The Oceanside Museum of Art will host its annual black-tie gala under the stars at 6 p.m. Saturday on the Civic Center Plaza to kickoff this summer's social season.

This year's theme, "O What a Night," features fine food, entertainment and well-deserved kudos to three folks who have contributed greatly to OMA's success.

This year, the board honors Oceanside's Bobbie Thill, and Rancho Santa Fe's Lillian and Robert Howard with the Medal of Distinction.

A hosted cocktail and hors d'oeuvres reception will greet guests as they gather for champagne in the museum and then make their way across to the Civic Center Plaza where Oceanside's Phil Burns and his trio will entertain.

Later, an elegant candlelight dinner will be served by the French Gourmet with music provided after dinner by The A Team.

Bobbie has been a tireless promoter of the OMA since its inception. She is a past chairwoman of the membership committee and was co-chairwoman of the first black-tie gala some 13 years ago.

The Howards helped to put the OMA's capital campaign over the top for its new expansion with a generous financial gift from the Howard Charitable Foundation. The foundation was created from Bob's publishing empire, which once included the old Blade-Tribune, the Blade-Citizen, and the North County Times.

There may be a few seats left at $175 per person. Call (760) 721-2787.

BIG GIFT -- While I was gone, the Waste Management of North County donated $10,000 to the Oceanside Museum of Art's capital campaign for expansion. The donation was presented to the OMA's board by Ken Ryan, Waste Management's district manager, and retired district manager John Lusignan, who ran the company in Oceanside for 17 years.

'OPEN MIC' -- Oceanside's venerable Flying Bridge restaurant will feature an "open mic" night from 7:30 to 11 p.m. in the lounge every Thursday. This isn't karoake, but it's an opportunity to bring your musical instrument and jam with Johnny B. Blues and other area musicians. If you have a set of pipes, you're welcome to get up and warble a tune or two. If you like the big band singing of Janet Barton of the Oceanside Society Orchestra, she's the night manager at the Bridge, so expect her to sing a few tunes. Call (760) 722-1151.

A THOUGHT -- With the nationwide heat wave presently hitting us, and with all the talk about global warming raising the Earth's sea levels to the point where it would put Miami and New York City underwater, has anyone given any thought to what such a rise in the surf would do to us here along our North County coastline?

That's an "inconvenient" thought.

Notes for Tom Morrow can be sent to tmorrow@nctimes.com, or quotetaker@msn.com.