Eye Street Entertainment / 1-12-12

16

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, January 12, 2012

Eye Street Editor Jennifer Self | Phone 395-7434 | e-mail jself@bakersfield.com

Index Tommy Castro .......................................... 18 The Empties .............................................. 19 Arts Alive.................................................. 20 Lia Mendez ................................................ 21 The Lowdown with Matt Munoz.............. 22 Art Day for Children ................................ 26 Rio Bravo Rumble Biathlon .................... 27 Calendar .............................................. 28-29

On the Town with Stefani Dias CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST

No bull: Nightspot is a hoot Bull Shed serves up cowboy-inspired fun

“I

’m gonna ride that bull.”

Although I didn’t have as much conviction as Sissy (Debra Winger) telling Bud (John Travolta) the same thing in “Urban Cowboy,” I would end up riding a mechanical animal by night’s end at The Bull Shed Bar & Grill.

Even after enjoying a Topless Brewnette and a couple of Fat Tires, both beers on tap, I was on the fence about testing my luck against “Dolly,” the bull that resides in the bar’s front patio.

The decision to ride came down to two factors: our photo editor Alex Horvath showing me images of women he photographed riding earlier in the evening (we were both on assignment) and an inspirational quotation posted in the bathroom.

After struggling to keep the bathroom stall door closed — it didn’t lock due to the inch gap from the door jamb — I spotted a framed quotation on the wall: “Live your life now, not tomorrow.” If riding a mechanical bull in front of a bunch of drunken strangers isn’t living, then I don’t know what is.

I signed the waiver (a requirement to make sure you don’t sue for possible injuries) and waited my turn. First up was a visibly drunk gal who was flung off twice, quickly. With her pride possibly more injured than her backside, she declared, “This bull sucks,” before being tossed a third time. (A sign stated three rides for $5, but it was free for customers that night.)

Next up were two women from a bachelorette party, then me. If I were to die, it would be without my boots on as I was required to remove them before climbing into the inflated square. I indecorously hauled myself onto Dolly (“graceful,” my camera-toting colleague smirked) and waited for the start. The bull jerked, then started to spin. I hung on, swayed to the side a bit but regained my hold.

ALEX HORVATH / THE CALIFORNIAN

Kayla Brown rides “Dolly” the bull Saturday night at the Bull Shed. Tennis shoes are OK, but heels are not welcome on the inflated mat.

That’s when the operator decided to speed things up. Determined to last eight seconds or more, I gripped the rope, which moved to the right as I leaned too far to the side. With more speed, the bull sent me to the mat. A second ride was cut short since I couldn’t readjust the rope, and I opted out of the third.

In the classic movie, Wes (Scott Glenn) tells Sissy, “Don’t think about anything but the ride,” and that was more the case for me after it was all said and done. I hung on as tight as I could, with one arm when possible and two when I didn’t want to give up. (I’ve heard of some women wrapping their arms around the bull, which I think defeats the purpose.)

Nothing actually prepares you for being on a mechanical bull — unless you’re a professional, in

About On the Town On the Town is an occasional Eye Street series that highlights the many nightspots, family venues, festivals and more that keep us entertained in Kern County.

which case, come show us your skills! There’s no reason to ride if you can’t laugh at yourself, which I did plenty of (more so after Horvath showed a photo of my rather ungraceful form to others editors). If I rode again, I would wear sneakers, which are allowed on the inflated mat, rather than my heeled boots, which are not. I would also go for that third ride, even if the operator had to fix the rope I twisted around the bull.

Please see 17

Bull Shed Bar & Grill bartenders Jackie Jackson and Stephanie Thomas keep their poise as the bar gets busy Saturday night.

17

Thursday, January 12, 2012 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street

ON WITH THE SHOWS New general manager settling in for tenure running live events

BY MATT MUNOZ Californian staff writer mmunoz@bakersfield.com

T

he sparsely decorated office that belongs to new SMG General Manager Scott Neal is slowly coming to

life.

The Missouri native moved to town in November and has made getting acquainted with the community his top priority after landing the job of running SMG’s family of Bakersfield venues — Rabobank Arena being the big one, but also the downtown convention center and ice rink as well as the Bright House Networks Amphitheater in the southwest.

Not that he can’t wait to spruce up his office with some career-spanning mementos, namely framed autographed photos taken with the likes of Elton John, Billy Joel and Bon Jovi, which are stacked neatly with others near his bookcase.

The photos are proud reminders of his biggest successes working in entertainment venue management, but he hopes to fill his office walls with new triumphs in Bakersfield. And, considering the slow year for concerts at Rabobank in 2011, the venue could use some big-name acts.

“I tell all of our employees we are going to act like we’re a major-league facility, because that’s what we are,” said Neal. “I truly mean that.”

Neal, 39, replaces former general manager Steve Womack, who left in September, one of several key changes at SMG that includes the departure last year of its marketing director, a key post that has yet to be filled.

“The GM position was open and I knew other people throughout the industry who were interested in it,” said Neal, who, at the time, was an SMG employee at the Intrust Bank Arena, a 15,000-seat venue in Wichita, Kan., where he worked as assistant gen-

CONTINUED 16

But if no amount of courage — liquid or otherwise — could get you up on the bull, don’t worry. Despite the establishment’s name, The Bull Shed isn’t just about “Dolly” It’s also about Dolly, as in Parton, whose “Jolene” was performed admirably that night by a female singer jamming with Randy Emmett and the Bluetooth Cowboys.

As a bride and her attendants came in from Hotel Rosedale, the band kept things lively as some line dancers took to the dance floor.

But the mechanical bull, line dancing and country tunes weren’t the only tip-offs that this is a cowboy-friendly bar. Saws, ropes and other western memorabilia (most notably an auto-

“We rely on the community to fill seats. You’re not going to get everyone, but we’d like to keep the venues as busy as possible, increase bookings and keep the lights on. There’s an old saying in this business: ‘We’re afraid of the dark.’”

— Scott Neal, new GM of Rabobank Arena

eral manager.

“I had to go through the same interview process like those in SMG and outside SMG. It was open to everyone.”

Without ever having visited Bakersfield before, Neal pursued the job and in November and was named the new general manager of the city-owned venues.

“My goal was to become a general manager, and that’s why I continued to move around the country to do it. I’m fortunate enough to have a supportive family. There are so few opportunities like this. You have to go market to market. For every person like me, there are those people who become a GM right away. I hope to stay for a very long time.”

Neal graduated with a master’s degree in education from the University of Kansas in 1997 before kicking off his career with the Minneapolis-based Vee Corp., which produces the “Sesame Street Live” tour.

“That was an experience,” he recalled.

“We used to send an Elmo costume to each venue to be used in media previews that got a lot of wear. Then there was the Cookie Monster costume that got lost in shipment. It was pretty funny, as you can imagine.”

Two years later, he went to work in guest services and event management at the

graphed photo from “Tombstone”) line the wood-planked walls. Many patrons, me included, donned boots, and you couldn’t scan the room without spotting a few cowboy hats. Still, this wasn’t a rowdy crowd.

For those with an appetite, The Bull Shed has a menu to satiate the hungriest cowpoke. I tried the chili cheese fries, which were more than enough to share but missing the onions mentioned on the menu (perhaps the kitchen staff’s choice to help customers stay fresh on date night) and the cheesy cheese bread. Sandwiches, burgers and an assortment of fried goodies can also help soak up the alcohol, including Rocky Mountain oysters.

(Though I took the mechanical bull by

HENRY A. BARRIOS / THE CALIFORNIAN

Midwest transplant Scott Neal is the new general manager of the Rabobank family of entertainment venues, which includes the city-owned downtown arena.

20,000-seat Delta Center — now the Energy Solutions Center in Salt Lake City — home to the Jazz, two NBA Finals, and the 2002 Winter Olympics, which took place just months after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“Very few people get a chance to have the eyes of the entire world on them, and I’ll never forget being a part of that.”

Following Neal’s marriage to wife, Audrey, he moved on to an extended stay at the Fargodome in North Dakota and became a member of the Harlem Globetrotters organization.

“I remember telling my wife that if she didn’t like moving around, I probably wasn’t the guy for her,” he said, pointing to a family portrait that includes his three young children. “My wife and kids are used to it, but I’ve always maintained a balance between work and being a family man.”

In 2008, SMG, the Pennsylvania-based company that oversees several major venues in the United States and around the world, tapped Neal to join the team in Wichita.

