Our picks of this week's events

ART

Around the world

“Globalization” means different things to different people. For one person it could mean the inequality between developed and third-world nations, but for the folks at the International Humanity Foundation (IHF), a San Diego-based organization that provides support for impoverished kids abroad, it means a chance to educate people about other cultures and their realities. From 7 p.m. to midnight Saturday, May 17, at Limbo Fine Art Gallery (1432 University Ave., Hillcrest), IHF will team up with The Love Movement, a Los Angeles art collective whose work once helped IHF raise enough money to sponsor three schoolchildren in Bali, Indonesia, for an entire year, for The World at Large: Love Without Borders. The show features the work of Michael De Feo, Wolfgang Bloch, Tyler Warren, Micke Tong and more. Your $10 cover includes a hosted bar. 619-316-2239. www.limboarts.com, www.ihfonline.org, www.tlmphilly.com.

COMEDY

Defense mechanism

A person’s name can define who they become—that’s a fact. Just ask comedian Margaret Cho, who was born Moran Cho. As you can probably guess, it didn’t take long for kids, being the heartless little assholes they are, to start calling Cho a moron. The constant abuse, though, made Cho snappy with the comebacks, helping turn her into the hardest-working, most hilarious and in-your-face bisexual Asian comedian today. See Cho kill it on stage at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 16 and 17, at Viejas Casino Concerts in the Park, 5005 Willows Road in Alpine. $30-$40. www.viejasentertainment.com.

LECTURES

Rapid fire

The term “Pecha Kucha” is derived from a Japanese word that essentially means “chit-chat,” but the event is a whole lot more than just idle small talk. Started by two architects in Tokyo, Pecha Kucha is a platform for artists, architects and designers to meet and show one another their work in a format that’s fast and effective—each presenter is allowed to show 20 images for a total of 20 seconds. It’s also meant to be a way to introduce attendees to the event space itself, which, if kept in line with the goals of the original Pecha Kucha, is an informal and inspirational kind of place where ideas can be exchanged. Pecha Kucha Tijuana is shaping up to be a forum for some of the city’s most interesting architects, designers and artists to present their work. The event starts at 8:20 p.m. Thursday, May 15, at La Antigua Bodega de Papel (located near the intersection of Avenida Revolucion and Emiliano Zapata in El Centro, Tijuana), the city’s growing cultural hot spot. Visit www.pecha-kucha.org or e-mail pechakuchatj@gmail.com.

BOOKS

Down and dirty

La Jolla author Mike Sager is nationally known for his nonfiction, work that appears regularly in the pages of Esquire. He writes real accounts of society’s underbelly, gets up-close-and-personal with celebrities and turns a story about a beautiful woman into a compelling page-turner. Sager has pretty much mastered the whole journalism thing; perhaps that’s why he finally decided to pound out his first fiction novel, Deviant Behavior, which he’ll be reading from and signing at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave. in La Jolla. The book is about a journalist who takes on an assignment that takes him to the seediest parts of Washington, D.C. Is this one a bit autobiographical, Mike? Who knows? It’s a good read either way. 858-454-0347, www.mikesager.com.

The wall: Whether you’re protesting the Olympics or not, China is probably on your cultural radar since it makes international headlines every day. But aside from the politics and drama, what do you really know about contemporary Chinese culture? A good place to start when learning about another way of life is food. Join authors Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 15, at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave. in La Jolla, for a discussion of their new cookbook, Beyond the Great Wall: Recipes and Travels in the Other China. Not only will you discover new dishes, you’ll discover a new China, too. 858-454-0347.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Got it all

Where can you catch a performance by The Silent Comedy, see acrobatics by the Sophia Isadora Academy of Circus Arts, check out tons of art by local artists and drink lots of beer, all in one place? North Park, that’s where. This year’s North Park Festival of the Arts is packed with plenty of entertainment and things to do, see and eat (the international food court looks pretty promising). And discovering an alcohol niche in the whole thing, we decided to hook our wagon to the über-cool event this year and hold the first-ever CityBeat Festival of Beers. The arts-and-entertainment part of the package goes from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, May 18, along University Avenue between 30th and 32nd streets (and it’s all free, by the way). The beer part of the deal is going down from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, too, on University Avenue between 30th and Ohio streets ($15 will get you five tasting tickets and a T-shirt). www.northparkmainstreet.com, www.citybeatbeerfest.com.

MUSIC

Setting sun

There’s nothing quite like watching the sun set or rise. Couple the experience with live music, libations and good company and you’ve got yourself a damn-near spiritual awakening. Don’t just take our word for it; head over to the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, 2300 Expedition Way in La Jolla, from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, for the first of this summer’s Green Flash Concerts. The melodic Latin rhythm band, deSol, will get you swaying while you enjoy the scenic views of the ocean from the aquarium’s outdoor tide-pool plaza. 858-534-4109 or aquarium.ucsd.edu. $20-$25.

FASHION

Make it work

B’s Purses make sense. You go online (www.bspurses.com); pick the shape, style and colors; and essentially design your own purse. Local B’s representative Tammy Rydahl will walk you through the process at the Bags & Rags Trunk Show, happening at Civil Disobedience, 1055 Craftsman Way in the 4S Ranch Commons Town Center (the address is too new for an online search; we’re told it’s near Camino del Norte at Dove Canyon) from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, May 16. Aside from the DIY bags, the boutique will have its spring line ready and waiting. They’ll also be offering discounts and giveaways all day, so stuff your purse with your good buddies Visa, Mastercard and American Express and head north. 858-675-0085.