Where the gals are

Thursday is Ladies Night Out at 50th and France in Edina. Women are invited to don workout wear and head to the intersection (W. 50th St. and France Av. S.) for "an evening of shopping, sweating and more."

The free event includes "crosswalk fashion shows," live music, food samples and fitness activities including mini boot camps and outdoor yoga.

Women shoppers also can find savings of 25-50 percent in more than 50 participating stores, as well as enter a drawing to win a gift card.

Ladies Night Out will be held 4-8 p.m. on Thursday. For a complete list of specials and participating stores, visit www.50thandfrance.com or call 952-922-1524.

Ponds on parade

Water is taking a starring role in more landscapes and gardens these days. Two upcoming tours will showcase the latest in residential water features, including ponds for fish and recreation, streams, waterfalls and rain-collection systems.

First up is the Twin Cities Pond and Landscape Tour, featuring the work of eight certified Aquascape contractors. The water features will be open for self-guided touring noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $15 per person, with all proceeds donated to the Children's Cancer Research Fund. Tour details are available at www.tcpondandlandscapetour.com.

'Grey'-ing the boudoirThe steamy bestseller "50 Shades of Grey" is pumping up sales of books and handcuffs. But it's also putting the amour in decor, suggests Houzz (www.houzz.com), an online community for the home-remodeling industry, including homeowners, design enthusiasts and remodelers.

A gray bedroom is a sexy bedroom, according to the site's latest poll, designed to gauge which wall colors get people in the mood for love. Respondents were asked to choose three bedrooms, specifying whether they found them "hot or not." A robust majority -- 77 percent -- of those polled chose a "shimmering gray" bedroom over a "racy red" room (17 percent). The least sexy color for a bedroom, according to the poll? "Virginal wedding-night white," preferred by only 6 percent.