EVENTS WEDNESDAY 5/1 Around Town Benefit Plant Sale Two-day sale ...

| 16 Feb 2015 | 06:03

    Around Town

    Benefit Plant Sale Two-day sale feat. rare roses, tropical plants, hanging baskets, bonsai trees & other plants, compost & bins, soil pH testing & expert planters on site; Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Ave. (Eastern Pkwy), 718-623-7333; 9-7, $3, $1.50 st/s.c. [repeats Thurs. 9-12 p.m.].

    Free Scoop Night Summer is almost here & Baskin-Robbins is celebrating w/one tasty cone from their 31 flavors?w/each scoop served a donation is made to provide books for low-income families, now that's sweet; www.BaskinRobbins.com; 6 p.m.-10 p.m.

    USA Tennis Rock & Rally Tennis festival feat. interactive games, clinics, competition & music w/guests incl. Daisy Fuentes, Sister Hazel, Billie Jean King & other tennis stars; Rockefeller Center, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, www.usta.com; 11-2, free.

    Wednesday Night Skate NY recreational skate group visits Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge & more; meet at Union Sq. N. (17th St.), 212-696-7247; 8, free.

    Family

    Extreme Choices 3-D Laser show exposes kids to dangers of smoking; Liberty Science Center in NJ, 201-200-1000 for info; $3-$3.50 [repeats daily, through 6/02].

    Stories & Songs Music & songs for children w/Jody Kruskal; Battery Park City Parks Conservancy Community Room, 21 South End Ave. (W. Thames St.), RSVP 212-267-9700 x348; 9:45-12:45, $8.50, $35/four sessions.

    Film/Video

    Gossip 2001 Swedish film feat. a lot of hotties;?w/English subtitles; Scandinavia House, 58 Park Ave. (37th St.), 212-879-9779; 6:30, $8.

    "Herb Alpert: Music for Your Eyes" Tom Neff's short doc. on jazz great, screens at the Screening Room, 54 Varick (Canal St.), 212-334-2100; 2:10, $9.50 [repeats Thurs.].

    "Sautet & Chabrol: Two Worlds Apart" series screens 1971's Max et les ferrailleurs about a set-up robbery; French Institute's Florence Gould Hall, 55 E. 59th St. (betw. Madison & Park Aves.), 212-355-6160; 12:30, 3:30, 6:30 & 9.

    "Star Theater" Unseen Saturday morning tv classics, "The Best of the Beatles Cartoons," screens at Den of Cin, Two Boots, 44 Ave. A (betw. 3rd & 4th Sts.), 212-714-3575; 7, $5 incl. 1 drink.

    Third Annual Television Documentary Festival focuses on films related to 9/11; Museum of Television & Radio, 25 W. 52nd St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-621-6600; call for sched., $10 [through 5/16].

    Lectures

    Firewalking Still a Hot Topic & Tolly Burkan, president of the "Global Firewalking Movement" wants to show you why Geraldo Rivera, Tony Robbins & "U.S. Senators" have all firewalked?wouldn't you like to join their illustrious ranks?); call 505-531-8700 for locations, times & prices [through 5/5].

    Stars, Constellations & Legends Look beyond the dirt & disappointment of day-to-day living to man's most popular muse: the heavens! Hear myths & legends from different cultures & learn to locate & identify the brightest stars of the season; American Museum of Natural History, Central Park W. (79th St.), 212-769-5200, 6:30, call for price [through 5/9].

    Television Documentary Festival begins today w/"To Testify or to Sanitize: Portraying 9/11," a panel discussion on handling the attack footage feat. Jon Alpert, Ric Burns, David Fanning (Frontline) & others; Museum of Television & Radio, 25 W. 52nd St. (5th Ave.), 212-621-6600; 6:30, $10.

    Workers of the World: African and Asian Migrants in Italy in the 1990s Book party/discussion at Brecht Forum, 122 W. 27th St. (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), 212-979-8353; 7:30, $6.

