Professor Jim H. Madison’s book, “Slinging Doughnuts for the Boys,” takes a look at the men who defeated the Nazis and the Red Cross women who helped make victory possible. Volunteer Liz Richardson doled out doughnuts and coffee to American soldiers and, as her diaries reveal, she gained insight into the homesick GIs. Drinks and light dessert are complimentary. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lunches. FREE (Gallery admission is not included.)

Free Admission. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres provided.

On Thursday, January 28, 2010, Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana will hold its fourth annual Desserts First fundraiser. Louisville's finest restaurant chefs will create original desserts using the well-known Girl Scout Cookie varieties as the key ingredient and present them for tasting at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. This signature event is open to the public and will create an opportunity in which guests may network and enjoy an evening with friends, while sampling delicious, one-of-a-kind desserts created for this event.

Brides and her guests will experience a mock wedding reception held in the historic Crystal Ballroom. Each guest table will be decorated in different themes giving brides many design possibilities to consider for her wedding. The famous Crystal Ballroom will be decorated in several styles - from classic to contemporary - showcasing flowers, centerpieces, place settings and linens in a variety of colors and patterns. Led by The Brown Hotel Executive Chef Laurent Géroli, the four-diamond culinary staff will provide decadent food tastings accompanied by specialty beverages.

On Thursday, January 28, 2010, Suzanne Ellis of Semonin Realtors will be hosting a home buying seminar. Whether you are a first time home buyer or you currently own a home and are thinking of moving, this seminar is for you. Topics to be covered include the information on the Home Buyer Tax Credit for repeat and new buyers. What is home owners insurance & how much do I need? Why have a home inspection? Financing alternatives and much more.

Beginning in January, Pure Light Blessings (Diksha) will be offered bi-weekly in Louisville. Pure Light Blessings is a physical transferrence of Divine Energy, or Light, directly into the brain. This Light restructures the brain bringing it back into its original state of harmony and balance. Receiving this blessing of Illumination allows an opening to higher consciousness. It cleanses the heart, mind, emotions and personality of impurities and desires that no longer serve your journey to health and happiness. (also February 11 and February 25)

Know Pain, No Pain, a pain awareness/prevention program, will be offered by Baptist East/Milestone Wellness Center on Thursday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.baptistmilestone.com. This program costs $10 for members and $15 for non-members. To register, contact the Oasis Spa at (502) 896-3900, ext. 121.

Men don’t have to face prostate cancer alone. The American Cancer Society’s prostate cancer education and support group, Man to Man, helps men cope with prostate cancer by receiving information and peer support. Man to Man is a forum for men to learn about diagnosis and treatment options through presentations, written materials and videos. Specialists in the prostate cancer field share information on medical and quality of life issues.

This musical tribute to Ella Fitzgerald is an amazing performance that takes a trip down memory lane with a legend and her band. It’s a trip you won’t want to miss! Featuring breathtaking songs like “That Old Black Magic” and “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” and stories of her extraordinary life and personal resilience, Ella captures the essence of the woman behind the microphone, delivering a sensational live concert that channels her remarkable voice.

A brilliant young student, an unorthodox detective, a sensitive young woman forced into prostitution . . . and a brutal murder. In this acclaimed adaptation, three actors play out Dostoevsky’s classic tale as a 90-minute psychological drama—feverishly reliving the events leading up to the grisly crime, uncovering a fascinating mind and motive, and exploring the tenuous path toward redemption.

Comedy fans, do you want to see the most powerfully funny show in the clubs today?

Hotel has your remedy for the winter blues! Presenting Remedy, a night of dance, disco and house music with Figure and Sleepy T! Absolutely NO COVER! $2 Hi Life and $4 Absolut. Doors open at 10 PM. For more information, call 502.541.1161.

The 16th annual African American Art Exhibition at Actors Theatre of Louisville will be on display from January 25 - February 22, 2010. The exhibition will run concurrent with the theatrical production of Ella. Each year, over 20,000 theatre and arts patrons view the exhibition, which has become a popular highlight of the region’s visual arts season. On February 5, 2010 awards will be presented at a reception honoring artists. These awards include a Brown-Forman Corporation purchase award as well as other purchase/merit prizes. Last year, more than $6,000 was awarded!

