Photography
Picturing people
Six years ago Anchorage photographer Clark James Mishler began an ambitious project of making one portrait every day. Several of the images were included in his book, "Portrait Alaska," which won a Gold Award from the Independent Publishers Association. Mishler will be the guest at the next ASMP Alaska slide lecture at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, at the Anchorage Museum. The public is welcome and admission is free. Use the doors on Seventh Avenue.
Literature
Dinner with Lende
Saturday, May 2, will be Independent Bookstore Day, and Palmer's exemplary independent bookstore, Fireside Books, will host Heather Lende from Haines, author of "Find the Good;" "Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs" and "If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name." Lende will sign books at the store, 720 S. Alaska St. in Palmer, at 4 p.m. that day. Then she'll take part in a dinner at the nearby Turkey Red banquet room starting at 6 p.m. Meggie Aube will provide mood music on the marimba. Enjoy excellent food and witty conversation. Tickets, if space is still available, can only be purchased at the Fireside website, goodbooksbadcoffee.com. Also at Fireside Books, four local writers -- Timothy Bateson, Deb Vanasse, Kris Farmen and Jackie Ivie -- will talk about relationships, what makes 'em and breaks 'em in a panel discussion that promises to be fun and tongue-in-cheek. That starts at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 2.
Museums
Batter up!
Organized baseball has been played in Anchorage since 1915. The Anchorage Museum's new exhibit, "Home Field Advantage: Baseball in the Far North," opens with a reception at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 1, with hot dogs, Cracker Jacks and a radar gun on loan from the Mat-Su Miners to put your pitching arm to the test. Photos and memorabilia document Alaskans' obsession with the sport from the days of whaling ships to the present, including fascinating historical notes on things like Satchel Paige's brief tenure in the state. The exhibit will remain on display through Nov. 1. The opening night reception is free.