Olympiad of the Arts is a competition that encourages creative and performing arts students in college and high school to compete by showcasing their talents. Students compete in a variety of categories--acting, dance choreography, vocal and piano performance, photography, and poetry and short story writing.

The competition is open to students at a community college, lower-division four-year college and high school students who are residents of Santa Clara County.

For more information on the 2003 Olympiad of the Arts competition, visit www.missioncollege.org/community/olympiad.


Valentine's Day fun for singles

If Singles Awareness Day (a.k.a. Valentine's Day) is getting you down, don't let it. Put on something fun and festive and head to Sur La Table for a Valentine's Singles Party. Not only will you get to create and eat delicious food, you might just meet someone that sparks your tastebuds more than the chile ginger sauce you'll be whipping up!

Kim Davis will have prepared a menu of scrumptious items that will include champagne punch, oysters on the half shell baked in bacon cognac butter, mixed greens with vinaigrette, salmon in banana leaves with ancho chile ginger sauce, vegetable couscous and chocolate mousse parfait. The class will be held Feb. 14 at 6:30 p.m. and costs $60.

If you're in a couple but want to wait until after Valentine's Day to venture into romantic culinary pursuits, Sur La Table's "Friday Night Out: A Class for Couples" will suit you well. Bruce Fielding will instruct this class in creating a tasty assortment of staple dishes with a fanciful twist.

The class will be held Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m., and the cost is $65. Both classes will be held at Sur La Table, located in the Old Town Center at 23 University Ave., Los Gatos. To register, call 800.328.5412.


Painter Sally Holt visits Los Gatos

An art demonstration by painter Sally Holt will be held Feb. 15 at 1 p.m. at the Los Gatos Neighborhood Center at 208 E. Main St., Los Gatos. Holt is an avid nature painter who believes in practicing her craft every day. She will share her work, insights and more at this event. A professional painter for 30 years, Holt also studies art history, architecture and landscaping. For more information, contact the Los Gatos Art Association at 408.354.0071.