It used to be that Parisian artists would mingle with the bourgeoisie at streetside cafés in Montmartre. Guess it's a sign o' the times that today, pop artist Peter Max, the most famous mustachioed painter since Salvador Dalí, greets fans at the Gardens Mall (3101 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens), in its Wentworth Gallery. Max achieved fame by combining psychedelic colors and bold elements of graphic design to create his '60s "cosmic art." In the '80s, he gained popularity for his work with MTV, and he has since applied his vivid palette and sweeping brush strokes to subjects across the spectrums of music, politics, and sports. He's been the official artist for the Super Bowl, the World Series, and the Grammy Awards. He's been to the White House to paint the past six presidents. He decorated a jumbo jet that is still in use by Continental Airlines, and he once adopted a cow that had jumped over a six-foot fence to escape slaughter. Max appears from 6 to 9 p.m. RSVP by calling 561-624-0656. Can't make it? Catch him at several locations in Boca on the 13th. Visit www.petermax.com.
FRI 12
Although President Bush's recent fixation with colonizing other planets seems to have dwindled in the face of an indifferent electorate, it's still a good idea to prepare for that interplanetary move just in case. For an entertaining look at a fictitious outer space laboratory, check out Space Station 3D at the Museum of Discovery and Science Blockbuster IMAX Theater (401 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale). Space Station 3D is the story of 16 nations studying how humans react to long-term exposure to zero gravity, with the obvious goal of inhabiting Mars. Hmm... hope they work together better in space than they do on Earth. The film costs $7 for children, $8 for seniors, and $9 for adults. Call 954-463-4629.
SAT 13
Back in the day, bands had to be really offensive to get into trouble. And when the strong arm of the censors came down upon them, these bands stood up for themselves, unlike music industry do-boy Justin "Wardrobe Malfunction" Timberfake. Not only has New York's Cannibal Corpse battled the once-feared PMRC; it has been banned in several countries. With a new album, The Wretched Spawn, released this year, Cannibal Corpse continues to deliver the gore. Join Cannibal Corpse in its fight against goodness and decency as it makes its way to the Culture Room (3045 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale). The show starts at 8 p.m. with openers Hypocrisy, Exhumed, and Vile. Tickets cost $19. Call 954-564-1074.
SUN 14
Boasting an estimated 1 million visitors for only seven hours, "Calle Ocho" is the Hispanic cultural event of the year, attracting eager partiers from around the world. With live music, ethnic food kiosks, and a separate festival for kids, Calle Ocho is the street party to end all street parties. Now in its 26th year, Calle Ocho takes place throughout the streets of Little Havana in Miami. SW Eighth Street, from Fourth Avenue to 27th Avenue, is closed. Do the math -- that' s 23 blocks! Maybe that's why Carnaval Miami, the company running the event, thinks Calle Ocho should set the record for the "World's Largest Street Party" in the Guinness Book of World Records. The party starts at 11 a.m., and admission is free. Good luck with parking. Call 305-644-8888.
MON 15
It's been several years since images of war-torn Kosovo have made the evening news. For the victims of the violent ethnic spat between the Serbs and Albanians, the memory still burns freshly in their minds. On March 15, their recollections of the 1999 atrocities can be seen in Children: Kosovo 2000, a stirring film by Hungarian filmmaker Ferenc Moldovanyi. Interviewing a group of children a year after they survived the horrors, Moldovanyi paints a grim portrait of what happens when revenge gets carried too far. Children: Kosovo 2000 shows at 9 p.m. at Cinema Paradiso (503 SE Sixth St., Fort Lauderdale). Call 954-525-3456.
TUE 16
Some people are born cross-eyed. Others, bug-eyed. Jim Breuer was born looking like he'd just smoked a huge spliff. So Breuer did the sensible thing and learned to capitalize on his situation. The Saturday Night Live funnyman and star of the pot-inspired comedy Half Baked performs at Uncle Funny's Comedy Club (9160 State Rd. 84, Davie). A master of impersonations, Breuer's celebrity targets include a talk-show-hosting Joe Pesci and AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson. Also not to be forgotten is Goatboy, Breuer's half-man, half-goat SNL character that tiptoes the line between hilarity and annoyance (though probably more on the annoying side). Let's hope there's a cage readily available. Breuer performs Tuesday, March 16, through Thursday, March 18, at 8 and 10 p.m. Tickets cost $30, and there's a two-drink minimum. Call 954-474-5653. (JB)
WED 17
March 17 is "National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day," and in honor of the event, the Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History (322 NE Second Ave., Delray Beach) features a Lunchbox History exhibit. Chronicling the different styles of lunchboxes, thermoses, and picnic baskets over the past 102 years, the exhibit illustrates how these nifty contraptions changed the way we eat. From the rustiest tin pail to the shiniest plastic Care Bears box, it'll bring back memories of trying to trade your apple juice for your buddy's Capri-Sun. Don't worry, there won't be any bullies waiting to steal your lunch money. The exhibit runs through June 7. Call 561-243-2662.