Yeah, I'm lame -- New Year's at home

One of my favorite New Year’s Eves occurred when I sat alone in my living room and watched “The Blues Brothers.”

What can I say – it’s a great movie. And after years of disappointing New Year’s Eves, I found it refreshing to just stay at home and do nothing.

Heck, I didn’t even watch Dick Clark do the countdown.

These days, I normally stay at home on New Year’s because 1.) I’m married, 2.) old and 3.) have a young child.

A party these days entails actually staying up until midnight.

Unfortunately, I don’t see any listing for “The Blues Brothers” on TV this year. And Dick Clark’s big guests this year are Carrie Underwood and Billy Cyrus’s daughter. So a trip to the video store might be in order.

In honor of New Year’s, though, I might consider a movie with New Year’s moments. Here are some good ones:

• “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968) You’ll probably want to put the kids to bed before starting this one. The New Year’s scene here occurs when a bunch of devil worshipping partygoers (another reason to stay at home on New Year’s) celebrate “Year One,” which can only mean bad things are coming for poor, unsuspecting Rosemary. My question: What kind of mobile do you buy a devil baby?
• “Godfather: Part II.” (1974) Things appear quite jovial and festive at a New Year’s party when Michael Corleone announces to his brother Fredo: “I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart.” And, really – Michael Corleone’s heart is not one you want to break.
• “The Shining.” (1980) So I guess New Year’s parties can signal bad things ahead. At the Overlook Hotel, a creepy 1920s New Year’s party is taking place when the circling-the-drain writer/caretaker Jack Torrence meets Grady, a ghostly butler, who advises Torrence to “correct” some of his family problems. Note to self: Don’t take family advice from dead killers.
• “Ocean’s Eleven.” (1960). Leave the party hats for next year. A bunch of thieves plan to use the commotion from New Year’s as a distraction for a major heist.
• “About Last Night” (1986) It’s been a while since I saw this one, but I remember liking it a lot. And apparently – according to what I just read on the Internet – Rob Lowe and Demi Moore break up at a New Year’s party.
• “When Harry Met Sally” (1989) Just seconds before the countdown, Harry professes his love for Sally. When Sally seems initially cool to the idea, Harry launches into his memorable speech: “I love that you get cold when it's seventy-one degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're lookin' at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely. And it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

Now that’s a way to usher in a new year.

--Pat P.

More celebrity interview tidbits

Just as we don’t always have room for every interesting tidbit that comes to light in our interviews, we also didn’t have room for every interesting interview tidbit we wanted to publish in today’s Ticket section. But we still want you to know about them, so we’ve published them here instead. Read on:

More of Sarah Linn’s interviews

James Cromwell
Best known as the tenderhearted pig farmer in “Babe,” James Cromwell seems too mild to be a political firebrand.

Spend a few minutes chatting with the lanky, Oscar-nominated actor about animal rights or the environment, however, and his gentle baritone rings with anger.
Cromwell appeared at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival in March.
Cromwell credits his father, a film director who was blacklisted for nearly a decade for his political views, for setting him on a path of activism.

“He had cut out this little one-column squib from The New York Times … there was a theater that was touring the South that was auditioning for actors,” the actor recalled. “And Dad said, ‘Why don’t you go down and try?’ ”

That tour with the Free Southern Theater showed Cromwell the full injustice of 1960s-era segregation, he said, including whites-only restaurants and violent beatings and arrests.

Back in New York, he worked with the Black Panthers and joined the anti-war movement. Cromwell became a vegan and animal rights activist after starring in “Babe.”

“I’m a big supporter of throwing paint on fur coats. I know it’s incendiary and I know that it’s polarizing,” the fiery actor said. “You can’t give up.”

Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash could offer some advice about growing up in the limelight. The daughter of Johnny Cash and the stepdaughter of June Carter Cash, she rubbed elbows with some of country music’s biggest stars as a child and released her first chart-topping single at age 24.

