April 7, 2006

CALENDAR

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

ART
March 24 – May 20
The San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) will showcase “Driving by Braille,” a video by Kerry Loewen in the gallery’s First Street window.  “Driving by Braille” is part of the ICA’s installation series “Night Moves,” providing after-dark programming in the gallery’s front and rear windows, giving the ICA a nighttime presence while  animating the downtown cultural landscape. The San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art hours: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Saturday, 12 – 5 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday. Admission to exhibitions is free.

April 1 – 15
Sonya Paz Fine Arts Gallery presents “City of Fools” a reflection of original works emphasizing fun city life. This exhibit features artists Christine Benjamin, Anthony DiFatta and Sonya Paz. The Sonya Paz Gallery is located at 1793 Lafayette Street, Suite 110 in Santa Clara. For more information, visit www.sonyapaz.com of call 294-7900.

DANCE
April 20 - 23
Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley presents “Les Sylphides” and “Slavonic and Hungarian Dances” with the World Premiere of “Moon Reflection on Crystal Spring” and a Special Guest Performance of “Strange Fruit” by Oscar Hawkins. All performances held at The San Jose Center for the Performing Arts in downtown San Jose. Tickets are $22 - $74. For more information call the Box Office at 288-2800 or but online at www.balletsanjose.org

THEATER
March 18 – April 16
San Jose Repertory Theatre is pleased to present the Bay Area premiere of Rolin Jones’ comedy “The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow: An Instant Message with Excitable Music”, directed by Kim Rubenstein, This quirky techno-comedy centers on 22-year-old Jennifer Marcus, (Sue Jean Kim) a brilliant, yet obsessive-compulsive, agoraphobic woman and her quest to find her Chinese birth mother with the help of a robotic version of herself, dubbed Jenny Chow. This show is presented as a co-production with Portland Center Stage. Tickets are available at the San Jose Rep Box Office,101 Paseo de San Antonio or can be purchased online at www.SJRep.com or by calling 367-7255.

MUSIC
April 30 - Sunday
Third Annual Opera in the Park at Overfelt Gardens – Opera Sings Broadway and other show tunes: Join us for an exciting afternoon from 3 – 5 p.m. of Broadway songs and popular tunes reminiscent of the good old days. Featuring San Francisco Opera’s mezzo-soprano, Zheng Cao and special guests. Bring a hat, a chair, sunblock and your picnic basket and enjoy the beautiful sounds of professional opera singers as you sit under the shady trees. VIP seating and an up-close musical experience is available for a tax-deductible donation. For more information, please visit opera@chineseculturalgarden.org or call (408) 258-3231. Location is Overfelt Gardens’ Chinese Cultural Garden, 368 Educational Park Drive in San Jose.

CHILDREN/FAMILY
April 15 - Saturday
California Theatre Center presents Cinderella: Cinderella plays on Saturday mornings at 11:00am and Saturday evening April 1 at 7:30pm at the Sunnyvale Theatre, Sunnyvale Community Center, 550 East Remington Drive (just off El Camino Real). Tickets are $11 in advance. $12 at the door. For more information, visit www.ctcinc.org or call the Box Office at 245-2978.

April 14 - 16
Alum Rock Christian Church Celebration Choir and Drama Ministry presents a unique retelling of the greatest story ever told, in “More Than Just A Man,” the story of Christ as seen through the eyes of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. Performance times are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Alum Rock Christian Church is located at 2962 Story Road in San Jose. For more information, visit www.alumrock.net.

April 15 – Saturday
Easter Egg Hunt: The San Jose Junior Chamber is hosting the Annual San Jose Jaycee Easter Egg Hunt in Bramhall Park, 1101 Camino Ramon, starting at 10 a.m. For ages 3-10. Don’t forget your basket! To learn more, please visit our website at www.sjjaycees.org. To learn more, please visit our website at www.sjjaycees.org.

April 29 - Saturday
Chaboya Middle School will be participating in the “Music in the Parks” Band Festival held at Milpitas High School in Milpitas. CMS will be performing at 8:25 and 9:40 a.m.

April 29 - Saturday
“Ready, Set, Play” is the theme of the 17th Annual San José Children’s Faire held to celebrate the “Month of the Young Child.” The Children’s Faire features over 50 activity booths sponsored by organizations and businesses with services and/or products for families with young children. Each booth offers a free, hands-on activity for children aged 2-12, as well as child development resources for parents and caregivers. Family entertainment, special attractions, exhibits, and food are also offered. Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for the annual “Month of the Young Child” Second Harvest Food Bank drive. Event hours are 11a.m. – 4 p.m.

