Peninsula Moves!

By Matt Wilson, @wilsonstcomms

Cinequest Kicks Off This Week

If you’ve grown tired of all the superhero flicks and lightsaber duels at your local cinema, then maybe two weeks of independent film is for you. The 13-day Cinequest Film & VR (Virtual Reality) Festival kicked off on Tuesday in San Jose with the opening night screening of “Krystal” staring Nick Robinson and Rosario Dawson.

The festival is offering movie screenings, 29 virtual reality and augmented reality films, experiences and games, and award ceremonies at venues in San Jose and Redwood City. Venues include California Theatre, Hammer Theatre Center, 3 Below (formerly Camera 3) and Century Downtown 20 in Redwood City.

Caltrain and SamTrans are willing and able to be your ride to all the Cinequest festival activities and parties. The Redwood City Caltrain Station is only a short walk to the Century Downtown 20. SamTrans lines like the 273, 274, 276 and ECR will get you to the transit center. From the San Jose Diridon Caltrain Station, passengers can transfer to VTA buses and light rail to the three downtown San Jose venues where films will be screened.

Explore Rodin’s ‘Body’ of Work

Plenty of us who sit in cubicles most of the day haven’t had our bodies referred to as “chiseled” in some time, but you can familiarize yourself with the true meaning of the idiom on Saturday, March 3, if you visit the Cantor Arts Center. The museum at Stanford University is celebrating the legendary artwork of French sculptor Auguste Rodin with the Rodin: The Shock of the Modern Body exhibition.

This exhibition celebrates the renowned artist’s “relentless pursuit to convey complex emotions, diverse psychological states, and pure sensuality” through sculpting the human form and its many expressions, according to organizers. This installation spans three galleries and features nearly 100 Rodin sculptures. Folks can explore the exhibit for free from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you’re “thinking” about leaving your car at home, the Cantor Arts Center Auditorium and Stanford are near the Palo Alto Caltrain Station. From the station, you can take a peaceful, less than one-mile walk down Palm Drive alongside the famed Arboretum and Lausen groves to get to the campus.

Caltrain and Transportation Authority Board Meetings

Caltrain’s Joint Powers Board meets Thursday, March 1; beginning at 10 a.m. Meetings are held the first Thursday of the month at 1250 San Carlos Ave. in San Carlos. The Transportation Authority meets later that day at 5 p.m. at the same location.

The San Carlos Caltrain Station drops you off right down the street from San Mateo County Transit District offices.

Travel Information Now in Mandarin and Cantonese

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission announced last week the addition of Cantonese and Mandarin language options to the Bay Area’s 511 phone system. This toll-free 511 traveler information service allows drivers, carpoolers, and transit riders to access key services to help them on their commutes and other journeys throughout the nine-county Bay Area. Cantonese- and Mandarin-speaking callers who are planning a trip, or already on the go, can dial 511 and then press *4 for information in Cantonese or *5 for Mandarin.

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