ART

The NEW Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art presents: The Veil: Visible and Invisible Spaces, through March 25. For more information visit the museum website at www.stmarys-ca.edu/museum or call (925) 631-4379. Museum Hours: 11am-4:30pm, Wednesdays – Sundays. Admission: $5 adults; K–12 graders and members free.

Moraga Art Gallery's new show, “Beautiful America,” will feature the oil paintings of gallery member & local Moraga artist Ginny Ruble, as well as guest artist Linda Hanford whose work reflects her love of the nature, landscapes, and seascapes of California. The show will open on Tuesday, March 20 and runs through June 2. The public is invited to an Opening Reception from 3-5pm on Saturday, March 24.

The Lafayette Gallery's spring show “Imagine” will run through May 5 and features fresh and inspiring new work: paintings, prints, collages, ceramics, jewelry, and photography. To celebrate the annual re-opening of the Lafayette Gallery's outside Sculpture Garden, the Gallery is hosting a free reception on April 15 with wine, hors d’oeuvres and live music. The Gallery is open 11am-5pm, Tuesday - Saturday, 50 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette (across from Chow). For more information, visit www.lafayettegallery.net or call (925) 284-2788.

The High School Visual Art Competition will be on display at the Orinda Library Gallery through the month of March.

MUSIC

St. Patrick’s Day Sing-Along and Fiddle Concert. Fiddler and vocalist, Mark Shaw, will lead the party in rousing renditions of Molly Malone, When Irish Eyes are Smiling, My Wild Irish Rose, and of course, Danny Boy. Light Refreshments will be served compliments of ResCare Home Care. Thursday, March 15, 1:30-2:30pm, Live Oak Room, Lafayette Community Center, 500 St. Mary’s Rd., Lafayette. Admission: $3 Members of Senior Services / $5 Non-Members. Please call Lafayette Senior Services at (925) 284-5050 to register.

The Contra Costa Performing Arts Friday morning concert opens at 10:30am, March 23 with Prokofiev's Sonata No. 2 for violin and piano. A 2006 composition by Steven Moelling for clarinet, bassoon, and piano is featured next. The Prokofiev Sonata No. 7 for piano concludes the concert. Grace Presbyterian Church, 2100 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek. Free to the public. www.ccpas.org.

Contra Costa Wind Symphony performs music inspired by timeless stories by famous authors, 3pm, March 24, Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. Tickets: $6 – $22, (925) 943-7469;
www.lesherartscenter.org.

Local bass player, Terry Miller invites you to Petar's in Lafayette from 6-8:30pm, Monday, March 26, for a live jazz jam session. Musicians of all ages welcome. Every musician will get a chance on stage. Bring your Axe and Play. Free pre-jam clinic at Terry Miller's, 2-4pm Sunday, March 25. Music will be provided. For more info, e-mail
terrymiller51@gmail.com.

On March 31 and April 1, the Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra will present a mix of New York’s 1920s nightclub soundtracks and Europe’s sophisticated classical music scene. The program, Transgenre, will include four such dynamic fusions, including La Creation du Monde by Darius Milhaud, For Aaron by Lukas Foss, An American in Paris by George Gershwin, and Piano Concerto No. 1 in G by Maurice Ravel, featuring internationally-renowned piano soloist Lino Rivera. For show times and tickets call (925) 943-SHOW, or go to www.LesherArtsCenter.org.

THEATER

The Orinda Tabor Sister City Foundation is showing the movie The Good Soldier Schweik on Thursday, March 15, 7:30pm, in the Orinda Library Auditorium. This is a free public presentation for all ages. Based on the legendary novel by Czech humorist Jaroslav Hasek, The Good Soldier Schweik mixes slapstick and satire to stand as a riotous commentary on the absurdity of war. The film is in Czech with English subtitles. For more information call (925) 254-8260.

With the words “See a Film, See the World,” the East Bay International Jewish Film Festival comes to the Orinda Theatre for a three-day run beginning March 16. For the complete line-up or to purchase tickets, go to www.eastbayjewishfilm.org or phone (510) 318- 6456.

