ART

The Nature of Collecting: The Early 20th Century Fine Art Collection of Roger Epperson,  an East Bay Regional Parks ranger who had a passion for California's environment and a deep love of art.  The exhibit opens Sunday, July 8 and runs through September 16 at Saint Mary's College Museum of Art, 1928 St. Mary's Road, Moraga. Admission: $5 for adults and free for youths.  Opening day events are free.  For more info, call (925) 631-4379 or visit www.stmarys-ca.edu/museum.  

Keep it Simple.   The new exhibition at the Lafayette Gallery reflects the warmth and relaxation that summer brings June 5 until August 4, 50 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette. The Lafayette Sculpture Garden is now open for the summer.  The Gallery is open Tuesday-Saturday, 11am to 5pm, and Sunday, 11am to 2pm.  Free. For more info, call (925)284-2788 or visit www.lafayettegallery.net.

Orinda Library Gallery July Exhibit.  The art exhibit will include Teresa Onoda plein air and water colors; Debby Koonce plein air paintings; Gail Ruvalcaba baskets and ceramics; Susan Heller Fiber Dimensions, 26 Orinda Way, Orinda.  

Moraga  Art Gallery's new show, "Shades of Brilliance," will feature the work of gallery member and photographer Lucy Beck, as well as guest artist David Lindsay. The show runs through August 18. The Gallery is located at 522 Center St, Moraga (between TJ Maxx and The Dollar Tree in the Rheem Center). For info, call (925) 376-5407.  

Town Hall Theatre is pleased to display the work of Walnut Creek artist Joanne Taeuffer through August 4 most weekdays from 3pm to 5pm, and after 10am on Saturdays.  The combination of storytelling and expressive creativity make Taeuffer's work unique.  Free.  For more info and to confirm times, call (925) 283-6673.

An Exploration of Place, Light and Color.  Billie Cummings, a 25-year Moraga resident, was selected to exhibit her photographic work during June in the Lindsay Dirkx Brown Gallery located inside the San Ramon Community Center, 12501 Alcosta Blvd., San Ramon.  Cummings takes pictures of nature but concentrates on a broad selection of vignettes.  The gallery is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm.  For more info, call (925) 973-3200.

aMFa Gallery "Dream Art" Group Show. See works from the International Dream Society through July 15. Reception Friday, June 22 from 5-7pm, 1318 10th Street, Berkeley.  For info, call (925) 788- 5866 or visit amfagallery.com.

OAC Arts in Bloom In the Park 2012.  An Orinda Arts Council Celebration of the Visual & Performing Arts featuring Artists of the Lamorinda Arts Alliance and others Tuesday, July 17 from 5 to 8pm, the Orinda Community Park, 26 Orinda Way, Orinda.  There will be artist exhibits, art sales, visual and performing arts, a silent auction, kids' arts, crafts, and activities.  Free.  For more info, visit     www.orindaartsconcil.org/events_fundraiser.php.

MUSIC

2012 Summer Concert Series at the Moraga Commons.  Free concerts provided by the Moraga Park Foundation.  Bring your picnic blanket or lawn chairs to the grassy hillside in front of the band shell.  Enjoy the music while your children enjoy the park Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30pm, 1425 St. Mary's Road, Moraga.  The concert schedule is:  Thursday, June 21 Moonalice Early SF rock band, Thursday June 28 Pladdogh Celtic, Wednesday July 4 Livin' in the USA Rock (7pm concert & show).  For more info, visit www.moragaparks.

Orinda's Summer Music Series.  East Bay residents will be making new memories with friends, families, and neighbors while enjoying some of the best loved melodies from America's musical heritage as the Summer Music Series kicks off this month inside the Orinda Library, 26 Orinda Way, Orinda.  The Real Placebos will be playing starting at 6:30 pm Wednesday, June 20.  The Amethyst Trio will be playing Wednesday, July 18.  Berkeley's Pocket trio will be playing August 22.  Free. For more info, call (925) 254-2184 or visit www.ccclib.org.

Orinda Summer Concerts in the Park.  Orinda Community Center is having free concerts on Tuesday nights from 6:30 to 8:30pm, 28 Orinda Way, Orinda.  The schedule is: June 26, Bay Bridge Beat, Funk, Rhythm, and Blues; July 3, Cal Alumni Big Band, Big Band Jazz.

