* Send AROUND TOWN items to the...

* 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 UC Irvine chancellor’s distinguished fellows series presents

“Artwork of Keith Piper,” a lecture and exhibition by the

internationally known British artist, at 7 p.m. in the Studio Art

Complex, Room 160. Best known as a leading figure central to the

inception and development of the 1980s British Black Art movement,

Piper works in a broad range of media, including digital

technologies. For more information on the free event, call (949)

824-7372.

TUESDAY

Julia Sweeney of “Saturday Night Live” fame will speak at the 16th

annual Circle 1,000 Founders’ Brunch from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Four

Seasons Hotel in Newport Beach. Sweeney will share her touching,

humorous and heartbreaking account of the loss of her brother and her

incredible survival of cervical cancer. Cost is $150 per person, and

proceeds benefit the Hoag Cancer Center. Call (949) 574-7204 for more

information.

“Smart Women Finish Rich” is a free workshop with complimentary

gourmet catered dinner at 6:30 p.m. at the Art Gallery International

in Costa Mesa. Limited seating. For more information, call (800)

876-0353 or send e-mail to bob.voorhees@agedwards.com.

WEDNESDAY

A free seminar and book signing for “A Portrait For Healing” by

Richard Manley will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Mother’s Market,

225 East 17th St., Costa Mesa. For reservations, call (800) 595-MOMS.

Join Newport Beach city leaders, students from Harbor View

Elementary School and a state forester for the 13th annual Arbor Day

celebration at 10:30 a.m. at Grant Howald Park at 5th and Iris

avenues in Corona del Mar. For more information, call (949) 644-3154.

The school of biological sciences at UCI presents “Victim,

Vectors, and Vaccines: The Battle Against Malaria in the 21st

Century,” a lecture by Dr. Anthony James at 7 p.m. in the Crystal

Cove Auditorium in the Student Center. The event is free and open to

the public, but reservations are required. For reservations or

information, call (949) 824-7252.

FRIDAY

The second annual Newport Beach Relay For Life, a 24-hour team

walking event, hopes to raise money and increase cancer awareness in

the Newport-Mesa community. Ten- to 15-member teams can register for

$150 before April 28. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. at Newport Harbor

High School Stadium and ends the next day at 6:30 p.m. For more

information, call the American Cancer Society at (949) 567-0634.

SATURDAY

The UC Irvine Arboretum hosts its annual Spring Perennial Sale,

featuring unusual perennials from South Africa and around the globe,

from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the

arboretum . Experts will be available to answer questions. Admission

costs $2 for adults. Children younger than 12 get in for free. For

more information, send e-mail to ldlyons@uci.edu.

Oceans of Orchids, a show and sale sponsored by the Newport Harbor

Orchid Society, will take place today and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5

p.m. at the Costa Mesa Community Center. General admission is $3,

seniors’ admission is $2, and parking is free. Call (949) 515-9538

for more information.

SUNDAY

Three young scholarship winners will be part of the California

Women’s Chorus’ 34th annual Scholarship Benefit Concert. The music

students will join female vocalists from throughout California when

the 200-voice chorus presents “Surf ‘n Sing” at 2 p.m. in the Sutton

Place Hotel, 4500 MacArthur Blvd. in Newport Beach. Tickets are $15

in advance and $18 at the door. Call (949) 262-0579 or (714) 840-4568

for tickets or information.

“Happy Voices!” from Saint Michael’s children’s choirs, the

Cerubim and Seraphim, can be heard at St. Michael and All Angels

Episcopal Church in Corona del Mar at 5 p.m. For information, call

(949) 644-0463.

“The New Iraq,” a presentation by Huw Anwyl, will address what’s

next, who will be making decisions, and whether democracy will work

in Iraq after the war at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church

in Corona del Mar at 7 p.m. For information, call (949) 644-0463.

MAY 6

An instructor from the American Feng Shui Institute will explain

how elemental remedies are implemented as elegant accessories that

complement your decor to improve health, relationships and

prosperity. Reservations for the 7 p.m. seminar at Visions and Dreams

in Costa Mesa are required. Call (626) 288-1669 for more information.

A free seminar and door prizes on “Skin Care, Health and Beauty”

will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Mother’s Market, 225 East 17th

St., Costa Mesa. For reservations, call (800) 595-MOMS.

MAY 7

A free seminar and book signing of “Stress and Disease” by Herb

Lewis will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Mother’s Market, 225 East

17th St., Costa Mesa. For reservations, call (800) 595-MOMS.

MAY 13

A free seminar on “Muscles in Motion” by Judith Todero will be

held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Mother’s Market, 225 East 17th St.,

Costa Mesa. For reservations, call (800) 595-MOMS.

