16
The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, December 15, 2011
Eye Street Editor Jennifer Self | Phone 395-7434 | e-mail jself@bakersfield.com
Index Maureen Recalde ...................................... 17 National Cupcake Day.............................. 17 The Daliens................................................ 18 The Magical Forest .................................. 19 The Miraculous Christmas Radio Show.. 20 Christmas Around the World .................. 21 The Lowdown with Matt Munoz.............. 22 Calendar .............................................. 28-29
“I always like to know where things come from. There’s no story behind Walmart toys.” — Kevin McLean, antiques shopper
Gold from good old days Antiques shoppers, dealers keep eyes peeled for treasure BY JILL COWAN Californian staff writer jcowan@bakersfield.com
T
he De Elena family’s 1950s bungalow in central Bakersfield is missing something. It’s not a Christmas tree. The De Elenas have a small one, in what dad Michael called the “Charlie Brown” style. It’s not the trimmings, either. Tiny baubles and “pixie elves,” which mom Christina explained were popular at Woolworth’s stores mid-century, sat among the branches. No, what the house lacks is a solid, American-made vinyl couch. Since Michael, Christina and their two young sons moved from a larger house in southwest Bakersfield earlier this year, they’re doing their best to redecorate from scratch — using only the finest secondhand ingredients. Bakersfield’s antique stores form a kind of ecosystem for vintage collectors who, like the De Elenas, comb through estate and yard sales, keeping their favorite finds and selling others in malls’ vendor spaces. It’s a way of making a hobby like Christina’s vintage Pyrex collection sustainable. “This stuff has got history,” Michael De Elena said on a recent afternoon while the family touched up the vendor space they’ve stocked for a little less than a year at the 19th Street Antique Mall. “Now we do everything retro.” Fortunately for vintage enthusiasts and collectors like the De Elenas, downtown Bakersfield’s antiques district is a perfect place to treasure hunt. And for last-minute holiday shoppers, the sheer variety of odds and ends for sale creates plenty of gift alternatives for
CASEY CHRISTIE / THE CALIFORNIAN
Three generations of shoppers do some serious antique shopping in Bakersfield at the Central Park Antique Mall on 19th Street. They are Matthew Palmer, 12, left; his grandmother, Lena King, center; and Matthew's mother, Adrianne King, right. Lena says she loves looking for antique jewelry, pottery and Fenton glassware.
Bakersfield’s antique hounds lose dear friend
Please see 24
Online only Watch an audio slide show of more antique gifts at bakersfield.com
Laurel and Hardy figurines sitting on an iron bench are on sale for $200 at Central Park Antique Mall.
Antiquing: On some excursions you stumble upon a priceless piece of pottery for $2.50 while other days — most days, really — you find a bunch of kitsch, valuable only for its nostalgia. But one treasure Bakersfield shoppers and collectors could always count on finding was the smiling face of Gino Sorci, who worked at Central Park Antique Mall until the day of his death on Nov. 15. Sorci, a fixture at the store from the day it opened 18 years ago, was a history buff and eager conversationalist who enjoyed chatting up first-time shoppers and regulars alike. He was something of an expert on Hollywood’s gold-
en era and loved old movie stars, though his interests were so diverse that it was hard to stump him on any topic. “He was the Sorci most helpful person in the world and got along with everybody,” said Charlie Zawila, who owns Central Park Antique Mall and had known Sorci for 50 years. A lifelong Bakersfield resident, save for his military service in Europe, Sorci, 84, had a minor stroke after recent knee surgery, though everyone expected him to Please see 24
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Thursday, December 15, 2011 The Bakersfield Californian
Eye Street
You ought to be in pictures Disney casting for film on McFarland High runners BY MATT MUNOZ Bakotopia.com editor mmunoz@bakersfield.com
A
n open casting call will be held Saturday for an upcoming Disney film based on the feel-good story of McFarland High’s championship crosscountry teams of the 1990s, appropriately titled “McFarland.” According to a press release from the Kern County Film Commission and Disney, the film’s casting director is specifically seeking Hispanic men ages 17 to 23, who are athletic and enthusiastic. The film will be based on a 1997 Los Angeles Times article about high school coach Jim White, who inspired students by forming a cross-country team at McFarland High. The school won nine state cross-country titles between 1987 and
2001, including five during the 1990s. The program was also the subject of a Sports Illustrated feature in 2004. The open auditions will be held at the East Bakersfield Veterans Building, 2101 Ridge Road, from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. Photos will be taken at no charge and everyone has been asked to bring identification and a pen to use while filling out various questionnaires. All minors are required to have a work permit and be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. No cellphones will be allowed during auditions. While several news stories have circulated over who would be directing the film, the latest online entertainment trades point to New Zealand director Niki Caro, best known for directing 2002’s “Whale Rider” and 2005’s “North Country.” The film will be produced by Mayhem Pictures, which has had much success in the inspirational sports film genre with movies like “Miracle,” “Invincible” and last year’s “Secretariat.”
McDonald’s singer is golden
Some sweet deals for National Cupcake Day THE BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN On the off chance you’re not getting your fill of sweets this holiday season, the folks in charge of designating national days of honor are giving us a sugar rush: Today is National Cupcake Day. And at least three local cupcake shops are getting into the spirit today.
BY MATT MUNOZ Californian staff writer mmunoz@bakersfield.com
After a month of intense online competition and campaigning, Tehachapi’s Maureen Recalde has been named one of three national finalists in the Voice of McDonald’s singing competition. “I am just so happy and grateful for the people who sat on their computer and voted for me,” said Recalde of the outpouring of support she received. “Social media definitely helped and having laptop stations in our stores. It helped get the word out about voting.” Voted into the top three from a group of 22 regional entries representing the United States, the Tehachapi store manager was among 800 McDonald’s employees who entered the competition in August. Now, she and 15 other winners from the U.S., Canada, South America, Europe and APMEA (Asia/Pacific/Middle East) will compete for the Global Voice of McDonald’s title in April during the McDonald’s Worldwide Owner/Operators Convention in Orlando. In the initial round of competition, Recalde, 22, impressed the celebrity panel of judges with her video submission: a cover of Smokey Robinson’s “Who’s Lovin’ You.” After being named Southern California Regional winner, she was sent to Hollywood to cut a video, this time a cover of Whitney Houston’s “So Emotional.” For the second round, the public was invited to vote for their favorite during the month of November at voiceofmcdonalds.com. “I’m so proud of Maureen,” said her
CASEY CHRISTIE / CALIFORNIAN FILE
McFarland cross-country coach Jim White shakes hands with Julio Olvero during a 2003 practice. White and his program are the focus of an upcoming Disney film.
Frosting, Ink PHOTO COURTESY OF MAUREEN RECALDE
Tehachapi’s Maureen Recalde is one of three national finalists in the Voice of McDonald’s singing competition.
mother, Mary Ann Paciullo, who owns the Tehachapi restaurant where her daughter works. “I knew since she was 3 years old that she was talented. I used to drive from Tehachapi to Santa Barbara when she was in college to watch her sing. I knew that some day that she was going to be able to accomplish something like this.” After being notified of her win on Dec. 2, Recalde said she took some time to celebrate, but now has her eyes set on the weeklong trip to Orlando, where she’ll compete for the $25,000 cash prize before an audience estimated at 16,000. “I do know they’re going to have a choreographed show planned for us, so that makes me nervous. At least we all have something in common — we all work at McDonald’s.” For her final song choice, Recalde said she’s already begun scrolling through her library. “I’m thinking about a pop song, maybe something jazzy. It probably won’t be country. It’ll take some time to choose it, but I know it’ll be good.”
The downtown shop’s “cupcake fairies” will hand out free cupcakes near the corners of 18th and G streets from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to anyone who brings a canned good to benefit the Community Action Partnership of Kern Food Bank. “At Frosting, Ink we’re always looking for opportunities to give back to the community,” owner Sheila Heninger said in a media release. “As the holidays approach, we felt it was a perfect opportunity to support the Community Action Partnership of Kern Food Bank in conjunction with National Cupcake Day.” While Heninger encourages people to bring a canned good, no one will be turned away hungry.
