Listen & Be Heard Weekly Archives

The fundraiser for the Employees of THE GOOD DAY CAF was a love fest. The employees served the food amid hugs, waves, smiles, tears and giggles. They were helped by wait staff from many other establishments (including Benicia businesses) and volunteers. The event was sold out within a week or so of the announcement of ticket sales. THE VALLEJO FIRE FIGHTERS LOCAL #1186 will also be holding a Pancake Breakfast for the 18 employees who had their income cut off by the January 7th fire. The Breakfast will be held at the DAN FOLEY CENTER in DAN FOLEY PARK in Vallejo from 9:00 AM through 11:00 AM. Adults (8 and up) are $10 Children 3-7 are $5 and children 0-2 are free. For tickets call 208-2791. There will also be raffle prizes and a 50/50 Raffle.

Thursday, February 22 TIA CARROLL is the special guest at THE LISTEN AND BE HEARD POETRY CAF. The event begins at 8:00 PM. There is a $5 fee. For more info call 554-4540.

Friday, February 23 THE MIRA THEATRE will open its production of Resistance at THE OLD FEDERAL BUILDING in Vallejo. The play tells the story of the slave William Parker.

Friday, February 23 Benicia s own BONNIE WEIDELL will be the featured poet at THE LISTEN AND BE HEARD POETRY CAF in Vallejo. The Readings begin at 8:00 PM . There is a $5 fee, but the first 10 poets to sign up to read at the open mic get in free. For more info call 554-4540.

Sophisticated Ladies continues at the VALLEJO MUSIC THEATRE production at the FETTERLY PLAYHOUSE FOR THE ARTS. Just this weekend and next weekend and this wonderful musical will be gone. Evening performances begin at 8:00 PM and Matinees are at 2:00 PM. Call 649-2787 for tickets and info.

Friday, February 23 RICH FLYNN will return to the UPSTAIRS venue at THE FIRST STREET CAF. Rich has performed in many Benicia venues and has a dedicated following. He takes the stage at 8:00 PM. No Cover. Call 745-1400 for more info.

Its time for talented teachers to step into the spot light at the BENICIA HIGH SCHOOL. Faculty and staff members and special guests will put on a Talent Show in the High School auditorium on Friday, February 23 and Saturday February 24 at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students with an ID card. Proceeds will go to the Drama Department to purchase sound system upgrades in the auditorium.

Saturday, February 24 the BENICIA HISTORICAL MUSEUM AT THE CAMEL BARNS will celebrate the first great California love story. At 1:00 PM a commemoration will be held at the grave site of CONCEPCION ARGUELLO located in ST. DOMINIC S CEMETERY on Hillcrest Ave. Concepcion was the beautiful daughter of the Commandant of the Presidio in San Francisco. She fell in love with and was engaged to a handsome Russian Sailor, NIKOLAI REZANOV. The couple was to be married on his return from a trip to Russia, but he was killed on the trip. Concepcion waited years before the news of his death came. She then became the first native born Roman Catholic nun in California and came to Benicia where she started a school. At 2:00 PM at the Museum there will be performances of the stars of Viva Concha! Rose of the Presidio (the Opera written about this love story). This will be followed by the reading of love poems by poets who entered the Museums Poetry Contest and awarding of prizes. The readings will be led by Benicia s Poet Laureate, JOEL FALLON. All events are open to the public.

February 24 BENICIA INCONVENIENT GROUP (BIG) will hold its kick off. At 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM SOLAR WIND will give demonstrations of Solar and Wind power. MARILYN BARDET will be on hand to share her experiences with conversion to solar power. At 3:15 PM the movie Who killed the Electric Car will be shown at the CAF VOLTAIRE in the TANNERY BUILDING. BIG was formed to address and solve the problem of global climate change and is looking or new members . For more info call JAN COX GOLOVICH at 746-1952 or KAREN CORDES at 745-2024.

Saturday, February 24 the CLOCKTOWER will become the hippest place in town as The Summer of Love 16th Annual Trivia Bee takes place. Doors open at 6: 00 PM with a no-host bar and the evening includes dinner, an auction and a raffle. Then comes the trivia as businesses and organizations field their three man teams to compete for the Trivia Toad Title. The audience comes dressed in costume in hopes of getting the Spirit Award. Tickets are $20 and benefit the Adult Literacy and ESL Programs at the BENICIA PUBLIC LIBRARY. For more info call 746-4341.

Saturday, February 24 SYRIA T. BERRY will be the attraction at the UPSTAIRS venue at THE FIRST STREET CAF. He takes the stage at 8:00 PM. No cover. Call 747-1400 for more info.