More recently, though, the Grammy winner wowed critics and fans with “Black Cadillac,” an exploration of loss, love and redemption written after her parents and stepmother died in a two-year span.

Cash, who performed May 6 at the Cohan Center, is reluctant to call “Black Cadillac” a tribute album. In fact, she gets a bit peeved when anyone tries to apply extra meaning to her work.

OK, really peeved.

“When you go to Broadway and see a stage actor, you don’t think, ‘Oh, they’re being so public with themselves,’ ” she said. “You know what I mean? They’re an actor. They’re playing a part.”

Besides, added Cash with a chuckle, “It’s not as if I’m getting up reading pages from my diary.”

More of Patrick S. Pemberton’s interviews

Toots Hibbert
Sometimes I feel so … American. I don’t mean that in a bad way. It’s just that I’m so accustomed to American accents, it can be difficult when someone talks like — well, like Toots Hibbert, whose Jamaican accent is thick. Really thick.

At one point, I know he was telling a good story, but I was completely lost. Then he said something like, “You know — Keith Richards?” And I was like, “Keith Richards?” And he said, “Sometimes I talk too fast and people don’t understand me.” To which I shamelessly tried to fake my way out of it and said, “Oh yeah, yeah — Keith Richards.”

So I think he had a good quote about Keith Richards, but you didn’t see it in the story.

Hibbert performed at Downtown Brew in September.

Ziggy Marley
Usually, journalists rush through celebrity interviews, hoping to squeeze in as many questions as possible before the allotted 15 minutes are up. But with Marley, who did not impose any time limit, I sort of gave up after 15 minutes. Let’s just say Ziggy isn’t much of a talker.

He was nice enough. And he didn’t get irritated when the inevitable questions about his father came up. (“My father is also one of my teachers, somebody I look up to musically. So I have no problem speaking about him.") It’s just that a good source expands on things a bit. Which is to say that tired yes and no — or other one-word — answers aren’t always desirable during an interview.

Marley appeared at Avila Beach Resort in March.

— Tribune features staff

Trapped at the Movie Theater

Hollywood must have a vindictive streak.

After weeks of dull, unimaginative fare, the powers that be have flooded the Central Coast with several fascinating movies – forcing filmgoers to spend the next couple weeks in dark, sticky-floored theaters.

It’s one of the disadvantages of living in a smaller movie market.
While New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago get to spread out their Oscar-season offerings, the little guys (read: San Luis Obispo County) have to wait.

When they’re handing out Golden Globe nominations, we’re scratching our heads. “There Will Be Blood?” “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly?” Those won’t be here for weeks!

Meanwhile, great films like Todd Hayne’s brilliant Bob Dylan biography, “I’m Not There,” get shoved out the door before their time.

I know I’m silly to complain. Too many good movies are better than too few, right?
Right?

Either way, I’ll spend my holidays wandering from Downtown Centre to the Fremont to the Palm in a sleep-deprived daze, subsisting on Junior Mints and jumbo tubs of popcorn.
If you see my pale, listless face, take pity, ticket-takers.
I’ve got too many movies to watch.

Here’s a list of new films I’m dying to see:

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Director Tim Burton and his darkly dreamy cast bring new blood (pun intended) to this classic musical. From all accounts, it’s a Gothic masterpiece – equal parts “Sleepy Hollow” and “Les Miserables.”

“Atonement”
Get out those hankies. When lovely Keira Knightley falls for a housekeeper’s son (Britain’s newest hunk, James McAvoy), the result is romantic and catastrophic.

“I Am Legend”
I’m told that the ending of this Will Smith blockbuster departs greatly from the 1954 novel. Oh well. Who wouldn’t watch the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air battle blood-sucking monsters?!

“Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story”
I’m so happy to see John C. Reilly, the reliable, potato-faced character actor, get a starring role that I’ll give this goofy spoof a shot.

