Indulge Mom on her special day Mother’s Day raises the annual challenge: what to do to show Mom that you care? Luckily, this weekend in Santa Barbara offers an array of diverse activities sure to bring a sparkle to the eye of just about any mom. Surprise and indulge her! Give her a break For some mothers, especially those with small kids, the best gift is a day to herself. Let Mom laze at home while Dad and the kids enjoy “Giants: African Dinosaurs” at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. The bones discovered by paleontologist Dr. Paul Sereno in the Sahara are on view in an interactive exhibit that includes digging for fossils. Dino-crazy kids will love it! Cost: $8 adults, $7 teens & seniors, $5 kids (2559 Puesta del Sol; 682-4711; www.sbnature.org). Clean and safe re-useable materials that would have ended up in the landfill are used to create wondrous works of art at Art from Scrap’s weekly 10 a.m. Saturday art workshops. Kids aged 6 and up can stay for the fun while you take Mom to the nearby Farmers Market or grab a bite at a State Street eatery. Cost: $6 (302 E. Cota St.; 884-0459; www.artfrom Cheek to cheek Take Mom ballroom dancing at the weekly Saturday Dance Santa Barbara dances at the Carrillo Recreation Center. The fun starts with the Twilight Dance from 5 to 8 p.m. and includes waltz, fox trot, cha-cha, rumba and more. Dance lessons from 8 to 9 p.m. are followed by dancing to a live band until midnight. Admission, including lessons, is $15 or $12 for seniors and students (100 E. Carrillo St.; 897-2519; www.dance Blues lovin’ or soulful Mama Soulful or bluesy? Choose between two red-hot Saturday night concerts: Nat Dove, a blistering boogie-woogie and barrelhouse piano player, brings his Blues Band to Warren Hall at the Showgrounds starting at 8:30 p.m. Cost: $10 to $40 (3400 Calle Real; 897-0060; www.sbblues. org). I love the Soul City Survivors’ high-energy mix of soulful 1960s and 1970s dance music. The five-piece brass section and three singers just tear the house down. Look for this mama to be on the dance floor at Soho Restaurant and Music Club starting at 9:30 p.m. Cost: $8 ($4 if you have dinner there first) (1221 State St.; 962-7776; www.sohosb.com). Dazzle her Diavolo, a jaw-dropping, surreal dance/gymnastic/acting troupe brings its magical movement to The Granada at 8 p.m. on Saturday night. There will be leaping, flying, twirling. ... Mom will be dazzled. Cost: $30 to $55 (1222 State St.; 899-2222; www.granadasb.org). Athol Fugard’s newest play receives its debut by Santa Barbara Theatre at the Lobero from at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. “Victory” is about three disparate lives in post-apartheid South Africa and promises to be provocative. Cost: $27.50 to $47.50 (33 E. Canon Perdido St.; 963-0761; www.sbtheatre.org). Julia McHugh can be reached at southon101column@yahoo.com. |