California Academy of Sciences Embarks on Journey to the Stars

A fascinating space show, Journey to the Stars opens this Saturday at Morrison Planetarium just in time for the California Academy of Sciences’ first year anniversary. A beacon of rational thinking and reality-based worldview, and therefore, perhaps, the most important educational institution in town, the Academy once again demonstrated is amazing capability of delivering complex ideas in an entertaining format, better suitable for children of all ages. Thanks to the high tech all-digital planetarium’s 75-footdiameter dome served by six projectors, a flight to the remote galaxies and back in time, 13 billion years into the past when the first stars were born, creates a full-immersion experience up to a slight vertigo induced by the speed and sheer volume of the on-screen movement. Supernova explosions, the formation and current activity of the Sun, and mind-boggling transformations of the celestial bodies are framed by stunning time-lapse footage of San Francisco Bay and its spectacular sunrise/sunset. An inherent connection between humanity and the stars is brilliantly presented in the show narrative by a short remark that a human body contains a teaspoon’s worth of stardust formed 13 billion years ago. Developed by the American Museum of Natural History, New York in collaboration with the Academy, as well as GOTO INC., Tokyo, Japan; Papalote Museo del Niño, Mexico City, Mexico; and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C., the show was created with the support and partnership of NASA, Science Mission Directorate, Heliophysics Division, and narrated by Whoopi Goldberg. The show will run for a full year, several times daily. In addition, the Academy’s Benjamin Dean Astronomy Lectures in early 2010 will give audiences a chance to meet the scientists who worked with Journey’s production team. Speakers will include Dr. Ben Oppenheimer, astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History and curator for the show
(January); Dr. Tom Abel, professor at Stanford University who contributed data and visualizations (February); and Dr. Alan Title, solar physicist at Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center (March). Check www.calacademy.org/events for lecture details. California Academy of Sciences is located in Golden Gate Park, Concourse Drive, San Francisco. 415-379-8000. Image: 3-D recreation of the Helix Nebula, formed from the remains of a star at the end of its life, based on Hubble Telescope observations. © American Museum of Natural History.

Warm Nostalgia and Steamy Romance of South Pacific Brought to You by SHN

One of the great American musicals that are now considered classic opened at the Golden Gate Theatre to a full house earlier this week. SHN presented the new Lincoln Center Theater production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific” directed by Bartlett Sher and conducted by Lawrence Goldberg – the show’s first stop on its national tour. Multiple award-winner, the musical has an undeniable literary merit, being based on a James Michener’s Pulitzer Prize winning book “Tales of the South Pacific” – a poignant love-conquers-all (even prejudice) story set during World War II. Part nostalgic part evergreen, the story is richly adorned with timeless musical numbers, juicy characters, and wonderful staging in its current incarnation (musical staging by Christopher Gattelli, sets by Michael Yeargan, costumes by Catherine Zuber, lighting by Donald Holder, sound by Scott Lehrer and music direction by Ted Sperling). The leading couple’s precise performance – Carmen Cusack as Nellie Forbush and Rod Gilfry as Emile de Becque – is wonderfully complemented by a secondary-story romantic lead Anderson Davis as Lt. Joe Cable, expressive Keala Settle as Bloody Mary, comic Matthew Saldivar as Luther Billis, and the rest of the well-appointed, harmonious and overall spectacular cast. A deeply humane, yet light-heartedly entertaining story truly sparkles in this new not to be missed production. South Pacific runs through October 25. Tickets from $30 to $99 online at www.shnsf.com, at Ticketmaster (415) 512-7770, or at the Golden Gate Theatre Box Office at 1 Taylor Street, San Francisco. Image: Carmen Cusak and Rod Gilfry. Photo by Peter Coombs.

