pm: Pro jam.

Sunnyvale.

Thu, 8pm: Blues jam with Aki. Fri, 8pm: Mark Harvey Band. Sat, 8pm: Tip of the Top. Campbell.

Fri, 7pm: Claudio, Italian classical guitar and vocals. San Jose.

PAGODALOUNGE

QUARTERNOTE

More listings:

METROACTIVE.COM

Jazz/Blues ANGELICA’S BISTRO Sat, 8pm: Holiday jazz show. $15/$20. Redwood City.

BRITANNIA ARMS CUPERTINO

Mon: Pro blues jam. Sunnyvale.

Fri, 9pm: Dirty Downtown Jazz Trio. Sat, 9pm: Kirk Tamura Jazz Trio. San Jose.

POOR HOUSE BISTRO Wed, 6-9pm: Ron Thompson and friends. Thu, 6-9pm: Lara Price & Yesterdays Band. Fri, 6-10pm: Mitch Woods & Rocket 88’s. Sat, 6-10pm: Beaufunk.

Sun, noon-3pm: School of Blues student jam. Sun, 4-7pm: Holiday Blues Plate Special with the Delgado Brothers. San Jose.

TESSORA’S

Sun, 5:30pm: Jazz Jam. Cupertino.

Fri: Isis & the Cold Truth. Sat: Michelle Pollace Trio. Campbell.

CAFFE TRIESTE

THREE FLAMES RESTAURANT

Fri, 8pm: Light opera selections with Lyric Theatre. San Jose.

CLUB FOX Wed, 7pm: Tia Carroll and Hard Work. $5. Redwood City.

D’VINE JAZZ AND WINE Sat, 2pm: Lori Rivera. $10. Sun, 1:30pm: Open jam. Morgan Hill.

FAIRMONT HOTEL Wed: The Girlz Band. Thu, : Contemporary or Latin Jazz. FriSat: Jazz and Pop Dance Bands.

Mon-Tue: Piano Music. Fairmont Hotel, San Jose.

Sun, 6-9pm: Jerry Sauceda and friends. Tue, 6pm: Modesto Briseno Septet. Willow Glen.

UNWINED Thu & Sat: Live jazz. San Jose.

WINE AFFAIRS Wed: Larry Chinn. Thu: Neil Kelly Jazz Trio. Sat: DFlo Trio. San Jose.

WOODHAM’S LOUNGE Fri and Sun: Pro Jam with rock and blues local musicians.

Santa Clara.

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57 M E T R O S I L I C O N VA L L E Y | D E C E M B E R 1 5 -2 1 , 2 0 1 0 | SA N J O S E . C O M | M E T R OAC T I V E . C O M

58 M E T R OAC T I V E . C O M | SA N J O S E . C O M | D E C E M B E R 1 5 -2 1 , 2 0 1 0 | M E T R O S I L I C O N VA L L E Y

CONCERT

SUNDAY JANUARY 23 HERITAGE THEATRE

1 WEST CAMPBELL AVE · CAMPBELL, CA 6:30PM DOORS · ALL AGES TICKETS AT HERITAGE THEATRE BOX OFFICE ONLINE AT WWW.CI.CAMPBELL.CA.US/HERITAGETHEATRE CHARGE BY PHONE 408-866-2700

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Wild Jam 2010 IT’S TOUGH not to scope Drake and think “Pat Boone”; when he makes rhymes like “I avoided the coke game and went with Sprite instead,” que voulez-vous? DeGrassi: TNG alumnus Aubrey Drake Graham, dba “Drake,” Featuring Drake and has recorded his cashmere rap with the highest Chris Brown echelon of hip-hop, such as Li’l Wayne and JayZ. His debut Thank Me Later went platinum this Thursday, 7:30pm spring. Drake celebrated a terrifically orchestrated roll-out, from self-published to semilegal to debut HP Pavilion, San Jose album that goes platinum. And cute? Well, yes.

One snarky Internet denizen dubbed it “the first $20–$150 major label release of rap’s Justin Bieber.” Opening is pouble platinumist Chris Brown. Rihanna forgives him, do you?—Richard von Busack

WWW.SQUAREPEGCONCERTS.COM

56

C&W/Folk BOSWELL’S Sun: Mike Leatherman.

Campbell.

Thu-Fri, 9pm: Diablo Road. Sat, 7:15pm: Wild at Heart. Fremont.

Karaoke

SAM’S BBQ Wed, 6pm: Sidesaddle and Co. Tue, 6pm: Cabin Fever. San Jose.

Open Mic

7 BAMBOO Wed-Sat, 9pm: Karaoke. Tue, 9pm: Karaoke. San Jose.

CAMBRIAN BRANCH LIBRARY Sat, 3pm: South Bay Guitar Society Quartet. San Jose.

FIBBAR MAGEES Fri: The Crubeens. Sunnyvale.

MISSION CITY COFFEE Thu, 7pm: South Bay Folks open mic. Fri, 7:30pm: True Wind acoustic Friday. Sat, 8pm: Fiddling Cricket Christmas Party.

Santa Clara.

