Hot Picks 02.22.24

Thursday, Feb. 22

Better Health Care for All

That there are racial inequalities in health care is well documented, but how to solve a seemingly intractable problem? Shekinah Fashaw-Walters, assistant professor of Health Policy and Management at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health has some definite ideas. She’s dedicated her research to understanding inequalities in aging and how racism has impacted determinants of health. Fashaw-Walters’ talk, “The Fierce Urgency of Now: Moving from Colorblind to Color Conscious Health Care Systems,” will examine how to change traditional thinking to better serve communities of color in health care. She’s coming to CSU Monterey Bay’s College of Health Sciences and Human Services as part of Black History Month and the college’s Diversity Celebration Series, in collaboration with CSUMB’s Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence.[PM]

4:45pm, reception; 5:30pm, speech. Thursday, Feb. 22, Otter Student Union Ballroom, 3118 Inter-Garrison Road., Seaside. Free, reservation required. bit.ly/CSUMBFierceUrgency.

Trashed Treasures

If someone tells you that you look trashy, you would most likely be offended. But here, it’s actually a compliment. The Alliance on Aging’s upcoming Trashion Show will be a night where art, fashion and ecology come together to celebrate glamor and sustainable fashion, organizers say. The show is a fundraiser for Alliance on Aging, which provides various programs for seniors in Monterey County. Organizers also hope it will inspire others to reduce waste by transforming discarded materials. “One person’s trash is another’s treasure” never seemed more appropriate. [EC]

5:30pm Thursday, Feb. 22. Salinas Valley Fairgrounds, 625 Division St., King City. $90-$100. 655-1334. allianceonaging.org/trashion-salinas.

Friday, Feb. 23

Hearts and Minds

After a certain age, and it’s different for everybody, getting older is no longer something to look forward to. It has its benefits – mainly wisdom, and perhaps wealth, but the fact is that at a certain point everybody’s body, and maybe their mind too, starts to break down. It’s tough to reconcile when it finally hits, but it’s important to remember: It happens to everybody, to some extent. How to slow or stave off a cerebral decline, particularly as it relates to the brain’s relationship with a healthy heart, is the subject of California Arts and Sciences Institute’s panel discussion at Wave Street Studios in Monterey titled “Mind and Heart: As We Age.” Dr. Quinn Kennedy, a cognitive aging research psychologist, and Dr. Yousef Hindi, a cardiologist, will deliver a presentation that includes insights on nutrition, exercise and sleep regimens and maybe some things you may not expect to help keep the heart and mind healthy as the years go by. [DS]

5-7pm Friday, Feb. 23. Wave Street Studios, 774 Wave St., Monterey. $20. casicalifornia.org.

Saturday, Feb. 24

The Big Three

There’s just no way to explain how good these guys are in such a short space. So let’s put it this way. Pianist Jon Nakamatsu earned the gold medal at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Jon Manasse, who plays clarinet, is on the Juilliard School faculty. And violin virtuoso Jennifer Frautschi? Well, a private foundation loans her a 1722 Stradivarius. That should say enough. There’s only one aspect where these guys fall short. The Nakamatsu Manasse Frautschi Trio? C’mon, there has to be a better name. The Smokin’ J’s, maybe? OK, we tried. But there is no better presentation of Debussy, Chopin, Stravinsky and other classical pieces. This trio is awe-inspiring. Hosted by Chamber Music Monterey Bay, with a pre-concert talk at 6:30pm. [DF]

7:30pm Saturday, Feb. 24. Sunset Center, San Carlos Street and 9th Avenue, Carmel. $25-$75. 625-2212, chambermusicmontereybay.org.

Film Feast

The Banff Festival of Mountain Films launched in 1976 and since then it’s been held every fall in Banff, Alberta. Over the years, the festival expanded, both physically (the Banff Festival of Mountain Books was soon established), and digitally – showing its movies in the theaters of various Canadian and U.S. towns, as well as online, on demand. Some films are just a few minutes long, others are more than 30 minutes. One of the films shown this year is After You’ve Gone, a story about a female fishing guide in the Adirondacks overcoming the hardships of battling cancer and losing her husband. [AP]

7pm Saturday, Feb. 24, Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado St., Monterey. $32. 649-1070. goldenstatetheatre.com.

Sunday, Feb. 25

Pride Pint

Other Brother Beer Co. in Seaside has developed a packed calendar of events within the last year, from trivia night, to bingo night and spaghetti night. They have Monday dinners with a guest chef and music concerts featuring local musicians. There are also events to just connect within the community, or do some crafting together. One of those events is Pint Night and Pride night – a two hour queer speed dating for LGBTQ singles. Come meet someone special and have a pride pint. The color of the evening is pink. Try craft beer and natural wine selections. [AP]

5-8pm Sunday, Feb. 25. Other Brother Beer Co, 877 Broadway Ave., Seaside. $15. 747-1106. otherbrotherbeer.com.

Monday, Feb. 26

Experiencing Latinhood

For those interested in learning more about the broad spectrum of experiences within the Latinx culture, Hartnell College will have a panel discussion and book signing with local authors including Hortencia Jiménez from Hartnell College, Mrinal Sinha and Rudy Medina from CSU Monterey Bay, among other experts joining in person or via Zoom. The book, Latinx Experiences: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, presents myriad experiences within Latinx culture. Different authors will talk about their own Latinx experience that include immigration, food, racial identity, deportation, pop culture and more. “We can’t generalize Latinos in the United States,” Jiménez says. The book highlights that Latinx aren’t a monolithic group; it also celebrates the contributions of Latinx locally and nationwide. [CJ]

3pm Monday, Feb. 26. Steinbeck Hall, Hartnell College, Main Campus, 411 Central Ave., Salinas. Free. For information email: hjimenez@hartnell.edu. The first 50 attendees will receive the book for free. hartnell.edu.

Tuesday, Feb. 27

Cohousing at SandBox

The American Institute of Architects, Monterey Bay is holding an event at SandBox in Seaside. The title of the presentation is “Choosing Communities: Designing for High-Functioning Neighborhoods.” The presenter is Charles Durrett, an architect, author and an advocate of affordable, socially responsible and sustainable design. You will learn from the leading architect and builder of cohousing globally. Durrett will impart his decades of experience so that you understand what cohousing is, how it’s designed, what its benefits are to the residents and how it incorporates participatory design to promote more socially equitable and environmentally sustainable communities. [AP]

6pm Tuesday, Feb. 27. 440 Ortiz Ave., Sand City. $10-$25. sandboxsandcity@gmail.com. Sandboxsandcity.com.

Wednesday, Feb 28

Enchanting Inscapes

Carmel Valley Community Chapel presents Inscapes: A Musical Evening with Rick Yramategui playing the music of Debussy, Ravel, Bach, Brahms and Joplin. Yramategui is a pianist with a career of concert performances, teaching and composing, Yramategui is a wonderful, deeply spiritual performer. He has been serving as an instructor at Hidden Valley Music Seminars for 25 years and as a pianist at Carmel Mission Basilica for 12 years. Carmel Valley Community Chapel is a non-denominational church that uses Christian traditions as a foundation while embracing and exploring spiritual insights from across the globe. [AP]

7pm Wednesday, Feb 28. Carmel Valley Community Chapel, Paso Hondo and Village Drive, Carmel Valley. Free, donations accepted. 659-2278. carmelvalleychapel.org.

HOT PICKS by Erik Chalhoub, Dave Faries, Celia Jiménez, Pam Marino, Agata Popęda, Sara Rubin and David Schmalz.