Happy Fat Tuesday

It's TUESDAY, March 8, 2011. The winds of winter are blowing the blossoms around, bringing sneezes and runny eyes. I guess we're lucky to have the blossoms in winter. A big thank you to Dan Smith for guest editing this space while I took a break. Coming back, not much has changed — Martinez is still the amazing place it always was. But then, the break was only for three days. Let's see what five things are hopping around the hopper today:

1. Don't forget to buy your tickets for "," a production of the , which is being performed for the first time in Spanish. The show is Saturday at 's Performing Arts Building. 
2. Don't forget to say "laissez les bon temps rouler" ("let the good times roll") to everyone you see today. Why on earth would you do that? Because it's Mardi Gras, silly. And though our bodies and minds may be firmly rooted in Martinez, our hearts are (or should be) rolling through the streets of New Orleans on a float, throwing beads and candy to the revelers.
3. If you want to keep the celebration local, head to today for a . Just so you know, Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday. We are nothing if not an international space today. 
4. While we're on a musical theme, let's not forget that local jazz pianist extraordinaire  will play in San Francisco on Wednesday at Kaleidoscope, 3109 24th St. (at Folsom). If you haven't seen a Joe Show, you're missing out. And if you need an excuse to hit San Francisco for a date on a Wednesday night, this is it. 
5. And for those who would rather read, the at the Pleasant Hill Library is perusing The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Members meet today to read some more and discuss. Check it out (that's a library joke).