* Send AROUND TOWN items to...

* Send AROUND TOWN items to the Daily Pilot, 330 W. Bay St.,

Costa Mesa, CA 92627; by fax to (949) 646-4170; or by calling (949)

574-4298. Include the time, date and location of the event, as well

as a contact phone number. A complete listing is available at

www.dailypilot.com.

TODAY

The Orange County Chapter of the Service Corps of Retired

Executives will host a seminar for people looking to start a business

or people that have recently started a business from 8:30 a.m. to 4

p.m. at National University in Costa Mesa. The university is at 3390

Harbor Blvd. The fee is $40 and includes handouts and materials, $35

if prepaid. For more information, call (714) 550-7369.

The Cat Fanciers Assn. will host a special benefit cat show from

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Sunday at the Orange County Fair &

Exposition Center. The show will have more than 225 of the world’s

finest pedigreed cats and a special household pet competition. Rescue

cats and kittens will also be available for adoption. Admission is $7

for adults, $5 for children, seniors and military personnel and free

for kids younger than 6. The center is at 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa.

For more information, call (858) 455-9390.

SUNDAY

The third annual Holiday Classic Car Show and Pedal Car

Invitational, featuring a toy drive to benefit Project Cuddle, will

be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Automotive Road of Dreams area

of the Orange County Market Place. Cars decked out for the holidays

will be judged in several categories. Car show participants bringing

an unwrapped toy or clothing item will receive free show

registration. Also held at the Orange County Market Place on the

Orange County Fairgrounds will be Christmas Karaoke in the Artisans’

and Crafters’ Corner. (949) 723-6663 or www.ocmarketplace.com.

The Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce’s 24th annual Christmas

Walk Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. along Coast

Highway. Stores between Avocado Avenue and Poppy Street will be open

for food sampling, entertainment and, of course, shopping.

Festivities will include story time with Mrs. Claus; crafts for

children; an elf with balloons for youngsters; ornament decorating;

holiday cookie decorating; and a treasure hunt. Holiday carolers will

sing all day, and the Corona del Mar High School Madrigal Singers

will perform from 2 to 4 p.m. Dog owners can also get their pets’

pictures taken with Santa between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. (949) 790-9713

or www.ShopTheIrvine Company.com.

“A Champagne Family Christmas Concert” will be held at 4 p.m. in

the Orange Coast College Robert B. Moore Theatre. Bobby Burgess,

Elaine Balden, Ken Delo, Tanya Welk and accordionist Myron Floren,

formerly of “The Lawrence Welk Show,” will be in the performance.

Advance tickets are $35 for reserve, $33 for students, senior

citizens and children under 12. If available, tickets will be $39 at

the door. OCC is at 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. For more

information, call (714) 432-5880.

FRIDAY

The Costa Mesa Senior Center will hold a holiday program with the

Page School choir from 11 a.m. to noon at the center. Lunch will be

served after the program. Reservations are only necessary for lunch.

The center is at 695 W. 19th St. For more information, call (949)

645-2356.

DEC. 16

Hornblower Cruises & Events will offer a holiday preview cruise

from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. today and tomorrow. The cruise will consist

of a three-course meal, on-board entertainment and water views of the

seasonally decorated shorelines. Tickets are $64 for adults and $32

for children ages 3 to 11. Reservations required. For more

information, call (949) 646-0155 or visit www.hornblower.com.

The Costa Mesa Senior Center will hold a holiday program with the

Page School choir from 11 a.m. to noon at the center. Lunch will be

served after the program. Reservations are only necessary for lunch.

The center is at 695 W. 19th St. For more information, call (949)

645-2356.

DEC. 19

Pulitzer Prize and Tony

Award-winning author Wendy Wasserstein will be at the Newport

Beach Public Library from 7 to 9 p.m. to give a presentation

chronicling the challenges facing American women. Wasserstein will

also be available to autograph copies of her latest book, “Shiksa

Goddess (Or How I Spent My Forties).” The library is at 1000 Avocado

Ave. The event, which is sponsored by Fletcher Jones Motorcars, is

$36 and includes a complimentary copy of the book. For more

information, call (949) 717-3890.

DEC. 23

The Holiday Market Place, also known as the Orange County Market

Place, at the Orange County Fairgrounds will offer free admission

today. Santa will be around for photos. The Market Place at the

Orange County Fairgrounds is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ONGOING

The Newport Beach Newcomers Club holds a general meeting on the

third Wednesday of every month. The organization is open to all

Newport Beach residents who have lived in the area fewer than five

years. For more information, call (949) 645-9922, or visit

newcomers-newportbeach.org.

Interfaith couples with one Jewish partner are invited to

participate in a discussion group at the Jewish Family Service of

Orange County office. The group is geared toward dealing with issues

between interfaith couples, such as raising children, observing

holidays, symbols in the home and relationships with extended

families. The cost for three sessions is $45 per couple.

Preregistration is required. Call to schedule date and time. The

office is at 250 E. Baker St., Suite G, Costa Mesa. (714) 445-4950.