Interviewing for bilingual home inspector (English, Spanish) for Louisville, KY and surrounding area, including Southern Indiana. Must be licensed. Must have a car and a valid license. Knowledge of HomeGauge a plus, but not required. Call Linda 231-1155

The Water Tower Regional, first held in 1909, is the oldest competitive juried art exhibition in the Southeast and Midwest regions. Hosted by the Louisville Visual Art Association, Kentucky's oldest arts organization, the exhibition will feature artwork from artists in Kentucky and surrounding states. This exhibit features artists from Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. Opening reception on January 24. Over $5,000 in cash awards will be presented at the reception along with a lecture by juror Churchill Davenport.

The monstrous course of bigotry and deceit are terrifyingly depicted through the story of a young farmer, his wife, and a young servant-girl who maliciously causes the wife's arrest for witchcraft. The farmer brings the girl to court to admit the lie-and instead of saving his wife, finds himself also accused of witchcraft and ultimately condemned with a host of others. Dates: 2010 January 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 & 30 @ 7:30pm January 23 & 30 @ 2:00pm Venue MeX Theatre, The Kentucky Center Ticket Information Kentucky Center: (502) 584-7777 www.kentuckycenter.org

Join CenterStage Academy as we present scenes and songs from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. The children will work with musical theatre professionals in all three disciplines: singing, acting, and dancing, culminating in a musical theatre production on Tuesday, May 11, 2010, with your child playing a starring role. T-shirt included in price. January 17-May 11 Spotlight Youth Musical Theatre Sundays 3:15-4:30 PM Fee: $355 Member Fee: $295 Ages 5-8 (or by permission of instructor) Minimum of 10 students required. Spotlight Youth Players Sundays 4:30-6:00 PM

A six week series of HANDS-ON training guaranteed to having you cooking like a pro in no time! This class is designed for the advanced beginner to intermediate level student. uring this six week course you will learn proper knife skills, secrets of making stocks, soups and sauces, the ins and outs of cooking meat, tricks to perfect poultry preparation & proper seafood techniques. Techniques for vegetable preparation as well as proper cooking methods for starches will be covered. Best of all, your culinary questions will be answered and you will understand the “whys” in cooking.

Fee includes an eight week league with a single elimination tournament. Women's Quads and Men's Quads. Men's Quads January 14-March 5 Thursdays 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Womens's Quads January 14-March 5 Thursdays 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Fee: $180/Team Age: 18+

This on-going workshop is for you if you are interested in developing your design and technique skills. Learning new and contemporary visual ideas is our goal. January 13-February 3 Wednesdays 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. January 15-February 5 Fridays 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. April 7-April 28 Wednesdays 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. April 9-April 30 Fridays 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. May 3-May 24 Mondays 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. May 7-May 28 Fridays 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Fee: $90 Member Fee: $70

The Louisville Nightmare, a second year IWFL team, is looking for women who are interested in getting physical! Practice for the 2010 season will begin Tuesday, January 12th from 7pm to 9pm at Turner Athletics. Practices will be held, after Jan. 12th, every Tuesday & Thursday from 7pm to 9pm at Turner Athletics. NO FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. Turner Athletics 3125 Upper River Rd Louisville, KY 40207 Please arrive at least 15mins before practice, dress for physical activity and bring plenty of WATER! Practice is open to all women, 18 years of age and older.

An exploration of new and well known drawing materials used by artists to express themselves. An introduction to colored pencils is included. January 11-February 1 Mondays 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Fee: $90 Member Fee: $70

From Hip-Hop music to contemporary literature, movies to cable television, the identity of Black America is often characterized by caricature and exaggeration. Searching for the Heart of Black Identity showcases the work of an amazing group of African-American artists from across America whose work explores this cultural conundrum. This provocative exhibition includes works in film, photography, textiles, sculpture, paintings and poetry. The opening reception will be held on Friday, January 8th from 5:00pm to 7:30pm.

