CSUMB Turkey Trot 9am. A 4.8-mile run and 3.1-mile walk are presented as the annual Turkey Trot, to warm up for Thanksgiving. Turkeys will be given as prizes. Same-day registration begins at 8am. CSUMB Main Quad, Seaside. 582-3015.

Youth Violence Seminar 11:30am-1pm. Brian Contreras of Second Chance Youth and Family Services discusses violence and gangs in our communities at the Salinas Jaycees meeting. RSVP for lunch. $15. Hullabaloo's Restaurant, 228 S. Main St., Salinas. 212-1861.

Escalation in Iraq Noon-1:30pm. Meg and Peter Lumsdaine will present slides and an eye-witness account of their recent trip to Iraq, describing how the war is affecting Shia, Sunni and Christian communities, and other issues in the region. CSU Monterey Bay Black Box Forum, Seaside. 394-1312.

Quilter's Guild Lecture 6:30-9pm. Internationally known author, designer and textile artist Kaffe Fasset speaks tonight at the All Saints Church. $15/guild members, $20/non-members. Dolores and 9th St., Carmel. 422-6250.

Relationship Workshop 7-9pm. Tom and Sarah Bishop present a free lecture on "Humility in Healthy Relationships." They provide tips on misreading rejection and finding out how your partner truly feels. Crossroads Community Room, Rio Road and Highway 1, Carmel. 624-8110.

Cultivate Inner Space 7:30-8:30pm. Artist and author Elizabeth Murray speaks about gardening as inner space for the Carmel Valley Garden Association meeting. St. Dunstan's Fellowship Hall, Robinson Canyon Road, Carmel Valley. Claus1066@cs.com

Sufi Conference A three-day event to "unify inner and outer" on the Sufi path of love. Pre-registration is required for meditation, music, and dreamwork. $250/all inclusive. Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove. (877) 389-2104.

friday 11|14

Weeds Symposium 8am-5pm. The California Native Plant Society hosts a day-long conference on weed eradication, with local and statewide experts. There will be a tour of the July burn area of Fort Ord also. $20. CSUMB University Center, Sixth Avenue, Seaside. 394-8314.

Santa Paws 11am-5pm. Have your picture taken with your pet and Santa at the Del Monte Center in this benefit for the SPCA of Monterey County. $30. 373-2631.

Poetry Open Mic 7:30-8:30pm. Kitty Petrucelli, co-host of the Rubber Chicken poetry slam, is featured at a high school open mic at the Monterey Hostel. 778 Hawthorne St., Monterey. 372-5762.

Poetry Reading 7:30pm. Local poet/songwriter James Mantooth reads his work inspired by poet Tatyana Apraksina (who will be present to sign her poetry book). Bookbuyers, 600 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. 375-4208.

Unicorn Theater 8pm. Sunday matinee, 2pm. A Victorian comedy, Box & Cox, and a reading of O. Henry's story "The Skylight Room" are presented for two weekends at the Carl Cherry Center. Robert Colter and Carey Crockett play boarders in a London boarding house who get involved in a love triangle. $15/general, $12/students and seniors. Guadalupe and 4th, Carmel. 649-0259.

Freestyle Dance Jam 8:15-10:15pm. DJ Theo mixes music of the world at the weekly dance jam. Chautaugua Hall, Central and 16th, Pacific Grove. $7/early birds, $9/adults, $5/youth.

CASA Advocates A 30-hour training program to become an advocate for abused or neglected children begins 11/14-16, continuing 12/5-7. Call CASA of Monterey County to pre-register. 455-6800.

Holiday Baskets Low-income and needy families and individuals may sign up for food and gift baskets from the Salvation Army this holiday season. Proof of residence, income and photo IDs are required by 11/14. 899-4988.

saturday 11|15

League of Women Voters 9-11:30am. Assemblymember John Laird and Supervisor Simon Salinas speak to the LWV about current California issues, such as the budget crisis and the environment. Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District office, 24580 Silver Cloud Ct., near Highway 68, Monterey. 422-2429.

NPS OSSC Holiday Bazaar 9am-4pm. Holiday crafts and gifts available at the annual events by the Officer Students, Spouses Club. Proceeds from a raffle are donated to local charities. Asilomar Conference Grounds, Fred Farr Forum, 800 Asilomar Ave., Monterey. 641-0552.

Book Sale 9am-2pm. St. Mary's by-the-sea Church presents its annual fall book sale, with hundreds of "gently used" books, tapes, and videos, plus snacks for sale. 146 12th St., Pacific Grove. 373-4441.

