TAKE A HIKE — AND SNAP A PHOTO
The adventurous #PixInParks Challenge, which started Monday, showcases seven hiking trails in Santa Clara County Parks system
If your New Year’s resolution was to get outdoors more — and you haven’t already given up — the Santa Clara County Parks system has a great challenge for you in 2017.
The #PixInParks Challenge, which started Monday, showcases seven hiking trails in the 28-park system that offer beautiful views of the valley. The hikes themselves vary in length and intensity — the trek through Joseph D. Grant Park to Snell Barn is a relatively easy 3.2-mile journey, whereas the
John Nicholas Trail through Sanborn County Park is a more moderate 6.6-mile trip.
The idea is to have individuals or groups of hikers — it’s more fun if you can bring friends along to share the joy or pain, right? — take selfies at specific locations, like the Lookout Point at Villa Montalvo County Park, and post them on social media with the #PixInParks (You can follow @santaclaracountyparks on Instagram to see what people have posted). When you’ve submitted photos from all seven locations, you can pick up a commemorative T-shirt listing all the trails.
I know, it should probably say “I hiked seven Santa Clara County trails and all I got was this lousy T-shirt,” but the bragging rights, health benefits and spectacular photos will be the real reward, right?
Of course, this would be a lousy — and dangerous — week to start the challenge with rain, mudslides and flash floods in some areas. But the challenge runs through Dec. 1, so you’ve got plenty of time to start it.
All the information you need, including trail maps and hiking tips, is on the Santa Clara County Parks website, www.parkhere. org.
LUNAFEST RETURNS: The San Jose Woman’s Club is again honoring the late Lani Luthard as it hosts Lunafest, a showcase of nine short films by, for and about women that benefits breast cancer charities on Jan. 20. Luthard hosted the first San Jose Lunafest at her home in 2009, and it was so successful that she moved it to the Woman’s Club at 75 S. 11th St. in 2011. She lost her own decade-long battle to cancer in February 2015 at the age of 51.
Proceeds from Lunafest, including boutique sales and auction items, will benefit the Breast Cancer Fund, Sempervirens Fund Lani Luthard Memorial Grove and the Woman’s Club Charitable Giving Program, which supports efforts, including the San Jose Day Nursery and Next Door Solutions. Last year’s event brought in more than $15,000.
The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with dinner, followed by a presentation on cancer prevention tips and the film screenings. Tickets are available for $50 in advance ($20 for students) and can be purchased online at lunafestsj.eventbrite.com.
KILLER AUDITIONS: The Dinner Detective, a murder mystery/comedy show, is looking for professional actors to fill out its company cast for the 2017 season in San Jose.
The auditions are scheduled for — when else — the night of Friday the 13th this week at the Hilton in downtown San Jose.
The tryouts consist of two, two-hour sessions of improv games, and if you’ve ever been to a one of these murder mystery dinners, you know that things can occasionally go off script (and it all gets a bit more fun when it does).
If you’re interested in auditioning, all the requirements and instructions for signing up are listed online. Questions can be directed to Allison@TheDinnerDetective.com.
And if you just want to be part of the audience, get more information about upcoming shows at www.thedinnerdetective. com/san-jose.