FLUSHING, NY – The tennis championship matches at the US Open, always held at the end of summer over a two-week span that includes Labor Day weekend in the middle, are a brilliant combination of sports, entertainment, fashion and even good cuisine.

Unlike other American sporting events, the US Open at Flushing Meadows, New York is a truly international event, as it draws both participants and spectators from around the world.

Always a sell-out event, the US Open draws the largest crowds of any sports competition, because even a seven-game World Series doesn’t come close for attendance.

Armed with a two-day credential issued by the United States Tennis Association, I returned once again to the National Tennis Center to enjoy the opening day festivities of the last Grand Slam tournament of the year.

The US Open is also a celebrity-watching event, both in the courtside seats (the camera just panned on comedian Will Ferrell) and on the hard court of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The first day’s evening ceremony honored tennis fan favorite Andre Agassi for his charitable foundation work, along with other similarly altruistic athletes from other fields, including soccer player Mia Hamm, football quarterback Doug Flutie and NBA player David Robinson. Meanwhile, Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Famers The O’Jays entertained the crowd with a nostalgic ride on their “Love Train.”

Even after attending several US Open tournaments in recent years, I continue to be amazed at how much fun it is to spend a couple of days at this well-organized and extremely entertaining event. You don’t even need to understand the finer points of tennis rules to appreciate what is going on.

On the first day of the US Open, every player – the 128 men and 128 women in competition – has a chance. Yet, first round play rarely sees an upset of top-seeded players. But, if you hang in for a second round, the prospects for an unranked player to topple a marquee name increases, and that can be a lot of fun to witness.

One rule that puzzles me is how the players are seeded. Naturally, the No. 1 seed for men is Roger Federer, and it makes sense in the case of the record-setting Swiss who has already won Wimbledon and the French Open this year. This guy is so good that he already has his own logo, a stylized version of his initials that can be found on an extensive line of merchandise.

The No. 1 seed for women is Russian Dinara Safina, but she has not won a Grand Slam tournament this year. Instead, No. 2 seed Serena Williams has already won the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and so I wonder why she draws the second spot.

In fact, on my second day I witnessed Safina struggling in a loss in the first set against Australian Olivia Rogowska before taking the next two sets for a victory. It’s a lot more fun when the matches are competitive and no one wins in straight sets.

The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, are crowd favorites, so perhaps it was fitting that, as has happened in the past, they would play in featured matches of opening day and night sessions.

No. 2-ranked Serena breezed to an easy straight sets victory over fellow American Alexa Glatch in the afternoon. Meanwhile, No. 3-ranked Venus struggled against Russian Vera Dushevina, losing the first set before pulling out a victory in the first round night match.

Players often make fashion statements with their selection of tennis attire. Venus Williams sported an unflattering bright pink outfit, or perhaps it was magenta. I really don’t know what color “magenta” is, but it seemed distracting, likely to opponents as well as spectators.

Unlike other sporting events that focus on a single game at a time, the US Open offers more tennis matches than anyone could possibly absorb all at once. Sometimes it’s hard to pick the best matches to watch, and when in doubt, it is best to venture out to the courtyard area and catch some action on the enormous video screens.

On my first day, I chose American James Blake’s match with Spaniard Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo, if for no other reason than Blake’s erratic style of play can be both frustrating and exhilarating to watch.

Spending entire days at the US Open is made much easier to enjoy with the excellent selections of cuisine.

Just as the tournament has an international flavor, so does the selection of food. Since I had no access to the fancy restaurants serving steak and crab cakes that are reserved for Courtside Box seats and the luxury suites, it’s a good thing that the Food Village offers regional cuisine, from spicy Indian to Kosher to sushi to Philly cheese steak sandwiches. I settled for a mammoth pastrami sandwich from the famous Carnegie Deli.

I recently picked up a book titled “The 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live,” which naturally includes the US Open Tennis Tournament. For me, the US Open ranks in the Top 10, and I highly recommend it to everyone.

But if you can’t make it to New York, fortunately, CBS Sports is covering the men’s and women’s third-round action and concludes with the men’s singles final on Sunday, Sept. 13. More coverage is available on ESPN2 and the Tennis Channel.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

LOWER LAKE – One reason you might not want to miss the fourth annual Old Time Bluegrass Festival is the chance to participate in the festival raffle.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 12, at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park on Highway 53 in Lower Lake.

“We are really happy with the generosity of our regional community in donating prizes for the raffle,” said Lori Peters, executive director of the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, which is handling the raffle for the festival.

Some of the items to be raffled away include artwork, products and gift certificates from Lake County businesses, a dinner certificate for four from Cache Creek Casino's Harvest Buffet and a one hour massage from Lavender Hill Spa in Calistoga.

“We really appreciate everyone who has donated to our raffle,” said event coordinator Henry Bornstein. “We’re particularly thrilled that a donor has just given a $500 gift certificate to the ‘food-store-of-your-choice’ as one of our raffle prizes. What a wonderful way to support both Anderson Marsh and our community. Many thanks.”