CAFFE TRIESTE Tue, 7pm: Open Mic. Thu, 7pm: Spoken-word event with SJSU grad students. San Jose.

MOUNTAIN CHARLEY’S Wed, 8-11pm: Live music, comedy and poetry. Los Gatos.

RED ROCK COFFEE CO. Mon, 7pm: Cavin and King’s Open Mic. Mountain View.

ALEX’S 49ER INN Nightly except Sun, 9pm-2am: Karaoke. San Jose.

BLINKY’S CAN’T SAY Fri, 9pm-1am: Danielle. Santa Clara.

BLUE PHEASANT Tue, 7pm: Steve Tiger. Cupertino.

THE SADDLE RACK Wed, 9pm: California Cowboys.

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59 M E T R O S I L I C O N VA L L E Y | D E C E M B E R 1 5 -2 1 , 2 0 1 0 | SA N J O S E . C O M | M E T R OAC T I V E . C O M

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Dec 23 La Plebe/ The Atom Age Atrium (All Ages) Jan 7 Willie Nelson (Ages 21+) Jan 8 Vital SC: Diesel Boy (Ages 16+) Jan 14 Vital SC: Eliot Lipp (Ages 18+) Jan 15 The Jacka/ Husalah (Ages 16+) Jan 21 Vital SC: Datsik (Ages 16+) Jan 27 Boz Scaggs (Ages 21+) Jan 28 Railroad Earth (Ages 16+) Feb 6 Rob Zombie (Ages 16+) Feb 8 Badfish a Tribute to Sublime (Ages 16+) Feb 10 Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave. Los Amigos Invisibles (Ages 21+) Feb 12 Ky-Mani Marley (Ages 16+) Feb 16 &17 STS9 (Ages 21+ & 16+) Feb 22 Less Than Jake (Ages 16+) Feb 23 B.B. King (Ages 21+) Feb 25 Streetlight Manifesto (Ages 16+) Feb 26 Robin Trower (Ages 21+) Mar 11 Excision (Ages 18+) Unless otherwise noted, all shows are dance shows with limited seating.

Tickets subject to city tax & service charge by phone 866-384-3060 & online

www.catalystclub.com

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More listings:

METROACTIVE.COM

LILLY MAC’S Thu, 9pm: DJ. Sunnyvale.

NORMANDY HOUSE LOUNGE Fri-Sat: Karaoke. Santa Clara.

BOGART’S LOUNGE

NUMBER ONE BROADWAY

Wed, Fri and Sun, 8pm-2am: Karaoke. Sunnyvale.

Thu: Singles party. Los Gatos.

PEACOCK LOUNGE

BRITANNIA ARMS ALMADEN

BOSWELL’S

Thu, 9pm: Brian. Sun, 9pm: DJ and karaoke. Tue, 9pm: Ryan.

Sunnyvale.

Wed and Sun, 10pm: DJ Hank.

Mon, 9pm: Beer Pong. San Jose.

QUARTER NOTE

Thu: Therapy. Fri: Flirty Fridays.

Mon: Power Hour. San Jose.

Tue: DJ Davey K. Campbell.

BRITANNIA ARMS ALMADEN Wed and Sun, 10pm: DJ Hank.

San Jose.

BRITANNIA ARMS CUPERTINO Sun-Tue, 10pm: Karaoke.

Cupertino.

BRITANNIA ARMS SAN JOSE Wed, 9pm: August. Sun, 9pm: Karaoke. San Jose.

DAN BROWN’S Thu and Tue, 9pm-1am: Brian James. Palo Alto.

Tue, 9pm: Sherrie and Sue. No cover. Sunnyvale.

ROSIE MCCANN’S

Fri, 10pm: Fuz “BI” weekly. 18+.

Sat, 7:30pm: X-mas Party Teen Dance. Ages 16-19. Palo Alto.

SAN JOSE BAR & GRILL

FAHRENHEIT ULTRA LOUNGE

Tue, 10pm-close: Kamikaze Karaoke. San Jose.

Wed:Wine Wednesday. Fri, 9pm: 2010. With DJs Goldenchyld and G-Wrex. Sat, 9pm:Tease the Season.

Mon, 9pm: DJ.Tue: Partyoke. Beer pong and karaoke. San Jose.

WILLOW DEN Wed, 9:30pm: Thomas. San Jose

PARRANDA NIGHTCLUB

Wed: Guitar Hero Tournament plus karaoke. Thu, 9pm-1am: Karaoke. Santa Clara.

DIVE BAR

WOODHAM’S LOUNGE

Wed and Tue, 9:30pm: Karaoke.

San Jose.

Wed-Thu, Sat-Sun, Tue: 9:30pm: Vinnie. Santa Clara.

FAHRENHEIT ULTRA LOUNGE

Dance Clubs

FLAMES COFFEE SHOP

AGENDA

Wed-Sat and Tue, 9pm: Uncle Dougie Show. No cover.

San Jose.

Wed, 8pm: Salsa Wednesdays.

Thu: Wasteland. Fri: The Workout. Sun: Reggae. San Jose.

GALAXY

AVALON

Thu, 9pm-2am: August.

