Continuum: Madison Gallery will present the work of artist James Verbicky in an exhibition titled “Continuum.” According to Verbicky, “Continuum is a statement of my evolution as an artist along a thin, deep timeline of awareness.” Verbicky’s style is widely recognized as “unearthed,” raw primitivism that continues to capture both the artificial and transitory moments of contemporary life. A VIP reception will be held on Friday, Jan. 25 from 6-9 p.m., with the gallery opening held on Saturday, Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. The show will continue through February 2008. Madison Gallery is located at 1020 Prospect St. Ste. 130 in La Jolla. www.madisongalleries.com

SoulPlates!: Friends of Being Alive San Diego are now producing SoulPlates!, the wonderful and whimsical works of art that are the inspiration for Being Alive San Diego’s signature fund-raiser. Honorary chair, City Councilmember Donna Frye, will host the fourth annual event. Frye has created a unique soul plate each year since the event’s inception. SoulPlates! will help to raise nearly $60,000 dollars for programs and services that improve the quality of life for San Diegans living with HIV and AIDS. Live and silent auctions, complimented by cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, will complete the evening’s festivities. Tickets for the 6 p.m. event are $50. SoulPlates! will take place at Copley Symphony Hall located at 1245 Seventh Ave. in downtown San Diego. For more information call 619-291-1400 or e-mail llowe@beingalive.org.

Pucker Up: Urban Mo’s Bar & Grill is proud to support our local women’s softball team! The restaurant will host a fund-raiser for the Pucker Up team. The team will sell drink tickets good for a Bud Light or soda from 7-11 p.m. Ten tickets are $5. One ticket buys a draft Bud Light or soda, and three tickets will buy a 32 oz. draft Bud Light. Urban Mo’s is located at 308 University Ave. in Hillcrest. www.urbanmos.com

Lucky Ladies Poker: The monthly Lucky Ladies of Poker Texas Hold ‘em Tournament fund-raiser will take place at the Mission Hills United Church of Christ. Registration and social time begins at 5:30 p.m. There is a professionally taught lesson in the game at 6 p.m., and the tournament begins at 7 p.m. The buy-in is $25 and the estimated payout is $900. Remaining funds will be donated to a local charity. Snacks will be provided. Mission Hills United Church of Christ is located at 4070 Jackdaw St. in Mission Hills. For more information or to RSVP, e-mail luckyladiesofpoker@yahoo.com.

South Bay Borders Social: Members of the South Bay Alliance invite neighbors to join them on the fourth Sunday of each month between 2-4 p.m. at the Eastlake Borders Books, Music and Café. South Bay residents are invited to socialize, share their reading and enjoy a leisurely afternoon with good company! There will be a placard on the table so participants can identify the group. South Bay Alliance is a nonprofit organization building a coalition of the GLBT community and its allies for social networking, business promotion, and political action in South San Diego County. Borders is located at 878 Eastlake Pkwy. in Chula Vista. The cafe is located on the balcony level. www.southbayalliance.net

San Diego Restaurant Week: San Diego Restaurant Week is now in its fourth year as San Diego County’s largest and most successful dining event. Following the tremendous success of Restaurant Week 2007, which attracted more than 200,000 diners, the six-day culinary celebration will be held twice in 2008. The first event will run from Jan. 27-Feb. 1, and again June 22-27. Participants choose from more than 130 of the city’s best restaurants and enjoy a three-course dinner for either $30 or $40 per person, depending upon the restaurant. Participating restaurants include community favorites like Lei Lounge, Kensington Grill, Hawthorn’s, Inn At The Park, Terra, and many more. Visit www.sandiegorestaurantweek.com for list of restaurants and instructions.

Karaoke: U31 Cocktail Lounge opened in November and is one of North Park’s newest hot-spots. U31 offers live music, DJs, fashion shows, private parties, bottle service, billiards, dancing and drink specials. Tuesdays are karaoke night! The amateurs take the stage starting at 8 p.m. and show off their best! No cover. U31 is located at 3112 University Ave. www.myspace.com/U31sandiego

Rhythm & The Method: One of San Diego’s hottest up and coming bands, Rhythm & The Method, will perform a live acoustic set inside the Aztec Center Starbucks at San Diego State University. The show is part of the SDSU Associated Students Cultural Arts and Special Events Coffeehouse Series. Rhythm & The Method is a Southern-California band specializing in “original music that is in a genre all its own.” The show will run from 4:30-5:30 p.m. and is open to all ages. No cover charge. Starbucks coffee and treats will be available for sale. The Aztec Center Starbucks is located just off of College Avenue on the SDSU campus. www.myspace.com/rhythmandthemethod

Sea of Tranquility: Award-winning Old Globe playwright-in-residence Howard Korder’s Sea of Tranquility was named one of Time Magazine’s best plays of 2004. In this clever and often hilarious play, a psychologist and his wife sell their house in Connecticut and start a new life in the southwest. His attempts to heal an eclectic string of patients gradually reveal a surprising mystery – both in his past, and in the human condition. Sea of Tranquility will run through Feb. 17 at the Old Globe Theatre. Showtimes and ticket prices vary. The Old Globe Theatre is located at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park. www.theoldglobe.org

A Star is Reborn: The recently renovated, historic Balboa Theatre will celebrate its re-opening with a festive gala. The event will be at 7 p.m. and Fourth Avenue will be closed for a festive, pre-event reception including food stations from selected Gaslamp Quarter restaurants. At 8:30 p.m. a live theater event will feature a mixture of music, dance and surprise performances that will showcase the diverse array of talent that exists in San Diego, as the audience is taken on a journey through the theater’s unique history. To close out the night, a dessert reception will be held in Horton Plaza following the conclusion of the performance, around 10 p.m. Television star Mario Lopez will co-host the evening. The event is Roaring Twenties theme attire or black-tie optional. Proceeds from the event will benefit a Balboa Theater endowment fund. Tickets range from $75-$250. The Balboa Theatre is located in Horton Plaza on Fourth Avenue in Downtown San Diego. www.ccdc.com