ART

Columbus Day Weekend LAA Art Show and Sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at the Lafayette Christian Church, just off St. Mary’s Road at 584 Glenside Drive. Eighteen LAA members will display recently completed works, including ceramics, jewelry, glass art and photography.

About Face - The Arts and Culture Commission of Contra Costa County is offering two-day self-portrait painting workshops at no cost to all Contra Costa County veterans. Workshops will take place in Martinez at ARTU4iA, a working art studio led by noted artist John Kleber. No art experience required. All painting materials will be provided. Workshops are form 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 20, 22, 27 and 29 and November 3, 5, 17 and 19. Free food and beverages will be provided. Class size will be held up to 15 participants. Register online at AC5.org/ABOUTFACE.

Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art presents “A Fine Line - The Dr. Maurice Alberti Print Collection of European and American Masters.” The show opens Sunday, Oct. 4. The collection consists of master works on paper by leading Impressionists, Expressionists, Fauvists and Cubists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For info, call (925) 631-4363 or visit stmarys-ca.edu/museum.

Jennifer Perlmutter Gallery presents “Through the Eyes of Masters: Artist Julie Cohn Lectures on Matisse, the artist and his life” from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8. Free.

Valley Art Gallery’s “Colorfall” exhibit runs through Nov. 7.  Fall is the most colorful time of the year, with russets and siennas joining the greens and golds of summer. Valley Art Gallery celebrates this expanded palette with its new show, and a juried selection of new work from a talented group of local members.

MUSIC

The Piano Composers of The Contra Costa Performing Arts Society is presenting its first musical event of the new season at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9 at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center Community Hall, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. Family and friends of all ages can enjoy the variety of musical styles each musician/composer brings to the performance, eliciting the full breadth of sounds from the excellent Steinway grand. Free. For info, visit www.ccpas.org.

The OSLC Concert Series presents organist David Auerbach in “At the Round Earth’s Imagined Corners,” a recital contrasting music of England, France, Germany and the United States at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1035 Carol Lane in Lafayette. Free; freewill offering. For info, visit www.oslc.net.

The Gold Coast Chamber Players perform the music of Mozart and Mendelssohn in Prodigies. The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 at the Lafayette Library Community Hall, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. Ticket price includes complimentary champagne, a pre-concert talk at 7 p.m., and a reception with the musicians following the performance. Tickets are available at www.gcplayers.org and by phone at (925) 283-3728. Limited seating, please reserve early.

THEATER

Cal Shakes presents “King Lear,” which runs through Oct. 11 at Bruns Amphitheater, 100 California Shakespeare Theater Way (formerly 100 Gateway Blvd.) in Orinda.  For more information, visit calshakes.org.  (See story page B4)

Town Hall Theatre presents “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” by Rupert Holmes through Oct. 24. Taking place at the turn of the century in a bawdy music hall, a group of actors decide to attempt the unthinkable – to solve, resolve and conclude Charles Dickens’ unfinished masterpiece, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.” With the audience deciding several outcomes every evening (resulting in over 200 different combinations of endings), “Drood” is fast, incredibly funny ... and never the same show twice. Rated PG-13 for bawdy humor and adult situations. Contact the Town Hall Theatre Box Office at (925) 283-1557 or check the website at www.TownHallTheatre.com for show times and tickets.  (See story page B5)

LECTURE & LITERATURE

Lafayette Physical Therapy Lecture Series will feature Michele Duffy BTB, M.F.S., who will discuss Feng Shui and Wellness from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 3468 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Suite B110 in Lafayette. For info, visit http://lafayettept.com/events/.

“The Gift of Failure - Fostering Intrinsic Motivation and Resilience in Kids” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8 at the Acalanes Performing Arts Center. Jessica Lahey writes for the New York Times and the Atlantic about parent and student issues. She shares the message that failure is vital to success, and shows parents how to offer support even as they encourage autonomy. For tickets, go to jessicalahey.eventbrite.com.