April 30 – Sunday
29th Annual Nikkei Matsuri (Japanese American Cultural Arts Festival) will features Japanese American foods, arts and crafts, performing arts on two stages and cultural art displays in the heart of San Jose Japantown. Jackson Street between Fourth and Sixth Streets. Event hours are 9:30a.m.-4 p.m., Free Admission. For more information visit www.nikkeimatsuri.org or call 241-0900.

CLASSES
Ongoing
Fine Art Classes will be held on Friday mornings from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m at the New Almaden Community Club, Bertram Rd (behind La Foret Restaurant). Instruction in oil, watercolor, pastel, and acrylic. All skill levels welcome. Go to www.galafineart.com or call 268-2990 for more information and materials lists.

Starting in April, beginner Italian Classes will be offered on Monday mornings at Holy Cross Parish, 580 East Jackson Street in San Jose, CA 95112-2736. For more information or to register please call 646-0232.

German Language Classes!. South Bay Deutscher Schulverein, a German-Language Saturday School, offers German language instructions at the Willow Glen Educational Park, Middle School Section, 2001 Cottle Avenue, CA 95125. The school offers pre-school/kindergarten through adult courses on Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m..  For more information visit our website www.sbds.org or call 266 5100. Please note that no information is available weekdays at the school location. 

VOLUNTEERS
April 11 - Wednesday
Vision Literacy needs tutor volunteers to help adults build their literacy skills. Tutor volunteer opportunities exist in community literacy, family literacy, substance abuse treatment programs and correctional facilities. Call 262-1349 or email info@visionliteracy.org to register for one of these tutor volunteer orientation dates or get more information on this program

Ongoing
Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley, www.wcsv.org, seeks center volunteers and home care volunteers to care for injured and orphaned wildlife for release back to the wild. We also need volunteers to help with educational outreach, database/office management, landscaping, facilities planning, event planning, graphic design, board work, and fundraising. The Wildlife Center, located in San Jose, has an active and enthusiastic corps of volunteers committed to welcoming and training new supporters.  Join us in helping local wildlife, one animal at a time. Email Patricia Abreu at volunteer@wcsv.org or call (408) 929-WILD (9453) for orientation dates.

MISCELLANEOUS
April 10 - 14 & 17 - 21
A Work of Heart – Paper Arts Studio, 1060 Willow Street in San Jose, offers open studio time for school aged kids ( 6+) daily during Spring Break. Open studio time can be used to work on any sort of art or craft we have available. Studio assistants are on hand to help students start their project. Fees are $20/session or $30/day Some projects have a separate materials fee. We donate $5 per day/per student back to their school or non-profit organization. Pre-Registration is required and space is limited. Visit www.aworkofheart.com, call 408-291-0070 or email andrea@ aworkofheart.com for more information.

April 15 – Saturday
Pet Estate Planning & Emergency Preparedness: Hosted by San Jose Animal Care and Services. This seminar offers information on Emergency planning for you and your pets, how to include pets in your estate plans; legal options such as pet trusts, the pros and cons of “willing” your pets to animal sanctuaries and perpetual care programs, and the health benefits of having companion animals as members of your family. This is a free class held at the San Jose Animal Care Center, 2750 Monterey Road in San Jose. No reservations required, all ages welcome. Visit www.sanjoseanimals.com for more information.

April 22 – Saturday
The National Kidney Foundation’s “SuperStride for Life” Walk comes to San Jose. The 5K self-paced walk will begin at 9 a.m. in St. James Park in downtown San Jose. This event features free refreshments, entertainment, goody bags and Walk T-Shirts. Walkers are asked to collect a minimum of $50 in pledges. Call the Walk Center at 415-543-3303 x109, or visit www.kidneynca.org to register.

Ongoing
Eastside Neighborhood Center of Catholic Charities, 2150 Alum Rock Avenue in San Jose offers a variety of activities and services on an ongoing basis. These include Bingo, Free legal assistance for seniors, Dancing, and Immigration Consultation. Call 251-0215 for more information and schedules.

Branham High School Class of 1976.  Our 30th Reunion is September 30 at Coyote Ranch.  We are looking for you and your high school friends.  Please email Pam Poor at pamela.schuur@comcast.net to get on the mailing list and visit www.geocities/branham76 for updates.


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.