28th Annual Silicon Valley Jewish Film Festival 2019
October 27 through November 17

Do you know where to find me for the next three weeks? You guessed it! Definitely attending the screenings of the award-winning movies presented by the Silicon Valley Jewish Film Festival 2019–the absolute best film festival in the Bay Area. In addition to AMC Saratoga 14 and the OFJCC in Palo Alto, the festival added a CineArts movie theater location in Palo Alto.

With a lavish selection of magnificent movies from around the world, the October 17th Opening Night brings Picture of His Life – exploring the life of Amos Nachourn, one of the greatest underwater photographers of all time. The October 28th screening of the movie Ask Dr. Ruth chronicles the incredible life of Dr. Ruth Westheimer, a Holocaust survivor who became America’s most famous sex therapist. With her diminutive frame, Dr. Ruth is a giant among America’s sexuality experts. Miriam Westheimer and Joel Westheimer, children of Dr. Ruth Westheimer are scheduled to attend the screening in Palo Alto. The November 17 festival’s closing night will showcase Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles – the story of the Broadway sensation Fiddler on the Roof and its phenomenal impact around the world. See you at the movies!

Tickets and Information
For tickets call 1-800-838-3006
svjff.org
See the full schedule at svjff.org

Photos courtesy of SVJFF

Organic Champagne Tasting
October 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Let’s find out what is better than Champagne. Is it organic Champagne? Taste more than 50 organic Champagnes and chat with French Champagne growers and producers who came all the way from the Champagne region of France to pour my favorite beverage at San Francisco’s Cerf Club. Organized by the Association des Champagnes Biologiques (ACB) this will definitely be a cheers-ful gathering. Certified organic Champagne remains a rarity. Of the 33,000 appellation hectares, only 923 are certified organic or in the process of being certified. And if just 2.9% of the Champagne production surface is organically engaged, certified organic cuvees make up less than 2% of the total production.

Tickets and Information
Admission price is $20
415-425-6513
Cerf Club
925 O’Farrell Street in San Francisco

Photo courtesy of ACB

Mariinsky Ballet & Orchestra Bring La Bayadere to Berkeley
October 30 through November 3

This is truly a ballet to see and enjoy! No company in the world dances the spellbinding “Kingdom of the Shades” scene in La Bayadère as brilliantly as Saint Petersburg’s Mariinsky Ballet. The story of forbidden love and shocking betrayal, complete with a spectral voyage to the afterlife, radiates with colorful characters, opulent sets, and vibrant costumes, performed with the unmatched refinement, dramatic poise, and flawless technique that defines this centuries-old cultural institution.

Marius Petipa created La Bayadère for the Mariinsky more than 140 years ago, and the marvelous Romantic work—with a score by Ludwig Minkus performed here in all its glory by the company’s grand orchestra—continues to be one of the ensemble’s most beloved showpieces well into the 21st century. Don’t miss The Mariinsky’s rare Berkeley appearances as this is a truly momentous occasions, marked by passionate standing ovations and fervent pleas for curtain calls shouted from the rafters of a packed and electrified Zellerbach Hall. With Valery Gergiev, the company’s artistic director – this is as good as it gets!

Tickets and Information
510-642-9988
calperformances.org
100 Zellerbach Hall
University of California, Berkeley

Photos courtesy of Cal Performances

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™ in Concert with Symphony Silicon Valley
November 9 through November 10

The sixth installment of the Harry Potter Concert Series has found its way to San Jose! Audiences are in for a fascinating surprise as they will experience the next chapter of the Harry Potter Film Concert Series with Symphony Silicon Valley and SSV Chorale performing every note from Harry Potter and the The Half-Blood Prince while the film plays on a high-definition screen above the stage.

As Death Eaters wreak havoc in both Muggle and Wizard worlds, Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for students. Though Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) suspects there are new dangers lurking within the castle walls, Dumbledore is more intent than ever on preparing the young wizard for the final battle with Voldemort. Meanwhile, teenage hormones run rampant through Hogwarts, presenting a different sort of danger. Love may be in the air, but tragedy looms, and Hogwarts may never be the same again. The score composed by Nicholas Hooper was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture. The album debuted at number twenty-nine on the Billboard 200 chart, making it the highest charting soundtrack among all of the six movie soundtracks released. The soundtrack also charted at three on the Top Soundtracks Chart.

Founded in 2002, Symphony Silicon Valley has progressed from daring idea to exciting reality, rapidly becoming the greater South Bay’s premiere orchestra and a notable community success story. The Symphony’s artists, nationally recruited and locally resident, with an average performance tenure in San Jose of over 20 years, are recognized as among the best in the greater Bay Area. Led by an exciting roster of distinguished guest conductors on the European model, the Symphony is an anchor tenant of San Jose’s magnificently restored downtown California Theatre, one of Northern California’s most outstanding music halls.

Tickets and Information
Prices range from $50 to $100
408.286.2600 ext. 23
symphonysiliconvalley.org
San Jose Center for the Performing Arts
255 S. Almaden Blvd in San Jose

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Lina Broydo immigrated from Russia, then the Soviet Union, to Israel where she was educated and got married. After working at the University in Birmingham, England, she and her husband immigrated to the United States. She lives in Los Altos Hills, CA and writes about travel, art, style, entertainment, and sports. She hardly cooks or bakes, with no borsch or piroshky on her home cooking menu. Therefore, she makes reservations and enjoys dining out, mostly sushi.