Sunday, February 25 there will be a Chinese New Year Celebration at the MC CORMICK HALL at the SOLANO COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS in Vallejo. The celebration will include traditional foods, dances to insure joy and happiness for the year of the pig. MARTIN YAN whose TV show Yan Can Cook will be on hand to give food demonstrations and to sign his books. The event will begin at 5:00 PM. Tickets are $15 for adults, $7 for children 6-13. For more info call ABETH GASANG at 451-0130. I hear these tickets are going fast so don t wait.

Sunday, February 25 is the ARC-SOLANO Evening at the Academy Awards at the USA WORLD CLASSICS EVENT CENTER in Vallejo. Doors open at 4:30 with no-host cocktails. The evening includes Dinner Silent Auctions, Raffle Drawings, and the Awards Ceremony on Big Screen TV s. Guests are encouraged to come dressed like your favorite star, or not. Tickets are $60 per person or $450 for a table of eight. For more info call 552-2935.

March 2 the BRYAN GIARD TRIO will bring their cool jazz to ARMANDO S gallery/caf in Martinez. The gig begins at 8:00 PM . There is a $7 fee. For more info call 510-517-7005.

Saturday, March 3 THE BENICIA HISTORICAL MUSEUM AT THE CAMEL BARNS invites you to join the crew for a Masquerade Ball at the GIBSON HOUSE MYSTERY PERFORMERS present the three act play Murder on the High Seas . You will also enjoy a three course meal catered by VENTICCELOS RISTORANTE. As you solve the murder. (Costumes are Optional) Reservations are being taken through February 28 so get yours in. Call 745-5435 for more info.

Rotary Youth Exchange Student, FLORENT PERRARD will share French cheeses and desserts on Thursday, March 8 at the VALERO EAST CONFERENCE CENTER located at 610 Industrial Way at 7:00 PM. Florent will also give a presentation on his experiences, play the piano, and talk about his homeland. There will also be French inspired auction prizes. Proceeds will help finance the student s trip to give him a wider experience before returning home. The trip will take many exchange students to Disneyland, Sea World, Hollywood, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Yosemite and San Francisco before they return home in July. Tickets are $5 For more info call AMY CARPENTER at 373-0627.

March 10 and 11 and March 17 and 18 in four 6 hour sessions instructor LEE ALTMAN will instruct a Monotype/Drypoint Printmaking Workshop out at ARTS BENICIA. The classes will run from 10:00 AM through 4:00 PM both days , both weekends. For more info call 747-0131.

March 17 you can celebrate St. Patrick s Day with Aloha Style as the UPSTAIRS venue at THE FIRST STREET CAF has its Second Annual Aloha Party. Wear a Hawaiian shirt or skirt and get off your first appetizer or dessert. Ed and Andy will have in the hula spirit in no time. Call 747-1400 for more info.

March 18 the MCCUNE LECTURE SERIES will present CARLO CARIUCCI is giving a study of Virgil using several copies in the local collection. The lectures are free and are held at 2:00 PM in the McCune Room at the JFK LIBRARY in Vallejo. For more info call 642-9894.

March 23 is the People s Choice Voting and Preview Party for BARKITECTURE IV at the VALLEJO NAVAL MUSEUM at 5:30 PM.. This fun fund raiser for the BENICA/VALLEJO HUMANE SOCIETY features some of the most creative domiciles for canines, felines, feathered and reptilian friends. These will be auctioned off at the Gala Auction to be held on March 30 at the USA WORLD CLASSICS EVENT CENTER. For more info call 645-7905 ext. 113.

March 25 RONNA LEON will give a seminar on Art Booklets at ARTS BENICIA. Booklet structures, folded, sewn, and boxed give the artist a novel and intriguing way to present their work. Seminar runs from 1:00 PM through 5:00 PM. Call 747-0131 for more info.

March 31 you will be able to enjoy the return of ANTSY MC CLAIN & THE TRAILER PARK TROUBADOURS as they take the stage at THE MAJESTIC THEATRE in a benefit for the AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN (AAUW) and its Tech Trek Scholarship Program. If you missed their previous performances in the area, DON T MISS THIS! This is a quirky, high energy totally original exhilarating performance. Tickets are available at BOOKSHOP BENICIA, online at www.Reddragonflyproductions.com and by phone at 771-0140.

Remember the joys of your Senior year. The pictures, the yearbook, the Senior Ball! Kids in Foster care don t get these normally. FOSTER A DREAM is a local non-profit that seeks to add these little, once in a lifetime, joys to the lives of these kids who through no fault of their own are in Foster care. A $40 donation will get a kid a photo package the equivalent to ones costing $300 to capture those precious memories. For more info call 747-0101 or go to www.fosteradream.org .