May 6, 2005

CALENDAR

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

DANCE
May 5 - 8
“A Grand Finale” Ballet San Jose’s Final Program of the season will feature the following works: “Some Times,”a romantic jazz ballet set to a commissioned score by Claus Ogerman with choreography by Dennis Nahat. Flemming Flindt’s master work “The Lesson,” inspired by Eugène Ionesco’s dramatic play, which tells of a psychopathic ballet teacher so driven by his work that he murders his pupil in the process. The Grand Pas de Deux, “Diana and Acteon”excerpted from “La Esmeralda” with choreography by Agrippian Vaganova and music from Riccardo Drigo will have you jumping out of your seat! And Nahat’s “Moments,” a striking and endearing large company work set to Felix Mendelssohn’s Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello. All performances will be at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts in downtown San Jose. Ticket prices are $22-68. For tickets and information, call the Box Office at 288-2800 or visit www.balletsanjose.org. Tickets are also available through TicketMaster.

MUSIC
May 8 – Sunday
Babbu Mann Live in Concert: The Civic Auditorium presents an Indian Punjabi concert featuring renowned performer Babbu Mann from 6 -11:30 p.m.Admission is $35 per person. Call 650-771-0933 for ticket information.

May 14 – Saturday
Celtic folk group “Wake The Dead” will perform in concert at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Almaden Adventures in the Arts concert series at Joint Venture Churches of Almaden in San Jose. Seven of the best-known and most respected players in Northern California comprise “Wake The Dead”, a landmark meeting of traditional Celtic tunes and Grateful Dead classics. The eclectic group includes Maureen Brennan on harp; Cindy Browne on bass; Danny Carnahan on vocals, fiddle, octave mandolin, and guitar; Kevin Carr on uilleann (Irish bellows) pipes, fiddle, and whistles; Sylvia Herold on vocals; Paul Kotapish on mandolin, octave mandolin, guitar, and National steel guitar; and Joe Craven on percussion.
“Wake The Dead” will perform at Joint Venture Churches of Almaden, 6581 Camden Avenue in San Jose. Tickets are $15 advance/$20 door for adults and $8 advance/$10 door for students with ID. Childcare will be provided. For more information, call 268-0243.

THEATER
May 17 - 22
American Musical Theatre of San Jose Presents “CATS!” Broadway’s longest running musical returns. “CATS,” the dazzling theatrical event and multiple Tony® Award-winning extravaganza by Andrew Lloyd Webber, is unlike any musical before or since, taking Broadway by storm, breaking new ground in concept and staging, and keeping its audiences purring with delight! The smash hit of any season and winner of seven Tony®Awards including Best Musical, CATS is a unique spectacular event. Experience it – the memory to last 9 lifetimes! All performances will be at the Center for the Performing Arts. For tickets and additional information, call 888-455-SHOW or visit www.amtsj.org.

