We all may have an idea of the changes we want to make in our life, but many times we lack the understanding to know what those changes really should be, and how to bring them about. We need a clear understanding of the best path for ourself, and be confident in that understanding while working toward our goals with a relaxed and joyful mind. Buddha taught many methods for achieving exactly these results. Please join us to learn practical methods to overcome our discouragement and replace it with an entirely new way of achieving our wishes. We will offer two sessions: the first will cover the removal of obstacles (3:30--5); the second teaching will cover the development of relaxed and consistent effort (5:15--6:30). If we can accomplish a removal of obstacles and a consistent effort, then our goals are definitely achievable.

Led by American Buddhist Monk Kelsang Wangpo.

Class fee: $20 (free for Members)

Afterwards we will have a chance to relax over a light vegetarian dinner. Dinner cost: $10--please RSVP.

We generally believe that external conditions such as food, friends, and money are the real causes of happiness, and we devote nearly all our time and energy to acquiring these. Yet if we check carefully, we find our external experiences are actually a result of our state of mind. Because of this, we have the extraordinary potential to change our life--because happiness and suffering are states of mind. Through gaining insight into the nature of our mind, we can see clearly that if we change our mind, we can change our life. Now is a great time to set out on a path to happiness. Learn practical methods for making lasting changes toward a happier and more joyful life.

With American Buddhist monk Kelsang Wangpo.

SLO Skiers, a local non-profit sports and social club for adults, is
having its first monthly meeting of 2012 at the SLO Elks' Club, 
222 Elks Lane in San Luis Obispo on Wednesday, January 4th at 7:30 pm. 
SLO Skiers has sports and social activities all year including snow sports,
parties, dances, biking, hiking, etc.  Annual membership is $40. 
Meetings are free. 
Contact www.sloskiers.org or 528-3194 for additional information.

Katie Garibaldi is a touring indie singer/songwriter and guitarist from the San Francisco Bay Area. Her latest album, Next Ride Out, has catapulted the artist's career into top speed. She has been named a Music Connection Magazine's Top 100 Live Unsigned Artist, and is an endorsed Luna Guitars and Reunion Blues artist. Garibaldi makes a return appearance at Linnaea's Cafe, and her first performance of the new year, in downtown San Luis Obispo to perform a set of original acoustic Country-Pop songs and sign copies of her album on January 4, 2012.

When: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 8:00 pm
Free, all ages.

Linnaea's Cafe is located at:
1110 Garden St.
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 541-5888

For more information on Katie Garibaldi and to view her tour schedule, visit www.katiegaribaldi.com

SMALL WILDERNESS AREA PRESERVATION,Los Osos/Morro Bay Chapter

PO Box 6442, Los Osos, CA 93412-6442

(805) 528-0392

WHEN: Saturday, January 7,  from 9 a.m. to noon.

SWAP needs volunteers to help with weed and erosion control on Saturday, January 7th from 9 am til noon.

SWAP First Saturday work Parties are held at 9 a.m. to noon on the first Saturday of each month.  Please dress for wind, fog, or sun. Layers work well. Long pants and long shirt sleeves are good.  Sturdy shoes are a must.  Meet at the north end of 15th Street at the Elfin Forest entrance.  Take care not to park in front of driveways or mailboxes.

For info. call 528-0392

Join us on Saturday, January 7, 2012 @ 2:00 p.m. for a fabulous program featuring raptor biologist Kara Hagedorn and Sunshine, an injured Red-tailed Hawk. In 1997, Kara Hagedorn was encouraged to adopt and train Sunshine for educational and assistance programs. Kara will tell the story of how Sunshine, though injured, raised an orphaned chick. This program is a free family event and appropriate for children between ages 4—104!

The CPAA SLO Chapter’s Annual Chili Cook-Off will once again take place in the Stam­pede Club Tent prior to the Cal Poly Men’s Bas­ket­ball Game on Sat­ur­day Jan­u­ary 7 vs. Cal State Fullerton.

The Chili Cook-Off starts at 5:30pm in the Stam­pede Club Tent behind Mott Gym. The game starts at 7:00pm.

The cost is $25 ($15 for kids under 12 years of age).

Your ticket will get you early Stam­pede Club access (includ­ing snacks and drinks), sam­ples of chili from all of the par­tic­i­pat­ing restau­rants, and a reserved ticket to the game.