Sweet Dreams are Made of This - Dream Inn

Joie de Vivre landmark boutique hotel in Santa Cruz is now fully renovated and ready to accept the dreamers of the world. A hotel-wide opening party on Thursday introduced a variety of suites from Junior to Deluxe King to accommodate every whim and fulfill every wish of lucky business and/or pleasure travelers. Following the three rules of real estate (location, location, location) the beachfront Dream Inn is perfectly situated between the Art Deco town center and the wilderness of the Pacific, wrapped in an atmosphere of sea breeze, indulgence, and eternal vacation… To make its undeniable charm complete, the hotel’s new restaurant, Aquarius, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the beach, serves the most delectable (local, sustainable, and organic) creations by Chef Philippe Breneman, who was present at the opening to make sure his taro root chips with salmon carpaccio and caviar fly off the trays. Wine tasting, live jazz, US Olympic synchronized swimmers in the hotel’s beautiful pool, followed by floating lily wreaths, a sand sculpture, and a couple of ice sculptures by the decadent row bar added to the delights of the dreamy night. The Santa Cruz Dream Inn is located at 175 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, California. To reserve your dream stay, call 866-774-7735 or visit www.jdvhotels.com or www.dreaminnsantacruz.com. Photography by Yuri Krasov.

La Mar Cebicheria Peruana A Feast for All Senses

… And this one is purple potato, Ahi tuna, avocado… A server pointed to a whipped potato shooter, one of four, as bright as a plastic toy on a rectangular white dish. I marveled at the colorful display. You know what causas are, half-asked our waiter, Alejo Veiga at La Mar on Embarcadero. Shamefully, I didn’t know. A novice to Peruvian cuisine, I also didn’t know that so many colors in chilies pack each a different punch, and that traditional seafood cebiche is a national dish of Peru, made with leche de tigre (tiger’s milk) marinade of lime juice and various peppers. I learned that cebiche can be chifa (Chinese) or nikei (Japanese) influenced by the respective populations of Peru, and have their own ingredients and flavors, similar only in their deliciousness. Good there are always new things to learn… My lunch companion and I settled on an open terrace of the spacious waterfront restaurant on one of those ripe sunny September days when you can get tipsy just by breathing the air and everything around you seems Photoshop-sharpened. Ready to be wowed, we didn’t have to wait long. First, plantain and sweet potato chips arrived with a trio of pepper dips, from mild to spicy, all in fall colors, accompanied by a perfect glass of house-special pisco sour. Then, our educational cebiche tasting followed, thoughtfully served with a big spoon for easier consumption of that refreshing tiger’s milk sauce. And then it was time for causas. Perfectly balanced flavors in limena – Dungeness crab, avocado puree, quail egg, cherry tomatoes and the ubiquitous aji amarillo sauce made a nice contrast to casera – a vegetarian visually stunning treat of class A golden greens – artichokes, avocado, asparagus – bound with a drop of mayo and packed into a tiny violet basket. Discoveries continued with anticuchos de pulpo – a skewer of grilled octopus, Mexican variety, that does not hold water and therefore is softer, less chewy, in a pungent dark chimichurri sauce, and with cau cau – melt-in your mouth roasted scallops bathed in a clam and mint broth and served over Peruvian risotto. A sweet finale to our feast for all senses came with more surprises. Bunuelos de chocolate caliente – little beignets with warm liquid chocolate center were complemented by a scoop of banana ice cream, and traditional piracones – pumpkin and sweet potato fritters served with spiced Chancaca honey were almost guilt free thanks to their vegetable content. La Mar Cebicheria Peruana is located next to the Ferry Building, at Pier 1.5 Suite 100, The Embarcadero, San Francisco. Call for reservations 415-397-8880 or visit www.lamarcebicheria.com. Photography by Emma Krasov. 1. Purple and yellow causas. 2. Cebiche tasting. 3. General Manager Andrew Generalao. 4. The view from the terrace.

