SHOW AND TELL: I was going to tell you how good Robert Redford looked onstage at San Jose Rep on Monday night -- slightly shorter than you'd expect from his screen image, slightly less wrinkled, and he must have gotten my memo on attire: blue blazer, tan slacks, open-collar shirt. But that's all tabloid tidbit fluff.

What was truly good about Redford's appearance on that stage -- and the appearances of PBS president Pat Mitchell, Community Foundation Silicon Valley president Peter Hero and former eBay president-turned-philanthropist Jeff Skoll, as well -- was the project they've all gotten behind: ``The New Heroes.'' The four-hour mini-series by local producers Mike Malone and Bob Grove airs nationwide on PBS Tuesday and July 5, and it's something to see (much more about this Thursday in the Merc's A+E section). The new heroes it shows are some of the world's social entrepreneurs, people who invest their time and treasure in others so that more of us can live a better life. They're even able to turn a profit doing it, although not becoming as wildly wealthy as some of the Silicon Valley CEOs we lionize -- people praised for laying off others in pursuit of a better quarterly bottom line. Try to watch the series. You may never use the term ``hero'' the same way again.

BON TEMPS: Louisiana Territory, Vince Guasch's fondly remembered Cajun-theme restaurants in Mountain View and downtown San Jose, returns in spirit tonight with a pre-concert dinner at Saratoga's Montalvo Arts Center. Guasch figures that'll complement the headliners -- New Orleans' Neville Brothers -- and it should be some tasty gumbo.