* 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

A reception for Ve-Na C. Chen will allow the public to meet the

artist of a collection of Chinese brush paintings on display through

March 21 at the UCI Student Center, E. Emerald Bay, Irvine. A

reception will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. For more information, call

(949) 824-5588.

A Home Remodeling and Decorating Show will feature exhibitors,

products and ideas from noon to 8 p.m. Friday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Orange County

Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, Buildings 12 and 14. Adults

$5.75, Seniors $3, Children free. For more information, call (818)

557-2950.

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce will host the Newport Harbor

Christmas Boat Parade Awards Dinner and Auction from 6 to 11 p.m. at

the Four Seasons Hotel. The event will feature parade winners and

have entertainment, a live and silent auction, dinner and much more.

The hotel is at 690 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. Tickets are

$75 per person, $900 for a table of 12. For more information, call

(949) 729-4400.

UC Irvine Medical Center will host a seminar on hearing loss at 1

p.m. at the Oasis Senior Center. The seminar will have discussions on

symptoms and treatments of hearing loss. The center is at 800

Marguerite Ave., Corona del Mar. Free. For more information, call

(877) UCI-DOCS, or visit www.ucihealth.com/events.

The Hemlock Society is sponsoring a seminar on “How to Make Better

End of Life Decisions,” conducted by Dr. Faye J. Girsh. The meeting

is at 2 p.m. at 1259 Victoria St., Costa Mesa. Free. For more

information, call (714) 871-7344.

Temple Isaiah will celebrate Tu B’Shevat, the festival of trees

(Jewish Arbor Day) at 7:30 p.m. at 2401 Irvine Ave., Newport Beach.

For more information, call (949) 548-6900.

SATURDAY

“Be your own boss” is a seminar on how to start and manage your

own business. It will be conducted from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. by the

Service Corps of Retired Executives at National University, 3390

Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa. The $40 fee includes materials. For more

information, call (714) 550-7369.

A hands-on Internet instruction class, “Web Walking 101,” will get

participants up to speed in cyberspace. Begins at 10 a.m. at the

Newport Beach Public Library, 1000 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach.

Registration required. For more information, call (949) 717-3801.

A workshop for men and women who have just gotten divorced or are

getting divorced will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Maxine B.

Cohen’s office in Newport Beach. The office is at 180 Newport Center

Drive. $40. For more information, call (949) 644-6435.

TUESDAY

The Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly

networking luncheon at 11:30 a.m. at the Five Crowns Restaurant.

Reservations are required. The restaurant is at 3801 E. Coast

Highway. For more information, call (949) 673-4050.

Mother’s Market & Kitchen will host a seminar on liver cleansing

and body purification from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Patio Cafe in

Costa Mesa. The cafe is at 225 E. 17th St. Free. For more

information, call (949) 631-4741.

The Surfrider Foundation Newport Beach Chapter will hold its first

meeting of 2003 at 7 p.m. at Margaritaville in Newport Beach. The

meeting will focus on local water issues, including how to help

preserve the oceans, beaches and surf. Tacos will be provided. The

restaurant is at 2332 W. Coast Highway. For more information, call

(949) 644-7443.

The Zen Center of Orange County will host a series of programs on

Zen today through March 9. Programs will be held the first and third

Tuesday of each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and every Sunday from 5 to

7:15 p.m. The programs will have lessons on developing a regular

practice, personal instruction and much more. The fee is $150, tax

deductible. The center is at 120 E. 18th St., Costa Mesa. For more

information, call (949) 722-7818 or visit www.zcoc.org.

TUESDAY

A workshop on “Computerizing your Business” will help with the

bookkeeping from 9 a.m. to noon at National University, 3390 Harbor

Blvd., Costa Mesa for a $25 fee. For more information, call (714)

550-7369.

WEDNESDAY

The Alzheimer’s Assn. of Orange County will hold two workshops

today at Silverado Senior Living Newport Mesa. The first workshop,

from 10:30 a.m. to noon, and will focus on memory loss. The second

workshop from 1 to 2:30 p.m., and will discuss how to create a

partnership with your physician. Silverado Senior Living is at 350 W.

Bay St., Costa Mesa. Reservations required. For more information,

call (949) 631-2212.

The Newport Hills Garden Club invite anyone interested to join

their monthly garden walk, meeting at 10 a.m. at the UCI Arboretum.

For more information, call (949) 720-1552.

The Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly business

after hours mixer from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Skosh Monahan’s. The

restaurant is at 2000 Newport Blvd. Free for members, $10 for

potential members. For more information, call (714) 885-9090.

THURSDAY

Mother’s Market & Kitchen will host a seminar on how to strengthen

your immune system from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Patio Cafe in Costa

Mesa. The cafe is at 225 E. 17th St. Free. For more information, call

(949) 631-4741.

Body Wise Fitness Center is celebrating its opening with drawings

for free personal training sessions and BodyWise nutritional products

at 2901 W. Coast Highway, No. 110, Newport Beach. For more

information, call (949) 650-1660.

JAN. 24

UC Irvine will host its 19th annual Martin Luther King Jr.

symposium, “Prayer, Protest, and Peace -- A Leader’s Legacy for

Today,” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The symposium’s keynote speaker will be

Julian Bond, board chairman of the NAACP and professor of history at

the University of Virginia. The symposium will be held in the

Humanities Instructional Building, room 100 at the UCI campus. Free.

For more information, call (949) 824-7215.

OCC’s Armchair Adventures Series hosts “Inside Switzerland”

presented by Clint Denn, an actor, writer, photographer and

filmmaker. The film will begin at 7 p.m. in Orange Coast College’s

Robert B. Moore Theater. Admission is $8 in advance and $10 at the

door. Senior citizens are eligible for a $1 advance discount. For

more information, call (714) 432-5880.