BERKELEY DINE OUT Berkeley schools district-wide incorporate gardening and cooking into the curriculum. The idea is that the school gardens produce healthy habits and interdisciplinary lessons, along with the fruits and vegetables. But the program has lost federal funding and needs help. To support the garden-based learning program at 16 BUSD campuses, participate in Dine Out on Thursday, Nov. 13. A portion of all bills at over one dozen popular Berkeley restaurants — from Café Clem to Comal — will go directly to the program. See the full list of participating restaurants.
RIGHT-BRAINED BERKELEY Berkeley’s creative roster is so long that North Berkeley alone has been home to a substantial number of famous artists and writers. A Berkeley Path Wanderers Association free walking tour this Sunday, Nov. 16 will take you past the former homes and studios of 12 such people, from photographer Dorothea Lange to science fiction author Ursula K. LeGuin. Right-Brained Berkeley: Art & Literature in the Northern Hills will begin and end at Bookish independent book store, where you may be able to pick up some of the texts that were written at the residences you’ll have seen earlier in the day. Bookish also sells the Parth Wanderers’ map. Prepare for some steep climbs on this three-hour, four-mile journey, which starts at 10 a.m. at 1816 Euclid Ave.
IN FROM THE COLD When playwright Jonathan Spector found out one of the biggest Cold War spies was living across the street from him in suburbia, he took his story to the stage. Specifically, the stage at Live Oak Theatre, where In From The Cold‘s world premiere is running through Nov. 23. The official description doesn’t reveal much, but there’s an ’80s movie involved, along with “Ladies Night at Chilis.” Generally, it’s a story about the past and the present, and what it’s like to no longer lead the important life one used to. The Just Theater play runs Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 5 p.m at 1301 Shattuck Ave. Tickets range from $15-$25.
THE GREAT INVISIBLE A film that wowed viewers and scooped up the “Best Documentary” award at South by Southwest will play for a Bay Area audience for the first time on Friday, Nov. 14. Friday Dec. 5. In The Great Invisible, filmmaker Margaret Brown interviews residents of the small Southern towns still reeling from the massive, fatal BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. The documentary, which will play at the Elmwood theater at 2966 College Ave., also incorporates news footage and interviews with oil industry insiders. [The screening date of the film was changed post-publication We will update this page when the showtimes are released.]
BERKELEY RECORD SWAP Record stores are few and far between these days, so events like the Berkeley Record Swap give vinyl fans a rare opportunity to dig through treasures and chat with other music snobs. Accepted currency includes cash and your own records; if you have a few you want to get rid of, simply bring them and trade with the vendors. If you have a lot, you can book a table yourself by emailing berkeleyrecordswap@gmail.com. NextSpace (2081 Center St.) is the site of the swap, which lasts from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Early bird admission at 10 a.m. costs $5, otherwise it’s $2. Of course, DJs will spin some sweet songs in the background. There will be food and drinks for sale as well.
Don’t miss these other events recently featured on Berkeleyside:
New music in Berkeley: Leaping into unexpected realms
‘Glen Campbell, I’ll Be Me’: Terrific, inspiring documentary
Check out Berkeleyside’s event calendar for many more events, and make sure to post your community happenings there too.