Milpitas.

Fri: How the Grouch Stole Christmas tour f. the Grouch, Brother Ali and Eligh. Sat: Dholi Awaz after party. 21+. Sun: Klub Ice. Ages 14-18. Santa Clara.

AZUCAR Thu: DJ Che. San Jose.

BRANHAM LOUNGE THE GOOSETOWN LOUNGE Fri-Sun, 9:30pm-1:30am: Karaoke. Willow Glen.

GOOSE LOONEY’S

Wed: Humpday Wednesdays.

Thu: DJ. Fri: Ladies Night. Sat: DJ Jazzy and DJ Chaos. Hip-hop and Top 40. Sun: Happy Hour All Day. Mon: DJ. Tue: $2 Tuesdays.

San Jose.

Wed-Sun, 9pm: August.

Milpitas.

BRITANNIA ARMS DOWNTOWN

KATIE BLOOM’S

Thu: DJ David Q. Fri: DJ Aaron“The Era.” Sat: DJs Aspect and David Q. San Jose.

Sun, 9:30pm-1:30am: Karaoke.

Campbell.

KHARTOUM Thu, 9pm: DJ Davey K. No cover.

Campbell.

CLUB ILLUSIONS

Tue, 8:30-11:30pm: Karaoke. No cover. Santana Row.

DASILVA’S BRONCOS

Tue, 9pm: Partyoke. Beer pong and karaoke. San Jose.

BRIX

Thu: DJ Akustik. Fri: DJ Mayo.

Sat: DJ Mayo and DJ Akustik.

Sun, 7pm: Latin Beat. Sun, 9pm: Sonidero Night. With local DJs spinning salsa, cumbia and more. Sunnyvale.

PEACOCK LOUNGE Fri, 8pm: DJ dancing. Sat, 9pm: DJ dancing featuring R&B, Top 40. Sun and Tue, 9pm: DJ and dancing. Sunnyvale.

PEARL Thu: Like a G6. Fri: XXX Naughty Christmas Party.

Sat: Santa Baby. Featuring the Desired Temptations Christmas show. San Jose.

SAN JOSE BAR & GRILL Thu: Thursday Night Live. FriSat: Video Killed the DJ with VJ Vinyl. Sun: Sinful Sundays. Mon: Manic Mondaze. San Jose.

VOODOO LOUNGE Fri, 10pm: Ambicious Productions presents Fall Swag. $10. Sat, 10pm: Third Saturdays dance club. $10. San Jose.

WET Thu: Afterparty for Chris Brown.

Fri: Amnesia, DJ Crooked. Sat: Enigma, DJ Homicide. San Jose.

ZEN LOUNGE Fri: Fabulous Fridays. Sat: Celebrity Saturdays with DJ DRoc. Mountain View.

M E T R O S I L I C O N VA L L E Y | D E C E M B E R 1 5 -2 1 , 2 0 1 0 | SA N J O S E . C O M | M E T R OAC T I V E . C O M

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ADVICE GODDESS

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If you’re like most women, you couldn’t care less about Speedo shots of A-Rod or Orlando Bloom, and you’d run past a naked man to get to shoes, a dress or a spot on a bench. A study by sex researcher Meredith Chivers (with electrodes in an area on a woman that only TSA agents, her lover and her gynecologist go) revealed that women are turned on by erotic video, but find footage of a naked guy exercising about as sexually arousing as long, slow pans of the snowcapped Himalayas. Not surprisingly, while Victoria’s Secret is a bajillion-dollar global enterprise, the companion sexy undie emporium for men has yet to open its doors. Frankly, Victor’s Secret could be communicated on a tiny piece of paper women would give to men: “Wear underwear. Preferably clean.”

You aren’t alone in being with a man who looks at porn. In fact, University of Montreal researchers wanted to compare 20-something men who watch porn with 20-something men who don’t, but couldn’t find a single guy who hadn’t.

Researchers Steven M. Platek, Stephan Hamann, and others have found that seeing pictures of hot women activates the reward centers in men’s brains—the parts of the brain that go “Yeah, baby!” to stuff like drugs, beer and money. In other words, just as your husband doesn’t connect on an emotional level with a can of Bud, his surfing the naked women of the Internet is driven by physiological hunger, not sentiment. So, while your brain sees Serena as another woman coming between you, to his brain, she might as well be a big, tennis-playing ham sandwich.

There actually is a war between the sexes—one going back millions of years.

A cave man could do a cave lady behind a bush and just walk away, no child support, no nothing, and still pass on his genes. Consequently, men evolved to have this extremely unsentimental sexuality: getting aroused at the mere sight of a nubile woman. Since women can get pregnant from a single sex act, and since there were few suckier places to be a single mother than 1.8 million years ago on the African savannah, women evolved to care a lot less about a man’s looks than his ability and willingness to provide. Although we now have reliable birth control, our genes are extraordinarily slow learners (basically, they’re still partying like it’s minus 199,999) so these competing sexual strategies remain. As my friend Walter Moore put it, “A guy was complaining to me that women are only attracted to wealthy men. I said, ‘That’s so unfair, because we don’t expect them to be wealthy; all we ask is that they look like models.’”

