PaloAltoOnline.com

In recent arts news, Stanford has unveiled the new home of the Department of Art and Art History -- the McMurtry Building -- while both the Palo Alto Art Center and Art in Action have received significant grants for their work in arts and education.]>

Call it a block party that the whole city is invited to attend. Palo Alto will kick off its inaugural Meet The Street event on Oct. 8 from 5-9 p.m., with food, fashion, music and more.]>

For much of the month of October, playwright and performer Anna Deavere Smith will be in residence at Stanford University.]>

After five years of waiting, Woodside Community Theatre is finally putting on "Chicago." The show runs Oct. 16-25.]>

Slather on your sunscreen, grab your bike and pull on your yoga pants for the 7th Annual Ride & Yoga for Ravenswood this Sunday, October 11.]>

Three-month old Turn Bar & Grill in Los Altos specializes in upscale American comfort food.]>

In her 2009 play, currently presented by Redwood City's Dragon Theatre, Liz Duffy Adams offers a window into the adventuresome existence of 17th-century English playwright Aphra Behn.]>

This week, check out the REEL ROCK climbing film festival in Mountain View, catch comedians Amy Schumer and Aziz Ansari and hear novelist Andy Weir discuss his hit sci-fi book, "The Martian."]>

Travel with Brandon Sanderson to his fictional universe, the Cosmere, when the fantasy writer appears at Kepler's Books this Friday, Oct. 9.]>

The Nest boutique hotel comes to Palo Alto's El Camino Real, bringing the tally to four new hotels in the region this year.]>

Two-year-old Odori Sushi and Teppanyaki specializes in super fresh, glistening slabs of fish. ]>

This week, check out nature paintings by Palo Alto artist Naomi Mindelzun, share your thoughts about public art at the Mobile Arts Platform and hear bestselling novelist Margaret Atwood speak in Redwood City.]>

Palo Alto photographer Michael Kern's "abstract reality" series presents snakes, spiders, frogs and birds in an unfamiliar light.]>

We've sorted through hundreds of arts events to bring you some of this fall's finest arts happenings. Read on for our top picks in each genre, plus a shortlist of other productions, screenings, readings and exhibitions worth catching.]>