Mardi is almost here Call J Gumbo's Catering Line @797-5644 or denisef@jgumbos.com GREAT rates for the Mardi Gras season

Let City Taste Tours show you the city! Hop aboard the comfort of our luxury shuttle and let us treat your taste buds and tell you the tale of this fascinating town. We’ll cruise you through Louisville ’s city streets and gas lit historic neighborhoods, while stopping at exciting hot spots along the way. We’ll set you in front of a beautiful fire and give you the choice of four mouth watering desserts at a new, absolutely fabulous restaurant that not even the locals know about as of yet.

Explore the world of contemporary art quilts in this national juried exhibit featuring 31 works by artists from across the United States. Please visit our website at www.carnegiecenter.org or call 812-944-7336 for information on exhibit and related programs. Exhibit sponsored by the Carnegie Center, Inc. Museum hours Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am-5:30 pm. Admission is free.

Fierce. Fitness by Design is Louisville's newest fitness studio offering private personal training and one on one health coaching along with Yoga and Pilates!Join us for our grand opening celebration and meet our master trainer and set your workout schedule today! We offer many options... 2010 Weight Loss Challenge -yoga -pilates -sculpting -cardio -kickboxing -and many more! Individualized Personal Instruction! Call Holly at (502) 419-3211 for more information. Or email us at fiercept@insightbb.com

The perfect tour for those who want to say they experienced Louisville, but don't have a lot of time! Join City Taste Tours for a 2.5 - 3.0 hour, fun-filled tour that takes you by some the city's most noteable sites. See Historic Old Louisville, Germantown, Harland Sanders gravesite, the world's largest bat, and more from the comfort of our warm luxury shuttle as we drive you through the city and the charming neighborhoods of Louisville. You'll even tour the inside of a historic Victorian mansion in the largest Victorian neighborhood in the U.S.

Take a humorous journey inside the magical world of animals, full of “Seussian” style rhymes guaranteed to bring smiles and chuckles. Whether going nose to nose with hippos as they graze upon nature’s massive salad bar, or eye to eye with dancing bears, discover how nature provides humor and wonder everywhere. Watch cheetahs race like Ferraris, bears that run their own fishing school, an opera-singing lion, and a sea of crabs that hold a town hostage!

Take a breathtaking tour of Kentucky in thirty minutes, all while sitting in a state-of-the-art theater in the Kentucky Center for the Arts. KentuckyShow! is an emotionally compelling, mulitmedia production that highlights Kentucky's fascinating people, places and spirit. Shows run Tuesdays through Saturdays at 11, 1 and 3 and Sundays at 1 and 3.

Every Thursday Andrea Davidson plays downstairs and there is a great salsa band called Cosa Seria upstairs in the Skybar!

December 8, 2009 – January 31, 2010 Founded in 1995, the Louisville Area Fiber and Textile Artists (LAFTA) is an organization of local visual artists whose work encompasses an array of surface design and construction techniques. The two-fold mission is to provide on-going support and information to its members and to increase community awareness and understanding of fiber and textile arts. LAFTA hosts juried shows about once a year in the community.

December 8, 2009 – January 31, 2010 Founded in 1995, the Louisville Area Fiber and Textile Artists (LAFTA) is an organization of local visual artists whose work encompasses an array of surface design and construction techniques. The two-fold mission is to provide on-going support and information to its members and to increase community awareness and understanding of fiber and textile arts. LAFTA hosts juried shows about once a year in the community.