Of course you want to believe the fantasy tale—that your guy only has eyes for you—and not know that whenever you run out to CVS, he’s browsing page after page of fantasy tail. But, unless he starts showing signs that he’s bought a one-way ticket to pornoland, the biggest threat to your relationship isn’t his babe-gazing but your freaking out about it—to the point where you’re shutting down between the sheets. Remind yourself that he’s just looking at these images because he’s biologically and psychologically male.

He’s with you because he loves you, for the sexy way you brush your hair out of your eyes when you’re thinking, for all the ways his life is better and more fun because you’re in it. Compare all of that with what he gets from Serena and the rest—the sum total of which fits in the toe of an old tube sock.

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g Employment Jobs

SunPower Corporation has employment opportunity in San Jose, CA for Sr. Equipment Engineer (SJ04RMA): Support the R&D effort on current and next generation thin film technologies used for the fabrication of SunPower’s high efficiency solar cells. Send your resume (must reference job title and job code) to SunPower Corporation, Attn: SunPower Career, 3939 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95134.

Sr. Software Engineers DeciTech Consulting, Inc. in San Jose, CA. Design & develop software applications.

Resume fax (408) 884-2375 or E-mail jobs@decitech-inc.com EOE

Security/Bouncers Needed wanted 5 nights a week 9pm2am. Apply mornings only.

Alex’s 49er Lounge 2214 Business Circle, San Jose. 408/279-9737

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Netflix, Inc. has a Sr. Software Engineer (Req # 4460) job opportunity available in Los Gatos, CA. Create a strategy to enhance the existing system with scalability and simplicity in mind and design, implement, and maintain Java/Oracle based applications. MS in CS or related + 4 yrs in related exp.

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Engineer: Materials Scientist: Perform material & physical characterization of development & product devices.

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Cypress Semiconductor Corporation

leading provider of high-performance, mixed-signal, programmable solutions, has openings in San Jose, CA for SW Stacks Group (job code: Applications Engineer Sr. #376) position available in NVIDIA Corporation (AE06): Responsible for Sunnyvale, CA. Optimize market leader in graphics & Application Support of Android for MIPS digital media processors, has Architecture. Post and follow Advanced Cypress openings in Santa Clara, CA: up the MIPS kernel and Semiconductor DataCom Systems Software Engineer Products with High Speed Android changes to open (SSWE88): Design and imple- source mailing lists.

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78

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY ARIESS ((March ARIE March 221–April 1–April 119): 9): I vvividly ividly rremember emember seeing ssinger inger D iamanda G alas iin n cconcert. oncert. TThough hough seeing Diamanda Galas trained, she didn’t didn’t confine confine herself to classically trained, mellifluous melodies melodies and and elegant elegant tones. tones. She She was was mellifluous a whirlwind whirlwind of of elemental elemental sound, sound, veering veering from from animalistic bellows bellows to to otherworldly otherworldly chants chants to to operatic operatic animalistic glossolalia. glossolalia. It It was was all all very very entertaining, entertaining, and and often often enjoyable. The The skill skill with with which which she she shaped shaped the the sound sound enjoyable. as it it escaped escaped her her body body was was prodigious. prodigious. My My companion companion as and I agreed agreed that that “she “she made made your your ears ears convulse convulse and and and your eyes eyes writhe writhe and and your your skin skin prickle—but prickle—but in in a good good your way.” How How would would you you feel feel about about inviting inviting some some similar similar way.” experiences into into your your life, life, Aries?

Aries? The The astrological astrological experiences omens suggest this would be ann excellent time to rowdy healing that onlyy disciplined wildness seek the rowdy ovide. can pr provide.

TAURUS T AURUS ((April April 20–May 20–May 20): 20): Here’s Here’s a haikulike haikulike ppoem oem by

by Cor Cor van van den den Heuvel: Heuvel: “the “the little little girl girl / hangs hangs all all the ornaments / on the nearest nearest branch.” branch.” My comment: It’s It ’s cute that the girl crams crams all the thhe decorations decorations onto one small section of the tree, tree, and an nd maybe her parents parents will w ill keep keep them them that that way. way. But But I recommend recommend that that you you ttake ake a different different approach approach as as you you work work to to beautify beautify and enliven your environment. environment. Spread S ead out your Spr oofferings; fferings; distribute distribute your your blessings blessings equally; equally; make make sure sure tthat hat everything everything in in need need of of invigoration invigoration gets gets what what it it rrequires. equires.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20): This Thhis is a good time to go in hiding i search searchh off any secrets secrets t you’ve you’v ’ve been b hidi from f om fr yourself. yourself. I suggest suggest you you also also try try to to track track down down the the “missing “missing links” links” that aren’t aren’t rreally eallyy missing but rrather ather are are neglected. neglected. My My advice advice is is similar similar for for the the supposedly supposedly “lost treasure” treasure” yyou’re ou’re wondering wondering about: about: Clues Clues about about “lost its its whereabouts whereabouts are are lying lying around around in in full full view view for for P..S. anyone who is innocent enough to see them. P.S. isn’t normally strong Being uncomplicated isn ’t norm ally your str ong suit, but tthis his iiss oone ne ooff tthose hose rrare are ttimes imes w hen yyou’ll ou’ll hhave ave aan n but when or it. aptitude ffor CANCER ((June June 221–July 1–July 222): 2): IIn n tthe he TTV V ccomedy omedy sseries eries Arrested Ar rested Development, Buster Buster Bluth Bluth was was an an adult adul t character over-attached mother.. character who was a bit over-at ttached to his mother with IItt sseemed eemed ttoo hhave ave ttoo ddoo w ith tthe he ffact act tthat hat hhee llingered ingered before agreeing in her womb ffor or 11 months bef ore agr eeing to be born.

