By Maria Mouk

Snow falls on the Northern peaks, and cool weather glides across the Bay- strapping me into the comfort of boots and bindings.  If you have  an open schedule- mountains in Tahoe are open and powdered, so hit the slopes early in the week, as I wish I was. Discount lift ticketsare available from Snowbomb for various resorts.

If you're remaining on all 2- and last week's sound stimuli- was missed or unimpressive, glance at the Audium schedule and make it a point to take a  trip. Exploring the language of space in music,and the interaction between compositional needs and technological innovation, led to the creation of AUDIUM, variously described as a theatre of sound-sculptured space or a sound-space continuum.

Located in San Francisco, AUDIUM is a total environment, designed from floor to ceiling as an integrated concept. The theatre, open since 1975, consists of a foyer, a sound labyrinth and a main performance space.

It is a building within a building, conceived directly for this art form. Listeners sit in concentric circles, enveloped by 169 speakers in sloping walls, floating floor, and a suspended ceiling. Sounds travel above, around, below, and on multidimensional planes in space.

Exact control of sound movement, direction, speed and intensity is realized through a custom-designed electronic console, responsive to a "tape performer." Live, spatial performance of tape compositions allows each performance to be unique. Listeners are immersed in a kinetic sound realm wherein speakers and environment become the new electronic orchestra.

Now back to time that ticks; this week offers plenty to holiday cheer about- even if you realize that green and red clash.

Tuesday:

Join the San Francisco URBAN ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABILITY for their Holiday party at 111 Minna. A conscious celebration with drinks, food, and entertainment including DJ Alex Theory, Live music from Estas, insight from Darian Heyman of Craigslist Foundation, spoken word by Trathen Heckman of Daily Acts, and sustenance from Juicy Lucy.

The SFUAS is a local network of green businesses and community members who aim to create dynamic models of sustainability within the urban environment.

Wednesday: Be fashionably loud

Invisible Hero Industries presents performance, music, and fashion at RX Gallery with the WINTER GREEN FASHION SHOW. Come at 9:00pm for a Runway show featuring the designs of Type-A Clothing, K-Tuff, Joe Curv Jewelry, and handbag stylings of M.I.A, and K-Tuff

Performances throughout the night provided by the lovely ladies of The SOLID GOLDIGGERS BURLESQUE. Musical stylings for the evening made possible by Pompi-End Up/System Omar-Popscene Sleazemore-Lights Down Low Ollie Vaughn-Progress SF Live Turn tableist performance by Phleck and Gordo-Hit and Run MC performance by A-RON BACARDI featuring Dj Sheik -Hit and Run. $1 PBR's and $2 shots! 21+ $5 B4 11pm $10 after.

Seems like I'm lacking an ear or eyeful , as I keep pointing out the bright and shiny - but visual work space- Dimension 7 doesnt always host events. Wednesday also brings Futuresound Styleclash.

An experience in new music and fashion, D7 will host a designer soiree, fashion photoshoot, and runway shows, all set to a live music soundtrack taped for the fashion reality show = The Hot E*. 7 pm till late.

 Thursday:

STIRR's Winter Wonderland at the exploratorium will bring together Gabriel Venture and Partners to put together a startup holiday inspiration conversation. STIRR's goal is to catalyze entrepreneurial activity in the SF Bay Area and beyond.

The event includes a live catered buffet dinner, swing band, dj, an amazing space (the entire exploratorium is available to explore) under special lighting, and of course tons of companies and enterpreneurs.Gabriel has invested in over $22k of prizes including A Toshiba 42" Plasma T - 2 Bose Sound-Dock digital music system- A Cannon PowerShot SD630 6.0 mega pixel camera- A 4GB iPod nano- and Over 100 ipod friendly table prizes.There will be raffles, contest prizes, a mixer or two, and gift bags to keep at the end of the evening.

Event is semi formal, so this is your chance to doll up. Buy tickets in advance. Sponsorship opportunities available.

If you're feeling more like jeans-end of week, head to the Japanese Puppet Animation! The Exquisite World of Kihachiro Kawamoto show, starting at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Kihachiro Kawamoto, born in 1925, is regarded as the master of Japanese puppet animation.

In the 1960s he studied under Czech animation legend Jiri Trnka, and his work has been honored in retrospectives worldwide. Do not miss this opportunity: The films are not in distribution in the US, and the prints will be returned to Japan following the screenings.