Plug your ears to avoid the sound of Fleet Week loud jets breaking the sound barrier and head for some of these alternatives. Here’s our selection of events to enjoy the week of October 10-16, 2014 in the Bay Area.
BIG SODA AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Earth Island Journal editor Jason Mark and guests explore the environmental impacts of Big Soda, from litter and recycling woes, to greenwashing, water wars, and GMO corn in the Midwest. Sponsors: Earth Island Institute, Brower Center, Corporate Accountability International. Thursday, October 9, 7-9pm. Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley.
LITQUAKE
For 15 years this wonderful gathering of hundreds of authors meeting their readers offers a wide range of choices. Readings, lectures, signings and special events like “Litquake Pigout: Sausages and Syrah at 4505 Meats,” “Straight, No Chaser: Writers at the Bar,” and “Orange is the New Lunch.” Most events are free, but some require reservations. October 10-18.
http://www.litquake.org/calendar
CHINATOWN AT THE PARAMOUNT
Have you ever seen a movie at Oakland’s Paramount Theatre? It is one of the most spectacular Art Deco movie palaces in the world, and you can see Chinatown with Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway this Friday night. When the Paramount’s Jeff Ewald was scheduling this year’s series, he could not obtain a 35mm print of Chinatown. The studio no longer had one, and the theater does not screen digital. Some Sherlock Holmes-style sleuthing found a beautiful copy at the Academy of Motion Pictures’ Archive , and special arrangements were made to borrow it. The feature is preceded by an organ concert, Dec-O-Win giveaways, a cartoon, newsreel, and classic coming attractions. Doors open at 7pm and we urge you to arrive early and spend an hour walking around the theater, exploring all levels of the lobby and auditorium. All this for only $5!
http://www.paramounttheatre.com/film.html
SAN FRANCISCO MAGAZINE’S FALLFEST
FallFest brings San Francisco magazine’s award-winning food editorial to life while supporting one of the City’s most respected nonprofit organizations, Meals On Wheels of San Francisco. This year, 40 restaurants, 30 local wineries, and a flotilla of mixologists will descend upon Justin Herman Plaza on October 11 for a day of refined seasonal excess. Participating restaurants include La Urbana, Causwells, Gaspar Brasserie, Homestead, and Souvla; wineries include Rodney Strong Wine Estates, TR Elliott, the Winery SF, and Gundlach Bundschu. Plus chef demonstrations and challenges, interactive cocktails, a BBQ Grill-off, and more—all celebrating eating, drinking, and living local.
A FOCUS ON VFX: DISCUSSION WITH DARREN ARONOFSKY
The director of Black Swan, The Wrestler, PI, Noah, and Requiem for a Dream will look at the creative and collaborative filmmaking process involved in his newest work, Noah, with an emphasis on visual effects. Aronofsky will be joined by the film’s four-time Oscar-nominated Visual Effects Supervisor Ben Snow and Animation Supervisor Marc Chu from Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). The Mill Valley Film Festival program will include clips and an onstage conversation with Steve Chagollan, Senior Features Editor of Variety. Saturday at the Lark Theatre; 8:15pm.
THE OKTOBERFEST GAMES
Funcheap and SOMA StrEat Food Park invite you to celebrate Oktoberfest at SoMa StrEat Food Park and their communal picnic tables just like in Munich. Saturday, October 11, 2014, 11am to 4pm. SoMa StrEat Food Park, 428 11th Street, SF. This is a FREE event. All-You-Can-Drink tickets are available for purchase but are not necessary for entrance. Funcheap has the hookup, with $10 off the regularly scheduled price.
http://sf.funcheap.com/oktoberfest-games-soma-streat-food-park/
SHAPESHIFTERS CINEMA
Shapeshifters Cinema is a monthly series (the second Sunday of every month, from 8 to 9 pm) at Temescal Art Center in North Oakland. Shows are free.
Experimental filmmakers and video artists present moving image works with live accompaniment from musicians and sound artists.
This week features Cyrus Tabar, a multidisciplinary artist working with motion picture and sound, often blending a multitude of formats, from 16mm found footage and digital processing to tape based on musical compositions, to live manipulated field recordings.
http://shapeshifterscinema.com/
NORTH BEACH BAZAAR
Combine Italian heritage with some carnival-style fun and you’ll get fantastic food, lots of games, and great entertainment for the whole family. This wonderful community tradition is hosted by Saints Peter and Paul School and Parish. Open to the public! Saturday and Sunday. Food and Drinks: Pizza (A16), full BBQ, and Chinese kitchen (downstairs). Italian cocktails, beer, and wine. Italian ice, Italian sodas, and even cotton candy! And a very special Cioppino dinner prepared by chefs from A16 restaurant!
http://www.sspeterpaulsf.org/news/northbeachBazaar.php
ARAB FILM FESTIVAL
The Arab Film Festival offers a wide variety of fine new dramas and documentaries, plus a rare chance to see the legendary Cairo Station (1958) by Egyptian master director Youssef Chahine. This masterpiece of the sexuality, repression, madness, and violence amongst society’s marginalized was a sensation at the 1958 Berlin Film Festival and will be seen in a 35mm print. The Festival screens films from and about the Arab world that provide realistic perspectives on Arab people, culture, art, history, and politics while enhancing public understanding of Arab culture and providing alternative representations of Arabs that contradict the stereotypical images frequently encountered in the American mass media. Throughout the Bay Area, October 10-23.
