Jennifer Dean: December 2011 Archives

Frugal Frigate bookstore in Redlands is going to be really silly today.

Author/performer Mike Mennard, also known as The Poet Laureate of Silliness in his home state of Nebraska, will visit for a book signing today from noon to 2 p.m.

Mennard's first book of poetry, "The Left-sock Tree" is a collection of silly poems for one and two voices. When he's not cracking up the kids, Mennard teaches English and Communication at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Visitors can meet Mennard and have him personally sign a copy of his book. Learn more about his music and his books at www.mikemennard.com.

The Frugal Frigate is located at 9 N. Sixth St., in Redlands. For more information, call 909-793-0740 or visit www.frugalfrigate.com.

San Bernardino County Museum's biggest event of the year is coming up. Train Days will make tracks to the museum Jan. 14 and 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Model train collectors, aficionados, fans and lovers can visit to see a variety of model trains set up and running, talk to experts as they demonstrate painting techniques, talk to real engineers and other railroad workers, and view the museum's historic engine.

Children can also operate a little locomotive and design a logo for their own imaginary railroad.

Regular Museum Admission costs $8.00 (adult); $6.00 (senior or military); $5.00 (student with ID); $4.00 (child 5 - 12); children under 5 get in free.

This event is presented by the Museum's Education and History Divisions. For more information call 909-307-2669, ext. 256 or 271 or visit www.sbcountymuseum.org. Families get free admission to the Museum for one year when they join the Museum Association for $40.00. The museum is located at 2024 Orange Tree Lane in Redlands.

Train restoration project supporters are needed. For more information about the train project, please contact Michele Nielsen, History Curator, at 909-307-2669, ext. 240.

The Lake Elsinore Outlets has some fun kids activities planned for the month of January. The Kids Outlet events take place from 11 a.m. to noon Wednesdays and Fridays. Admission and all activities are free.

Lake Elsinore Library will host a story time activity with interactive stories, familiar nursery rhymes, and a craft project on Jan. 4, 11, 18 and 25..

On Jan. 6 and 13, children can celebrate the winter season with a stick snowman banner craft and a winter wonderland sand art craft. Then, on Jan. 20, children can create their own critter pillow craft to sleep and travel with.

Lastly, Anthony the Magic will visit and perform his interactive magic show.

All Kids Outlet activities take place in Suite 106. For more information on the Kids Outlet Activities, visit www.lakeelsinoreoutlet.com or call 951-245-0087.

For more information on Anthony the Magic, visit www.anthonythemagic.com.

Like comics? Teens in grades 6 to 12 interested in the evolution of comics can learn more in an interactive program taught by Ryan Haggerty, owner of Ryan's Comics in Murrieta. The program, "Comic Books 101, will be held at the Murrieta Public Library at 2 p.m. Jan. 5.

All activities will take place in the Library"s Community Room.

Graphic novels, the new term for comics, have become an essential component of library collections for both children and teenagers.

"We even have some classic titles in our graphic novel collections at the Murrieta Public Library, such as King Lear, The Odyssey, and The Invisible Man, along with our popular Superman, Wolverine, and Dragon Ball Z titles," said Joyce Lea Brown, teen librarian. "Sincce the popularity of graphic novels just keeps on growing, the Murrieta Public Library has scheduled a program that is relevant to today's teenagers."

The event is free and open to the public. The Murrieta Public Library is located at Eight Town Square (Adams Avenue and Kalmia Street). For more information about the program call (951) 304-2665 or visit the library's web site at www.murrietalibrary.info.

Calling all Scouts: The Riverside Art Museum will host two scout badge activities in January.

Riverside Art Museum is authorized to provide instruction for the Boy Scout "Art" badge.

