Brooklyn Unplugged At Franklin Park

If your'e looking for something to do tonight, look no further! Tonight is Brooklyn Unplugged at Franklin Park with Laura Bowman, Niki Darling, and Mieka Pauley. That's right! An all-woman line-up that is sure to kick some serious ass.

One-Third of a Nation

One-Third of a Nation is a play by Arthur Arent; or more correctly a living newspaper created in 1938 by the Federal Theater Project. I've had the good fortune of seeing this play twice in recent weeks at the Metropolitan Playhouse in New York City. It's been a very healthy reminder in how we dealt with the last major collapse of Capitalism here in this country.

The title comes from FDR's second inaugural address in January of 1937 where he said:

I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished.

But it is not in despair that I paint you that picture. I paint it for you in hope—because the nation, seeing and understanding the injustice in it, proposes to paint it out. We are determined to make every American citizen the subject of his country’s interest and concern; and we will never regard any faithful law-abiding group within our borders as superfluous. The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.

This was through the Federal Theatre Project (FTP), which was established in 1935 with a key stipulation that 90% of its appropriations go to wages. The project gave such luminaries as Susan Glaspell, Elmer Rice, Orson Welles, John Houseman, Arthur Miller, Martin Ritt, Marc Blitzstein, and Elia Kazan, work enacting traditional dramas, re-interpreting classics, and creating new works for the Depression Era stage.

Despite its Federal funding, the Living Newspaper remained controversial from the beginning. Its first production, Ethiopia(1936), drew criticism from the State Department for its portrayal of foreign leaders and was canceled by the WPA before it was staged. All of the plays produced set out to be at least as potentially controversial. Ultimately the FTP lost its Congressional funding.

Defending the program to the House Special Committee to Investigate Un-American Activities in 1938, director Flanagan painted an idealistic portrait of what she called "propaganda for democracy". She wrote:

These Living Newspapers report the struggle of the modern man to understand the forces all about him; agriculture, power, law, housing, social disease, medicine."

By 1939 the FTP would be history. If you happen to be in New York City between now and May 22, 2011, you can catch this gem of history at the Metropolitan Playhouse. Click here for more information. The play reminds as timely as ever.

One-Third of a Nation

One~Third of a Nation by Arthur Arent should be required viewing. New Yorkers, new and old, will love this wonderful play that really delves into the hows and whys of how the real estate market in New York got so out of whack: Why we spend so much on so little! The cast is simply amazing. They had real chemistry that definitely helped them get past a few stumbles in lines and movement. They were able to just keep going and it all worked beautifully. My biggest disappointment of the evening was simply that the Metropolitan Playhouse wasn't packed. This was an immensely enjoyable play. You don't want to miss this little gem of history.

It's playing now through May 22 at the Metropolitan Playhouse.





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Songcircle at the Astor Room this Friday!

The amazing and talented Mieka Pauley and other great singer songwriters at the Astor Room this Friday. The reception starts at 6, music begins at 8. You don't want to miss this.

Elik: "Snake Bite"

You'll want to mark your calendars for this. The coolest gallery in Brooklyn, Brooklynite Gallery, is having an opening with the legendary street artist Elik. You won't want to miss this: Saturday, May 7th, from 7 to 10pm at Brooklynite Gallery.



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Location:E 58th St,,United States

Vanessa Mejia Solo Art Exhibit-AZUL

Tonight you won't want to miss Vanessa Mejia's solo art exhibit: Azul. Check out some amazing art and enjoy some good wine and cheese. All of this awesomeness happens tonight from 6:00 to 9:00pm at the Columbian Consulate: 10 East 46th Street, New York, New York. No need to RSVP.


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The Day After Tomorrow: Images of our Earth In Crisis

Powerhouse Books always has amazing events. Tomorrow is the book launch of "The Day after Tomorrow: Images of the Earth in Crisis." You'll want to make sure and RSVP by clicking here.