To reserve your ticket to the Chili Cook-Off and game, con­tact Owen Main at calpolyalumnislo@gmail.com or by phone at 805 459?3051. The dead­line for reserv­ing your ticket is Jan­u­ary 3.

Restau­rants that are con­firmed include: The Rib­line, Pappy McGregor’s, G Broth­ers, and Splash Cafe.

Come sam­ple local chili, enjoy the excite­ment of Cal Poly Bas­ket­ball, and sup­port the local alumni chap­ter on Jan­u­ary 7. We hope to see you there!

When: Jan­u­ary 7, 2012. Chili Cook-Off at 5:30, Game at 7:00

Where: Stam­pede Club Tent (behind Mott Gym)

To reserve your tick­ets: Con­tact Owen Main at calpolyalumnislo@gmail.com or 805 459?3051

Find us online at http://slochapter.com/chili-cook-off/
 

Sensational in the 2004 Met premiere of Stephen Wadsworth's much-heralded production, Renée Fleming reprises the title role. She's joined by Stephanie Blythe and countertenor Andreas Scholl, and Baroque specialist Harry Bicket conducts.

(Encore performance)

Sponsored by The Neon Carrot Restaurant

Run Time: 4 hours, 15 minutes. Two intermissions

The Michael Winograd Trio comes to Atascadero

Congregation Ohr Tzafon presents “THE MICHAEL WINOGRAD TRIO” on January 8, 2012! Start the New Year with great sounds from three of the top klezmer musicians in New York. The fun begins at 4:00pm at Congregation Ohr Tzafon, 2605 Traffic Way in Atascadero for a donation of only $10. 

The trio features Michael Winograd on the clarinet, Patrick Farrell on the accordion and Benjy Fox-Rosen on bass. Clarinetist Michael Winograd has recorded with the Klezmer Conservatory Band. He also produces records, composes music and plays the synthesizer in the Brooklyn based metal band Yiddish Princess. Accordion/composer Patrick Farrell specializes in new-music, free jazz, cabaret theater, Klezmer and other forms of East-European folk music. Benjy Fox-Rosen is a singer, bassist and composer creating new Yiddish music.

Together they blend infectious traditional melodies with new compositions, sumptuous chamber music-like arrangements and breathtaking improvisations. This rising newish ensemble is out to redefine the sound of contemporary klezmer. “Perhaps the leading voice of the younger generation of performers and composers within Klezmer, Yiddish and new Jewish music” says Joel Rubin of the University of Virginia Department of Music. “An unusual but intriguing amalgam; one that expands upon from both contemporary and historical sources”, says Michael G. Nastos, of the All Music Guide. 

Twelfth Night - January 6, 7 and 8, 2012
Free Admission!
Playing at the Little Theatre on the campus of Lompoc High School,
515 West College Avenue, Lompoc, CA 93436
Telephone inquiries: 735-ACT1
Email inquiries: Todd Harper (director) toddharper1376@gmail.com
or Lompoc Civic Theatre lompoccivictheatre@gmail.com

Lompoc Civic Theatre proudly presents Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare's
uproarious comedy of love, deceit, and frivolity. This fully staged
workshop production was rehearsed in an intense 9 day process. Dedicated
performers worked 12 to 14 hours each day to bring Shakespeare's text to
life, several being college students on their holiday 'break'. With lots
of focus and energy, they bring you the story of Viola, a stranded young
lady who has been separated from her brother at sea and takes on the
appearance of a man. As she falls in love with Orsino, the Duke of
Illyria, who is in turn, already entranced by the Lady Olivia, Olivia
begins to fall for the new guy in town (Viola in disguise). And there's
not just sappy romance; everybody can enjoy this hilarious Shakespearian
tale!

The diverse cast features everything from high school students with no
Shakespeare experience to college theatre students and folks with
professional actor training. Director Todd Harper, an alumnus of Lompoc
High School and UC Davis, and currently a stage management intern at PCPA
Theaterfest, hoped to bring this project into the community to acquaint
Lompoc with Shakespeare's brilliant works, and he's glad some of the
members of the cast have had no exposure to Shakespeare before, since that
only aids this goal. He believes that so many people are afraid of
Shakespeare because they feel his language is not accessible, but given
the chance to see one of Shakespeare's plays on a stage, that fear can be
easily tossed out the door.