On Jan. 16 from 1:30 to 4 p.m., Instructors Beth Yeager and Alison Thierbach will host a two and one half hour class for Boy Scouts in which students will visit one of the museum's galleries and discuss the art work. During the discussion, students will learn about three career opportunities associated with art. Finally, students will render a subject of their choice using four different mediums, earning their art badges. There's a $25 material fee

On Jan. 21, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., the art museum will offer the "Art in 3-D" badge for Junior Girl Scouts. Participants will explore origami, sculpture, mosaic, and poetry while completing the requirements for the badge. This is a great class for all Junior Girl Scouts wishing to complete their "Art in 3-D" badge. The instructor will be Beth Yeager, and there is a $25 material fee.

The museum is located at 3425 Mission Inn Ave. in Riverside. For more information, call 951-684-7111 or visit www.riversideartmuseum.org.

Say goodbye to the Year of the Rabbit and hello Year of the Dragon. Families are invited to celebrate the Year of the Dragon at the 2012 Chinese New Year Family Discovery Day on Jan. 21. Always a popular event, the museum will celebrate the New Year with hands-on activities, including an artist-led calligraphy workshop with Calligrapher Cheng Chao Hung, storytelling with Master Storyteller Karen Rae Kraut, the Ontario City Library and much more.

This event is co-sponsored by the Pomona Valley Chinese Association and will take place from noon to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free. The museum is located at 225 South Euclid Ave. in Ontario. For more information, call 909-395-2510.

The 19th annual Spark of Love Toy Drive is going on right now through Dec. 23 with CAL FIRE and the Riverside County Fire Department, in conjunction with ABC-7, and other local sponsors.

New, unwrapped toys or sports equipment are needed to distribute to underprivileged children who might not otherwise have a gift to unwrap during the holiday season.

Firefighters of Riverside County and the Moreno Valley Fire Department are gathering the toys, which can be dropped off at any of the fire stations. All toys, sports equipment and gift cards that are donated are distributed to children in the communities in which they were donated.

Donations are accepted and greatly appreciated at neighborhood fire stations between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. through December 23.

Here are the locations:

Fire Station 2
24935 Hemlock Avenue

Fire Station 58
28040 Eucalyptus Avenue

Fire Station 6
22250 Eucalyptus Avenue

Fire Station 65
15111 Indian Avenue

Fire Station 48
10511 Village Road

Fire Station 91
16110 Lasselle Street

For additional information visit www.rvcfire.org or call the "Spark of Love Toy Drive" hotline at 951-538-6910 or 951-486-6780. For eligibility requirements to receive toys for a child in need please contact the Moreno Valley Community Assistance Program at 951-495-7792.

The 12th annual Christmas in the Air Concert, presented by the Southwest Women's Chorus Our Christmas Concerts, is returning to the Old Town Temecula Community Theater.

This year's show will feature a mix of classical, traditional carols, spirituals, audience sing-a-longs, solos and contemporary Christmas-time sacred and secular songs. There will also be the first double chorus performance of the Biebl's Ave Maria. The youth gospel choir, Wings of Praise will also do a gospel solo.

Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16, and 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17. Tickets cost $16 for adults; $13 for seniors and military; $9 for students and children. Children under age 2 are admitted for free when seated on adults' laps. Parents must obtain a printed "Babes in Arms" ticket form the ticket office for entry to the theater.

For more information call 866-653-8696 or visit www.temeculatheater.org.

My Fair Lady is coming to Landis Performing Arts Center in Riverside. Presented by Performance Riverside, the show is based on George Bernard Shaw's play and Gabriel Pascal's movie," Pygmalion," with book, music and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe.

Audiences can enjoy the well-known songs, "With a Little Bit of Luck," "The Rain in Spain," "I Could Have Danced All Night," "On the Street Where You Live," "Get Me to the Church on Time," "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" and Wouldn't It Be Loverly?" as they fall in love with Eliza Doolittle.

Performances will be at 8 p.m. Jan. 27 and 28, and Feb. 3 and 4; and at 2 p.m. Jan. 28 and 29, and Feb. 4 and 5. Tickets cost $27-$48.

"My Fair Lady" is playing in the Discovery Theater for young audiences as well at 10 a.m. Jan. 27 and Feb. 3. The show is for grades 4 and up, with tickets costing $8.