http://www.arabfilmfestival.org/
ROCKRIDGE MARKET HALL PICNC IN THE STREETS
Rockridge Market Hall merchants take to the street this Sunday from noon to 6pm, offering succulent foods, comparative tastings, demos, a pop-up pantry, and the ever-popular Cookbook Exchange—bring a used cookbook and take another. Children love the prize wheel and pumpkin painting. Coincides with the Rockridge Out & About street festival, where the chef stage alternates live music with demos and tastings from Market Hall food experts and the district’s top chefs and mixologists. Enjoy dancing and live music throughout the day at the BART Plaza. No charge except for purchases.
Info: 510.250.6000 or http://www.rockridgemarkethall.com/events/item/rockridge-out-and-about-2014
BERLIN & BEYOND AUTUMN FILM SHOWCASE
A full day of recent German movies, including Volker Schlöndorff’s newest, Diplomacy, will screen on Saturday at the New People Cinema in San Francisco. There will be a tribute to the late Michael Glawogger (who studied at the San Francisco Art Institute) with his stunning trilogy on work, focusing on the “megacities” of Bombay, Mexico City, Moscow and New York.
http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/saf/pro/bby/BBAuShow2014_eBook.pdf
BOUNTY OF MARIN ORGANIC
Experience the flavors of Marin Organic’s farms and restaurants, and meet the people who produce the local food to love, including Star Route Farms, Saltwater Oyster Bar, Gospel Flat Farm, Parkside Cafe, Straus Family Creamery, Rustic Bakery and many more! There will be a whole hog roast from True Grass Farms, a cheese workshop with Cowgirl Creamery and Toluma Farms-Tomales Farmstead Creamery, selections of North Coast organic and biodynamic wines and beer from Lagunitas Brewing Company, and a crash course in oysters with Hog Island Oyster Company! Wine and food tasting with silent auction from 5-7pm, and family style dinner from 7-9pm under the big tent at the Marin Country Mart on Saturday.
http://www.marinorganic.org/events/bounty-of-marin-organic-at-the-marin-country-mart/
EXPLORATORIUM OFF THE SCREEN
Testing the boundaries of film through a hybrid of performance- and inquiry-based programs centered on the moving image, these challenging programs target the local community while showcasing new films by artists and live-cinema experiences.
Moving Pictures and Written Words: Celebrating The George Kuchar Reader celebrates the book’s release with readings and rarely screened films. Wednesday, October 15 at 7pm. Free
Eskimo Remastered is a one-time-only event. The Residents’ album Eskimo is presented as a multichannel, 3D sound spectacular accompanied by equally innovative visuals of their companion Eskimo DVD. The 7pm show is sold out but a 9pm has been added.
http://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/cinema/off-the-screen
MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL WRAPS
There are many wonderful films and programs to see this weekend as the Mill Valley Film Festival concludes. Hit shows with repeats include the “only at MVFF” programs The Hi De Ho Show on Friday afternoon, and The 3D Sideshow on Sunday morning, Tributes to Chuck Workman and Laura Dern, the World Premiere of F R E E , a high-energy documentary about Oakland’s Destiny Arts Center (see below about a benefit dinner at Piazziola) and a lot of really terrific new movies.
http://tickets.cafilm.org/websales/pages/list.aspx?epguid=ef7c23fe-7cbc-417f-90cf-d7284d3566d0
PLANNING AHEAD
UNCHARTED: The Berkeley Festival of Ideas- October 24-25
The people behind Berkeleyside are presenting the second annual Uncharted bringing you together with some of the world’s great thinkers for two days of discussion, debate, and workshops designed to engage and inspire. Uncharted promises a stimulating, surprising, and fun forum that might best described as a mix of TED and Davos Berkeley style.
http://www.berkeleyideas.com/uncharted-2014-program/
Of particular interest are Saru Jayaraman, Douglas Gayeton and Laura Gayeton-Howard, Daphne Miller and Tanya Holland on how they’re revolutionizing the food industry.
http://www.berkeleyideas.com/three-san-francisco-bay-area-food-movements-you-havent-heard-of-yet/
SUNDAY SUPPERS AT PIZZAIOLO TO BENEFIT DESTINY ARTS CENTER
Oakland chef and restaurateur Charlie Hallowell dishes up memorable monthly meals to support local nonprofits. This month’s beneficiary is Destiny Arts Center. Seatings at 5:30 & 8pm. Tickets: $60 per person, wine included, for a multicourse, prix-fixe meal. Two thirds of ticket sales go to the chosen organization. Sunday, October 19
Info: brownpapertickets.com/producer/577698
Get ready for Destiny Arts by seeing the World Premiere of F R E E at the Mill Valley Film Festival: http://tickets.cafilm.org/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=89119~07e85ca3-74b6-4863-ac45-3c9d86723cd5&epguid=ef7c23fe-7cbc-417f-90cf-d7284d3566d0&
eatdrinkfilms.com 