TThe he obstetrician obstetrician claimed claimed “there “there were were claw claw marks mark s on her uterus.” I want to be sure sure you don’t don’t make a comparable coming weeks, compar able misstep in the comi ing week s, Cancerian.

Cancerian.

Ready IItt rreally eally is is ttime ime for for yyou ou ttoo ccome ome oout ut aand nd pplay. lay. R eady oorr nnot, ot, lleave eave yyour our pprotective rotective ssanctuary anctuary and and lleap eap iinto nto tthe he jangly t. jangly,, enchanting tumul tumult.

LEO LE O (July 23–Aug. 22): I have iimaginary maginary friends who

help me. And yes, they sometim es even give me ideas sometimes ffor or your hor oscopes. Ar horoscopes.

Aree you OKK with that? Among the many other perk et buddies pr ovide, perkss my secr secret provide, tthey hey show show me me where where my my cell cell phone phone and and car car keys keys are are sign of their when I’ve misplaced them—a prime p practical What’s pr actical value. What ’s your current current status in regards regards to imaginary friends, Leo? Do yo ou even have any? you This would be an excellent time to seek them out and put them to work. In ffact, act, I encour eencourage age you to do aanything nything tthat hat m ight aattract ttract tthe he iinput nput ooff uundiscovered ndiscovered might borators, mysterious allies, behind-the-scenes collab collaborators, guidance and divine assistance.

VIRGO VIR GO ((Aug. Aug. 23–Sept.

23–Sept. 22): 22): Might Might there there be be a

m essage for for you you in in the the mist mist on on the the window? window? Can Can message you find a clue to the next phasee of your destiny by scanning a newspaper that the the wind blows aagainst gainst your your leg leg as as you’re you’re walking? walking? Be Be alert alert for for the the uundertones, ndertones, Virgo.

Virgo. Tune Tune in in to to the the subtexts. subtexts. Scan Scan the the pperipheries eripheries for for the the future future as as it it reveals reveals itself itself a little little eearly. arly. You You never never know know when when the the hidden hidden world world might might bbee trying trying to to slip slip you you a tip. tip. You You should should be be alert alert for for the the ddeeper eeper storylines storylines weaving weaving themselves themselves just just below below the the level wher n plot is unf olding. wheree the supposedly main unfolding.

LIBRA ((Sept.

Sept. 223–Oct. 3–Oct. 222): 2): A m musician usician w who ho rrecords ecords

under the name of Shamantis to ook Justin Bieber ’s took Bieber’s silly pop tune “U Smile,” and slo wed it down 800 slowed ppercent. ercent. TThe he nnew ew w ork w as a 335-minute-long 5-minute-long eepic pic work was masterpiece of ambient electr onnica that The New electronica YYork ork o TTimes imes i praised praised as as “ghostly” “ghostly” and and “oceanic.” “oceanic.” More More than two two million million people people tuned tuned in in to to hear hear it it on on the the than Internet. Might Might there there be be a comparable comparable transformation transformation Internet. future, Libra?

Libra? From From an astrological asstrological perspective, in your future, it’s prime prime time time for for you you to to transform transform a pedestrian pedestrian it’s exercise into into a transcendent transcendent excursion, excursion, or or a trivial trivial exercise inspiration, a diversion into an elegant inspiration, or a meaningless entertainment into a sublime learning learning opportunity. opportunity.

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USING ONE OF THESE?

SCORPIO SC ORPIO (Oct (Oct. t. 23-Nov. 23-Nov. 21): More More than a few few w ildlife films films use use deception deception to to fool fool the the audiences audiences into into wildlife tthinking hinking they’re they’re watching watching animals animals in in the the wild. wild. So So says says Chris Palmer, Palmer, a producer producer of many such films. “One classic trick involves involves hiding jellybeans in carcasses,” carcasses,” he told New Scientist Scieentist. ““If If you you see see a bear bear feeding feeding on on a ddead ead elk elk in in a film, film, you you can can be be pretty pretty sure sure that that the the bbear ear was was hired hired from from a game game farm farm and and is is looking looking for for sweets hidden inn the carcass carcass by the film-makers.”