Cupcakes-n-Crema Houchin Blood Bank, 5901 Truxtun Ave., is teaming with the northwest Bakersfield cupcake shop at a blood drive from 5 to 8 p.m. this evening. Show up at the blood bank, roll up your sleeve, and be entered to win a cupcake bouquet ($45 value). The first 50 donors will receive a buyone-get-one-free Cupcakes-n-Crema coupon, and the shop is providing 120 cupcakes for sampling. Donors also will receive a winter-
CASEY CHRISTIE / THE CALIFORNIAN
Fancy cupcakes on display and ready for consumption at Cupcakes-n-Crema.
themed T-shirt, and light hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served. “They have to eat something sweet after giving blood, so we were happy to help,” said Sharon Brandon, owner of Cupcakes-n-Crema, which has been open at 4715 Coffee Road since April.
Gimmee Some Sugar Stephanie Caughell-Fisher, who owns the downtown cupcake shop, was caught off guard when informed Wednesday of the big day, but in true entrepreneurial style, she came up with a plan on the spot: “We’ll do a special cupcake, just for tomorrow. A cupcake surprise!” Caughell-Fisher said she would offer the special cupcake for $2, a savings from the regular $3 price, during business hours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today. Gimmee Some Sugar is located at 2100 19th St.
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The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, December 15, 2011
Eye Street
The Daliens appear at Le Corusse Rouge Sunday. Pictured are Silvia and Brett Neal. PHOTO BY BEN CURRY
Honky-tonk homecoming With Oildale in their DNA, Texas twangers return BY MATT MUNOZ Bakotopia.com editor mmunoz@bakersfield.com
Named Bakersfield’s Favorite Pizza in The Californian’s 2011 Readers Survey
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arth to Bakersfield: The Daliens are coming. But don’t be alarmed, these country romantics don’t carry lasers — it’s just the husband and wife music duo of Brett and Silvia Neal landing at Le Corusse Rouge Sunday. Their name may sound unusual, but it suits the traditional country musicians and their eclectic style just fine. The name pays homage to the band’s city of origin — Oildale. “The name ‘Oildale’ means a lot of different things to people,” said Brett via telephone from their current home in Austin, Texas. “We wanted an interesting name, so we took the ‘Dalien’ nickname people always use. Red Simpson does ’Dale jokes in Vegas and gets a laugh. People everywhere seem to know about Oildale.” Like their name, the back story of how these two distinctly different personalities met begins interestingly enough three years ago in the basement of Trout’s, during the club’s weekly Songwriter’s Night. Silvia, who was living in her hometown of Livermore at the time, had already been making music as part of another roots music duo named The Heartache Valley Girls. Drawn to Bakersfield after coming across news regarding the whereabouts of country legend Red Simpson, Silvia and her partner jumped in their car and headed south for Oildale. “As a group, we didn’t really get paid. We played rodeo parades, nursing homes, etc. Somehow we heard Red Simpson was playing in Bakersfield,” she recalled. “We were all excit-
The Daliens When: Sunday 6 p.m. Where: Le Corusse Rouge, 4647 White Lane Cost: Free Information: 834-1611 or thedaliens.com
ed. We didn’t know he was still alive. So, we drove all the way to find him.” It wouldn’t be the last time Silvia and her bandmate would make the trek to jam with Simpson. After a few more visits, she and Brett would also eventually cross paths. “It just so happened I was in that circle one night in the basement,” recalled Brett. “I went there to deliver a CD to a guy. (Trout’s club owner) Rockwell brought Silvia and Meghan in. I think people thought they were cute. Then they started playing. I couldn’t believe how tight they were. Right then, I knew I had to find out what they were doing here.” After talking The Heartache Valley Girls into opening for his group at Ethel’s Old Corral, Brett and Silvia began flirting with plans to start their own project. With a mutual admiration for classic country, the chemistry was instant. “As it turned out, my original bass player had moved. Silvia wanted to play more music than her partner. It took a little while to happen, but we found a couple different places to play a few times a month. Silvia did a lot of driving from Livermore.” Music wasn’t the only thing brewing onstage. “We met in April, began playing, and by June we realized that it would be more than a business relationship,” said Brett. Marrying a year later in Livermore, they celebrated locally at Trout’s,
where they met. If you’re envisioning a re-creation of Bud and Sissy’s reception scene from Urban Cowboy, Brett says forget it. “I’ve seen about 20 minutes of that movie. No.” They continued performing in Bakersfield, garnering a modest fan base, before deciding on a change of address best suited for their act: Austin. “It was meant to be. There’s a lot of places to play. We found a great place here for us,” he said. “You don’t go halfway across the country to not make it happen. We’ve hung in there.” “This is both our passion,” added Silvia. “The only time we ever argue is over music, never about money or other things.” Performing as both a duo and a quartet, depending on the availability of musicians, The Daliens’ sound is stripped-down honky-tonk purity on their five-song demo. “Oscar’s Tune in D” is an original two-stepper sung by Brett, while Silvia steps up to the mic on “You Had Your Chance.” In addition to originals, they also include covers of Red Simpson’s “Why Don’t You Just Be You?” and “Close Up The Honky Tonks” before wrapping things up with a Billy Jo Spears favorite, “Get Behind Me Satan and Push.” For Sunday’s show, both say to expect some of their newfound Texas flavor in the mix, along with plenty of love for Bakersfield. “We found each other and our voices in Oildale. In our hearts, our home is still there,” said Brett. “Right now, we’re just doing what we can to keep our music alive.” Joining The Daliens will be Bryan Calande on lead guitar and Scott McArthur on drums.
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Thursday, December 15, 2011 The Bakersfield Californian
Eye Street
BARC’s Magical Forest is all about families BY GENE GARAYGORDOBIL Contributing writer
B
akersfield ARC has kicked off its signature holiday event, The Magical Forest, for the entire community to enjoy. But the annual celebration of all things Christmas is about more than Santa, elves and the Grinchmobile. For Linda Hartman, executive director of the BARC Foundation, which puts on the event, it’s an opportunity to show Bakersfield residents just what BARC is all about. “If you talk to people, they usually say they have heard of BARC, but they have no idea what we really do.” Founded more than 60 years ago, Bakersfield’s Association for Retard Citizens is a nonprofit organization providing job training, employment and support services for the developmentally disabled and their families. For nearly 30 years, BARC has occupied a 25-acre campus on South Union Avenue, which, for the third year in a row, is home to The Magical Forest. The event is open from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. It runs through Dec. 23. The cost is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors 55 and over, $3 for children 6 to 12 years old, and children under 5 are free. Santa is a regular at the event, which also offers a Giving Tree, a Grinchmobile and train. The latter two modes of transportation provide a means for those attending the Magical Forest to take tours of the BARC campus, which offers more than 15 programs designed to provide a full circle of support for adults and seniors in the areas of care, work, advocacy, home, family and recreation, Hartman said. Programs meet specific needs and integrate with other programs. BARC’s training, vocational and educational programs enhance the lives of the clients whose disabilities range from mild to profound and includes individuals with borderline intellectual functioning. Bakersfield ARC got the idea for the event from a sister organization in Las Vegas, which also puts on an annual Magical Forest. “We wanted to have this event because it is the kind for family,” Hartman said. “The ARC in Las Vegas has been doing one for about 20 years, and it is tremendously successful and really awesome.” She said the Las Vegas group helped BARC with its concept and shared information. “Our president, Jim Baldwin, wanted it to be our signature event,” and it has grown every year, even outgrowing its original location atop the parking structure at the Petroleum Club. “This will be our third year on campus,” Hartman said. “It expands every year, and we need more real estate to put the event on.” Not only is the campus decorated with the Magical Forest, but each of the different departments decorate the outside of their buildings. “It’s a real team effort,” she said. Open for food service for guests will be the BARC Cafe, which offers hot dogs and
FELIX ADAMO / THE CALIFORNIAN
Linda Hartman, executive director of BARC, sits among some of the props that are used for the center’s Magical Forest Christmas exhibit.
similar fare. Several local businesses have already booked private parties at the event, Hartman said. The forest itself takes about two weeks to build, she said. A lot of the props are built by staff and the clients. “We’ll have a dinosaur land, along with some (depicting) the Smurfs, Bob the Builder, pirates and even a swamp scene,” Hartman said. “We have thousands of Christmas lights and a couple hundred Christmas trees.” And for those looking for unique holiday gifts, BARC offers its Tinkers Village Store, featuring 10 crafters, including some items that are handcrafted, she said. There is also a Santa’s Secret Shop, where only children can shop. “Kids can shop for mom and dad, and we even offer wrapping paper for them to wrap,” she said. “All items are $20 and under, and, of course, kids do a little shopping for themselves.” The Magical Forest is one of a few fundraisers BARC has throughout the year, including a Celebrity Waiters Race luncheon, a couple of golf tournaments — including one sponsored by Bakersfield’s own Joey Porter — and two Fourth of July fireworks booths, Hartman said. However, the Magical Forest is special. “It’s about family here,” she said. “We have about 400 to 500 clients on campus, and 180 staff members, some of whom put it together. “It’s a great thing for clients because they are part of it, and it makes it better for us.”