“Juno”
Director Jason Reitman’s “Thank You For Smoking” was one of the slickest, sharpest comedies of 2005. “Juno,” about a smart teen (Ellen Page) pregnant by her best friend (Michael Cera), looks smart, quirky and sweet.

-- Sarah L.

*** Photo courtesy of Movieweb.

SLO favorite vies for Super Bowl commercial

You know what’s really great about Doritos? When you’re done eating them, you get to lick your fingers for the next three minutes.

It’s like a little something extra after your snack.

I’m guessing Dominic Castillo is probably chomping on a few Doritos as we speak. His band, Dominic Castillo and the Rock Savants, is one of ten finalists in a Doritos-sponsored contest that affords winners a record deal and massive exposure during the Super Bowl.

Castillo, a fixture in the local band scene, recently relocated to Portland, Oregon, though he still maintains ties – and a studio he shares with his brother’s band – in San Luis Obispo.

In October, unsigned acts were invited to submit videos and audio samples of an original song that is – and I’m quoting the press release here – “like Doritos tortilla chips, inspired by the musician’s passion and creativity based on his or her own bold or intense experiences.”

I’m not sure what that means, but I think it’s supposed to get us to eat more Doritos.

Nonetheless, the Crash the Super Bowl contest is a pretty good deal for the finalists. The winner not only gets a record deal with Interscope, but they also get 60 seconds of their song aired on a commercial during the Super Bowl. Which, of course, begs the question:

Does Tom Brady likes ranch or cheese flavor?

According to the press release, hundreds of acts entered the contest. A panel of judges narrowed the list to ten, and now the Dorito-eating public will choose the final three and then the winner.

Click here to vote.

After a precursory look at the contenders, I’d say Dominic Castillo and the Rock Savants have a pretty good shot at winning. Among the finalists are a hip hop act named Metafore (a literary golfer, perhaps?), a Long Island alt rocker who claims to have once danced onstage with Prince and a group whose video features a PG-13 sex scene (cheating, if you ask me).

Seriously, I think this could be the break Castillo has been waiting for.

Voting for the final three will last until Dec. 31. Voting for the winner will start January 7.

And I’ll be heading to the vending machine as soon as I finish this line.

--Pat P.

"You'll shoot your eye out!"

Out of all the Christmas movies that mob the airways each holiday season, “A Christmas Story” has to be the most painful.

There are threats of gun play, tongue mutilation and soap scrubbing. Public humiliation and childhood ripoffs. Adults – including Santa and the Old Man who treasures his “major award” (read: leg lamp) – are clueless. Kids, especially the hapless Ralphie, are helpless.

All this, and a PG rating.

Based on the book “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash” by radio personality Jean Shepherd, “A Christmas Carol” follows one kid’s struggles to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas despite multiple warnings that “You’ll shoot your eye out.”

It’s such a clever, spot-on send-up of the 1940s that it’s difficult to remember this movie was made in 1983.

Local audiences can enjoy this so-called “Tribute to the Original, Traditional, One-Hundred-Percent, Red-Blooded, Two-Fisted, All-American Christmas” tonight.

“A Christmas Carol” will be screened at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Fremont Theatre, 1025 Monterey St. in San Luis Obispo. Arrive a half-hour early for trivia and prizes.
Tickets are $7.50.

****

Next at the Fremont is the classic musical “West Side Story.” That movie will be screened on Tuesday, Jan. 15.

-- Sarah L.

(Image courtesy of Amazon.com.)

Greetings from Bedford Falls

Every family has a favorite Christmas movie.

For some, it’s the claymation classic “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” or the heartwarming “Miracle on 34th Street.” Who wouldn’t get weepy after witnessing Ebenezer Scrooge’s change of heart or Charlie Brown’s pathetic twig of a tree?

At my house, holidays meant perky musicals – “White Christmas” – and animated classics, like “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” (The original “Grinch,” of course. Jim Carrey deserves a stake of holly through the heart for ruining that Dr. Seuss favorite.)

