the world with Earthjustice, a non-profit public interest law firm dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth. With hundreds of victories, this team of lawyers is protecting our planet one case at a time.

your sisters. Make it possible for women and girls of color to attend notable events around the country with Event Scholarships through SisterSong, a reproductive justice group.
 

Finally, Sundays can be exciting for “Football Widows!”  Food 101 in Sandy Springs has put together a powerhouse line up of exciting events just for the ladies that differ each week. 

Why fight the crowds at the mall when you can do some stress-free holiday shopping while relaxing with a specialty martini?  On December 13th, Brittany Odom Smith, one of Atlanta’s most celebrated jewelry designers will be displaying and selling her uniquely bold statement jewelry made from high quality stones, gold and silver.  Her pieces have sold in high end boutiques all over the United States and celebrity designers like Nicole Miller own jewelry from her line.  Now you or the special someone on your holiday list can be next!

Not sure what to do with yourself this New Year's Eve? Some of Atlanta's best restaurants are opening their doors for an evening of decadent dining during the countdown to 2010. Forget Zagat's, we've got your guide to fine foods on NYE.

With Executive Chef and Co-Owner Kevin Gillespie in the spotlight on Bravo’s Top Chef, 2009 has been a big year for Atlanta’s favorite farm-to-table restaurant, Woodfire Grill.  Atlantans can celebrate the year’s accomplishments, too, by enjoying the restaurant’s five-course prix fixe menu for $100 per person ($85 per person for vegetarian option).  The New Year’s Eve special selection will feature a range of extravagant dishes including truffles and lobster.  Guests can choose to include wine pairings with each course for an added cost.  Reservations are required and can be made by calling 404-347-9055. Woodfire Grill is located at 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road.

Buckhead revelers will be happy to know that Aria is offering a four-course prix fixe menu for $85 per person on New Year’s Eve with wine pairings available at an additional cost.  For reservations, guests can call the restaurant at 404-233-7673.  Aria is located at 490 East Paces Ferry Road.  

Kennedy and Tyler Garner, students at Langston Hughes High School in Fairburn, were downtown with their mother MJ to see the sights and stay overnight in a nearby hotel. As they walked home that night, the cold air and wind whipping between the buildings made their walk difficult and they were excited to return to their warm cozy hotel room. 

A few blocks before doing so, the ladies encountered a man sitting humbly and quietly on a stone wall near the sidewalk. He wore no jacket, shoes or socks, but smiled warmly. Taking mental inventory of the stacks of warm clothes in their hotel room, the trio hurried home to gather several pairs of socks to bring the man in an attempt to help him stay warm. Sadly, when they returned to the spot where he'd been sitting, the man was gone.

Inspired by the experience and the disappointment they felt in not being able to help the man, Kennedy and Tyler began rallying their friends in an effort to collect new socks and gloves to help people in need. 

On December 12, the family will host a chance for others to help their endeavor at Cafe Nineteen in Atlantic Station. Help them reach their goal of 1000 pairs of socks and gloves for men, women and children, enjoy music and a great selection of coffee and cocoa. 

The 4th annual Lighting of Atlantic Station on Saturday, November 21. The annual event is Atlanta’s very first tree lighting of the year, flipping the switch on more than 250,000 twinkling lights and transforming the vibrant community into a winter wonderland.

The Lighting of Atlantic Station this year features a full day of festive activities beginning at 2:00 pm with street performers, a miniature children’s train ride, children’s craft activities, an open-air holiday market, musical performances, a holiday fashion show and a free screening of the classic film, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

The tree lighting ceremony will commence at 7:30 pm with performances by The Alliance Theater, “Panache” from The Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus and the Georgia State Brass Ensemble, as well as appearances from local celebrities, the arrival of Santa Claus and the lighting of Atlantic Station’s 50-foot tall Holiday Tree in Central Park.

Last night I had a chance to see In the Heights, the Tony and Grammy Award-winning Broadway musical in its first night at The Fabulous Fox Theatre. The show was absolutely amazing and I highly recommend seeing it during its limited run through Sunday, November 8 at The Fox as part of Broadway Across America. The dancing and singing are out of this world.

In The Heights tells the universal story of a vibrant community in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood—a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music.  It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind.

Ticket prices start at at $18.00. Tickets can be purchased through authorized ticket sellers at The Fox Theatre Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, or by phone at 1-800-982-2787.  Orders for groups of 15 or more may be placed by calling 404-881-2000. For more information on the show itself, visit www.intheheightsthemusical.com.

a life with your sweet pup. Therapy dogs are used for many things, from helping children get comfortable reading aloud to brightening up residents at assisted living communities.

in the 2009 Race for the Cure, October 3 in Uptown. The celebration of life includes running and walking events, a race expo, kids’ dash, survivors’ tent, and more. Visit komencharlotte.org for details.
 

a friend, fellow room mom or student to run for office with She Should Run. The project was started by the Women’s Campaign Forum after various studies showed that women don’t think to run for office unless someone asks. Women win at the same rate as men, get more in the pipeline!

a woman in another part of the world with Women to Women International. The group will match you up with a woman to provide financial support for job skills and rights awareness and your letters will send hope to another part of the world.

around and volunteer at Horse Power, a nonprofit program that provides individuals with disabilities the therapeutic, educational and recreational benefits of horseback riding. Whether you’re a seasoned rider or have no experience, there’s an opportunity for you to give.

childhood literacy by supporting an online auction to benefit Ferst Things First for Childhood Literacy, an organization that aims to instill a love of books in Georgia preschoolers.

your picture taken for a cure: On October 11, local photographers will participate in Images for a Cure, and each one-hour session fee ($100) will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.