The Downtown Berkeley Association would like to convey our deep concern for those affected by the recent disasters in Japan. We applaud those in our business community who are stepping up to raise funds and provide relief assistance to the Japanese people. 

TONIGHT - Japan Relief Donation Night at PIQ Cafe & Bakery   at 91 Shattuck Sq. at Addison St. in Downtown Berkeley
This evening, PIQ - Pane Italiano Qualite will be hosting a Japan Relief Donation Night in collaboration with Red Cross at Cal and the Japan Exchange & Teaching Program Alumni Association of Northern California (JETAANC).  PIQ is located at Shattuck Square at Addison. Look for the blue and purple lighting on the building. And, click here to see a recent article about their menu. All individual donations and all sales for the night will be donated to relief efforts.

Center Street Merchants Will Match Your Donation

Center Street Merchants continue to collect funds for relief efforts in collaboration with the Red Cross. They will double your money by matching donations up to a total of $1000. Deliver your check to 2136 Center Street and make it out to "Red Cross Japan Relief". (an apology for the mistake in the last e-News. Checks should not be made to Center Street Merchants, they should be to Red Cross)

Berkeley Rotary Launches International Effort

Berkeley Rotary is tapping in to their international network of a huge, entirely volunteer organization and has already reached out to Rotary clubs in Japan in the areas surrounding the greatest devastation. They are accepting donations for the Japan Relief effort at Berkeley Rotary, PO Box 11706, Berkeley, CA 94715. If you put "Japan Relief" on the memo line of your check, 100% of your donation will be applied directly to Berkeley Rotary's efforts in Japan. ShelterBox is perhaps one of Rotary's most impressive projects. 

In the last week, we have heard about two businesses being tricked by counterfeit bills. Both times, it was a person paying for a relatively small purchase with a $100 bill which was deemed to be valid by a swipe pen. The problem was that the bill was really a $5 bill that had been washed and converted to a $100 value. With this growing trend, the swipe pens are no longer relevant.

One easy method to verify currency is to ensure the denomination matches the assigned president or image. A $1 has Washington; $5 has Lincoln; $10 has Hamilton; $20 has Jackson; $50 has Grant; and $100 has Franklin.

For detailed information about how to detect counterfeit money, visit the United States Secret Service web site at "www.secretservice.gov" and search for "Know Your Money", then go to #11 How to Detect Counterfeit Bills. Or, request the detailed print brochure from Deborah Badhia at the DBA by calling 510-549-2230x11.

Thanks to the Berkeley Police Department for supplying us with this helpful information to support our business members. 

 

The Downtown Berkeley Arts District is growing as a comedy destination. Meanwhile, you can also see live music and theatre performances almost daily throughout the year.  

 

FREE AT THE LIBRARY  

March 22: The Tempest, Berkeley Central Public Library, 6:30p, FREE 

 

COMEDY  

Saturn Cafe's Space Lounge 

April 5: Comedy Improv Night, 8pm-11pm. Every other Tuesday night.  

 

Shattuck DownLow 

March 26: Mortified Comedy Showcase.  7:30pm-10:00pm  

 

The Marsh Cabaret 

Comedy Brains. Every Saturday night at 8:30pm. 

Funny Mondays hosted by Marga Gomez. Every Monday night at 8pm.  

PERFORMANCE THEATRE    

Aurora Theatre Company  

The Eccentricities of a Nightingale by Tennessee Williams, through May 8th.   

 

Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Ruined by Lynn Nottage, through April 10 

Three Sisters by Anton Checkov, through May 22nd.    

 

The Marsh Theatre Stage  

Brian Copeland's, Not A Genuine Black Man, through March 31st.  

Robert Dubac's, Free Range Thinking, through April 9th.  

Don Reed's East 14th, through May 8th.  

Bubbleman's World's Funniest Bubbleshow, through July 10th. 

 

OTHER EVENTS   

April 21-25: UCB Spring Recess  

 

April 4-8: BUSD Spring Recess  

 

April 7: Karaoke, Saturn Café, 9pm-12am. (Every Thursday night)

 

April 12: Learning Express Library & Berkeley Info Network Training, Berkeley Central Public Library, 6pm-7pm, 3rd floor classroom.

 

April 16: UC Berkeley's Cal Day. (DBA will have a booth at the event).   

 

April 17: BHS Live, Pauley Ballroom at UC BCampus.  A fundraiser for BHS Development Group and  BHS Athletic Fund. 5pm-8:30pm.  

 

April 17: How Berkeley Can You Be?, Photographs by Alan Stross. Opening party with guest John  Solomon, founder of HBCYB? and former owner of Venezia, at the Berkeley Historical Society. Exhibit until May 1st.

April 23: Earth Day Berkeley, Civic Center Park.

 

April 24: Easter Sunday Special Brunch, Bistro Liaison.  

 

April 30: East Bay Media's Screenwriters Workshop, East Bay Media Center .