Her Datebook

As the weather turns warmer we can't help but get excited about our gardens and fresh blooming flowers in our yard.  This weekend at the Tennessee State Fair Grounds is the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show.  This event offers so much inspiration for your avid gardner and the occasional gardner.  There are several examples by professional landscapers all around the exhibit.  Tickets are $10, visit here for more information.

This Sunday Feb. 28, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Her Nashville is hosting a Bridal Brunch at the Noah Liff Opera Center.  The brunch will feature a champagne toast with heavy hors d'oeuvres, a fashion show, and exclusive wedding service showcases from Nashville boutiques presented by Ashleysbrideguide.com and Bella Bridesmaid.  Tickets are $20.

It's been a half-century since the sit-ins of the 60s, and museums and exhibits depicting what it was like are springing up and open in their honor. In honor of those who paved the way for civil rights and in conjunction with the NAACP's 101st year as a civil rights organization, the group hosts a two-day panel discussion to highlight the sit-ins and how the media reported on them. February 11 - 12 at the First Amendment Center, guests are invited to hear from former U.S.

As though you need a reason to party, I'm here to give you one nonetheless. The Lisa Ross Parker Foundation hosts the fifth annual Music City Mardi Gras: A Celebration of Hope this Friday, Feb. 12 at the Cannery Ballroom. Enjoy the sounds of Burning Las Vegas, and enjoy some tasty food and bevies. Doors open at 7 p.m., and tickets are $25, which includes the cost of admission and food. A cash bar will be open as well. Learn more about the event, purchase tickets, and read up on the foundation at lrpfoundation.org.

Make sure you swing by Spaces this Saturday, Feb. 6 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. for Fashion for a Fraction. Tickets are $5, and proceeds benefit the Eating Disorders Coalition of Tennessee. Browse the heavily discounted items from hip boutiques like Posh, Moda, Ivey on Main, Apricot Lane, and more! See you there!

Friday, Feb. 5 is National Wear Red Day. Sport your ruby-colored frocks, and help raise awareness of the number one killer of women: heart disease. Additional activities planned for American Heart Month include Buildings Go Red, also on Friday, Feb. 5; Macy's Wear Red Sales Event from Feb.

If you've ever thought about being a foster parent, there's no time like the present to get prepped for said duties. Youth Villages hosts free information sessions for those interested in fostering or adopting this month and next. You need not be married; you need only have a lot of love to give. If you're interested, info sessions take place on the following dates:

Jan. 25 at 12 p.m.

Feb. 2 at 5 p.m.

Feb. 9 at 12 p.m.

Feb. 16 at 5 p.m.

Feb. 23 at 12 p.m.

OK, so no one really enjoys going to the female-parts doctor. Yet we all know how crucial it is to maintaining and/or achieving top health. And while we could come up with every excuse in the book as to why we just can't make for our annual exams, mark one excuse off the list. Cost. University Community Health Services and Vanderbilt University School of Nursing are offering women's health exams this Saturday, Jan. 16 for the unheard of (read: inexpensive) price of $30. Insured or not, that's a pretty good price for ensuring your girly parts are in good shape.

Anyone who has been touched by autism knows just how life-changing the diagnosis can be. And Leisa Hammett, whose daughter Grace has autism, is no exception. Hammett, a writer, and photographer Rebekah Pope have magnificently chronicled local families touched by autism in their new book, From Heartache to Hope, Middle Tennessee Families Living With Autism (Fields).

'Tis the season for do-gooders to get their game on. Here are some upcoming events in which to partake for the betterment of others...