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Location:Powerhouse Books

LOVER.MUSE.MOCKINGBIRD.WHORE -A Dance Theatre Meditation on Bukowski's Women

Another amazing performance by Laura Careless. Lover.Muse. Mockingbird. Whore. was a daring and provocative. As usual Company XIV amazed me with its clever use of the relatively small space at the Bond Street Theatre. Laura Careless and Jeff Takacs delivered stunning performances. The athleticism of Carless is simply amazing. She effortlessly morphed into one woman after another. Jeff Takacs is a solid actor with a great big booming voice and the panache to pull it all off. Together, Carless and Takacs have great chemistry. One of my favorite aspects of the piece was how they it used projectors mixed with live and prerecorded video. All in all, a great show.

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Location:Carroll St,,United States

Love, Loss, and What I Wore

Love, loss, and what I wore was billed to me as a "chick flick," and while it certainly fits that criteria it's really so much more. It was funny, poignant, and moving. The actors were great. One of my favorite parts was performed by Fredi Walker Brown dealing with purses. And while it may seem a female-centric topic, anybody who carries a bag will laugh out loud at the problems we face to keep our bags organized. Fredi Walker Brown really stands out amongst this group of talented actors.

As enjoyable as it was, Love, Loss, and What I wore, was somewhat annoying in the repeated refrain that a woman's well-being is somehow linked to her choice of clothing and or weight. No doubt these are real issues that women face in our society but I would have hoped that in 2011 we might move beyond such superficial nonsense.

All in all, great acting and terrific material that made for a very enjoyable night.



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Taiko & Dance 2011

Wow! What an amazing, high energy performance. I was blown away by how amazing this was. The drummers were out of this world. They started out with Tamagawa Taiko for world peace, and that positive vibe just shot through the whole performance. Jongara was the ninth, and perhaps most appropriate, performance. It's a traditional dance performed by young girls to lift the villagers spirits during long hard winters. We've certainly had (having) a long hard winter here. Aside from their performances being superb in every way, I think what was the most fun about it was seeing just how much fun the performers were having. You couldn't hep but smile watching this amazing performance.


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Location:Miller Theatre

Sitting on the Dock

Sitting on the Dock

When I'm in Chicago

Marked Man

Have Enough?

Brand new song by Mieka Pauley. Didn't have the video camera going but it's an awesome song. Give your ears a treat.

Chunky Lens World Release & Gallery Show

TONIGHT The Chunky Lens World Release & Gallery Show Fashion Week comes to 3rd Ward with this interactive gallery show co-hosted with Hipstamatic. Celebrate 3rd Ward Member, Chiun-Kai Shih and download his gorgeous signature lens along with drinks, music and more.

Be sure to RSVP by clicking here.

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Location:3rd Ward

9:45

More of the amazing Mieka Pauley. You can catch her live at Rockwood Music Hall this Friday, February 11th, at 10:00pm on stage one. If you haven't seen her live, you're missing out. Check out this recent review in the Patriot Ledger about her opening set for Jeffrey Gaines:

Boston songwriter Mieka Pauley was a fine choice as opening act, as her music has much of the same urgency and driving rock power as Gaines’. Pauley was audacious enough to open with an a capella version of her “Marked Man,” a haunting song performed with jaw-dropping vocal power by the diminuitive singer. Pauley also did a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” (as done by Jeff Buckley, she confided) that was transcendant both for her gorgeous vocal sustains and her intricate fingerpicking.
Pauley concluded her half-hour stint with “Blunt,” a tune that hilariously recounts her experiences on the road, and the many ways fans test her good nature. To paraphrase, after she’s poured her heart and soul out all night, it becomes especially galling to have fans ask “what’s your real job?” Those are the times Pauley imagines using her guitar as a blunt instrument–let’s hope that never happens.

We're All Gonna Die!

Great drinking song!

Photography Center

There's a ton of great art in our Galaxy. If you're looking for something fun to do this Thursday come on out to  a great exhibit at the Photography Center. Admission is free. There will be free refreshments. And there will be some amazing eye candy to enjoy.

The exhibit centers around black and white portraits of lesbian couples, illustrating the deep connection possible between two women. The exhibit is particularly meaningful because the artist only recently came out in the past few years.

So come on out this Thursday, February 10th, from 6 to 8pm to the Photography Center located at 51 West 14th Street on the second floor.

What if?

Stephanie Rooker and the Search Engine live at Rockwood Music Hall.

