FIRST DAY WALKS: California State Parks announces guided interpretive hikes at 4 state parks along the Mendocino Coast on January 1, 2012. These hikes are part of a nationwide effort of special hikes on New Years Day in state parks in all 50 states. This will promote state parks and participation in healthy activities. All of these hikes will take place on California’s North Coast in wintertime. Be prepared for cool temperatures.

WALK #1: Westport-Union Landing State Beach. Meet the docent at 1:00 p.m. at the park headquarters building at park main entrance, just west of Hwy 1. The park is located about 19 miles north of Fort Bragg, California on Hwy 1. This will be a 1 mile long moderate hike. This hike is suggested for children 8 years and older, and adults. Learn fun facts about the once bustling town of Westport from local resident Steve Brigham.

WALK #2: MacKerricher State Park. Meet the docent at 10:00 a.m. at the Laguna Point parking lot, from Mill Creek Road, three miles north of Fort Bragg, California, west of Hwy 1. This will be an easy three-quarter-mile walk along a boardwalk. This short walk will be filled with fun facts about MacKerricher State Park as you walk to an overlook above the ocean. Park Naturalist Teresa Hurray will lead this walk. The walk is suggested for children 12 years and older, and adults.

WALK #3: Russian Gulch State Park. Meet the docent in front of the recreation hall at the park at 12:00 noon. The park entrance road is located on the west side of Hwy 1, three miles north of Mendocino, California. This will be a moderate 5.5 mile out and back hike (2.75 miles each way) to the beautiful waterfall at Russian Gulch State Park. You will learn about the park’s natural history from Dave Jensen, renowned birder and naturalist. This hike is suggested for children 10 years and older, and adults. Bring water and snacks with you.

WALK #4: Mendocino Headlands State Park. Meet the docent at the Ford House Visitor Center at 1:00 p.m. The visitor center is at 725 E. Main St. in Mendocino, California. This will be a moderate 2 mile out and back hike (1 mile each way) to the bluffs overlooking the ocean. Park naturalist Fred Andrews will talk about the annual migration of gray whales between Alaska and Baja. Binoculars will be provided to look for gray whales swimming southward. This hike is suggested for children 10 years and older, and adults.

WHALE TALKS: California State Parks announces weekend whale talks at MacKerricher State Park! Talks will take place from January 7 through March 18, 2012. Knowledgeable docents will talk about the annual gray whale migration and about other marine mammals seen along the Mendocino coast. Programs are scheduled to begin every Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 a.m., from January 7, through March 18.

Talks will begin near the visitor center at the main entrance to MacKerricher State Park. Docents will provide binoculars and a spotting scope to help visitors study whales and other fascinating wildlife found near MacKerricher’s shores. After meeting at the MacKerricher visitor center, groups will then drive to Laguna Point, where you will walk out to look for whales. Programs are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday from January 7 through March 18, 2011

In what has become a North Coast tradition, the Mendocino Art Center’s galleries and workshop studios are transformed into a two-day holiday marketplace, providing residents and visitors a pleasant alternative to hectic, stressful mall shopping while supporting local and regional artists. This year’s fair showcases a wide array of unique, high quality artwork and gift items, including stained, fused and engraved glass; enameled, gold and mixed metal jewelry; original paintings and photographs; functional and decorative ceramics; sculptural work, wearable fiber art, and local art books.

Live music will be performed both days. On Friday, Bejazzled plays swing, standards and Latin dance music. On Saturday, with more of a focus on Latin music, Bejazzled transforms into Samba Jamba, playing an eclectic mix of arrangements including well-known Latin jazz and Brazilian classics, fronted by Cherie Sheraque’s dynamic vocals in English, Portuguese and Spanish. More information at www.sambajamba.com.

Gourmet Street Food designed by local chefs, wood-fired pizza, apple-press fresh juice, mulled wine, Jennie Zacha’s traditional blackberry sundaes, baked goods, homemade soup for sale in handmade bowls and more.

Fair exhibitors have been selected in a competitive juried process with participants representing the Bay Area, Sacramento, Chico, Sonoma County, inland Mendocino County, and the Mendocino Coast, as well as Oregon and New York.

The Fair is held indoors and is free and open to the public. The Mendocino Art Center is located at 45200 Little Lake Street at Kasten Street in Mendocino. For more information, please call 707-937-5818, ext. 10 (toll-free 1-800-653-3328) or visit www.MendocinoArtCenter.org.

Producer/Director Paul Friesen and Music Director Billy Schieve from Rock ‘N Roll Revue 3 will reunite to try to outdo themselves for this special event that will help celebrate Gloriana’s 35th anniversary.

Much of the cast from three years ago will be returning and joining a very strong group of “Rock ‘N Roll Newbies”. This show is pure fun, and not to be missed. Dancing encouraged!

WHEN: Entertainment Begins at 7:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2:30pm on Sundays. Floor Show begins 30 minutes later.
TICKETS: $20 Adults, $12 Youth (17 & under)
LOCATION: Eagles Hall Night Club, corner of Corry and Alder, in Fort Bragg.