Still getting accustomed to his new job and life in the Central Valley, Neal plans to use all of his big-market experience to boost Bakersfield’s reputation as a major entertainment stop.

“I really like Bakersfield,” he said. “It’s very similar to Wichita in terms of size and

the horns, I had to pass on eating the real deal’s fried testicles.)

Comely women bartenders, who included a 6’4” blonde (6’6” in cowboy boots), stayed light on their feet serving drinks to a largely male crowd around the indoor bar.

The two pool tables were occupied much of the night, one by a woman challenging her mother, who plays professionally and brought her own cue.

The Bull Shed is a pleasant alternative for those over the downtown bars who don’t want to venture too far west into Rosedale. With karaoke twice a week, beer pong Wednesdays, dancing on Fridays and Saturdays and bull rides daily, there are plenty of reasons to give the hotel’s bar a try.

market, and some of the other places I’ve lived: Phoenix, Las Vegas, Fargo. There’s bits and pieces you take from places you’ve been, too.”

Neal is busy conducting research locally and in Los Angeles, where he’s already met with various entertainment agencies to get more insight.

“Our job is to make people have a good time, and serve the community by providing diverse entertainment. It’s still a business to the city and SMG, but I will be working within those parameters to try and be all things to all people. Our building is safe, clean and maintained.”

Early 2012 already looks promising, with upcoming shows by heavy hitters Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson. Only time will tell whether Neal can keep up that pace.

“I have a lengthy spreadsheet. I’m following everything. The minute it’s updated, I’m making phone calls.”

But Neal can’t count on industry connections alone.

“We rely on the community to fill seats.

You’re not going to get everyone, but we’d like to keep the venues as busy as possible, increase bookings and keep the lights on.

There’s an old saying in this business: ‘We’re afraid of the dark.’”

Neal said he’s open to feedback and can be reached via email at sneal@rabobankarena.com.

THE BULL SHED BAR & GRILL Where: 2300 Camino Del Rio Court (next to Hotel Rosedale) Hours: 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Monday to Friday, noon to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday Happy hour: 4 to 7 p.m. daily, with drink and appetizer specials Information: 327-0681 or bullshedbarandgrill.com What to wear: Although cowboy hats and boots aren’t required, they’re

prevalent. Jeans are a good bet.

What to drink: Domestic beers are popular — by the bucketful ($10 for five) or pint ($2), both happy hour specials Stay entertained: Pick up the mic for karaoke on Thursdays, try your hand at beer pong on Wednesdays, dance to DJs on Fridays and Saturdays or bands on some Saturdays.

18

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, January 12, 2012

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Castro returns to appreciative B-town

BY PAT EVANS Contributing writer

I

t was a painful and scary time last Thursday morning when my 86year-old mom tripped and broke her femur just below her hip. Eric and Miguel of Hall Ambulance took great care to keep her from further injury as they loaded her onto the gurney for transport to the hospital.

We hustled to the emergency entrance ready to greet mom and calm her fears as best we could. The ambulance doors opened and the first words out of her mouth were, “I gave a Tommy Castro flier to both Eric and Miguel. I think they’re going to the show.”

Yep, thanks to some rather unconventional promotion tactics, Eric and Miguel know Tommy Castro and band are coming to town Friday night for Part 79 of the No Stinkin’ Service Charge Blues Series. It’s not TCB’s first visit. They played the series in January 2010 to a soldout crowd. The dance floors on both sides of the stage stayed packed and joyous. Lots of hips and femurs on the move!

After the show a steady stream of folks wanted to know how soon they could see TCB again. We didn’t make them wait too long. Nine months later, Tommy and crew headlined the sixth annual B-Town Blues Fest and got that CSUB amphitheater crowd hoppin’ with a wondrous mixture of rhythm and blues and soul.

Tommy Castro grew up in San Jose and still calls the Bay Area home. He started playing guitar in 1965 when he was 10 years old and soon fell in love with the bluesier side of rock, played by artists like Eric Clapton and Elvin Bishop.

It wasn’t long before young Tommy’s education included traditional blues players like Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Freddie King, Elmore James, Buddy Guy, and the soulful rhythms of Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett and James Brown.

Tommy spent his adult life playing in a succession of national touring bands. At age 40 he decided it was time to form his own band, put out an album and take his shot. Thirteen years of constant touring and 10 acclaimed albums later, Tommy Castro was in Memphis at the 2008 Blues Music Awards.

Out of all the blues albums released that year, Tommy’s “Painkiller” was voted Top Contemporary Blues Album. Of all the blues players in the world in 2008, Tommy received the coveted B.B. King Entertainer of the

PHOTO COURTESY OF TOMMY CASTRO

Acclaimed blues guitarist Tommy Castro has drawn many accolades in his career, including seeing his album “Painkiller” voted Top Contemporary Blues Album at the 2008 Blues Awards.

Tommy Castro Colorblind will open When: 7 p.m. Friday Where: DoubleTree Hotel ballroom, 3100 Camino Del Rio Court Admission: Reserved seats $30 and $25 at World Records, 2815 F St. Information: 831-3100

Year Award. Two years later he was back in Memphis to once again receive the B.B. King Award, along with awards for Album of the Year, Band of the Year, and Artist of the Year.

It’s a real tribute to our town that

the No Stinkin’ Service Charge Blues Series is in its 14th year of bringing the world’s top blues artists to Bakersfield.

It has been an ongoing grass-roots campaign to make this series and the blues fest succeed. Thankfully enough people get it that they have to spread the word to their friends, coworkers, and yes, even their ambulance technicians, so incredible artists can keep coming.

Experience the joy of a Tommy Castro show Friday night and you’ll know why my mom very reluctantly accepted the fact that she has to sit this one out.

Pat Evans, founder of the No Stinkin’ Service Charge Blues Series, owns World Records in downtown Bakersfield.

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Thursday, January 12, 2012 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street

Empty Space salutes best of 2011

BY STEFANI DIAS sdias@bakersfield.com

Awards voters must see 75 percent of the mainstage shows for the year. Start 2012 off right this weekend: “Boy Gets Girl,” 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, $15 general; $10 students/seniors.

“The Nighttime Show with Michael Armendariz,” 11 p.m. Friday. $5.

Major League Improv, 6 p.m. Saturdays. Free but donations are accepted.

The Empty Space, 706 Oak St. 327-PLAY.

T

he Stockdale Country Club got a dose of theater Sunday evening when The Empty Space hosted its ninth annual Empty Space Awards.

More than 100 people, including nominees, friends and family gathered for cocktails, dinner and a bit of recognition.

From the theater board’s opening performance parodying LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” to a rousing version of “Nine People’s Favorite Thing” from “[title of show],” presented just as admirably as it was at the Theatre on the Kern fundraiser in September, the show was a mostly lively salute to the 2011 season.

The ceremony, which got fully under way just before 8 p.m., seemed to drag for reasons necessary — nearly 30 awards — and less so — digital shorts that came off a bit inside baseball for an outsider.

A performance by “hypnoteaser and illusionist” Gus Flamingo, aka Mark Price, kept the crowd laughing as he took pot shots at literary figures, the Empty Space, several actors and other local theaters (David Zent’s and Hal Friedman’s ears might have been burning Sunday night.)

Of course, an awards show isn’t just about being entertaining, it’s

And the Empty goes to ...

Get in on the act

Californian assistant lifestyles editor

about recognizing hard work and talent. One standout was Jared Cantrell, who won four Empties and jokingly credited his success to having time off (due to unemployment early in the year) to work on his craft. By the fourth win, the joke from the audience was “everything’s coming up Cantrell.”

Many other winners were overcome after accepting their awards, while others managed to joke and return thanks to castmates and loved ones. A touching moment came when Miranda Whipple, who won best stage manager for “Stage Door,” thanked her parents, longtime patrons of the theater, for supporting her and her studies at Cal State Fullerton.