Etiquette Unraveled

Lake Simmons

How does one person entertain a crowd for 90 minutes without saying a word? I have no idea, but that's exactly  what Lake Simmons does in "Etiquette Unraveled."  Using a range of music from Led Zeppelin to J. Strauss, and an ingenious set, Lake Simmons and the crew from One Arm Red did an amazing job of captivating the audience and pushing the boundaries of our imaginations. Lake Simmons breaks the fourth wall throughout the performance and it worked every time. At one point she sets up a tea party next to one of the audience members and has "tea" with him. In this day and age when million-dollar special effects are the norm and our imaginations have little work to do, I found this performance wonderfully refreshing. One of my favorite parts was the "cat orchestra" where Simmons carefully takes out one stuffed cat after another until she has an entire orchestra. She had the audience in the palm of her hand. 

The theatre was very cozy. The sound and lighting were perfect. And they had some great refreshments. I thoroughly enjoyed the show. If you're looking for something different, something that's going to give you imagination a work out, something that will make  you laugh and think hard, definitely check out Etiquette Unraveled.  Click here for more information.

Stop 'N' Swap

Following up on my post about the Really Really Free Market (RRFM) we have Stop 'N' Swap:

Community "swaps" provide the perfect opportunity to find new homes for things you no longer need. By taking home items that you can use, you are also helping to prevent waste from production,packaging and transportation required to get new things.

The Office of Recycling Outreach and Education coordinates the Stop 'N' Swap in the communities where we are working to improve recycling in order to facilitate waste prevention and material reuse.  We have held 8 swaps so far, serving more than 2,500 people.  

Go get yer swap on! The next one is scheduled for this Saturday, February 5th in the Bronx. But they are having them in all the boroughs. Click here for more details.

Museums

New York City has some of the world's best museums. Some of them can get a bit pricey for my tastes. Who am I kidding? It's not my tastes; it's my budget!

Artist Ron Anteroninen

The good news, though, is you can get into just about any of them for free on the right day and at the right time. Two of the best museums in the Galaxy--the American Museum of Natural History and the Metropolitan Museum of Art--have "suggested donations," meaning you can pay as little as you like. Click here for more information.

And check back here often as I'll be reviewing many of the great exhibits going on.


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First Stone

We Have Decided Not to Die!

Looking for something fun to do this Friday night? Look no further. Described as a night of coldwave, punk, and dance, this is sure to be an amazing night. There is a killer line-up of acts: Rosa Apatrida, Nomadic War Machine, Agnostic Pray, Shady Hawkins, Ice Age Crew, and it's a sliding scale of $5 to $10 and cheap drinks all night long. You can get all the details by clicking here, but make sure to RSVP so that you get the final location for the event.

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Faster

More Mieka Magic!

Free New York City

Our Galaxy

People tend to complain about how expensive New York City is to live in, but the truth is there is a lot of fun to be had for free here. From Urban Camping to free movies and open bars to some of the world's best museums there is no shortage of really fun stuff to do for free in New  York City. I collect links to great free stuff, and I'm always on the look-out for more. Click here for a  Sqworl page with nearly 40 links to great free stuff to see and do in New York City. Some of the stuff isn't available during the winter but bookmark it and you're wallet will thank you.

Board Game Olympics

Once a year the best board game players from across the Galaxy
meet to determine who is truly the best. The Board Game Olympics happen this Tuesday at Union Hall.

Be a part of the magic and breathe deep the history. Teams of two will compete for glory and our love.

Teams of two just $15. Winning: priceless.
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Really Really Free Market

Of all the free things I highlight here at the Straphanger's Guide to the Galaxy few are as free as this. The Really Really Free Market is just that: A free market. But this isn't anything dreamed up by Milton Friedman or Ayn Rand; this is the real deal!

Do you have some stuff you want to get rid of? Bring it to the Really Really Free Market (RRFM). See something you like at the RRFM? Grab it. It's all free. It's all wonderful.

The RRFM will be this Sunday at Judson Memorial Church, (55 Washington Square South) from 3 to 7pm.

Happy Birthday Kiri!