ELENA YAKOUBOVSKY's opera arias and lyric songs concert "RUSSIAN ALBUM," was moved to Friday, June 29, 7pm at the Lafayette Library Community Hall, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. The performance includes some of the most beautiful Russian lyric songs such as:  In the Silence of the Night and It's fine Here by Rachmaninoff, Recognition  by Glinka, Pimpinella by Tchaikovsky and Night by Anton Rubenstein.  Miss Yakoubovsky, lyric spinto soprano, made her operatic debut in 2005 as Tatiana in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin.  Tickets: $15 Seniors/Students; $20 General Admission, and may be purchased at www.amicilyricopera.com.    For further info, call (925) 964-9994.

Dancing in the Plaza, Friday evenings, 7pm, Lafayette's Plaza Park: June 22, Square Dance with world class "caller" Eric Henerlau; June 29, '70s Disco with DJ-JT Productions. Free.  For information contact the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce: (925) 284-7404 or lafayettechamber.org.


THEATER

Shaw's Classic, Pygmalion.  Town Hall Theatre closes out their 2011-2012 Main Stage season with George Bernard Shaw's classic comedy about class and gender, Pygmalion through  June 23. It is rated PG and is approximately two hours long.  Contact Town Hall Theatre Box Office at (925) 283-1557, or purchase tickets online at www.TownHallTheatre.com.

Orinda Starlight Village Players presents Agatha Christie's - And Then There Were None.  The play will be on Fridays and Saturdays, at 8:30 pm starting June 1 through June 23.  There will also be a showing on Sunday, June 10 at 4pm and Thursday, June 21 at 8pm, Outdoor Ampitheater at Orinda Community Center Park, 28 Orinda Way, Orinda.  Tickets:  $16 regular admission and $8 for discounted admission.  Season Tickets for all three shows is $35 regular and $21 for discounted tickets.  For tickets or more info, call (925) 528-9225 or visit www.orsvp.org.  

Cal Shakes presents "The Tempest" through June 24.  Please call (510) 548-9666 or go to
www.calshakes.org for tickets and details.

Diablo Ballet and The Lafayette Library present classic dance films. The first show for the dance films series will be The Red Shoes, a legendary film about a young ballet dancer who is torn between the man she loves and her pursuit to become a prima ballerina, Wednesday, July 18 at 6:30pm in the Arts & Science Discovery Center at the Lafayette Library, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd.  Admission is $5.  For more info, call (925) 283-6513 or visit www.lllcf.org.

LECTURE & LITERATURE

Orinda Books Event.  Jess Walter will discuss and sign copies of his new novel, Beautiful Ruins, Tuesday June 26 at 2pm at Orinda books, 276 Village Square, Orinda.  For more info, visit www.orindabooks.com or contact Janet Boreta  (925) 254-7606.

The Zombie Apocalypse arrives at the Lafayette Library.  Teens and zombie enthusiasts ages 10 and up are invited for a Zombie Survival seminar led by Bay Area expert Mitch Kocen.  There will be brain food, zombie makeup, and games Saturday, June 30 at 4pm at the Lafayette Library, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd.  Free.  For more info, call (925) 385-2280.

The Friends Corner Book Shop at the Lafayette Library will hold their next half price book sale June 30 from 9am to 5pm, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette.  

Orinda Books Event.  The World Affair Book Group will read and discuss Dancing in the Glory of Monsters: The Collapse of the Congo and the Great War of Africa by Jason K. Stearns at 3pm Tuesday, July 17 at Orinda Books, 276 Village Square, Orinda.  For more info, visit www.orindabooks.com or contact Janet Boreta (925) 254-7606.

OTHER

Contra Costa Master Gardeners 2013 class.  In order to apply to the training program attendance at one of the following free Orientation sessions is required:  Monday, June 25 from 1 to 3pm at 151 Linus Pauling Drive, Hercules; Wednesday, June 27 from 10am to noon at 75 Santa Barbara Road, 2nd Floor, Pleasant Hill; Tuesday, July 17 from 1 to 3pm at 75 Santa Barbara Rd, 2nd Floor, Pleasant Hill; Thursday, July  19 from 10am to noon at 151 Linus Pauling Drive, Hercules.  To register for Orientation visit the Contra Costa Master Gardener website at ccmg.ucdavis.edu and click join us.

Senior Nature Walk and Bird-Watching led by Ben Pettersson.  Experience nature at its finest along our trails.  Delight in the beauty that unfolds around each bend and learn to identify birds. Trail maps will be distributed.  Bring a water bottle; binoculars will be helpful if you have them.  The walks are every Wednesday starting June 20 (except July 4) from 10am to noon, Lafayette Senior Services Room outside the Alder Room, Lafayette Community Center, 500 St. Mary's Road.  Free.  For more info, call (925) 284-5050.

