Going Out

Have a beer: Beer lovers, at least the ones who go for imports, are going to love this: Eight beers from Ireland, Scotland and England at a special Taste of the Isles beer dinner that includes - brace yourself - an entree of oregano-crusted Krimson tuna with MacGregor compound butter, scalloped Yukon gold potatoes with Turtin cheese and oven-dried beefsteak tomato. 6:30 p.m. today, Iron Horse Restaurant, 40 Village Square, Glendale, $45. 771-4787.

Austin Clarke: Lit lovers get a double-dose of Austin Clarke this week. The Barbadian author of nine novels, five short-story collections and three memoirs, and a winner of Toronto's Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature, has two readings/lectures: 8 p.m. today, 127 McMicken Hall, University of Cincinnati, free,

556-0937; also 7 p.m. Wednesday, Mercantile Library, 414 Walnut St. $18, $15 for members. 621-0717.

Sing a song: Ben Arthur, hot and getting hotter with his folk/rock/country/blues sound, hits town with his dark-edged songs of betrayal, sex, humiliation, faith, yearning and death. 8 p.m. today, 20th Century, 3021 Madison Road, Oakley. $10. 731-8000.

On piano: The School for Creative and Performing Arts shows off the best and brightest from its piano program in its Winter Recital. Twenty-one students, including Connor Chee and Blake Selnick, who recently played Carnegie Hall, and Overture Awards finalist Cameron Logan will perform. 7:30 p.m. today, Abigail Cutter Theatre, SCPA, 1310 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine, free. 632-5910.

New on DVD/Video

Critic's picks: Lost in Translation, the Oscar-nominated comedy from Sofia Coppola that shows off Bill Murray's best performance, hits video shelves today. Also out is Oscar nominee American Splendor, the weird and charming story of Cleveland comic-book legend Harvey Pekar.

Planning Ahead

24 hours out: Diet books being all the rage, you'll want to check out Rick Gallop, author of The G.I. Diet: The Easy, Healthy Way to Permanent Weight Loss. Based on the Glycemic Index, the science behind the Zone Diet, the book puts foods in categories - never eat, eat with caution, eat all the time. It also tells you why. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Books & Co., 350 E. Stroop Road, Kettering.

(937) 298-6540.

48 hours out: Cincinnati Tomorrow, sponsors of downtown's popular After5 Walks, has the Stupid Cupid Happy Hour, a mix 'n' mingle designed for couples looking to make goo-goo eyes and singles looking for someone new to, well, make goo-goo eyes at. Or just meet some fun new people, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Mr. Pitiful's 1323 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, $5.

621-4700.

Also 48 hours out: Master guitarist Leo Kottke, a fixture on the music scene for about a million years, comes to town with a batch of tunes from his new Clone CD - the one where he collaborated with Phish bassist Mike Gordon. Kottke, an acknowledged master of the 12-string acoustic guitar, is also a member of Guitar Player Magazine's Hall of Fame.

8 p.m. Thursday, Southgate House, 24 E. Third St., Newport. $20 in advance, $25 day of show. 779-9462.

Jim Knippenberg

E-mail: jknippenberg@enquirer.com; fax: 768-8330.