It's about that time of year. Spring is in the air. Makes you want to get fancy and drink some wine, right? "Wines from Around the World" is the theme for the eighth-annual Las Olas Wine and Food Festival. In addition to sampling a fine selection of wines, browse the galleries and unique shops, enjoy live entertainment, or sample food from 30 participating restaurants along Las Olas. And the best part, besides the boozin' and good eats, is that the festival benefits the American Lung Association of South Florida. Eat, drink, and help charity at 7 p.m. on Las Olas Boulevard between SE Sixth Avenue and SE 11th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale. Tickets cost $40 in advance and $45 the night of the festival. Call 954-524-4657.
Friday, March 21
Remember that whole "rock revival" a few years ago? The media hyped every mop-topped rocker who stumbled out of a magazine as the saviors of rock. It was ridiculous, of course, since rock never went anywhere. But what about the more subtle and refined musical genres? The Palm Beach Coastmen think it's about time to focus on a less ubiquitous form of entertainment. Their 50th Jubilee show, Barbershop on Broadway, presents a no-holds-barred theatrical event to celebrate the preservation of a timeless musical style. The Coastmen consist of about 70 men of all ages. Their unique sound, traditionally sung in a four-part harmony, creates the typical barbershop harmony. Mix that together with white pants and snazzy bow ties and brace for an evening of a capella madness. The Palm Beach Coastmen, with special guests Chordiac Arrest, perform at Boynton Beach High School (6510 Park Ridge Blvd., Boynton Beach) at 7:30 p.m. today and 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets cost $15. Call 561-683-6323.
Saturday, March 22
Yoga joints have sprouted up across South Florida like some sort of biblical plague. Simple laws of supply and demand would dictate that eventually the area would no longer be able to accommodate new places to contort your body at odd angles. But unlike its contemporaries, Inspire Yoga (918 NE 20th Ave., Second Floor, Fort Lauderdale) tries to be not just a yoga store but also a sort of New-Agey performance space and artist gallery. From 6 to 10 p.m. today, Inspire Yoga presents "Goddess/Bitch: Nine Artists Interpret the Feminine." New works in a variety of media try to capture aspects of modern femininity, and artists such as Hegina Rodrigues, Richard Favilli, Lisa Hodapp, Terry Dedrick, Jim Grubb, and Karen Gavrilov are on hand to meet, greet, and describe their art. Local jam band Jerrods Door, which has grown from loose drum-circle collective to tight, talented musicians in the past several months, provides entertainment. Admission is free. Call 954-828-1651.
Sunday, March 23
To people who believe that true talent in rock music has always meant original songwriting, the 40-year career of Joe Cocker mystifies and appalls. Blessed with a soulful voice that he uses to overwrought effectiveness, Cocker made a career out of interpreting the hits of others. When he was at his best, he could even give the Beatles a run for their money, as his versions of "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" and "With a Little Help from My Friends" testify. When he took the work of somewhat lesser artists, there was simply no comparison. At his worst, though, Cocker's hysterics left many scratching their heads. A steady decline throughout the 1980s and 1990s, except for the occasional peak such as "Unchain My Heart," was precipitated by a love of liquor that reached legendary status even in the booze-drenched world of rock 'n' roll. Sadly, after leaving Capitol Records in the early 1990s, Cocker hopped around on a few labels before landing with CMC International, which caters to washed-up rock stars (labelmates include Eddie Money and Dokken). As a result, the man's most recent work has served the adult contemporary set, losing a great deal of the emotion of the Cocker of old. But live performance has always been Cocker's forte, and perhaps his show at Gulfstream Park (901 S. Federal Hwy., Hallandale Beach) at 2:30 p.m. might showcase a wail or two yet. Admission is $5. Call 954-454-7000.
Monday, March 24
To many among the wave-shredding set, Florida surfer seems a bit of an oxymoron. Waves along the Florida coast often fall short of anything resembling surfable swells. Surfers must find a very few select spots along the coastline or else wait for the next hurricane to roll in. Given that most have to wait for large waves with powerful outgoing currents to catch a decent ride, it's a good idea to know what you're doing before you head into the water with your board. At John D. MacArthur Beach State Park (A1A at the north end of Singer Island, North Palm Beach) at 2 p.m., park ranger Rob Matriscino offers an Intro to Surfing. You'll learn all the basics, including board selection, how to read waves, and safety concerns. Reservations are required, and admission is $3.25 per vehicle. Call 561-624-6952.
Tuesday, March 25
It takes a rare eye to find beauty in a bog, but Steven Nestler has been blessed with that kind of sight. The photographer, whose landscapes are included in the collections of Ansel Adams, the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Fogg Museum at Harvard University, brings his prints to the Mark K. Wheeler Gallery (Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, 1799 SE 17th St., Fort Lauderdale) this week with "Reflections and Revelations: Steven Nestler's Images of Florida." The exhibit of Florida landscapes opened March 21 and continues through April 11, but the reception takes place today from 5 to 8 p.m. Call 954-463-3000.
Wednesday, March 26
It's about time Patsy Cline got a tribute. The country star who crossed musical boundaries with heartfelt hits like "Crazy," "I Fall to Pieces," and "Walking After Midnight," gets her due at the Pompano Beach Civic Center (1801 NE Sixth St., Pompano Beach). A Tribute to Patsy Cline features the theatrical stylings of C.J. Harding, who has been impersonating Patsy for six years. Harding tucks her blond hair under a brown wig, ties on a scarf, and belts out Cline's hits. Forty years after her untimely death in a plane crash, Cline's influence and legend live on. Dust off those rhinestone-studded cowboy boots, and get thee some Patsy. Tickets cost $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Call 954-786-4111.