The Elfenworks Center for Responsible Business at Saint Mary’s College invites the public to hear the perspectives of Dr. Carolyn Y. Woo, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services. Dr. Woo will offer insights into Pope Francis’ encyclical and the role of business in advancing the common good at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14 in Hagerty Lounge, De La Salle Hall, at Saint Mary’s College. Free and open to the public (RSVP required, register online at http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/business-and-the-common-good-featuring-carolyn-woo-president-ceo-of-catholic-relief-services).  For info, contact professor Tomas Gomez Arias, (925) 631-4928, tgomez@stmarys-ca.edu.

Trust in Education will sponsor a presentation by Royal Marine Sergeant Pen Farthing, founder of Nowzad Dogs (nowzad.org) from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 at the Lafayette Library and Community Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Farthing, the author of “One Dog at a Time,” “Wiley,” and “No Place Like Home,” will speak at the Lafayette Library about the difficulties and rewards of rescuing animals in Afghanistan, a country where dogs are not considered “man’s best friend,” and the Taliban remains a serious threat.

Ensuring Quality Higher Education for our Children: The Impact of Funding Cuts - A presentation and discussion with Joan Buchanan about funding for higher education in California sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 in the Meeting Room at Pleasant Hill Co-Housing 2200 Lisa Lane, Pleasant Hill. Free.

Lecture at the Orinda Library by Dora Sorell, author of “Tell the Children, Letters to Miriam,” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22 in the auditorium. Free. For info, visit http://www.letterstomygrandchildren.com/ or contact the library at (925) 254-2184. (See story page B3)

Berkeley Repertory Theatre docent lecture at the Moraga Library at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22. Enjoy an entertaining afternoon with a Berkeley Repertory Theatre docent who will discuss The Hypocrites’ Pirates of Penzance.

Rising Above - Overcoming Obstacles In Spite of Adversity from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26 at Stanley Middle School in the Multi-Purpose Room. Stephen Wampler grew up in Lafayette with his four siblings. This longtime resident of Lafayette, and graduate of Acalanes High School, returns to the Lamorinda community to tell his amazing story of grit, steel will and sheer guts as he climbed the face of El Capitan in Yosemite with the use of only one limb, his right arm. To reserve your seat to this event, please go to: signupgenius.com/go/30E0F4CA5A8238-district.

KIDS, PARENTS & TEENS

Ponies and Pumpkins in the Pasture 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18 at 423 Canyon Rd., Moraga. Join the Moraga Horsemen’s Association to purchase a pumpkin, then decorate it in the craft booth. Or decorate a horseshoe. Then participate in a costume contest (for kids, dogs and horses) and have some delicious Tri Tip sandwiches for lunch and help taste-test the club’s pumpkin dessert contestants. For more information and a schedule of events visit www.moragahorsemen.org.

4th Annual Fall Harvest Celebration 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18 at the Lafayette Community Garden and Outdoor Learning located at 3932 Mt. Diablo Blvd. There will be garden tours, games, displays, refreshments, music, raffle, Native American dwelling and artifacts, scarecrow and apple doll making. Free. For more info, visit www.lafayettecommunitygarden.org.

Join the Lafayette Library and Learning Center for its Children’s Book Festival, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 at the Lafayette Library Community Hall when five well known, award-winning authors and illustrators will sign books and demonstrate illustration techniques: Gennifer Choldenko, Thacher Hurd, Jordan Jacobs, Elisa Kleven and Michael Slack. Free.

Lafayette Reservoir Run from 6:30 to 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 25 in downtown Lafayette.  In addition to the 5k, 10k and 2-mile run, there will be a family bike ride and Healthy Lifestyles Fair. For more info and to register visit www.lafayettechamber.org/events/reservoir-run/.

Trick or Treat Street: For a fun, safe Halloween event, children and their parents are invited to trick-or-treat on Mt. Diablo Boulevard from Oak Hill Road to Dewing Avenue and in La Fiesta Square from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30.  All participating businesses will display a “Trick-or-Treat Poster” and balloons. Please come in costume to receive a special treat. Don’t forget to bring a trick-or-treat bag.

This fall Lindsay Wildlife Experience will be leading hikes in Mount Diablo State Park to explore the natural habitat of tarantulas. Discover these eight-legged creatures on a local two-mile hike recommended for nature lovers ages 6 and up. Tarantula Hikes take place from 4 to 6 p.m. every Sunday through Oct. 25. The hike costs $10 for Lindsay members and $15 for all non-members. Pre-registration is required.

