Playing Koi

EVENTS

The Zen Nippon Airinkai Koi Show is a competition among Japanese fancy carp, fish prized in Japan for their strength and beauty. Some grow to 80 pounds; some live more than 200 years. Saturday and next Sunday at the Gardena Civic Center, 1700 West 162nd St., Gardena; (213) 327-0220. . . . The Postcard & Paper Collectibles Show attracts participants from as far away as France and Belgium. The common bond of paper brings together collectors of baseball cards, old magazines and books, movie memorabilia, post cards and lavishly done, old-fashioned valentines. Saturday and next Sunday at the Pasadena Elks Hall, 400 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; (818) 281-3390.. . . . The Ninth National Printmaking Exhibition continues at UCLA’s Wight Gallery through Feb. 23. Sponsored by the Los Angeles Printmaking Society, it features works by local artists. Free admission. Campus parking is $3; telephone (213) 825-9345 for information. . . . With the Southern California Boat Show in town, can summer be far away? Now is the time to check all the new models, accessories and equipment. Friday through Feb. 9 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St.; (213) 748-8531. . . . The San Diego Opera presents “The Marriage of Figaro” Tuesday, Friday and next Sunday at the San Diego Civic Theatre, 202 C St., San Diego; (619) 232-7636.

CELEBRATIONS

Today is Paul Newman’s birthday. He was born in 1925. . . . Jules Feiffer was born on the same date in 1929. . . . Monday is the birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who was born in 1756. . . . Mikhail Baryshnikov shares Mozart’s birthday; he was born in 1948. . . . Wednesday is Swap-a-Brown-Bag-Lunch Day; the purpose is to beat the mid-winter blues, brought on, in part, by predictable lunches. . . . W. C. Fields was born on Jan. 29, 1880. . . . On the same date in 1918, John Forsythe was born. . . . Jan. 30 marks the date the 32nd president of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, was born, in 1882. . . . Zane Grey was born Jan. 31, 1875. . . . Saturday is the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s approval of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in 1865. . . . Today begins Potato Lovers’ Month and National Cherry Month (but not on the same plate, please).

YESTERDAYS

Twenty years ago this week, Ralph Williams wanted to sell you a new, fully equipped 1966 Thunderbird for $3,750. . . . A waterfront home with a private dock at the new Huntington Harbour complex could be had for as little as $59,000. . . . Liberace was bragging about his dazzling new $100,000 wardrobe for his new nightclub tour. . . . Top-40 records included “Up-Tight” by Stevie Wonder, “We Can Work It Out” by the Beatles and “The Men in My Little Girl’s Life” by Mike Douglas. . . . Saturday night stay-at-homes tuned into “I Dream of Jeannie,” “The Donna Reed Show” and “Get Smart.”