There may have even been a few screenings of “Ernest Saves Christmas.”

For most folks, however, the Big One will always be “It’s A Wonderful Life.”
It’s a simple but surprisingly effective story, about a desperate man who gets the ultimate second chance.

Jimmy Stewart sealed his status as movie icon with his portrayal of George Bailey, a carefree young man turned distraught husband and father.
Director Frank Capra won a Golden Globe for the 1946 film. And millions of American viewers made it a Christmas classic.

Central Coast residents can catch a local take on “It’s A Wonderful Life” this Wednesday at the Pewter Plough Playhouse in Cambria.

The theater company presents a radio play based on the movie as part of its Readers' Theatre program.

In lieu of tickets, audiences are asked to donate new, unwrapped toys or $5. The Cambria Fire Department will distribute the toys to needy children.

“It’s A Wonderful Life” starts at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Pewter Plough, 824 Main St. in Cambria’s West Village.
For more information, call 927-3877 or visit www.pewterploughplayhouse.org.

-- Sarah L.

** Image courtesy of Movieweb.com.

Christmas music, part III

I actually like "The Little Drummer Boy." Alvin and The Chipmunks' helium-voiced carols remind me of my childhood. And my first exposure to "Christmas Island" comes from The Andrews Sisters, not Jimmy Buffett.

Okay, so Pat and I don't always agree. But we can agree that holidy music makes the season.

The following are a few of my favorite holiday albums:

"The Christmas Song," Nat King Cole
Few singers convey the warmth and elegance of jazz and pop great Nat King Cole. His buttery voice shines on many of these traditional holiday songs, especially on the title track. As Pat explains below, it's more commonly known for its first line, "Chesnuts roasting on an open fire."

"The Bells of Dublin," The Chieftains
When you bore of "Frosty the Snowman," turn to the cheerful Celtic Christmas portrayed by Ireland's beloved Chieftains.
Some of the traditional holiday songs from the Emerald Island sound familiar to American ears. Others don't.
For instance, a few reference St. Stephen's Day, Dec. 26. That's Boxing Day in Britain.

"Christmas Caravan," Squirrel Nut Zippers
One of the many bands inspired by the swing revival of the 1990s, Squirrel Nut Zippers also draw on early jazz, blues and western swing for their old-fashioned sound.
Listeners will chuckle at quirky songs like "Indian Giver," whose narrator laments that Santa keeps stealing his presents. However, it's the lovely, wistful "My Evergreen" that gets me every time.

"Oi to the World," The Vandals
Punks and Christmas may not seem like the most natural pairing, but this goofy musical masterpiece speaks for itself. Enjoy high-energy, hilarious rockouts like "Oi to the World," "A Gun For Christmas," and the classic "My First Xmas, As A Woman." Rated PG 13.

-- Sarah L.

Christmas music, part II

If you read today’s Ticket story, you know how I feel about “The Little Drummer Boy,” which is to say I really, really REALLY don’t like it.

Not to pick on LDB, but I have to admit that every time I hear it, I make a low guttural noise, which may then lead to an insightful editorial comment like: “Aaaaaaaaarrrrgh!”

Part of the problem, I guess, is that I prefer a more contemporary sound. And as hip as he is, even David Bowie couldn’t make “Drummer Boy” cool.

That said, I do have plenty of favorites. Do you feel a list coming on? Well, wait no more! Here’s my Top Ten Christmas Songs, just in time for the holidays:

10. Christmas Island,
Jimmy Buffett. Here’s a song that manages to conjure images of the tropics and Christmas – and that just isn’t an easy pairing. I heard Leon Redbone’s version first, but I found a version of Buffett’s on YouTube, so he wins.

9. “In the Bleak Midwinter,” Chrissie Hynde with Richard Thompson and Blind Boys of Alabama. I really appreciate Hynde’s lonely vocals, which took two days to record. According to the liner notes, this is a British standard.

