The air is crisp and the sky is bright -- when it's not raining. It's winter in the Bay Area and a great time for outdoor adventures and finding cozy shelters. We'll talk with local travel experts about some of the best places to hike in the rain, look for a good waterfall, find a fireplace to huddle next to or find the perfect spot for playing in the snow. We'll hear from our experts -- and from you -- on favorite day and weekend trips to experience the winter.

Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year. But what if you'd rather opt out of holiday shopping altogether? How do you show you care without buying fancy gifts? We talk to a sustainability expert about ways to repurpose items we already have and with a woman who hasn't bought anything new for the past five years. What are your tips for a non-consumer holiday?

On this special Thanksgiving episode of Forum, we revisit our interview with Louse Erdrich, the author of 13 novels and a number of volumes of poetry, short stories and children's books. She joins us to discuss her most recent book, "The Round House," which won the National Book Award for fiction.

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ang Lee's 20-year career includes a diverse range of films including "The Ice Storm," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Brokeback Mountain." We spoke with Ang Lee about adapting novels to films, his past works and his latest film, "The Life of Pi."

Michael Chabon, Berkeley-based author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" joins us in the studio. Set in the East Bay, Chabon's new novel, "Telegraph Avenue," deals with issues of race relations and gentrification, and explores the worlds of midwifery and vintage vinyl. We replay a portion of our interview with Chabon as part of our special Thanksgiving programming.

As part of our special Thanksgiving programming, we revisit our interview with Salman Rushdie following the release of his new memoir "Joseph Anton." The Booker Prize-winning author recounts the nine years he lived under the Ayatollah Khomeini's fatwah, which was imposed in response to Rushdie's 1988 novel "The Satanic Verses."

Thanksgiving is around the corner. Do you know what to do with that bag of Brussels sprouts? We have a panel of cooks to help you out. From new and traditional recipe ideas to how to rescue a crumbling pie crust. Call in with your favorite recipes and your cries for help.

The phrase "fiscal cliff" refers to automatic tax hikes and spending cuts that are set to take place on January 1. They're estimated to have an economic impact worth over $600 billion. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says it could send the economy "toppling back into recession." Can President Obama and House Republicans reach an agreement before the Jan. 1 deadline?

When Abby Falik graduated from high school she wanted to travel to another country to do volunteer service work, but she was too young for the Peace Corps. Falik has since founded the Bay Area-based nonprofit Global Citizen Year, which helps high school graduates take a "gap year" before starting college to do global service and learn about the world.

A decade ago Tori Hogan was an intern in Kenya with the group Save Our Children. A teenager there gave her a sobering view of the effectiveness of international humanitarian aid, telling her that aid workers come and go, but nothing changes. Since then, Hogan has traveled to more than 75 countries in search of successful aid programs. The project has spawned a film series and a new book, "Beyond Good Intentions: A Journey into the Realities of International Aid."

Can't get a cab? New ride-share companies like Uber, SideCar and Lyft offer San Franciscans alternative ways to get where they need to go. However, should these startups be required to abide by taxicab regulations? And how do they fit into the transportation landscape of the city?

Have you ever kept your sweaters in an oven? Or your books in the microwave? This week, San Francisco supervisors may say "yes" to developers who want to build apartments as small as 220 square feet. We discuss the prospect of these tiny units coming on the market, and talk to home design gurus about how to live well in a small space.

We discuss the recent escalation of violence between Israel and Hamas over Gaza.