Best lead male actor (comedy): Kamel Haddad (Scrooge), “A Christmas Carol” Best lead female actor (drama): Tie — Jessica Boles (Gretchen), “Faust”; Christina Teves (Kate), “The Wild Party” Best lead female actor (comedy): Jaclyn Taylor (Judith), “Hay Fever” Best lead male actor (drama): Jared Cantrell (Kyle), “Touch” Best supporting female actor (comedy): Ellie Sivesind (Bernice Niemeyer), “Stage Door” Best supporting male actor (comedy): Jon A. Sampson (Richard), “Hay Fever” Best supporting female actor (drama): Caroline Clark (Holly), “Next Fall” Best supporting male actor (drama): Bob Kempf (Butch), “Next Fall” Best featured female actor: Julia Stansbury (Mrs. Shaw), “Stage Door” Best featured male actor: Justin Thompson (Sam Hastings), “Stage Door” Best debut performance (female): Jessica Burzlaff (Madelaine), “The Wild Party” Best debut performance (male): Shawn Rader (Jackie), “The Wild Party” Sound design: Aaron Mauldin, “A Christmas Carol” Light design: Kevin Ganger,

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAYLEIGH PEAKER

A subdued moment at The Empty Space Awards with the theater's board: from left, Caroline Clark, Eric Tolley, Michelle Guerrero-Tolley, Keely Emery, Bob Kempf, Daniel Emery, Meg Calvillo, Adam Calvillo, Allison Martin, Kristina Saldana, Brian Sivesind, Tish Gamez, Jared Cantrell and Kayleigh Peaker. Not pictured, Jesus Fidel.

“Faust” Set design: Bob Kempf, “Stage Door” Costume design: Jeny Sanchez, “Stage Door” Stage manager: Miranda Whipple, “Stage Door” Favorite face in the crowd: Karen and Kevin Peaker Best gallery exhibit: “Art Vs. Zombies” (Group Show), Susan Roussel, Jesus Fidel, David Rock, Guinevere PH Dethlefson, Curators Best special event: Tonicism Workshop Productions: “Mulan,” “Camp Rock,” “Lonely Hearts Club” and “Nick Tickle”

Best director: Randy Messick, Cody Ganger and Kevin Ganger, “Faust” Best mainstage production: “Next Fall” Best late night production: “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” Best ensemble: “Hay Fever” Breakout performance: Jared Cantrell (Kyle), “Touch” Most improved actor: Jared Cantrell Most valuable person: Michelle Guerrero-Tolley Male actor of the year: Jared Cantrell Female actor of the year: Tie — Cody Ganger, Ellie Sivesind

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20

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, January 12, 2012

Eye Street Camille Gavin CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST

‘Boy Gets Girl’ is no love story Disturbing fare just in time for stalking awareness month

T

he title of the play by Rebecca Gilman opening Friday at The Empty Space, is deceiving. It’s called “Boy Gets Girl” and on the surface it sounds like a cutesy romantic story about a couple who fall in love and live happily ever after.

Instead it’s an intense drama about a single woman who is stalked by a man she meets — and rejects — on a blind date. Her “admirer” cannot accept the rejection, and things quickly get ugly.

Michael Pawloski, the director, said when he first read the script last year in advance of a “Pitch Day” at The Empty Space, he became so engrossed in the story he couldn’t put it down.

“For some odd reason, I love directing the dark dreary stuff that makes people think and become aware of certain topics, such as this play,” he said in an email. “It makes people aware that stalkers, killers and molesters are out there and to be careful when you go on blind dates or what information you give to people because you never know what can happen.”

Jenni Saldana stars as Theresa, a magazine reporter who is so relentlessly stalked by an unwanted suitor, played by Eric Tolley, that she is forced to change her name and move to another city in an effort to escape his attention.

In preparing for her role, Saldana researched the subject of stalking by reading real-life stories and watching first-hand accounts on true crime television shows.

“I looked for anything that could help me understand the kind of fear someone must feel in that situation, to never feel safe, or feel hunted by another person,” she said. “I also relied on my experiences as a therapist to portray Theresa’s feelings of helplessness and hopelessness as a result of her trauma.”

Pawloski, a professional social worker, added that such behavior is a significant problem right here in Bakersfield. He volunteers at the local Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault and has “come across numerous clients” who have related their experiences about being stalked.

The director also noted that January is National Stalking Awareness month and suggests that anyone who wants more information and insight about the subject visit the organization’s website, stalkingawarenessmonth.org.

Although I’ve not seen the show — I did read a synopsis, however — I’ve been told that it does have its comic moments.

Some of these scenes involve Norman Colwell, who’s playing the part of Les Kennekat, a 72year-old producer of 1960s-era sexploitation films.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHELLE GUERRERO

Eric Tolley as Tony and Jenni Saldana as Teresa appear in “Boy Gets Girl.”

Colwell is an active participant in our community’s theaters. By his count, he was in seven shows at four different playhouses in 2011 and has done a total of 22 roles in the past three years. Others in the “Boy Gets Girl” cast are also familiar to local audiences. They are Jared Cantrell, Matthew Borton, Emily Tisler and Michelle Guerrero Tolley.

Mexican folk ballet classes With an eye toward upcoming competitions and performances, SoLuna Ballet is seeking new members for its winter classes.

In the seven years since it began, the local dance company has performed frequently at the Kern County Fair and other local events as well as out-of-town venues.

In 2011 it was awarded second place in the Sabor Latino Dance Competition in Redondo Beach.

Manuel Fonseca, co-founder of SoLuna, said the company will again participate in Danzantes Unidos Festival, or Festival of United Dancers, a statewide Mexican folk dance conference. It is held annually on the weekend of Palm Sunday, a week before Easter.

“This year (the festival) will be on March 30-April 1 at Clovis West High School,” Fonseca said. “During this weekend, over a 1,000 dancers will come together for a

Camille Gavin’s “Arts Alive” column appears on Thursday.

Write to her via e-mail at gavinarts@aol.com

three-day celebration of Mexican folk dance with workshops and evening concerts.”

It’s not necessary to have previous dance experience to enroll in the classes. Fonseca explained that the name SoLuna is a combination of the Spanish words for sun and moon. And in a similar way, the instruction is a fusion of classical ballet concepts and dance training with traditional Mexican folk dance.

Classes are divided into two age groups.

One is for ages 16 or older; the other, called SoLunita, is for children 7 to 15. Fee is $35 per person on a monthly basis.

BCT postpones ‘Piazza’ You could call it the domino effect. One local theater’s shift in its schedule has toppled another theater’s planned production.

Well, postponed it, anyway.

As I reported in last week’s column, Spotlight Theatre’s decision to revamp its season entails moving “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” from January to March. In addition, the downtown theater has taken its previously produced musical “Zanna, Don’t” on the road — to Theatre Theater in Los Angeles for a three-weekend run.

The shuffling put a crimp in Bakersfield Community Theatre’s plan for “The Light in the Piazza,” which, according to the season it announced last August, was supposed to open Friday. Now, according to Sheila McClure, BCT’s artistic director, it’s been pushed back to August.

GO & DO “Boy Gets Girl” When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday Where: The Empty Space, 706 Oak St. Cost: Free, suggested donation $15, $10 students and seniors.

Information: 327-PLAY

SoLuna Ballet classes When: 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Where: 11605 Mezzadro Ave. Cost: $40 per month, $35 children Information: 397-3154

BCT board president Ed French explained that a conflict occurred when Spotlight decided to do “Zanna” in L.A. Apparently BCT had expected some, or several, of the “Zanna” cast members to be available for “Piazza.” Thus, the postponement. A second round of auditions will be held sometime in April.

Meanwhile, Thomas G. Robinson said rehearsals are well under way for the next show, “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf.”

The Tony award-winning play by Ntozake Shange is BCT’s annual salute to Black History Month and opens on Feb. 10. Robinson, who is directing the show, has enlisted LaQuette Milner to do the choreography.

21

Thursday, January 12, 2012 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street

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PHOTO COURTESY OF LIA MENDEZ

Lia Mendez has designed a series of free workshops for the Art for Healing program at Mercy Hospital.

‘Healing from inside out’ Art quelled woman’s panic, and now she’s aiding others

BY CAMILLE GAVIN Contributing writer

O

n some days when she was very young, Bakersfield native Lia Mendez’s panic attacks kept her from attending school.

Despite having supportive parents who took her to counselors and other therapists, she often was too scared to leave the safety of her home.

“I had a severe anxiety disorder from about the time I was 5,” Mendez said in a phone conversation. “By the time I was 8 or 9 it had really started interfering with my functioning.”

But by the time she was in her teens, she had discovered creative ways to overcome the disorder.

Now, at 26, Mendez is using her personal experience to help others find more joy in their lives. She has designed a series of free workshops for the Art for Healing program at Mercy Hospital. The first one, “Blissing Out and Tuning In,” will be held on Tuesday.

“It's about reconnecting to the wisdom in our guts,” she said. “It’s about healing from the inside out.”

A major objective of the sessions is to explore ways of dealing with stress and other emotional roadblocks by losing yourself in the creative process.

