Our daily morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations.

1. There are few better ways to relax during the week than to enjoy a nice glass or two of wine. The only thing that might make it better would be a four-course tasting menu that you don't even have to make yourself. Sel De La Terre has got the right idea with Wine Tuesday, offering a variety of wines to try and a menu prepared by Chef Daniel Bojorquez, who you may remember as the winner of Food Network's Chopped. For $38 per person, this could be all years. Me? I grew accustomed to "Wine Wednesdays" in my college years, but moving it up a day doesn't seem like a bad idea.

2. It's that time of year again when the town recognizes the true heart of the community. Tickets are now available for the Natick Center Associates Heart of the Community Award Dinner, which will take place this Sunday, March 25. Residents Denise Girardin and Steve Levinsky will be honored for their contributions to the community. The recipients of the award, who are married, recently opened Palettes, a new public art studio downtown. Levinsky is chairman of the town's Personnel Board, Town Meeting member, chairman and president of the Center for the Arts in Natick and a part of the Natick Service Council Advisory Board. Girardin is an artist, active volunteer in the Natick Public Schools and Senior Center and organizer of Natick Open Studios since it first began and she has created numerous community art projects across town, including the Locks and Keys Project. To purchase tickets to the dinner, call Margaret Sleeper at 508-650-8848 or email info@natickcenter.org.

3. Shout out to your favorite salon in town! Vote in our Best Salon in Natick poll before 9 a.m. Friday and the winning business will be recognized as a Patch Readers' Choice at noon on Friday. Vote in, comment on and share our poll with others to give your favorite the recognition you think they deserve.

4. Your third and fourth-graders are going to need a big, healthy breakfast this week. MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) testing begins for fourth-graders, who will take the long composition assessment today, followed by English language arts on March 28 and 29. Third-graders will take the English language arts portion on March 21 and 22. And in case you're wondering how long you'll have to wait, results will be available to parents in October.

5. That bare spot on your living room wall could really use some art. Paint a masterpiece yourself for just $20 at Palettes art studio's open painting session today (and every Tuesday) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. You don't even have to bring any supplies; Palettes provides everything you need. 

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