Choco-loca Baby Gets Her Fix at Saratoga Chocolates

What can be more exciting for your regular chocoholic than a new filling station opening? Saratoga Chocolates headed by Mary Loomas is now in the Joseph Schmidt former sanctuary at 3489 16th Street (with Maestro European Chocolatier’s blessings). It seems fitting, since Loomas follows the tradition of creating complex, mostly dark, cocoa forward bold truffles, never cloying, always flavorful, for a sophisticated palate. She adds a California twist to her Old World-style confections by using Clover (and other local) dairy, fresh fruit and various farmers’ market-bought ingredients as much as possible. Sea salt comes from the Pacific, strawberries from Gilroy, and apricots from Watsonville, for example, and thus a state flower – California poppy appears on her trademark dark chocolate-colored bags and boxes to send a message to the localvores out there. Be it a Meyer lemon white truffle, a Valencia orange dark one, a jasmine green tea or a mojito, each bursts with flavor and delights with freshness. Most of her creations, according to Loomas, have about two months shelf life, and are made with minimal amounts (about 5%) of invert sugar or corn syrup (some caramels). Her special wine-lover’s chocolates contain chili, cayenne, cinnamon and cloves, or chipotle to complement a glass of zin or cab. The company offers wine and chocolate pairing classes, where six students at a time pair together five wines and eight chocolates. (See, even math can be fun!) “Our Saratoga store will stay open,” said Loomas, but we will move our kitchen here, to San Francisco next year.” She also said that she plans to follow Joseph Schmidt’s renowned tradition of putting chocolate sculptures on display, especially around holidays. Saratoga Chocolates opened just in time for the upcoming Fall/Winter season, but if you need to create a holiday for yourself or your loved ones pronto, don’t wait until then. Accommodating staff, Mighty Leaf tea line, also sold here to make your gift complete, and a rich inventory that turns every three weeks or so are sure to please. Coming up: hot drinking chocolate will be served on premises. Also, buy a box of 6 or 12, eat all, keep the box, bring it back for a 10% off refill. Who would ask for anything more? Learn about Saratoga Chocolates and everything it has to offer at: www.saratogachocolates.com. Photography by Yuri Krasov.

Ask Emma

Question: I was at my friend’s party with my boyfriend, and we ran into my ex. My boyfriend had never met him before, and he became immediately jealous. To reassure him, I told him all the bad things about my ex I could remember, but instead of calming him down, it made him outraged. We all had a few drinks in the process, and it all ended up with verbal insults, and even some punches. Our friends had to separate the two men and take us all home, and now I feel very bad about what happened. My boyfriend hasn’t called since. What should I do?
Answer: I’m sure you realize now how much damage you’ve done with your big mouth. Being discreet about past relationships is not only good manners, but also a necessity to keep the current relationship going. There is nothing as disgraceful as a woman who enjoys provoking the guys around her into a fistfight. It looks good in movies, but is really ugly in reality. Should you have kept silent about your ex and have tried to leave the party early enough, nothing would have happened. To reassure your boyfriend you should give him your time and attention, and your affection, of course. Pouring dirt all over your ex won’t do it. Once again, silence is gold when it comes to your past love life. Now, pick up the phone, call your boyfriend and apologize for putting him into a shameful situation.

That was the Story of Manon Lescaut

For the beginning of a promising 2009-2010 season, Massenet’s “Manon” premiered at Opera San Jose yesterday. Joseph Marcheso made a remarkable debut as OSJ principal conductor with a steady hand and remarkable precision. Beautifully staged by Dianna Shuster, director, the opera starred Khori Dastoor in the title role, and Alexander Boyer in the role of Chevalier des Grieux. The success of the show was assured by vocally distinguished and dramatically saturated performances of Silas Elash as Count de Grieux, Bill Welch as Guillot de Morfontaine, Krassen Karagiozov as Lescaut, and Adam Meza as De Bretigny. Jillian Boye, Cathleen Candia, and Betany Coffland were adorable in their respective roles of Pousette, Rosette, and Javotte – the three graces of seduction, who unknowingly influenced the rise and fall of Manon in the 1884 libretto by Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille. The story of a young countryside beauty turned Parisian courtesan and crushed by the society and her own depravity was inspired by a much earlier literary classic, “L’histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut” by Abbe Prevost, but holds its timeless appeal for a contemporary viewer. OSJ season subscribers and neophytes, dressed in tuxedos and evening gowns (and what not) filled the house at the opening in the gorgeously restored historic California Theatre. The after show reception at another San Jose landmark – St. Claire Hotel, located steps from the theatre, brought together the youthful cast and the adoring audience for an elegant champagne and dessert celebration. Today’s matinee will surely be a hit with Rebecca Schuessler and Michael Dailey in the principal roles, and Daniel Cilli as Lescaut. The performances will run through September 27 at 345 South First Street, San Jose. More information and tickets at: www.operasj.org.

