* Send AROUND TOWN items to the...

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

Mesa, CA 92627; by e-mail to mike.swanson@latimes.com; 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

Dr. Kam Yuen, hailed as the world’s foremost practitioner of

energetic medicine, will conduct a free demonstration lecture from 7

to 9 p.m. at Visions and Dreams in Costa Mesa. Yuen is a legendary

personality in martial arts and healing, and has developed a

groundbreaking energetic healing protocol that encompasses the most

ancient Chinese techniques along with Western alternative medicine

modalities and principles of quantum physics. Information: (818)

772-5585.

THURSDAY

Shakespeare fans are invited to join performing artist Dorene

Ludwig for “Shakespeare’s Ladies” at 7 p.m. at the Newport Beach

Central Library. Co-sponsored with the California Center for the

Book, the free program will include dramatic readings featuring the

dialogue of witches, wenches, virgins and queens in Shakespeare’s

plays. The library is at 1000 Avocado Ave. Information: (949)

717-3816.

Community Conservancy International will hold a public planning

workshop on restoring Big Canyon from 6 to 9 p.m. at St. Andrew’s

Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach. Information: (310) 475-0797.

FRIDAY

The YMCA in Newport Beach, 2300 University Drive, will start

offering sessions of Hatha yoga and meditation Fridays from 9:30 to

11 a.m. and Saturdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The cost is $60 for eight

sessions. Discounted rates will be offered to full-facility YMCA

members. Information: (949) 413-9642.

SATURDAY

Macy’s South Coast Plaza, Seventeen magazine and actors from the

soap opera “Passions” will team up to help girls achieve the perfect

look for the new school year at 2 p.m. in the Macy’s Women’s store.

Customers can also pick up a special gift with any purchase of $75 or

more, plus a free gift bag compliments of Seventeen magazine.

Reservations: (714) 556-0611, ext. 4231.

TUESDAY

A free seminar, “Solutions for Sciatica,” will be held from 6:30

to 7:30 p.m. at Mother’s Market, 225 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa. For

reservations, call (800) 595-MOMS.

SEPT. 10

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce will host a breakfast buffet

at the Daily Grill in Fashion Island from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. as its

Newport Networking event for September. The cost is $17 for Chamber

members with a reservation and $21 at the door for members and

potential members. Information: (949) 729-4400.

Speak Up Newport will hold its monthly general membership meeting

at the Newport Beach Tennis Club, 2601 Eastbluff Drive. Snacks will

be served starting at 5:30 p.m. and the program will begin at 6 p.m.

This month’s topic is: “The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce--The

City’s Greatest Ally.” Information: (949) 729-4400.

SEPT. 11

Four of California’s pre-eminent sports authors will make up a

panel that will discuss “Sports Literature: Bringing the Game to

Life” at 7 p.m. at Borders South Coast Plaza. Los Angeles Times

columnist Bill Plaschke, Orange County Register columnist Steve

Bisheff, and authors David Ferrell and Don Wallace will make up the

panel. Information: (714) 279-8933.

A free seminar, “Holistic Organic Skin Care,” will be held from

6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Mother’s Market, 225 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa.

Reservations: (800) 595-MOMS.

SEPT. 12

The Costa Mesa Senior Center, in celebration of Costa Mesa’s 50th

anniversary, presents the CostAmazing Senior Hoedown, featuring live

western music by the Travis Parker Band, dancing and barbecue, from 4

to 7 p.m. The Costa Mesa Senior Center is at 695 W. 19th St. The cost

is $5 for members, $11 for nonmembers, $5 for kids. Tickets go on

sale Aug. 15 at the center’s front desk and at Costa Mesa City Hall,

on the third floor in the Recreation department. Information: (949)

645-2356.

Inventors Forum, the Orange County based nonprofit inventors’

support group, presents a seminar on “Putting it all Together” by Len

Stober, faculty member of Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design.

Registration and networking begin at 7 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. seminar

at Orange Coast College’s science lecture hall. The cost is $5 for

members and $15 for nonmembers. Information: (714) 540-2491.

SEPT. 13

The sixth annual Financial Strategies Conference for Women will

run from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Hilton in Costa Mesa, 3050

Bristol St. The conference will address personal finance, budget

planning, investing, retirement, preparing for college expenses,

taxes, insurance and more. The cost is $79 if you register by Aug. 28

and $99 by Sept. 5. Information: (949) 588-2429.

William F. Schulz, executive director of Amnesty International

USA, will be the featured speaker at Orange Coast Unitarian

Universalist Church, 1259 Victoria St. in Costa Mesa, at 5 p.m.

Reserved tickets to the lecture and reception are $20 for preferred

seating and $15 otherwise. A few tickets will be sold at the door.

