Family law attorneys and an estate planner will be on hand at The Center on Wednesday, Oct. 6, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. to cover some of the important changes in state domestic partnership laws that go into effect under AB 205 on Jan. 1. The workshop is designed to answer the community’s questions about domestic partnership and to provide resources on where to get more specific information for each family’s unique situation. Childcare will be provided and a notary will be on hand to notarize domestic partnership registrations and terminations at no cost. Call (619) 692-2077 ext. 212 for more information.

The fifth annual North County Pride in the Park is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 2. The event takes place at Brengle Terrace Park, located at 1200 Vale Terrace Dr. in Vista. The theme for this year’s festival is “5 Years of Expanding Community Through Awareness”. The free event runs from 12:00 noon until 5:00 p.m.

North County Pride in the Park offers a resource and health fair, live entertainment and a children’s area. Refreshments, food, beer and wine will be available for purchase. Visual artists will be able to display their work in a special exhibit space being sponsored by Real Individuals Seeking Expression (R.I.S.E.).

The resource and health fair featured almost 50 vendors in 2003 including both local non-profit organizations and businesses. The resource and health fair offers an opportunity to let the residents in and around San Diego’s North County learn about the many organizations and resources available to the GLBT community.

Fraternity House, Inc., invites the community to dine in style while simultaneously making a difference in the lives of men and women living with HIV/AIDS. As San Diego County’s only nonprofit organization licensed to provide residential care facilities for the chronically ill, Fraternity House presents its fifth annual Fraternity Feasts series, a sequence of elegant dining experiences designed to raise funds in support of the vital services Fraternity House provides. Guests enjoy sumptuous meals, beautiful homes and gardens and inspiring people. Each host has agreed to underwrite the cost of the evening so that the full proceeds from the dinner ticket sales go straight to the support of Fraternity House residents.

The dinner series concludes with “An Affaire to Remember”, taking place at 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 23. George Schleder, executive chef from Affaire to Remember Catering, will host the dinner. The dinner will include cocktails and a five course, gourmet meal (including a main course of crown roast of pork with confetti stuffing). Following dinner, guests will be invited to explore Schleder’s home and view his extensive art and antique collections. Space is limited to 20 guests. To make reservations for the feast, contact Abby Schwartz at (760) 736-0292 ext.103.

For the fifth year running, Home Start, Inc. teams with Bourbon Street to host “Harvest Fest V”, a hip annual celebration to raise funds for child abuse prevention, on Thursday, Oct. 14, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Bourbon Street. Support for the event, which drew over 100 attendees last year, is provided by Wells Fargo, 2004 lead sponsor, and by the Imperial Court de San Diego, Shaw Web Technologies, Frenz Designs, Cox & Scott Entertainment, Stu’s Carpet Clean and Beesworks. Frenz Designs’ owner, Big Mike, will chair this event. The guest emcee will be Dave Carlin, a reporter and anchor of KSWB’s News at 10, and Bourbon Street’s DJ Kenny will also participate. There will be surprise live entertainment and a silent auction.

The event will feature premium beer sampling, courtesy of Anheuser Busch Sales of San Diego, and hors d’oeuvres from Abellire, Chipotle Mexican Grill, The Abby Café, Taste of Italy, Hummingbird Confections and Twiggs Bakery. Admission is $30 and, because space is limited and the popularity of this event grows each year, reservations are encouraged. Contact Sharon Hudnall at (619) 692-0727 for more information.

The University of California San Diego LGBT Resource Center is hosting its annual UCSD LGBT Alumni Champagne Brunch. This year’s program, “Deconstructing our Past: Constructing the Future” highlighting the past years of UCSD GLBT history, focuses on the new resource center that is currently under construction at the original student center.

The brunch takes place Saturday, Oct. 16, at 9:30 a.m. at the UCSD LGBT Resource Center located in University Center, Building 312. RSVP by Oct. 8 to: (858) 822-3493. Parking on campus is free on Saturdays and guests may park in any available spot in the Gilman Parking Structure.

Linda Martinez, 50, a registered nurse with a master’s degree in counseling, has launched a rare healthcare survey of aging lesbians. The survey, part of her current master’s thesis in a nurse practitioner’s program, runs through December.

Few healthcare studies of older lesbians exist because they remain one of the most closeted groups of individuals, according to some reports. The largest study to date of lesbians and women over 45 was conducted with only 100 women over the age of 60 in 1986.

Martinez hopes to exceed the number in the1986 survey and create a larger study of aging lesbian healthcare needs with the help of community groups, encouraging open attitudes and by using the Internet as part of the academic research.

Surveys are anonymous. For more information, call (770) 953-3154 or send for a survey copy: ASU Department of Nursing, Attn: Dr. Marianne McCarthy (women’s survey), P.O. Box 872602. Tempe, AZ 85287. You will not be asked to identify yourself.

In an ongoing effort to revitalize San Diego’s older urban neighborhood commercial districts, Deputy Mayor Toni Atkins, community and economic development staff, and community partners celebrated the completion of significant streetscape improvements to the Ray Street arts and culture district in North Park during a ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 11.

The Ray Street arts and culture district is located in the heart of the historic North Park community, just south of University Avenue and east of 30th Street. Community improvements include 1,700 square feet of new sidewalks, curbs and gutters, 19 flowering street trees (a combination of evergreen pears and crepe myrtles) and a series of color-coordinated enhancements including decorative tree grates and guards, benches, trash receptacles, light poles and planters.

For more information on revitalization efforts in North Park and neighborhood revitalization projects in the city of San Diego, contact the Community and Economic Development Department at (619) 533-4233 or call Deputy Mayor Atkins’ office at (619) 236-6633.

Rich’s, now open six days a week, is celebrating its 13th anniversary Saturday and Sunday Oct. 9-10, featuring special guest performers Simone Denny, singer of the hit from “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” “All Things (Just Keep Getting Better)” and DJ Barry Harris.

To mark the anniversary, Rich’s will be unveiling a fresh new look, while as an appreciation for all of the years of support, all customers who arrive between 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. will receive a complementary VIP card that will be good for front of the line privileges as well as discounted cover charge throughout the year. In addition, guests of Rich’s will receive special gifts and prizes to commemorate the anniversary celebration.

Rich’s is now open six nights per week, no cover charge Monday-Thursday.

For more information about the Rich’s and their upcoming anniversary party please call (619) 295-2195.