OTHER

Women Unleashed from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8 at Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek. You deserve a Girls Night at ARF surrounded by precious pups and cute cats. Enjoy complimentary soda, wine, martinis and appetizers while you shop for clothing, accessories, beauty products, and more. Relax with a mini massage, watch demonstrations, and tour ARF. Cost: $25 per person. Must be 16 years or older. For info, visit https://www.arflife.org/arf-events/439/women-unleashed.

Burton Valley Elementary School PTA Sponsored Blood and Bone Marrow Drive from 8:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9 in the Multi-Purpose Room, 561 Merriewood Dr., Lafayette. If you have questions regarding your eligibility to donate blood, please call 1-866-236-3276.

“East Side Sushi” director Anthony Lucero, producer Julie Rubio (J Colleen Boutique in Lafayette), and few cast and crew, will be participating in a Q&A at the Orinda Theatre Oct. 9 directly after the 7 p.m. screening of the movie. This special screening will begin at least a week-long run of this independent film at the Orinda Theatre. “East Side Sushi” tells the story of a young Oakland Latina chef who dreams of becoming a sushi chef. For info, visit lamorindatheatres.com.

Art of Mixology Cocktail Competition and Tasting from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at Orinda Theatre Square. Competitors will serve up their signature cocktails to a distinguished panel of judges as they vie for the title of Mixologist of the Year, and a $500 cash prize and trophy. Tasting tickets for adults 21 years of age and older are $45. For more information about the Art of Mixology craft cocktail competition, to enter and to purchase tickets, go to http://www.lamorindaarts.org/mixology.

Brighten your October days with a new kitten or cat. Meet the adorable adoptables at Community Concern for Cats weekend showing from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10 and 11 at Pet Food Express in Lafayette and Pleasant Hill, and Petco in Walnut Creek. For more information see www.communityconcernforcats.org.

The Campo Girls Water Polo team is hosting a garage sale fundraiser from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at 881 Camino Ricardo in Moraga to earn money to purchase field markers for the Soda Center pool. Treasures from 30-plus families will be for sale, including clothing, toys, electronics, housewares, tools, and more. Homemade baked goods will also be for sale.

Volunteers needed to prune the Fire Blight - damaged branches from the 102-year-old pear orchard adjacent to Joaquin Moraga School in Moraga (1000 Camino Pablo at Canyon) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Saturday in October. Bring pole pruners, loppers and hand pruners, water, gloves, hat and sunscreen. Wear sturdy shoes. Reply to barbarampreston@comcast.net with which day and number of adults and kids (ages) and what tools you will bring.

Blessing of the Animals - 11 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11 at 451 Moraga Way in Orinda. Come celebrate the Feast of St. Francis with us at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church to bless our animal friends.  Enjoy singing, praising, puppets, poetry, and fun. Bring your animal friends on leash or in a crate. A pot luck lunch and treats will be served after the service. For more info, email stmarksumc@stmarksumcorinda.org.

Saint Mary’s College Guild presents Italian Night at 6 p.m. on Oct. 11 in the Soda Center. Live Italian music and food will be offered. $35 per person. Make checks payable to Saint Mary’s College Guild, 628 Augusta Drive, Moraga, 94556, or call Cynthia Kelly at (925) 388-0437.

Borderland hip-hop at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lafayette from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 11 at 1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette. The service will include reflections from Sandhya Rani Jha of the Oakland Peace Center, live hip-hop, interactive poetry stations for kids, and poetic readings. For info, call (925) 283-3722 or visit www.oslc.net.

The Stroke Support Group of Contra Costa County will hold its October meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12 in the Concord I Room at John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus, (2540 East Street, Concord.) The speaker will be Maureen DeGarmo, who will discuss “Reorganize your life after a Trauma.” For further information about the Stroke Support Group, contact Ann Dzuna at (925) 376-6218. Free.

Gather with friends, neighbors and peers to watch the Frontline documentary, “Being Mortal,” from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13 at the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church - Fellowship Hall, 49 Knox Drive, Lafayette.  The film explores what matters most to patients and families experiencing serious illness. Register at: www.lamorindvillage.org/calendar.

Guided Meditation provided at 9 a.m. every Wednesday at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church 451 Moraga Way, Orinda with a focus on health, healing, harmony, and wholeness. For info, call (925) 254-5965.