    Readings

    Al Franken Saturday Night Live alum reads from his latest, Oh, The Things I Know!: A Guide to Success, or, Failing That, Happiness, at the Upper West Side Barnes & Noble, 2289 B'way (82nd St.), 212-362-8835; 7:30, free.

    Glow in the Dark LA-based writer Lisa Teasley attempts suspense at Zinc Bar, 90 W. Houston St. (betw. LaGuardia Pl. & Thompson St.), 212-477-8337; 7:30.

    The Incantation of Frida K. From the author of Lithium for Medea (we couldn't lie so good) comes?this; National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park S. (20th St.) 212-475-3424; call for times & prices.

    Little Gray Book Lecture No. 9: Mystery Cults of North America feat. appearances by the leader of a community of spiritualist mediums now in its 123rd year, a renown television personality, the noted public radiographer and last, but by no means least, a "true gentleman" (we don't believe you); Galapagos, 70 N. 6th St. (betw. Wythe & Kent Sts.), Williamsburg, 718-782-5188; 8.

    Mystic River Dennis Lehane reads from his thriller today at NY's Filthy MacNasty's; Rocky Sullivan's, 129 Lexington Ave. (betw. 28th & 29th Sts.), 212-725-3871; 8, free.

    Stories from the Iowa Writers Workshop Snuggle up to workshop director Frank Conroy plus hear work by ZZ Packer, Chelsey Johnson & Conroy, read by actors (p.s. we hear Conroy saved Cynthia Nixon for himself!); Symphony Space, 2537 B'way (95th St.), 212-864-5400; 8, call for price.

    This Time I Dance! Tama J. Kieves' memoir about abandoning her life as a Harvard-educated lawyer for "a more fulfilling one as a writer." Well, that shit might fly in Denver, but here you're not a writer, honey, you're a self-help hack (she could take a few lessons from Ira Israel, but then again, couldn't we all); Eco Books, 837 Union St. (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), Park Slope, 718-623-2698; 7.

    Workshops

    Health Issues Anonymous Twelve-step program for those living w/a health concern; St. Luke's-Roosevelt Center, 324 W. 108th St. #205 (betw. B'way & Riverside Dr.), 212-362-7214; 5:30-7.

    THURSDAY 5/2

    Around Town

    International Objets D'Art Antiques Fair Wide variety of large & small antiques incl Faberge, American silver, Tiffany, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, carpets & sculpture feat. wine & cheese reception?benefit the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation; the Cathedral Aud., 35th St. (2nd Ave.), 866-225-1812; $50, 6-9.

    Paint the Town 2002 American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery hosts fifth-annual gala & fundraiser w/supporters incl. Olympia Dukakis, Judith Jamison & Dara Torres feat. cocktail reception, dancing, live band & silent auction?to benefit Face to Face: the National Domestic Violence Project repairing both the physical & emotional scars of abuse; Boathouse in Central Park, E. 72nd St. (Central Park N.); 914-779-0066; 7-10, $175.

    Film/Video

    Asian Films Are Go festival concludes today at Anthology Film Archives, 32 2nd Ave. (2nd St.), 212-505-5181 for sched. times & prices.

    Dino De Laurentiis: The Italian Years & Beyond Repertory film program screens 14 movies; BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Ave. (Ashland Pl.), 718-636-4100; call for sched., $9 [through 5/19].

    Flicker Film Festival Bi-monthly showing of 8mm & 16mm films?raffle, free cookies & $100 grant awarded; Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard St. (betw. Church St. & B'way), 212-219-3055; 7, $5.

    Lectures

    Asian Religions: A Different Reality Today, "Confucianism & Taoism" at NY Society for Ethical Culture, 2 W. 64th St. (Central Park W.), 212-563-5904; 6:30, $35.

    Readings

    My Sisters' Voices: Teenage Girls of Color Speak Out (Speaking of, did everyone see that excellent 1996 movie Girls Town?) Editor Iris Jacob (18) & other young contributors appear today; YWCA-NYC, 610 Lexington (53rd St.), 212-735-9734; 6, free.

