Encinitas event briefs: Feb. 28

North Coast Rep to present Richard Lederer’s ‘Presidents Tonight’

Who was our youngest American president? Who was our oldest? Who were our tallest, shortest, and fattest? Union-Tribune language columnist Richard Lederer will uncover a treasury of fascinating facts about our American presidents at “Presidents Tonight,” Which will be held Monday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach.

Lederer is the author of more than 50 books about language, history, and humor. including his best-selling Anguished English series and his current books, Amazing Words, Lederer on Language, and Monsters Unchained! Lederer’s column, “Lederer on Language,” appears weekly in the San Diego Union-Tribune, and he is a founding co-host of “A Way With Words” on KPBS Public Radio. He has been named International Punster of the Year and Toastmasters International’s Golden Gavil winner.

The North Coast Repertory Theatre is located at 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach, 92075. Tickets are $25 with discounts for students, military, and educators. Call 858-481-1055 or visit www.northcoastrep.org to purchase tickets.

SDA Family Forum: What You Need to Know About Vaping

On Wednesday, March 18, San Dieguito Academy will hold a family forum on “Vaping, E-Cigarettes and the Adolescent Brain” from 6:30 – 8 p.m. in the Mosaic Café.

Get the latest information on vaping and a new generation of vape products - Puff Bars, flavored products, e-cigarettes, etc. Learn about the everchanging landscape on vaping from a public education specialist and about the effects on the adolescent brain from a UCSD researcher.

The event is free and open to the public. Middle school and high school students and parents are encouraged to attend. Hosted by San Dieguito Academy Foundation and San Dieguito Alliance for Drug Free Youth. San Dieguito Academy is located at 800 Santa Fe Drive in Encinitas.

Free concert at Cardiff Library

The Friends of the Cardiff Library will host a free concert on Wednesday, March 4: Drought Tolerant. Enjoy an evening of bluegrass from 7-8 p.m. This band has been featured at many bluegrass festivals throughout the years and is known for its outstanding musicianship and harmonies.

The concert will be held at the Cardiff Library Community Room, 2081 Newcastle Ave., Cardiff-by-the-Sea. Call the Friends of the Library Book Nook/Bookstore: 760-635-1000 for more information.

After School STEAM Enrichment Courses

San Diego Lab Rats offers enrichment courses designed for students in Grades K-8 who are eager to learn more about science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. Courses offered include Robotics, Tiny Engineers, Computer Code Masters, It’s My Business, Light & Signals, Musical Spanish, Biology is All Around Us, Builder Buddies, Family STEAM Day and Money Matters (for adults). These courses take place at varying times now through March 28 at STEAM Discovery Center at Encinitas Boys & Girls Club, 1221 Encinitas Blvd. $30 drop-in. Optional add-on: $10 for pick-up from select elementary schools. (760) 450-4717. sdlabrats.org or contact@sdlabrats.org

Glissando International Piano Festival

Glissando International Piano Festival includes several concerts that will take place at the Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Drive. The Opening Ceremony & Concert is free and takes place 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, featuring performances by past winners.

The Young Artists Recital takes place 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29 and will feature talented young pianists selected by the faculty. The Piano Cake Party is an opportunity to have fun, enjoy food and meet the artists. It will take place after the recital at 6 p.m. and will be followed by the Glissando Artists Recital at 7 p.m. This recital will feature pianists from the U.S., Malaysia and Russia. General all-day admission for Feb. 29 is priced at $50. For tickets and more information about the international piano recital, visit glissando.org/schedule

First Sunday Music Series: Kembang Sunda

The San Diego-based ensemble performs Sundanese gamelan degung music from West Java, Indonesia. Degung music developed in the royal Sundanese courts of West Java beginning in the fourteenth century to welcome guests, accompany dance and aid in meditation. The instruments consist primarily of tuned bronze idiophones and gongs. This performance takes place 2-3 p.m. Sunday, March 1 at the Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Drive. Free. (760) 753-7376.

Sorelle Women’s Chorus: A Thousand Sweet Refrains

Sorelle Women’s Chorus of 26 sings will be joined by Gunnar Biggs (bass), Warren Gref and Doug Hall (French horns), Naomi Alter (harp), Erica Gamble (flute) and Jill Ballard (tambourine). The mood will shift between Holst’s setting of Keats’ poetry “Welcome Joy and Welcome Sorrow” to Brahms’ lush but dark themes of weeping, roaring winds, longing and grief to Alter’s lilting dance-like psalm setting with themes of kindness, truth and glory. This performance will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 1 at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, 6628 Isabel St. Suggested donation: $20, $10 (students) at the door. sorellesandiego.com/performances

La Paloma Theatre

La Paloma Theatre is now showing “Fantastic Fungi,” “JoJo Rabbit” and “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Tickets are $10, cash only. 471 Coast Hwy. 101. Show times available at lapalomatheatre.com Call (760) 436-7469 for more information.