MEETINGS
Ongoing:
Association of Republican Women meets the third Wednesday of each month at the Almaden Country Club, on Crown Blvd in San Jose. Mr. Keen Butcher is the scheduled speaker for the April 20 meeting. Mr. Butcher leads the local GOP efforts in voter registration, candidate development and political outreach. Meetings begin at 10 a.m. with a continental breakfast offered at 9:30 a.m. at a cost of $10 per person. For additional information, visit www.goarp.org.
The Santa Clara Co. Horsemen’s Association, founded in 1939, meets the third Friday of each month at its property located at 20350 McKean Road, San Jose. Increase your knowledge of horses and enjoy the kinship of fellow equestrians. The Las Madres Adoptive Moms Group meets twice a month on Friday mornings for play dates and lunch.  Once per month we also have Mom’s Night Out, a family activity and a newsletter with stories written by members as well as informative articles and book reviews on adoption.  For more information, visit www.lasmadres.org
Business Leads Unlimited (www.onlineblu.com/admin ) meets at 7:15 a.m. every Tuesday, at the Denny’s Restaurant on Blossom Hill Rd approximately one half mile east of Almaden Expy.
Adlib Toastmasters Club meets on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of each month from 5 - 6:45 pm and the last Tuesday of the month from Noon to 1 p.m.  All meetings take place at 5600 Cottle Rd. Bldg. 50-B1.  For more information, contact Regan Eyerman at 264-4370 or at DREyerman@earthlink.net.  Cost is $65 for a 9 month term, (amount is pro-rated). Start the year right by improving communication, presentation, leadership, listening, evaluation and thinking skills.
The Billy De Frank Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center, 938 The Alameda in San Jose, hosts a weekly “Coming Out Group,” which offers a safe space to explore different subjects. Topics include how to come out to yourself, and how to comfortably live and work as a gay or lesbian in the larger community. All groups are run by trained facilitators in a closed door meeting room. This group meets every Wednesday from 7 – 8:30 p.m. For more information, call 293-3040 or visit www.defrank.org.
Las Madres Adoption Group is a wonderful support system for those who have gone through the adoption process and are looking to share the joys and challenges of parenting an adopted child.  We have regular play dates for newborns-5 years old and monthly “mom’s night out.” For more information, contact Barb Griswold at barbgris@aol.com or call toll free 1-877-LasMadres.  
Oakridge Century Theatres in association with Las Madres Neighborhood Playgroups presents CineMamas! A morning out to the movies for moms and their little ones. This group meets every Tuesday at 10 a.m., There are three showings to choose from, baby-safe sound levels, cheerios at the concession stand and a relaxing atmosphere with other moms who understand kids are kids! Check CineMamas.com for a weekly update on what is showing. Kids under 3 are free!
Le Tip International, a business leads networking group meets every Tuesday at 7:15 a.m. at Denny’s Restaurant, 1140 Hillsdale Avenue. For more information, call 298-9131.

CHILDREN/FAMILY
May 6 – 15
Children’s Musical Theater San Jose is proud to present “Seussical, The Musical,” a CMT Mainstage premiere, performing two weeks only, at the Montgomery Theater in San Jose (corner of Market and San Carlos streets). Tickets are now on sale to the public for $18 adults, $13 children 12 and under. Special Target® Family Matinee performance Saturday, May 7 at 2:00 pm, all tickets $9.50. Inspired by the unmatchable rhyming and whimsical imagination of Dr. Seuss, “Seussical, The Musical” follows Horton the elephant from the Jungle of Nool, to the Circus McGurkis and back, protecting his small friends on the planet of Who from danger and despair. Horton is joined by other familiar Seuss characters including Gertrude McFuzz, the Sour Kangaroo, Yertle the Turtle and of course, The Cat in the Hat who orchestrates the entire story in his own mischievous and zany ways. Like Seuss stories, “Seussical, The Musical” carries a positive message to both onstage characters and audience members alike, reminding all to believe in themselves and others around them for exactly who and what they are. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit the CMTSJ web site at www.cmtsj.org. Or phone the CMT Box Office at 288-5437.

May 7 – Saturday
Crocodile Dundee’s Boomerang Bay Beach Club™ at Paramount’s Great America is bigger, better and wetter in 2005! The expanded water park is now three times bigger and offers more than 11-acres of family water fun including a new heated lagoon, the area’s longest lazy river for inner tube lounging, two new body water slides, exclusive poolside cabanas and brand new changing facilities! With the 2005 additions, Paramount’s Great America offers guests a total of 13 water slides. Plus, Crocodile Dundee’s Boomerang Bay Beach Club continues to be California’s only water park inside a theme park, free with admission. Crocodile Dundee’s Boomerang Bay Beach Club opens at 11 a.m.

May 13 - 14
The Adventures of Snow White: Family entertainment including exciting scenery, special effects and classical characters! Join us for a theatrical and dance performance that incorporates ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, karate & acrobatic stars! All performances will be at the Center for the Performing Arts in San Jose. Show times are: May 13, 7p.m. – 9 p.m. and May 14, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Admission is $15 per person. For more information, call 408-244-1968 or www.adnpp.com.