The Magical Forest, presented by BARC When: 6 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; and 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 23 Where: BARC Campus, 2240 S. Union Ave. Admission: $5; $4 seniors; $3 children 6 to 12 ; children 5 and under are free. Information: barc-inc.org or 71-MAGIC.
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The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, December 15, 2011
Eye Street
Arts thrive at Catholic school Music becomes permanent program BY SUSAN SCAFFIDI Contributing writer
L
ike most schools, Our Lady of Perpetual Help is in the process of presenting its holiday, or in this case, Christmas, performances. But the school isn’t just celebrating the season; it’s also celebrating how far it has come in building a performing arts program. Like many Catholic schools, OLPH did not offer much in the way of performing arts for much of its history (disclosure: The reporter attended OLPH many years ago). Dependent on tuition and fundraising, offering a comprehensive music program was usually considered an expensive luxury. OLPH Principal Donna Smith has found her way out of that problem with creative financing, substantial parental support and the school’s “feeder school” relationship with neighboring Garces Memorial High School to build a program throughout the Pre-K-8 school. “Music started as a permanent part of the curriculum in 200607,” Smith said. “We started by borrowing instruments from Garces.” “I got money the next year with grants and donations, and was able to buy our own instruments,” Smith said. The school employs two parttime teachers and has linked its curriculum to that of Garces. OLPH’s curriculum begins with singing and rhythmic movement in the pre-kindergarten and primary grades. Fourth- and fifthgraders take the “pre-instrument” course, in which students learn basic music skills playing the flutophone. All sixth-graders, usually about 50 students, are required to be in band. “The students are assigned an instrument on loan for the year,” Smith said. Students take a break from music in the seventh grade, taking art classes instead, Smith said. In eighth grade, students are back in music, but this time they can choose between band and choir. “That’s when they’ve started to embrace it,” she said. “About 90 percent of our students go to Garces — this year, it might be 100 percent,” Smith said. “As many as 25 to 30 OLPH grads are in the Garces band.” The students gave one Christmas performance last week and will present the school musical, “The Miraculous Christmas Radio
Show,” Friday evening. Because the productions have gotten so involved and the program has grown, the school now rents the auditorium at Standard Middle School for many of its performances. Smith said OLPH’s program has been able to grow while many other schools’ programs are cutting back. In addition to the original grant and fundraising, she said the school’s parents’ club and other organizations occasionally help out. “The cost of this program is minimal,” Smith said. OLPH certainly has the advantage, especially when it comes to size, requirements and the ability to control circumstances. According to Bakersfield City School District music coordinator Michael Stone, elementary, middle and junior high schools may range from around 400 students (about the same size as OLPH) to 1,800 students. The district employs 10 certificated music specialists, each assigned to three schools in the district, where music is taught in grades four through eight. OLPH has two part-time instructors, one of whom has a master’s degree in music, but Smith said unlike the public schools, certification is not required. Smith said the OLPH program follows the state’s core curriculum standards, which is the same for public schools. While a school in OLPH’s position might have an advantage, the public school situation is not all bad news. Student participation in public school music programs has increased by 36 percent since 2006, said Stone, who pointed out that was the watershed year when then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger approved millions of dollars in block grants to schools for performing arts programs. BCSD spent its money to replace hundreds of instruments too worn out to be played, increasing the equipment available to students and removing the cost obstacle for many families. According to a report by Stone to the district, student participation in band programs increased from 1,537 to 3,249 students in the last four years. But while music is a core curriculum for the public school system, it is not a mandatory activity, as it has become at OLPH, whose music classes are part of the school’s regular-day block schedule, which gives students two to three hours per week of instruction. That is probably OLPH’s biggest advantage over the public schools — time. Stone said public
PHOTO COURTESY OF OLPH
Aliyah Pilien performs in the dress rehearsal of Our Lady of Perpetual Help’s Christmas production.
‘The Miraculous Christmas Radio Show’ What: Our Lady of Perpetual Help school production When: 7 p.m. Friday Where: Standard Middle School Auditorium
school programs offer two 30minute sessions per week, often in a “pull-out” program, which means that a student would normally be pulled out of one class to participate in a small group lesson or rehearsal. Stone said some teachers choose to have rehearsals before or after school to add more time. Because BCSD is also on the Program Improvement designation, more resources must be assigned to shoring up students’ basic skills, such as reading, than on music, something Stone sees as a missed opportunity. “What I see as a music educator is that students who participate in music want to go to school more,” Stone said. Stone also cited recent studies, such as one soon to be released from Stanford University connecting the study of music with improved cognitive function. “We’re very excited to see that study,” Stone said.
Jackson Opie of OLPH rehearses for the Christmas program. Music and art training is required of the Catholic school’s students.
So is this comparing apples to oranges? For academic professionals, it certainly is. The parents, however, seem to be happy with the results they’re getting at OLPH. “I can’t say enough good things about the program,” said Irene Spinello, whose daughter, Nina, plays the clarinet in the band. “I have tried several schools before we found OLPH.” “They take these children who are afraid to speak out loud, let
alone sing in public, and now they are able to perform,” Spinello said. Laurie Koenig moved her daughter, Kathryn, from another area private school because there was no choir. Koenig said it’s been worth the tuition for her daughter to have the opportunity to sing. “People are willing to do that,” Koenig said. “They’re willing to stretch their last dollar to give their kids that experience.”
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Thursday, December 15, 2011 The Bakersfield Californian
Eye Street Join us for
A Mouse Christmas
A depot full of Christmas cheer
A play featuring both children and adults.
Two performances on Dec. 18th 10:30 am morning worship and 6:00 p.m. evening worship. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 588-4111 Southwest Christian Center • 3700 New Stine Road • 834-2390 Robert Proctor, Pastor
Shafter museum fully decked out for holiday BY GENE GARAYGORDOBIL Contributing writer
I
f you’re interested in going international for Christmas this year, you don’t have far to go: This year’s theme at Shafter Depot Museum’s third annual Christmas Tree event is “Christmas Around the World,� said curator Stan Wilson. “We again have the Shafter Depot Museum fully decked out for Christmas,� Wilson said. “Each year different organizations bring in decorated trees with a certain theme.� The community groups participating this year are: Community Bible Study, The Congregational Children's Center, Cub Scouts, Mission Bank, Seventh Standard Pentecostal Church, Shafter Rotary Club, Shafter Church of the Nazarene, Shafter 4-H Club, Shafter Kiddie Kollege, Shafter Post Office, St. Mark's Church, West America Bank and the Shafter Women's Club. The Depot Museum will be open Saturdays, Dec. 17 and 31 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., along with Friday Dec. 23 from 1 to 4 p.m. As always, the museum is available for touring by appointment on other days, by calling 746-4423. Each Saturday there will be hot chocolate, cookies and fellowship, so come and partake, Wilson said. All visitors can vote on their favorite tree. “It gets a lot of people to come see the trees, and those who haven’t seen the museum before,� Wilson said. “That’s what we are all about, getting people out here to see the museum and all the other exhibits.� The railroad-focused museum has a main room that is the original railroad depot, he said. “There are also two rooms dedi-
December 2 to December 21
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHAFTER DEPOT MUSEUM
These are two of the Christmas trees featured at the Shafter Depot Museum. The theme this year is “Christmas Around the World.�
cated to various railroad artifacts, an operating model train layout, and all kinds of other railroad stuff — dining car, china, silver and other stuff used around the railroad,� Wilson said. In addition, there is an exhibit for recording family history with Kodak. Upstairs in the depot are former living quarters that have been restored. One room is like it would have looked in 1917, while another is set in 1940. Also on the museum grounds are an ice refrigerator car, big red barn and an agriculture museum that has restored farm machinery with a blacksmith shop inside. The ag museum concentrates on potatoes and cotton, including a potato-packing line from 1937. For the holiday event, the museum usually gets about 300 visitors, mostly because it is open only on Saturdays. Many come for the trees, and some, depending on how much time they
have, go through to see the other exhibits. Although it is a free event, any support is welcome. “We are always happy to take a donation,� said Wilson, who has been here longer than the museum itself, becoming curator in 1979. Organizers began restoring the museum in 1980 and opened it in 1982. “It’s building every year,� Wilson said. “There are more exhibits to build and always more stuff to see.�
Let Rosie Ayala and her supporting cast get you ready for the holidays! Brand new production featuring some of Bakersfield's best talent!
