Going out

        Patti Labelle: The soul diva with the big voice — and sometimes bigger hair — belts out a whole batch of tunes after a warm-up by R&B crooner Dave Hollister. 7 p.m. today, Music Hall, 1243 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. $44.25-$49.25. 562-4949.

        Bookfest: Honoring books, books and more good books, the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County throws its annual celebration of reading with two weeks of activity at all branches. Kickoff is Madcap Puppet Theatre rappelling with Rapunzel. 2 p.m. today, Main Public Library, 800 Vine St., downtown. See www.plch.lib.oh.us for a full schedule.

        Book signing: 50 accomplished women and how they got there are stars of Dr. Sylvia Rimm'sHow Jane Won. She signs and discusses it, maybe has tips, too. 6 p.m. today, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Rookwood Pavilion, Norwood. 396-8960.

        Musica Sacra: It's a mighty challenging program — Mendelssohn's “Chorale Cantatas,” Lauridsen's “Lux Aeterna” — you get from this ecumenical chorus devoted to sacred works. 4 p.m. today, St. Francis de Sales Church, 1600 Madison Ave., Evanston. 961-1945.

Staying In

        TV picks: Well for heaven's sake, what else? It's the Oscars, this year with wacky Steve Martin at the helm. Yeah, that Steve Martin — fresh, funny and full of insight into filmmaking. With, we might add, a bunch of categories way too close to call. 8:30 p.m., Channels 9, 2.

        Wa-Wa: Barbara Walters' Oscar-night special has nothing to do with the Oscars. She talks to country star Faith Hill, actor-director Ben Stiller and the husband-wife duo of John Travolta and Kelly Preston. 7 p.m., Channels 9, 2.

        The Goods (What's in stores today)

        Well here's a deal: A little shot at immortality for the low price of $30. The would be a brick from the Center for Chemical Addictions Treatment, the short-term residential treatment facility on Ezzard Charles Drive. Seems they're redoing the entry way and financing it with a buy-a-brick deal. What you get here is three lines, 13 letters a line, where you can celebrate a recovery date, memorialize a pal or tell someone you love them on a brick near the front door. The drive goes 'til the end of April. Kit Berger, 381-6672, has the order forms.

Planning Ahead

        24 hours out: It's like something you'd see on the Discovery Channel, don't you know: Et-Noh-Tec, an Asian movement theater group, combines ancient Chinese wisdom with music and storytelling on the alteractive series. 7 p.m. Monday, Rosenthal Plaza. Playhouse in the Park, $5-$8. 421-3888.

        48 hours out: It's an unlikely program, this round of Mozart, Bartok and Beethoven, but in the hands of the hotsy-totsy Takacs Quartet, well, it will work. Cincinnati Chamber Music Society hosts the date. 8 p.m. Tuesday, Corbett Auditorium, University of Cincinnati. $20. 533-0451.

        72 hours 'til Wednesday: Food, glorious food at the American Jewish Committee's annual Community Intergroup Seder led by Rabbi Gary P. Zola. Noon-1:30 p.m., Plum Street Temple, Eighth and Plum streets, downtown. $8. 621-4020.

        Get To It appears daily. Send items to Get To It, Tempo, Cincinnati Enquirer, 312 Elm St., Cincinnati 45202; fax: 768-8330.

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