Alas del Tiempo - Wings of Time with Artistic Director and Choreographers Carolina Lugo & Carolé Acuña featuring Direct from Spain, Antonio Arrebola, Dancer, Kina Mendez,Singer and from Bolivia, Eddie Navia, Charango, March 23-24, Lesher Performing Arts Center, Walnut Creek. For tickets and show times, visit www.lesherartscenter.org/march-2012/ or call (925) 943-SHOW (7469).

Center Stage and S.T.A.G.E Troupe, a local theater group based in Pleasant Hill, will present eight showings of the classic musical “Babes in Arms” from March 23-April 1 at the Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. For show times and tickets ($14), please contact the Lesher Center for the Arts at (925) 943-7469 or visit www.lesherartscenter.org.

Watch the award-winning film "Children of the Amazon", 7-9pm, Thursday, March 29, at the Moraga Library. Following the screening the Brazilian filmmaker, Denise Zmekhol will lead a discussion about the film. Part road movie, part time travel, her journey tells the story of what happened to life in the largest forest on Earth when a road was built straight through its heart. Free and open to the public. Pre-registration not required, for more information call (925) 376-6852.

"Opening Our Eyes", a documentary about 11 ordinary people who are making a positive difference in the world will screen at 7pm, Saturday, April 21, at the Community Hall in the Lafayette Library and Learning Center, 3490 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette. There will be a Q/A with one of the filmmakers immediately following. Requested donation of $10 to benefit LLLC. For reservations call (925) 890-1441 or e-mail candace94549@yahoo.com

A sparkling musical adaptation by Oded Gross and Tracy Young of Moliere’s The Imaginary Invalid, featuring clown work, delightful original songs, Broadway-style choreography, stunning costumes and non-stop physical comedy, will be performed in LeFevre Theatre at Saint Mary's College. DATES: April 18, 19, 20, and 21 at 8pm; April 21 and 22 at 2pm. Tickets: General - $15; Seniors - $12; Non-SMC students - $12; SMC community - $8. For info, contact Sharon Cahill, (925) 631-4670.Tickets are also available
online at
www.brownpapertickets.com.

LECTURE & LITERATURE

On Thursday, March 22, the Moraga Historical Society will present “The East Bay Hills Project: Reconnecting Images of the mid-20th Century to Solve a Mystery Involving a Forgotten Railroad” at 7:30pm in the Moraga Library Conference Room. Open to the public. The route of the Sacramento Northern Railroad created a unique transportation corridor connecting Contra Costa County to Alameda County during a period of rapid growth in the early to mid-20th century. Many of the images have never been published or presented in any form before. For more information contact Susan Sperry at (925) 376-3053.

The Saint Mary's College of California Creative Writing Reading Series welcomes poet and filmmaker Shane Book at 7:30pm, Wednesday, March 14 in the Soda Center. Book's first collection, Ceiling of Sticks, won the Prairie Schooner Book Prize, and his short film Dust was nominated for Best Narrative at the 2011 Diamond Screen Film Festival. A Craft Conversation with Shane Book will be held earlier in the day at 2:30 p.m. in Hagerty Lounge. All Readings and Craft Conversations are free and open to the public.

Friends of Orinda Library Book Sale, 10am-1pm, Thursday, April 5, Sorting Room and Book Shop (Book Shop is open until 6 p.m.). Books for all interests and ages. Orinda Library, 24 Orinda Way, Orinda; (925) 254-1358.

John Gray: Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, 20 Years Later, 6:30 p.m., Monday, April 9, Lafayette Veterans Memorial Hall, 3780 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. In his most recent book, Venus on Fire, Mars on Ice, Gray again tackles intimate subject matter with an inside look at the connections between hormone levels and happiness. The program is presented by the Commonwealth Club of California. Time: 5:45 p.m. check-in, 6:30pm program. Cost: $22 standard, $12 members.
www.commonwealthclub.org/events.

Emeritus College 2012 Distinguished Lecture Series presents Dr. Joel Parrott, "Past, Present and Future of The Oakland Zoo,” 3-5pm, Friday, April 13, Diablo Valley College Forum. Tickets: $15 ($10 children). Dr. Parrott will highlight the Zoo’s new animals, the often difficult and humorous events involved in the transportation, relocation and care of exotic animals, and the extensive conservation efforts at the Oakland Zoo. The Zoo is home to 660 native and exotic animals.