DEC. 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 & 21 STARS DINNER THEATRE 1931 CHESTER AVENUE 325-6100 bmtstars.com
“Christmas Around the World� When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 17 and 31; 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 23 Where: The Depot Museum, 150 Central Valley Highway (Highway 43) in Shafter Admission: Free Information: 746-4423
‘CALIFORNIAN RADIO’ Join Californian Lifestyles Editor Jennifer Self and Bakotopia.com Editor Matt Munoz this morning when they chat with Tehachapi performer Maureen Recalde, who has a great shot at winning a nationwide singing competition for McDonald’s employees. Jennifer and Matt will also be giving away an array of gifts — from books to spicy sunflower seeds — that would be perfect for
you or someone on your holiday gift list. The show airs from 9 to 10 a.m. on KERN-AM, 1180. We’d love to hear from you on any topic. Just give us a jingle at 842-KERN. To listen to archived shows, visit bakersfield.com/CalifornianRadio.
Thursday, January 5, 2012 7pm Social Hour • 8pm Concert The Doubletree Hotel 3100 Camino Del Rio Ct., Bakersfield Tickets: $20 • Can be ordered for Will Call or picked up at:
Camille Gavin’s “Arts Alive� column will return next week
Arts Council of Kern 2800 K St., Bksfld 661-324-8000
Goin’ Postal 11000 Brimhall Rd., Bksfld 661-587-5822
22
The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, December 15, 2011
Eye Street The Lowdown with Matt Munoz
A Christmas CD that ‘goes bam’ Rockabilly fave brings holiday show to Bako
T
he holiday concept album is something I’ve always wrestled with. While I love all things Christmas, I’ve had my musical favorites already in order for years: “The Sound of Christmas” by Ramsey Lewis, Nat King Cole’s “Merry Christmas,” “My Gift to You” by Alexander O’Neal, and Vince Guaraldi’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Plus, you can’t forget to throw in Cheech & Chong’s “Santa Claus and His Old Lady.” No Mannheim Steamroller allowed in the Munoz house. We like our holidays to groove. After assuming it’s all been done to death, out comes “Christmas with Karling,” by British rockabilly queen Karling Abbeygate, which was delivered to my office desk recently. I’ve interviewed Karling in the past and caught her live locally a few times. She’s bubbly, always smiling and can charm you in an instant with that irresistible accent of hers. On that note, the excitement of receiving her new CD was intensified after reading she was coming back to B Ryder’s with her band, The Kats, on Dec. 23 for a Christmas show. “Normally when you release a CD it has to build slowly. With this one, it goes ‘bam,’ she said from her home in Los Angeles. “I wasn’t sure if I could do a Christmas record. How do you do it?” Written and recorded during the swelter of July, six of the albums 11 tracks were penned by Abbeygate. Recalling balmy nights with her guitar try-
PHOTO COURTESY OF KARLING ABBEYGATE
British country singer Karling Abbeygate will be bringing her holiday show to B Ryder’s on Dec 23.
Karling Abbeygate Christmas Show When: 8 p.m. Dec. 23 Where: B Ryder’s, 7401 White Lane Cost: $5 Information: 397-7304
ing to channel some early holiday cheer into the music, she says it began to run like a stream of spiked eggnog in no time. “When you write a song, you don’t have anything particular in mind. I started thinking about Christmas trees, bells, holly. It just started flowin’. Pretty soon, they were all there. I wrote the songs in three days.” Opening with the original “What’s in the Box,” a song that could inspire some holiday hijinx, she quickly comes back to tradition on “Jingle Bells.” “We just kind of jammed on the cover songs, until something clicked. Nothing was written down.” There’s also more great reworked renditions of “Silent Night,” “Deck the Halls,” and
“The First Noel,” plus the New Year’s standard, “Auld Lang Syne.” But even as strong as those classics are, it’s her originals that will keep you under the mistletoe. On “Santa’s Got a Crush On Me,” she sings about the jolly one’s flirty ways, before turning up the romance on “Angel Tears.” There’s also the catchy “Tra La La La La,” which even your grumpy greaser of a motorhead boyfriend can join in on. To add even more va-va-vavoom to the B Ryder’s show, Abbeygate will be bringing burlesque dancers. “It’ll be a real, real fun night. We’re gonna party like crazy.” If you’d like to get a holiday head start, you can download “Christmas With Karling,” at iTunes, cdbaby.com or by visiting karlingmusic.com. Proceeds from all music downloads and CD sales will go to benefit Save a Life, an animal rescue organization. Asked what she’d like to find under her tree Christmas morning, Abbeygate offered up a challenge to Santa. “A giant dirty martini that refills itself.”
Matt Munoz is editor of Bakotopia.com, a sister website of The Californian that devotes itself to promoting Bakersfield’s art scene. Matt’s column appears every Thursday in Eye Street.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CRAIG FRASER
Guitarist Gary Hoey shut it down at Fishlips with his annual holiday show on Dec. 12. He was the last performer to take the stage.
Next Friday’s show starts at 8 p.m. Opening will be the JBombs and The Dusk Devils. Admission is $5. B Ryder’s is located at 7401 White Lane. For more information, call 397-7304.
Fishlips goes out rockin’ Between Sunday’s marathon and Monday’s Gary Hoey concert — the last show ever — I must have spent all but four hours at home last weekend before heading back for a series of “final moments” at Fishlips’ farewell festivities. The crowd: a packed house of regulars and out-oftown visitors looking for one last shot of ’Lips mojo. Taking the stage during the Sunday evening portion of the festivities was SoCal country dudes Grant Langston & The Supermodels, who ripped through a tight set of house rockers, before my band Mento Buru threw down the ska for emcee Scott Cox. That was followed by L.A. roots meister Paul Chesne, who, like Langston, were introduced to Bako at the club. Local
PHOTO COURTESY OF CRAIG FRASER
The “Grinch” guitar front. About $1,300 was raised for Operation Interdependence, an organization that provides care packages for troops overseas.
reggae rockers Dub Seeds kept things irie with a series of special guests before the WMDs, fronted by guitarist Dustin Meridith — the first musician to grace the stage when it first opened — closed the place down. Monday’s appearance by guitarist Gary Hoey produced another room full of smiles, and a proper send-off to a place that will be remembered for its big stage and even bigger heart.
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Thursday, December 15, 2011 The Bakersfield Californian
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24
The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, December 15, 2011
Eye Street A Kern County Christmas Tradition
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CASEY CHRISTIE / THE CALIFORNIAN
Adrianne King tries to make up her mind whether to purchase the purse she’s holding. Her son, Matthew Palmer, left, was not in on the decision at the Central Park Antique Mall.
