January 24, 2008

Calendar of local events

Unless otherwise noted all phone numbers are in the 408 area code.

MUSIC

Jan. 29
Free Opera Preview of Verdi’s “Rigoletto”- Singers from Opera San José and lecturer Larry Hancock preview Verdi's Rigoletto. Event time is noon, at the Beethoven Center in MLK Library, 4th and San Fernando in downtown San José. No reservations needed. For more information, visit www.sjoperaguild.org or call 275-6199.

Feb. 2
The Beauty of the Taiwan Folk Song at the Montgomery Theater: Experience the beauty and simplicity of Taiwanese folk songs that have been around for generations. A group of Taiwanese professional classical musicians give a refined touch to a selection of folk songs making this concert a unique experience. For more information, call 867-3769 or 316-7310.

ART

Jan. 9 – Feb. 24
The Triton Museum, 1505 Warburton Avenue in Santa Clara, presents "David Ogle: Works on Paper - A Survey" Exhibition. Reception is Jan. 18 from 7 – 9 p.m. Museum hours are 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., open until 9 p.m. Thursdays.

THEATER

Jan. 22 – Feb. 3
American Musical Theater San Jose presents “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Center for the Performing Arts. Nerdy floral assistant finds romance with the help of an enormous man-eating plant who was sent from outer space to take over the world. Not your average-sounding musical, but are all part of “Little Shop of Horrors,” the comedy classic that will have you singing along to the rock’n’roll doo-wop sounds of the 1960s. For tickets and additional information, call 1-888-455-SHOW or visit www.amtsj.org

CHILDREN/FAMILY

Jan. 25
The Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens presents “The World Next Door.” Bring your imaginary passports for an afternoon of global travel as we explore the seven sister cities of San Jose. Join us as we discover the history and culture of these unique places around the world. Hear traditional stories, make crafts, listen to music, and sample breads from Russia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Japan, Taiwan, India and Ireland. Learn to play a new game and say hello and goodbye in another language. Time is 3:30 – 5 p.m. fees are $8/members and $15 non-members. Workshops take place at the Visitor and Education Center located at 438 Coleman Ave, San Jose. Pre-registration is required - call 298-7657 or visit www.grpg.org to learn more. Appropriate for children 5 – 10 years. Parents need not be present during the workshop.

Jan. 31
Join Assembly Member Jim Beall for an Open House event at his local district office - Alfred E. Alquist State Building, 100 Paseo de San Antonio, Suite 300 in San Jose. The public is invited to drop by from 4 – 6:30 p.m. to say hello and discuss community and legislative issues. Informational brochures will be available and light refreshments will be served. For more information please call 282-8920. RSVP is appreciated.

Feb. 1
A Youth HIV/AIDS Task Force from Trinity Presbyterian Church in Cambrian Park is hosting a free community awareness and multi-church fundraising concert event benefiting efforts against the HIV/AIDS Pandemic in Africa.  Concert time is 7:30 p.m. in the Trinity Presbyterian sanctuary, 3151 Union Avenue in San Jose. Bands from a number of churches in the Cambrian Park Area will be participating. Funds raised will go towards the purchase a vehicle for Pastor Elijah E. L. Sebuchu, Director of Hands of Love HIV/AIDS Combat Program in Kampala, Uganda, and to purchase 200 Bibles for the Hands of Love Orphanage and School. The youth group hopes to raise a minimum of $6,000 through bake sales, car washes, and contributions from concerned individuals.  For more information, contact Meggyn Watkins at meggynnwatkins@hotmail.com} or Jake Espy, {e_spy27@yahoo.com} or the church at trinpres@pacbell.net

Feb. 2
“Playhouse Disney Live!” at the Civic Auditorium: Blast off to adventure with your favorite Playhouse Disney pals when “Playhouse Disney Live!” comes to San Jose. Climb aboard and get ready to explore with the Little Einsteins Leo, Annie, Quincy and June on an important musical mission; say “Meeska, Mooska, Mickey Mouse” and sing along with Mickey and the gang at the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse; and stop by Sheetrock Hills where Handy Manny always has the right tools for fun fix-it adventures! Come inside the Hundred Acre Wood and join Tigger and Pooh and their new friend Darby on super sleuthing adventure from “My Friends Tigger & Pooh.” Get ready to laugh, sing and play along at a live show that lets kids join in on the fun! Performance times are 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. Admission is $22 - $49 and tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com

