thursday 11|22 Thanksgiving in Moss Landing 10am. 13th annual Thanksgiving dinner at The Bear Flag Tavern. Eat until the food runs out! Families and singles welcome. Friendly dogs permitted. Camping on beach for those who get too full to drive. Bear Flag, 7454 Sandholdt, Moss Landing. Free. 633-2074.

Free Thanksgiving Dinners 1pm. All Carmel Valley residents are welcome to a free Thanksgiving dinner at one of two locations. Activities for children. Reservations encouraged but not necessary. Carmel Valley Community Center, 25 Ford/Cachagua Community Center, 37210 Nason, Carmel Valley. Donation. 659-2640.

Kiwanis Hosts Dinner 12pm. Community Thanksgiving Dinner hosted by the Monterey Kiwanis Club. To donate, call. Monterey Fairgrounds, 2004 Fairgrounds, Monterey. Free. 647-7884.

friday 11|23

No Jung Meeting No Friends of Jung meeting this week. Group meets again on Nov. 30 to begin "Jung and the Quaker Way." Reservations encouraged. 284 Foam, Monterey. Free. 649-4018.

Winter Wonderland 6pm. Christmas tree lighting in Steinbeck Plaza (outside Bubba Gump Shrimp Company), Christmas carolers, Santa and Mrs. Claus, and snow are featured as Monterey kicks off the Christmas season. Steinbeck Plaza and Bubba Gump''s, Cannery Row, Monterey. Donation. 375-2259.

saturday 11|24

Harvest and Craft Fair 10am. Big Sur Grange Hall hosts craft fair featuring local artists and offering a chance to get holiday shopping done in one fell swoop. Sunday also. Big Sur Grange Hall, Hwy 1, Big Sur. Free. 667-2557.

Dixie Meets Swing 7:30pm. Pianist Bob Phillips fronts an old-time traditional swing and jazz ensemble in a cabaret setting. Reservations required. Jazz and Blues Company, 236 Crossroads, Carmel. $40 premium seating/ $30 general. 624-6432.

Country Dance Party 9pm. Two-step, waltz and Western swing the night away at Studio 99''s country-themed dance party. 330 Reservation Rd Ste B, Marina. Call for price. 88-DANCE.

sunday 11|25

Seaside Library Benefit Day 9am. Borders holds a day-long benefit for Monterey County''s Seaside Library. Fifteen percent of all purchases will go to the library to help buy much-needed supplies. Borders Books and Music, 2080 California Ave, Sand City. 899-6643.

monday 11|26

Shark Demography 4pm. Enrique Cortez, a biologist at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Panama City, Fla., discusses "Life History Patterns and Conservation Biology of Shark Demography." Seminar Room, Moss Landing Marine Labs, Moss Landing. Free. 632-4400.

Alzheimer''s Support Group Monday 7pm. Alzheimer''s Association hosts a support group for family and caregivers. Alzheimers Association, 182 El Dorado, Monterey. Free. 647-9890.

tuesday 11|27

Knitting Class 3:30pm. Kids in grades 5-6 are welcome to learn "Knitting Know-How" with Maureen Richards, and to make a scarf for themselves or for a gift. Lyceum Monterey, 1073 6th, Monterey. $15. 372-6098.

Chef and Winemaker Dinner 6:30pm. A four-course dinner by chef Todd Fisher is complemented by Australian wines. Hosted by Hullabaloo and Pacific Wine Partners. Hullabaloo, 228 South Main, Salinas. $55. 757-3663.

Help For Grief 6:30pm. CHOMP sponsors "An Evening of Remembrances" to help sufferers of grief through the holiday season. Multifaith service features candle-lighting and music. Refreshments. Fellowship Hall, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 800 Cass, Monterey. Free. 622-2892.

wednesday 11|28

November Birthday Bash 11:30am. Seniors gather to celebrate all November birthdays. Sally Griffin Senior Center, 700 Jewel, Pacific Grove. $2.50 seniors/$5 non-seniors. 375-4454.

Organizational Skills 12:30pm. Leslie Bruhn, CPA and founder of business development company Centerfor, presents her strategies for organizing records and files. Reservations advised. Monterey Public Library, 625 Pacific, Monterey. Call for pricing info. 633-4444.

High School Poetry Night 7pm. High school poets encouraged to read and bring friends to poetry open mike. Adults welcome, but only high school students may read. Patrice Vecchione hosts. Monterey Public Library, 625 Pacific, Monterey. Free. 646-3949.

Meet The Chiefs 7pm. The Citizen''s League for Progress hosts an opportunity to meet Seaside''s new police and fire chiefs, Anthony J. Sollecito and Jerry Wombacher. Multipurpose room, Villa Del Monte Senior Citizens Complex, 1680 Broadway, Seaside. Free. 384-6533l.

Personal Safety Training Workshop 7pm. Dawn Callan of the Transformative Arts Institutes teaches a seminar entitled "Reconnecting With Your Power: The Art of Personal Safety & Inner Security" to help attendees recognize, avoid and cope with dangerous situations. Pacific Grove Community Center, Pacific Grove. $40/$35 if pre-enroll $120 for family of four, or $100 if pre-enroll.. 643-0908.

North County Citizens Meeting 7pm. Those interested in a grass roots organization formed to monitor and provide input into the county''s general plan update for North County are welcome to attend the monthly meeting. Prunedale Senior Center, 8300 Prunedale North, Prunedale. Free. 728-3740.

announcements

Toastmasters Morning Thursday 6:35am. Every Thursday morning the Toastmasters meet to practice public speaking. Unitarian Universalist Church, 490 Aguajito, Carmel. 641-0652.

Blood Pressure Screening Monday 11am-12pm. Volunteer Nurses provide blood pressure screening. Sally Griffin Senior Center, 700 Jewel, Pacific Grove. Free. 375-4454.

Bingo Wednesday 2pm. Weekly bingo game for seniors, with refreshments. Ongoing. Vista Lobos, 3rd and Torres, Carmel. Free. 626-1255.

Volunteer Opportunities The Volunteer Center of Monterey has many volunteer opportunities available, from commitment-intensive to occasional. Volunteer Center of Monterey, 857 Munras, Monterey. Monterey 372-4838; Salinas 757-3206.

Mini Massages for Seniors Certified massage practitioners offering mini-massages every Monday. By appointment. Sally Griffin Senior Center, 700 Jewel, Pacific Grove. $5-$10 suggested donation. 375-4454.

Complimentary Computer Coaching Ongoing monthly computer lessons for seniors by qualified volunteers. Free access to the Internet and computers. By appointment only. Sally Griffin Senior Center, 700 Jewel, Pacific Grove. Free. 375-4454.

Steinbeck Award for Short Fiction Winner of the short story contest is acknowledged at the Steinbeck Birthday celebration in February, 2002. Deadline for submissions is 12/1. Visit www.steinbeck.org for info. 775-4737.

Holiday Poinsettia Sale Poinsettia sales to benefit "Door to Hope," a non-profit agency providing treatment to women with drug and alcohol problems. Flowers on sale Nov. 26 through Dec. 3. Call for orders and pricing. Door to Hope, 165 Clay, Salinas. 758-0181.

Bring Back Native Plants Return of the Natives needs volunteers to lead restoration activities in the backcountry of Fort Ord for visiting students K-12. Experience is not necessary, but fondness for working with young people is. For info call Bree Candiloro at 582-3687.