Lamplighters Music Theatre. “The Pirates of Penzance.” By Gilbert & Sullivan. 2 and 8 p.m. Aug. 9, 2 p.m. Aug. 10. Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View. $20-$53. 650-903-6000 or mvcpa.com. Palo Alto Children’s Theatre. “Into the Woods, Junior.” Through Aug. 16. Palo Alto Children’s Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. $12-$14. 650-463-4970. San Francisco Mime Troupe. “Ripple Effect.” Through Sept. 1 around Bay Area. 6:30 p.m. Aug. 21, Mitchell Park (South Field), Palo Alto. Free (donations accepted). www.sfmt.org.

The California Pops, “A Very Merry Pops Christmas.” 3 p.m, Dec, 22, With singer Pierce Peter Brandt, Smithwick Theater, Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, bagh kalamkari printed fabric blue & white ballet shoes/ juttis $15-$42, Free parking in lots 5 & 6, 650-856-8432 or www.calpops.org, Tommy Castro and The Painkillers, 8 p.m, Dec, 27, Club Fox, 2209 Broadway, Redwood City, $20, 877-435-9849 or www.clubfoxrwc.com, Music at Kohl Mansion, All concerts begin a 7 p.m, Pre-concert talks by musicologist Kai Christiansen begin at 6 p.m, Dec, 15, A Night at the Opera — Gala Holiday Concert, Kohl Mansion, 2750 Adeline Drive, Burlingame, $15-$48, $60 for gala, 650-762-1130 or www.musicatkohl.org/tickets..

CLICK HERE if you are having trouble viewing these photos on a mobile device. Whoa! What happened to October? We could have sworn it was around here a second ago. No matter, November rolls in with another wonderful weekend yielding an abundance of things to see, hear, taste, smell and otherwise savor to the fullest — because we all could use a few of days of release, couldn’t we? So here are seven terrific ways to kick back in the San Francisco Bay Area, from exotic dances (no, not that kind) to tasty tacos, Tahoe views and a dazzling light show in Saratoga.

Lukin, who sits on the advisory council of the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center and the county’s Blue Ribbon Commission on foster care, has also served as the vice chair of San Mateo County’s Domestic Violence bagh kalamkari printed fabric blue & white ballet shoes/ juttis Council, and is a past member of the Sheriff’s Re-Entry Workgroup for the Jail Programming Committee, She and her staff are also members of a number of local and statewide domestic violence-related policy groups, Before joining CORA, Lukin was a consultant to local agencies on nonprofit governance, and designed and facilitated teambuilding and leadership development programs for senior management of Fortune 100 companies, She has also taught high school English, and led adventure programs for children of all ages..

The animated films: All too frequently, film fests give short shrift to the marvelous achievements and storytelling might of animated movies. Not so at MVFF. This year’s crop of animated entries ranges from Brazil’s wordless yet tuneful “The Boy and the World,” about a boy’s poignant search for his father (Oct. 5 and 12), and the French nature-focused 3-D adventure “Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants,” starring an enterprising ladybug on (Oct. 4 and 11).