Going out

Wordsmiths: The ever so wordy husband and wife writing team of Cordelia Biddle and Steve Zettler (pseudonym Nero Blanc) are at Joseph-Beth Booksellers to introduce A Crossworder's Holiday, latest in their popular series of whodunits with crosswords. 7 p.m. today, Rookwood Pavilion, Norwood. 396-8960.

Israeli film: The "Artbeat of Israel" Israeli Cultural Arts Festival gets rolling with a showing of Amos Gitai's controversial anti-war film Kippur (in Hebrew with subtitles). 7:30 p.m. today, Esquire Theater, 320 Ludlow Ave., Clifton. $7.50. 985-1500.

Mark Elf: The fast-fingering jazz guitarist performs with the School for Creative and Performing Arts Jazz Ensemble. 7:30 p.m. today in the school's Black Box Theatre, 1310 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine, $5. 632-5900.

Gardening series: Get a jump on holiday decorating when the Year Round Gardening Series offers ideas for Christmas flower arrangements, wreath making and more. 7 p.m. today, at the Monfort Heights Branch Library, 3825 West Fork. 369-4472.

Staying in

TV pick: This one sounds like a classic: Ray (Ray Romano) regrets giving Debra (Patricia Heaton) her own private bathroom and moving his things into the kids' messy bathroom down the hall, on Everybody Loves Raymond (9 p.m., Channels 12, 7).

Critic John Kiesewetter also says you have two chances to see last week's 24 season premiere, 9 p.m. on Channels 19 and 45, or 11 p.m. on FX cable.

The goods

Free books: And this for people who eat: General Mills, as in food stuffs, is including free books inside boxes of Cheerios. Lots of books - five million of them - will be given away in an effort to promote literacy. Five popular children's titles, heavy on the diversity, are featured. They'll be in the boxes as long as the supply lasts.

Planning ahead

24 hours out: The Delhi Township Branch Library offers an American Girl craft afternoon making a quilt hot pad, 4 p.m. Tuesday, 5095 Foley Road, ages 8-12. 369-6019.

48 hours out: The Derek Trucks Band is at the Southgate House with the neo-bluegrass act Tony Furtado and the American Gypsies, 9 p.m. Wednesday, 24 E. Third St., Newport, $15-$18. 779-9462.

72 hours 'til Thursday: La Comedia Dinner Theatre in Springboro opens the holiday show It's a Wonderful Life, 6 p.m., off Ohio 73 just east of I-75, $35-$49 includes meal. (800) 677-9505.

Eight days away: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band invade the U.S. Bank Arena with new songs from The Rising. $75. 562-4949.

E-mail jknippenberg@enquirer.com