Understanding Public Employee Pensions.  This is a presentation by Dan Borenstein about the problems of public-employee pension funding Thursday, June 21 at 7pm, the Orinda Library Auditorium, 26 Orinda Way, Orinda.  Borenstein will explain the inner-workings of these retirement plans, delving into how they are financed and why they are leaving billions of dollars of debt for our children to pay.  Free.

Anne Randolph Workshop.  Exercise for Daily Living. Anne will demonstrate simple, low-key exercises you can perform anytime, anywhere.  The workshop is on June 22 from 11:30am to 12:30pm in the Sequoia Room at the Lafayette Community Center, 500 St. Mary's Road.  Please call (925) 284-5050 to register.  

Amateur Radio Field Day, Saturday, June 23, Moraga Commons Park, 9am to 3:30pm.The ham radio operators in Lamorinda and Canyon provide community service as well as train and prepare for emergencies.  Stop by to see some of their emergency communications capabilities.

Loaves and Fishes first Annual Event "Food for Thought" summer garden party Sunday, June 24 from 2 to 5pm, Hacienca de las Flores, 2100 Donald Drive, Moraga. Food prepared and served by renowned East Bay chefs as well as live and silent auctions.  All proceeds from this event will benefit Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa County, a local agency that has been providing hot nutritious meals for those in need since 1983. Cost: $50 per person. To purchase tickets, visit www.loavesfishescc.org and click on Register~Food for Thought or call (925) 687-6760.

GNON mixer at Salon Cartier.  GNON's (Girls Night Out Networking) Diablo Valley Chapter has another fun evening planned June 26 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm at the Salon Cartier, 2400 Olympic Blvd., Walnut Creek.  Bring friends, eat delicious food, and network your business.  Catering by Aurora Catering.  Cost: $10 for members; $15 for non-members. To RSVP email gnoners@gmail.com by June 22. For more info, visit www.gnontrivalley.com

Lafayette Physical Therapy free community lecture, Off Balance:  Gait and Balance Disturbances Affecting Your Daily Life, June 26 from 7 to 8pm at the Lafayette Physical Therapy Center, 3468 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Suite B110, Lafayette.  To RSVP please call (925) 284-6150.  For more info, visit www.LafayettePT.com

Distilled in the Bay Area: How to Drink Like a Locavore.  In Northern California, we're surrounded by celebrity chefs and artisan eateries that take pride in their use of all that is local. Join us for the inside scoop on drinking by the bay, followed by a tasting from the best local boozeries at 6:30pm June 27 at the Lafayette Veterans Memorial Hall, 3780 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette.  Check-in is at 5:30 pm.  Cost: $30 and $15 for members, must be 21 to attend.  For more info, visit http://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2012-06-27/distilled-bay-area-how-drink-locavore.

VOLUNTEER

The Rescue One Foundation is looking for applicants to fill a vacancy on its Board of Directors. Residents living within the Moraga-Orinda Fire District's coverage area are eligible to apply.  The Rescue One Foundation serves as the support group for the paramedic program of the Moraga-Orinda Fire District.  Letters of Interest should be sent no later than July 31 and addressed to Rescue One Foundation 1280 Moraga Way, Moraga, CA 94556.  For further information about this position please call (925) 254-6754.

Hospice of the East Bay is looking for interested East County residents who are motivated, committed and want to make a difference in the lives of hospice patients.  If you are interested in volunteering with Hospice patients and families in the Antioch, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, Oakley or Pittsburg area, sign up for an Informational Session to learn about the volunteer opportunities that Hospice of the East Bay has to offer.  Call (925) 887-5678 and ask for the Volunteer Department, or email volunteers@hospiceeastbay.org.

4th of July Events

Orinda July 4th Events
Pancake Breakfast at the Community Center starts at 7:30am,  
Flag Ceremony at 7:55am, Fun runs begin at 8am, Parade downtown starts at 10am, Games, food and music at the Community Park 10:30 - 1:30pm.   
Details: www.orindaassociation.org.

4th of July in Moraga,
8am, Races begin, Moraga Shopping Center        
8am, MYIC Pancake Breakfast, Moraga Commons Picnic Area
9am, Dog Parade, Commons  Bandshell
10:30am, Bike Parade, Commons Flag Pole
Activities all day at the Commons include:  Car  show, booths,
jumpies, games, and a magic show.          
7:00 pm, live music at the Commons Bandshell,  Livin' in the USA   
9:30 pm (ish),FIREWORKS, Bandshell /Moraga Country Club
Details: www.moraga.ca.us

There are no events scheduled in Lafayette for the 4th of July.