A little birthday song for the rock goddess Kiri Jewell of AwShockKiss at Mieka Pauley's recent show at Rockwood Music Hall. Fun times.

Marked Man

Consider this a follow up to my last post. You're in for a real treat. I've recorded Mieka doing Marked Man countless times but this is the first time I actually got what I consider good sound. Check this out and you'll understand why I think Mieka is so amazing.

Last night was really special because not only did Mieka debut with her new band, but we also had the special guest appearances of the lovely Kiri Jewell and Stefanie Bassett from AwShockKiss.

Stephanie Rooker and the Search Engine

Stephanie Rooker is making her debut performance at Rockwood Music Hall on stage 2 this Sunday January 23 at 8:00pm. You won't want to miss this.

Stephanie Rooker and the Search Engine are riding high on the release of their debut album The Only Way Out is In. Rooker is one of those artists that really has it all. This girls got soul! And as good as the recorded stuff is there is nothing like seeing her live. Her band consists of some really monster talent who have played with all sorts of big  name stars. The Search Engine will blow you away.

Head on down to Rockwood Sunday. You'll be glad you did.

Mieka Sparkles

Last night was the debut of Mieka Pauley's new band at Rockwood Music Hall. They sparkled


She's done some great stuff with bands in the past but I've always preferred her solo. Her voice is so spectacular I've always felt the band was crowding on to her voice.

They opened with Marked Man. This is one of my favorite songs, and to Mieka's credit she never fails to impress when she performs it. But this was one song I didn't think worked well with previous bands.

I was in for a surprise! Mieka brought up Kiri Jewell and Stefanie Bassett from AwShockKiss and they instantly lit up the crowd. It was easily one of the best performances of Marked Man I've ever heard.

The rest of the set only cemented my love for the new band. It was obvious Mieka and the band were having fun. You couldn't help but smile as they played.

Stay tuned. I got some amazing sound from last night's show. You won't want to miss it.




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Pillow Talk

Looking for something fun to do on a Tuesday night? Head on over to the Loving Cup Cafe in Williamsburg for Pillow Talk: A live monthly variety talk show brought to you by Ariel's Guide to Successful Living. Doors open at 7, show starts at 7:30p.  And, of course, it's free.

Mieka Pauley at Rockwood

Mieka Pauley will be playing stage two at Rockwood Music Hall this Thursday January 20 at 10:30. And it sounds like we're in for a big treat! She's playing with a new band.

Now I love Mieka's solo shows. Don't get me wrong. She's amazing with just her and the guitar. But she's really good with a band. It's going to be fun to see how they gel together.

Rockwood is a great venue. Show up early and I can guarantee you'll hear some great music.

Yanni J. Launch Party

Have some fun Tuesday! The music should be killer, but it's not clear if there will be an open bar.

Reclaiming the Dream: The Revolutionary Martin Luther King

Martin & Malcolm

The folks at Brecht Forum are paying tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a special screening of two classic documentaries At the River I stand and The Negro Protests. If you want to remember Dr. King for the revolutionary he was, click here for more details.

"It is a crime for people to live in this rich nation and receive starvation wages." ~~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., speaking to striking sanitation workers in Memphis, March 18th, 1968

Presentation Party Night

Feel passionate about something? Would you like to be part of a lecture series that combines a love of community, education, and drinking? Sounds like fun to me. A few of the key details:

We offer the chance for individuals to share a short presentation on any topic. The evening will consist of 6 10-minute presentations, and free food and beer while it lasts. Come join us for a night of peer learning and a drink on us. We meet the third Sunday of every month.

This awesomeness all happens at 382 Jefferson Street in Brooklyn (Bushwick). Take the L train to Jefferson Street; You can find out more by clicking here.

AwShockKiss WOW!

AwShockKiss was amazing last night at the Mercury Lounge. Kiri Jewell, Stefanie Bassett and the rest of AwShockKiss lit up the stage with their energy from the very first song to the last. Kiri Jewell and Stefanie Bassett have such great chemistry on stage. Their bliss was contagious. You couldn't help but smile as you watched them rock the crowd into a frenzy with songs like More Perfect Truth and Renegotiate.

