Night & Day Events

 Thursday, March 3
Wearhaus, a San Diego collective of designers, was established to unite the five founding fashionistas with boutiques, organizations and companies in their hometown -- in other words, set up retail relationships so the style mavens could put food on the table. (Girl's gotta eat, you know.) They arranged for monthly showcases at a local martini bar, where shoppers could scout the wares and buy items on-site or just chat up the painstakingly chic at the beginning of the weekend. For some reason -- we're honestly not sure why, but we aren't complaining -- the Californians have decided to expand to the Kansas City and Lawrence area and are now hosting Wearhaus parties the first Thursday of every month (that means tonight) from 5 to 9-ish at Bar Ibiza (1815 West 39th Street, next to Matadors). Local designers interested in participating should e-mail Carman Stalker through the group's Web site, but patients of retail therapy should just show up to shop. Call 816-561-3663 or see www.wearhaus.org for more information.

Friday, March 4
Louisa May Alcott's American classic Little Women was always one of our favorite books -- mainly because we, too, came from a family of four daughters. (Granted, all of the men we know aren't fighting in the Civil War.) Apparently it's a favorite of Peter Altman's as well -- the producing artistic director of the Kansas City Rep has wanted to produce a stage version for years but couldn't find the right adaptation. Then he attended the Stratford Festival in Canada and saw Marisha Chamberlain's version, which the Rep is producing under the direction of Chicago's Kate Buckley. Little Women previews at 8 tonight at the Spencer Theatre at UMKC's Performing Arts Center (4949 Cherry); the show opens Wednesday, March 9, and runs through Sunday, March 27. Tickets are $10-$52; call 816-235-2700.

Saturday, March 5
Pop art's influence on fashion has been far-reaching. Consider that Andy Warhol's fashion illustrations were published in a 2004 book tribute and that Vogue and Samsung collaborated to put Warhol's portrait of Studio 54 regular Diane von Furstenberg on a special "couture" cell phone. So when we realized that today was not only the submission deadline for the fifth annual 18th Street Fashion Show but also the pop-art installment of the Exploring Artists Workshop, we figured anyone needing last-minute inspiration was in major luck. The art class meets today (and next Saturday, March 13) from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Mattie Rhodes Art Center, 915 West 17th Street. Admission is $14, and the cost to cover materials is $40. (Call 816-235-1448 to register.) The fashion show's call for artists ends at 7 tonight, giving procrastinators a four-hour window for last-minute preparations. Packets should include three 8-1/2-inch-by-11-inch prints, a brief statement and a $15 fee. Send to Birdies, 116 West 18th Street; call 816-283-3004 for details.

Sunday, March 6
We always thought that honeysuckle was a friendly plant. Who could dislike the vine's fuzzy leaves and trumpetlike blossoms, each containing a droplet of nectar to soothe the parched tongue on a midsummer afternoon? But, like many things we enjoy, honeysuckle is bad for the environment -- or, anyway, it's bad for Hidden Valley Park, where the nefarious creeper threatens to stymie the proliferation of spring wildflowers. And the Sierra Club, Thomas Hart Benton chapter, won't stand for it. To join the Bentonite Sierrans as they whack some bush, head to the park at Northeast Russell Road and North Bennington Avenue this morning. Call Doris at 816-779-6708 for information.

Monday, March 7
What would happen if all the Mexican immigrants in California decided to sneak back across the border in the middle of the night? Our best guess would be that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's head would start to vibrate and his eyes would pop out on meaty, sticklike veins. Also, Kris Kobach would start loading up the U-Haul and heading west. For those curious to discover what might actually unfold in this hypothetical scenario, today at 7 p.m. Avila University (11901 Wornall) screens Sergio Arau's 1998 film A Day Without a Mexican. This little-known satirical fable explores the ways in which Hispanic workers, from those in high-paying medical jobs to undocumented laborers, sustain the Golden State's economy. Call Ben Meade at 816-501-3746 for more information.

Tuesday, March 8
Today at 7 p.m. at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection (13720 Roe in Leawood), Jews and Christians from around the metro area come together in what promotional materials call "a citywide celebration of hope and a time of prayer for the peace of Jerusalem." This is the third year for the event known as the Gathering. Last year, 1,800 people came, and they raised $13,000 for victims of terror. Big organizations are involved, such as the Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City, the Sheffield Family Life Center, and a slew of other Protestant churches and synagogues. But, um, we didn't see any Islamic organization on the list. We thought this was odd for an interfaith event dealing with the conflict in the Middle East. We suspected that the organizers might be promoting Israeli sovereignty of the region, but they told us this was an unfair assumption. It's a nonpolitical project, they said, of local Jews and Christians who want peace in Israel, and everyone is invited. Call 913-327-8126.