I suspect you will will encounter a metaphorically compar able rusee or switcheroo switcheroo sometime soon, comparable Scorpio. It’ll It’ll be your yoour job to be an enforcer enforcer of authenticity o the lookout for for the jellybeans. authenticity.. Be on

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SSAGITTARIUS AGITT TARIU A US ((Nov. Nov. 22–Dec. 22–Dec. 21): 21): My My favorite favorite

news ssource, ource, The The Onion, Onion, rreported eported oonn a pproposed roposed news pprohibit ohibit mar riage between any law that would pr marriage ’t actually love each other two people who don don’t (Onion.com/LoveLaw). Couples Couples whose whose unions unions are are (Onion.com/LoveLaw). rooted in in mutual mutual antipathy antipathy or or indifference indifference are are of of rooted course protesting protesting the the plan, plan, insisting insisting that that they they have have course as much much of of a right right to to wed wed as as those those who who care care for for each each as treat each other tenderly. tenderly. Whether other deeply andd treat or not not this this proposal proposal becomes becomes a formal formal part part of of the the or legal system, system, Sagittarius, Sagittarius, I urge urge you you to to embrace embrace it. it. In In legal fact, I’ll go so far far as to ask you not to do anything at fact, all uunless nless yyou ou aare re aatt lleast east ssomewhat omewhat m motivated otivated bbyy love. The coming months will be a time when your success w ill ddepend epend oon n yyour our aability bility ttoo rrise ise ttoo nnew ew success will assion, romance, romance, eros, eros, tenderness, heights of compa compassion, empathy, and aff fection. empathy, affection.

Allergy & Asthma Associates of Santa Clara Valley Research Center

CAPRICORN CAPRIC ORN (Dec. 22–Jan. 19): Let Let’s ’s imagine

we ’re fifth-centu ury monk we’re fifth-century monkss living in the land that ttoday oday iiss kknown nown aass tthe he ssouth outh ooff FFrance. rance. A nd llet’s et’s say say And w decide we’re we’re ggoing oing ttoo bbuild uild a cchapel hapel in in a place place wee decide tthat hat has has long long been been a pagan pagan shrine shrine dedicated dedicated to to the the m oon goddess goddess Selene.

Selene. Shouldn’t Shouldn’t w consider the the moon wee consider possibility that our o new house of worship may be iimbued mbued with with the the vibes vibes of of the the previous previous sanctuary? sanctuary?

W on’t our own sp piritual aspir ations be colored colored by Won’t spiritual aspirations tthose hose of of the the people people who who for for hundreds hundreds of of years years poured poured fforth orth their their devotions? devotions? Now Now shift shift your your attention attention to to the the pr esent day present day,, and apply our little thought experiment to what ’s going on o in your life. life. Tune Tuune in to the what’s iinfluences nfluences tthat hat m ay bbee cconditioning onditioning tthe he nnew ew tthing hing may yyou’d like to cr eaate. create.

AQUARIUS A QUARIUS (J(Jan. Jan. 20–Feb. 18): I would like to steal

arius. I ffantasize antasize about sneaking your angst, Aqua Aquarius. oom to onight, plucking your nightmar es into your rroom tonight, nightmares h air right out of the heavy air,, and spiriting them away away.. imagine ssidling idling uupp ttoo yyou ou oon n a ccrowded rowded sstreet treet aand nd I imagine our bitterness and frustr ation— pickpocketing yo your frustration— pilfering e wouldn’t maybe even pilfering your doubts, too. I wouldn’t keep any any of of these these ill-gotten ill-gotten goods goods for for myself, myself, of of keep wouldn’t ’ try to pr ofit from from them in any way. way. course. I wouldn’t profit d them to the yawning abyss, Instead, I would donate offer them them uupp ttoo tthe he sstormy tormy oocean, cean, oorr ffeed eed tthem hem ttoo offer bonfire on on a primal primal beach. beach. P.S. P.S. Even Even though though I can’t can’t a bonfire accom mplish these things, there there is now a personally accomplish force force loose loose in in your your life life that that can. can. Are Are you you willing willing to to be be robbed of things you don’t don’t need? robbed

PISCESS ((Feb. PISCE Feb. 119–March 9–March 220): 0): IIn n 22011, 011, I bbet et tthat hat

memory m emory won’t won’t pplay lay aass bbig ig a rrole ole in in your your life life as as it it has has up until now. now. I don’t doon’t mean to say that you will neglect oorr forget forget about about the the past. past. Rather, Rather, I expect expect that that you you will be less hemmed hemm med in by the consequences of what hhappened appened way way back back when. when. You’ll You’ll be be able able to to work work aaround round and and maybe maybe even even transcend transcend the the limitations limitations tthat hat the the old old days days and and the the old old ways ways used used to to impose impose on you. Your Your o free freee will? It will be freer freer than maybe it has ever been. Your Your o creative creative powers will override override the inertia of how th hings have always been done. things

Homework: W Homework: What hat d do o yyou ou fforesee oresee h happening appening iin n tthe he w orld iin n 22011?

011? W hat d o yyou ou p redict ffor or yyour our world What do predict life?

Write Truthrooster@gmail.com. own lif e? W ritee T rruthrooster@gmail.com.

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Opening for The Delgado Brothers is The Stan Erhart Band.