Information: (949) 646-4652.

Ballet Pacifica will host auditions Sept. 13 and 14 for its annual

holiday production of “The Nutcracker.” About 120 dancers will be

selected for the production’s two casts, comprised of Ballet

Pacifica’s 15-member company and dance students from throughout the

Southland. A $15 audition fee will be required of all participants.

Auditions and rehearsals will be at 1824 Kaiser Ave. in Irvine, and

will begin at 3 p.m. Sept. 13 for beginners and intermediates, 10

a.m. Sept. 14 for advanced dancers. Information: (949) 851-9930.

SEPT. 14

“An Israeli Skin Care and Spa Day” will be offered by the National

Council of Jewish Women, Orange County Advocacy Branch and Hillel of

Orange County from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Orange County Jewish

Federation, 250 E. Baker St. in Costa Mesa. Admission is free.

Information: (949) 497-2562.

The 42nd annual Sandcastle Contest will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

at Corona del Mar State Beach. The contest is limited to the first 45

teams of eight people and is open to participants of all ages and

skill levels. Each team member will receive a T-shirt and winning

teams will receive a commemorative award. Price per team is $60 for

architecture firms, $40 for all other businesses and $30 for other

organizations and families. Information: (949) 729-4400.

SEPT. 15

The Corona del Mar Residents Assn. will hold its general meeting

at 6:30 p.m. at the Oasis Center, 800 Marguerite Ave. Announcements

about the festivities and events for Corona del Mar’s 100th year 2004

celebration and updates about crosswalk and median improvements

affecting residents will be made. Information: (949) 644-3244.

SEPT. 16

Gen Kelsang Tubpa of the Vajrarupini Buddhist Center in San Diego

will give a free talk, “Guide to the Bodhisattva,” at 7 p.m. at

Borders South Coast Plaza. The talk will be based on “The New

Meditation Handbook,” the latest book by Buddhist scholar, teacher

and author Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Information: (714) 279-8933.

International law professor Victor Conde of Trinity University

will present “International Law and Civil Liberties, How Does the

United States Stack Up?” at an ACLU of Orange County meeting at 7

p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Costa Mesa. Information:

(714) 957-6107.

SEPT. 17

Newport Beach recreation services will present a new series of

drawing and painting workshops featuring individual instruction for

students of all skill levels in mixed media. The sessions, led by

artist and lecturer Mimi Sharon Stein, will run eight consecutive

Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Vince Jorgensen Center,

2005 Dover Drive in Newport Beach. The fee for the series is $66.

Information: (949) 644-3151.

A free seminar, “The Immune System and Beyond,” will be held from

6:30 to 8 p.m. at Mother’s Market, 225 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa.

Reservations: (800) 595-MOMS.

The Newport Beach Newcomers September general meeting will be at

10 a.m. at the Clubhouse at the Colony, 5100 Colony Plaza. Lunch will

be served for $15 and a surprise speaker will be in attendance.

Information: (949) 645-9922.

SEPT. 18

The Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce has selected Back Bay Fitness

experts and co-founders Katherine Coltrin and Lisa McGhee to speak on

the importance of implementing corporate fitness programs in the

workplace. Coltrin and McGhee will present “Find the balance --

scheduling and keeping an exercise/fitness/wellness regime for the

busy executive” at 8 a.m. at the Costa Mesa Country Club.

Information: (714) 573-2746.

SEPT. 19

The 15th Taste of Newport, featuring food samplings from more than

30 local restaurants, spectacular live entertainment, more than 15

wineries, cocktails and beers, will run today to Sept. 21 at Fashion

Island. Today’s hours are 6 to 11 p.m. Information: (949) 729-4400.

SEPT. 20

Mother’s Market will celebrate its 25th anniversary from 11 a.m.

to 3 p.m. Specials and free samples will be available while they

last. Mother’s Market is at 225 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa. Information:

(800) 595-MOMS

“Celebrating the Past ... and Rebuilding for the Future” is a

two-day fund-raiser to benefit education, interpretation and

restoration efforts at the Crystal Cove State Park Historic District.

The events, from 4 to 9 p.m. Sept. 20 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sept. 21, will celebrate four years of preservation efforts and the

beginning of restoration scheduled for October under the park’s

direction. For more information, call (949) 640-5220.

The 15th Taste of Newport, featuring food samplings from more than

30 local restaurants, spectacular live entertainment, more than 15

wineries, cocktails and beers, will continue today at Fashion Island.

Today’s hours 4 to 11 p.m. and noon to 8 p.m. Sept. 21. Information:

(949) 729-4400.