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MICHAEL FAGANS / THE CALIFORNIAN
Michael DeElena, his wife Christina, and their children Conrad, 7, and Emilio, 11, in their antique-decorated living room in Bakersfield.
the same hordes that big-box retailers do, vintage items and collectibles form a local market that’s thriving in its own way. Vendors on the list for space at Five and Dime Antique Please see 25
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those bucking today’s mass-produced trends. “I always like to know where things come from,” said Kevin McLean, who peered through the top of a glass jewelry display case at Central Park Antique Mall one afternoon last week. “There’s no story behind Walmart toys.” McLean, who said he buys vintage as often as he can, eventually settled on a delicate silver necklace with a pink stone for his girlfriend, even though the vendor wasn’t exactly sure how old it was. “It’s kind of a gamble sometimes,” he said. Plus, added the 39-year-old Bakersfield native, “you can get in and out, unlike Walmart.” Sage Dunn, who wandered through Great American Antiques one evening looking for a high-quality vanity as a Christmas present for her daughter, said “it’s all about buying American.” Antique or vintage furniture, she said, is made to last. “I want to give her something she can pass on to her daughter,” the Tehachapi resident said. Though it’s unlikely Bakersfield’s antique malls and shops — many of which dot 18th and 19th streets between Chester and Union avenues — will ever attract
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return to the store. But then, while in the hospital recovering, he suffered a massive stroke, according to Zawila’s wife, Sandi. “I miss him being there for us every single day,” Mrs. Zawila said. “He was a hard worker. There was not one lazy bone in that man’s body. I wish kids today worked as hard as he did.” But it was his customer service, as much as his work ethic, that set Sorci apart, Mrs. Zawila said. “He pampered our customers and babied them and went out of his way
to find what they were looking for.” Sorci, a collector himself — or “pack rat” as Mrs. Zawila fondly called him — had a home full of antiques, which he had begun to pare down in recent years, not wishing to leave his family with a mountain of possessions to go through. He had more time to tend to matters at home after the Zawilas made the difficult decision a few years ago to cut back their star employee’s work to three days. “My husband and I could see he was declining in health,” Mrs. Zawila
said. “He was sitting more. I told my husband that if you don’t force him to cut down and enjoy himself, he’s never going to do it. “At first (Sorci) didn’t like it, he was mad at us, but then he said it was the best thing we ever did for him.” The Zawilas employ five staffers to run the store and recently replaced Sorci. “All the dealers are sad,” Mrs. Zawila said. “The few days we’ve been down there, the customers tell us that they miss Gino.” — Californian Lifestyles Editor Jennifer
25
Thursday, December 15, 2011 The Bakersfield Californian
Eye Street
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THE ODDEST OF ODDITIES As it turns out, you can find almost anything in downtown Bakersfield — if you know where to look. Here’s an alternative gift guide to keep you from resorting to gift cards for loved ones who have everything: • Early 1900s wooden potty chair, $75 at Central Park Antique Mall. • Laurel and Hardy figurines sitting on a miniature iron bench, $200 at Central Park Antique Mall • 1890 Acme Peanut Roaster, $540 at Central Park Antique Mall • Vintage Padre Hotel skeleton keys, $12 with tags at Mill Creek Antique Mall • 1957 Army issue bed pans, in original case, $120 at Mill Creek Antique Mall • Display of vintage veterinary tools, $225 at Mill Creek Antique Mall • 1950s Geiger counter, $35 at Mill
Creek Antique Mall • Globe, which transforms into a minibar, $195 at Helen’s Barn • Grandpa doll, $55 at Helen’s Barn • Taxidermic Emperor Penguin, $4,500 at Great American Antiques • Full-sized rickshaw, $3,250 at Great American Antiques • Confessional booth from France, circa 1900, $12,500 at Great American Antiques • Full-sized prop canoe from 2002 film “The Time Machine,” $400 at Great American Antiques • Taxidermic bison, $4,500 at Great American Antiques • African warthog head, $595 at Five and Dime Antique Mall • Sad clown painting, $25 at Five and Dime Antique Mall
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CONTINUED FROM 24
Mall may wait for as long as two years, said employee Claire Trammell, meaning collectors are still eager to sell. Some shops, like Mill Creek Antique Mall, even managed to successfully open during the recession. “What helped us is they could buy a piece of quality furniture for less than a piece of junk furniture,” said Rick Freels, longtime collector and owner of Mill Creek, which opened in 2010. Strolling the aisles of Five and Dime, which opened 17 years ago in the restored Woolworth’s building at 19th and K streets, shoppers are bound to see objects dating from as far back as the early 1900s to items crafted by vendors themselves. Bookending the district at its eastern end, on 19th Street just before Mill Creek, is one of the oldest antique stores in Bakersfield, Great American Antiques. The shop is a motherlode of curios run by Scott Grey, who’s largely filled the cavernous, three-story hall with his own collection over more than 25 years. Grey said he’s seen fluctuations in the market over that time. And the economy, he said, has definitely hurt sales. Still, on the other side of things, “the buying’s been real good. People are more willing to pull things out and sell them.” The appeal of hunting for valuable old stuff is hardly new. While shows like the History Channel’s “American Pickers” have recently glamorized the hunt for undiscovered treasures, historian Briann Greenfield said it was common for people in the early 20th century to go door to door through the countryside “kind of rummaging.” According to industry definitions, something is an antique only if it’s a century old, but the term has come to be used more broadly to include stuff that would have once merely been termed “vintage” or even “antique-inspired.” Greenfield, an associate professor of history at Central Connecticut State University, said many “high cultural” early American antiques have already been discovered. “By the Depression, a lot of people had sold their stuff,” she said. Which might be part of why now, generations later, antique shops are filled to bursting with mid-century memorabilia, from Marilyn Monroe prints to Coca-Cola bottles.
We feature local experts to answer your questions.
Q:
My car was stolen. After it was recovered my insurance company said it as ‘totaled’. However, when I made a claim they told me they will not pay me because the information I gave them about the theft is not believable. What can I do?
A:
Insurance carriers can deny claims. But, you have an absolute right to challenge their denial and file a law suit, if necessary, for recovery. Contact an attorney to protect your rights.
Kathryn Fox Attorney at Law
The Law Office of Kathryn M. Fox 1430 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301 (661) 328-1133 www.Kathrynmfox.com
IRA’s and Rollovers
CASEY CHRISTIE / THE CALIFORNIAN
Q: A:
Central Park Antique Mall employee Andrea Williams puts together a display for one of the dealers at the shop.
“Mid-century stuff offers that possibility for discovery that early American stuff (doesn’t),” she said. Shirley Wajda, an Ohio-based historian specializing in American material culture, said the current “treasure-hunting” trends stem from Depression-era flea markets. Then in the ’90s, domestic gurus like Martha Stewart helped popularize “a connoisseurship of the everyday.” “What people are doing is saying, ‘I can be thrifty, I can be discerning, I can pick out the best stuff,’” Wajda said. “It’s stuff out of their childhood, (stuff) they remember out of their grandparents’ home.” “Antiquing,” in other words, is a “popular form of understanding history.” That sense of nostalgia was huge for Christina De Elena. She got into selling mid-century wares after she started buying vintage Pyrex online a couple years ago. “I guess that time was easy,” she said. “I just sort of wish I lived in that time.”
What is the tax advantage of an IRA? The one thing that makes all IRAs similar, regardless of type, is the transactions inside the account incur no tax liability. IRAs shelter interest, dividends and capital gains earnings realized in the IRA until their owners withdraw the money.
John Bush, AVP Investment Officer Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC
Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC 5060 California Avenue, 11th Floor 661.327.8560
End-of-Life Care
Q: A:
If I decide to start hospice service, does my insurance company direct which hospice I use? You have the right to choose your hospice provider, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Insurance providers, physicians or caregivers may recommend a hospice, but patient choice must be honored. When looking for a hospice provider, it’s important that patients have access to all available options.
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Tom Hoffmann Director of Operations & Founder Hoffmann Hospice
26
The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, December 15, 2011
Eye Street
Best Holmes ever? Some clues Many actors have solved crimes as super sleuth BY DANIEL BUBBEO Newsday
P
ut this in your pipe, Sherlock Holmes fans: More than 75 actors — from Mack Sennett to, holy Moses, Charlton Heston — have donned the detective’s deerstalker cap on screen. Latest on the list is Robert Downey Jr., who, for the second time, takes up residence at 221B Baker Street in “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows,” which opens Friday. Unlike most movie Sherlocks, Downey’s incarnation is more Superman than super sleuth given all of his action sequences. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Holmes has always been open to interpretation. Need some evidence? Here’s what four of the best screen Sherlocks brought to the role.