Stan Erhart 8 PM Delgado Brothers 9 PM

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ºSanta Clara, CA, 95050.

This business is conducted by a General Partnership.

Registrant has not yet begun transacting business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on. /s/Jesse Soares This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 12/08/2010. (pub Metro 12/15, 12/22, 12/29/2010, 1/05/2011)

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The property left at 1620 Gold . Street will be sold or destroyed on December 30, 2010.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT Female Singer wanted #544489 following person(s) is for original Rock Band The (are) doing business as: Miscellaneous

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g Legal Notices

Legal & Public Notices

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT #545402 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Twisted Chill, 2095 Flintcrest Dr, San Jose, CA, 95148, Jesse Soares, Michael Moules, 1670 Washington St.,

Silverline Services, 14938 Camden Ave., Suite 22, San Jose, CA, 95124, Jose Romero.

This business is conducted by a Individual.

Registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on 11/01/10. /s/Jose Romero This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Clara County on 11/25/2008. (pub Metro 12/03, 12/10, 12/17, 12/24/2008)

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Don’t worry, Wayne. I bumped your question to the front of the line so you can die a happy man. Let’s go back to a year in history featuring an unpopular president embroiled in scandal, a pointless war that was winding down after killing thousands of American troops and untold numbers of the enemy, and a country sliding into recession. No, I don’t mean 2008, I mean 1973. The architect of the manufactured drama in tennis that year was Bobby Riggs, who’d been a No. 1–ranked singles player in the 1940s but at age 55 was well past his prime. Possibly envious of the big bucks women tennis players were starting to command and fully aware of male grumbling about women’s lib, Riggs decided to stage a money-making publicity stunt: a showdown between himself and a top female player, to demonstrate that women’s tennis was plainly inferior to the men’s game.

Riggs pursued Margaret Court, Chris Evert and Billie Jean King, three of the top four women’s players that year.

King and Evert turned him down, but Court, attracted by a prize of $10,000 even if she lost, accepted. Big mistake.

Riggs went on a months-long heavyduty training regimen and waged a relentless campaign in the press aimed at psyching Court out. Their match on Mother’s Day, 1973, became known as the “Mother’s Day Massacre,” with Riggs dominating the best-of-three-sets event 6-2, 6-1. Riggs then stepped up the media blitz, giving bombastic interviews, appearing in photo shoots as Henry VIII, even playing a match in drag. He hounded King for a second battle of the sexes. After much soul-searching, King agreed to a $100,000 winner-take-all purse plus at least $75,000 per player in ancillary rights. But this time things were different. King scrutinized Riggs’ match with Court and determined to play hard and keep him running, using his age against him. Twenty-nine and at the peak of her game, she trained like a prizefighter, while Riggs spent the time before the match drinking and keeping up a constant stream of media antics,

79

rarely setting foot on a tennis court to practice. Nonetheless, Jimmy the Greek gave Riggs 5-2 odds to win.

The pair met in the Astrodome on Sept. 20, 1973. The preliminaries were pure kitsch—King was carried in on a litter like an eastern potentate, Riggs rode in a gilded rickshaw pulled by a squad of women. But things got serious once the match began. With Howard Cosell in the broadcast booth, 30,492 spectators in the building plus millions watching on TV saw King kick Riggs’s butt. She relentlessly attacked with a fierce net game, and Riggs soon knew he was in trouble. “Comedy has gone out of Bobby Riggs,” Cosell intoned. By the end of the match, which he lost 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, Riggs felt every one of his 55 years.

Was it all rigged? My assistant Una acquired a tape of the original broadcast and watched the entire match. She confirmed that the competitors played by the same rules and said King clearly dominated from the start. Riggs was so apparently confident he’d get a second wind that after losing the first game he tried to make a new$10,000 bet he’d win the match. He later took a much publicized lie detector test to support his insistence he hadn’t thrown the contest, a story he stuck with to his dying day.

You and other doubters are likely conflating the King-Riggs event with a 1992 match between Jimmy Connors and Martina Navratilova, which Una also watched on video. This was a far less heated affair, with the two players amiably discussing beforehand how the game would raise awareness of the sport. But the 40-year-old Connors was a much more formidable competitor than Riggs had been, having reached the U.S. Open semifinals the previous year, and Navratilova was 35 herself. So, to even things up, Connors was limited to one serve per point and Navratilova was allowed to hit into half of the doubles alley on each side of the court. Despite the handicap Connors won 7-5, 6-2, taking just 88 minutes to make half a million bucks.