10th anniversary Storytelling Festival event

The 10th anniversary of the Storytelling Festival will take place Saturday, March 21, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Drive, Encinitas, 92024.

The event will feature performances, gourmet food trucks, exhibits, open mic, workshops, opportunity drawing, and more. Visit storytellersofsandiego.org.

Encinitas Friends of the Library Bookstore sale

Encinitas Friends Bookstore, 540 Cornish Drive, will hold a book sale Saturday, March 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On this day the entire store with over 5,200 items is 1/2 price. Most books will be from 25 cents to $1, with CDs being 25 cents and DVDs typically $1. Books range from current fiction, children’s selections, biography, self-help and spirituality to health, history, travel and science. Friends members can start shopping at 9 a.m. Not a Friend, join at the door.

Heritage Museum Annual Meeting to include keynote speaker

Russell Low is a California-born, 4th generation Chinese-American physician and author, who is the great grandson of a transcontinental railroad worker and a rescued child slave. As keynote speaker at San Dieguito Heritage Museum’s Annual Meeting, Low will talk about the trafficking of young Chinese women as part of an illegal slave trade in the 1800s. The public is welcome to attend Low’s talk. The cost is $10.

The talk will be held at 2 p.m. on March 7, at the Encinitas Community Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive, Encinitas, 92024.

Casa de Amistad benefit ‘Sowing Seeds of Success’

Casa de Amistad, a nonprofit organization that provides mentoring and tutoring for low-income, underserved students in coastal North County San Diego, will hold its annual fundraising event, “Sowing Seeds of Success,” on Saturday, March 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Fairbanks Ranch Country Club, located at 15150 San Dieguito Rd., Rancho Santa Fe, 92067.

The event will include bottomless mimosas, three-course lunch, a silent auction, raffle, student speakers, entertainment, and more. Tickets are available to the public for $125 per individual ticket or $1,000 for a table of 10.

Casa de Amistad provides underserved children and teens from Solana Beach, Del Mar, Encinitas, Cardiff, Carlsbad, San Marcos, and Vista and their families with tutoring, educational support, and character development.

For more information about Casa or to purchase tickets for the event, visit www.casadeamistad.org or contact Nicole Mione-Green at director@casadeamistad.org.

28th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic

Come tee off with Hollywood actors and professional athletes at the 28th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic March 8 and 9 benefiting Fresh Start Surgical Gifts. Hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro, the annual golf tournament helps transform the lives of children suffering from physical deformities caused by birth defects, accidents, abuse or disease.

The festivities begin on Sunday, March 8 with a pre-tournament welcome dinner held at Morgan Run Club & Resort, 5690 Cancha de Golf, Rancho Santa Fe, 92091. The evening will include dinner, cocktails, entertainment, and a live and silent auction. The next day is when the action begins where groups will be paired with a celebrity to participate in contests.

To learn more about Fresh Start Surgical Gifts and/or learn more about the golf tournament and sponsorships, contact Tracy White at tracy@freshstart.org at 760-448-2019. To register, visit bit.ly/38bsnDn For more information, visit freshstart.org

Guitar Ensemble Performance

The Advanced Ensemble of the Encinitas Guitar Orchestra, a group of 18 local professional and amateur guitarists, will present a concert of complex orchestra works at 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 6, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 925 Balour Drive, Encinitas, 92024.

The Advanced Ensemble of the Encinitas Guitar Orchestra will feature music by Ennio Morricone, Gustav Holtz, Bach, Mozart and others, including the Boccherini guitar masterpiece “Introduction et Fandango”, as well as De Falla’s “La Vida Breve.” Orchestra players will also present solo works and small group pieces. This group is comprised of professional and advanced amateur classical guitarists from around San Diego.

For more information, including information about the upcoming spring guitar orchestra session, visit www.encinitasguitarorchestra.com

Documentary film March 6

Friday, March 6, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. San Elijo Campus of MiraCosta College, 3333 Manchester Ave, Cardiff, 92007, Room 926, Student Center Conference Room. Free, parking is free.

