While I was brainstorming and researching activities and events for this month’s column, I decided to do a Wikipedia search (my new favorite Internet hobby) on the month of April.

I learned April is known for more than just April Fools Day, Earth Day and Easter. April is also the home of National Adult Films Week and VD Awareness Month (I’m sure they’re in the same month for a reason), and my personal favorite, Egg Salad Week.

April also welcomes the arrival of spring, and with that the opportunity to enjoy the blossoming San Diego weather. So put on those pastels you’ve been itching to wear and check out one of the following activities in San Diego!

Last month, a friend came to visit from out of town, and while we were sightseeing, I realized something: After living in San Diego for almost five years, I really haven’t seen San Diego.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen pretty much what nightlife San Diego has to offer, and I make the trek to the beach every weekend during the summer. However, when it comes to checking out the city sights, I’m like a virgin in a gay bar (if there is such a thing) – lost and without a guide.

So if you’re like me and need a quick course in San Diego history, or want to give a visitor a spin around town, then jump on Old Town Trolley Tours. Tickets are $30 per person and provide an educational and entertaining two-hour narrated tour of San Diego, including pit stops in Old Town, Seaport Village and Coronado. You can hop on and off the trolley all you want; just make sure to catch one departing every 30 minutes from one of eight trolley stops. The trolley operates daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the winter and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the summer; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. For more info, check out www.historictours.com/sandiego.

Florists and flower lovers alike – eat your heart out! On April 13-15, the 26th annual spectacle of art and flowers, a.k.a. Art Alive, hits the San Diego Museum of Art. An admission price of $12 grants access to the general museum, as well as the featured work of award-winning professional and amateur floral designers from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (museum members can enjoy a sneak preview on April 12 from 6-9 p.m.).

For those familiar with international designer Nico De Swert, whose work “challenges the viewer to see flowers and plants in a new light – as a medium for creating art,” consider attending his floral demonstration and lecture April 13 at 10:30 a.m. De Swert’s floral masterpieces have appeared in such magazines as Martha Stewart Living, InStyle and O: The Oprah Magazine.

There is also a Champagne Celebration planned April 13 from 6:30-8:30 p.m., as well as the Floral Fête April 14 from 7-10 p.m. Event attendees will enjoy live entertainment, hosted beverages and decadent hors d’oeuvres at both functions. Please call 619-696-1999 for tickets to these special events.

For a complete breakdown on Art Alive 2007, including a full schedule and more special event details, visit www.sdmart.org/calendar-artalive-2007.html.

I often hear people comment on the lack of diverse gay representation in mass media today. So what better way to increase awareness and visibility than to support festivals like FilmOut San Diego April 19-22 at the Ken Cinema.

This year, FilmOut boasts an amazing collection of more than 40 short and full-length films. Tickets for opening night (which includes an after-party at Top of the Park) go for $35 a piece, and $10 each for all other screenings. Watching all of those films can add up to a lot of dough, so that’s why you can purchase a Full Festival Pass for $140 or special ticket packages for $24 (includes three screenings), available only at Obelisk Bookstore.

Personally, I enjoy watching the collection of gay male short films, cleverly titled “Boy Shorts,” each year because I have a short attention span and they normally push the envelope on the depiction of sexuality and social taboos. If you want to know more about these shorts and the rest of the films, go to http://www.filmoutsandiego.com for a complete list. See you at the movies!

It’s a rare occasion when you come across a venue that combines the best in music, food, drink and ambiance, but Miso Harney Sushi in Old Town accomplishes the fusion with ease.

On Tuesdays, from 6:30-10:30 p.m., Miso Harney Sushi hosts “Bento Beatbox,” an eclectic mix of lounge beats and sushi eats (and, no, they don’t serve bento boxes – trust me, I checked). As soon as you walk through the door, you’ll notice Harney has the vibe of a downtown club, adorned with a huge fish tank as you walk in, and deep set booths and chairs. The red backlit bar and plush bar seats are all too inviting and go hand-in-hand with the progressive lounge music playing in the background – which also happened to mix in hits by Michael Jackson and Boy George. The DJs alternate each Tuesday, so you’re able to experience a different mood each time you go.

The sushi eatery only serves beer, wine and sake. But don’t fret, they also serve Han Soju (a Korean vodka), and the knowledgeable bartenders are eager to please with their inventive Asian-inspired cocktails and beverages. Name a flavor your palate desires and you shall receive.

Don’t forget to take advantage of their late-night menu from 10 p.m. to midnight, which includes $2.75 spicy tuna hand rolls, $3 gyoza and $4 albacore rolls. The most expensive item on the late-night menu is $4, so you can easily satisfy your sushi cravings on a low budget.

For hours of operation, directions and a list of menu items, as well as other special events, check out www.harneysushi.com.

Well, I won’t be buying, but I’ll be selling $2 Jell-O shots at Urban Mo’s April 14 starting at 9 p.m. to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. So if you want to see me skip around the bar and would like to support a great cause, then come by and purchase a shot or two (or more) from me. Tips are greatly appreciated.

We’re at the end of another column, so I leave you with a quote from British biologist Francis Maitland Balfour:

“The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity.”