To achieve this Mendez uses various exercises such as visualization, working with clay, paint, collage and jour-

Blissing Out and Tuning In When: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday Where: Art and Spirituality Center, Mercy Hospital, 2215 Truxtun Ave. Admission: Free Information: 632-5747

naling.

“It’s not for artists, it’s just to play,” she said. “You don’t have to be technically skilled at all.”

Her personal path to wellness began when she was about 10 and it started with music.

“I got a guitar, learned to play and starting writing my own music and lyrics,” she said. “It had a way of numbing out the overpowering symptoms (of anxiety).”

Soon she started to draw and paint and those creative pursuits also took on a therapeutic quality. Mendez did well in school and graduated at 17 from Stockdale High. She went on to UC Irvine, where she earned a degree in literary journalism.

Another important aspect of her life is world travel coupled with teaching.

“During my sophomore year at Irvine I studied in Rome (Italy) and that sparked my love for travel,” she said. “It keeps me in the moment; it’s very liberating.”

In 2008 she taught preschool in Thailand and a few years later spent about 10 months in a small town in Estonia teaching English as a second

language to high school students.

Currently she’s working in the cosmetics department at Lassen’s Natural Foods and Vitamins and hopes to save enough money to return to Estonia in June to see her students graduate.

“While I was (in Estonia) I decided I was a country mouse; I definitely appreciate the peace and quiet of a rural environment,” she said. “I could walk out of my apartment and within 10 minutes be walking in the woods.”

Regarding her upcoming workshops, Mendez said she specializes in facilitating classes aimed at putting people back in touch with their hearts and higher selves.

“Sounds heavy, I know,” she said.

“But the process is really about adopting a joyous, childlike outlook and abandoning self-judgment.”

Although it’s not necessary to attend each session, Mendez feels participants will get greater benefit by attending the entire series. She also emphasized that even though Mercy is a Roman Catholic hospital, the Art for Healing program is non-denominational.

The first session will start with a 15minute introduction by Mendez about what to expect from the series.

The second one, “My Life in HighDef,” is a two-part workshop scheduled for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 7 and Feb. 21. The series will conclude with “Behold, the Power of the Doodle,” 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. April 3 and April 17.

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22

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, January 12, 2012

Eye Street The Lowdown with Matt Munoz

Funeral Club show dead ahead Couple attracted to haunting sound

M

onday’s full moon fit the mood perfectly for my meeting with Bakersfield duo Funeral Club.

Haunting, dark, or romantic depending on your tastes, there are almost too many musical categories to file them under — gothic spaghetti western, chamber jazz, Euro. Whatever you call it, just don’t call it dead.

Despite what their name may conjure up, husband and wife Joseph and Jenny Andreotti don’t mind the labels, as long as you listen closely.

“We think of it more of like art — the whole package with music and imagery,” said Jenny, who sings while Joseph performs on a variety of instruments, ranging from banjo to accordion. “We’re two fans who want to put out something that reflects the things we really like.”

Among those things are classic film noir and vintage photography with no boundaries on experimentation. All of which can be found at their website, funeralclub.org. Evolving from previous projects Calico Sunset and Grizzly Owls in 2009, the two initially found success with their new direction in the ultra hip Silver Lake/Echo Park area of Hollywood. Now officially known as Funeral Club, they began making strides instantly.

“People in the Los Angeles Silver Lake scene have been very responsive to our music,” said Joseph. “And we’ve always said we were from Bakers-

PHOTO BY TY ROSE

Jenny and Joseph Andreotti like their new identity as Funeral Club, and say the response to their new name has been positive.

field.”

Like their new musical identity, Jenny said the response to their new name has been equally refreshing.

“We really wanted to try to find something that would fit along the lines of a band from the ’80s — Siouxsie and the Banshees, Nick Cave and Tom Waits — something from that era. We’re also big fans of The Gun Club, and the ring of their name. It’s an homage.”

Inspired by both the post-punk goth movement of the U.K. and L.A.’s pioneering underground scene, Funeral Club also touts some historical significance, going back to the Romans.

“There have been funeral clubs since ancient times,” Jenny said.

“People would get together and help pay for burials if a family couldn’t afford it. We’ve actually been approached by businesses advertising their crematorium services to us.”

As macabre as their name may sound, there is nothing bizarre and unusual about the couple in person. Artists with an attention to detail, their discography includes two full-length releases and a single, “Whiskey & Clyde,” also available for free download through their website.

Released last year, “In the Fire” is the perfect introduction for those unfamiliar with the band.

Opening with the abstract banjo strum on “No Trace of Me,” there is no formal arrangement, just loosely developing melodies with

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.

Ennio Morricone-style elegance.

Their writing process is simple and incorporates the unconventional instrumentation of Joseph’s parlor and baritone guitar, omnicord, synthesizer and percussion, with Jenny’s ethereal vocals on seven of the eight original compositions.

“I’ll write something, then Jen will come up with some lyrics. We collaborate on everything, and she’ll let me know if I need to change something to allow her idea to work,” said Joseph. “Since we’re married, it’s easy to work on music and practice.”

On the recording end, there’s no fancy studio work.

“We record to GarageBand (a Macintosh software program) then email it off to our bassist Raymond Richards in Los Angeles,” he added. “He’s got Pro Tools. We just keep sending the tracks back and forth until we’re happy with it.”

For their live show, expect all the Funeral Club elements to come together. From the vintage film clips taken from the public domain archive of avant-garde filmmaker Maya Deren projected behind them to the lighting and music, there’s much for the audience to absorb. Rounding out their onstage ensemble is saxophonist Josh Chamblee.

“This is what we’ve always wanted to convey, and making it very dynamic,” said Joseph.

You can catch Funeral Club at the upcoming Giving Tree Project Battle of The Bands at The Nile on Jan. 21, and at a CD release party in April at a local venue to be determined. “In the Fire,” is available for purchase at Going Underground Records in Bakersfield and for download at iTunes.

Matt’s picks Monster Ball II — Zombie Prom at B Ryder’s, 7401 White Lane, 8:30 p.m. Friday. $5. 3977304.

It’s considered the unluckiest of days, Friday the 13th, but don’t expect any bad times going down when local undead rise at this

PHOTO BY BRADY CABE

Bassist Dave Bullock performs with The JBombs, who will be appearing at the Monster Ball II — Zombie Prom on Friday.

dead man’s party. Co-hosted once again by local rat rockers the JBombs, who released last year’s hellraiser “Booze, Broads and Bombs,” they plan to outdo last year’s event. Advertised as an actual prom, there will be a king and queen crowned during the night, along with specialized vendors and music by Loner Troubadour, Dee-Jay Tucker, Ghost Town Hangmen and Jailbreak. There will also be a photographer and backdrop set up for you and your zombie date, if you wish to have your picture taken. Who knows?

In 30 years, you’ll look exactly the same. Formaldehyde not included.

Beat Surrender DJ Night at Sandrini’s Bar, 1918 Eye St., 10 p.m. Friday. Free. 322-8900.

Like the Mothership, you’re in good hands with local vinyl junkie Alex Rodriguez, aka “DJ Moustache,” who runs the monthly Beat Surrender night at Sandrini’s. Kicking down the best in ’60s and ’70s funk and soul, be prepared to work up a serious sweat. I’ve cut up the concrete a few times here and always have a blast. Rodriguez handpicks his singles as the night builds, and you rarely hear the same song twice. Expect a funky full house.

Thursday, January 12, 2012 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street

CSUB puts out call for golden voices Choral group beginning rehearsal of Brahms’ work

BY SUSAN SCAFFIDI Contributing writer

C

al State Bakersfield’s music department has hung out the “singers wanted” sign as it resumes rehearsals for an upcoming performance with the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra.

CSUB choral director Dr. Robert Provencio said he is inviting singers from the community to join the University Singers on Monday evenings for the winter quarter, which officially began Monday.

For the last three years, the CSUB singers have joined with the Bakersfield Masterworks Chorale to perform with the BSO in its annual symphonic choral music concert, usually held in March. This season, the BSO will present Johannes Brahms’ “Ein deutsches Requiem” (“A German Requiem”) one of the greatest masterworks of the choral repertoire.

Written over a number of years beginning in 1865, Brahms’ “Requiem” is the composer’s personal statement regarding prayers for the dead, probably inspired by the death of his mother. Instead of following other composers’ models and writing a Roman Catholic requiem, which is a Mass for the dead, Brahms, who was not religious, wrote a non-liturgical work, setting various biblical texts to music focusing on the living instead of the dead. In a further departure from established tradition, Brahms used a German, instead of Latin, text, as a Catholic requiem would have required.

