Entertainment Book

Parents have spent the week balancing work and child care. And parents of college-age children have added filing tax and college financial aid forms by the March 1 deadline to the mix.

After a week like that, theres only one thing to do party. A good place to start is the spring gourmet dinner put on by the University of New Hampshires hospitality students.

Paraiso Mexicano features a six-course authentic menu on Friday and Saturday. Dishes include an appetizer of pork-stuffed peppers, authentic tortilla soup, snapper and shrimp with tomatoes, onions, garlic and jalapeno peppers, duck breast with mole sauce, tortilla salad and fried pastry with chocolate dessert. Live entertainment and a cash bar will round things out.

The event is pricey, about $50 a ticket, but think of it as fund-raising event.

Police checkpoints to monitor Spring Bling

RIVIERA BEACH — Police plan to make thousands of beachgoers wade through a series of checkpoints before getting to Singer Island during Spring Bling.

XM and Knitting Factory Entertainment Live Music Series to Debut ...

WASHINGTON and NEW YORK, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- XM, the nation's leading satellite radio service, in collaboration with Knitting Factory Entertainment (KFE), the leading authority on live emerging music, today announced the alternative music performance series "Live From The Knitting Factory on XMU" will premiere on March 2. Co-created and co-produced by KFE and XMU, XM's indie/college music channel (XM 43), the weekly concert series will feature performances from both up-and-coming and established alternative bands recorded at Knitting Factory clubs in New York and Los Angeles.

Each "Live From The Knitting Factory on XMU" performance will capture the spontaneity and eclectic energy that has been the signature of Knitting Factory concerts, while spotlighting emerging artists across multiple genres.

ROLL CALL: Paris Banned & Britney's Hand?

PARIS WHO? : What happens when one of the largest news outlets in the world decides to put a ban on stories about one of the most scrutinized celebrities in the business? THE ASSOCIATED PRESS decided to find out, when they placed an active ban on any Paris Hilton reports for one week, which included no AP coverage of Paris' high-profile 26th birthday party in Beverly Hills. So, how did that ban work out for the AP? They're happy to fill you in.

IS THE RING THE THING? : US WEEKLY certainly hasn't banned another celebrity with a huge profile, as they report on the latest Britney Spears sighting. US reports on Britney's alleged outing to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting on Wednesday night, and they are quick to point out that she had a ring on her left ring finger. US concedes that the ring is NOT the wedding ring given to her by Kevin Federline, but they allege that her wearing of a ring on that finger may be a symbol of an impending reconciliation for the estranged pair.

EA and GameStop Announce Def Jam Icon Tournaments

Electronic Arts, in partnership with Def Jam Interactive, announced today that a series of DEF JAM ICON tournaments will be sponsored by GameStop and held in four major U.S. cities throughout February. DEF JAM ICON will be released for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360 video game entertainment system in March 2007. EA Chicago and urban lifestyle powerhouse Def Jam Interactive continue to push the boundaries of game development by bringing unique and innovative content to the next generation of gaming.

Sponsored by GameStop and held at various GameStop and EB Games retail stores in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York, the tournament gives players a chance to compete as their favorite hip hop celebrities in one of the most highly anticipated hip hop lifestyle/fighting games of the year.