If you have 1-2 hours for holiday shopping, downtown Berkeley merchants can help you find a nice gift for friends and family. If you like "do it yourself (DIY)" style gifts, think of the bountiful herbs and cures at Lhasa Kharnak, sewing machines and accessories at Berkeley Vacuum, canning kits and home improvement products at ACE Hardware, and bikes with repair classes at Missing Link. If you prefer your gifts ready for use, go to Staples for electronics, the MAC Store for computers, or one of our Tibetan gift stores for colorful stocking stuffers. Click here for the Downtown Berkeley Walk and Shop Guide. 

Parking Meter Holiday on Friday - December 24th

The Berkeley City Council wants to help you - our customers - with last minute shopping on Friday, December 24^th (Christmas Eve day). There will no pay and no time limits at the meters. However, please note that parking restrictions at loading, red, and accessible zones will be enforced. 

The Aurora Theatre, Naughty and Nice: A Meg and Billy Christmas

December 17-30

Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Lemony Snicket's - The Composer is Dead

Through January 15, 2011

Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse, A Christmas Carol

December 21st

Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse, The Coverlettes

December 22-23

The Marsh Theatre, Worlds Funniest Bubble Show

Through January 30, 2011

Shattuck Landmark Theatres and

United Artists Cinemas

Open on Christmas Day and New Years Day.

Mangalam Research Center - Winter 2011 Classes

January 10 - March 17th

The Mangalam Research Center will kick off their winter session of classes. Here is a sample of their offerings.

 - "Sanskrit Basics" will train students in Devanagari and the fundamentals of Sanskrit, and "Classical Sanskrit" will be taught by David Mellins, Ph. D., Columbia, 2004.

 - "Research Seminar in Buddhist Terminology" will engage students to utilize research methods and develop materials for the Mangalam database with a focus on Abhidharma Terminology. The instructors will be David Mellins and Jack Petranker, J.D. Yale, 1970; M.A. University of California, Berkeley, 1979.

 - "Dharma and the Language of Ethical Discourse in the West" will look at Buddhist approaches to Ethics in the light of categories for ethical inquiry and practice developed in the West, including Consequentialism, Eudaimonism, and Virtue Ethics. The instructor will be Jack Petranker.

For information, contact inquiries@mangalamresearch.org or call 510-809-1551.

Landmark Theatres Invites you to Meet the Directors

   January 8th - meet Duane Baughman of "Bhutto".

   January 21st - meet Sandra Shulberg of "Nuremberg".

Landmark Theatres continues to engage their audiences with new offerings and experiences related to their movie line-up. 

BHUTTO, a documentary about the iconic Muslim leader of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto, opens January 7. Director Duane Baughman will appear in person for a Q&A session on January 8 at the late matinee show with a "meet and greet" to follow at Lot 68.

http://www.bhuttothefilm.com/  

NUREMBERG, a restored version of the official U.S. War Department documentary from the 1948 Nuremberg Trials opens January 21. Director Sandra Shulberg will appear in person for Q&A sessions at all shows on January 21.

Osher Lifelong Learning -  Winter 2011 Open House

Tuesday, January 11 at the Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse. 

The first ever Berkeleyside Local Business Forum

Monday, January 24, 7-9pm, at the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse.

Berkeleyside has confirmed Chris Anderson, Berkeleyan, Editor-in-Chief of Wired, author of The Long Tail and Free, and entrepreneur, as one of our speakers. Anderson will be joined by Carl Bass, another Berkeleyan and CEO of Fortune 100 company Autodesk, Michael Caplan, director of the city's Office of Economic Development, and an opinionated, vocal group of local business leaders.