Basil Rathbone His Holmes work: In 14 films, starting with “The Hound of the Baskervilles” (1939), Rathbone brought intelligence and wit to his portrayal of the master sleuth. And he looked dapper in a smoking jacket. Violins over violence were a Rathbone trait. The actor, whose mother was a professional violinist, did his own playing in the Holmes films.
Peter Cushing His Holmes work: Cushing first played Holmes in the 1959 “Hound” remake, with
BASILRATHBONE.NET
Basil Rathbone played Sherlock Holmes 14 times, starting with “The Hound of the Baskervilles” in 1939.
an emphasis on Holmes’ persnickety ways. He reprised the role in the 1960s BBC series “Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes” and 1984’s “Sherlock Holmes and the Masks of Death.” Cushing had read all of the Holmes’ tales and strove for accuracy. He refused to say “Elementary, my dear Watson,” or smoke a meerschaum pipe, both of which he said were fallacies.
Christopher Plummer His Holmes work: Plummer was a Holmes with a conscience in the 1979 film “Murder by Decree,” as he tried to unravel the case of serial killer Jack the Ripper.
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Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes, left, and David Burke as Dr. John Watson appear in “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.”
Coming in Eye Read a review of “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows,” which opens in Bakersfield Friday.
“Murder by Decree” didn’t shy away from Holmes’ drug addiction. To have the proper look of an addict, Plummer went light on the makeup to maintain a pallid complexion.
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Jeremy Brett His Holmes work: In the 10 years he played Holmes on British television, Brett brought an intensity to the role — from the eccentric hand gestures to his athleticism, leaping over everything from furniture to bridges — that has made him a favorite among Holmes aficionados. On the “Sherlock” set, Brett had a copy of “The Baker Street Files,” which he studied to help him nail Holmes’ mannerisms from his laugh to his drinking habits.
27
Thursday, December 15, 2011 The Bakersfield Californian
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Octavia Spencer, left, and Viola Davis both received Screen Actors Guild nominations for their performances in “The Help.”
‘The Help’ cast cleans up with 4 SAG nominations BY DAVID GERMAIN AP Movie Writer
LOS ANGELES — The Deep South drama “The Help” cleaned up with four nominations Wednesday for the Screen Actors Guild Awards, among them honors for Viola Davis, Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer. The adaptation of the best-selling novel also was nominated for best ensemble cast, along with the silent film “The Artist,” the wedding comedy “Bridesmaids,” the family drama “The Descendants” and the romantic fantasy “Midnight in Paris.” The nominations are among the first major honors on the long road to the Feb. 26 Academy Awards. The SAG list of contenders and Golden Globe nominees that will be announced today help sort out favorites from also-rans for Oscar voters, whose nominations come out Jan. 24. Davis is up for best actress and Spencer for supporting actress as black maids who agree to share stories of their tough lives with an aspiring white writer at the start of the civil-rights movement in 1960s Mississippi. Chastain also was nominated for supporting actress as Spencer’s lonely, needy new boss. “The Artist” ran second with three nominations, including a best-actor honor for Jean Dujardin as a silent star falling from grace amid the advent of talking pictures and supporting actress for Berenice Bejo, who plays a rising soundera movie star. Along with Davis, best-actress contenders are Glenn Close as a woman disguising herself as a male butler in 19thcentury Ireland in “Albert Nobbs”; Meryl Streep as British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady”; Tilda Swinton as a grief-stricken woman coping with her son’s horrible deeds in “We Need to Talk About Kevin”; and Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in “My Week With Marilyn.” Joining Dujardin in the best-actor category are Demian Bichir as a hard-working
illegal immigrant father in “A Better Life”; George Clooney as a neglectful dad tending his two daughters in “The Descendants”; Leonardo DiCaprio as FBI boss J. Edgar Hoover in “J. Edgar”; and Brad Pitt as Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane in “Moneyball.” “Albert Nobbs” star Close was a double nominee, picking up a best-actress honor for a TV drama series for “Damages.” Close’s co-star Janet McTeer was nominated for supporting actress as a cross-dressing laborer in “Albert Nobbs.” An Oscar potential that missed out at SAG was David Fincher’s “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” which features a blistering break-out performance by Rooney Mara. “Bridesmaids” was a rare mainstream comedy that has earned critical respect. Along with its ensemble nomination, the film earned a supporting-actress slot for Melissa McCarthy as a crude but caring member of the wedding. Missing out in the supporting-actress category was Clooney’s young “Descendants” co-star Shailene Woodley, who delivers a breakout performance as a troublesome teen. Up for supporting actor are Kenneth Branagh as Laurence Olivier in “My Week With Marilyn”; Armie Hammer as Hoover’s FBI colleague and soul mate in “J. Edgar”; Jonah Hill as an economics whiz kid in “Moneyball”; Nick Nolte as a bad dad trying to make amends in “Warrior”; and Christopher Plummer as an elderly, ailing father who announces he’s gay in “Beginners.” Betty White, the guild’s lifetime-achievement award winner two years ago, had two TV nominations: comedy-series actress for “Hot in Cleveland” and “Hallmark Hall of Fame: The Lost Valentine.” “Modern Family” led the TV side with five nominations, including best comedy ensemble and individual honors for Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Eric Stonestreet and Sofia Vergara.
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Hearing Dear Readers: In the upcoming year, there will be many changes with insurance companies and some regarding hearing instrument benefits. One such change is that some insurance companies will be trying to sell you hearing aids directly via a local provider in the area. This may be beneficial to some, but please do some research first. Currently, there is an investigation looking into the legality of insurance companies selling hearing aids, especially the mailorder ones. Please do your due diligence and don’t be one of the unlucky consumers. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your families!!!
Eleanor Wilson, Au.D.
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/PatientAlerts/ ucm200896.htm
5000 California Avenue, Suite 203 Bakersfield, CA 661-323-2601
Solar Power
Q: A:
What’s the difference between a PPA and a Solar Equipment Lease? Customers must be careful with Power Purchase Agreements. They risk paying more for electricity obtained through a PPA than the Utility, because the solar provider becomes the power company and sells power at a predetermined escalating rate. With a Powerhouse equipment lease, savings is generated by the equipment, which can be owned for half of the install cost. The resulting levelized cost per kWh is a quarter to a third the price of utility power. And, our customers benefit from no-out-of-pocket service, maintenance, monitoring, insurance coverage and power output guarantees for 20 years! 4900 California Avenue, Tower B Suite 210 Bakersfield, CA 93309 661-213-3965 www.BakersfieldsBestSolar.com
Brian McCarty, Target Energy Analyst
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The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, December 15, 2011
Eye Street GO&DO
GO & DO
Today “Christmas Around the World” Holiday Event, with many nativity items from over 40 countries, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. now through Saturday, now until Dec. 30, Timeless Furnishings, 1918 Chester Ave. $20 family of four; $8 individual; $5 children; children under 8 are free. christmasworldevent.com. 6th annual “The Magical Forest,” presented by BARC (see Page 19 for details). Bingo, warm ups start at 5 p.m., with early birds at 6 p.m., regular games at 6:30 p.m., Volunteer Center of Kern County, 2801 F St. From $20 buy-in to “the works”. 395-9787. Disaster Volunteer Meeting, 6 p.m., American Red Cross, Kern Chapter, 5035 Gilmore Ave. 3246427. B. Ryder's Sports Bar & Grill, 7401 White Lane, 397-7304; DJ Mike Chavez Toy & Clothes Drive, 7 p.m. $10 unwrapped toy, new or gently used clothes. Free Admission Day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Buena Vista Museum of Natural History, 2018 Chester Ave. 324-6350. HolidayLights @ CALM, open daily 5:30 to 9 p.m. now through Jan. 1, except Dec. 25, CALM, 10500 Alfred Harrell Highway. $12; $10 seniors and children ages 1317; $6 ages 3-12. $2 off admission today. vallitix.com or 322-5200, 872-2256. Kern County Mineral Society, meeting, 7:30 p.m., East Bakersfield Veterans Hall, 2101 Ridge Road. 834-3128.