Aside from DFF: This is going to be a great show! I sing with a bunch of the performers in other settings, and this is a really strong cast. Paul pours everything into these shows, and Billy sets the tone musically.

Doors open at 7PM, show at 7:30. Advance tickets $12 at Harvest Marker in the Boatyard Center, Racines in Fort Bragg, Out Of This World in Mendocino, and Dig Music in Ukiah. $15 at the door. To read more, visit the KOZT Web site.

Aside from DFF: I heard a rumor that Sheryl Crow may be the “special guest”. Several of the musicians in the show have played with her. Who knows? This is an amazing events with a lot of excellent musicians. Tom Yates and Vicky Watts from the KOZT put this show together year after year, doing amazing things for the community.

Enjoy the wonderful mushroom hors d’oeuvres of Karina’s Catering and a glass of the splendid wines from Lula Winery while enjoying Larry Wagner’s unveiling of his new book of photo art, “Look at Us, We’re Beautiful – Glamour is Not Just for Hollywood” and a retrospective of his photography.

The event is a fund-raiser for the Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund. Each year, the Chamber gives two scholarships of $1000 to students from the Fort Bragg and Mendocino School Districts. The net proceeds from your entrance fee plus a part of every purchase of Larry’s art during this party will go to the fund. Please reserve your ticket for $15 per person by calling 961-6300 or stop by the Chamber office.

Larry’s show will be open at The Odd Fellows Hall from November 3-7
• 10 -5 on Thursday
• 10 -6 on Friday,
• 10 -8 on Saturday
• 10 -5 on Sunday
• 10 -3 on Monday

If you would like to see more of Larry’s photography, visit his Web site to see a wide variety of images. His work is excellent!

This is event is scheduled for Saturday evening, October 22, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., on the field behind the Ford House Visitor Center in Mendocino, on Main Street. Call 707-961-0471 for more information about this event. This event will be cancelled in case of cloudy skies.

The groups are: RIVER, ECLECTICA, IN THE MIX, SINE NOMINE, and EARREVERENCE. These groups will cover a wide range of styles — you can see the songs list on the event program.

This is a benefit for Gloriana Musical Theatre with a suggested donation of $15. The concert is in Fort Bragg at the First Baptist Church, corner of Pine and Franklin streets, across from the North Coast Brewing Co. For more information, call 964-7469 or visit the Gloriana Web site.

A lot of musical talent is represented in these groups! I sing in 2 of the groups, and it’s a real pleasure to sing with so many excellent musicians.

Mendocino Jewelry Studio is located at 45104 Main Street in Mendocino. The reception is from 5-7pm on September 10, 2011.

“Think all things Gulf Coast – music & food finished with brew from our sponsor North Coast Brewing Company. The perfect way to celebrate your Labor Day Weekend. This year’s Live! concert weekend is hotter than ever! The Gardens is featuring two of the best Blues artists in the business – Maria Muldaur and Roy Rogers. This is a Labor Day Weekend of music you will not want to miss!”

You can still buy tickets at the Gardens store, Harvest Market in Fort Bragg, Out of this World in Mendocino, and Dig! Music in Ukiah.

Saturday September 3rd : Maria Muldaur & Her Red Hot Bluesiana Band
Tickets: Platinum Club – $75, General Admission $35, Lawn Seating $20. Gates open at 2pm.

Sunday, September 4th : Roy Rogers and the Delta Rhythm Kings
Tickets: Platinum Club – $75, General Admission $35, Lawn Seating $20. Gates open at 2pm.

No dogs, by the way. The Gardens normally allows leashed dogs, but not for these events.

More details can be found on the Gardens Web site.

That’s not all! The Pavilion, a play by Craig Wright, stars Dan Kozloff, a consummate actor and treasure to MTC, Van Phillips, a talent whom we haven’t seen at MTC since 2004, and Jodi Britton, an OR nurse at MCDH whose acting abilities are amazing, especially considering this is her first major theater role. The Pavilion should be seen just for the glory of watching these three practice their craft.

The play’s setting is a pavilion on a lake front in Minnesota where a 20th high school reunion takes place. Dan is the narrator and a cast of reunion attendees. Peter (Van) and Kari (Jodi) were high school sweethearts whose romance was cut short by pregnancy and Peter’s flight. Peter comes back to seek forgiveness and reconnection with Kari. This situation leads to some fascinating dialog between the two with amusing interventions by other alumni (played flawlessly by Dan). Some of the cast took offense at my observation that this was a “chick-flick”, but I meant it in the best sense of the word – really!

Dan’s opening soliloquy on the creation of the universe is a work of purple prose worthy of Edward Bulwer-Lytton. Dan’s delivery is worth the price of admission.

The Pavilion is a perfect example of why live theater is so wonderful.

You have a little more time to catch this one. It plays through September 4.

This review is by Larry Wagner, our itinerant music and theater critic.