Time is flying, and I can’t believe it’s time to write about Dinah Shore and Annual Women’s Night!

Annual Women’s Night is just around the corner, taking place on Saturday, April 18, and The San Diego LGBT Community Center recently announced the winners of this year’s Annual Women’s Night (AWN) Awards! Congratulations to all the local women that have made incredible contributions to our community who are being honored.

Awards will be given out at this year’s Women’s Night, “Sirens of the Silver Screen Soiree,” which promises to be the most exciting AWN yet! Two types of tickets are available: $150 tickets include dinner, wine and champagne at your table, while $75 tickets include dessert and show only. All tickets include a live dance performance, dancing with DJ Sandra Ware, live music from Roxy Blue and the Handful, casino tables, and more. And attention single women  you are now invited to join the special “Sizzling Singles Table” to mix and mingle with other single ladies! The Annual Women’s Night will take place in the Mission Bay Ballroom at Paradise Point Resort & Spa on Saturday, April 18, 6 to 11 p.m. All proceeds from this event will benefit the Women’s Resource Center at The Center. To buy tickets, visit www.thecentersd.kintera.org/awn2009. Don’t forget to wear your best black and white cocktail attire! This is a night to dress to impress!

It’s time to make the call to again decide whether you and your honey will be taking that last-minute trip to Palm Springs for Dinah Shore Weekend, April 1- 5. If so, remember there are two main companies throwing the parties, so you might want to shop around. Club Skirts “The Dinah” weekend has most of the big names – Katie Perry, The Indigo Girls, Uh-Huh-Her, Lady GaGa, Margaret Cho, and the list goes on. Also, San Diego band MC Flow (shameless plug!) will be competing in the Dinah Idol Contest at the Saturday pool party at The Riviera Hotel and Spa. Down the road at the Wyndam Hotel, Girl Bar “Dinah Shore” has Macy Gray, The Cliks, and Kat DeLuna. Tickets for both companies’ parties are still available. Hotel rooms, on the other hand, are going fast! For more information, visit www.dinahshoreweekend.com.

Looking to add a little culture to your otherwise dull week? Then why not grab a friend and check out some live theatre! A new show, Acts of Faith by Kathleen B. Jones, is based on The Collected Stories of Grace Paley, and follows the life of Faith, from the ages of 20 to 50. Our hero is passionate, witty, and initially naïve. Faith’s life becomes a vivid portrait of the ever-shifting dynamics of sexual and political power between men, women, friends and family in late 20th century America. Nine of Paley’s award-winning stories have been adapted for the stage by Kathleen B. Jones in collaboration with Sharyn C. Blumenthal and directed by Sharyn C. Blumenthal. If you love Paley, then this is a show not to be missed. Acts of Faith is at the Tenth Avenue Theater. Tickets are available at www.laterthanever.org or call 619-235-9353.

On Thursday, March 26, Red Door Studios, located at 830 25th St., Suite 104, is hosting a unique event for ladies only! Delight your taste buds with a wine tasting from Wine Shop at Home starting at 6 p.m. A short presentation on the history of acupuncture with acupuncturist Sandra McKay at 7 p.m. Next, Kulky Nakai, the senior sex educator for the Rubber Rose, a sexuality boutique in North Park, will give a sexy and mind-expanding presentation, with the night culminating with the “Moaning Monologue” by Vicki Erbie. A $10 donation is requested, with proceeds going to Becky’s House. For more information, call 619-297-6474.

Independent musicians and their fans will take over North Park once again at San Diego Indie Fest V on Saturday, March 28, 11 a.m. through the next morning at 2 a.m. The event boasts 85 artists on eight stages and a day full of unique music, films and art. The festival takes place in multiple venues on and off University Avenue, between Kansas and 30th streets. Tickets are available at the event, but arrive early to avoid the lines! Many female and queer artists are featured at this event, so it is a great opportunity to support your community!

If you’d like a little warm-up for Indie Fest, event co-founder Danielle Lo Presti will be performing at the FlawLes “Saturday Night Live” Dinah Shore Pre-Party at Anthology (1337 India St.) on March 21. Comedienne Sarah Hyland will be performing, along with local musicians Runhoney, Veronica May and Tori Roze. You might just win all access passes to Dinah Shore! Tickets are $12 pre-sale, $20 at the door. For more infomation, visit www.flawles.com.

The Women’s Resource will bring local women together for a day-long festival of workshops, entertainment and resources for lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LBT) women. “Women’s Fest 2009: Green Women, Green World” will take place on Saturday, May 16, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at The Center, located at 3909 Centre St. in Hillcrest. This year’s festival will focus on empowering women to be more eco-friendly in their choices and behaviors, as well as encourage the growth of a safer, healthier women’s community. Event producers are currently seeking local organizations and businesses interested in purchasing a vendor booth at the event. Booth rates are $75 (business/private) and $25 (non-profit). For more information on Women’s Fest 2009 or to secure booth space, please contact Abby Schwartz at 619-692-2077, ext. 212 or e-mail aschwartz@thecentersd.org.

Every Monday night Beauty Bar, San Diego (4746 El Cajon Blvd) presents Beauty Bordello hosted by the sassy Ophelia Kitty and featuring chanteuses Tori Roze and Roxy Blue. Weekly guest singers join the house band and the burlesque show is hot, hot, hot! Come dressed to impress in your vintage best!

Wednesday night is happy hump day in San Diego! If you are looking for an extra boost to get you to the weekend, Hawthorn’s Restaurant and Lounge (2895 University Ave.) is the place for you. Have a cocktail, meet new friends, and dance to DJ Kiki’s killer hip-hop mash-ups. Enjoy $3 draft beers and $4 Hawthorn’s martinis. This event kicks off at 10 p.m.

The Flame also has a new ladies’ night on Wednesday called Cookies. DJ Dirty Kurty is on the tables with $1 featured shots every hour and $2 Budweiser and Kamikaze shots all night.

Looking for fun on a Thursday night? Every Thursday, hundreds of women pack into Rich’s (1051 University Ave.) for Touch and party the night away. DJ Kiki spins a hot hip-hop and techno mix. Candice and Amy are the resident bartenders. Enjoy $3 Miller Lites all night long. Be sure to bring a bunch of dollar bills for the Lipstik Inc. Dancers! Doors open at 9:30, but get there before 10 p.m. and there is no cover. Happy dancing!

FlawLes hosts a new ladies happy hour every third Thursday at Universal (1202 University Ave) – join the cutest ladies in town for “Thirsty Thursdays”!

Every Friday is ladies’ night at Bourbon Street (4612 Park Blvd.) for Ladies Happy Hour from 4-7 p.m. and a live performance by Lauren DeRose at 6:30 p.m. in the front bar. Enjoy a game or two of pool or darts (my favorite) while you’re there, and munch on the free popcorn, too! This is one of the best spots to meet other women in SD.

Have you had a Hot Flash yet? Popular across the Pacific Northwest, Hot Flash Dances are monthly retro dances for lesbians who love to dance to a little doo-wop, fly to a little hip hop and boogie to a whole lot of everything in between. San Diego Hot Flash is open to all women 21-and-up but caters to “seasoned” lesbians mid 30s and up with great classics from the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s as well as today’s best dance music. Hot Flash is more than a dance though; it’s a place for connecting, meeting, playing, finding friends, making alliances and providing a sense of community. Hot Flash dances take place on the first Saturday of each month at The Flame (3780 Park Blvd.) from 5 to 9 p.m., with the next one taking place on April 4.

See you next month…and at Dinah!