Landis Performing Arts Center is located at 4800 Magnolia Ave. in Riverside. For more information, call 951-222-8100 or visit www.performanceriverside.org.

Goodbye Year of the Rabbit, hello Year of the Dragon. Families are invited to celebrate the Year of the Dragon at the 2012 Chinese New Year Family Discovery Day on Jan. 21. Always a popular event, the museum will celebrate the New Year with hands-on activities, including an artist-led calligraphy workshop with Calligrapher Cheng Chao Hung, storytelling with Master Storyteller Karen Rae Kraut, the Ontario City Library and much more.

This event is co-sponsored by the Pomona Valley Chinese Association and will take place from noon to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free. The museum is located at 225 South Euclid Ave. in Ontario. For more information, call 909-395-2510.

The Lake Elsinore Outlet will host its monthly Kids' Outlet events Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to noon, and Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Today, Hidden Valley Nature Center will visit the outlets for a hands-on learning experience about various habitats and animals. The nature center, located along the Santa Ana River, is home to rabbits, snakes, turtles, birds and toads.

On Dec. 14, kids can participate in interactive stories, sing familiar nursery rhymes and color or create a craft with the Lake Elsinore Library.

On Dec. 16, kids can create their own festive forest scene in a Woodland Character Sign craft.

On Dec. 21, Lake Elsinore Library will again visit for interactive stories, nursery rhymes and a craft.

On Dec. 23, the outlets will host a Holiday Ornament Craft.

And on Dec. 30, balloon storyteller Annie Bannanie will teach appreciation for others, the joy of giving, and the power of encouraging words.

For more details, call 951-245-0087 or visit www.lakeelsinoreoutlet.com.

Pennypickle's Workshop at the Temecula Children's Museum will celebrate the season with "Pennypickle's Winter Wonderland" on Dec. 16 from 5 to 8:30 p.m.

Visitors can have fun and make memories surrounded by holiday music, snowflakes and twinkling lights. There will be hot cocoa and s'more. Children can meet the Snow Princess, get holiday pictures taken, shop for Mom and Dad in Beaker's Secret Store and, of course, play in the snow.

Entrance to the Wonderland is free. Tickets for the activities cost $1 each; most activities (including playing in the snow) will cost 1 to 2 tickets each. Food items will be available for 1-5 tickets each.

Tickets can be pre-purchased at www.pennypickles.org. Pre-purchased tickets will be at the Will Call Table.

The museum is located at 42081 Main St. in Temecula. For more information, call 951-308-6376 or visit www.pennypickles.org.

Riverside Art Museum will host "The Magic of the Nutcracker Ballet," on December 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

"A special day of art and ballet awaits your child," said Beth Yeager, Art Education Director at Riverside Art Museum.

The event will begin at the Riverside Art Museum, where the children will create Nutcracker inspired masterpieces. After lunch in the atrium, the children will walk to the Fox Theater to see California Riverside Ballet's annual production of "The Nutcracker."

The even costs $50, which includes seeing the show.

The museum is located at 3425 Mission Inn Ave. in Riverside. For more information call 951-684-7111 or visit www.riversideartmuseum.org.

Didn't knock out the entire shopping list on Black Friday? Well, there's still another great shopping option out there. The 30th annual Alternative Gift Fair in Riverside will take place Sunday at the First United Methodist Church in Riverside, at 4845 Brockton Ave.

The gift fair will be open from noon to 3 p.m. Parking is free. The fair is a community-wide effort that draws from a variety of faith traditions. Booths will be set up with items for sale such as handmade baskets and jewelry from Ten Thousand Villages; greeting cards and purses from artists at Temple Beth El; and scarves and other clothing from a Hindu tradition.

There will be food and refreshments available for purchase, and children's arts and craft activities. Some of the other organizations involved include co-host Universalist Unitarians; Quakers; Inland Communities Fellowship Reconciliation; Habitat for Humanity; Heifer International; Lutheran World Relief crafts; and Madison Street Church.

The fair tradition first started in 1981, and last year's fair raised more than $15,000 for non-profit causes. For more information call 951-534-4376.