The play, while not a musical, also features an original score by Jonathan
Youngs, a music composition major at UC Davis. Music in the show ranges
from a Spanish gypsy sound to rock comparable to AC/DC. The three piece
band features two acoustic guitars and drums, creating a fresh and unique
sound. The show opens on Friday, January 6th (the "Twelfth Night" of
Christmas) at 7pm in the Lompoc High School Little Theatre. Performances
continue on Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 2pm. Admission is free and
seating is first come, first served. Donations are happily accepted. Don't
miss out on this show that is sure to keep you laughing on the edge of
your seat!

8^th ANNUAL BLACK & WHITE BALL

Our popular Black & White Ball is just around the corner!  Join us for a fun-filled afternoon as we celebrate the 8th year of this special event. For your enjoyment, we will have dancing, musical entertainment, finger foods, and refreshments - all you have to do is bring yourself dressed to impress!

Ages: 50+

Days/Dates: Monday, January 9

Time: 1 – 3:30 pm

Fee: $5/person

Location: Pismo Beach Veterans’ Hall

Celebrating the music of Bonnie Raitt 

Jan. 9, 2012, 7:00 – 9:30 pm

The Spot
116 W. Branch Street
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420

805-474-5711

All ages OK, general admission $10 at the door

Central Coast newcomer Tiana Star (pictured here), harmony trio Chick Tuesday, and The BlueSouls lead the list of performers for the January 9 Bonnie Raitt tribute concert at The Spot in Arroyo Grande. The event is presented by Songwriters at Play, which has also paid tribute to Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. 

Each act in the show takes on three songs from Raitt’s 30-year catalog of blues, folk, rock and pop.  Expect to hear hits such as “Nick of Time”, “Something to Talk About” and “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”  Songwriters at Play head honcho Steve Keywill kick off the show at 7pm.

Local vocalists Melody Klemin, Gary Garrett, and Lompoc’s Kelly Wildowsky are also in the Jan. 9 lineup.

Tiana Star's voice has been called "a cross between the power-pop abilities of Kelly Clarkson and the delicate control of Natalie Merchant." Now featured on TV, film, radio, and touring colleges and music venues nationwide, Tiana Star is an artist on the rise.  In December, she moved her home base from Seal Beach to Atascadero.  www.tianastar.com

The Spot is a 50-seat theatre located at 116 W. Branch St., in the village of Arroyo Grande (next to Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream). Tickets are $10, available in advance at www.thespotag.com

Richard Branson is selling flights to the edge of space that you can soon take (for a fee). Find out how technology is making commercial travel to space possible with our featured speaker, Professor Dianne DeTurris, who specializes in propulsion and high-speed aerodynamics.
Will you be going to space soon? Find out exactly how you'll get there at Mach 5 on a rocket plane. 
Special Speaker is Dianne DeTurris, Professor, Aerospace Engineering, Cal Poly

http://lib.calpoly.edu/learningcommons/science_cafe/hypersonic/

 

We generally believe that external conditions such as food, friends, and money are the real causes of happiness, and we devote nearly all our time and energy to acquiring these. It seems they are the source of our happiness, but actually it is how we view the world that determines our experience, not external conditions. Buddha's teachings reveal how we can have a happy life – a meaningful life – by understanding the real causes of happiness and suffering and identifying the true nature of our situation. Then, we can respond appropriately and in a way that produces the best outcome. This is how we use true wisdom – a mind that always produces happiness and its causes – to improve our life and the lives of others.

With American Buddhist monk Kelsang Wangpo.

Karl Giberson's book "Saving Darwin: How to Be a Christian and Believe in Evolution" will be read and discussed from 10 a.m. to noon on four Thursdays beginning Jan. 12 at St. Benedict's Episcopal Church in Los Osos.

The Hollister Institute sessions will be led by the Rev. Donna Ross, who says  participants will examine the theory of evolution through Giberson's experience and be helped to understand why so many Americans still resist the theory for religious reasons. 

St. Benedict's is at 2220 Snowy Egret Lane, a block south of the intersection of ClarkValley and Los Osos Valley roads, To register for the sessions, email donnaross@charter.net or telephone (805) 235-5117.