Don’t Dress for Santorini

Come undone. In the enormous crowd of tourists from all over the world no one will notice anyway. Besides, if you decide to explore the island, white limestone dust will deem all outfits equal. The land is barren, with gray olive trees, dwarfy grape vines and withered brown grasses. The sea is gorgeous, deep blue, and the views are spectacular from any side of any cliff.
There is no vast open space to people watch or to be seen. Iconic white and blue houses cling to the black and red cliffs like swallows’ nests, and the streets are all narrow, vertical, and teeming with window shoppers day and night. You hear shreds of conversations in German, French, Italian, Russian… you watch your step along randomly placed marble stairs here and there… you gape at the jewelry displays, blinded and dizzy from the blazing sun, and run for cover in the shade to take a sip of water from a hot plastic bottle. Night is more forgiving, with precious sea breeze, moonlight painted over the smooth surface of the sea, and leisurely crowds settling for 10 p.m. dinners at countless fish tavernas. If visiting Santorini is on your list of things to do before you die, and if you think it’s still a budget find like it used to be in the hay day of Frommer’s and Fodor’s, think again. You will soon learn to read hidden messages of travel guidebooks and brochures. “A private beach” - a narrow patch of rocky sand littered with cigarette butts, but no amenities - is for you and for hundreds other authenticity seekers. “A boat-to-grill” fish costs a fortune, and a tavern with oilcloth-covered tables and uncomfortable chairs is a well-oiled speedy operation, offering a simple menu in six languages and charging credit cards to their limits. A cold foamy frappe, which is all the rage in European coffee industry these days, will cost you 12-13 American dollars, and yet… looking back at my pricey vacation, I feel a strange magnetism of the place…

The best views on Santorini are found in Oia, a small village in the northern part of the island famous for its spectacular sunsets. Every evening, northbound traffic to Oia packs both winding narrow main roads. Tiny rental cars pass motorbikes driven by the adventurous first-timers, and tourist buses, filled with cruise ship travelers as well as with island dwellers. 20-30 full size bases take up the entire village parking lot, and a cheery crowd equipped with cameras climbs cobblestone streets of Oia in search of a good spot. The coral-red sun sets into the humid air over the caldera, formed by a volcanic eruption 3.5 thousand years ago. Its calm clean waters are blue with purple undertones – not a hint of green anywhere… The sun reddens like a chunk of cooling ember, and looses the shine, then slowly descends in the marine layer to peek out again from underneath a gray cloud, greeted as a movie star with countless camera flashes and rounds of applause. Then the crowd dissolves into buses heading back to Fira – the main city that never sleeps, and Oia’s population prepares to enjoy yet another moonlit silent night.


Oia’s Sunset is a traditional small hotel in the heart of the village, and an oasis of calm and hospitality. Panos Loutos, manager, will meet and greet you at the tiny entrance bar, while his right hand, Stavros Koukouvelis (a.k.a. Steve) will offer you a drink before letting you into your room. 15 rooms, equipped with a kitchenette and a patio, are located on two levels in a clean and picturesque white-and-blue mansion, with potted plants on every landing, and a deep blue pool, refreshing and inviting on a hot cloudless day.

Church bells and roosters will wake you up in the morning, and if you don’t feel like traveling to designated beaches in the south, just take 300 stairs down to the caldera, take a dip in a cool crystal clear water, and stay for lunch in one of the “downstairs” tavernas. White eggplant salad is a Santorini specialty, and a treat like no other. Don’t worry about those extra calories – you’ll shed them on your way back, climbing upstairs.
Some residents at Oia’s Sunset seem to never leave the premises, though, lounging around the pool, drinking cocktails and good strong coffee, prepared by Panos or Steve, and reading beach books on their patios.
According to Panos, Oia’s Sunset enjoys 15% return customers from Germany, England, France, and Belgium. Tourists from USA, Canada, and Australia, who can’t come every summer, send along their friends. Small groups of friends, honeymooning couples, and families with children equally enjoy the premises, and some book their next summer stay a year in advance. The high season in Santorini starts at the end of April and extends through October. Then the hotel closes for a month to let its staffers get some rest, and then seasonal repairs start in anticipation of a new beginning. “I live here eight months a year,” said Panos, “and I’m here all the time. I’m not the owner, but I feel like it’s my business.” Judging from my own experience, and from what I’ve learned from my neighbors at Oia’s Sunset, anyone who ever stayed here must be able to attest to that statement.
“So, do you love your job?” I asked (unnecessarily). “Of course, I love my job,” he said. “Of course, I do.” I knew it was true. For more information and reservations, go to: www.oiasunset.com. To email Panos directly, write to: oiasunset@sun.forthnet.gr. Photography by Yuri Krasov.