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metroactive STYLE

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JXe Afj\ [\j`^e\i J`[ <eZb Ai%Êj K\X J_XZb Gifa\Zk `j k_\ Z\ek\i f] Xe Xik`jkj Zfcc\Zk`m\ `e ]lcc Ô`^_k 9p CAT JOHNSON

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NF P<8IJ 8>F# J`[ <eZb Ai% nXj ilee`e^ X jbXk\YfXi[ ZfdgXep# Ylk _\ nXj `kZ_`e^ kf dXb\ X Z_Xe^\% Ç@ nXek\[ kf ^\k `ekf k_\ Xik jZ\e\#È _\ jXpj fm\i X Zlg f] k\X Xk _`j _fd\ jkl[`f% Ç@ _X[ X jZi\\e$gi`ek`e^ dXZ_`e\# X Ylkkfe$dXb`e^ dXZ_`e\ Xe[ X j\n`e^ dXZ_`e\%È 8e[ n`k_ k_fj\ k_i\\ k_`e^j# k_\ K\X J_XZb Gifa\Zk nXj Yfie% Based in San Jose, the Tea Shack

Project is a T-shirt, accessory and skateboard design collective, made up of a handful of artists and team riders—including CHRISTINE BENJAMIN, NICKY GASTON, PATRICK JILBERT and LAUREN ‘ELLE’ NAPOLITANO—who all contribute art, ideas, energy and contacts.

Enck, owner and art director of the project, receives designs from the artists, gets things printed and into stores and manages the advertising, all while holding down a freelance design job of his own. His fiancee, KAYLEE VINCENT, handles the marketing, website and online sales.

It’s a lot to keep track of, but Enck enjoys the homespun aesthetic that defines the Tea Shack, with its from-the-ground-up approach.

“Everything is done by us,” he tells me. “The screen printing, the tags inside the shirts, the recycled and soy-ink-printed store tags and the buttons are all made by us.”

As well as helping to get their own designs out into the world, the Tea Shack artists all help to market one another and to bring attention to the project. “All my friends are artists,” Enck explains, “and as an artist, it’s hard to market yourself.

This is the best way that we can do that.”

For Enck, a life filled with art and creativity comes quite naturally. When he was a child, his grandfather made a point of introducing him to artists who were working in unusual ways. “My grandpa had a lot of artist friends,” says Enck. “He would introduce me to people who were painting on 8by-10 canvases and stuff like that.”

The early exposure paid off, and Enck attributes the origin of his own creativity to hanging out with

his grandpa. “My grandpa would sit out on his terrace and draw an oak tree or what not,” he says. “It definitely inspired me.”

Enck eventually went to a school for photography, but felt like everyone was doing photo shows and he wanted to do something different: “I wanted to do something that people could see it and say, ‘That’s Sid’s stuff.’ You know, building up my own style.”

Enck’s designs are vibrant, lively and eye-catching, and include lots of birds. “My mom always had birds, so I’ve always been around them,” he explains. “I love the fact that you can be free. I just really got into that.”

Apparently, the other Tea Shack artists did, too. Although Enck never asked for bird designs, they started coming in. “I did some bird things, so I guess people think that’s what I want,” he recalls. “But I’m really open when it comes to artwork.”

In fact, the only direction that the artists is to “make it Enck gives th shacky.” And that they do. kind of shack The overall vvibe of the Tea Shack is and minimal— weathered, nature-y n shacky to the hilt.

Eventually, Enck would like to Eventually have one big shack that the project home. “I want to have could call ho a true shack where everything is together and we can hang out and make stuff,” he says. “That’s what I really want.”

For now though, Enck and his band of artists and skaters are content to create, inspire and motivate each other along. “What’s rad about us is we’re like a little family,” he says. “We’ve all got each other’s back.” He sits back and thinks for a moment and adds, “And that’s the way it should be. That’s the way life should be.”

Tea Shack Project merchandise can be found in shops throughout the Bay Area, including Ohana Board Shop, Needles and Pens, Society Skate Shop, Pretty Penny and Fishbanks Skate Shop.

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REAL ESTATE

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Buying or Selling W

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Both sellers and buyers should also ďŹ nd out if a prospective real estate agent gets along with other agents, as these are the people who will be showing their home or receiving offers.

Instead of asking how many listings or transactions per year an agent has had, a better question would be, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Can I have the names and numbers of a few of your clients from the past year and call them?â&#x20AC;? It is more important that the agent has satisďŹ ed clients than that they had a lot of clients.

There are some differences between what buyers and sellers should consider when choosing a Realtor.

Buyers should look for agents who do their prep work, who will have preliminary meetings to determine buyersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wants and needs and will not take them out to look for property

until theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been pre-approved for a loan. These simple ďŹ rst steps will put a buyer in the best position to have an offer accepted once they ďŹ nd the house they want.

Sellers should look for full-time agents who know their area, who are willing to tell them the truth about the asking price and what is needed to be done to their home to enhance the sale.

Sellers are often begging to be told the number they want to hear and pick a Realtor based on which one suggests the highest list price. Basically, a home is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it. Every seller thinks their home is worth more than the one that just sold down the street.

But the economy and market timing have more to do with the value of a home than whether there are daffodils planted in the front yard.

Another mistake from a buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective is to call many agents to look for a house as they believe the more agents looking the more likely it is they will ďŹ nd â&#x20AC;&#x153;theâ&#x20AC;? house. Once agents get the idea a buyer has no loyalty to them, they can count on being a back-burnered client.

Buyers will often select the listing (or sellerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) agent of a house they want to purchase to also represent them, because they believe they will save money on the commission. But in most cases buyers will do just as well if not better with their own representation and can be more assured that their personal interests are being considered. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Katherine Thornberry

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