“He intended this work to be in the vernacular so at every moment the people would understand the beauty of the text,” said CSUB choral director Robert Provencio.

Provencio said continuing in that same tradition of accessibility, the upcoming performance will be sung in an English translation, something Provencio said will encourage new arrivals in learning the score in a short span of time.

“It’s such a powerful, powerful piece that I think people with a choral background would just love to sink their teeth into,” Provencio said. “And that we’re doing this in English will just facilitate that.”

Provencio said there are currently 40 student singers in the choir. They will be join-

Community singers wanted When: Rehearsals 6 to 9 p.m. Mondays (no meeting Jan. 16) Where: Room 127 of the music building, Cal State Bakersfield, 9000 Stockdale Highway Cost: Free to community members; $5 parking

ing forces with the Bakersfield Masterworks Chorale, currently at about 60 singers. How many is enough?

“It has to be a rich sound,” said BSO conductor John Farrer, who will ultimately lead the combined chorus and orchestra.

“There have to be good singers of sufficient numbers to sound rich and not thin.”

Farrer said the “Requiem” depends heavily on tenors and basses — tenors for the high tessitura, or average range of the notes, and the basses for a deep, profound sound, to help achieve a wide range of vocal color from very bright to somber and dark.

“We’re not talking about a Baroque-era choir for the B-Minor Mass, but neither are we talking about a 19th century cast of thousands,” Farrer said.

Provencio said singers in all parts are welcome, but he could use some tenors, who are currently in short supply.

Rehearsals officially started on Monday with an introduction to the score, including listening to a recording. The choir will not meet this Monday in observance of the Martin Luther King holiday and will resume the following Monday. Provencio said community members are welcome to join the choir at that date if they can’t participate sooner.

“We had been doing this since 1991,” Provencio said. “But we had to stop because of budget cuts.”

“But we’re putting (community participation) back regardless of the budget,” Provencio said.

The University Singers rehearsal runs from 6 to 9 p.m. in room 127 of the music building. Provencio said rehearsals will include practice in music reading as well as learning the score. While students must register for the class, community members do not have to, nor are there any fees other than parking, currently $5 a day. Provencio recommends carpooling or buying a campus parking pass.

CALIFORNIAN RADIO Meet the first waitress featured in The Californian’s hunt for the best server in town. Connie Russell, who has been waiting tables for 25 years, will join Lifestyles Editor Jennifer Self on “Californian Radio,” which airs from 9 to 10 a.m. today on KERN, 1180-AM. Stay tuned as Scott Neal, the new GM of Rabobank Arena, discusses how he’ll

attract the biggest names in entertainment to Bakersfield in 2012.

Assistant Lifestyles Editor Stefani Dias and music writer Matt Munoz will join Jennifer to talk about the weekend ahead, and the trio always has plenty to give away. We look forward to hearing your questions and comments, so join the fun at 842-KERN.

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The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, January 12, 2012

Eye Street

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Voncile Stewart, center, along with her two daughters Dilyn, left, and Channing, right, walk with friends during the 2011 Relay for Life of Bakersfield. The Relay for Life Community Kickoff Celebration will be held Saturday at Bright House Networks Amphitheater Park at River Walk.

Early event primes Bakersfield for ‘Relay’ ‘Big pep rally’ sets stage for upcoming fundraiser

BY MIRANDA WHITWORTH Contributing writer

R

elay for Life may be months away, but organizers and team captains are kicking the party into high gear this weekend with an open-air event to give folks a taste of what's to come in May. The Relay for Life Community Kickoff Celebration runs from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Bright House Networks Amphitheatre. All are welcome to the free event, and senior Relay for Life manager Brenda Goddold hopes to attract passersby to the party.

“Every year we have people who are just at the park and they walk up to us and ask what we are doing. When we say ‘Relay for Life’ a lot of people will say, ‘What's that?

I've never heard of it.’ With Relay being as big as it is here, it's amazing to find people who still don't know. That's what the celebration is all about.”

The amphitheater will be filled with Relay for Life team captains, organization staff and vendors, all there to party under the theme “The Amazing Race,” in reference to the popular television reality show.

Team captains will take a page from the show and race through the park to different destinations.

"It's really an interactive experience and it really catches everyone's eye,” Goddold said. “You have team captains in their shirts from last year or in Relay for Life event shirts rushing around before they can come down to the stage. It all represents our amazing commitment to what Relay is trying to do."

Smokey Lane BBQ, which took on the challenge of feeding more than 8,000 people at last year’s event, is up for the task

The Relay for Life Community Kickoff Celebration When: 10 a.m. to noon Saturday Where: Brighthouse Networks Amphitheater Park at River Walk, 11200 Stockdale Highway Admission: Free Tri tip sandwiches and refreshments available for purchase Information: 327-7827

again Saturday. A DJ will pump out music, and speakers will discuss the mission of the American Cancer Society and Bakersfield’s role as one of the world's largest contributors to the fight against cancer.

"This is really a big pep rally. We are going to pump people up talking about what we did last year,” Goddold said.

“Raising that $2.1 million was pretty awesome and we are looking forward to this year because we really are making a difference."

Last year was the 20th anniversary of Bakersfield's Relay for Life, and organizers are still pumped up from its success.

“When all was said and done, we fielded 398 teams, had over 8,700 participants, more than 1,800 survivors, more than 16,800 luminaries on the track and 20,000 guests that walked through the gate. So at any time we had about 30,000 people there."

Goddold hopes this weekend's community kickoff will help mobilize even more people in the fight against cancer.

"Every day, people with cancer are living longer, less people are dying and people aren't as afraid to hear the word ‘cancer.’

Because of events like this, cancer doesn't mean a death sentence, and it feels amazing to be part of that solution."

Thursday, January 12, 2012 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street Jose Flores Jr. is excited after being called out to receive his trophy for participation in the 2009 League of Dreams sports program for special needs children. His father, Jose Flores, helps him. The League of Dreams will hold its gala dinner and auction on Jan. 20 at Garces Memorial High.

HENRY A. BARRIOS / THE CALIFORNIAN

Fundraiser dinner will help dreams come true

BY MIRANDA WHITWORTH Contributing writer

T

he League of Dreams Gala Dinner and Auction, taking place Jan. 20 at Garces Memorial High, gives hope to children with disabilities who often find themselves sitting on the bench instead of out in the field participating in sports.

The gala will feature an evening of food provided by Luigi's, music by Good Question and a live auction, all aimed at raising funds for the League of Dreams, a program that gives kids with disabilities the chance to participate in baseball and basketball.

League coordinator Nathan Gutierrez said that if all goes well, families that may not be able to afford the sports program will have a shot at getting their kids involved.

“We want every child to be able to play in the league without having to worry about paying a registration fee. All of the money we raise will go toward paying those fees, and what's left over will help expand the program.”

Gutierrez knows firsthand the benefits of team sports for kids with disabilities. He was born with spina bifida and has spent his life in a wheelchair. But, thanks to a small group of determined parents, he was able to get in on the action two decades ago when organizations like the League of Dreams didn't exist.

"I thought it was really cool. I grew up loving sports, and that was the connection that my dad and I always had. You learn so much from sports. You learn about sportsmanship, working as a team, you make a lot of friends. It's an important part of growing up."

The League of Dreams was organized by Tim Terrio, president and CEO of Terrio Fitness, who kicked off the project in 2007.

With Terrio Fitness, League of Dreams works with pediatric occupational therapists to coordinate the players, evaluate them and put them in the divisions that are right for their skill level.

In just a few years the organization has grown by leaps and bounds. More than120 children are participating, and a new baseball diamond specifically for the League of Dreams is close to completion. The diamond, located at Fruitvale-Norris Park, is

League of Dreams Gala Dinner and Auction When: 6 to 10:30 p.m. Jan. 20 Where: Garces High School, Monsignor Leddy Hall, 2800 Loma Linda Drive Tickets: $125; $200 per couple; sponsorship packages available Information: ourleagueofdreams.com or 377-1700

much like a regular baseball field, with a few adjustments made for league participants.

"It's made with padded rubber like you see in gymnasiums or at parks. It's painted just like a baseball diamond, with green for grass and brown for dirt. We have bleachers and two dugouts that are wheelchair accessible."

Gutierrez said the diamond has been years in the making but will be ready in time for the baseball season to kick off in mid-March.

