One of the Island City's premier culinary events, the confluence of capsicum connoisseurs and creative cooks known as the Kiwanis Chili Cookoff, takes place Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. at the Albert H. Dewitt O Club, Alameda Point. The cookoff, the 10th annual such confab, is a must-attend event for any aficionado of haute cuisine worthy of his or her habaneros.

Many Roman Catholic Italian families celebrate Christmas Eve by observing "La Vigilia," or, "the Feast of the Seven Fishes." Typically, the meal consists of seven different dishes, all comprised of seafood. However, for the matriarch of my adoptive Italian American family, Nonna Kate, La Vigilia was not sufficiently austere to adequately reflect the poverty into which Jesus Christ was born. "The poor man was born in a barn, for criminey sakes," she'd say.

Rooster's Roadhouse is a friendly neighborhood pub-restaurant specializing in hearty fare in a casual setting. Run by Chef Ben Bussell, radio's Steve Henson and Joselyn Valenzuela, the fare includes plentiful smokin' ribs, gooey cheesesteaks, smoked turkey, links...

Christ Episcopal Church invites one and all to come for a home-cooked Thanksgiving Dinner with all the trimmings between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 27. The dinner consists of turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, peas, cranberry sauce, yams, assorted pies, cookies and fresh fruit.

Because of the world economic crisis, Halloween 2008 may prove to be particularly horrifying. From trick-or-treaters to costume-shop operators to pumpkin-patch owners, virtually every Halloween celebrant will feel the very real terrors of the current ghastly cash crunch.