May 14 – Saturday
Join the Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens and the San Jose Museum of Art to refresh your drawing skills or begin anew in the “Plein Aire Drawing Class” workshop led by SJMA Faculty Jane Burgunder that focuses on drawing from the fantastic subtleties of nature. In this class, we’ll work with all of the basic elements of drawing - line, shape, form, value and composition, using organic materials from within Guadalupe Gardens as our reference point. All levels welcome.
The workshop will meet at the Guadalupe Garden Center, 715 Spring Street. Class hours are 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  The cost is $40 for members and $45 for non members (all materials included). Space is limited, so reserve your spot early by sending a check to: Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens, 50 West San Fernando Street, Suite 1100, San Jose, CA 95113.  Visa and MasterCard are also accepted via phone or mail.  Refunds for the events will only be made if the event is cancelled or if there is a waiting list. For more information please visit www.grpg.org or contact Kary Wilson, the Education Coordinator, at education@grpg.org or 298-7657.

May 15 – Sunday
“Spring in the Valley” Family Day at History San José hours are from 12 noon to 5 p.m. and will focus on our roots…literally. Springtime plants and animals will be the centerpiece and will provide activities that were popular when Santa Clara Valley was called the “Valley of Heart’s Delight”. Family Day activities are designed specifically for families with children up to the age of ten, and offer a glimpse of the agricultural life that was the foundation for Silicon Valley. Meet Lan Tsai Ho and learn about the symbolism of plants in the Chinese culture at the Ng Shing Gung Museum. Make a biodegradable pot and plant a sprig of mint to take home. See honeybees in action and learn how important they are from the El Sereno 4-H Bee Project, meet some baby animals from the Santa Clara County 4-H Petting Zoo, see vintage equipment and learn about the early days of baseball in the Valley from the Bay Area Vintage Base Ball League, help crank an old-fashioned ice cream maker and taste the results of your work.  And if hand-cranking requires too much effort, O’Brien’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor will be open with a variety of menu items from ice cream cones to milk shakes. Art collector and historian, Leonard McKay will be stationed in the newly opened Leonard and David McKay Gallery at the Pasetta House. More surprises are planned that will put smiles on the faces of persons of any age. History Park at Kelley Park, 1650 Senter Road in San Jose. Call 287.2290, or visit www.historysanjose.org for additional information.

CLASSES
April 30 – Saturday
MetroED is hosting a free Compost Basics Workshop at MetroED/Erickson Adult Ed
4849 Pearl Avenue in San Jose, from 10 a.m. to noon. The County Home Composting Education Program will be
selling Earth Machine compost bins ($40) and worm bins ($5) after the workshop. Register at 918-4640 or email compost@pln.co.santa-clara.ca.us and indicate if you would like to purchase a bin after the workshop. Cross streets are Branham and Pearl Ave., parking is on Minas Dr.

HEALTH
Ongoing:
Aasha Pediatrics, 2060 Aborn Rd., Suite 230, (behind Red Lobster) is offering free consultation on newborn care to expectant parents. Get all your questions answered toward being best prepared for the arrival of your child. For a personal appointment, call Dr. Meena Sathappan at 274-9099. www.aashapediatrics.com
Bay Area Alzheimer’s Association now includes meetings at Kaiser Santa Teresa. Meetings are held in the San Jose Kaiser Family Health Center, Conference Room C, 3rd Floor, located at 276 International Circle. For more information call 800-660-1993

FIFTY PLUS
May 14 – Saturday
Almaden SeniorNet, computer classes for adults 50 and over will hold registration for computer classes at the Almaden Winery Community Center, 5730 Chambertin Drive just off Blossom Hill Road. Registration for intermediate courses will be at 1:30 p.m. and registration for Computer Fundamentals will be at 3 p.m. All classes will be held at the Vineland Branch of the San Jose Library, 1540 Blossom Hill Road. For more information log on http://www.snlcsj.org/ or call Don House at 268-1703.

Ongoing:
AARP Information Center needs volunteers to staff their office. Duties include helping seniors find various services and programs, and providing information on senior needs. The office is located at 840 Willow Street, Suite 300, at the corner of Bird and Willow Streets on bus route #25. The hours are Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, call 278-1855.
The Geriatric Advisory Program is a service providing documented analysis, advice and resources to those caring for aging family members and is available through the Almaden Valley Counseling Service. Sliding scale fees available. 975-2988.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Ongoing:
The Campbell Highland Games Association is seeking volunteers for all day on Friday and Saturday June 17-18 for the 27th Annual Campbell Scottish Highland Games and Celtic Gathering. The event is June 18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Campbell Community Center, but the work starts now. High school and Church community service groups are also welcome. If you are interested, call 219-9264, or 629-9325.
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 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 giving a hand to our Silicon Valley wildlife. Email Patricia at volunteer@wcsv.org or call 929-WILD (9453) ext. 350 for orientation dates.