Winter Craft Fair 9am-4pm. More than 30 vendors entice shoppers with holiday crafts and gifts. All proceeds benefit the Robert Down School PTA. Pacific Grove Middle School Gym, 835 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. 649-5114.

Recycling Tours 10am-2pm. The Monterey Regional Waste Management District invites the community to tour the recycling and landfill facility for "America Recycles Day." Also at Monterey City Disposal in Ryan Ranch, Monterey. MRWMD, 14201 Del Monte Blvd., Martina. 384-5313.

Bazaar and Raffle 10am-3pm. The Carmel Foundation sponsors a sale of plants, handmade articles, "nearly new" books, and baked goods. Dimnet Hall, Lincoln and 8th, Carmel. 624-1588, ext. 13.

Holiday Happenings 10am-6pm; 10am-5pm Sunday. Christmas decorations, decorated trees, wreaths and more are found at the Seaside Historical Commission's craft faire. 1600 La Salle St., Seaside. 394-4442.

Western Stage Play 10:30am. Members to the Western Stage Young Company present The Code Breaker, directed by Donna Federico. A second performance is 11/22. Cabaret Theater, 215 Lincoln St., Salinas. $5. 755-6816.

Earthbound Appreciation 11am-3pm. Tastings of organic produce, salad dressings, cookies, fruit and dishes from the Organic Kitchen are available at Earthbound Farm's Customer Appreciation Day. 7250 Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel. 625-6219.

Conversations About Life 11am-2pm. A workshop for "families for attitudinal healing" for resolving conflict and dealing with illness, by Nadya Giusi and Kira Corser. $8. Thunderbird Bookstore, The Barnyard, Highway 1, Carmel. 238-3938.

Meet the Author 2-5pm. Danny Mander, Winston Churchill's bodyguard, speaks and signs copies of his memoir in commemoration of Veteran's Day. Galeria Tonantzin, San Juan Bautista. 726-3358.

Kucinich for President 4-6pm. Local volunteers are needed for campaign organizing. A meeting is held at the Unity Church. 601 Madison St., Monterey. 622-9806.

Advocates of the Arts 6-8pm. The Cultural Council for Monterey County celebrates its 21st birthday and honors Elise Chezem, Walt deFaria and Dave Potter as arts supporters. Auctions, cake and drinks, live music, interactive art and of course dancing girls all benefit local arts programs. $30. Carmel Art Association, Dolores and 5th, Carmel. 622-9060.

CD Release Party 6pm. Jasmine Richardson, a teenaged Big Sur musician, celebrates her first CD of all original music, Lotus Opens. Live performance and a CD preview at the Henry Miller Library, Highway 1, Big Sur. 667-2574.

Voices of the Generations 6:30pm. Julie Kohner gives a reading of her parents' true story of survival during the Holocaust, based on their book called Hanna and Walter, a Love Story. Temple Beth El, 1212 Riker St., Salinas. 424-9151.

sunday 11|16

Champagne Brunch 11am-2pm. Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8679 offers a Sunday brunch as a fundraiser for community activities. $10/adult, $5/children. 1996 Fremont Blvd., Seaside. 394-7031.

Jane Parker Open House 12:30-2pm. Jane Parker, a candidate for 4th District Board of Supervisors, invites the public for food and drinks at her open house. Donations welcome. 445 Reservation Rd., Marina. 582-9108.

Winter Dance/Theater 2-5pm. See a preview of the upcoming Asali and the Rainbow performance, shop the village market, and enjoy Afro-Carribean music. The full play begins 12/20. Chautauqua Hall, Pacific Grove. 372-0375.

monday 11|17

Parkinson's Support 2:30-4pm. Caregivers and Parkinson's Disease patients are invited to a support group. Alzheimer's Day Care Center, 200 Coe Ave., Seaside. 424-4359.

State of the World 7pm. Christopher Flavin, president of the Worldwatch Institute, discusses "the real security challenges" of the world with the Humanist Association of Monterey Bay. Crossroads Community Room, Highway 1 and Rio Road, Carmel. 373-3694.

Sacred Breath and Sound 7-9:30pm. Phil Jones leads a workshop on the mind-body connection, using the sound and vibrations of the Australian didgeridoo. $25. Unitarian Universalist Church, 490 Aguajito Rd., Carmel. 655-3954.

tuesday 11|18

Independent Booksellers 11:30am. May Waldroup, owner of Thunderbird Bookstore, speaks about being an indie bookseller and competing with chain stores and the Internet, at the luncheon meeting of the American Association of University Women. $13. Thunderbird Bookstore, The Barnyard, Highway 1, Carmel. 624-1803.

