Hot Stuff

Clean start: Coldwell Banker and UC Physicians in Corryville are sponsoring a personal care kit drive for Tristate domestic violence shelters. Through March 7, drop off sample-size personal care items, such as soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner at any Coldwell Banker or UC Physicians office. Items will be assembled into kits that will be given to individuals and families in shelters. 558-0296.

Shelf Help

Go to school: With spring break coming, lots of parents plan campus visits for the high schoolers in the family. Kaplan's Unofficial, Unbiased Insider's Guide to the 320 Most Interesting Colleges (Kaplan Publishing; $20) can make the planning easier. It contains eight road-trip plans for colleges and universities in and around Boston; New York City; Chicago; Pennsylvania; Ohio; Washington, D.C.; and Southern California. The list includes must-see schools as well as ones designated Hidden Treasures and Best Values. Schools like the University of Cincinnati and University of Dayton are listed as must-sees, Antioch and Kenyon College among the "treasures" in Ohio, and Miami University and Ohio U. are best values.

Things to do

Get Cultured: The fifth annual Celtic Lands Culture Fest comes to the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal March 15-16. The event features folklore and art from Ireland, Scotland and Wales; Celtic dancers; Celtic folk tales spun by storytellers; and a marketplace of authentic goods. Hours: noon-5 p.m. March 15 and 16. Free. 287-7000, (800) 733-2077 or www.cincymuseum.org.

Yes We Can!: That industrial kids' favorite, Bob the Builder, comes to town March 21-23 at Cincinnati Gardens in Roselawn. Bob, Wendy, Lofty, Muck, Scoop, Roley and Dizzy sing brand-new songs in this live stage show and display the latest in animatronics technology.

In the show, Bob and his crew transform an ugly junkyard into a neighborhood park. Times: 7 p.m. March 21, 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. March 22 and 1:30 and 5 p.m. March 23. Tickets, $10-$25, go on sale Saturday through Ticketmaster (562-4949) or the Gardens (631-7793).

Contact Shauna Scott Rhone by phone at 768-8511; fax: 768-8330; e-mail srhone@enquirer.com.