Mel's Diner, Bermuda Shorts and a Fashion Show

Have you been planning a little space travel for your next vacation? Do you have $20 million stashed away, just burning a hole in your sock drawer? Yeah, me either. But it’s OK, because we’ve got time to save up. Russia—the only country offering “space tourism”—has taken a brief break from launching amateurs towards the stars. The next outer space mission, where “space tourists” can pay millions to hop on board and play astronaut for a week, isn’t until 2013.

The Russian Federal Space agency has accepted millions of dollars for those with a hunger for space travel since April 28, 2001, when super-rich, super spaced-out multi-millionaire Dennis Tito paid his way onto an eight-day space adventure.

The term “space tourist” raises a number of questions. For me, the main one being: Do these tourists get spacesuits with painted-on Bermuda shorts and Nikon point-and-shoots hung around their necks?

Up…up…and onto 5 Things!

1. Are you getting ready to guest star on the addictive, disturbing TV show “Hoarders?” Well, don’t. Save your good name and sell your tons of stuff at the this Saturday, April 30 (see correction) from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Maps of all garage sale participants will be sold for a measly 25 cents in front of the Hercules Library. If you wanted to register for the sale, I'm sorry to say that registration is now closed.

2. I hate to drag sister city Pinole into this article because Pinole has its own Patch and its own 5 Things…darn it! But this week, I must. That’s because a is opening in our quaint neighboring city on Wednesday, and do you know what that means? That means we’re all going to gain five (if we’re lucky) extra pounds by the end of the month because Mel’s not only has deliciously greasy grilled cheese sandwiches and thick milkshakes, but it’s open LATE, too. Yay!

Btw, Mel’s is not an advertiser with Hercules Patch. I’m seriously that excited about a local restaurant being open past 10 p.m. I mean, I’m sure everyone’s as sick as I am of my 1 a.m. Tweet-pics of the Burger King veggie burger I’m about to eat.

3. Looks like there’s going to be another epic City Council meeting this week, folks. The big ticket item this meeting is Intermodal Transit Center funding. (If you want to brief yourself on the proposed ITC funding plan, just click on this article's attached PDF). If you don’t want to head down to City Hall Tuesday at 7 p.m. to catch the live meeting, bookmark this page, and watch the meeting streaming on the web. And as always—I’ll be from the Council Chambers beginning at the start of the meeting Tuesday night.

4. Besides the Knitting Group, which meets Sunday at noon, all library programs this week will be on Monday and Tuesday. So stock up on free movies, poetry readings and laptop tutoring early in the week.

5. If you’re feeling kinda shabby by May Day, put on your fancy shoes and head to the Hercules Teen Youth Council’s annual , Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the . Tickets are $6, which—for a fashion show, people—you just can’t beat.

Correction: Earlier this article said "To register your own garage sale, complete the Garage Sale Registration form." Registration is now closed. It also said the sale is on Sunday, but it is actually on Saturday, April 30.