Symphony of the Vines will perform an exciting program of baroque masterpieces by Bach, Handel and Vivaldi.  Join us for this event performed in the timeless beauty of the historic, Mission San Miguel (775 Mission Street).  The event is Saturday, January 14, at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets are $20 and $30, students with ID – 50% discount.  We are a recently established, north San Luis Obispo County non-profit chamber orchestra.  To order tickets and information:  www.symphonyofthevines.org

With Jonas Kaufmann in the title role, René Pape as the devil, and Marina Poplavskaya as Marguerite, Gounod's classic retelling of the Faust legend couldn't be better served. Tony Award-winning director Des McAnuff updates the story to the first half of the 20th century with a production that won praise in London last season. A later run features two other first-tier Fausts: Roberto Alagna and Joseph Calleja, with Ferruccio Furlanetto stepping in as the devil. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts on the heels of his Don Carlo success.

(Encore performance)

Sponsored by The Neon Carrot Restaurant

Run Time: 4 hours, 25 minutes. Two intermissions

"If design is a signal of intent, and we look at what we've done with the first industrial revolution, we would have to ask, did we intend to do this? If we articulated the retroactive design assignment of the First Industrial Revolution, it would be something like this: "Could you design a system that pollutes the soil, air, and water; that measures productivity by how few people are working; that measures prosperity by how much natural capital you can dig up, bury, burn, or otherwise destroy; that measures progress by the number of smokestacks and requires thousands of complex regulations to keep you from killing each other too quickly; that destroys bio-diversity and cultural diversity; that produces things that are so highly toxic they require thousands of generations to maintain constant vigil while living in terror?"   William McDonough, the Next Industrial Revolution.

The next monthly meeting of the Santa Barbara Macintosh Users Group (SBMUG) will be on Thursday, January 19, in Farrand Hall of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara, at 6:00 PM.

The program will begin at 6:45 after a general Q&A session. 

First item will be election of officers for 2012. 

Then Steve McIntosh will present a fascinating program on his experiences using Macs in China. He lived in Beijing for seven years and was an active member of the first Mac Users Group in China in 2004. You won't want to miss his anecdotes and "inside stories" about riots over iPhones before they were legal there, fake Apple stores, Steve Jobs' involvement, and much more. 

 Everyone is welcome at our free meetings, but only members may enter the drawings for prizes. (You may join at the meeting for $25 per year.) Wi-Fi, refreshments and good company! 

For additional SBMUG information, please visit http://sbmug.org or call 967-2866.

The Paso Robles City Library invites the public to enjoy an evening of stories with volunteer storyteller Tony Wallace! Children may wear pajamas and should bring an adult to snuggle with! Pajama Storytime begins at 6:30p.m. FREE!

The Paso Robles City Library is located at 1000 Spring Street and is open Monday – Friday 10-8, and Saturday 10-5. For more information on library programs, please visit www.prcity.com/library.  

Internet Marketing Secrets Exposed
Presenter: JoJo Stanfield, Owner of Good2BSeen an online marketing agency

Are you spending time and money for online marketing with limited results? Do you want to take your business promotion to the next level but don't know where and how to start? This presentation will give you "insider tips" for implementing a successful online marketing plan in 2012. You'll discover:

* The basic strategy behind all effective online marketing campaigns
* The 5 essential ingredients for success on the web
* Free and low cost ways to build a loyal customer base
* Your most important role in your online marketing campaign (you can delegate tasks, but not these!)

You'll walk away with a better understanding of digital marketing and discover techniques you can implement right away.

JoJo has been an online marketing strategist since 1999. She helps small business owners and entrepreneurs implement online marketing plans customized to fit their unique needs, values, goals and resources.

This is a FREE event and everyone is welcome! RSVP to denise@mcscorp.org or call 595-1357

Inspired by the musical pastiches and masques of the 18th century, the Met presents an original Baroque fantasy, featuring a who's who of Baroque stars led by eminent conductor William Christie. With music by Handel, Vivaldi, Rameau, and others, the new libretto by Jeremy Sams combines elements of The Tempest and A Midsummer Night's Dream. David Daniels is Prospero, Joyce DiDonato is Sycorax, Danielle de Niese is Ariel, Luca Pisaroni is Caliban, and Plácido Domingo makes a special appearance as Neptune. Lisette Oropesa and Anthony Roth Costanzo also star. This dazzling production is directed and designed by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch (Satyagraha and the Met's 125th Anniversary Gala).

