Our picks of this week's events
An interesting new art collective, something called Beach Tennis and the rest of the best of this week's happenings
BOOKS
The Tao of surfing
Shaun Tomson won surf contests, kicked ass in surf videos and even scored a gig as a surf journalist in the Tristar/Sony Pictures film In God’s Hands; in short, he’s one of the lucky few who’s been able to make riding waves a fulltime gig. According to Tomson, the lessons he learned while touring the world’s beaches and riding the surf circuit can help those who never come in contact with a surfboard. His book, Surfer’s Code, includes the obvious stuff surfers will want to read, but Tomson reflects on attitudes and outlooks that can make anyone score the life they really want to lead. Tomson talks about it at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 5, at The Book Works, Flower Hill Mall, 2670 Via de la Valle, in Del Mar. 858-755-3735 or www.book-works.com.
Two stories: Los Bilingual Writers, a nonprofit organization that holds bilingual creative writing workshops in San Diego County, will celebrate the release of Los Bilingual Writers Anthology Book III from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 6, at The Front, 147 West San Ysidro Blvd. in San Ysidro. Readings by writers such as Adelina Moreno Hernandez and Irene Maruez will be followed by a fiesta of music, drinks and food. www.los bilingualwriters.org.
SPORTS
Sand ball
Just when you thought there was nothing left to invent in this hyper-progressive, hyper-technological world, Marc Altheim comes along and throws together two of America’s favorite pastimes and suddenly has a financially viable creation called Beach Tennis. See it for yourself when Beach Tennis USA presents “Evolution Home Theatre’s Beach Tennis Smash” all day Saturday and Sunday, June 7 and 8, at Ocean Beach Tower 3 at the corner of Brighton Avenue and West Point Loma Boulevard. If you think you want to give it a go, register your team at www.beachtennisusa.net: $50 per team for amateurs ($75 for pro doubles) or free to watch.
COMEDY
Shang time
It can be tough to make it in the cutthroat world of stand-up comedy. Even the most naturally talented performers have to pay years of dues before they gain widespread recognition. Just ask L.A.-by-way-of-New York comedian Shang. After years of assorted spots on TV shows ranging from thrillers like CSI and Heroes to showcases such as Last Comic Standing, The Late, Late Show and Def Comedy Jam, the satirist has amassed an increasingly large following. Fresh off the release of his first CD, Shangry!, Shang will perform three shows—9 p.m. Friday, June 6, and 8 and 10 p.m., Saturday, June 7—at The Comedy Palace, 8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. in Kearny Mesa. $25. www.thecomedypalace.com.
POLITICS & COMMUNITY
Hungry planet
“U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will issue an urgent plea to world leaders at a food summit in Rome on Tuesday to immediately suspend trade restrictions, agricultural taxes and other price controls that have helped fuel the highest food prices in 30 years.” So reported the Washington Post on Monday. The International Socialist Organization will help you get beyond the headlines at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 5, when the group presents a discussion, “The Real Roots Behind the World’s Food Crisis,” at the City Heights Recreation Center, 4380 Landis St. 619-865-0621 or isosandieog@yahoo.com.
FOOD & WINE
The queen returns
Babette Schwartz is bringing her Who’s Your Daddy Bingo Lunch back to Martinis Above Fourth at 11 a.m. Sunday, June 8. Schwartz is a business owner (that fabulous kitschy gift store in Hillcrest is hers, of course) and one of the loveliest and most talented drag queens in town. As if bingo on its own weren’t enough, at Schwartz’s version you can expect good food, a huge selection of martinis and cabaret-style entertainment—and Schwartz is a fiery, long-legged hostess who does more than just call out numbers. Martinis Above Fourth is located at 3940 Fourth Ave. in Hillcrest. 619-400-4500.
Italian market: Little Italy will launch its first farmers market from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7, and every Saturday thereafter, on Date Street between India and State streets. The Little Italy Mercato will feature organic produce, meats, cheeses, pastas, fresh bread, live chef demonstrations, tastings and a MercARTo art market. So, yeah, it’s a certified farmer’s market like any other, but it will certainly boast a more Italian flair. www.littleitalysd.com/mercato.
SPECIAL EVENTS
A mile of art
From 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 7, 1.5 miles of Adams Avenue in Normal Heights and Kensington will be transformed into a huge indoor/outdoor art gallery for this year’s Art Around Adams community event. More than 75 businesses will take part, with Lestat’s and the Ken Club serving as the main performance houses. Don’t miss The Infinity Lab’s performance and installation piece, Open Wounds of History, at Crossing Tracks Gallery, 3275 Adams Ave. in Normal Heights, or the sneak preview of the New Perspective theater festival at Adams Avenue Car Wash from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Visit www.artaroundadams.org for the full schedule of events.
ART
New happenings
Breathing fresh artistic air into San Diego’s sometimes stagnant atmosphere, the new arts collective Satellite Ensemble promises to bring us things like “crochet lessons, beer-making soirées and bio-diesel demos as coffee shops, bars and other sites around town.” Made up of a group of master’s students in the visual arts program at UCSD, the first of the happenings will take place at a group show, 07’57”W, at Agitprop Gallery, 2837 University Ave. in North Park, with an opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 6, and workshops through June 9. Put these cats on your radar, though, because there’s a lot more to come. For details on the workshops, visit www.satelliteensemble.org.
Published: 06/03/2008
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