    Andrew Miller Author of Ingenious Pain & Casanova in Love reads from his latest, a finalist for the Booker, Oxygen; KGB, 85 E. 4th St. (betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.), 212-505-3360; 7.

    Weekly Open Mic Poetry & jam session at Julia de Burgos Cultural Center, 1680 Lexington Ave. (betw. 106th & 107th Sts.), 212-831-4333; 7 p.m.-12 a.m., $5.

    FRIDAY 5/3

    Around Town

    Lucky Draw Like Secret Santa but w/art & a larger price tag, benefits the SculptureCenter; Deitch Projects, 76 Grand St. (betw. Wooster & Greene Sts.), 718-361-1750 x115; cocktails at 5, drawing at 7, $350 or $1000/3 tkts.

    Makeover LORAC creator Carol Shaw gives one-on-one consultations & makeovers w/ LORAC's new spring colors; Sephora Rockefeller Center, 636 5th Ave., #300 (51st St.), RSVP 212-625-1633; 1-6, $35 incl. products.

    Meet Miss New York State Take photo & get autograph from reigning Miss New York State Andrea Plummer?she could be the next Miss America!; Giovanni's Atrium, 100 Washington St. (Rector St.), 212-513-4133; 12-12:30, free.

    "TeleTwinTowers" Three-day multimedia exhibit remembers 9/11 w/12 video monitors (stacked to resemble the twin towers) airing works by over 20 artists. Performance artist Penny Arcade & DJs entertain; Chashama, W. 42nd St. (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), 212-391-8151, 212-465-3307; 11a.m.-6 a.m., free [through Sun.].

    WFMU Record Fair Semiannual event feat. a slew of LPs (new & hard to find), 45s, 78s and yes, some CDs. Two Boots provides the pizza & there's beer to be consumed. Plus! WFMU broadcasts live, so you can watch the FMU DJs do their magic or run rampant (Glen Jones); Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St. (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), 201-521-1416 or www.wfmu.org/recfair; 4-10, $5-$20 [continues Sat. & Sun. 10-7, $5].

    Family

    Gone Fishing Experience the catch & release fishing technique at Wagner Park; Batter Park City, West Side Hwy. (Battery Pl.), 212-267-9700; 11:30-1:30, free [through 5/31].

    Into the Fables Jennifer Draganski pres. kids performing for kids in musical "Fableville's Stolen Fables" at the Little Theatre, West Side YMCA, 5 W. 63rd St. (betw. Central Park W. & B'way), 212-875-4277; 7, $10 [repeats Sat.].

    The Perfect Monster New production about trying to be perfect & creating monsters, by TADA!'s children's musical theater company; 120 W. 28th St. (betw 6th & 7th Aves.), 212-627-1732; 7, $15, $6 kids 15 & under [repeats Sat & Sun. at 2 & 4, through 5/5].

    Rebel With a Cause MOMA's "Friday Night at the Movies" series continues w/Wachowski Brothers' sci-fi adventure The Matrix, followed by discussion?plus free pizza & soda; Arts Consortium Bldg., 1 E. 53rd St. (betw. Madison & 5th Aves.), 212-708-9828; 5:30-8, free.

    The Ten Star All-Star Summer Basketball Camp Boys & girls ages 10-19 eligible to apply, camp is by invitation only, past celebs incl. Michael Jordan & Antawn Jamison; 704-568-6801 for free brochure [through 7/15].

    Film/Video

    Books Through Bars Benefit Eighteen-hour movie marathon incl. Clockwork Orange, Night of the Living Dead, Wild Style, Filth and the Fury & Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels; ABC No Rio, 156 Rivington St. (betw. Suffolk & Clinton Sts.), 212-254-3697; 6 p.m.-Sat. at 12 p.m., $5-$7.

