Dine out, do good for kids

Seven Five Guys in the Charlotte area will donate a portion of proceeds this week to First Book-Charlotte, which provides new books to kids in need (that's a happy recipient at right). Participating locations: Ballantyne, Blakeney, Steele Creek, Matthews, Monroe, South Boulevard and Arboretum. The week includes this coming Sunday, and hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Details: www.fiveguys.com. First Book-Charlotte, launched in 2006, distributed more than 300,000 new books as of spring 2012, says Colleen Luddington, co-chair of the group.

Showmars has School Tools barrels in each of its 28 restaurants, awaiting your donations of school supplies for students who don't have them. School Tools' campaign runs throughout August. Pens, pencils, glue sticks, markers, book bags and more are welcome. You can also give at www.school-tools.org.

Summer at the Mansion

The Duke Mansion hosts an evening of cocktails and snacks 5:30-7 p.m. Aug. 17, and you can stroll the gardens or stay cool inside the mansion. Snacks are free; drinks are from a cash bar (which takes credit cards). Reservations: 704-714-4445 or email kellis@tlwf.org. 400 Hermitage Road.

Chicksbeer: Shakespeare, girls, brews

"For a quart of Ale is a dish for a King.”
— William Shakespeare, A Winter’s Tale

Coming in September: Chickspeare, Charlotte's all-female Shakespeare Company, will perform portions of the Reduced Shakespeare Company’s Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged at NoDa Brewing, with beer and food from the Tin Kitchen food truck on hand.

The theater company began doing shows about 14 years ago at the Johnson Brewery on Central Avenue (now defunct) and, said founder Sheila Snow Proctor in a release, "Some of my most fond theater memories are from those early years at Johnson Beer. The opportunity of recreating that experience for a new audience with NoDa Brewing was irresistible." Plans call for both old and new company members.

Dates: Sept. 16, 17, 23, 24. Time: Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Reservations: 980-819-9734 or at NoDa Brewing, 2229 N. Davidson St., during business hours.
$20 buys you a ticket to the show and meal: Your choice of tacos - barbecued beef brisket with chipotle slaw, drunken chicken with goat cheese or sweet potato hash with stewed white beans - and sides; you buy drinks separately.

Food truck + wine place = seated dinner

Vin Master, a wine store, and Roots Farm Food, a food truck, collaborate on a seated dinner at what the two are calling "the inaugural Food Truck Dinner." It'll be Aug. 18 at Vin Master, 2000 South Blvd. Vin Master owner Chris Woodrow and Roots' chef-owner Craig Barbour plan five courses, including oysters with Prosecco, duck confit with Chianti and more. $85; reservations at thevinmaster.com.

Sweet Saturday at Market

7th Street Public Market offers "Sweet Saturday" 11 a.m.-2 p.m. July 28 at 224 E. 7th St. uptown: Vendors will have a variety of sweets, from white chocolate cupcakes at Cloud 9 Confections to sweet rolls at Banzai Sushi to fro-yo push pops at Tasty-Yo to vegan, raw, sugar-free desserts (including "Life by Chocolate Cake") at Viva Raw. Also coming "soon," according to market press: new vendor Orrman's Cheese Shop. More info at www.7thstreetpublicmarket.com.

Restaurant Week is half over: How's it going?

Let us know how your Restaurant Week meals have been. (This is the three(-or-more)-courses-for-$30 deal going on through July 29 at some 100 restaurants around town; details here.) Had something outstanding? Found a new favorite? Share.

Big Ben celebrates Olympics

Big Ben British Restaurant and Pub plans a party 4 p.m.-midnight July 27 to celebrate the opening of the Olympic Games. (They're in London, you know?) 2000 South Blvd. at Atherton Mill; 704-817-9697.