Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Chasing the Rainy Day Blues Away - Spelling Bee This Monday!



Ok - so, my plan is: Glasslands tomorrow, APW Fri-Sun, and.. Monday? SPELLING BEE! Pete's Candy Store, a bar in Williamsburg (off the Lorimer L stop, at 709 Lorimer St.) is hosting its twice-monthly spelling bee event this coming Monday!



So, for all those over-educated liberal arts grads like myself who at some point envisioned winning a spelling bee, or simply taking part in one, now is the chance! I have only been to a spelling bee at Pete's once before, years ago, but it was a riotously good time, and I made it through... two rounds? I anticipate some good competition!

Sign-up is at 7:00 pm and the bee starts at 7:30.

Also, as an added bonus, if it does not rain for a change, Pete's Candy Store has a lovely backyard!

This Thursday - Party at Glasslands

Hmm, if I go out late Thursday night, I may go to this -- the featured event of myopenbar:

Camp Wanatachi Dance Party
well vodka, $6 cover / 10pm-11pm
Glasslands Gallery
289 Kent Avenue,
at South 1st
Williamsburg


Ah, summer camp. Such sweet memories! Donkey Lips. Psycho killers in hockey masks. That handsy, handsome counselor who liked to visit after lights out...

In honor of all that goodness, GlassLands is throwing a serious summer camp-themed blowout. Crazy-in-the-best-way Unicornicopia invites you and all your nostalgically horny friends to a dance party of epic proportions with music by DJs Caroline Polachek (of Chairlift), Machinedrum, Ben Bromley (of Fischerspooner) and Sam (Z's).

Live performances of "We All Need Jesus in Our Lives" and "Let's Ride Bareback," songs from a new musical about two 13 year-old girls who fall in love at a Christian summer camp, will keep you and the Holy Spirit jazzed big time. Summer camp classics – s'mores, friendship bracelets and hair wraps –and a strictly camp dress code.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Upcoming Shows!! APW and Erykah Badu

NYC, I have missed you during my travels in Peru! (Although I already miss the jungles and mountains and overall lushness of Peru; to remedy it, I plan on taking myself later today to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, which has free admission on Tuesdays!

Beyond that, I am absolutely thrilled about this coming weekend, when I will be going to the All Points West Festival all three days, from Friday July 31 to Sunday, August 2.


AND, two days later, I will be seeing Erykah Badu! She is playing at the beach on Governors Island! (For tickets/show info, click here. And for info on Governors Island beach shows, click here!)

Ah, NYC, I have missed you.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Tribeca Grand Party This Saturday (GBH Hosts!)

Aww, the good old days of the GBH parties... they are back!! And I will actually be in town to possibly enjoy one, especially as the line-up looks rather promising.

From the GBH website:

Terrible Records... Fixed... Daryl from Head Automatica DJs... Lemonade Live... Free Energy (DFA), Riton... JDH & Dave P... Nick Hook... Class Actress Live... Chris Taylor from Grizzly Bear... and more
Tribeca Grand - Saturday July 25

It's going to be a bigger night than usual this Saturday, as the Fixed guys join us for a night of music so epic that it almost all didn't fit on the flyer.
We are really excited by Class Actress who will be playing live upstairs, and Lemonade, who will be playing live downstairs... (hopefully not at the same time)... and Riton (who is on Erol Alkan's record label) and Daryl Palumbo of Head Automatica who will be DJing... and then there is Nick Hook of Cubic Zirconia... Free Engergy (a new DFA signing, who will be playing live), Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear, Ethan of Terrible Records, JDH and Dave P. of Fixed and of course, our own Alex English.

It will be like Coachella... but smaller... and more comfortable... with nicer bathrooms...

And let's not forget the drinks special:
$8 Red Stripe and Jim Beam shot combo all night (Red Stripe and Jim Beam shots are both $5 if purchased separately).

FREE WITH RSVP: CLICK HERE

Tribeca Grand: 2 Avenue of the Americas
Doors 10pm. 21+ w/I.D.

Last Days in Peru & Rooftop Films This Summer

I RETURN this Friday to NYC!! It doesn´t seem quite real, as I have been in Peru for two months and am currently traipsing around Iquitos, gateway to the Amazon.

NYC seems especially unreal to me when compared to my day here so far, where I hired a motorboat, enjoyed the lush beauty of the Amazon, visited a local native community where the women go bare-breasted (and no, I didn´t ¨go native¨), and explored a mini-zoo where much local wildlife roamed freely and monkeys went horse-back riding on a dog. Anything is possible, but both realities seem a little fantastic, especially their co-existence.

ANYWAY, I received an e-mail requesting I publish thelatest events from Rooftop Films, so here they are (and I will even be in town the 25th!)

We have two great film screenings this weekend I thought you might be interested in! On Friday, July 24th Rooftop Films is screening a series of animated shorts in partnership with the Animation Block Party film festival, dedicated to exhibiting the world's best independent, professional and student animation. On Saturday, July 25th, Rooftop Films presents Stay The Same Never Change, celebrated video artist Laurel Nakadate's first feature-length film, a hilarious and horrifying work starring a series of teenage girls in their own rooms and clothes, in a world in which the banal becomes extreme and the normal is infused with a chronic and discomfiting strangeness.

Here is some more information about both screenings:

Animation Block Party:

Venue: On the lawn of Automotive High School
Address: 50 Bedford Ave. @ North 13th St. (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
Directions: L to Bedford Ave. or G to Nassau Ave.
Rain: In the event of rain the show will be held indoors at the same location
8:00PM: Doors open
8:30PM: Live music by Teengirl Fantasy, presented by Sound Fix Records
9:00PM: Film
10:30PM: Filmmaker Q & A
11:30PM-1:00AM: After-party: Open Bar at Matchless (557 Manhattan Ave. @
Driggs) Courtesy of Radeberger Pilsner
Tickets: $9 at the door or online
Presented in partnership with: 5 Gum ® , Cinereach, New York magazine,
City Council Member David Yassky & Automotive High School
Ticketing Link:
http://rooftopfilms.bside.com/2009/films/animationblockparty_rooftopfilms2009

No refunds. In the event of rain, the show will be indoors at the same
locations. Seating is first come, first served. Physical seats are
limited. This means you may not get a chair. You are welcome to bring a
blanket and picnic.

Stay The Same Never Change:

Venue: On the roof of the Old American Can Factory
Address: 232 3RD St. @ 3rd Ave. (Gowanus/ Park Slope, Brooklyn)
Directions: F/G to Carroll St. or M/R to Union Ave.
Rain: In the event of rain the show will be held indoors at the same location
8:00PM: Doors open
8:30PM: Live music by Stars Like Fleas presented by Sound Fix Records
9:00PM: Film
11:00PM–12:30AM: Reception in courtyard including free sangria courtesy of
Carlo Rossi sangria
Tickets: $9 at the door or online or $20 for the combo ticket which
includes admission to the outdoor performance by Michael Gira
Ticketing Link:
http://rooftopfilms.bside.com/2009/films/staythesameneverchange_rooftopfilms2009

Presented in partnership with: Cinereach, New York magazine, & XØ Projects

No refunds. In the event of rain, the show will be indoors at the same locations. Seating is first come, first served. Physical seats are limited. This means you may not get a chair. You are welcome to bring a blanket and picnic.

For more information about these events and others, please contact:

Danielle Kourtesis
Music and Outreach Manager, Rooftop Films
232 3rd St, #D101
Brooklyn, NY 11215
(718) 417-7362

We appreciate your help!

Julia Friedman