Sponsored by Jane & Roy Gersten and Sally Young, in memory of Bob Young

Run Time: 3 hours, 40 minutes. One intermission

http://www.operaslo.org

Herbal Bazaar: Growing Health
Hosted at the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden

 
General Public: $35 - $50
UCSB Students: $20
 

Tickets and info.: www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu or 805-893-3535

Private post-event reception for Producers Circle Members with special guest Ira Glass.

Generously supported by Christine and William Fletcher

Rudolf Budginas Piano Concert

Sunday January 22, 2012
2:00PM until 4:00 PM

Contact:  Rebecca Sloan, 786-4331

Description:  This is one of four Chamber Music concerts at UU Fellowship in 2012.  The pianist, Rudolf Budginas, is a popular local musician and entertainer.  He will play Moonlight Sonata, Beethoven and will offer his own arrangements of the Bach Allemande, Black Swan, Chopin Prelude and Beethoven's 5th.  Additionally, Mad Rush, by Philip Glass,  Chopin Etudes, Debussy Snow Flakes, Katchaturian Saber Dance and Stairway to Heaven.  This concert will be on a Sunday afternoon, January 22, 2012, at 2PM at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of San Luis Obispo, 2074 Parker Street, San Luis Obispo, located across from Smart and Final.

Tickets at the door, brownpaperticket.org or uuslo.org.
Suggested price:  $20 individual adult tickets, or 3 concerts for $45, 4 concerts for $60
Children accompanied by a guardian are welcomed free of charge.
Address further questions to:  786-4331.

Santa Barbara’s renowned dance company performs their original interpretative ballet of Kipling’s whimsical, beloved “The Jungle Book” in a delightfully lavish production that will appeal to audiences of all ages.

Pre-show lecture.

*Sponsored by KSBY TV

http://www.calpolyarts.org

Tim Jackson Ready to Rock The Spot 

The Spot is a 50-seat theatre located at 116 W. Branch St., in the village of Arroyo Grande (next to Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream). Tickets are $10, available in advance at www.thespotag.com

“A funny and philosophical meditation on why error is mostly a humane, courageous and extremely desireable human trait...” The New York Times

Kathryn Schulz is a journalist, author and public speaker with a credible (if not necessarily enviable) claim to being the world’s leading wrongologist. At a moment when economic, political and religious dogmatism increasingly divide us, she calls on us to ask one of life’s most challenging questions: What if I’m wrong? She proposes a new way of looking at fallibility – one in which error is both a given and a gift that can transform our worldviews, relationships and, most profoundly, ourselves.

 
General Public: $15
FREE for all students

Tickets and info.: www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu or 805-893-3535
 

Post-lecture conversation moderated by Lynda Weinman of lynda.com.

Books will be available for purchase and signing.

This breathtaking new production is based on the 2008 Tony Award-winning Lincoln Center Theater production, directed by Bartlett Sher. Set on a tropical island during World War II, the musical tells the sweeping romantic story of two couples and how their happiness is threatened by the realities of war and by their own prejudices. The beloved score’s songs include “Some Enchanted Evening,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair,” “This Nearly Was Mine,” and “There is Nothin’ Like a Dame.”

Pre-show lecture.

Note: Tobacco use on stage.

*Sponsored by Clifford Chapman & Gene Shidler, Patricia McNamara in loving memory of Francis McNamara, Joan Sargen, the Foundation for the Performing Arts Center in honor of Legacy Society Members, and KSBY TV

Astronomy Movie Night We’ll be having a great astronomy movie and an astronomy-gadget show-and-tell.  Bring a friend and join us!! TIME & LOCATION: 7pm at the WESLEY BUILDING. 1515 Fredericks Ave, San Luis Obispo. Info: www.CentralCoastAstronomy.org

Cal Poly’s Orchesis Dance Company presents its 42nd anniversary concert “Immersion” Jan. 27 through Feb. 4 at the Alex and Faye Spanos Theatre at Cal Poly. Contemporary choreography, live music and a new company of dancers create a high-powered performance for Cal Poly’s College of Liberal Arts Dance Program.

Evening shows are scheduled at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 27 and 28, and Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 2 through 4.  A 2 p.m. matinee is scheduled Sunday, Jan. 29.