Board a Hornblower yacht in Newport Harbor and relive the fun of

summer camp -- for grown-ups only -- with elegant food and harbor

views. The $100 ticket includes dinner, live music and dancing.

Proceeds will benefit underserved girls. For more information, call

Girl Scout Council of Orange County at (714) 979-7900, ext. 315 or

397.

SEPT. 21

The 15th Taste of Newport, featuring food samplings from more than

30 local restaurants, spectacular live entertainment, more than 15

wineries, cocktails and beers, will conclude today at Fashion Island.

Today’s hours noon to 8 p.m. Information: (949) 729-4400.

Chef Sumiko Matsumoto will discuss and sign her book, “Japanese

Healthy, High-Style Cooking,” at noon at Borders South Coast Plaza.

Matsumoto’s approach to cooking has brought her an exclusive

clientele in select settings such as Lake Forest, Illinois, La Jolla,

Palm Springs and Boca Raton, Fla. Information: (714) 279-8933.

Antonello Ristorante in South Coast Plaza Village will host the

11th annual “La Dolce Vita” at 6 p.m. to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis

Foundation. The evening includes an exquisite four-course meal

prepared by Franco Barone, who was recognized as “Chef of the Year”

by the Southern California Restaurant Writers. Tickets cost $150 or

$1,500 for a table of 10. Information: (714) 938-1393.

SEPT. 22

Dr. Khosrow Mahdavi will present “Chemotherapy of Gastrointestinal

Cancers” as part of Hoag Hospital’s Gastrointestinal Cancer Patient

Education Series from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the Hoag Cancer Center.

Admission is free, but registration is required by Sept. 15.

Information: (949) 7-CANCER.

SEPT. 24

The Friends of Orange Coast College’s library will host “Rabbit

Island: Let the Adventure Begin!” at 7 p.m. in the Norman E. Watson

Library. The lecture will focus on the 36-acre, heavily wooded

British Columbia island donated to OCC and its school of sailing and

seamanship last spring. Information: (714) 432-5725.

A free seminar, “Your Menotype, Your Menopause,” will be held from

6:30 to 8 p.m. at Mother’s Market, 225 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa.

Reservations: (800) 595-MOMS.

SEPT. 25

The Orange County affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer

Foundation will pay tribute to the sponsors of its 12th annual Komen

Orange County Race for the Cure on Sept. 28 in Fashion Island with a

VIP sponsors reception from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Turnip Rose in Costa

Mesa. Information: (714) 957-9157.

A free seminar, “The Adrenal Connection,” will be held from 6:30

to 7:30 p.m. at Mother’s Market, 225 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa.

Reservations: (800) 595-MOMS.

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce will host its Newport Sunset

Networking Mixer from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Marriott’s Newport Coast

Villas, 23000 Newport Coast Drive. Attendance is free for chamber

members and $10 for potential members. Information: (949) 729-4400.

Panera Bread Bakery-Cafe, at 1348 Bison Ave. in Newport Beach,

will host a grand opening reception benefiting Share Our Selves from

6 to 8 p.m. The cost is $15 per person. Information: (949) 642-3451.

SEPT. 26

Orange Coast College’s school of sailing and seamanship has

scheduled a three-day cruise to Catalina aboard the Alaska Eagle, a

65-foot vessel that has returned from a 13-month trip from Newport

Beach to Antarctica. The cost for the three-day trip is $430 per

person. Information: (949) 645-9412.

The Oasis Senior Center will hold a preview rummage sale from 9

a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission costs $3. The center, at 800 Marguerite Ave.

in Corona del Mar, will be accepting donations from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

weekdays from Sept. 8 to 23. Information: (949) 646-4131.

A free 15-minute consultation about naturopathic programs will be

held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mother’s Market, 225 E. 17th St.,

Costa Mesa. Reservations: (800) 595-MOMS.

SEPT. 27

The Oasis Senior Center will hold a rummage sale from 9 a.m. to 2

p.m. Attendance is free. The center, at 800 Marguerite Ave. in Corona

del Mar, will be accepting donations from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays

from Sept. 8 to 23. Information: (949) 646-4131.

SEPT. 29

Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa will host the second

Bayside/Bistango Charity Golf Tournament starting at 10 a.m.

Registration and a putting contest will run from 8:30 to 10 a.m. The

$170 fee includes registration, the golf tournament, wine tasting,

box lunch, a catered dinner and live entertainment. All proceeds will

benefit a local charity. Information: (949) 752-5222.

SEPT. 30

A free seminar, “Nature’s Magic Plant Power: The Key to Health,”

will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Mother’s Market, 225 E. 17th

St., Costa Mesa. Reservations: (800) 595-MOMS.