Along with raffle drawings throughout the day, there will be the spectacular music of Laurie Lewis and Nina Gerber, Susie Glaze and the Hilonesome Band, Pat Ikes and Bound to Ride, Jim Nunally and Dix Bruce plus many other local favorites.

There are two stages, so the music will be nonstop.

This event is fun for the whole family and includes children’s activities, food vendors and a beer and wine garden, art and craft vendors, musician’s workshops and Art-in-the-Barn.

Tickets are $15 per person in advance, $20 at the gate. Ages 12 and under are free with a paying adult.

For more information call 707-995-2658 or visit www.andersonmarsh.org .

KELSEYVILLE – Roy Zimmerman, a Lake County favorite, brings his show “Roy Zimmerman: Real American” to Kelseyville Friday, Sept. 11, at 8 p.m. for a performance at the Kelseyville Senior Center, 5245 3rd Street.

Admission is $15 at the door.

The performance is sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Community of Lake County (UUCLC)

“Real American” is 90 minutes of Zimmerman’s funny songs and comic commentary, a tuneful examination of the American political landscape in the era of Hope and Change.

Health care, the economy, same-sex marriage, Creationism, globalization, guns, taxes, abstinence and, yes, Obama all come under satirical scrutiny.

The new HBO documentary “The Trials of Ted Haggard,” directed by Alexandra Pelosi features Roy’s song, “Ted Haggard is Completely Heterosexual.” And his tune “Buddy, Can You Spare a Trillion Dollars?” landed him a mention on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, an unaccustomed honor for a folkie (www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjoshMpYfmg&feature=channel_page ).

The Los Angeles Times says, “Zimmerman displays a lacerating wit and keen awareness of society’s foibles that bring to mind a latter-day Tom Lehrer.”

His songs are heard on NPR, Air America and Sirius Radio. His YouTube videos have garnered over two million views and tens of thousands of comments, many of them coherent.

"We're thrilled to have this opportunity to sponsor Roy," said Carol Cole-Lewis, president of the UUCLC. "Roy is a master at getting us not to take ourselves too seriously regardless of political or religious persuasion."

The UUCLC meets every Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Kelseyville Senior Center. Its mission is to create a religious community that fosters liberal religious living through worship, service, and fellowship in order to make a difference in our lives, our community and our world. For more information about the UUCLC, call 707-578-4243, or visit them online at http://uuclc.org .

MIDDLETOWN – Coyote Film Festival, Lake County’s own independent film festival, will host two encore screenings of “Sherman’s Way” on Sept. 19, at the Calpine Geothermal Visitors Center in Middletown with a 1:30 p.m. matinée and a 7:30 p.m. evening screening.

In case you missed the Lake County premier of “Sherman’s Way” last September, here is another chance to see this lovely comedy.

Partially shot in Lake County, the film features locations in Kelseyville, Lakeport, Langtry Estates and Lampson Field Airport.

Catch a glimpse of Lake County residents, friends and neighbors who are liberally sprinkled throughout the film.

Aside from the fun of seeing ourselves, “Sherman’s Way” is a really good movie.

“Like an annoying new puppy, 'Sherman’s Way' just wants to run around in circles and lick your face. After a while, though — and against your better judgment — you kind of fall in love with it. Not that either of this movie’s lead characters, an elitist Yalie and a washed-up Olympian, is particularly admirable. As Sherman, a recent law school graduate and uptight mama’s boy, Michael Shulman embodies the kind of preppy privilege that’s a liability almost anywhere but Manhattan. But it’s James Le Gros, playing a disgruntled former ski champion named Palmer, who finally pulls you in ...” — Jeannette Catsoulis, The New York Times.

Calpine Geothermal Visitors Center is located at 15500 Central Park Road in Middletown. There is plenty of parking, restrooms, great sound and a great screening room. Tickets are $10 at the door and $5 for kids 16 and under. Fresh popcorn and concessions will also be available.

Coyote Film Festival is a fundraising arm of EcoArts of Lake County, a 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization dedicated to bringing visual art opportunities and ecologic stewardship to the residents and visitors of Lake County.

For information visit: www.EcoArtsofLakeCounty.org or www.CoyoteFilmFestival.org .

Two years ago, I wrote about the sagging fortunes of one of the nation’s leading broadcasters, offering this observation: “The feathers have been fading for some time now on the peacock symbol of the NBC television network.”

Since then, there hasn’t been much improvement in the old bird’s plumage. You don’t have to take my word for this assessment. Speaking to the recent gathering of TV critics, NBC president Angela Bromstad acknowledged that her network had “fallen short in the past couple of years.”

When Bromstad continued on to say that the network’s goal is to bring back “high-quality, sophisticated dramas and comedies,” one can only guess that a revved-up action show like “Knight Rider” is not going to be revived once again.

The network president is also hopeful that reality programming can fit into the desired high-quality mold, citing “The Biggest Loser” and “The Apprentice” as examples.

Umm, I think this is a debatable point.

Let me digress for a moment from NBC’s programming plans, as I point out that history has a tendency to repeat itself constantly in the TV world.  

Two years ago, NBC reeled from the departure of its top executive, Kevin Reilly, and when then-new co-chairman Ben Silverman said to TV critics that Reilly “decided to move on,” this claim drew laughter from the assembled press.