The Orchesis concert features the choreography of nationally acclaimed guest artists, Cal Poly faculty, local choreographers and selected top dance students. The dances this year embrace current dance trends as well as explore new perspectives on classic forms.

Guest choreographers include Holly Johnson, director of Ledges and Bones Dance Company based in both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Johnson was named one of Dance Magazine’s coveted “25 to Watch in 2007,” and according to the Los Angeles Times, is capable of “turning the body into a dangerous machine.”

Johnson hints that her dance for Orchesis “unites a terrain of moving bodies through space-time creating a visceral experience of shifting human emotions.”

Mike Esperanza, director of Southern California’s Bare Dance Company, presents the Orchesis Dance Company’s finale “Our Plan.” According to Orchesis Director Diana Stanton, the dance is an “uplifting celebration of human relationships and connections.” A collection of Beatles tunes performed by a live singer will accompany the piece.   

Fusing heavy hip-hop vocabulary and modern dance, Seattle choreographer Markeith Wiley will present an excerpt from his evening length work, “City Council.” Wiley pursues themes of hierarchy, struggle, alliance, and the destruction of the power in this innovative blend of Breakdance, Krumping and other urban dance phenomena.

This year’s performance also includes works by faculty and local choreographers, including Diana Stanton’s “Torque,” a new ballet by Michelle Walter, and Lisa Deyo’s delightful “Plaza de la Ville,” set to the music of Carmen.

Tickets for "Immersion" are $13 for the public and $10 for students. Tickets are on sale at the Performing Arts Center ticket office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. To order by phone, call SLO-ARTS (805-756-2787); to order by fax, call 805-756-6088; to order online, go to www.pacslo.org.

The Orchesis Dance Company concert is sponsored by Cal Poly’s Theatre and Dance Department, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Instructionally Related Activities program. For more information, call Diana Stanton at 805-756-2039.

Teddy Bear lovers ages 5-10 bring your teddy bear for tea, stories and lots of fun. 10:00 am Saturday, January 28. Contact the Los Osos library to sign up.

Enjoy a beautiful trip to Santa Barbara with a friend.  Start your day on downtown State Street, featuring world class dining and shopping. Wander through the outdoor paseos, beautifully landscape plazas, and along brick-lined sidewalks for a truly memorable experience.  In the afternoon, make your way to the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden, a place of beauty and serenity, of education, research and conservation, and of history and stewardship.

Ages: 18+

Day/Date: Saturday, January 28

Time: 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

Fee: $40/person

Register by: January 13

Light on a Distant Hill: A Novel of the Indian West by Bill Scott

• 50/50 Raffle
• Great raffle items
• A silent auction

“…dizzying with its high-velocity moves… a mesmerizing dance as powerful as a rock concert.” The Jerusalem Post

Édouard Lock’s newest creation has been ravishing sold-out audiences throughout its European tour. Marking the 30th anniversary of La La La Human Steps, Lock’s new piece places ballet technique in service to a precise, feverishly paced gestural language and invents an incredibly complex ballet performed by 11 virtuoso dancers. The narration deconstructs the famous Dido and Aeneas and Orpheus and Eurydice, two tragic love stories; the two operas are transmuted here into a single seamless ode. The music, by Gavin Bryars, is performed live by a quartet, evoking the well-known melodies of the operas by Purcell and Gluck.

General Public: $35 - $45
UCSB Studnets: $19
A Granada facility fee will be added to each ticket price.

Tickets and info.: www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu or 805-893-3535


An event of The Anne & Michael Towbes Dance Series

Mary Grace Orr

We often "take refuge" in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha before retreats, at daylong events, in the first Sunday practice at White Heron Sangha, and during other events. What does "taking refuge" mean? In what do we take refuge? This will be a day of sitting and walking in silence, as we consider awakening and truth.

Mary Grace Orr has practiced vipassana since 1983 and, prior to that, other western contemplative practices. She worked as a therapist from 1977-1995 and was trained to teach vipassana by Jack Kornfield. She is the guiding teacher of Vipassana Santa Cruz (www.vipassanasc.org) and teaches classes and retreats in Santa Cruz, at Spirit Rock, and throughout the United States. Mary Grace also spends as much time as she can at her second home on the Big Island of Hawaii.  This retreat will be suitable for both experienced and new meditators. There will be opportunity to meet with the teacher to explore questions and practice. The retreat consists of periods of meditation instruction, silent meditation, walking meditation, group interviews and a dharma talk each day. Please take advantage of Mary Grace's generosity in coming here to be with us and providing the opportunity for guidance on our practice.