There sound has been described by Kiri Jewell (lead vocals) as, "Heart meets Rage Against the Machine." The Mercury Lounge website had a more detailed description:

Even in the complicated music scene of New York City, the birth of AwShockKiss still is a relatively simple story. Looking for an uninhibited take on traditional rock music, soul sisters Kiri Jewell (lead vocals) and Stef Bassett (vocals/keys/guitar) put pen to paper and came up with the lyrical blueprint for a new music project in the Fall of 2009. Veterans of the NY rock scene, Paul Weiss (guitar), Dan Wintersteen (drums) and Charlie Cervone (bass), didn’t hesitate to jump on board. And so, a chaotic merging of the minds resulted in AwShockKiss. Though creating seemingly straightforward rock, AwShockKiss works to combine a severe amount of musical sophistication with a sincere respect for pop. Their sound is driven by a wild ambition. But make no mistake. Ultimately, AwShockKiss is still about that unique friendship and a common goal: great, fun rock music. And rump-shaking. Also lots of body-rocking.

So enjoy this clip from last night's show. If you like it you can download it and the rest of their debut EP by clicking here.

Future Shorts

Lots of fun happening at Liberty Hall at the Ace Hotel. Check it out:

Future Shorts will be showing January's official FS ONE selection in

the basement of the Ace Hotel, which includes Michael Cody's 'Foreign Parts', tales of a lobster tragedy in 'Kitchen', Deadmau5's epic film for 'Ravers' with This Is England star Stephen Graham, and much more.

A Q&A will follow the screening with Cody Stokes, director of

"Heartland Transport" and Luke Geissbuhler, director and creator of "Homemade Spaceship" will be present to talk about their films.

7pm doors / 7:30pm films to start

Sunday 16th January

Free entry Liberty Hall @ The Ace Hotel

20 West 29th Street New York 10001

No need to rsvp, just turn up!

Grub Community Dinner

Grub Community Dinner

Free beer. Free Vodka. Free everything! Who doesn't love free stuff? Grub is a free and open community dinner held on the first and third Sundays of every month. In a world that throws away over half of the food it produces while tens of thousands do without, events like this are a great reminder that a lot of really great food gets thrown away.

If you're not hip to the whole freegan thing, check out this great Food Rescue Map with great tips on when and where to rescue food in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

From the folks who put on the Grub Community Dinner:

We plan to be able to serve approximately 50 people, so it's first come first serve. There will be plates for vegans and vegetarians alike. About 99 percent of the food we serve is freegan, which means it is excess, ripe, nearly ripe, or slightly damaged food that has been recovered from the waste of grocery stores.

All this wonderfulness happens at 136 Lawrence Street on the second floor, between Fulton and Willoughby in Brooklyn. You can get all the details by clicking here.

Winter's Children

Burton Snowboards and Vice Magazine have teamed up for the Opening Reception of the gallery show for the snowboarder/photographer Jim Mangan's newly released photo-book Winter's Children. Complimentary cocktails provided by KRU Vodka. But you'll need to click here to RSVP!

About Winter Children the book: 

In 2010, Mangan left an 11-year in the business side of snowboarding and lit out for the remote backcountry of Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains to recharge and redirect. He was accompanied by seven accomplished snowboarders: his college friend, Peter Sutherland, now a renowned photographer and artist, and rising stars from the sport's next generation, including Laura Hadar and Alex Andrews. The perfectly manicured terrain parks and half pipes, and the ever-present audience, the riders literally stripped away all artifice — along with their clothing — in a powerful artistic statement that honors the original roots of the sport.

The seven riders soared naked and uninhibited down empty slopes on vintage snowboards from the 1980s, clad only in vibrant Native American blankets that contrast with the stark winter landscape. Mangan captured the action and the emotional intensity on an intentionally grainy 35 mm film reflective of the ethos of snowboarding's early years. "As I exited the snowboarding business, I wanted to recreate the feelings that originally drew me to the sport," explains Mangan. "This project is an exaggerated overstatement of those feelings."

Ultimately, for the photographer, the riders, and the viewers, Winter's Children becomes a baptism, with the cold snow washing away the neon filth of consumerism and serving as a bracing reminder of snowboarding's pure origins.