MISCELLANEOUS
May 13 – 14
The San Jose Museum of Art’s Museum Store Guild will host its second annual jewelry show, “Bejeweled,” in the museum’s Wendel Center from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. An array of alluring and contemporary styles of original, handcrafted wearable works of art by 20 Bay Area artists will be available for purchase.  In addition to shopping for beautiful jewelry, the event provides visitors with an opportunity to win a daily Museum Store raffle and participate in a silent auction. The auction will include jewelry donated by participating artists and a variety of items provided by local businesses. All proceeds from the event benefit the San Jose Museum of Art, 110 South Market Street, and its programs. For more information, contact Carrie Arnold 271-6881or carnold@sjmusart.org.

May 14 – Saturday
The San Jose Fraternal Order of Eagles will be hosting their annual Cancer Fundraiser Dinner at the San Jose Aerie at 1036 Lincoln Avenue in Willow Glen. This year’s theme will be a Hawaiian Luau, with a wide variety of dishes that will take you away to the islands. There will be entertainment throughout the evening, including hula dancers, as well as prize giveaways. All proceeds after food and entertainment costs will be donated to help fund cancer research. Tickets to this event are $40 per person and are tax deductible. For additional information, visit http://www.foe.com/8/2005cancer.html, or send an email to Robert Prieto eagle_aye@sbcglobal.net

May 15 – Sunday
From noon to 2:30 p.m., Vasona Lake County Park hosts a “Just for Fun Dog Show” featuring games, obstacle courses, dog walks and treats for all. Participants should meet at the Ranger office lawn with dog and leash. Call 354-2608 for reservations
and information. Vasona Lake County Park is located at 333 Blossom Hill Road in Los Gatos.

May 20 – 22
Join us in “Celebrating Our Diversity“ at our St. John Vianney Fiesta 2005! Enjoy a fun filled weekend of unique games, prizes, carnival rides, great food plus a variety of Live Entertainment and Music. Don’t miss Sunday’s Famous Chicken BBQ from noon until 6 p.m. (or until food runs out) plus Prizes & Raffles. Event hours are Fri., May 20 from 5 - 11p.m., Sat., May 21 from 11a.m. - 11p.m. and Sun., May 22 from 11a.m. – 9 p.m. Venue: 4601 Hyland Avenue in San Jose (just off S. White Rd and Alum Rock). For more information, call 258-7832 or visit www.sjvsj.net

May 21 – Saturday
Pre-registration for the Fifth Annual Santa Clara Peace Officers Memorial Run to benefit C.O.P.S. (Concern of Police Survivors) and California Police Officers Memorial Association will be available until May 13 for $20 single rider and $30 rider with passenger. Forms are available online. Pre register with credit card by calling Joanne or Roberta at 298-1133. Registration the day of the event will be available from 8:30 – 10 a.m. $25 single rider and $35 for rider with passenger. Event day Memorial Service 10 – 11 a.m. at the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, 55 West Younger Avenue in San Jose, followed by an escorted ride to Bolado Park in Hollister for BBQ, Beverages and live music. Donation drawing features Grand Prize of Harley Davidson Safe with HD Jewelry.

May 21 – 22
“East Meets West”, the Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association’s Quilt Festival, will be held from 10am till 5pm and Sunday from 10am till 4pm at the Santa Clara Convention Center, and will feature over 300 high-quality traditional and art quilts, philanthropic quilts, 35 vendors, demonstrations and challenge quilts. There will be a boutique with numerous hand-made items as well as a consignment booth featuring quilts and wearable art. Special featured quilters will be Nancy Elliott MacDonald, Kitty Pippen & Sylvia Pippen. They will be exhibiting their work and offering books for sale. General Admission is $6, children 12 and under are free. For more information, call 984-2423 or visit www.scvqa.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.