MAY 15

A free seminar and book signing of “Stop the Clock Cooking” by

Cheryl Forberg will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Mother’s Market,

225 East 17th St., Costa Mesa. For reservations, call (800) 595-MOMS.

MAY 20

A free seminar and book signing of “Why the Weight? Dare to be

Great!” by author Jean Kruegar will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at

Mother’s Market, 225 East 17th St., Costa Mesa. For reservations,

call (800) 595-MOMS.

MAY 21

A free seminar and book signing of “The Digestion Connection” by

Dr. Mark Stengler will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Mother’s

Market, 225 East 17th St., Costa Mesa. For reservations, call (800)

595-MOMS.

MAY 24

A book signing and personal appearance by author James Balch for

his book “Prescription for Nutritional Healing” will be held from 11

a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mother’s Market, 225 East 17th St., Costa Mesa. For

reservations, call (800) 595-MOMS.

ONGOING

Volunteer drivers are needed to help deliver nutritiously prepared

meals to homebound, frail or elderly clients incapable of shopping or

cooking for themselves through “Mobile Meals,” sponsored by

FISH-Harbor Area Inc. and Hoag Hospital. Call (949) 645-8050 for more

information.

Registration is now open for runners and walkers of all ages for

the 22nd annual Corona del Mar Scenic 5K Race & two-mile Fun Walk on

June 7. Pre-registration fees are $22 for the run/walk and $12 for

the Dolphin Dash. Registration on the day of the race is $30 for the

run/walk. Separate races for men and women are limited to 1,500

runners. Call (949) 644-3151 to register.

If your orchid is too big for its pot, Green Systems International

will show you how to re-pot your plant during their free

orchid-potting seminar every Saturday at 2 p.m. A plant sale is held

from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the 20362 Birch St. facility. Call (949)

756-1211 for information.

Discover the secrets of Carbon Canyon Regional Park as you walk

through groves of beautiful Coastal Redwood trees every Saturday at

8:30 a.m. Parking is $4. Call (714) 996-5252 for more information.

Team Survivor, a nonprofit organization encouraging women who have

been through cancer treatment to exercise, hosts “Walk and Talk” at

10 a.m. the second and fourth Friday of the month in front of

NIKEgodess store in Fashion Island. Members meet for lunch after at

Atrium court. It is free, and all fitness levels are welcome. For

more information, call (949) 275-3888.

Newport Community Counseling Center offers a way to stop the cycle

of domestic violence through the support group In S.A.F.E. Hands.

S.A.F.E. stands for safety, awareness, faith and empowerment. The

group meets Mondays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Free. For more information,

call (949) 721-8079.

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 Walking Club meets at the corner of Superior and

Hospital Road in Newport Beach at 9:15 a.m. and 7 p.m. everyday. For

more information, call (949) 650-1332.

The Newport Beach Cake Decorating Club meets from 7 to 9 p.m. on

Thursday nights at Superior and Hospital Road in Newport Beach. For

more information, call (949) 650-1332.

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.

“Divorce: A New Beginning,” a workshop for men and women divorced

or getting divorced, is held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 180

Newport Center Drive on the third Saturday of every month. Cost is

$40. For more information, call 644-6435.

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 women

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.

Oasis Senior Center holds a pancake breakfast from 7:30 to 10 a.m.

on the second Saturday of every month. Breakfast includes pancakes,

sausage, coffee and orange juice for $3, $1 for children. The center

is at 800 Marguerite, Corona del Mar. For more information, call

(949) 644-3244.

Macy’s South Coast Plaza presents “Workshop Wednesdays: A Hands-on

Cooking Class Program” hosted by chef Alexx Guevara. The class is

held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays at 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa.

The cost, including materials, is $30. To reserve a spot, call (818)

994-5075.

Yoga and rhythm, “Yogarhythmics” combines yoga, dance and fun. The

class is held from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. Tuesdays at 2850 Mesa Verde

Drive East, Suite 111, Costa Mesa. For more information, call (714)

754-7399.

“Earthquakes -- Not If, But When” will be re-broadcast through

April 12 on Adelphia and Cox cable systems for Newport Beach. The

show has been edited to 30 minutes and runs Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m.,

Wednesdays at 9 p.m. and Saturdays at 7 p.m.

The Newport Harbor Nautical Museum offers the exhibit “Your

Majesty, There Is No Second: The America’s Cup 1851-2003” through

April 30. The museum is at 151 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Newport

Beach. Free admission. For more information, call (949) 673-7863.

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 $14. 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.