72 Hours

1. CHILEAN AUTHOR Isabel Allende will sign copies of her latest book,

“Portrait in Sepia,” at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 901-B South Coast

Drive, Costa Mesa, at 7 p.m. today. She will also read from her novel

about Aurora del Valle’s search for her past in San Francisco’s

Chinatown. Allende is known for her novels “Of Love and Shadows,” “The

House of the Spirits” and “The Stories of Eva Luna.” (714) 444-0226.

2. GUIDES WILL TAKE GROUPS on walking tours of the Upper Newport Bay

Ecological Reserve from 9 to 10:15 a.m. Saturday. All tours begin at the

corner of East Bluff Drive and Back Bay Road in Newport Beach. (949)

786-8878.

3. SMILE. Photographer John L. Blum will take color pictures of

children on antique firetrucks supplied by the Newport Beach Fire

Department from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Grant Howard Park, at 5th

Avenue and Marguerite Avenue in Corona del Mar. $10. Donations benefit

the New York Fire Department’s Sept. 11th Disaster Relief Fund. (949)

675-3130.