The Vintage & Handmade Market 
ART
New kid
Solana Beach’s Cedros Avenue has added another arty storefront, and while this one is a couple of blocks north of the Cedros Avenue Design District, perhaps it’s evidence that the district is expanding, and wouldn’t that be nice. Ryan Maher, Todd Noe and Bret Burroughs are launching Mabuno Gallery (414 N. Cedros Ave.) with a seriously good art show, a retrospective of longtime San Diego artist C. Martino’s work, Fifteen and Counting, which opens from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13. The exhibition is sponsored in part by ArtAttack, an ongoing series of art happenings whose mission statement is “to karate-chop complacency and ride herd on boring art where it lurks in Southern California.” www.cmartino.com, 858-792-9685.
Vinyl’s new life: Photographer John Purlia caught our eye awhile ago when we published his hilarious “Bowling for Nuns” photo on our cover. At first glance, it’s hard to tell whether Purlia’s zany creations are painted or digitally illustrated, but if you look closely, or maybe even pick up one of the behind-the-scenes books he says will be at his upcoming show at Distinction (317 E. Grand Ave. in Escondido), you’ll see that Purlia’s artwork is simply undoctored photography. The creativity is in the setting up of the little scenes he creates by using old vinyl album covers, plastic toys and his imagination. Purlia’s show, Plastic Prophets of Vinyl Redemption, opens at Distinction from 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, with a chocolate, wine and live-music reception. www.distinctionart.com, 760-781-5779.
SPORTS
Roughest, toughest
Rugby players laugh at football. “Look at the little sissies with all their pads and helmets,” they must say, mockingly. “And look at their stupid spandex pants.” The USA Sevens International Rugby Tournament and Fan Festival—sort of rugby’s equivalent to the Super Bowl—will give hardcore fans and newcomers alike the chance to see why rugby players think they’re so damn tough. Argentina, Canada, England, Japan, the United States, Kenya and other countries will be competing in the weekend’s events, which run Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 14 and 15, at Petco Park Downtown. 1-888-RUGBY-7s, www.usasevens.com. $26-$240.
DANCE
Bringing it back
With a nod to Black History Month, a few dance instructors have put together the California Guy Jam, a weekend of dance workshops, a b-boy battle, performances and social dances “celebrating men’s contribution to jazz culture.” The event kicks off at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, with instructor Sean Morris teaching, talking about and demonstrating the “Charleston Craze.” The dancing continues through Sunday, Feb. 15, and reappears again in March with the California Girl Jam. www.myspace.com/caguyjam. $49 for a weekend pass, $12 drop-in and $20 student discount.
MUSIC
Rub-a-dub
Not a fan of dub music? Well, studies show that if you really give it a chance and learn a little about the genre’s history, there’s a 50-percent chance you’ll become dub-obsessed. There’s just something about the combination of reggae and recording-studio trickery (which has evolved into digital manipulation) that people either love or hate. See which side of the dub tracks you belong when remix dub master Mad Professor performs at the Dub Explosion with Macka B, Dennis Bovell and others at the WorldBeat Cultural Center in Balboa Park at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18. www.worldbeatcenter.org, 619-230-1190. $12.
BOOKS
Art of decision
Jonah Lehrer’s baby face and propensity for casual clothing make it hard to believe that the guy’s as smart and accomplished as he is. Lehrer, editor-at-large for the science and culture magazine Seed, graduate of Columbia University and author of Proust Was a Neuroscientist, is smart, to say the least, and his latest accomplishment, How We Decide, is a testament to that. The new book looks at the decision-making process and challenges the long-held belief that decisions are either emotional or rational—the fight-or-flight way of thinking. Lehrer presents neuroscience’s take on what makes someone choose the blue rather than the red sweater. He says our best decisions are a blend of both feelings and reason, and he uses interesting case studies to back up his argument. Lehrer will present his case when he reads from and signs the book at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16, at The Book Works, 2670 Via de la Valle in Del Mar. www.book-works.com.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Back and better
After a bit of a break and a few readjustments, Zirk Ubu, a local circus collective, is back with a performance and fundraiser called Valentine’s Day Massacre-ade: A Benefit for Burners Without Borders. Alongside Zirk Ubu will be Soul in the Machine, a pretty phenomenal San Diego band that uses strange electronic instruments they built themselves; a secret, yet-to-be-announced big-name DJ from San Francisco; gourmet appetizers by Cocina Club; black-light art; hula hoops and more. The location of the shindig is top-secret until the day of the event at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14. $15 advance, $20 at the door. www.brownpapertickets.com/event/53340 or www.zirkubu.com.
FILM
Secret San Diego
More people need to get hip to Goldspirit Films, the group that brings films from India to San Diego for special screenings in theaters throughout the region. At 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, Goldspirit presents Koncham Ishtam and Koncham Kashtam, at Ultrastar Poway Creekside Plaza 10, 13475 Poway Road in Poway. The film is a colorful, musical Bollywood extravaganza starring Siddharth Narayan, a big-time star who does films in three languages. San Diegans should also get hip to the semi-frequent film screenings at Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave. in Normal Heights. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, Lestat’s will be celebrating the DVD release of Religulous, comedian Bill Maher’s hilariously sacrilicious 2008 doc. www.goldspiritfilms.com, www.lestats.com.
