Noche de Penca. Penca executive chef David Solorzano is paying homage to “The Porfiriato” (the time when Porfirio Díaz ruled as Mexico’s president) with a specialty dinner of dishes from Central Mexico. The evening includes creamy bisque made with both langostino and lobster; handcut bistro tender seasoned with fermented mustard seed; roasted quail on farro grains and a dessert of chocolate mousse. The dinner also has an optional beverage pairing menu including Alburejo Oloroso sherry, Rompope Casero and Weingut Malat ‘Brut Rose’ wine. 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16. 50 E. Broadway. $80, beverage pairings are an extra $40. For reservations visit pencarestaurante.com or call (520) 203-7681.

National Chocolate Covered Anything Day at 1912 Brewing. Now that’s a holiday we can all get behind! 1912 Brewing Co. is celebrating the wonderful world of chocolate with some blind tastings paired with their craft beers. Some of the chocolate-covered foods could be fruits, vegetables or even candy. Fuse those chocolate treats with 1912’s dark beers, like their Mescalero Stout, for a rich combo worthy of a totally legitimate holiday. 5 to 9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16. 2045 N. Forbes Blvd.

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker. There are lots of options for seeing The Nutcracker this holiday season, but this one is performed by dancers from the Moscow Ballet—only fitting, when you consider the show debuted in Russia in 1892. The troupe tours the U.S. annually, but the children’s parts are danced by local youth. So this is pretty much a perfect chance to feel both like a world, sophisticated character in a Russian novel and like the type of person who supports local arts. 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16, and Tuesday, Dec. 17. Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. $34 to $142.

Evils of the Night. For their Mondo Mondays series, the Loft Cinema is screening this obscure, gratuitous ’80s sex-sci-fi about alien vampires in search of youthful blood! From the filmmakers of Eaten Alive—oh you haven’t heard of that silly/gory mess either? Regardless, Evils of the Night is a whole lot of sleaziness and entertainment mixed together and described as “Insanely stupid but never dull.” 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. $4.