Ikebana Demonstration 1pm. Joanne Nishi, who has been doing Japanese flower arranging for 16 years, gives an ikebana demonstration to the local Ikebana International chapter. Pebble Beach Community Services District office, Forest Lake Road, Pebble Beach. 622-0649.

Bagpipe Nights 5-6pm. The Monterey Celtic Arts Academy offers an introductory bagpipe lesson at the York School music building. 9501 York Rd., Monterey. 633-4444.

Aquarium Volunteers 6:30-8pm. An orientation to volunteer work at the Monterey Bay Aquarium is offered at Los Arboles Junior High School library. Two other meetings are held 12/10 and 1/6/04. Attending the meeting is required to join the 13-week training program. 294 Hillcrest Ave., Marina. 648-4867.

Peace Coalition 6:45-8:45pm. The general meeting for the Peace Coalition of Monterey County also involves a letter writing campaign. All are welcome. St. James Episcopal Church, Franklin and High streets, Monterey. 372-6001.

Civil Liberties 7pm. A public forum on the USA PATRIOT Act is presented by the Monterey County Community Alliance to Protect Civil Liberties. Monterey Library, 625 Pacific St., Monterey.

wednesday 11|19

Seniors' Driving Class 8:30am-12:30pm. The AARP hosts a two-day safety driving class for seniors. The class may qualify you for an insurance price reduction. A second class is also held at the Salinas Adult School, 11/20 and 11/21. $10. Oldemeyer Center, 986 Hilby Ave., Seaside. 394-4520.

Hartnell Construction Plan 1pm. A meeting to keep the community and college staff updated on the constrauction plans is held in the Administration building. 156 Homestead Ave., Salinas. 770-7042.

Pat Antonio 2:30pm. "The Fun of Fossil Collecting" is the topic at the Carmel Foundation, by Pat Antonio who has an exhibit currently at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. Lincoln and 8th, Carmel. 624-1588, ext. 10.

Calloway Golf Invitational A pro-am golf tournament takes place 11/19-11/24 at three local golf courses. Call 625-8575 for details.

thursday 11|20

Third Thursday 5-7pm. The Monterey Museum of Art welcomes Dizzy Burnett and Grover Coe performing swing jazz and R&B at its monthly mixer to view current art exhibits. 559 Pacific St., Monterey. 372-5477.

Burn Public Forum 7-9pm. Several local groups sponsor a forum to learn about non-burning alternatives to clear up former Fort Ord ordnance. Monterey Peninsula College, 980 Fremont St., Monterey. 384-7658.

ongoing

Christmas in the Adobes Tickets are on sale now for the annual Christmas in the Adobes celebrations on Dec. 11 and 13. Twenty historic Monterey buildings participate with candlelight, music, and foods. $10/adults before Nov. 30, $2/kids 6-17 years old. 647-6226.

Marina Farmers' Market Everyone's Harvest (Cosecha Para Todos), a weekly farmers' market in Marina Sundays from 10am-3pm. Fresh produce, baked goods, arts and crafts. The last market of the season is 11/23. Marina Transit Station, 280 Reservation Rd., Marina. 384-6961.

Argentine Tango Classes Beginners' class at 7pm, intermediate at 8:10pm, at the Pacific Grove Art Center each Thursday. Call 394-1520 for more information or visit www.tangomontereybay.com. 568 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove.

African Drum and Dance Beginners and experienced welcome to drum (11am) and dance (12:30pm) every Sunday. A Park Avenue Studio, 33 Park Ave., Monterey. 246-2314.

announcements

Coast Weekly Deadline The deadline to include information in the "8 Days" calendar of events is Tuesday at 5pm, two weeks before the event. Calendar Editor, 668 Williams Ave., Seaside, CA 93955. calendar@coastweekly.com. Fax: 394-2909.

Dart League New players and sponsors are sought for the Monterey Bay Dart League. Call Candy at 394-7079.

Winter Basketball Applications are being taken for Salinas basketball clinics, for kids aged 11-13 and 14-16. The clinics are 12/29-30 and 1/2-1/3/04. $32/residents, $34/non-residents before Dec. 5. Salinas Recreation Center, 320 Lincoln Ave. 758-7326.

Single Golfers A Monterey County chapter of the American Singles Golf Association is forming. Meet other golf fans, over age 21, for mixers, activities and fun. Call (866) 240-5246 for details.

Holiday Donations John XXIII AIDS Ministry seeks food and gift donations for local, low-income families and individuals during the holidays. Bring items to 1098 Del Monte Ave., Suite C, Monterey. 655-1737.

Suicide Prevention Suicide is a leading cause of death in California, especially during the holidays. A crisis hotline, (877) 663-5433), is provided by the Suicide Prevention Service of the Central Coast.