CLASSES

Jan. 25
The nonprofit Katydids Square Dance Club is offering a 16-week beginner square dancing class. Get the fun, friendship and fitness of learning to square dance with the Katydids. Classes are 7-8:30 p.m. Fridays, beginning January 25, in the hall at the United Church of Christ, 400 West Campbell Avenue, Campbell. The first two evenings are free, then $4 per person. No partner, experience or special clothing required. For more information, call Lloyd at 241-7567 or visit www.katydids.info

Feb. 4
The Almaden Valley Counseling Service will be sponsoring a 7-week positive parenting class based on the STEP (Systematic Training for Effective Parenting) model. Classes are for the parents of preschool, school age and teenage children. Learn to understand yourself and your child; build self-esteem and responsibility; implement discipline vs. punishment and much more. Classes are held in the evenings from 7:15 to 9:15 p.m., and our next session will start the week of Feb. 4, 2008. The cost is $110 for one parent or $165 for a couple. For more information, call AVCS at 997-0200, or visit our website for registration forms, www.avcounseling.org. Class location is 6529 Crown Blvd., Suite D, San Jose.

Ongoing
The Committee to Promote Square Dancing is sponsoring a square dance refresher class for experienced dancers: Fees are $2.50/seniors and youth, $5/adults.  Classes meet Tuesdays, 6:30-9 p.m. in the Camden Community Center Multipurpose Room, 3369 Union Avenue, San Jose, 95124. For more information, call 723-0315.
Ceramics classes for adults.  Do something totally fun and creative for yourself in 2008...Hands On Clay classes in Almaden is now accepting applications for its small, relaxing clay classes in January on Tuesday & Thursday evenings from 7-8:30 p.m., and Wednesday mornings from 9:30-11 a.m. The fee includes instructions, clay, glazes, use of tools, and kiln firings. The classes are held in the teacher's studio in Almaden. For more information call (408) 679-0238. Space is limited to only four students for each class, so register early!

MISCELLANEOUS

Jan. 25 – 27
The Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway, hosts the South Bay Home & Garden Show: Discover the newest, most innovative products for remodeling, decorating or landscaping your home at this annual event. Featuring over 300 exhibits, attendees can meet celebrity presenters Vern Yip, host of HGTV’s Deserving Design and Karl Lohnes, founding editor of Canada’s Style At Home magazine, who will offer practical tips on ways to add value to your home. Hours are 1/25, from noon – 8 p.m.; 1/26 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 1/27 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are $10/Adults, children 12 years and under are free. For more infromation including ticket purchasing, call 748-7000 or visit southbayhomeshow.com..

Jan. 26
Free electronic waste drop-off event at Williams Elementary: Help raise money for Williams Elementary School and benefit the environment at the same time. Our free electronic waste drop-off will be held in the Williams Elementary parking lot, 1150 Rajkovich Way from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Items accepted include televisions, computer monitors, CPU’s, VCR’s, DVD players, microwaves, stereos, printers, laptops, and other electronic devices. These items contain significant amounts of lead and have been banned from going into landfills. All electronic waste will be recycled by ASL, a San Jose based electronics recycler.

Jan. 26
The public is invited to the 2008 Silicon Valley Digital Clubhouse Vietnamese American Heritage Project.  Hosted by the Silicon Valley Digital Clubhouse, History San José and the Museum of the Boat People and the Republic of Vietnam, the kick off and reception of this project will be at History Park on Jan. 26 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Empire Fire House Building. The youth of the Silicon Valley Digital Clubhouse Network will share with the public their digital stories and will invite community members to participate in the project.  All digital stories will be archived by History San José to sharing with schools, libraries and the community. 

