Worth a Look

"Hanukkah in Eight Nights: Bring the Past to Light" also includes eight dramatic readings on the history of the Maccabean period and the origins of Hanukkah, written by the late Moshe Pearlman, a journalist, author and advisor to Israeli heads of state.

The book can be found at the bob and bob Judaica store in Palo Alto as well as online at Amazon.com.

Music

The Whiskey Hill Blues Band

Back together for the holidays, a blues group of former Palo Alto and Gunn high school students has two December gigs planned.

The members of the Whiskey Hill Blues Band, home from college for winter break, thrive on covering Muddy Waters, James Brown and B.B. King. They've also got a few original songs, including "Texan Whiskey" and "Telephone."

The band plays from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Dec. 23 and 30 at the Blue Bonnet Sports Bar at 208 S. Fair Oaks Ave. in Sunnyvale. Call (408) 245-6651. For more information about the band, go to whbb.gangus.com.

San Francisco Chamber Orchestra

New Year's Day brings the sounds of strings to St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Palo Alto, when the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra performs with special guests the Jacques Thibaud String Trio.

Hailing from Berlin, the trio has toured a host of cities in Europe, Japan and the States. The Jan. 1 program will include Mozart's overture to "Bastien and Bastienne," Beethoven's variations on Mozart's "La Ci Darem la Mano" from "Don Giovanni," Franz Danzi's variations on Mozart's "La Ci Darem la Mano" for cello and orchestra and Jean Francaix's "String Trio" (1933).

Conducted by Benjamin Simon, who is also musical director of the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, the concert takes place at 4 p.m. at 600 Colorado Ave. Admission is free.

For more information, call (415) 248-1640 or go to www.sfchamberorchestra.org.

Art

'The Kanji Scriptures'

A stark acrylic painting of brilliantly blue boats at night. Digital images titled "Business World" and "Around Us." These are all part of "The Kanji Scriptures," an exhibit of works by artist Rathin Kanji.

The exhibit runs through Jan. 15 at ArtsIndia West at 535 Bryant St. in Palo Alto; gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. The gallery specializes in works by contemporary artists from India.

For more information, call (650) 321-4900 or go to www.artsindia.com.

Comedy

'ChopShticks'

Noshing on Chinese food is a Christmas tradition for many Jews, and many family get-togethers are marked by cracking jokes and good humor. So naturally, "ChopShticks: An Evening of Chinese Food and Comedy," seeks to combine both on Dec. 24 and 25.

Three comedians, Ross Turner, Kira Soltanovich and Steve Mittleman, will perform at Ming's Restaurant at 1700 Embarcadero Road in Palo Alto, as part of an evening that also includes cocktails and dinner. The cocktail hour kicks off at 6:30 p.m., with dinner at 7 and the show at 8.

Tickets are $60 per person. Call (650) 949-1033 or go to www.chopshticks.com.

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