'Elizabeth Carmel: Tuscany,' through Jan. 17 at Ordover Gallery, 410 S. Cedros, Solana Beach. (858) 720-1121, www.ordovergallery.com. Pictured is 'Tuscan Morning.' Carmel is a recipient of the prestigious Hasselblad Master Photographer award.
'Block Busters,' an interactive construction exhibit featuring KEVA Planks (Knowledge, Exploration, Visual Arts), takes kids behind the scenes to explore the work of architects and engineers, Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, 1875 El Prado, Balboa Park, $9-$10.50. (619) 238-1233, www.rhfleet.org.
Gray Whales cruises: 9:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. or 1:30 to 5 p.m. through April 4, with Scripps naturalists and San Diego Harbor Excursion, $30 weekdays, $35 weekends, kids $15, (858) 534-7336, http://aquarium.ucsd.edu.
MUSEUMS & GALLERIES "Consuming Passion: Books on Food and Drink from UCSD American Institute of Wine & Food Culinary Collection." 360 cookbooks and other materials documenting culinary history, dating back to the 17th century, on exhibit through January at Geisel Library. (858) 534-1183, http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu.
Grace Chow's Chinese brush paintings, through January at the La Jolla Public Library, 7555 Draper. (858) 552-1657.
"Pool Series." Installation by French artist Valerie Daval features 31 paintings on canvas, through Feb. 16, The Madison Gallery, 1020 Prospect Ave., Suite 130, La Jolla. (858) 459-0836, www.madisongalleries.com.
"On Ice: Photographs by Len Jenshel and Diane Cook." The landscape of Greenland, through Feb. 13, Joseph Bellows Gallery, 7661 Girard, La Jolla. (858) 456-5620, www. Josephbellows.com.
"Manny Farber: Four Decades of Paintings and Drawings," through Feb. 24, Gotthelf Art Gallery, Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla. Gallery hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday-Friday. (858) 457-3030, www.sdcjc.org.
San Diego Plein Air Painters Exhibition. Works by Brian Belfield, Betty Blount, Rod Lingren, Tricia De Luna, Jeff Remmer and Louise Sackett, through Jan. 31, Solana Beach Library, 157 Stevens Ave., Solana Beach.
Monoprints and Watercolors by Julie Prazich. Portion of proceeds to San Diego Hospice, through Jan. 2, Solana Beach City Hall Gallery, 635 S. Highway 101, Solana Beach. (858) 720-2454.
"From Riflemen to Freshmen." Historic photographs, documents and other materials from the UCSD Archives document the World War II military activities on campus land, through Jan. 3, Mandeville Special Collections Library, Geisel Library. (858) 534-0667, ddavies@ucsd.edu.
"Darwin: Evolution/Revolution." Specimens, artifacts, original manuscripts and memorabilia. San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park, through Feb. 28. $12-$16. (619) 232-3821, www.sdnhm.org.
"American Artists from the Russian Empire." Sculptures and paintings by artists working in America during the postwar period, through Jan. 17, San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park, $4.50-$12. (619) 232-7931, www.sdmart.org.
BioScapes Digital Imaging Competition Winners. Twenty images of human, plant and animal subjects captured through light microscopes, through Feb. 6, San Diego Natural History Museum, 1788 El Prado, Balboa Park. (619) 232-3821, www.sdnhm.org.
San Diego Regional Artists' "One Foot Shows," with works by Brian Dombrowsky and Thierry Chatelain, through Jan. 17, The Museum of the Living Artists, San Diego Museum of Art, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park. (619) 236-1974, www.sandiego-art.org.
"Lyrical Landscapes." Photography of Charles Cramer, whose work appears in National Geographic Books and many others. Opening reception from 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 9, on display through May 2, San Diego Natural History Museum, 1788 El Prado, Balboa Park. (619) 232-3821, www.sdnhm.org. "The Da Vinci Experience" features more than 60 replicas of the transportation, military and mechanical devices developed by da Vinci, plus reproductions of 12 of his famous paintings, through Jan. 31, San Diego Air and Space Museum, 2001 Pan America Plaza, Balboa Park. (619) 234-8291, www.sandiegoairandspace.org.
Master works. Paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, Fragonard, Copley, Johnson, Bierstadt and more. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Free. Timken Museum of Art, 1500 El Prado, Balboa Park. (619) 239-5548, www.timkenmuseum.org.
Walking tours by The Committee of One Hundred, dedicated to the preservation of Spanish Colonial Architecture in Balboa Park, 9:30 a.m. the first Wednesday of each month in front of the Visitors Center, free. (619) 223-6566, www.C100.org.