8. Blue Christmas, Elvis Presley. There are many good versions of this, but, come on – the King. A good number for anyone with loved ones far away.

7. “White Christmas,” Bing Crosby. You simply can’t have a Christmas song list without this one -- a perfect tune for Christmas in California. I could go on and on about this one, but just check out Songfacts for all the good background. Parts of it are probably even true.

6. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” Judy Garland. Originally written for the Garland film “Meet Me in St. Louis,” but made more famous by Frank Sinatra a little later. (For an interesting story about its transformation, check out this Entertainment Weekly article) The line “Through the years we all will be together,” which was changed for Sinatra, always makes me a little teary eyed.

5. "The Christmas Song", Nat King Cole. By now, you’ve heard all about it, right? Written during a heat wave, yada, yada. Yet, that first line – chestnuts, open fire – set the standard for imagery in Christmas songs.

4. “Jingle Bell Rock,” Bobby Helms. Hey, check this out – Billy Idol singing “Jingle Bell Rock.” Gotta dig the holiday garb.

3. (It Must’ve Been Ol’) Santa Claus, Harry Connick Jr. A great original from a modern crooner. Here's a really good cover by a Marine band.

2. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", Bruce Springsteen. Springsteen has played this in his live act – often during the summer – for years. The single was the B-side of “My Hometown” in the 80s. With ho ho hos provided by the Big Man himself – Clarence Clemons.

1. “Please Come Home for Christmas,” The Eagles. I know it originated with Charles Brown, but I love this version – not to mention the cover for the single, which featured the Eagles lounging around a pool, surrounded by palm trees. And, hey – now you can get it on their new album, sold exclusively at Wal-Mart! (Does sarcasm translate to blogs?)


Here are some honorable mentions:



“Hey Santa,” Chris Isaak

“I Pray on Christmas,” Harry Connick Jr.

“Step Into Christmas,” Elton John

“Rufus Wainwright,” “Spotlight on Christmas”

“Let it Snow,” Dean Martin

“Zat You, Santa Claus?” Louis Armstrong



--Pat P.

It's a mad, mad, mad, mad movie

Back in 1963, there was only one movie that promised action, non-stop laughs, and endless celebrity cameos: “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.”

The epic comedy returns to the big screen tonight with a special screening at the Fremont Theatre in San Luis Obispo.

Trust us. You don’t want to miss this.

“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” centers on the madcap treasure hunt set off by the dying words of a thief. He’s hidden a fortune – $350,000, to be precise – under a “big W” in the (imaginary) town of Santa Rosita.

What follows is the ultimate road move as a group of drivers including an English adventurer, a con man, a beatnik lifeguard and his overbearing mother scramble to find the loot first.

The cast is impeccable: Jimmy Durante, Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney and a host of other stars.

The action is memorable.
The lines are unforgettable.
And the plot? It’s beautifully, hilariously ridiculous.

Director Stanley Kramer, known for powerful films including “The Defiant Ones,” “Inherit the Wind” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” took a break from drama to make this epic comedy.

Chances are, this funny flick inspired cross-country comedies like 1976’s “The Gumball Rally” and 1981’s “The Cannonball Run.”

However, the “Mad” remake – 2001’s “Rat Race” – was a decided dud.
Entertaining as they are, stars like Cuba Gooding Jr., Whoopi Goldberg and the band Smash Mouth are simply no substitute for the classics.

“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” starts at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Fremont, 1025 Monterey St. in San Luis Obispo. Arrive a half-hour early for trivia and prizes.
Tickets are $7.50.
For more information, call 541-2141 or visit www.themovieexperience.com.

-- Sarah L.

MORE big wave photos

When I was shooting video of last week's big swell, I came upon two guys navigating the waves at Avila Pier, thinking: "These guys are nuts!"

While the waves weren't nearly as big as they were elsewhere in the county, they were fat and heavy -- sure to offer a bruising for those who dared enter the water there.

