ART

GIVE ME SHELTER Painter Denise Regan exhibits a series of new landscapes of Shelter Island in a show that opens tomorrow. The primitive-style paintings focus on the island’s Coecles Harbour area, nestled between the North and South forks of Long Island. Tomorrow through Thursday, December 23, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Kathryn Markel Fine Arts, 529 W. 20th St., between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, suite 6W, 212-366-5368, free.

BEAUTY

PLAID LAD The face of the fragrance line Burberry Brit for Men, English actor Hugh Dancy, signs bottles of cologne. Tomorrow, 12:30 p.m., Bloomingdale’s Balcony, 59th Street and Lexington Avenue, 212-625-3500, free.

BENEFITS

CALLING ALL ANGELS An evening of dinner and dancing benefits the Connecticut based organization Al’s Angels, which funds a variety of children’s charities. Friday, 7-11 p.m., the Puck Building, 295 Lafayette St. at Houston Street, 212-995-7571, $250.

SONGS FOR THE HART Julie Andrews and Beverly Sills co-host “Hart to Hart,” a gala celebration of Moss and Kitty Carlisle Hart. The tribute to the musical couple includes performances, film clips from their careers, and appearances by Mario Cuomo, Orson Bean, Rosemary Harris, Celeste Holm, Nathan Lane, Audra McDonald, and Ms. Hart herself. The program is followed by a gala dinner. The evening benefits the Metropolitan Opera Guild. Sunday, 6 p.m. concert, 8:30 p.m. dinner, Lincoln Center, Avery Fisher Hall, 64th Street and Columbus Avenue, 212-769-7062, $50-$2,500.

BOOKS

RADICAL CHIC Susan Choi reads from and signs her novel “American Woman” (HarperCollins).The book traces its heroine’s encounters on the fringes of a radical anti-government group. Tonight, 7:30 p.m., Barnes & Noble Astor Place, 4 Astor Place at Broadway, 212-420-1322, free.

EXAMINING VIOLENCE William Vollman’s seven-volume opus “Rising Up and Rising Down” took 23 years and 3,000 pages to discuss the question, “Under what conditions is violence justified?” A recent abridged version of the book published by Ecco Press comes to a more concise, 750-page conclusion. For those who have not read either book – or for those who have and hunger for more – Mr. Vollman reads from his work and talks about his discoveries. Tomorrow, 7 p.m., the New School, 66 W. 12th St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-229-5488, $10.

FAMILY

SPICY SALSA The final installation of Dance Theater Workshop’s “Family Matters” series includes works inspired by Japanese video games, salsa rhythms, and hip-hop moves. Saturday, 2 p.m., Dance Theater Workshop, 219 W. 19th St., between Seventh and Eighth avenues, 212-924-0077, $20 general, $10 children.

FASHION

EYE FOR STYLE Designer Joseph Abboud signs his book “Threads” (Harper-Collins), which tells the story of the creation of his business and includes style tips for readers. Tomorrow, 7 p.m., Joseph Abboud store, 10 Columbus Circle, between 58th and 59th streets, ground floor, 212-823-9775, free.

FOOD & DRINK

NOUVEAU RICHE The brand-new Georges DeBoeuf Beaujolais Nouveau debuts in high style at a dinner orchestrated by the executive chef of Payard Bistro & Patisserie, Philippe Bertineau. The menu includes braised short ribs, escargot, ice cream with a Beaujolais reduction sauce, and all-you-can-drink Beaujolais Nouveau. Tomorrow, 5:45-10:30 p.m., Payard Bistro & Patisserie, 1032 Lexing ton Ave. at 74th Street, 212-717-5252, $55 prix-fixe meal, $25 meal at bar also available.

MUSIC

GREEK MYSTIQUE The New York Festival of Song presents “From the Grecian Isles,” a program of scenes and verses inspired by Greek mythology and poetry. The concert includes John Musto’s song cycle “Penelope” and Karl Loewe’s “An Sich Selbst” sung in both German and Greek. Tonight, 8 p.m., Merkin Concert Hall, 129 W. 67th St., between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, 212-501-3330, $45 general, $35 seniors, $22.50 for students a half-hour before show time.

