The to-do list

Art

Aging gracefully

Anyone who packed into Quint Gallery’s opening for the recent Homing In exhibition knows that the little gallery down the alley has major pull with the art crowd. So, it makes sense that the Quint folks are taking what may be their biggest show yet—Quint: Three Decades of Contemporary Art—to the California Center for the Arts, Escondido (340 North Escondido Blvd.), where they can showcase more works and have room for what will likely be a huge crowd for the opening, from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15. The exhibition will include works from dozens of artists in almost every medium who have shown at Quint throughout the years, including big names like Jean Lowe, Mel Bochner and Ryan McGinness. The show runs through Dec. 31. www.artcenter.org.

BK to SD: Consistently ranked among the top fine-arts colleges in the country, the Rhode Island School of Design is a breeding ground for next-level talent in contemporary music (Black Dice), art (Jenny Holzer), animation (Seth McFarlane), film (Gus Van Sant) and more. So it’s no surprise that recent RISD grad Morgan Blair showcases her unique vision with bright, hallucinatory, often disturbing paintings quite unlike anything we’ve seen before. Blair’s Brain Glamour is the culmination of the Brooklyn artist’s weeklong residency at Luce Loft (1037 J St., Downtown), where she’ll display an installation of previously finished works alongside a new large-scale painting. The exhibit will be on view from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, and Saturday, Aug. 15. www.sezio.org.

Music

Bang the drum

While San Diego may not necessarily be a top destination for modern composers, the city’s musical profile is sure to rise if it continues to host acts like Ensemble XII. The 12-member experimental percussion group—which recently started its 17-day recording residency at UCSD in collaboration with faculty member and composer Steven Schick—is set to perform two unique shows, each preceded by discussions with ensemble members and followed by hands-on access to more than 100 instruments on stage. The first, at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, takes place at the new, state-of-the-art Conrad Prebys Music Center on the UCSD campus, and the second is at 7:15 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, at Sushi Performance and Visual Arts, 390 11th Ave. in East Village. $15. www.ensemblexii.com

Special Events

Little paper umbrellas

San Diego’s pretty popular with tiki aficionados—so much so that it’s the location for the annual Tiki Oasis, a convention that celebrates all things tiki. For a full schedule of seminars, go to www.tikioasis.com (you can pay per seminar, most are around $5). There are also events that are free and open to the public, like the opening-night party at the Bali Hai hotel (2230 Shelter Island Drive) from 6:30 p.m. to midnight Thursday, Aug. 13, featuring DJs spinning vintage vinyl and burlesque dancers. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, check out the first-ever Tiki Oasis car show (at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 2270 Hotel Circle North). And on both days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., also at the Crowne Plaza, DJs will spin retro tunes poolside, and a tiki marketplace will provide shoppers with the gamut of tiki accoutrements.

Cool cause: Holiday Matinee founder Dave Brown says boat shoes are making a comeback, the band Megafaun is one to watch and we’d better not forget to wish Little Italy design store Igloo a happy birthday. On that note, it’s Holiday Matinee’s birthday, too. For the last decade, Brown’s cool-finding marketing agency has been telling San Diego (and beyond) where to go, what to listen to and how to dress. HM’s not just ahead of the curve; it’s passed the finish line and is enjoying a cocktail waiting for you to catch up. From 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, at the W Hotel (421 West B St., Downtown), celebrate Holiday Matinee’s big one-zero at Cause for Drinks, a semi-regular event where 25 percent of all food and beverage sales are donated to charity (in this case, Friends of Tom’s, the nonprofit arm of Tom’s Shoes). DJ Claire will spin tunes along with Casbah owner Tim Mays, DJ Brother Darkness and Tim Pyles (FM 94/9). There’ll also be prize giveaways: Prior to the event, e-mail Holiday Matinee a photo of yourself doing something creative and you’ll be entered to win. www.holidaymatinee.com. 

Books

Nancy Drew-a-thon

It’s true, what the press release said: Sonia Sotomayor, Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg all cited Nancy Drew as a formative influence. Well, they’re all Supreme Court justices, and we’re just an alternative weekly, so who are we to argue the merits of young-adult fiction with them? For total Nancy Drew fulfillment, visit the UCSD Arts Library sometime this month for an exhibit loaded with Nancy Drew-ness. But for maximum Nancy Drew-itude, stop by the library’s Seuss Room at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, or 12:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17, for treats cooked out of the Nancy Drew Cookbook and a live, radio-style reading of Nancy Drew stories featuring actors from Write Out Loud and a soundtrack provided by the Teeny Tiny Pit Orchestra. To top it off, both events will feature Nancy Drew expert Jenn Fisher, who’ll answer questions on any thing Drew-oriented. If we wanted to grow up to be Supreme Court justices, we wouldn’t miss this for anything. Free.

Nightlife

Don’t you forget about me

We’re already fans of The Pearl Hotel’s “Dive-In” movie screenings, where film buffs flock poolside to watch everything from cult flicks to golden-age classics. So, it goes without saying that we’ll be staking our place for the John Hughes tribute on Thursday, Aug. 13, when the hotel (1410 Rosecrans St. in Point Loma) will, at 8 p.m., screen The Breakfast Club in honor of the legendary director, who died last week. Drink and food specials are available, and unlike some other hotel pools, you can actually swim in this one even if you aren’t staying the night (as long as you purchase a drink). This’ll be a hot ticket, so reservations are highly recommended: 619-235-5616 or kparker@thepearlsd.com.

Sports

Get your kicks

Remember when little Johnny Snotface kicked that big red ball right to you in the third grade and you totally muffed it and lost the game for your team, who then ridiculed you mercilessly for two weeks straight? Well, now’s your long-denied second chance at glory. It’s VAVi Sport and Social Club’s second annual National Kickball Championship, set for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at NTC Park in Point Loma. Hurry and get a team together ($450) or register as a free agent ($45) by Thursday, Aug. 13, or just stop by and watch the childishness ensue. Two divisions: Kick Ass (for competitive types) and Just for Kicks (for the goofballs). www.govavi.com/kickballchamp.