Documentary Film: Seadrift. In 1979, the fatal shooting of a white crabber in a Texas fishing village ignites a maelstrom of hostilities against Vietnamese refugee communities along the Gulf Coast. The film reveals the unexpected consequences that continue to reverberate today. Dr. Thao Ha, MiraCosta sociology professor, was the associate producer of this documentary and will introduce the film. Info: lifesanelijo@gmail.com

North Coast Symphony presents ‘Made in America’ Concert

The North Coast Symphony Orchestra presents “Made in America” featuring America-themed compositions and composers on Saturday, March 7, 2:30 p.m. at the San Dieguito United Methodist Church, 170 Calle Magdalena, Encinitas. The performance will include the New World Symphony by Antonin Dvorak and feature pianist Byron Chow performing Piano Concerto No. 1 by Edward MacDowell. The orchestra will also present the premier of Implied Architecture, a piece by NCSO cellist Jordan Kuspa. Funded in part by the City of Encinitas Community Grant Program, the orchestra is conducted by Daniel Swem. Admission: $10 general, $8 seniors/students/military, $25/family max. For more information, visit www.northcoastsymphony.com.

Art exhibit in Solana Beach by Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith

Rock star. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee. Six-time Grammy winner. Fine artist. Philanthropist. These are just a few ways to describe Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, who has embarked on a North American fine art tour for 2020. Road Show Company presents: “In collaboration with SceneFour: The Art of Chad Smith.” The third stop on the tour has just been announced: Solana Beach. Smith has chosen Solana Beach based on the region’s rich history of supporting music and the arts. The Art of Chad Smith opens at EC Gallery in Solana Beach beginning Thursday, Feb. 27, and extends through Sunday, March 1.

The iconic drummer will be making two live, in-person meet-the-artist appearances at the gallery: Saturday, Feb. 29 from 5-8 p.m. and Sunday, March 1 from noon – 3 p.m. All artwork will be on exhibition and available for acquisition. The exhibition as well as the Chad Smith appearances are complimentary and open to the public, RSVPs are required at 800-599-7111 or pr@ecgallery.com; however, a minimum purchase is required to spend individual time with the artist. For more information, visit www.ecgallery.com.

EC Gallery is located at 212 South Cedros Avenue, Solana Beach, 92075.

Walk the Talk, Just in Time for Foster Youth’s 7th Annual Celebration

Just in Time for Foster Youth (JIT) will hold its 7th Annual Walk the Talk on Saturday, March 14, from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine. The event will raise awareness and resources for transition age foster youth in San Diego County. The theme of this year’s fundraising celebration is “Vision 20/20”.

The festive yet relaxed evening will feature gourmet comfort food, engaging and inspirational entertainment related to JIT’s mission, and unique silent and live auctions. For more information, to purchase tickets or to sponsor or underwrite Walk the Talk, visit www.jitfosteryouth.org/walk-the-talk-2020/.

On Stage at NC Rep

North Coast Repertory Theatre presents “The Outsider,” opening 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 (preview 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21) and running through March 22. Written by Paul Slade Smith, the non-partisan satire is “overflowing with clever plot twists and is the ideal antidote for anyone overwhelmed with today’s headlines.” 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach. Tickets: From $46. (858) 481-1055.

UC Economic Roundtable: ‘The Seven Deadly Sins of Technology’

Hal Varian, chief economist, Google, will discuss The Seven Deadly Sins of Technology at 7:30 a.m. on Monday, March 2 at the UC San Diego Rady School Of Management, Multipurpose Room II.

Varian is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Economic Association and recipient of the Paul Gerowski Prize for research in industrial organization and the Humboldt Prize for general scientific research, among many other honors and distinctions. In this talk he will share some of the insights from his distinguished career in academics and business on how new technology is changing the concentration of economic power, the nature of competition, and barriers to entry for new firms. For more information or to register, visit bit.ly/2UHBtUx or email econroundtable@ucsd.edu, or call 858-534-9710. Discounts are available for UCSD faculty, staff, students and alumni.

Tony Award-winning musical ‘Sweet Charity’

Bob Fosse’s Tony Award-winning musical, “Sweet Charity,” explores the turbulent love life of Charity Hope Valentine, a hopelessly romantic but comically unfortunate dance hall hostess in New York City. With a tuneful score by Cy Coleman, sparkling lyrics by Dorothy Fields, and a hilarious book by Neil Simon, “Sweet Charity” captures all the energy, humor, and heartbreak of Life in the Big City for an unfortunate but irrepressible optimist. Musical numbers include: “Big Spender,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” “Rhythm of Life,” “I’m a Brass Band” and “Baby, Dream Your Dream.”

Production of “Sweet Charity” runs March 6-29, Friday & Saturday 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. at The Historic Brooks Theater, 217 N. Coast Hwy,Oceanside, 92054. Visit oceansidetheatre.org