* 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

All are invited to a reception for artist Jane Hill, whose

exhibition “Local Scenes,” which depicts Newport Beach watery vistas

and familiar scenes, is on display through Feb. 28. The reception is

from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 1000 Avocado Ave. For more information,

call (949) 717-3801.

WEDNESDAY

The MOMS Club of Costa Mesa-North will host an open house at 10

a.m. at Balearic Park and Community Center in Costa Mesa. Women are

encouraged to bring their children and will have the chance to meet

other stay-at-home moms. The center is at 1975 Balearic Drive. For

more information, call (714) 964-5934.

Mother’s Market & Kitchen will host a seminar on digestion and

elimination 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.

Preschool Time, “What Animals Live Here?” is story-time and

hands-on fun for parent and child at the Upper Newport Bay Nature

Preserve. Cost is $3 per child, appropriate for children ages 3 and

4. Will be held at The Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 2301

University Drive, Newport Beach. For reservations, call (949)

923-2295.

THURSDAY

Mother’s Market & Kitchen will host a workshop and book signing

with author Geoffrey Rose 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.

FRIDAY

The city of Newport Beach, in partnership with the American Red

Cross, is hosting a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Newport

Beach Library on 1000 Avocado Ave. To schedule an appointment, call

(949) 644-3178.

SATURDAY

Crossroads of the West Gun Show will be held at the Orange County

Fair and Expositions Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and from 9

a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $9 for adults and free for

children younger than 12. For more information, call (801) 544-9125.

Women’s Sailing Convention is open to all women interested in

sailing, from novices and beginners to experts. A variety of

workshops will be held. The convention will be held at Bahia

Corinthian Yacht Club, Corona del Mar. Cost is $110 and reservations

must be made in advance. For forms and information, call (714)

730-1797.

FEB. 4

A Feng Shui seminar to improve health, relationships and

prosperity will be held at 7 p.m. at Visions and Dreams, 2482 Newport

Blvd., Costa Mesa. Free. Reservations are required. For more

information, call (626) 288-1669 or visit www.fengshuiadvantage.com.

FEB. 5

A prostate discussion group will be held at Hoag Cancer Center

Auditorium from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Free. For more information, call (949)

7-CANCER.

FEB. 7

SCATS Gymnastics will be held at the Orange County Fair and

Expositions Center Building 10 from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Sunday.

Admission for adults is $10, for seniors and children $5. For more

information, call (714) 895-2909.

FEB. 8

The Friends of the Newport Beach Public Library will hold “A Buck

A Bag” for books, a used book sale, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Proceeds

will be donated to the 1000 Avocado Ave. library. For more

information, call (949) 759-9667.

Teen Night Out for teens in the seventh through ninth grades will

be held at the Block of Orange. The city of Costa Mesa invites teens

to participate in an excursion to the mall and movies. Meet at the

Downtown Recreation Center, 1860 Anaheim Ave., Costa Mesa, for pizza

at 5 p.m. Participants will return to the center at 10 p.m. The $30

cost includes pizza, movie, transportation and supervision. For more

information, call (714) 327-7560.

FEB. 15

A computer fair will be held at the Orange County Fair and

Expositions Center Building 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sunday.

Admission for adults is $5, for children younger than 10, free. For

more information, call (800) 800-5600.

“An Evening of Ionesco,” featuring several short plays by Eugene

Ionesco, will be presented by OCC’s Repertory Theatre Company in the

Drama Lab Studio this weekend and Feb. 22 to 23. Show times are 8

p.m. Saturdays and 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Tickets cost $6 in advance,

$7 at the door. For more information, call (714) 432-5640, ext 1.

ONGOING

Teens are invited to drop by the city of Costa Mesa Recreation

Center from 2 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday for indoor and outdoor

sports and activities. The Center is at 1860 Anaheim Ave. For more

information, call (714) 327-7560.

The Newport Beach City Hall is displaying watercolor paintings by

Juan Casado, Ned Parsons, Raymond Otis and Jim Teegarden through

March 28 at 3300 Newport Blvd. For more information, call (949)

717-3870.

The Assn. of Business Services hosts a networking meeting that

deals with education connections from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on the second

Tuesday of every month at the Holiday Inn at 3131 Bristol St., Costa

Mesa. For more information, call (949) 805-0011.

The Newport Beach Public Library hosts an hour of stories and

crafts for children in kindergarten through the second grade at the

Corona del Mar branch from 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays. The library is at

420 Marigold Ave. For more information, call (949) 717-3800.

Free tours of the Orange County Performing Arts Center take guests

to the dressing rooms, performer’s lounge, backstage and on stage at

10:30 a.m. every Wednesday and Saturday at 600 Town Center Drive,

Costa Mesa. Group tours can be held by special arrangement. For more

information, call (714) 556-ARTS, ext. 833.

The Newport Beach Newcomers Club holds a general meeting on the

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

female residents in Newport Beach 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.