CONCERTS Salute to Vienna. The Strauss Symphony of America and dancers from Kiev-Aniko Ballet of Ukraine. 2:30 p.m. Jan. 1, Copley Symphony Hall. $39-$85. (619) 235-0804, www.sandiegosymphony.com.
At the Belly Up. Atomic Groove, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 31; New Year's Eve Bash with The B-Side Players, 9 p.m. Dec. 31; Happy Hour with Buick Wilson Band, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Jan. 1; Del the Funky Homosapien with Busdriver, 9 p.m. Jan. 1; Bayou Brothers, 4 p.m. Jan. 2; 40 Oz to Freedom, 9 p.m. Jan. 2; Salsa Sunday featuring Orquesta Primo, 8 p.m. Jan. 3; New Acoustic Generation, 8 p.m. Jan. 6; "Trail By Fire" 8 p.m. Jan. 7; 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. (858) 481-8140, www.bellyup.com.
THEATER & FILM "Mummies: Secrets of Pharaohs," a 3-D film at the San Diego Natural History Museum, Balboa Park, through Jan. 31. Free with paid museum admission, $10-$16. (619) 255-0189, www.sdnhm.org.
"Fables, Friends and Fruitcakes!" Walking comedy tour of the Old Town State Historic Park, 6 p.m. Jan. 2. Tickets, $5-$10, on first-come, first-served basis at the Robinson-Rose Visitor Information Center on the Plaza, 4002 Wallace St. (619) 220-5422, www.parks.ca.gov/oldtownsandiego. "Jack and the Beanstalk," 10 and 11:30 a.m. Jan. 1 and 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Jan. 2-3 at Mary Hitchcock Puppet Theater, 2130 Pan American Place, Balboa Park. (619) 544-9203, balboaparkpuppets.com.
Comedy acts. Weekend headliners 8 and 10:30 p.m. Nightly shows Wednesday-Sunday. Tickets from $20. The Comedy Store, 916 Pearl, La Jolla. (858) 454-9176, www.comedystorelajolla.com.
Three IMAX films continue at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center through February: "Amazon," "Under the Sea" and "Adventures in Wild California." www.rhfleet.org.
La Jolla High School Improv Show. 6 to 9:30 p.m. Jan. 22, Parker Auditorium, 750 Nautilus St., La Jolla. (858) 454-3801, www.ljhs.sandi.net.
ODDS & ENDS Planetarium Show. "The Sky Tonight: Winter Solstice," 7 p.m. Jan. 6. Astronomer-led presentation with free telescope viewing outdoors on the Prado in Balboa Park (weather permitting), Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, $9-$10.50. (619) 238-1233.
Stroller strides class. Runs 9-10 a.m. Jan. 4, 5 and 7. Meet in front of Babies by the Sea boutique, 2007 San Elijo Ave., Cardiff. Fitness program for new moms and their babies. It includes Power Walking and intervals of body toning using exercise tubing and the stroller. (760) 230-4272, www.strollerstrides.com/.
SeaWorld's outdoor 5,000-square-foot ice-skating rink, beneath the 320-foot Holiday Tree of Lights, through Jan. 3; also toddler rink with double-edged rentable skates. Twelve-minute presentations of "The Polar Express 4-D Experience" with snow, fog and gusts of wind. www.seaworld.com.
"Kids Don't Come With Manuals." Partners in Parenting workshops at the La Jolla Library co-facilitated by Laurie Spiegler, MFCC, and Susan Wais, Ph.D.: "Sibling Rivalry," 4 p.m. Jan. 11; "Setting Limits and Making Them Stick," 4 p.m. Feb. 3; "Effective Praise," 4 p.m. March 3, 7555 Draper Ave., La Jolla. (858) 552-1657, www.sandiegolibrary.org.
"There's Something About Seahorses." Interactive exhibit open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. (Closed Jan. 1.) Birch Aquarium, 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, $8.50-$12. (858) 534-7336, aquarium.ucsd.edu.
"Video Views on Women, Creativity and Frivolity." Retrospective of Joyce Axelrod's prize-winning videos, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Jan. 4. Axelrod will be joined by media consultant Carol Hasson, who will engage the audience in dialogue. La Jolla Riford Library, 7555 Draper. Free. (858) 552-1657.
Support group meets. The next free monthly meeting of the relatives and close friends of the severely mentally ill is 7:15 to 9 p.m. Jan 5 in the Life Center Building of the La Jolla Presbyterian Church, 7708 Eads, La Jolla. (858) 453-0187.
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