    Force of Evil Abraham Polonsky's film noir on the mob, as part of "Workers" series at New-York Historical Society, 2 W. 77th St. (Central Park W.), 212-873-3400; 7, free w/mus. adm.

    The Great American Comedy Film Forum's largest festival, which screens classic comedies, continues w/two goofball Woody Allen movies: Bananas & Sleeper; 209 W. Houston St. (Varick St.), 212-727-8110; call for sched., $9.75 [repeats Sat.].

    Young Dr. Freud NY filmmaker David Grubin's film about Sigmund Freud & psychoanalysis followed by discussion w/Grubin; Museum of Television & Radio, 25 W. 52nd St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-621-6600; 6:30, $10, $5 st. [through 5/16].

    Lectures

    The Architectural League of New York pres. "Preserving the Modern House," an overview of domestic architecture at Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, 2 E. 91st St. (5th Ave.), 212-860-6868; call for times, $20, $15 st.

    A Discussion w/Pam Grier & Sonia Braga on "Sex, Sexism & Cinema" at NYU Cantor Film Center, 36 E. 8th St. (betw. B'way & University Pl.), 212-998-8816; 8.

    Readings

    The Lazy Crossdresser Come celebrate publication of possibly the most promising title in modern literature (& find out if you like the insides, so to speak); True, 28 E. 23rd St. (betw, Madison & Park Aves.), 212-254-6117; 8, call for price.

    Second Annual Unbearables Arts Festival cont. today w/readings at Tribes Gallery, 285 E. 3rd St. (betw. Aves. C & D), 212-674-3778; 6-9.

    Workshops

    Calling All "Yoga Mamas" Pre-natal yoga classes continue today (what could be more fulfilling than downward dog in your third trimester?); Practice Yoga, 140 W. 83rd St. (betw. Amsterdam & Columbus Aves.), 212-724-4884; call for times & prices.

    SATURDAY 5/4

    Around Town

    Atlantic Antic Spring Fair Downtown Brooklyn pres. music, dance & theater performed by kids & teens feat. giant puppets, Haitian drumming, Brazilia street dancing & a visit from the Transit Museum's bus; Atlantic Ave. (betw. Bond & Hicks Sts.), 718-875-8993; 10-6, free.

    Breast Fest 2002 Third-annual fair offers free workshops & mammograms to the uninsured & underinsured via a mobile unit parked at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, 356 W. 18th St. (betw. 8th & 9th Aves.), 212-271-7207 for appointment; 11-4, free.

    Fifth Annual New York Revlon Run/Walk For Women Entertainment Industry Foundation pres. walk to raise funds for women's cancer research w/hosts Renée Zellweger & Jeese L. Martin & guests Barbara Walters & Karen Duffy; begin at Times Square, 212-379-3199; check-in at 7, $25.

    First Annual Fat Girl Fleamarket feat. new & recycled fashions for big-boned ladies, a kissing booth & of course a bake sale?proceeds benefit National Organization of Lesbians of Size; LGBT Center, 208 W. 13th St. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.), 212-620-7310; 1-5:30, $5.

    Free Comic Book Day More than 2200 U.S. & European comic book stores give away copies of Justice League, Star Wars, Tomb Raider & of course Spider-Man comic books; Jim Hanley's Universe, St. Mark's Comics, Kosmic Comics, Action Comics & Gotham City Comics; for the full list, go to [www.FreeComicBookDay.com](http://www.FreeComicBookDay.com/).

    Free Melanoma/Skin Cancer Screenings New York Presbyterian Hospital's Dept. of Dermatology pres. free screenings for all; New York Weill Cornell Medical Center, Starr Pavilion, 520 E. 70th St. #301 (York Ave.), 800-227-2345; 9 a.m.-12 p.m., free.

    The Great Saunter Shorewalkers pres. a 32-mile walk along the Manhattan shoreline visiting 12 parks & Manhattan's northern hills?wear comfortable shoes & bring water; Fulton St (Water St.), 212-330-7686; 7:30, $10 contrib.