Dark Room

Courtesy of myopenbar.com, they have a killer party happening at Public Assembly tonight. Free vodka, no cover from 10pm to 11pm. The music is insane. Prepare to dance.

AwShockKiss at Mercury Lounge

AwShockKiss

New Yorkers! Mark your calendars for this Saturday (1/15/11). AwShockKiss will be bringing their amazing sound to the Mercury Lounge. Get your tickets here. AwShockKiss go on at 10:30. You really don't want to miss this. Check out the hot promo vid for their upcoming show:

Dickies & Sailor Jerry

Dickies really know how to throw a party. I showed up to the Ace Hotel just before nine and there was already a line, but the staff got us all in very quickly.

As we entered Liberty Hall there was a lot going on. Racks of Dickies pants were just waiting to be plucked dry, and it didn't take long before the pants were gone.
But Dickies wasn't done giving out free stuff.

There were racks and racks of Dickie's jackets. It was a little chaotic at first but everyone who came got one. Even better, they had cool NYC patches to put on your newly acquired jacket to make it all the more special.

Sailor Jerry provided the rum and the drinks were out of this world. We had two drinks to choose from. The "Perfect Storm" was my drink of choice. But they also had the standard rum and coke, although they gave it a fancier name to include Sailor Jerry into the title.

DJ ?uestlove was holding down the DJ booth. Now I've been a big fan of DJ ?uestlove for a long time but this was the first time hearing him DJ a party. He did not disappoint. He had the crowd dancing from the very beginning.

All in all a great event. Stay tuned for more great events.


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Location:Bushwick Ave,Brooklyn,United States

Moving Pictures by Kaves

Booze, awesome music, and a movie screening all for free? All you have to do is RSVP here and show up! Open bar from 8:30 to 9:30; Music by ADM, and a screening of The Shoemaker at 9:30. Not a bad Wednesday night.

South of the Border

Cold weather is great for watching movies. Tomorrow night The Society for Ethical Culture will be screening Oliver Stone's latest film South of the Border. The film starts at 6:30PM at Prospect West and Swcond Street.

For more details Check the website for Brooklyn Peace Committee. Or contact latinam@brooklynpeace.org

Mieka Pauley

Photo Courtesy Ronald David Buccola

If you love good music you know what a treat it is to find that special musician that really grabs you; that musician that literally takes your breath away. The type of musician that really pours their heart and soul into their music.  Mieka Pauley is exactly that.

The first time I heard Mieka Pauley was in May of 2009 in Boston. They were having a May Day fair with music, great food, and tons of cool people. As we meandered about soaking in the sights I heard Mieka off in the distance. It was just her and her guitar. I had no idea who she was but I had to get closer. Who was this musical angel?

As we got closer the crowd around her was transfixed. People couldn't help but just stop and listen. You just knew you were witnessing something very special. Luckily I had the good sense to record it. To this day I get goose bumps when I listen to her performance. In the clip below you'll find Mieka's performance of Marked Man.

Marked Man quickly became one of my favorite songs. Over the past couple years I've had the good fortune of seeing Mieka play it numerous time and I can say without a doubt that it never gets old. It's a passionate and moving song about vengeance. It's an angry song. And it's one of those songs that you really have to see live to fully appreciate.

Typically Mieka plays it by flipping her guitar upside-down and using it as a drum, so it really showcases what an amazing voice she has. She's also broken a few guitars playing this song but thankfully that hasn't stopped her.

We're really fortunate to have such an amazing talent here in New York City. But if you're not in the New York area don't fret! Mieka tours quite a bit and chances are she'll be headed to your area. So head over to her website for all the latest news and tour updates.

Houdini

Photo Courtesy of Ronald David Buccola

Few people have grabbed the public's attention like Harry Houdini. Nearly a century after he shuffled off this mortal coil Houdini continues to be a cultural influence. If you're like me, however, your familiarity with the man starts and stops with the very basics: he was the World's greatest magician.

So it was a real treat to find out The Jewish Museum had a Houdini Exhibit.

If you'd like to learn how the poor Erik Weisz transformed into the iconic Harry Houdini make a trip down to the Jewish Museum. The exhibit is wonderful, filled with artifacts, archival video footage, Photographs and more that really help put Houdini in context.


