Here's something to do on Valentine’s Day that won’t stretch your budget but might expand your mind: a free pi'pa performance at U of L’s Comstock Hall featuring visiting Chinese musician, Ming Ke.

Get up!  Get out!  Every Wednesday, Louisville.com Healthy Heart Beat writer Emily Ruppel offers suggestions for events and activities in Louisville that will help keep your spirits high and your blood pressure low.

On Friday, February 12th or Saturday, February 13th, get a head start on Valentine’s day with a little stroll through a gigantic park.  Jefferson Memorial Forest will be hosting a V-day hike for all the lovers (of nature) in Louisville.

Join us in 5 dance workshops exploring & learning dances from black cultures around the world: Belly dance, Hip Hop, African Dance, Jazz, and Capoeira.

Saturday February 20th Studio S.I.L.K. and master instructors will share the beautiful variety of dance deriving from Black cultures of the world which have been passed down through generations bringing joy to the entire globe.

The day ends with professional performances of each dance style represented in the workshop and an intimate African dinner prepared by Chef Ronnie Upshaw.

Pre-registration is recommended as space is limited.

E.ON U.S. presents Party for the Planet: A Month-long Celebration of the Earth featuring Earth Day at The Louisville Zoo on April 25 from 10am - 2pm. Learn about the Zoo’s conservation efforts and visit environmental displays by some of our eco-partners at four stations setup throughout the Zoo. Be sure to pick up your free copy of the Toyota Backyard Action Hero Magazine. Come join the fun and learn what you can do to help save our planet! Special discount admission for the day is just $2 per person!

502-238-5331
http://www.louisvillezoo.org/

School's Out Days will be held February 15, 2010, from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. with a Hawaiian Luau. Come celebrate Hawaiian style with a pool party, dance extravaganza and more!

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, May 15, 2010, from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Be a part of School's Out Days and mine for gold and other precious metals during your wild west adventure at the JCC.

The days include sports, arts and crafts and swimming. Bring a bathing suit, towel and lunch!

Fee: Member: $35 Non-Member: $50

E.ON U.S. presents Party for the Planet: A Month-long Celebration of the Earth Featuring Eggstravaganza on April 4 - Visit the Zoo to celebrate Easter with some of our EGGstraordinary egg-laying animals. Be sure to pick up your egg scavenger hunt as you enter the Zoo. The Easter Bunny will be here to meet and greet visitors in Zoo Vision from 12-4pm. Be sure to bring your cameras to take some great family photos!

The Voice-Tribune's New Year's Eve Soirée
Louisville Marriott
280 W. Jefferson St.
9 p.m.
Accent aigu denotes class. So even though the Voice-Tribune is promoting its event as "everyone's favorite time of year to let loose," you'll still probably want to wear pants. At least until midnight and the balls drop. Tickets are $125 and available online or by calling 502-897-8900.

Don't embarrass yourself and The Sweet Baby Jesus by showing up at Christmas dinner with a cheap varietal of hooch you bought at CVS. These well-priced bottles--almost all of which are less than $15--will impress your family and not leave you with a nasty hangover for Boxing Day.

Reds
Stay away from French reds--like the French army, they're weak and retreating. The Iberian Peninsula and South America don't just supply the world with many of its most beautiful women, but they also provide some delicious and well-priced red wines:

A friend of mine suggested that I might know where all the good neighborhoods are for Christmas light gazing. Since I get out of the house rarely and spent MAYBE 30 minutes on my own house, I was at a loss for what to tell him. Then it occurred to me that nothing is better than the web for consolidating good information from a bunch of different places.

So, sound off, Louisville. We're all depending on you to deliver the Christmas bonus here.

Where are the great Christmas light displays around town?