Women 50 and older can join a discussion group coordinated by

Jewish Family Services to address issues such as anxiety, depression,

relationships, loneliness and family. The group meets from 10 to

11:30 a.m. Mondays at the agency offices, 250 E. Baker St., Suite G,

Costa Mesa. Preregistration required. (714) 445-4950.

Friends of the Newport Beach Public Library Used Book Store are

asking for patrons to donate books to replenish the dwindling stock.

Books may be left at any of the three branch libraries -- Balboa,

Mariners, or Corona del Mar -- or in the book closet next to the

Friends Book Store, at 1000 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach. All

hardcover and paperback donations, with the exception of magazines

and law books, will be accepted and are tax deductible. (949)

759-9667.

The Braille Institute offers free computer classes to people with

fading vision who have difficulty seeing the computer screen. The

Oasis Center at 800 Marguerite Ave., Corona del Mar, offers six

sessions. Call to sign up for classes. (714) 821-5000.

A spiritual care class meets at 7:15 p.m. Wednesdays at 3400

Irvine Ave., Suite 114, Newport Beach. Call to reserve a seat. (949)

263-1462.

The Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce hosts networking luncheon

meetings Wednesdays from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Costa Mesa

Country Club. The cost is $13. The club is at 1701 Golf Course Drive,

Costa Mesa. (714) 885-9090.

A brain tumor support group meets the first and third Thursdays of

each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hoag Cancer Center at Hoag

Hospital, 1 Hoag Drive, Newport Beach. Free. Registration not

required. The group is designed to help patients and their families

understand and cope with the illness. (949) 574-6232.

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church hosts a mental illness support

group from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sundays in Dierenfield Hall C at 600 St.

Andrews Road, Newport Beach. (949) 574-2236.

The Jewish Family Service of Orange County sponsors a discussion

group for adult children and their parents from 6 to 7 p.m. two

Tuesdays a month at the Jewish Family Service office at 250 E. Baker

St., Suite G, Costa Mesa. $10 per person, per session.

Preregistration required. (714) 445-4950.

The Jewish Family Service of Orange County has a weekly parenting

support group. Parents learn strategies for successful parenting and

for dealing with the feelings and behavior of their children. The

group meets from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Mondays at the Jewish Family

Service office at 250 E. Baker St., Suite G, Costa Mesa. The group

will cover managing anger, anxiety and peer pressure children

experience. Preregistration required. (714) 445-4950.

The Costa Mesa Senior Center has ballroom dancing with live music

from the Costa Mesa Music Makers from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. every Tuesday night at 695 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa. $4. (949) 548-3884.

Jewish Family Service of Orange County sponsors an ongoing healing

support group for the chronically ill. The purpose is to provide

participants with emotional and spiritual support to manage illness

and its consequences. The group meets at 7 p.m. Thursdays at the

Jewish Family Service office at 250 E. Baker St., Costa Mesa.

Attendance is free, but registration is required. (714) 445-4950.

Scrabble Club No. 350 meets from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursdays at Borders

Books, Music & Cafe at South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bear St. in Costa

Mesa. $3. New players are welcome. (949) 206-9822.

The Coin and Stamp Club meets from 1 to 3 p.m. Mondays at the

Oasis Senior Center. New members interested in trading, buying and

selling stamps and coins are being sought to join these informal

meetings. There are no fees required. (949) 644-3244.

Jewish Family Service offers ongoing bereavement support groups

for adults at all stages of loss. Group members share experiences,

hear how others deal with grief, receive support and learn ways to

cope with sadness and loss. One group meets at 7 p.m. Tuesdays at

Beth Jacob in Irvine. The second group meets at 10 a.m. Tuesdays at

Temple Judea in Laguna Hills. The third group meets at 1 p.m.

Thursdays at the Ezra Center in Anaheim. Free, but advance

registration is required. (714) 445-4950.

A yoga and dance class is held from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. Tuesdays at

the Center for Spiritual Discovery, 2850 Mesa Verde Drive East, Suite

111, Costa Mesa. (714) 754-7399.

The Rev. Connie Ryckman leads a discussion group using the book

“Conversations with God” from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesdays at the Center

for Spiritual Discovery, 2850 Mesa Verde Drive East, Suite 111, Costa

Mesa. Bring a lunch. (714) 754-7399.

Marshall’s Tae Kwon Do in Costa Mesa offers free self-defense

classes to airline pilots and flight attendants. Classes are taught

by three-time U.S. National Champion Tom Marshall. Marshall’s is at

333 E. 17th St., Suite 13, Costa Mesa. (949) 574-0122.

A Dealing with Divorce support group is offered by Jewish Family

Service of Orange County. The group is led by an experienced

counselor and meets at 6 p.m. Tuesdays at the Jewish Federation

campus, 250 E. Baker St., Suite G, Costa Mesa. (714) 445-4950.

The Sea Scouts’ ship Del Mar 711 of Orange County offers a program

for boys and young men ages 14 to 18 interested in sailing,

seamanship, piloting, navigation and cruising. Meetings are from 6 to

9 p.m. Wednesdays at the Sea Scouts Sea Base, 1931 W. Coast Highway,

Newport Beach. (949) 642-6301 or (949) 551-8591.

Oasis Senior Center offers ongoing assistance, counseling and

referral services for seniors. (949) 644-3244.