Friday Covenant’s Fostering Hope Christmas Party, food and passing out gifts to foster children and former foster youth served by Covenant Community Services, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Valley Baptist Church, 4800 Fruitvale Ave. Free. 8296999. Goldenaires Christmas Concert, 7 p.m., Bethany Lutheran Church, 900 Day Ave. Free; refreshments following concert. 399-3532 or 871-0927. Paint Me a Story “Snowmen at Christmas,” mommy-and-me storytime and painting activity for preschoolers and toddlers, 10 to 11 a.m., Color Me Mine at The Marketplace, 9000 Ming Ave. $15. bakersfield.colormemine.com or 664-7366. Winter Playground, ice skating, Santa Claus, arts and crafts room, snow play area, 6 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, Bakersfield Ice Sports Center, 1325 Q St. $11. 852-7400.
Saturday Book signing, with author Shirley Castro “The Pelican Family Series,” 2 to 4 p.m., Russo’s, 9000 Ming Ave. 665-4686. Certified Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, next to Golden State
PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL PRINCE
Don Kruszka appears as Jack Frost in “Mrs. Claus Saves Christmas.” “Mrs. Claus Saves Christmas,” followed by the vaudeville revue “Yuletide Surprise,” 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, Gaslight Melodrama Theatre & Music Hall, 12748 Jomani Drive. $21 to $23. 5873377. Mall, 3201 F St. Christmas Around the World Christmas Tree Display, come see many decorated trees, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Shafter Depot Museum, 150 Central Valley Highway, Shafter. 746-4423. Christmas Dessert & Sing Along, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Lutheran Church of Prayer, 8001 Panorama Drive. Free. 871-1289. Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Brimhall Square, 9500 Brimhall Road. Lakeside, Rose Royce & Evelyn “Champagne” King, 7 p.m., Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, 2551 West Avenue H, Lancaster. $15$80. vallitix.com or 322-5200. Seventh annual Christmas Joy Joy Ride & Toy Run, live music, car show, parade, registration begins at 8 a.m., ride begins at 10:30 a.m., Sonic Drive-In, 1227 Olive Drive. 330-5059.
ART Lila Martin, artwork on display for the month of December, Capitol Real Estate Group, 1700 Chester Ave. Call Lila at 330-0965. Michelle Leggett, featured artist for the month of December, Dagny’s Coffee Co., 1600 20th St. 634-0806. Art for Healing program, classes that alleviate stress, resulting from illness, or grief. All classes are free but some suggest a donation and are held at Mercy Hospital, Truxtun Campus, Truxtun and A St. Visit mercybaakersfield.org/ art or to register, 632-5357. Juliana’s Art Studio & Gallery, offers youth art, clay sculpture, stained glass, and silver jewelry, Juliana’s Art Studio & Gallery, 501 18th St. For times and dates call 327-7507.
THEATER “A Rosie Christmas,” doors open at 6 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m. today through Wednesday; 2 p.m. Sunday, Stars Dinner Theatre, 1931 Chester Ave. $45 to $55; showonly tickets $35; matinee $45 to $50. 325-6100. “Charles’ Dickens’ A Christmas Carol,” 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday, The Empty Space, 706 Oak St. Free but donations are accepted. 327-PLAY. “Mrs. Claus Saves Christmas,” followed by the vaudeville revue “Yuletide Surprise,” 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, Gaslight Melodrama Theatre & Music Hall, 12748 Jomani Drive. $21 to $23. 587-3377. “The Miraculous Christmas Wish Radio Show,” performed by students from OLPH, 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Standard Middle School, Auditorium, 1200 N. Chester Ave. $3. 327-7741. “White Christmas,” 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Spotlight Theatre, 1622 19th St. $25; $22 students/seniors. 6340692 or thespotlighttheatre.com. Improv Comedy Show, with Center For Improv Advancement, 8 to 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Ice House, 3401 Chester Ave., Suite M. Adults: $5, children under 12 are $1. ciacomedy.com. Major League Improv, improvisational comedy show, appropriate for families, 6 p.m. Saturdays, The Empty Space, 706 Oak St. Free but donations are accepted. 327-PLAY. RAT, offensive comedy sketch, 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, The Empty Space, 706 Oak St. $5. 327PLAY.
MUSIC Acoustic rock Sandrini’s, 1918 Eye St., 3228900; Terese and Travis, 9 p.m. Thursday. $5.
Blues Kern River Blues Society Jam, 2 to 8 p.m. every third Saturday, Trout’s, 805 N. Chester Ave. 8727517.
Classic Rock Bellvedere Cocktail Lounge, 3090 Brundage Lane, 325-2139; Usual Suspects, 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Jacalito Grill, 900 Truxtun Ave., Ste. 110, 325-2535; Prisoners of Love, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday. Tam O'Shanter, 2345 Alta Vista, 324-6774; The Press, 8 p.m. Saturday. $5. old school. T-Bones Steakhouse, 8020 District Blvd., 398-1300; No Limit, 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday.
Comedy Elevation Lounge, 818 Real Road, 325-6864; Improv Tuesday - Live comedy with DJ after party, 9 p.m. Tuesdays.
Country Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, 2800 Buck Owens Blvd., 328-
7560; Monty Bryom Band, 7:30 p.m. Saturday. $5. Ethel’s Old Corral Cafe, 4310 Alfred Harrell Highway, 873-7613; Twang Bangers, 7 to 11 p.m. Friday; Valley Fever, 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday. Le Corusse Rouge, 4647 White Lane, 834-1611; The Daliens, 6 to 10 p.m. 7 p.m. Sunday. Free. Sandrini’s, 1918 Eye St., 3228900; Vince Galindo, 9 p.m. Wednesdays.
Dancing Folklorico Classes, advance dancers/performing group 6 to 8 p.m. Fridays; and beginners, all ages, 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays, Fruitvale-Norris Park, 6221 Norris Road. $22 per month for beginners; $25 per month for advance dancers. 833-8790. Greenacres Community Center, 2014 Calloway Dr., offers ballroom dance, East Coast swing (jitterbug) and Argentine Tango dance classes; $35, $45 for non-members. 322-5765 or 201-2105. Joaquin Squares, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Rasmussen Center, 115 E. Roberts Lane. $5. 324-1390, 325-3086 or 399-3658. Pairs and Spares Dance, with Jerri Arnold, Country George and Ed Shelton, 7 p.m. Friday, Rasmussen Senior Center, 115 E. Roberts Lane. $5; $7 nonmembers. 399-3575. d Tam O’Shanter, 2345 Alta Vista, 324-6774; 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
DJ Banacek’s Lounge, 4601 State Road, 387-9224; with DJ Casey Overstreet, 9 p.m. Fridays. DoubleTree Hotel, Club Odyssey, 3100 Camino Del Rio Court. 323-7111; live in the mix: old school, 80’s, & 90’s music, 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. every Saturday. Le Corusse Rouge, 4647 White Lane, 834-1611; with DJ Chill in the Mixx, 5 p.m. every Friday until 2 a.m. Saturday. Rockstarz Party Bar, 7737 Meany Ave., Suite B5, 589-6749; DJ James, 9 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. Free. Sandrini’s, 1918 Eye St., 3228900; Wax On with DJ Mustache, 9:30 p.m. Friday. Tam O'Shanter, 2345 Alta Vista, 324-6774; DJ Blowskee, 8 p.m. $5. DJ. Iron Horse Saloon, 1821 S. Chester Ave., 831-1315; DJ Jerome, 9 p.m. Friday. DJ The Bull Shed Bar & Grill, at Hotel Rosedale, 2400 Camino Del Rio Court, 327-0681; with Meg, 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Jazz Cafe Med, 4809 Stockdale Highway., 834-4433; Richie Perez, 7:30 to 11 p.m. Thursdays. Imbibe Wine & Spirits Merchant, 4140 Truxtun Ave., 633WINE; live music & wine bar with featuring local artists, along with 24 wines, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday; featuring Jazz Connection, along with 24 wines, 7 to 9:30 p.m. Sat-
urday and 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Le Corusse Rouge, 4647 White Lane, 834-1611; Bakersfield Jazz Workshop, 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. every Wednesday. Que Pasa Mexican Cafe, 2701 Ming Ave., 832-5011; Jazz Invasion, 9 to 10 p.m. every Saturday. The Nile, Jazz Music, 6 p.m. every Sunday. Cost $10 at 1721 19th St. 364-2620.
