As we approach Thanksgiving, I want to take a moment to give thanks to all of you tomatoes who read our newsletters and listen to our podcasts. May you have a wonderful time feasting and laughing with family and friends.

If you are looking to give back, there is an opportunity to visit the elderly on turkey day. Light up the season my friends with two glorious events. Tony award winning play, The Humans is attracting crowds at San Jose Stage and we’re giving away two tickets. Take a much-needed holiday break and wander the labyrinth at Grace Cathedral – take a deep breath and say ohm since we are on the rapid holiday train. And if you suffer from back pain, listen in to this week’s podcast.

Help a Senior Feel Loved

Should you be free on Thanksgiving morning and not cooking up a storm, why not spend some time visiting the elderly. The holidays can be lonely for many people and you can brighten the lives of others by visiting an elder on Thanksgiving morning. Sponsored by Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly, you can help a senior feel loved.

Friends and family are welcome to join, but one person does need to have a background check. For more information visit here.  

Win Tickets to The Humans

Stephen Karam’s THE HUMANS is a searing examination of the new American consciousness. Driven by empathy and humor, this Tony Award-winning play creates a hyper-realistic view of life and the complexities of the “American Dream.” Who can’t relate to a little family drama? In the San Jose Stage Company’s brilliant production, you find, Erik Blake who has brought his Pennsylvania family to celebrate Thanksgiving at his daughter’s apartment in lower Manhattan.

Unfolding over a single scene, THE HUMANS is a “delirious tragicomedy” that creates an indelible American family portrait San Jose Stage Company has a reputation for artistic excellence through imaginative and edgy theatrical experiences that spark ideas and dialogue with the audience. Now through December 15^{th, –}  90 minutes no intermission.

WIN TWO TICKETS to the performance of your choice. Enter below.

Anyone out there suffer from back pain? 80% of us do or will at some point, particularly as we age. Listen in as Kim Selby, our SF Editor has a conversation with Dr. Jack Stern, a leading neurological surgeon and author of a book entitled Ending Back Pain. Dr. Stern offers insight and suggestions on how to advocate for yourself, and, most importantly he offers many ways that may help you non-surgically. Listen in here or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Nov. 22-Feb. 2. Join LUMINIGHT for one world a million lights

This exhibit is a walking safari through scenes from our magical planet revealed by larger-than-life lantern sculptures created by Chinese artisans. More than your average Chinese lantern festival, LumiNight brings you a unique celebration of our planet’s most treasured wonders, wildlife, and nature that includes a Forest of a Million Lights, dinosaurs, Chinese Zodiac animals, the Great Barrier Reef, the story of Noah’s Ark, and animals both extinct and endangered.

Hundreds of large- scale internally lit creatures act as guides through the festival of lights that dazzle and kindle the imagination. The layout is accompanied by an interactive app and spans 8 acres and will make you feel as if you are up close with the wildlife first-hand. The awe-inspiring night out is infused with an educational messages for all ages. The LumiNight Lantern Festival is a beautiful and wholesome way to honor wildlife and reminds us all that we have a responsibility to do our best on behalf of every animal on Earth. This is more than just a festival, but a reintroduction to the majesty of wildlife through art, awe and illumination. November 29^th – February 2^nd at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. Get the details.

Now to Jan. 5. Night Bloom

Put on your faux fur coat and head to the Conservatory of Flowers for Night Bloom. This is truly a glowing way to spend an evening. Light and sound infuse the Conservatory of Flowers’ one of a kind plant collection and its iconic façade in this limited engagement.

Journey into rooms that evoke the tropics, explore the rainforest at night and watch the illuminated Conservatory of Flowers bursting with vibrant and luminous displays. You can also step into a world of geometric exploration through light and shadow with Oakland based artists HYBYCOZO. Take a break at the new Bloom Lounge, an inflatable dome where you can drink and be merry in an illuminated bubble. 5 p.m. – 11 p.m. www.conservatoryofflowers.org

Labyrinth at Grace Cathedral

Time to take a minute and inhale and exhale, letting go of the stress of the holidays. Grace Cathedral has just the place for you. This gorgeous San Francisco icon is home to not one, but two labyrinths, and to the modern labyrinth movement.  The labyrinth is an archetype, a divine imprint, found in all religious traditions in various forms around the world.

Grace Cathedral has an indoor one available during cathedral hours and the latter is available 24/7. Monthly labyrinth walks are available with live music and the next one is December 6^th from 6-8 p.m. In addition each Tuesday at 6:15 they hold yoga on the indoor labyrinth. The immense ceilings and reverence of the space create an unforgettable yoga experience. http://www.gracecathedral.com