Upon closer inspection, I realized that the two guys were Chris Burkard and Eric Soderquist. I had done a story about them and their pending surf/travel book, "The California Project," last summer. This time I got to see them in action, Burkard trying to avoid getting clobbered with his camera gear while snapping shots of Soderquist getting tubed.

Turns out Burkard was pretty busy that day, as evidence by his photos on Surfline.

Another local shooter, Mike Jones, also has photos featured in the gallery. When the big swell hit, Jones, who owns the Azhiaziam surf shop, headed north, capturing monster waves in Monterey. (That's his photo at the top -- as if the web site address didn't give it away.)

Neither photographer has been shooting for long. But both have done some impressive work.

To see video of those massive waves up north, visit this site.



--Pat P.

A bear love story at the Little Theatre

I was a little nervous taking our daughter to her first play on Friday. After all, three scenarios kept popping into my head:

1.) She would be terrified and want to leave
2.) She would be bored to tears and want to leave.
3.) She would actually try to get on stage.

Luckily, none of these scenarios occurred, which is a testament to “East of the Sun, West of the Moon,” playing at the San Luis Obispo Little Theatre.

Before I continue, I should note that our daughter, Sunny, just turned 4 this month. And in recent weeks, she has been frightened by relatively tame movies like “Underdog,” “Happy Feet” (yes, the dancing penguins) and “Ratatouille.”

In fact, we actually had to bail on the first two before they ended (and, no, I didn’t hate to leave early). Since then, we've pretty much stuck with movies featuring the Care Bears.

So I thought she might wig out at the prospect of a play featuring a bunch of less-than-attractive trolls. Not to mention a large bear and a giant character with a weird-looking tiki head. While the bear’s growl did startle her, and the Tiki did freak her out a bit, she didn’t try to run and hide. In fact, she was focused on the entire play, clapping at various points and whispering questions about the plot.

As we noted in last Thursday’s Ticket story, “East of the Sun, West of the Moon” is similar to “Beauty and the Beast.” To sum it up quickly: Girl has bad family, family trades girl to bear, bear is cursed, girl falls for bear, bear is a prince.

I especially wanted Sunny to see it not only because it’s fairy tale, but because all of the actors are kids themselves, some as young as 8. And, of course, I had hoped their performances would inspire her, leading to the inevitable post-play question: “Sunny, do you think you would like to be in a play someday?”

Of course, I said this with my fingers half crossed. And when she nodded, I wanted to pump a fist and shout, "Booooyah!"

It’s not that I’m a pushy parent. It’s just that theater kids always seem so confident. Which was obviously the case with these kids, led by Lauren Romero, a high school freshman who plays Tov, the girl who eventually falls for the bear/prince.

Expertly made costumes and an appealing set helped complete the performance — one Sunny will hopefully remember as her first.

There were a few other kids in the crowd (they also behaved very well), though surprisingly most audience members were adults.

There is a week left. So if you have kids, Sunny recommends you take them to the Little Theatre. She does not recommend “Underdog” or “Happy Feet.”


--Pat P.

Sacha and His Women

Los Angeles singer-songwriter Sacha Sacket rolls into town this weekend with a show that promises heartfelt electropop ballads, indie edge, and yes, a few babes.

Sacha (pronounced "Sasha") performs these days with a trio of talented musicians: guitarist Jennifer Trani, bassist and back-up vocalist Anna Maria Rosales and drummer Alexa Brinkschulte.

Of the three, Brinkschulte comes with the most surprising street cred.

Born in Bremen, Germany, she started playing drums at age 17 and -- weeks later -- was gaining national attention while performing and recording with rock band Noise of Destiny.

She attended the Los Angeles Music Academy and the acclaimed Berklee College of Music. Alexa has since performed at prestigiuos venues in Boston, Los Angeles, Houston and Las Vegas.

Sacha says his music has been transformed since adding the women to the lineup. He calls it "harder," more aggressive and rock-infused.

"I’ve had people say they miss the old me," he said.