“We have scholarships available, so there are some kids who have had their registration fees taken care of. But there are families out there that haven't been able to participate because they can't afford it. We don't want that to happen anymore."

The League of Dreams has some heavy hitters on its side, including Chicago White Sox third baseman Brent Morel, a Bakersfield native who has made the League of Dreams his official charity. Morel, who will attend the gala, is also behind the push to make joining the league as affordable as possible.

“When Brent came on, he wanted to make sure that no one had to pay to participate. He really wanted to see those fees taken care of.”

With Morel on their side, Gutierrez looks forward to what the league can do with money raised at the gala.

"We have some cool things to auction off — actual physical items — and then we have 'experience' type things. But it will be good. I don't want to give away the surprises."

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The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, January 12, 2012

Eye Street

Children’s art flourishes at institute Event is free for firstthrough sixth-graders

BY ROB MESZAROS Contributing writer

M

y 7-year-old daughter Ella is enthralled with alligators, art and the Internet. Her latest Google search was for “gator art projects for kids.”

On a recent Sunday, I was summoned to our home computer, where Ella sat with the plans for an elaborate project on the screen before her — an alligator pencil holder that could be constructed with felt, rickrack (whatever that is), and googly eyes. She insisted that she be allowed to make the project for her teacher Mrs. G, whose class theme at Stockdale Elementary is, of course, gators.

I explained to her that we didn’t have the materials handy to make such a project and that we might be able to get them later. I went back to watching football and didn’t hear from her for what seemed like the rest of the afternoon.

That was until my tenacious, would-be artist presented her own version of the gator project — hers was made with computer paper, markers and some other odds and ends she was able to scrounge up.

But that’s only one example of the clever and crafty art projects

Art Day for Children When: Noon to 4:45 p.m May 12 Where: CSUB Education Building, 9001 Stockdale Highway Admission: Free (picnic to follow is $10 per person) Registration: www.csub.edu/childrensartinstitute. Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 9 a.m. through Thursday, Jan. 26 at 4 p.m. (space is limited) Information: 654-3031

Ella has dreamed up recently.

There have been numerous pencil sketches and too many chalk art drawings on the back patio to count. And, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the near life-size construction paper sculpture of Dad, complete with me wearing one of my old shirts and meticulously-crafted tinfoil glasses.

Ella has always loved to draw and make things, but her creativity has really come to life in part because she has been involved with the Children’s Art Institute at CSUB. CAI offers visual arts education through numerous camps, workshops and partnerships with local elementary schools, all of which help train aspiring art and classroom teachers.

Ella reminded me that not only

was her newest creation a gift for her teacher; she was also honing her skills in preparation for the institute’s next art camp in the spring, which will focus on animals in art.

“Lions and Tiger and Bears, Oh My” is the theme of the CAI’s second annual Art Day for Children which will take place on Saturday, May 12. The event is free for firstthrough sixth-graders, thanks to a grant from the Target Foundation.

Registration is open for three days next week, but space is limited.

Dr. Dianne Turner, director of the CAI and professor of art education, said children who register will enjoy three art workshops in one day taught by CSUB's preservice teacher candidates.

“Each lesson will be based on a renowned artist and there will be a literacy component to each lesson,” she said.

The day culminates with a family picnic and art exhibit, so participants can show off their work.

Ella has already reviewed the list of six workshops she has to choose from. She is dead-set on her first choice, a session titled “Teacher’s Pet,” where she will learn about the tempera pet paintings of Jamie Wyeth and get the opportunity to make a tempera painting of her own pet.

“I can’t wait to paint a picture of Beau and Rex,” she said of her beloved canine friends and the reluctant recipients of countless doggy costumes designed by this

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROB MESZAROS

Ella Meszaros shows off a couple of recent art projects.

budding artist.

Choosing her other two selections will be more difficult it seems. She is leaning toward “Rock Star,” a class where she would paint an animal on a stone using acrylics, a la Suzi Chua. She said her third choice might be the workshop where she could sculpt a mini animal mascot out of

modeling compound for a school or university of her choice.

Said Ella: “I can’t decide yet, Daddy. This is gonna take some more thinking.”

I guess some things just can’t be rushed.

Rob Meszaros is director of public affairs and communications at Cal State Bakersfield.

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Thursday, January 12, 2012 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street

Biathlon offers fun for families Races include competition for grown-ups and their children

BY ASHLEY FISCHER Contributing writer

A

nother year, another resolution. Sure, you may be off and running with your newfound inspiration to keep fit and be more active, but if you’re looking for a way to get the whole family in gear for a year of fun physical activity, look no farther than Glinn & Giordano’s Rio Bravo Rumble Biathlon. “We really wanted to do a family friendly event,� said race director Brian Monroe. “A lot of races out there tend to cater to mom or dad, but not the whole family being together. The design of this event was to allow the whole family to participate in an active event/race together.�

Now in its sixth year, this dual sporting event earmarks all proceeds for Bike Bakersfield. While the biathlon doesn’t feature the traditional events of skiing and shooting, it does include a 10k run and a 16-mile mountain bike ride for the adults, and two free miniature races for kids ages 3 to 11.

Registration is accepted on the day of the event, before the race’s 9 a.m. start time. But with an average of 100 to 150 riders and runners showing up on race day, Monroe advised last-minute registrants to arrive bright and early Saturday morning.

If you’re not sure about tackling the entire

— not for places, but for the simple joy of completing the race (and maybe a free shirt or some ice cream).

The course varies depending on the age of the children, and ranges from 200 yards to a mile for the bike ride, and about a half-mile run.

Even Monroe’s 10-year-old daughter, Lindsay, who competes in the race every year, wasn’t all that concerned with the guts and the glory, but rather with the love of simply riding her bicycle. “I don’t really compete,� she said. “I just like bike riding and I like to have fun.�

While other biathlons often include kids’ races, Monroe said they rarely become the focus of the event and tend to get lost among all of the adult races happening throughout the day.

By taking the time to structure his race so everyone stops and watches the kids, Monroe hopes to impart a love of sport and competition. “I think participating in something like this teaches them the value of competing, and in having fun with exercising. As we get busier and busier, sometimes we don’t take the time to focus on our kids as much. And this race is an opportunity to focus on them and focus on something that they’re accomplishing.

And there’s also the benefit of exercising together as a family. In doing activities together, you’ll create memories that’ll last a lifetime.�

Rio Bravo Rumble Biathlon When: race starts at 9 a.m.; kids’ race starts at noon Saturday Where: Rio Bravo Ranch, 15701 Highway 178 Cost: $35 to $70 Information: ggphysicaltherapy.com/ rio-bravo-rumble, or 589-9066

biathlon on your own (Monroe said it would take an average athlete approximately three hours to complete the entire course), you can divvy up the race and compete with a partner, or simply participate in one of the shorter solo events, such as the 5k run/walk.

In keeping with the family friendly theme of the race, Monroe said many parents opt to team up to complete the biathlon, with mom completing the 10k run while dad stays behind with the kids until it’s time for the bike ride, and vice versa.

The kids, in the meantime, are kept busy with fun activities like a bounce house, climbing wall, and arts and crafts.

After the exhausted and elated riders trickle back in from the course (which takes place on areas of Rio Bravo Ranch typically closed to the public), it’s time for what Monroe called, “the highlight of the day� —the kids’ races.

At noon, tykes on trikes, bikes and training wheels line up at the starting line to compete

(1)

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COMING IN EYE Friday: After a slow couple of weeks, local movie theaters are rolling out several new films this weekend, with a little something for all demographics.

There’s the smart spy Parton caper “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy,� with Gary Oldman and Colin Firth; “Contraband,� an action thriller with Mark Wahlberg; “Joyful Noise,� a feel-good family sing-off with Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah; and the 3-D release of perhaps Disney’s greatest animated feature, “Beauty and the Beast.�

Look for reviews of all those films in Eye Street Friday.

Sunday: We asked for nominations of the best servers in Bakersfield, and our readers responded (and how!). On Sunday, meet the first of 10 hardworking servers who made the final list. When we’ve introduced you to all the nominees over the next few weeks, we’ll ask you to vote on the best server in town. Stay tuned!

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28

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, January 12, 2012

Eye Street

Jazzed up about excellent group Hot piano trio performs Saturday at CSUB theater

BY DOUG DAVIS Contributing writer

C

SU Bakersfield’s Legends of Jazz Series will present the trio Pilc Moutin Hoenig, featuring the dazzling pianist Jean-Michel Pilc, bona fide bass monster Francois Moutin and the irrepressibly kinetic drummer Ari Hoenig.

