The most imposing challenges can offer the biggest reward.

>> Red Door Garden & Art Gallery is a new spot in Sand City (860 Tioga Ave., across from Costco) that specializes in local succulents as well as local artists. Saturday, 11am-5pm, they present their first artist reception, featuring award-winning metal sculptor (and surfer) Mike Garnero, who’s done recycled metal, colorful fish, wind-driven kinetic sculptures and more. The space is worth checking out for its repurposed creativity.

>> Maybe you’re reaching your saturation point with all the car talk. It will be over soon. Til then, Winfield Gallery (Dolores between Ocean and Seventh, Carmel, 624-3369) is hosting a solo exhibition and book signing of Michael Furman’s Porsche Unexpected 12-2pm Saturday.

>> Carmel’s Titus Gallery (San Carlos between Fifth and Sixth, 622-9880) hosts a show by sculptor T Barny 4-7pm Saturday, to include an artist talk at 5pm, a free raffle for a painting by gallery ownerMary Titus (great lady) and refreshments. This is a sweet Carmel gallery space with a big roster of artists.

>> Terry Shoulders is showing his fine art photography at his Shoulders Photography Gallery on the third floor of Carmel Plaza. One set of photographs is a figurative show called Women With and Without Borders, the other is Earth 2: Other Dimensions. The hours are 12-6pm weekdays, 10am-6pm weekends. 626-4275.

>> The Hartnell Gallery (411 Central Ave., Salinas, 759-6012) shows the photographs of former faculty member Joseph Bragdon Aug. 18-Oct. 19. Hours are 11am-2pm and 5-8pm Monday-Thursday. Contact Gary Smith for more at gsmith@hartnell.edu.

>> The Gentrain Society open lecture series offers up food for thought. Or this time, 1:30-2:30pm Wednesday, at Monterey Peninsula College Lecture Forum 103 (980 Fremont St., Monterey) it’s more like thoughts on food, when Lauren Handley, chair of the MPC Political Science Department, talks about “Food Politics.”

>> Registration is open for the Henry Miller Memorial Library’s Big Sur Writing Workshop, which they’ve been conducting for 18 years. This time the focus is on picture books, early reader, middle grade and young adult fiction. 667-2574.

>> You’ve probably heard. Maybe from Ira Glass in one of his on-air announcements. The Philip Glass Days and Nights Festival is a-coming next month, bringing with it performance and art from a super-team of creatives and intellects. See www.DaysAndNightsFestival.com.