KIDS, PARENTS & TEENS

The Hunger Games: On Thursday, March 22, from 6:30-8pm the Lafayette Library and Learning Center will host an exciting series of Hunger Games to celebrate the movie release the following day. Suzanne Collins’ trilogy of books, “The Hunger Games,” “Catching Fire,” and “Mockingjay,” has been wildly popular with young and adult readers alike. Students, fifth-grade and up, are invited to participate and “Tributes” are encouraged to come in costume. For more information, call (925) 385-2280 or visit the website at www.ccclib.org. Free.

Need Money for College? Contra Costa Association of Realtors Scholarship Foundation is offering scholarships to residents of Central Contra Costa County that have completed one year of full-time college, completed courses with emphasis on real estate, finance and/or business and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. If you qualify, scholarship awards can range from $1,500 to $2,500. Further information and applications may be found online at www.ccarscholarship.com.
Deadline is April 15.

Orinda Idol audition registration runs from April 1-30. Orinda Idol is a singing competition open to young people who either attend school or reside in Orinda, Moraga or Lafayette. The objective of Orinda Idol is to provide an avenue for young people to pursue their love for singing, to bring joy to the community and to have fun. For more information, visit www.orindaartscouncil.org.

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL AUDITIONS
Ages 7 - 15
courtney@wctheatreco.com

OTHER

Rebecca Martin, founder and CEO of California-based dear jane Inc., a career services company, will present two more workshops at the Moraga Library to help participants navigate through career transitions and development: Salary and Negotiations (March 16) and Insider Tips on finding a job in 2012 (March 23). The workshop series is free and open to the public. Preregistration is not required. Contact the library for more information, (925) 376-6852, ext 200 or e-mail bgirshma@ccclib.org.

In honor of Girl Scouts’ 100th Anniversary, there are displays at both the Moraga and Orinda Libraries chronicling the history of Girl Scouts nationally as well as locally. The displays will be in place throughout the month of March.

Acalanes High School will have a free e-waste drop off, 9am-5pm, March 17-18. All proceeds go to the school. For questions or help with large items you can call the sponsor: Fire House Hauling at 855-HAUL-911 or (925) 348-6648.

Freecycle for Children's good quality apparel, 9am - 12:15pm, Thursday, March 22, Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church, 10 Moraga Valley Lane, Moraga (up the first staircase off of the parking lot).

Walk to benefit George Mark Children's House, 10:30am-3pm, Sunday, March 25 at the Lafayette Reservoir. The walk is in honor of Noah, who was 4 ½ months old when he passed away from complications of a rare liver disease. The George Mark Children's House is an amazing facility devoted to providing compassionate, comprehensive, and life-affirming care to children with life-limiting illnesses. Registration available online at
www.fiercelittlewarrior.com.

GARDEN

On Friday, March 16 the Montelindo Garden Club will feature speaker Jill Appenzeller, an avid gardener and landscape designer. Ms. Appenzeller is a member of numerous garden-related organizations which include the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Royal Horticultural Society. Ms. Appenzeller published "Postcards from the Hedge" in 2010 and has been featured on HGTV's "Curb Appeal.” The 10:30am lecture is preceded by a plant sale and social hour at 9am at the Orinda Community Church, 10 Irwin Way, Orinda. Free. The public is cordially welcome.

Organic Vegetable Gardening Workshop, 10 a.m., Saturday, March 24, at McDonnell Nursery, 196 Moraga Way, Orinda. To reserve a seat please call (925) 254-3713 or e-mail info@mcdonnellnursery.com.

Over 3000 heirloom tomato plants will be on sale at the Contra Costa Master Gardeners First Annual Great Tomato Plant Sale, “Heirlooms of the World,” 10am-3pm, April 4 -6 at Our Garden (adjacent to the Contra Costa Times parking lot) 2640 Shadelands Dr. (off of Ygnacio Valley Rd.), Walnut Creek. Master Gardeners will be on hand to offer customers advice on how to grow the tomatoes! Each 4-inch tomato plant will cost $2. The proceeds from this sale will help the Contra Costa Master Gardeners continue their educational outreach to the home gardeners in Contra Costa County.

Registration for the Eighth Annual Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, which will take place from 10am-5pm, Sunday, May 6, is now open. Volunteers are needed. Please register or volunteer at www.bringingbackthenatives.net/.