Five Things: South End Writes Author's Series Returns

Today is Friday, Sept. 16. Here are five things you need to know today:

1. Showers with a chance of thunderstorms today. Cooler temperatures in the lower 70s.

2. The South End Writes Author’s Series starts back up in a few short weeks. On Sept. 27, stop by the and meet novelist Lily King and learn more about her latest book, Father of the Rain. On Oct. 4, Boston Globe reporter and novelist Johnny Diaz will read from his fourth novel, Take the Lead. Both programs begin at 6:30 p.m. Visit the Friends of the South End Library website for more information. 

3. Boston foodies take note: Eater, a food and restaurant blog, is launching a Boston site and looking for freelance contributors. Candidates should be "mainlined into the soul of their respective city's dining scene," and can work anywhere. To apply, email jobs@eater.com with a brief description about yourself and a paragraph or two about why you're interested in the job. If you've got a blog, link to it, but no resumes.

4. This Saturday, stop by for a special open studios wine tasting. The event, held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. is appropriately titled "Drinkable Art", and includes samples of four different wines.

5. Recession? Unemployment? Sure, but the Boston-Cambridge area is one of three metro regions in the country with the fastest real GDP growth in 2010. This, according to the U.S. Department of the Bureau of Economic Analysis. (Props to Universal Hub for publishing this tidbit first.)