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MUSIC
Word to Yo-Yo Ma
Sometimes the most genius combinations are those that seem most unholy (bacon and chocolate, for example). Such is the case with the Portland Cello Project, a collective from the Pacific Northwest that challenges all preconceived notions about what classical instruments can do. Hip-hop. Pantera. Britney Spears. Pink Floyd. The theme from Star Trek. George Gershwin. Piazzolla tangos. ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” and Michael Jackson’s “P.Y.T.” These are but a few examples of the tunes you might hear—arranged for multiple cellos—at your average PCP show. (Purists, don’t be too alarmed: They also do the Brandenburg Concerti.) Catch PCP live at The Loft on the UCSD campus on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. Call 858.534.TIXS for tickets and information. artpwr.com

OPERA
The New Bohemians
Some 100 years before Rent, there was La bohème, Giacomo Puccini’s passionate tale of young love in 19th-century Paris. First performed in 1896, Puccini’s opus remains one of the most popular operas of all time and is a fitting choice to open San Diego Opera’s 2010 season, with performances on Jan. 30 and Feb. 2, 5 and 7. Sought-after performers Anja Harteros and Piotr Beczala play Mimi and Rodolfo, respectively, while San Diego’s own Priti Gandhi sings Musetta. Given SDO director Ian Campbell’s knack for spotting emerging talent, this is a great opportunity to catch these rising stars on their way up. Verdi’s Nabucco is the second production in the season, running Feb. 20, 23, 26 and 28. San Diego Civic Theatre, Third Ave. at B St., downtown, 619.533.7000. Map Q16

ART
Make Like A Tree
Rusted steel, wheel rims, softball bats, foam chickens and crossbow arrows are just a few of the materials used in the creation of the sculptural “trees” that’ve been planted along the waterfront for the Urban Trees 6 public art exhibition. There are some 30 pieces placed on the half-mile stretch of Harbor Drive from the Cruise Ship Terminal to Hawthorne Street—all of them kinetic, with parts that move with the bay breeze. Worth the stroll up the Embarcadero are Greg Brotherton’s “Lost Signal” and Linda Joanou’s musical, interactive “Rolling Wilbur.” The viewer operates a hand crank that sets in motion several tiny ball-bearings, which roll along a track, hitting bells and chimes on their way down.

QUAFF
Tiny Bubbles
Champagne isn’t just for New Year’s anymore, according to our own food critic Maria Hunt (a.k.a. The Bubbly Girl). In her new book The Bubbly Bar, Hunt shares 57 of her favorite sparkling-wine recipes, from classics like the French 75 to contemporary concoctions like the Lychee Love, made with sparkling sake, coconut water and lemongrass-ginger syrup. Interspersed along the way are handy tips on everything from keeping an opened bottle from going flat to how to say “cheers” in Portuguese. Pickup a copy of your own at Warwick’s (7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla, 858.454.0347) or online at thebubblygirl.com

diNING
Chef shuffle
Solana Beach hotspot Blanca gets even hotter this season with a new look and a new chef manning the stove. With stints working in some of the best kitchens in the world, from elBulli to Chez Panisse, Jason Neroni wowed New Yorkers at Porchetta and 10 Downing; now the Orange County native returns to his West Coast roots. Neroni’s flavors are clean and his preparations innovative, with dishes like halibut a la plancha with parsley root fondue and pig confit with saffron-scented apples. 437 S. Coast Hwy. #101, Solana Beach, 858.792.0072.