When: Saturday, January 28, 2012

9:30AM - 4:30PM

Sunday, January 29, 2012

9:30AM - 1:00PM

Where: Morro Bay Veterans' Memorial Building

209 Surf St, Morro Bay, CA 93442 

Cost: $40, which covers both days.

Registration:

You can register and pay online or at the door. Pre-registration is preferred but is not required. 

Event link: http://www.whiteheronsangha.org/Default.aspx?pageId=852100&eventId=382181&EventViewMode=EventDetails

Arrangements can be made if the fee is excessive for you. We encourage you to attend both days in order to appreciate fully the teachings. The registration fee covers the expenses of the sangha in putting on retreats.

The teachings are offered freely. A dana (donation) basket will be available to help support the work of the teacher.

Bring your lunch. Tea and snacks will be provided. Bring a mat and cushion if you want to sit on the floor. Chairs will be available. For questions, contact Carole Maurer at 805-528-8018. 

Sponsored by White Heron Sangha http://www.whiteheronsangha.org/

Photo credit: Vipassana Santa Cruz  http://www.vipassanasc.org/

Sunday, January 29th, 2012

Steynberg Gallery

Jim Cole speaks on the Smart Grid.
SLO Soiree at Steynberg’s [1531 Monterey St., 542-9000, dh=544-5096] Sunday, January 29, 7-8 wine/cheese, 8-9 discuss

This is our first event at the Steynberg Gallery, it is a great place to have a great atmosphere and more space. We are asked NOT to bring wine, cheese and other food, Peter sells a variety of beverages. We hope to add some luster to his wonderful art and music.

Jim Cole on the Smart Grid: What is a smart electricity grid, why do we do we need one and what is the current status and potential for expanded deployment of major components in California?

Brief Summary: A conceptual description of the smart electricity grid is a modern integrated generation, transmission, distribution, customer and decision-support network, coupled with advanced communications capabilities. The smart grid gathers “real-time” information about the performance of these network subsystems and the behavior of all network participants (e.g. consumers and suppliers) and makes “timely” decisions to improve the reliability, efficiency, and economics of providing end-use electricity services. In this talk, Jim Cole will provide a basic functional description of major elements of the modern smart grid and describe why they are important for accomplishing California’s renewable energy, environmental, reliable energy supply, economic efficiency and other goals.

Speaker’s Background: Jim and his wife Norma live in the Oak Creek Commons cohousing community in Paso Robles. As a volunteer, he is actively involved in local sustainability-focused groups including Transition Towns ( http://transitionus.org/), Resilience Circles ( http://localcircles.org/) and the Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream symposium ( http://www.awakeningthedreamer.org).

In a part-time professional capacity, Jim Cole is a Senior Advisor with the UC’s California Institute for Energy and Environment (CIEE; http://uc-ciee.org ). His current Electric Grid research focuses on fostering the integration of renewable energy and improving the operational reliability and economic efficiency for California's electric transmission, distribution and customer interconnection system. As the first Director of CIEE from 1990 through July of 2002, Jim was responsible for the strategic direction of its energy efficiency and environmental R&D program.

“Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are not a normal part of aging. The Basics: Memory Loss, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease is a workshop for anyone who would like to know more about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. You will learn about: symptoms, causes and risk factors, diagnosis and early detection, the stages of the disease, treatment, hope and how the Alzheimer’s Association can help.”

Join us Tuesday, January 31, 6:00 p.m. at the Oceano/Five Cities Elks Lodge for an informative evening.  Event is Open to the Public.  410 Air Park Drive, Oceano, CA  805-489-2504

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are not a normal part of aging.

The Basics: Memory Loss, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease is a workshop, presented by the Alzheimer’s

Association, for anyone who would like to know more about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Contact: Alzheimer's Association (805) 547-3830

2012 Santa Barbara International Film Festival Presents Painting Bolinas

A Feature Film by Wendy Elkin

8 p.m. January 31, 2012

Metro Four Theatre #4 

616 State Street Santa Barbara. CA
paintingbolinas.com