Jan. 26
St. Timothy's Lutheran School is hosting an Open House: Located at 5100 Camden Avenue in San Jose, event hours are 9 a.m. to noon. St. Timothy's Lutheran School was founded in 1979 with a commitment to providing a high quality educational experience, within the framework of the Christian faith, to members of the congregation and the community. For more information, call 265-0244 or visit www.st-tims-lutheran.org

Jan. 26
Electronic Waste (e-waste) Recycling: Live Oak Academy is hosting a free recycling event to be held at Foxworthy Baptist Church, 1774 Foxworthy Ave., from 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. This is a simple and convenient way to get rid of any old computers or electronics that may be cluttering up your space, and help our school raise funds. So bring your old TV's, stereos, telephones, computers, monitors, peripherals, printers, etc.  All items recycled locally by a state authorized recycling company. For questions, call 355-4935.

Jan. 26 – 27
2nd Annual Arlen Ness Bike Show & Parts Expo at the McEnery Convention Center: Over 225 bike show entries, national & local vendors will fill over 100,000 square feet. Arlen and Corey Ness, along with special guest Donnie Smith, will be at the show signing autographs and talking motorcycles. This year the Pro Class has turned in to the Premium Class, allowing more styles of motorcycles to participate in the show. There will be everything from old school to no school, from mild to wild. With everything this show has to offer, you are not going to want to miss this year’s Arlen Ness Bike Show & Parts Expo. Admission is $5 - $15. For more information, call 866-907-7790 or visit www.arlennessbikeshow.com

Jan. 30
Society Dog presents Mardi Gras “Yappy” Hour at the Poor House Bistro, 91 S. Autumn in downtown San Jose. This dog-lovers “yappy” hour event begins at 5:30 p.m. Followed by Ron Thompson & Friends Blues Band from 6:15 – 9 p.m. Cost is $15 PreFurred Members; $18 Basic Members and includes Food, One Drink Ticket & Mardi Gras festivities. This is a people-only event, no pets please. Space is limited, reservations required. Call 671-3417 for more information or email: www.alphadog@societydog.com. We will be creating photo nametags for this event. Send a jpg photo of your dog to alphadog@societydog.com

Feb. 3
Leland Bridge Parents Group, comprised of Chinese parents of current and former Leland students, will be hosting its 7th annual Leland Bridge Night event in the Leland High School auditorium. Come join us in celebrating the Chinese New Year of the Rat with a delicious dinner and a fabulous program of entertainment.  The Leland Bridge Night is also a major fund-raising effort by the Leland Chinese parents.  More than 300 guests attended last year's event, and more than $18,000 was raised/donated to Leland for various projects. Event time is 5 p.m.  Tickets are $30 - for all inquiries, contact Cliff Leung, the Chief Officer of Leland Bridge, via chief@lelandbridge.org, or visit www.lelandbridge.org

The Almaden Valley Al-Anon Family Groups meet every Friday from 10to 11:45 a.m. and on Sundays from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Holy Spirit Church, 1198 Redmond Avenue, San Jose. Al-Anon helps families and friends learn what they can do about excessive drinking, alcoholism and its effects on the entire family. Meetings do not require appointments. There is no charge for attendance. For more information, call 379-1051 or visit the web site at http://www.ncwsa.org/scvafg/

12-Step Christian Program - Celebrate Recovery! Program held every Monday night at 7 p.m. at Generations Foursquare Church, 133 Bernal Road in San Jose. For more information, call 504-7687 or visit celebraterecovery@generationsfoursquare.org


HAVE AN ITEM FOR OUR CALENDAR?
We are seeking calendar items pertaining to the south bay communities we cover in our seven monthly community newspapers: Blossom Valley, Cambrian, Campbell, Evergreen, Santa Teresa, Willow Glen, Fifty Plus, and our weekly publication, Almaden Times Weekly. Items must be submitted by email or fax several weeks before the event. Send an email to candy@timesmediainc.com or fax to Candy Richter at 494-7078. Photos should be sent digitally as jpegs or mailed to Calendar, Times Newspapers, 1310 Tully Road, Ste. 107, San Jose, CA 95122. Due to the large volume of items received calendar requests left on voice mail cannot be used. Space is limited.