Night&Day

Picture yourself strolling alongside a burbling stream that meanders through thickets of lush tropical foliage. Birds twitter and children laugh as they chase one another over a rustic-looking wooden bridge. Butterflies flutter past the waterfall as they feed on the nectar from brightly colored exotic flowers. In the distance looms Macy's, P.F Chang's, The White Barn Candle Company, and Williams-Sonoma. No, this isn't a shopaholic's crazy mixed-up dream. This is The Falls (8888 SW 136th St., Miami), where luxury shopping meets pastoral splendor. To enhance the idyllic experience at this outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, be there for Thursday at The Falls, a musical concert series that takes over the center court in the cool of the evening. Tonight from 6:30 to 9:30, shop to the sultry, blues-infused, jazz-tinged standards of Sheba, the Mississippi Queen. Call 305-255-4570, or visit www.shopthefalls.com. (PEGY)

FRI 18

Stargazers and space lovers unite! The Southern Cross Astronomical Society is offering "Journey to Saturn and Titan" with NASA engineer George Haddad from the Kennedy Space Center. Haddad (who worked as a member of the Cassini Mission launch team) will discuss information about the mission and reveal recent images of the ringed planet and its largest moon. The Cassini-Huygens Mission is a joint effort of NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency. Launched from Cape Canaveral on October 15, 1997, the Cassini spacecraft had a long journey before reaching Saturn on June 30, 2004. Tonight's program is free and includes a food buffet, lively discussions, prizes, and time for sky watching on the terrace if the weather cooperates. Get spaced out starting at 8:00 at the FIU Astronomy Center, Physics Bldg., CP-145, 11200 SW Eighth St., Miami. Call 305-661-1375, or visit www.scas.org. (LO)

SAT 19