Selected as one of the 25 Essential New York Jazz Icons and called by Don Williamson (Jazz Review) "one of the astounding jazz piano trios of the last decade," Pilc Moutin Hoenig will be in the Dore Theatre at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Each of the three musicians has a successful career as a leader of his own project.

Hoenig recorded five CDs, three DVDs and toured extensively with his different projects.

Moutin continues to record and tour extensively with the Moutin Reunion Quartet, a group he had formed with his twin

Pilc Moutin Hoenig When: Saturday at 8 p.m. at CSUB’s Dore Theatre.

Tickets: Can be purchased at the door on the night of the event for $15; $10 for seniors/students; and free for CSUB students with ID. For more information: Call 654-3093

brother in 1999. Moutin was voted onto both the Bassist and Rising Star Bassist shortlists in a recent Downbeat Critics Poll.

Pilc released four more solo and trio CDs as a leader on the Dreyfus label, as well as a documentary about his life and music.

He also joined NYU Jazz Faculty in 2006 while still touring internationally.

Concerning a 2011 Montreal Jazzfest performance, Ottawa Citizen states, “The trio kept the audience and each other riveted with intense, uninhibited, continually surprising music."

— Doug Davis is a member of the music department at Cal State Bakersfield and organizes the university’s annual jazz festival.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PILC MOUTIN HOENIG

Each of the three musicians in Pilc Moutin Hoenig had a successful career as a leader of his own project before forming the group.

Go & Do Today Bingo, warm-ups at 5 p.m., 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.

Kern Leadership Alliance Breakfast, with speaker Joseph Hanson, 7 to 8 a.m., The Petroleum Club, 5060 California Ave. $15 advance; $20 at the door. 3238002.

Red Cross New Volunteer Orientation, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., American Red Cross, Kern Chapter, 5035 Gilmore Ave. 324-6427.

Friday Condors vs. Colorado Eagles, 7 p.m. Friday (first 2,000 people receive a Condors jersey cooler); 7 p.m. Saturday (first 2,000 people receive a Condors cap), 1001 Truxtun Ave. $11 per night. 324-7825.

Certified Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, next to Golden State Mall, 3201 F St. CSUB Legends of Jazz Series Concert, featuring Pilc Moutin Hoenig, 8 p.m., CSUB, Dore Theatre, 9001 Stockdale Highway. $15; $10 seniors/students; free for CSUB students with ID. 654-3093.

CSUB Men’s Basketball, vs. Cal State Fullerton, 7 p.m., CSUB, Icardo Center, 9001 Stockdale Highway. $5-$20. gorunners.com or 654-BLUE. Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Brimhall Square, 9500 Brimhall Road.

Flamenco & Classical Guitar Class, taught by John Gomez, for individuals or a group, from 1:30 to 4 p.m., Juliana’s Art Studio & Gallery, 501 18th St. 496-0891 or 327-7507.

Disney’s Phineas & Ferb: The Best Live Tour Ever!, 4 and 7 p.m., the theater at Rabobank Convention Center, 1001 Truxtun Ave. $18-$50 plus fee. ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.

Glinn & Giordano Rio Bravo Rumble, biathlon, run/mountain bike; registration 8 a.m.; main race 9 a.m.; kids’ race approximately noon, Rio Bravo Ranch, 15701 Hwy. 178. $35-$70. 589-9066 or ggphysicaltherapy.com.

No Stinkin’ Service Charge Blues Series Concert, Tommy Castro, opening with Colorblind, 6:30 p.m., Doubletree Hotel, 3100 Camino Del Rio Court. $30. 8313100.

Gun Show & Sale, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday, Kern County Fairgrounds, Building #3, 1142 S. P St. $9; children 13 and under are free; $3 parking. 805-481-6726.

Saturday “Twenty Mule Teams & Borax Mining in California,” with geologist Tim Elam, 3 p.m., Buena Vista Museum of Natural History, 2018 Chester Ave. $7 non-members, free for members. 324-6350.

Kern Audubon Society, field trip to Kern National Wildlife Refuge, meet at 8 a.m., at Kern River Parkway parking area across from CSUB on Stockdale Highway, $10.

Bring lunch, water and snacks. kernaudubonsociety.org or 8336705.

Relay for Life Kick-Off Celebration, 10 a.m. to noon, Bright House Networks Amphitheatre, 11200 Stockdale Highway. 3277827.

Star Party with Kern Astronomical Society, 8 to 10 p.m., The Marketplace, 9000 Ming Ave. 487-2519.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10859, Rosedale & Ladies Auxiliary, 9:30 a.m., Greenacres Community Center, 2014 Calloway Drive. 588-5865.

Yokuts Park Fun Run, 7 a.m., Yokuts Park, Empire Drive off Truxtun Avenue. No fee. bakersfieldtrackclub.com or 203-4196 or 3917080.

Sunday Cake cutting ceremony, honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 3 to 5:30 p.m, Roy’s Market, 431 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.

THEATER “Boy Gets Girl,” 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, The Empty Space, 706 Oak St. $15 general; $10 students/seniors. 327-PLAY. “The Nighttime Show with Michael Armendariz,” 11 p.m., The Empty Space, 706 Oak St. $5.

327-PLAY. 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, appropri-

ate for families, 6 p.m. Saturdays, The Empty Space, 706 Oak St. Free but donations are accepted.

327-PLAY.

ART “Lost and Foundry,” through Jan. 30, The Foundry Gallery, 1602 20th St. bakersfieldfoundry.com.

Art classes, in drawing, watercolor, oils, color theory, for beginners and advanced, Bakersfield Art Association Art Center, 1817 Eye St. 869-2320.

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 Street. 632-5357 or mercybaakersfield.org/art.

Get ready to ‘Wipeout’ Bakersfield must be embracing its competitive spirit as another local takes to TV, competing on tonight’s episode of “Wipeout.” Will local actor Matthew Borton survive the obstacles to win $50,000? Tune in at 8 p.m. on KERO-TV, Channel 23, to find out. Then read Saturday’s Californian for more on Borton and his adventures.

The Art Shop Club, 9 a.m. to noon each Thursday, Friday and Saturday, The Art Shop, 1221 20th St. All mediums. 322-0544, 5897463 or 496-5153.

MUSIC

Bakersfield Art Association Meeting, with pen and ink drawing demonstration by Jim Bates, 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Bakersfield Art Association Art Center, 1817 Eye St. 869-2320.

Blues

Beginning Acrylic Painting Class, for ages 12 and older, 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Bakersfield Art Association Art Center, 1817 Eye St. $20, some supplies provided.

869-2320.

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.

T-Bones Steakhouse, 8020 District Blvd., 398-1300; Elevation 406, 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday.

Sports & Spirits, 6633 Ming Ave., 398-7077; No Limit, 9 p.m.

Friday.

Juliana’s Art Studio & Gallery, offers stained glass classes, Juliana’s Art Studio & Gallery, 501 18th St. For times and dates call 327-7507.

Nancy Merrick, artwork on display for January and February, Capitol Real Estate Group, 1700 Chester Ave.

Trout’s, Kern River Blues Society Jam, 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday at 805 N. Chester Ave. 872-7517.

Classic Rock

Please see 29

29

Thursday, January 12, 2012 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street CONTINUED FROM 28

Banacek's Lounge, 4601 State Road, 387-9224; No Limit, 9 p.m.

Saturday.

Country Ethel’s Old Corral Cafe, 4310 Alfred Harrell Highway, 873-7613; Open Range, 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday.

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.

Joaquin Squares, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Rasmussen Center, 115 E. Roberts Lane. $5. 324-1390, 325-3086 or 399-3658.

Mavericks Singles, ballroom and country dancing with music by Country George, 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Kern City Town Hall, 1003 Pebble Beach Drive. $7 member; $9 guest. 831-9241.

Pairs and Spares Dance, with CRS Riders, 7 p.m. Friday, Rasmussen Senior Center, 115 E. Roberts Lane. $5; $7 nonmembers. 399-3575.

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.

Iron Horse Saloon, 1821 S. Chester Ave., 831-1315; DJ Jerome, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

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.

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. Saturday.

King Tut, 10606 Hageman Road; live instrumental and vocal Jazz, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. each Friday and Saturday. Free.

Que Pasa Mexican Cafe, 2701 Ming Ave., 832-5011; Jazz Inva-

sion, 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.

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.

