That crazy El Nino year we’re in is threatening rain for Saturday 2/27, so Opening Day for North Venice Little League has been switched to Sunday, 2/28 at 10am. Be there or be square. Chili Fries will be going like hotcakes.

The Green Booth will feature Plug In America. Electric cars, anyone?

Sunday at the MV Farmer’s Market, The Green booth will host the founders of Your Daily Thread, an online magazine for the eco-curious, and I totally recommend coming out to meet them.

Oh, and I understand there’s some sort of sporting event on Sunday as well.

Saturday 9am – 3pm Walgrove Elementary is holding an electronics recycling event. 1630 Walgrove Ave.

Saturday 10am – 12pm Kate Anderson needs precinct walkers. Ms. Anderson is running for State Assembly in the 53rd District and needs volunteers to walk the precinct with her. Call John Montgomerie at 310-391-2689 for more information or email info@kateanderson.org.

Saturday Night at the Fanatic Salon see The Trans4merz with WaterBrains and The TuskegeExperiment 8pm. $10 admission.

Sunday at the Mar Vista Farmer’s Market the County Dept. of Health will again offer free h1n1 vaccinations + the MVCC Green Committee booth will be promoting it’s Green Garden Tour coming up in April for Earth Day. 9am – 2pm, at the corner of Venice and Grand View.

Mark your calendars and get ready to see green! The 2nd annual Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase will take place on Sunday, April 25th all over Mar Vista. Hosted and organized by the Mar Vista Community Council Green Committee, the Green Garden Showcase is a chance for homeowners to display their drought-tolerant, California native, eco-friendly landscaping. If you’d like your home’s green garden to be on this year’s tour, please contact Sherri Akers at Sherri (at) MarVista (dot) org. Or just stop by the Green Committee’s booth at the Mar Vista Farmer’s Market on Sundays and they’ll help you get signed up.

*Photo courtesy of Sherri Akers

Of course it’s not even in Mar Vista, but if you’re looking for some family fun this weekend and don’t mind driving to downtown LA, I’d suggest the Go Green Expo. Located in the south hall of the LA Convention Center, the expo has tons of info about all aspects of green living, from solar installers to green pet food companies. And for the kids (and the kids at heart) there are a bunch of fun activities: Nintendo is hosting a Wii Fit demo, there’s a rock-climbing wall, and kids’ musical and magical performers will be on hand.

I got a preview of the expo on Friday as a guest of the promoters and had a great time. I sampled green foods (and some of other colors), got info about green products like re-usable water bottles and grocery bags, and learned about a great website called Greenopia, which is a guide to all things green in LA.

Check it out: Saturday from 10am – 6pm and Sunday from 10am – 5pm. Tickets are $10 for adults and kids under 12 are free.

Saturday and Sunday come shop for bargains and help raise funds for Community Magnet School at a giant garage sale. 8am – 3pm, 11364 Nutmeg Avenue 90066 (behind the DMV office on Washington Blvd.)

Saturday First Lutheran School of Venice will hold an Open House and Book Fair with children’s book authors Stephen Cook (Day Out With Daddy) and Maureen McGrath (Spunky’s Special Friend). 11am, 815 Venice Blvd. Crafts for the kids and tours for the parents.

Saturday Night check out TubaZar at the Fanatic Salon, some hilarious music at a great local spot. 8pm, $10.

Sunday morning come by the Mar Vista Farmer’s Market for all your veggie needs, plus the MVCC Green Committee will hold it’s monthly meeting from 9:30am until 11am, and their guest in the Green Booth will be the Master Gardeners. Also: Yvonne’s Gluten Free Goodies will be there with lemon cranberry loaves, vegan chocolate cupcakes and agave muffins — all gluten-free and yummy.

Friday Night the All-Girl Revue is back at the Fanatic Salon, 8pm $10. These gals deliver the goods.

Saturday North Venice Little League has added a final sign-up day by popular demand. 10am – 2pm at the field at the top of Grand View Hill. Check their website for details.

Saturday night more comedy goodness at the Fanatic Salon: TRANS4MERZ returns with Bucket o’ Snakes, 8pm $10.

Monday is Martin Luther King Day and I highly recommend seeing America I Am at the CA Science Center in ExpositionPark. It’s an incredibly moving and powerful exhibit, celebrating the nearly 500 years of African American contributions to America and the world. Truly not to be missed, and a perfect day to see it.

Also Monday, at the California African American Museum (practically next door to the Science Center), they’re continuing their tradition of having Cake for King after the Kingdom Day Parade, which begins at 9am. It is his birthday, after all.

Tomorrow morning at the Farmer’s Market, Jennifer Taggert of The Smart Mama will be in the Green Booth with her lead-testing ray-gun. OK, it’s not a ray gun, but it kind of looks like one, and she’ll be using it to test for lead in toys, so bring in any suspect items your kids may have received over the holidays and find out if they contain lead. It should be very instructive.