Twinkles, Twinkles—Bandelier Elementary is hosting its Holiday Shop and Stroll this Saturday, Nov. 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Vendors will be offering everything from clothing to toys to educational gifts to jewelry to other locally made products, making this an ideal opportunity to pick up some one-of-a-kind gifts. Carleen Lopez will be hawking her unique saris. Rudy J. Miera will be selling retablos. Folk artist Steve White will be on hand with an array of custom-made PEZ dispensers. I'm told Twinkles the Clown will be making an appearance as well, and there should be plenty of food. Bandelier is located at 3309 Pershing SE, half a block or so from Hyder Park. For more information, call Sarah Saenz at 977-8881.

The Higher the Marble Content, The Better the Meat at Bivouac Artspace

I've seen Tracy Stuckey's art around town and always assumed he was a she. It wasn't until I visited his current solo show at the Bivouac Artspace that I learned this is not the case.

“Go F--- Yourself” by Phillip Orozco

Downtown Contemporary Art Center

Capping off 2005, the Downtown Contemporary Art Center (105 Fourth Street SW) presents a new exhibit highlighting local artists with a flair for urban aesthetics, including Derick Montez, Phillip Orozco, Mike Giant, Logan Demas, Betty Dore, Rob Rael, Lynn Johnson and several others. With everything from aerosol art to ornamented skateboard decks, Wall Scrawl should be a killer show. The exhibit opens this Friday, Nov. 18, with a reception from 5 to 9 p.m. catered by Downtown Java Joe's. If you can't swing by that evening, Wall Scrawl will remain on display through Dec. 30. For more information, call 242-1983.

Jeremy Joynt as Tartuffe (left) and Mark Guest as Orgon in the Vortex Theatre’s production of Tartuffe .

Vortex Theatre

Subtitled The Impostor, Moliere's play Tartuffe tells the tale of a religious hypocrite who cheats a rube out of his worldly belongings. A new production of the play, translated by former poet laureate Richard Wilbur and directed by John Hardman, opens this weekend at The Vortex Theatre (2004 1/2 Central SE). Staged in modern dress, this comedy is as timely now as it was when first penned over three centuries ago. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. $10 general, $8 students/seniors. Sundays at 6 p.m. $8. Runs through Dec. 11. 247-8600.

New Mexico Books and More

Great ideas are worth repeating. Last year, New Mexico presses and authors—led by local publisher LPD Press—pooled their resources to rent a storefront in Cottonwood Mall during the holiday shopping season. The creative gamble paid off. The co-op got massive local media coverage and ended up selling over 3,400 books in 40 days.