Now, after internal tension became an object of speculation, Silverman has exited the network, and Bromstad drew some laughs when she said, “I think it has always been Ben’s plan to transition back to his entrepreneurial roots.”

Being the head of a network is like being the leader of a shaky banana republic, except the reign usually ends with a golden parachute rather than the firing squad.

For all the stated goals of reclaiming sophisticated shows, presumably through scripted entertainment, it is indeed curious that a big chunk of NBC’s fortunes will ride on “The Jay Leno Show” occupying the 10 o’clock time slot.

Leno’s new show sounds a lot like the old one, considering the host will launch into a monologue, leading up to at least one celebrity guest. Musical segments could feature multiple acts performing together.

As a lead-in to local news programs to follow, Leno will save some of his trademark skits for the end of the show. The new Leno show will also feature comedians acting as correspondents, reporting from the nation’s capital and elsewhere.

Meanwhile, NBC is struggling with the ratings drop for “The Tonight Show” under Conan O’Brien’s watch. The NBC brass seemed a bit nervous in backing up the advertising promotion of O'Brien as the “New King of Late Night,” when the claim rests on the foundation of a particular demographic group.

Bromstad advanced the notion that having started O'Brien in the summer will help him “get his rhythm for the show” because the “true test is going to come this fall.”

Rather defensively, she also said, “I think it’s fair to say we’re going to declare victories where we have them.” Any day now, the network executive could be declaring a candidacy for public office.

Research tells the network that the public clamors for more comedies, perhaps a reflection of the need to lift our spirits in troubled times.

New to the fall schedule is “Community,” a comedy series about a band of misfits who attend Greendale Community College.

At the center of the group is Jeff Winger (Joel McHale), a fast-talking lawyer whose degree has been revoked. To win the affection of a fellow classmate, Winger forms a study group which ends up learning a lot more about themselves than they do about their course work.

This new series also stars comedy legend Chevy Chase as Pierce, a man whose life experience has brought him infinite wisdom.

Gillian Jacobs’ Britta is a 28-year-old dropout with something to prove. Yvette Nicole Brown plays a sassy middle-aged divorcee named Shirley. The slightly off-center yet lovable classmate role belongs to Danny Pudi’s Abed.  Alison Brie’s Annie is a high-strung perfectionist and Donald Glover’s Troy is a former high school football star trying to find his way.  “Community” may get a boost from its placement after the hit comedy “The Office.”

From the executive producer of “Friday Night Lights” comes the new medical drama series “Trauma.”  It’s billed as the first high-octane medical show to live exclusively in the field where the action is. Like an adrenaline shot to the heart, “Trauma” is an intense, action-packed look at one of the most dangerous medical professions in the world: first responder paramedics.

When emergencies occur, the trauma team from San Francisco City Hospital is first on the scene, traveling by land, by sea or by air to reach their victims in time. From the heights of the city’s Transamerica pyramid to the depths of the San Francisco Bay, these heroes must face the most extreme conditions to save lives.

What’s not known at this time is if the pilot cast, which includes Derek Luke and Jamey Sheridan, will be the same in the regular series.

Things aren’t all bad for NBC. After all, a network that has shows like “The Office,” “Heroes” and “30 Rock” has something going for it. And they can always roll out Donald Trump as the center of attention for a reality show.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

LAKEPORT – An all new exhibit area will debut this year at the Lake County Fair.

The new display will feature all of the sewing, needle art, embroidery, weaving, and quilting exhibits entered in fair competition categories, along with textile related commercial demonstrations.

The fair runs through Sunday, Sept. 6.

The Theatre Building, used in recent years to house a science discovery exhibit, will be converted to showcase all of the hundreds of quilts, sweaters, afghans, blankets, handwoven clothing, needlepoint and other handmade items entered for judging.

Along with all of the items entered in competition by Lake County residents, several commercial exhibits will be found in the Theatre Building, all of them clothing and textile related.

Kerrie's Quilting, a Lakeport business which has sponsored the new exhibit area, will be one of the commercial exhibitors.

Fairgoers interested in any kind of quilting, stitching, or sewing will be able to get information about their favorite textile activity, or find a source for materials.
 
Hands-on activities for children are planned as well.
 
“It's been really tough to properly display all of the sewn items entered in the fair competitions over the last few years, because there just isn't enough space in Lewis Hall,” said Fair Chief Executive Officer Richard Persons said.

“As a result, large items like the quilts and blankets got folded, which makes it hard to see and appreciate the handiwork,” Persons continued. “So when the Theatre Building opened up, several clothing and textile enthusiasts jumped on the opportunity to create a whole new space just for textile related goods. We're hoping the public embraces the new exhibit as much as our volunteers have."
 
The new exhibit will be open each day of the fair, from the opening of the gates until 10 p.m. It is free with fair admission.

Regular admission prices for the Lake County Fair are $8 for adults and $5 for children ages 6 through 11. Admission prices are unchanged since 2007. Children under 6 years old are admitted free everyday.
 
The Lake County Fair traditionally occurs Labor Day weekend each year at the fairgrounds in Lakeport.