Appa—What?: Appellations is not a word you hear often. Yet, it's the name San Diego State University professors Gail Roberts and Shondra Sherman chose for their latest exhibition at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library (1008 Wall St in La Jolla). Defined as “an identifying name or title,” it turns out that appellations is indeed a good fit for the exhibition: Roberts' paintings depict piles of found materials as reflections of the way we accumulate objects, and Sherman's metalwork employs literary references and wordplay to stimulate viewers' minds beyond what they might usually think of when they see jewelry. An opening reception will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24; the exhibition will be up until Nov. 6. ljathenaeum.org
FashionNice threads: The Thread Show, the roaming market that sells indie designers' wares, has always been regarded as the place to go to find unique, one-of-a-kind pieces, and with San Diego's short supply of indie boutiques, it's probably your best bet for finding things that not everyone else is wearing. Stop by between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 26, at the Horton Plaza Event Space, Fourth Avenue and Broadway, Downtown. There's a ton of things to choose from, whether you need new items for your home (they've got quite a few vendors selling great vintage and mid-century pieces) or a few new items for your fall wardrobe. This time around, they're launching Nosh @ Thread, where you can sample bites from local restaurants for $5 and less. threadshow.com
Music
On the case: Exene Cervenka, co-lead singer of the legendary Los Angeles band X, will draw plenty of attention as a headliner at the Adams Avenue Street Fair, but do yourself a favor and check out Peter Case, too. After fronting The Plimsouls (“A Million Miles Away”) in the late '70s and early '80s, Case turned the volume down and has been creating lovely folk and country- tinged rock ever since. Cervenka (3:45 p.m. Saturday), Case (4:45 p.m. Sunday) and some five-dozen other acts—including way too many local bands to mention (props to the organizers for supporting local music in such a huge way!)—will do their thing on six stages during the annual free festival, which goes down in the heart of Normal Heights from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 26. As usual, there will be an array of food and crafts vendors, plus carnival rides and three beer and wine lounges. Go to adamsavenuebusiness.com for a full music schedule.
Art of organizing: The San Diego Artist Organization is a new group that helps local artists with marketing, art-book publishing and putting together shows. Frederick Aguinaldo founded the group after returning from military service and being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Aguinaldo picked up painting for therapeutic reasons but quickly became a serious painter and started the organization in hopes of helping promote the arts in San Diego. Find out more about San Diego Artist Organization at an opening and book preview from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, at Market Street Village Clubhouse, 699 14th St. in East Village. The book, Brushstrokes, features works by Aguinaldo, Ric Gomez, Frank Agostino and others. sandiegoartist.org
Community
About awareness: The annual EnviroFest at Chollas Lake Park (6350 College Grove Drive in Oak Park) is mostly about having a good time. The San Diego Girls Alliance, a nonprofit that offers services to girls and young women, does a good job of providing entertainment and activities— music, hip-hop classes, yoga, tai chi, qi gong, face painting and plenty of food vendors—while slipping in the health and environmental information. At this year's EnviroFest, happening from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, attendees will learn about preservation, conservation, recycling, gardening and composting. girlsalliance.org
TheaterPacking heat: To crib from Raymond Chandler: Crime is a sucker's road, and those who travel it wind up in the gutter, the prison or the grave— or North Coast Repertory Theatre (987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Suite D, in Solana Beach). For one night only, L.A.'s Impro Theater will stage Film Noir UnScripted, its audience-inspired, off-the-pinstriped-cuff, improvisational performance set in the streets, alleys and gin joints of '40s and '50s southern California. And, yes, the troupe's detectives and dames will be dressed to kill. CityBeat theater editor Martin Jones Westlin said Impro “nailed” Dickens with its An UnScripted Carol last winter, so they'll probably put a few bullets in noir in Billy Wilder this time around. The gig starts at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28. $15- $20. northcoastrep.org
Online stripper: Long time San Diegans may recognize Paul horn's name from more than a decade's worth of bylines on San Diego Union-Tribune info-graphics. But throughout his career at the U-T and after (he left in 2006), horn has drawn a weekly online cartoon, Cool Jerk. The strip stars Armpit Beachhead, a tank-topped slacker in sun- glasses with a girlfriend named Puppy Fizgig. Other bizarre characters in the cartoon include: a trio of goth chicks called the Lynch Mob (after David Lynch), an armadillo from Dimension T. and a muscle-bound prophet wearing nipple piercings, roller-skates, a thong and a Pokemon head. horn will be signing print editions of his comics at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, at M-Theory Music (915 W. Washington St. in Mission Hills). Free. mtheorymusic.com
Lectures
Step into liquid: There's a reason the Oceanside Museum of Art (704 Pier View Way) doesn't have a photo of Richard Gleaves' installation Liquid on its website. The 8-foot cube com- posed of 19,000 feet of hanging fishing line simply doesn't photograph well—that, and it's a piece that's meant to be experienced. Poke your head in, walk through it, look at it from the bottom up. We've heard that walking through it is the closest you'll come to being immersed in water without getting wet. learn more about the concept behind the piece (and the challenges of hanging it) at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25. The talk is free with museum admission ($8). While you're there, also check out the exhibitions of contemporary, unexpected- Peter Case ly edgy, Mexican-American and Native- Richard Gleaves' installation in progress American art. oma-online.org