Here we are, almost into a new year, 'the 20s; here's hoping it's good!

Although many venues will close through Christmas, plenty of other festive entertainment options await.

Celebrate holiday talents, wintry arts and more this week.

The rapidly approaching new year will bring to the San Francisco Bay Area 50 of the 86 so-called "Violins of Hope," recovered and restored Holocaust-era string instruments that survived the ghettoes and the death camps.

A quick jaunt to San Jose brought Out There many happy hours of art enjoyment. The San Jose Museum of Art is currently showing a handful of special exhibits.

Turn over a new leaf as mid-autumn arts events make a harvest of entertainments.

Turn over a new leaf as mid-autumn arts events make a harvest of entertainments.

Turn over a new leaf as mid-autumn arts events make a harvest of entertainments.

Seasons of change, museums and literary haunts, plus some spooky Halloween-themed events, make up our arts calendar.

The highlight of a recent auction was a collection of 37 Parisian haute couture and Hollywood designs worn by Dame Olivia de Havilland from 1954-89. Dame Olivia is still alive and kicking at 103.

Autumn's brisk beauty is reflected in the bounty of arts events, including authors, artists and queer horror films.

"The necessity of procuring good intelligence is apparent and need not be further urged." — George Washington, 1777. Here are five homosexual authors through history who dabbled in espionage.

Curtain up, light the lights, we've got nothing but arts at their heights, with an extra helping of the visual, thanks to Open Studios, and the literary, as Litquake stirs up the Bay.

Surely the jewel in the crown of OT's hotel columns must be the night we spent last week at The Palace Hotel, one of San Francisco's truly grand old hotels, a downtown landmark.