News from the Speakeasy Theaters: Don't bother looking for the schedules of the Parkway or Cerrito in the Chron or East Bay Express 'cause you won't find anything. The Speakeasy folks are sticking to their newsletter and hotline.
I don't know about this...how many times have you grabbed a paper to look up show times? And are we supposed to have the telephone number for the hotline in our address book? No, I'm not schilling for the papers. This is serious business.
Anyway, while we're on the subject, here's some special events at the Parkway, 1834 Park Blvd:
SUNDAY SALON: THE LEGACY: MURDER, MEDIA, POLITICS AND PRISONS — 2 p.m. April 13 (free).
Then at 8 p.m.  CINEMASPORTS, the "Iron Chef" of indie filmmaking, makes its Parkway debut ($7).  The cinematic athletes will be at the City Hall plaza (12th and Broadway–oh so BARTable) at 10 a.m. that morning to kick things off.
Lastly, a benefit for Hand to Hand: FIGHT CLUB – 9:15 p.m. April 15 ($8).

Some of you may have heard that as of March 1, Oakland's Parkway Speakeasy Theater prices will match the Cerrito: $7 GENERAL ADMISSION — $5 MATINEES.
The Speakeasy folks called the increase a "last minute fiscal decision" due to the "topsy turvy economy."

Tickets for the Oscar bash at the Parkway and Cerrito speakeasy theaters are on sale now. They went fast yesterday but there's still some left for you stargazers who want to spiff up for the Academy Awards Feb. 24 on the Speakeasy theaters' HD big screens. No hipper place to be, I say.
The Parkway will be open 3 p.m. today and the Cerrito opened 1 p.m. Advance tickets $20, limit four per customer, ages 18 and over only.
The Cerrito Oscar Bash will be hosted (with trivia, contests and prizes) by Will the Thrill and Monica Tiki Goddess downstairs http://www.thrillville.net/ and Mr Lobo and the Queen of Trash upstairs http://www.cinemainsomnia.com/
Both screens at the Parkway will be hosted with live skits, trivia, costume contests and more. Doors open 4 p.m. The show goes on 5 p.m.

Midnight Saturday,  Barely Legal Productions celebrate nine years of presenting THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW at the Parkway in classic style! And speaking of horror shows,  it's SUPERBOWL XLII on all screens at both Parkway and Cerrito on Sunday.  21 & over, $2 "party fee", doors open 2PM, game at 3PM, first come, first served. The Cerrito (which is wheelchair accessible upstairs) is showing the big showdown on big screen and cafe broadcast is in HD.  http://www.azsuperbowl.com

Picture yourself beginning 10 p.m. Mondays with a pitcher of Bud and a bowling ball playing out your suburban, stationwagon-driving fantasies at the Albany Bowl.
Schlemiel! Schlemazl! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated! It's a steal at only $1.50 a game.  Albany Bowl is located at 540 San Pablo Ave. (Albanybowl.biz)
Actually, I happened to pass by there yesterday from the Cerrito Speakeasy, where I saw a matinee of "Sweeny Todd" (I am the only person I know who actually liked the film), and was stunned at the bustle in that little section of El Cerrito by the BART station. The Cerrito, three cool cafes, the big shopping center, little stores, a hardware store that is NOT Home Depot, etc. It used to be dead over there.  Closer to Solano Ave. (which is its own success story), are the Albany Bowl, stores, cafes, shops and Kingman's Ivy Room, which, as I told my daughters while driving by, my mouth agape, used to be a pretty murky bar at times. I've meaning to get to the Ivy Room since it changed ownership. I remember Kingman from the days when he ran a cafe on Lakeshore and I lived up on Mandana. I practically studied my way through college there, when they were waiting to just get a beer and wine license. Then came Kingman's Lucky Lounge on Grand and now he has pretty much built a hip empire of hooch.
(BTW, photo is by Thomas Hawk)