At the same time, he added, "I’ve seen this complete reaction to the music," in a way he's never witnessed before.

So, what's it like being on the road with three chicks?

"We’re like the anti-rock band because everyone is so together and everyone is cool and healthy," Sacha said.

During four- or five-hour drives between gigs, the band members read, send e-mail and explore roadside attractions.

Sacha, who plays keyboards onstage, occasionally slips in song.

"I pick up the guitar and I make up songs about them," he admitted with a laugh.

According to Sacha's MySpace blog, his creations include "Tropical Fish," "Alexa Sexa," "Jennifer + Harry Potter = Love," and "Please Wear a Vocal Condom When You Make Sweet Harmony Love To My Voice."

Sounds like a great way to spend a road trip.

***

Catch Sacha Sacket and his band at 8:30 p.m. Saturday at the Frog and Peach Pub, 728 Higuera St. in San Luis Obispo. The show is free.

For more info, check out www.sachasacket.com.

-- Sarah L.

(Photo at top is courtesy of Sacha Sacket.)

Choo-choo!

Model train enthusiasts and choo choo-crazy kids can ride the rails Saturday and Sunday at Railroad Weekend in Arroyo Grande.
The free two-day event will feature running model trains, storytellers, screenings of the movie “The Polar Express” and festive holiday decorations, sponsored by the SLO Model Railroad Association and the South County Historical Society.
The first 300 youngsters receive wooden train whistles from Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab in Arroyo Grande.
While kids enjoy stories about trains, history and the holidays, adults can catch brief lectures by rail historian Loren Nicholson about Avila Beach’s historic Pacific Coast Railroad.
He’ll also offer signed copies of his book, “Rails Across the Ranchos.”
After the afternoon talks, there’s a complimentary wine tasting from the newly opened Wood Winery.

Railroad Weekend takes place at the IOOF Heritage Hall, the historical society’s headquarters at 128 Bridge St. in Arroyo Grande.
Saturday’s events run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday’s events from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, call 489-8282 or visit www.southcountyhistory.org or www.slomra.org.

Movies that teach

This month, it’s time to learn a little.
Through HopeDance Magazine’s ongoing film series, moviegoers will follow locally grown food from the fields to the dinner table, learn about water rights, and explore the Mayan calendar.
The series kicks off Thursday with a screening of “Tableland,” a documentary about local growers, chefs, oyster farmers and bakers who treasure their Central Coast resources.
The event starts at 6 p.m. with dinner from Naked Food Live Cuisine, a raw food delivery service in San Luis Obispo, followed by the film at 7 p.m.
Afterward, there’s a talk by employees of HoneyMoon Café in Pismo Beach.
Tickets are $8 for dinner, or $25 for two people or $15 for one person for dinner and the movie.

December also features the following:

“Escape From Suburbia,” Dec. 10
Environmentally and socially savvy folks seek alternatives to the rampant materialism and waste plaguing today’s world.
The film is followed by a discussion with Cal Poly physics professors Peter Schwartz and Dave Hafemeister, plus Adam Hill, running for the county Board of Supervisors.
A $10 donation is suggested.

“A Drop of Life” and “Water: A Clear Solution,” Dec. 20
The first short film looks at how India and indigenous peoples deal with water, compared to the modern West. The second tackles water scarcity issues.
The event will feature a speaker from SLO Green Build discussing water conservation and sustainability practices.
Organizers suggest a $5 donation.

“In Between 2 Worlds,” Dec. 27
Ever wonder about the differences between the ancient Mayan calendar and the Gregorian calendar we use today?
Filmmaker José Jaramillo examines how measuring time can affect our psyche and our direction in the world. The Mayan scholar will speak at the screening.
A $10 donation is suggested.

All films will be screened at 7 p.m. at the San Luis Obispo City-County Library, 995 Palm St. in San Luis Obispo.
For more information, visit www.hopedance.org.

-- Sarah L.