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Dickies Market Week Mixer

New Yorkers! You're in for a treat this Wednesday. The Dickies Market Week Mixer with musical performance by DJ ?uestlove, drinks by Sailor Jerry and everyone who attends will get a chance to create their own Dickies jacket with custom patch work. Did I mention it's all completely free? Click here to RSVP, and make sure you get there on time.

Location:Hart St,Brooklyn,United States

Unity: Life and Death Photography

You'll want to RSVP for this: The opening reception for photographer Ekatherina S Thursday, January 13th from 6 to 8 PM.

Cold Weather

Tonight's a perfect night for a free screening of Aaron Katz's film Cold Weather. Tonight kicks off a month of free weekly films at Ace Hotel with drink special Moscow Mule. For more information check out their calendar for upcoming events by clicking here.

Cold Weather:

Doug (Lankenau) has just moved back to his hometown of Portland, Oregon, to move in with his sister (Dunn), hoping for another chance at jumpstarting their grown up lives. When Doug's ex-girlfriend comes to town unexpectedly, only to disappear shortly after, Doug, Gail, and their new friend Carlos (Castillo) appoint themselves as detectives in what they see as a real life Sherlock Holmes situation. 

The 10th Annual No Pants Subway Ride

Ready to ride the subway sans pants? Even if you're just interested in seeing the spectacle it's still a lot of fun. Today's action kicks off at 3:00pm. You can get the details by clicking here.


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Shifting the Gaze

"Shifting the Gaze" is another great exhibit at the Jewish Museum. It's a feminist exhibit that, in the words of the curator:

...explores how social revolutions take place not only in the realm of ideas and politics, but in style and form.

You can find the exhibit on the second floor. They have some really incredible feminist artists like Joan Semmel, Louise Fishman, and Melissa Meyer.

Miriam Schapiro's "Fanfare" from 1958 was my favorite piece:

Don't forget the Jewish Museum is free on Saturdays!




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Unplugged at the Manifesta Loft

Looking for some fun this Wednesday (January 12, 2011)? You won't want to miss this: Out of the Basement Film Fest at the Manifesta Loft.  The night will start out with short films put together by Chris Clavin of Ghost Mice followed by a rare unplugged show with some of the best radical artists at the Manifesta Loft in Brooklyn!

Colossal

Another gem from Mieka Pauley's performance at Rockwood Music Hall on December 17th, 20010. This is Colossal.

Williamsburg Cask Beer Festival

Beer lovers are in for a treat this weekend. Head on over to Williamsburg for some tasty beer. No entry fee. Over fifteen beers available. For more info


Click here.


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Pop Shop!

If you're looking for some fun tonight:

We've put together a lineup of some of the best new acts the NYC pop scene has to offer for our launch party January 6th, as the brilliantMNDR headlines with live support from French Horn Rebellion andBRAHMS (both fresh off of amazing sets at Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival this past weekend). Chiddy Bang beatsmith Xaphoon Jones rounds out the lineup dropping jams on the laptops of steel all night long, along with opening DJ sets from the Neon Gold Beat Company and Popjustice NYC. Our friends at Absolut have come on board to sponsor, bringing you 2-for-1 drinks from 8pm-9pm and more drink specials throughout the night. And the best part? It's all 100% FREE with RSVP to POPSHOP@neongoldrecords.com. It all kicks off Thursday, 6th January with doors at 8pm and lasting until well into the early hours. Full schedule below.
08:00pm: Doors // 2-for-1 Absolut cocktails
09:00pm: BRAHMS // MP3: "Subtext Is Deadly"
10:00pm: French Horn Rebellion // MP3: "Up All Night"
11:00pm: MNDR // MP3: "Fade To Black"
12:00am: Xaphoon Jones // MP3: "Under The Sheets" (Chiddy Bang Remix)
RSVP: POPSHOP@neongoldrecords.com

Being Human Launch Party!

Get tickets to the exclusive premiere party for Syfy's new series, Being Human on Monday January 17. Did I mention the one hour open bar by Svedka Vodka with Being Human original cocktails? What's not to love?