Uncharted - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 16 and 17 in Downtown Berkeley’s historic Arts District (2025 Addison Street, Berkeley.) Uncharted was founded in 2013 as the Bay Area’s first ideas festival. It brings together some of the world’s great thinkers, designed to engage and inspire. It’s an interactive, eye-opening two days of discussion, debate, workshops, and good food, beer and wine. For more info, visit-http://www.berkeleyideas.com/about/.

The Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette (OML) Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) will feature Ellen Tauscher, the U.S. Representative for California’s 10th congressional district from 1997-2009, on Tuesday Oct. 20 at the Holy Trinity Serbian Cultural Center, 1700 School Street, Moraga. Coffee will be served at 9 a.m. For membership information, visit http://oml-ca.aauw.net.

What is human trafficking? Why should we care? What can we do? Join a presentation from Soroptimist International, “Look Beneath the Surface,” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21 at St. John Vianney Church, Mullen Commons, 1650 Ygnacio Valley Rd., Walnut Creek. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For more info, go to www.soroptimist24-680.org.

Women’s Spiral Dance - A Multi-Cultural Celebration of Our Beloved Ancestors and Crones from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 at the Orinda Masonic Temple, 9 Altarinda Road. Daughters of the Goddess Womyn’s Temple welcomes women and girls of all ages to its annual Spiral Dance. During this multi-cultural ritual, led by Kahuna Leilani, and accompanied by spiritual elders of different traditions, we come together to honor and celebrate our loved ones who have passed away. Tickets: $23 in advance; $29 at the door. For tickets or info, contact Leilani at (925) 787-9247 or Leilani@DaughtersoftheGoddess.com.

The Contra Costa Women’s Commission in partnership with JFK University’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Center will present a dynamic panel discussion on how to become a successful entrepreneur from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 28 at 2151 Salvio Street, Ste. 350 in Concord. Five women entrepreneur’s from various fields will share their personal insights gained along the way and highlight how they became successful. For more info, or to make a reservation, go to www.womenscommission.com.

It’s Medicare Open Enrollment time. Do you have questions about your Medicare plan for 2016? This is the time to understand your coverage. Contra Costa Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) will be at the Moraga Library at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3 to talk about what’s new with Medicare for 2016 and how to optimize your coverage. For more info, visit www.cchicap.org or call (925) 602-4163.

SENIORS

Sons In Retirement - Las Trampas Branch 116 welcomes guest to socialize at its monthly luncheon beginning at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19 at the Walnut Creek Elks Lodge, 1475 Creekside Drive. Leigh Kjeldsen, Au.D. audiologist, with Valley Audiology, will present information regarding hearing loss, causes and remedies. She will also touch on the latest in hearing and balance research. Please call (925) 322-1160 to make lunch reservations.  Cost for lunch: $15.

GARDEN

Lafayette Garden Club meeting and program at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 8. Oktoberfest and tour of the Master Gardeners’ “Our Garden,” led by master gardeners Janet Miller and Helen Erickson at North Wiget Lane and Shadelands Dr., Walnut Creek. Anyone interested in attending, please email Carolyn Poetzsch cpoetzsch@gmail.com.

The Walnut Creek Garden Club will hold its general meeting at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 12 at the Gardens at Heather Farm located at 1540 Marchbanks Road in Walnut Creek. The program topic is “Keeping Your Garden Habitat Friendly in the Drought.” You do not need to be a gardener to join the WCGC. For more info, email mslittle44@gmail.com.

The Moraga Garden Club meeting will be held at the Holy Trinity Church, 1700 School Street, Moraga, at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. Guest speaker will be Jill Appenzeller, author of “Postcards from the Hedge,” who will give a presentation on “Year Round Color—Flowers Can Be Fleeting.” Interested parties are welcome for the 9:30 a.m. social time, marketplace table and meeting at 10 a.m.

Montelindo Garden Club will meet at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 16 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 66 St. Stephens Drive, Orinda. Visitors welcome. Topic: Water Wisdom - Drip by Drip by speaker Roxy Wolosenko, landscape designer and owner of Roxy Designs, Moraga. For info, visit www.montelindogarden.com.