Karaoke B. Ryder’s Sports Bar & Grill, 7401 White Lane, 397-7304; 8 p.m. Thursdays and Tuesdays. Banacek’s Lounge, 9 p.m. every Friday and Saturday at 4601 State Road. 387-9224. Bellvedere Cocktail Lounge, 3090 Brundage Lane, 325-2139; 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursdays and Sundays. Big Daddy Pizza, 6417 Ming Ave., 396-7499; 7 to 10 p.m. every Tuesday; 8 to 11 p.m. every Friday. Cactus Valley, 6 to 10 p.m. every Thursday at 4215 Rosedale Highway. 633-1948. Cactus Valley Mexican Restaurant, 4215 Rosedale Highway, 633-1948; 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday; beer pong and happy hour all day Sunday. Cataldo’s Pizzeria, 4200 New Stine Road, 397-5000; 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday. Cataldo’s Pizzeria, 6111 Niles St., 363-7200; 6:15 to 10:15 p.m. Tuesdays. Chateau Lounge, 2100 S. Chester Ave., 835-1550; 9 p.m. every Saturday. karaoke. City Slickers, 1001 W. Tehachapi Blvd., 822-4939; 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Corona’s Cantina, 9817 S. Union Ave., 345-8463; 7 to 10 p.m. Fridays. Del Rio Cocktail Lounge, 5840 State Road, 393-0262; 8 p.m. every Saturday. Diana’s Pit Stop, 10807 Rosedale Highway, 587-8888; 8 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays. Don Perico Restaurant, 2660 Oswell St., Suite 133, 871-2001; 7 to 11 p.m. Thursdays. DoubleTree Hotel, Club Odyssey, 3100 Camino Del Rio Court; 8 p.m. to midnight Tuesdays. Elevation Lounge, 818 Real Road, 325-6864; 9 p.m. Wednesday. Ethel’s Old Corral, 4310 Alfred Harrell Highway, 873-7613; 6 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday. Iron Horse Saloon, 1821 S. Chester Ave., 831-1315; 7 to 11 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays. Julie’s The Branding Iron Saloon, 1807 N. Chester Ave., 6 to 10 p.m. every Friday. Le Corusse Rouge, 4647 White Lane, 834-1611; A to Z Karaoke, 8 p.m. to midnight Tuesdays. Lone Oak Inn, 8 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at 10612 Rosedale Hwy. 589-0412. Please see 29
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Thursday, December 15, 2011 The Bakersfield Californian
Eye Street CONTINUED FROM 28
Magoo’s Pizza, 1129 Olive Drive, 399-7800; 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. Maria Bonita Mexican Restaurant, 10701 Highway 178, 3663261, 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays. All ages. McMurphy’s Irish Pub & Sports Bar, 14 Monterey St., 869-1451; 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesdays. Pizzeria, 4200 Gosford Road, 3971111; 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays. Pour House, 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at 4041 Fruitvale Ave. 589-9300. Pyrenees Cafe, 601 Sumner, 3230053; 8 p.m. to midnight Saturdays. Replay Sports Lounge & Grill, 4500 Buck Owens Blvd., 3243300; 8 p.m. every Wednesday. Rocket Shop Cafe, 2000 S. Union Ave., 832-4800; 8:30 p.m. to midnight Saturday. Rockstarz Party Bar, 7737 Meany Ave., Suite B5, 589-6749; 8 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays. Rocky’s Pizza & Arcade, 2858 Niles St., 873-1900; 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. Round Table Pizza, 2060 White Lane, 836-2700; 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. Round Table Pizza, 2620 Buck Owens Blvd., 327-9651; The Junction with host Mac Clanahan, 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.
GO & DO
FELIX ADAMO / THE CALIFORNIAN
Representing Russia at the 2011 Christmas Around the World exhibit is the St. Basil’s Cathedral gingerbread house. Christmas Around the World Holiday Event, with nativity items from over 40 countries, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. now through Saturday, now until Dec. 30, Timeless Furnishings, 1918 Chester Ave. $20 family of four; $8 individual; $5 children; children under 8 are free. christmasworldevent.com. Round Table Pizza, 4200 Gosford Road, 397-1111; 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Rusty’s Pizza, 5430 Olive Drive, 392-1482; 6:30 to 9 p.m. every
Wednesday. Sports & Spirits, 6633 Ming Ave., 398-7077; 9 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays. Syndicate Lounge, 1818 Eye St., 327-0070; with Alisa Spencer, 9 p.m. every Wednesday. T-Bones Steakhouse, 8020 District Blvd., 398-1300; with Irish Monkey Entertainment, 6:30 to 11 p.m. Thursdays. Tejon Club, 6 to 10 p.m. every Saturday at 117 El Tejon Ave. 3921747. The Bull Shed Bar & Grill, at Hotel Rosedale, 2400 Camino Del Rio Court, 327-0681; 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Junction Lounge, 2620 Buck Owens Blvd., 327-9651; 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. The Old River Monte Carlo, 9750 Taft Highway, 837-0250; 8:30 p.m. every Thursday. The Playhouse, 2915 Taft Highway; 397-3599; 7 to 10 p.m. Sundays. The Prime Cut, 9500 Brimhall Road, 831-1413; hosted by Ed Loverr, 9 p.m. to midnight Friday. The Wrecking Yard, 9817 S. Union Ave., 827-9192; 7 to 10 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Wright Place, 2695-G Mount Vernon Ave., 872-8831, 8 p.m. every Thursday. Tomi’s Cowgirl Cafe, 7 to 10
p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at 1440 Weedpatch Hwy. 3635102. Trouts & The Blackboard Stages, 805 N. Chester Ave., 3996700; 7 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays, 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Vinny’s Bar & Grill, 2700 S. Union Ave., 496-2502, 7 p.m. Thursdays. 21 and over. The Regent, 2814 Niles St., 8714140; 8:30 p.m. every other Friday.
Latin/sala DoubleTree Hotel, Club Odyssey, Club Odyssey, 3100 Camino Del Rio Court, 633-1949; various levels, 3 to 9 p.m. every Sunday. $5 per person, per lesson.
Wednesdays. $5.
Rockabilly B. Ryder's Sports Bar & Grill, 7401 White Lane, 397-7304; 800 lb. Gorilla, 9 p.m. Friday. 21 & over.
Rock Jerry’s Pizza, 1817 Chester Ave., 633-1000, A Night in Hollywood, 6 p.m. Friday; Casino Madrid and At the Skyline, 6 p.m. Saturday. $10 each night. Rockstarz Party Bar, 7737 Meany Ave., Suite B5, 589-6749; live bands, 9 p.m. every Thursday.
Ska/reggae B. Ryder's Sports Bar & Grill, 7401 White Lane, 397-7304; Velorio, 9 p.m. Saturday. $5; 21 & over.
Oldies
Trivia night
KC Steakhouse, 2515 F St., 3229910; Jimmy Gaines, Bobby O and Mike Halls, 6:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Bellvedere Cocktail Lounge, 3090 Brundage Lane, 325-2139; 7 p.m. Tuesdays. Chuy’s, 2500 New Stine Road, 833-3469; 7 p.m. every Tuesday. trivia night. Sandrini’s, 1918 Eye St., 3228900; Trivia Night with Dave Rezac, 10 p.m. Tuesdays.
Old school Que Pasa Mexican Cafe, 2701 Ming Ave., 832-5011; Al Garcia & the Rhythm Kings, 8 to 11 p.m. every Thursday.
Open Mic Fiddlers Crossing, 206 East F St., Tehachapi, 823-9994; 7 p.m.
Variety Sandrini’s, 1918 Eye St., 3228900; The Councilmen, Eken is Dead, 9:30 p.m. Saturday. $5.