The Mu Do Ryu Judo Dojo located at 3030 hunsinger Lane offers an adult Judo class that meets every Thursday and Sunday. Learn a martial art with over a hundred years of rich tradition and effective combat techniques! Low rates, no contracts, small class sizes. The first lesson is always free. http://www.mudoryu.com

During this six-week class, you'll learn to dance to the latest hits using basic steps of rumba, cha-cha, salsa, and meringue. Special attention will be given to footwork, Latin hip motion, and following. Both singles and couples are welcome. Instructor: Jeff Bloomer, professional dancer

“We did what we had to do.” The larger story of World War II is made up of millions of individual accounts of sacrifice, adventure and survival. Now you can hear the personal stories of 48 men and women from our area, in their own voices, at a one-of-a-kind exhibit that explores this defining event in our history. This exhibition runs through March 28, 2010 and is free with museum admission. For more, go to www.48stories.com

Pub Trivia! Teams play for cash and prizes. 6 Category Rounds - 3 Questions Per Round 1 Halftime Question - Multiparts 1 Final Question - Only plus/minus round Cash Prizes! A great way to spend an evening.

Designed for amateurs and first-time brewers, this class explores the process of home brewing beer from start to finish. Topics include brewing with malt extract; a brief history of brewing; necessary equipment; cooking and cooling the wart; fermentation; bottling and carbonation; and alternative types of brewing. Fee includes supplies used in class but not an individual home brewing kit, which is NOT required for participation. Class meets on 6 consecutive Thursday nights beginning on October 1.

Join us at Bernheim for a ten week Beginners and Intermediate course in the ancient movement exercise art of Tai Chi Chuan (for all ages and abilities). Details available at bernheim.org

The Brown Hotel, Louisville’s classic destination for hospitality, food and fun, invites you to bring your singing voice to the lobby bar for weekly piano entertainment that features tapas and specially priced signature cocktails and Terra D’Oro wines. The historic lobby will pay homage to the elegant piano bars of a bygone era on Thursdays and Fridays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., with professional pianist Sue Ann Stone playing Broadway and jazz era hits. During these hours, the bar will offer Terra d’Oro wines for $5 per glass and half-priced signature cocktails.

What makes something a treasure? Is it its uniqueness, its maker or original owner or simply its visual appeal? Great Revivals: Kentucky Decorative Arts Treasures, presents significant pieces from the Kentucky Historical Society collections that have been preserved and are treasured. This decorative arts exhibition opens Saturday, June 6, at the Old State Capitol in downtown Frankfort. For more information, contact Sara Elliott at 502-564-1792.

Glass Class Variety Pack (4-week class) Thursday evenings 6-8:30pm $225 Dates: April 1st-22nd May 6th-27th June 4th-25th July 2nd-23rd August 6th-27th September 3rd-24th October 1st-22nd November 5th-26th

Tai Chi in Nature Thursdays, April 16 – June 25 Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest offers a valuable sanctuary for creating a healthier mind, body and spirit any time of the year. This spring, Bernheim is enhancing these benefits of nature with Tai Chi classes. Mfundishi Baba Serikali will be teaching an introductory course in the Yang Style 24 posture form of Tai Chi Chuan, including stretching, breath work and meditation. The ten-week course is April 16 – June 25, with classes meeting Thursday evenings from 5:30 – 7pm.

From Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell) and John Caird (Les Miserables) comes a joyuous and inspirational musical about parents, children and faith...not to mention centuries of unresolved family business! Loosely based on the book of Genesis, Children of Eden is a frank, heartfelt and often humorous examination of the age-old conflict between parents and children. The show ultimately delivers a bittersweet but inspiring message that "the hardest part of love...is letting go." Tickets are available by calling 502-459-0660. Group rates are also available.

Gardening Group Thursday, March 5, 12, 19 and 26

Bring your guitar, banjo or wash-tub bass a great time will be had by all. Plenty of pickers and plenty of fun.

Stop by the Hall of Governors to examine objects and documents that illustrate the lives and achievements of Kentucky governors. Free. This hands-on cart will be available every Thursday in Janury.

Bunbury Theatre Company presents this zany comedy about three Sisters from Fayro Texas and what happens when their Christmas Pagent goes haywire!

NEW SUPPORT GROUP will be forming as an out reach to every person in Louisville. The support group will be offered for those that are living with: • Addictions • Depressions • Abuse • Loneliness • HIV/ AIDS • Any issue an individual may feel the need for support [Gay; Lesbian; Straight; and Transgender – every person is accepted and welcomed].