MUSIC FOR MARY The Choir of the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin performs a concert titled “Of Our Lady.” The program is comprised of music spanning several centuries, all devoted to the Virgin Mary. Tomorrow, 7:30 p.m., the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, 145 W. 46th St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues, 212-869-5830 ext. 25, $30 general, $20 students.

BAROQUE TO BEATLES The Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps is a 50-piece “concert band” comprised of brass, woodwinds, reeds, and percussion. On Saturday, it launches its 26th season, “Close Your Eyes and Think of England: British Music from the Baroque to The Beatles,” a program of English composers that includes such luminaries as Benjamin Britten and Edward Elgar as well as such lesser-performed worthies as Eric Coates. Saturday, 8 p.m., Washington Irving High School Auditorium, 40 Irving Place, between 16th and 17th streets, 212-591-2886, $20 general, $12 seniors and students.

POETRY

HEART OF SAN FRANCISCO Poet Tom Sleigh discusses the work of British-born poet Thom Gunn, who passed away in April. Gunn was a presence in the San Francisco poetry scene since the 1970s – his early work reflected his experiences as a gay man and a drug user, and later he tackled the effects of AIDS on his community. Tomorrow, 7 p.m., Poets House, 72 Spring St., between Broadway and Lafayette Street, 212-431-7920, $7 general, free for members.

READINGS

KICK START Writers Mike Daisey and Jessica Wood participate in an installation of the “How to Kick People” reading series. Writers Todd Levin (who maintains www.tremble.com) and Bob Powers (www.girlsarepretty.com) host the evening, and they prefer humor to ponderous short stories. Tonight, 8 p.m., Under St. Mark’s Theater, 94 St. Mark’s Place, between Avenue A and First Avenue, www.howtokickpeople.com, $7.

TALKS

PHOTO FINISH Photographer Jonathan Torgovnik, who began his career as a combat photographer in the Israeli army, discusses his work in a lecture co-sponsored by the Camera Club of New York. Tonight, 6:30 p.m., School of Visual Arts amphitheater, 209 E. 23rd St., between Second and Third avenues, 212-260-9927, $10 general, free for members. Note: Photo I.D. is required for entry.

SUGAR HILL GANG Pianist Marjorie Eliot gives a talk as part of the “Harlem Speaks” lecture series. Ms. Eliot discusses her weekly “Sugar Hill” gatherings that take place in a building where band leader Andy Kirk and musician Johnny Hodges used to live. Tomorrow, 6:30-8 p.m., Jazz Museum in Harlem, 104 E. 126th St., between Park and Lexington avenues, 212-348-8300, reservations requested.

POLITICS AND PRAYER Panelists from a variety of religious backgrounds discuss the intersection of faith and American politics. Participants include a Princeton University religion professor, Cornel West; a leader of the Mosque of the Islamic Brotherhood, Imam Al-Haj j Talib ‘Abdur-Rashid; the chair of Judaic Studies at Dartmouth, Susannah Heschel, and the senior minister of the Riverside Church, Rev. James Forbes Jr. Before the discussion, the documentary “God in Government” screens (6 p.m. doors open). Attendees are asked to bring a flashlight for a ceremony during the forum. Tomorrow, 8-10 p.m., the Riverside Church, 490 Riverside Drive at 120th St., 212-870-6940, free.

TOURS

MANHATTAN HISTORY A walking tour of Union and Stuyvesant squares focuses on the neighborhoods’ history within the city. The tour is presented by Bowery and Canal Walking Tours. Sunday, 2 p.m., meet in front of the George Washington statue, 14th Street between Broadway and Park Avenue South, 212-979-8013, $12 general, $10 seniors and students.

WORKSHOPS

SCULPTING SESSION A series of afternoon art workshops for adults brings sculpture to the lunch hour. Artist Doris Staal leads the sessions, which use a variety of sculptural materials – none of which will ruin work clothes. Today and Wednesday, December 8, 12:15-1:05 p.m., Dahesh Museum of Art, 580 Madison Ave., between 56th and 57th streets, 212-759-0606, free with admission, $9 general, $4 seniors and students.

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