Chateau Lounge, 2100 S. Chester Ave., 835-1550; 9 p.m. every Saturday.

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.

Don Perico Restaurant, 2660 Oswell St., Suite 133, 871-2001; 7 to 11 p.m. Thursdays.

Julie’s The Branding Iron Saloon, 1807 N. Chester Ave., 6 to 10 p.m. every Friday.

Le Corusse Rouge, 8 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at 4647 White Ln. 834-1611.

Lone Oak Inn, 8 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at 10612 Rosedale Hwy. 589-0412.

Maria Bonita Mexican Restaurant, 10701 Highway 178, 3663261, 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays. All ages.

Pour House, 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at 4041 Fruitvale Ave. 589-9300.

Pyrenees Cafe, 601 Sumner, 323-0053; 8 p.m. to midnight Saturdays.

Rocket Shop Cafe, 2000 S. Union Ave., 832-4800; 8:30 p.m. to midnight Saturday.

Sports & Spirits, 6633 Ming Ave., 398-7077; 9 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays.

T-Bones Steakhouse, 8020 District Blvd., 398-1300; 7:30 to 11 p.m. Thursdays.

Tejon Club, 6 to 10 p.m. every Saturday at 117 El Tejon Ave. 3921747.

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 Regent, 2814 Niles St., 8714140; 8:30 p.m. every other Friday.

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.

Vinny’s Bar & Grill, 2700 S. Union Ave., 496-2502, 7 p.m.

Thursdays. 21 and over.

UPCOMING EVENTS Monday 1/16

KC Steakhouse, 2515 F St., 3229910; Jimmy Gaines, Bobby O and Mike Halls, 6:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

AmeriCorps MLK Day of Service, with resource fair, farmers market, and live music, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Olivier Middle School, 7310 Monitor St. Free. 703-8056.

MLK Day of Service, 7:30 to 11:30 a.m., starts at St. John’s Missionary Baptist Church, 1401 E. Brundage Lane, followed by march to park and luncheon, noon to 2 p.m., at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 1000 S. Owens St. 873-4703.

Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 1000 S. Owens St. $25 per person; $250 reserved table. 324-7445.

Military Officers Association of America, installation of officers, guest speaker columnist Lois Henry, social hour 6 p.m., dinner 6:30 p.m., Hodel's Country Dining, 5917 Knudsen Drive. $20. New members welcome. 665-9083.

Old school

Tuesday 1/17

Jacalito Grill, 900 Truxtun Ave., Ste. 110, 325-2535; The Prisoners of Love, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday; 7 p.m. Friday.

Friends of the Southwest Library Used Book Sale, members only, noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday; public sale, noon to 6 p.m.

Wednesday and Thursday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday (half-price day Saturday); noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday ($2.50 per bag of leftover books), Southwest Branch Library, 8301 Ming Ave. kerncountylibrary.org or call 664-7716.

Latin/Salsa 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.

Mariachi Camino Real Restaurant, 6 to 9 p.m. every Sunday at 3500 Truxtun Ave. 852-0493.

Oldies

Que Pasa Mexican Cafe, 2701 Ming Ave., 832-5011; Al Garcia & the Rhythm Kings, 8 to 11 p.m.

Thursdays.

Tam O’Shanter, 2345 Alta Vista, 324-6774; The Press, 8:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday. $5 per night.

Iron Horse Saloon, 1821 S. Chester Ave., 831-1315; Latin Breeze, 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Open mic The Canna Cafe, 7 to 10 p.m. every Friday, East Hills Mall, Food Court, 3000 Mallview Road.

Reggae/ska B. Ryder’s Sports Bar & Grill, 7401 White Lane, 397-7304; UFC, 6 p.m., Mento Buru and DJ Raully D following fight Saturday. $10 includes dinner.

R&B B. Ryder’s Sports Bar & Grill, 7401 White Lane, 397-7304; Mind Body & Soul, featuring Rhythmm Epkins, 8:30 p.m. Thursday. Free.

Rock B. Ryder’s Sports Bar & Grill, 7401 White Lane, 397-7304; J Bombs with a zombie prom monster ball, 8:30 p.m. Friday; Messer and Nyceria, 8 p.m. Sunday. $5 Friday.

Rockstarz Party Bar, 7737 Meany Ave., Suite B5, 589-6749; live bands, 9 p.m. Thursdays.

Variety Cactus Valley Mexican Restaurant, 4215 Rosedale Highway, 633-1948; The Pulse Featuring DJ Flash, 8 p.m. Saturday. $10.

Ethel’s Old Corral Cafe, 4310 Alfred Harrell Highway, 873-7613; Noah Claunch, 7 to 11 p.m. Friday.

Wednesday 1/18 CASA Volunteer Orientation, learn how to make a difference in the life of an abused, abandoned or neglected child, noon to 1 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m., CASA, 2000 24th St. kerncasa.org or 6312272.

Kern Audubon Society, field trip to local area recharge ponds to see waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors, meet at 8 a.m., at the Kern River Parkway parking lot on Stockdale Highway across from CSUB. Bring binoculars, snack and water. kernaudubonsociety.org or 201-9279.

Kern Photography Association, all skill levels welcome, 6 to 8 p.m., Henley’s Photo, 2000 H St. kernphotographyassociation.com or 496-3723.

Optimal Hospice New Volunteer Orientation, for individuals interested in volunteering time to hospice families, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4700 Stockdale Highway, Suite 120. 716-4000.

Thursday 1/19 Free Admission Day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Buena Vista Museum of Natural History, 2018 Chester Ave. 324-6350.

Kern County Mineral Society, meeting, 7:30 p.m., East Bakersfield Veterans Hall, 2101 Ridge Road. 834-3128.

League of Women Voters, annual planning meeting, 6 to 8:30 p.m, University Square, 2000 K St. $10,

includes dinner. 634-3773 or patti.jepsen.ak8b@statefarm.com.

NAPMW Bunco Party Fundraiser, 6 to 9 p.m., NAPMW of Bakersfield, 1301 Heath Road. $25. Email mcooper@chevronvalleycu.com.

Friday 1/20 “The Drowsy Chaperone,” 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m.

Sunday, Stars Dinner Theatre, 1931 Chester Ave. $50 to $55; matinee $40 to $50. 325-6100.

FLICS International Cinema Society, presents “Bride Flight,” 7:30 p.m., Fox Theater, 2001 H St. $5. flics.org or 428-0354.

League of Dreams Gala Dinner & Auction, dinner provided by Luigi’s, entertainment by Good Question, 6 to 10:30 p.m., Garces High School, Monsignor Leddy Hall, 2800 Loma Linda Drive. $125. ourleagueofdreams.com or 377-1700.

Monster X Tour, 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Rabobank Arena, 1001 Truxtun Ave. $17.65 to $28.90. ticketmaster.com or 800745-3000.

Paleo Digs at Ernst Quarries near Sharktooth Hill, 8 hours of hunting per day, keep all teeth and fossils (some exceptions apply), Friday through Sunday, Buena Vista Museum of Natural History, 2018 Chester Ave. $85 single day; $160 two-day; $225 three-day. Attendees must be members of the museum. 3246350.

The Jackson Southernaires: Musical Concert, 7 to 9:30 p.m., B Moore Christian Books & Music, 526 Olive St. $25 at the door. 3242897.

Saturday 1/21 Eighth annual Annie Schierlitz Memorial Adult-Jr., doubles bowling tournament, first squad 10 a.m.; second squad at 1:30 p.m., raffle prizes and trophies, AMF Southwest Lanes, 3610 Wible Road. $20 or $40 per team.

869-6138.

Battle of the Bands & Art Show, fundraiser for William Penn Elementary; with The Architecture, Holy Beast, The Bird Channel and more, along with various artists, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., The Nile Theater, 1721 19th St. $15.

Bird Seed Wreath, 10 a.m., Log Cabin Florist, 800 19th St. $30.

327-8646.

Downtown Clean Up Day, help by cleaning up graffiti, fertilizing trees, picking up trash, sweeping and more, 9 to 11 a.m., in downtown. Bring a broom or shovel.

Don@theMetroGalleries.com.

KCBCC 10 Year Anniversary Gala, 6 to 11 p.m., Marriott Hotel, 801 Truxtun Ave. $75, $140 for couples or $700 per table. 3261529.

Kern Audubon-Tehachapi Field Trip, field trip to Hart Park/Lake Ming to see winter birds, meet at Lake Ming near the restrooms, 8 a.m. kernaudubonsociety.org or 821-7702.