What You're Doing Tonight: April 23

By SCOTT BEAULIEU

Updated 12:00 PM EDT, Thu, Apr 23, 2009

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The Grand Ballroom at the Omni Hotel in New Haven will be transformed tonight for Share our Strength's Taste of the Nation, the nation's largest culinary benefit.

Share our Strength, whose goal is to end childhood hunger in America, is bringing together top chefs and mixologists from 25 of Greater New Haven's best bars and restaurants.

You'll be able to dine on samples from restaurants like Geronimo Bar & Grill, Barcelona and even the Cupcake Truck.

The benefit starts at 5:30 p.m. General admission tickets to cost $75. A little steep yes, but 100 percent of ticket sales will go to support more than 100 of the nation's most effective and strategic anti-hunger organizations.

OK, so Earth Day was yesterday, but we're all about Green Living, in all its forms.

City Steam Brewery Cafe in Hartford is hosting the April installment of Hartford GreenDrinks tonight from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The event offers networking opportunities to people interested in green building and other sustainable careers. You can hob-nob with green building exhibitors while sipping on locally brewed beer (no word if it's green beer) and munching on organic food from Alchemy Juice Bar Cafe. It's a great way to mix and mingle with fellow eco-heads (I just made that up. Think it'll catch on?) from Hartford and beyond.

Tickets are $10 in advance, and $15 at the door. You can buy tickets and get more info from the CT Green Scene.

Looking for a little live music to spice up your Thursday?

A pair of acts will be taking the stage at The Warehouse in Hartford. Singer/songwriter Jen Lowe will display her unique musical talents. The West Hartford native names her influences as everybody from Counting Crows and Tonic to Joni Mitchell and Carole King.

Joining Lowe on the bill tonight is André Balazs. With this talented artist, you never know what you're going to get, from the soul of Tom Waits, to jazz funk and stripped down ballads.

The show starts at 9 p.m., and tickets are just $5.