    Health Fair & Fashion Show Hope Community pres. third-annual fashion show "Spring Into a New You" w/martial arts & musical presentations, food & makeup vendors that nourish you inside & out; P.S. 72 schoolyard, Lexington Ave. (104th St.), 212-860-8821 x106; 11-5, free.

    P.A.L. Festival Celebrate the 87th anniversary of the Police Athletic League w/international food, arts & crafts, antiques & corporate, non-profit & cultural exhibitions; University Pl. (betw. Waverly Pl. & 14th St.), 212-809-4900; 11-6, free.

    Saké Summit International Saké Institute pres. Americas best sakés w/tastings, home brew competition & workshops incl. "Saké 101" & "Saké Food Pairing"; Rihga Royal Hotel, 151 W. 54th St. (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), www.sakes.com; 12-5, $50.

    Thrift Sale Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest pres. sale of clothes & household items donated by parishioners & local residents?proceeds benefit Senior Lunch Program; Darlington Hall, 2 E. 90th St. (5th Ave), 212-289-3400; 10-4, free.

    Family

    Angelina Ballerina Author Katharine Holabird reads from & signs autographs of her cherished book?also live performance from the mouse herself; FAO Schwarz, 58th St. (5th Ave.), 212-644-9400; 11-12:30, free.

    Columbia Greenhouse Nursery School Annual Spring Sale Family fun w/Moonwalk, dragon slide, carousel, pony ride, petting zoo, face painting, rummage sale, raffle & homemade foods (rain date May 5); 116th St. (betw. Amsterdam Ave. & Morningside Dr.), 212-666-4796; 11-3, free.

    Lenny Suib Puppet Playhouse Lydia Adams Davis pres. ecology-based musical starring Unka-Munka the chimp, Rocco Raccoon & Alphonse Polar Bear; Mazur Theater, 555 E. 90th St. (betw. York & East End Aves.), 212-369-8890 x159; 10:30 a.m. & 12 p.m., $7 [repeats Sun.].

    P.S. 41 Flower Exposition & Silent Auction Get your Mother's Day gifts at second annual flower & plant sale also feat. square dancing, face painting, arts & crafts, make your own worm farms & silent auction of valuable items; P.S. 41 Greenwich Ave. (Charles St.), 212-741-1099; 11-4, $5.

    Queens Heritage Fair 2002 incl. family-oriented games & performances; Queens Historical Society, Kingsland Homestead, 143-35 37th Ave., Flushing, Queens, 718-939-0647 x17; 12-6, $5, $2.50 st./s.c.

    Saturday at the Galleries ARTime leads 90-minute tour for kids age 5-10; RSVP 718-797-1573 for location, 11 a.m., $25 per adult & child, $5/add. child.

    Film/Video

    "Grand Illusions: Classic French Cinema" Fourteen-week series highlights cinematic greats like Clèment, Truffaut, Godard & Melville. Today, Luis Buñuel double feature: The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1) & Belle De Jour (3); Symphony Space, 2537 B'way (95th St.), 212-864-5400; call for sched., $9, $8 s.c. [repeats Sun., through 7/21].

    "Hard-Boiled Hollywood" Eighteen classic & contemporary films based on novels by Norman Mailer, Walter Mosley, James M. Cain screen. Today, Carl Franklin's 1995 adaptation of Walter Mosley's Devil in a Blue Dress (2 p.m.) & Norman Mailer's Tough Guys Don't Dance about a writer suspected of murder (4); American Museum of the Moving Image, 35th Ave. (36th St.), Astoria, 718-784-0077; $8.50, $5.50 st./s.c. [through 5/5].

    Readings

    The Carnivorous Salon feat. readings by Rob Hardin, author of the dark & disturbing Distorture & Colin Raff, author of the elegantly mysterious The Premises of Otto Gast; Tonic, 107 Norfolk St. (betw. Rivington & Delancey Sts.), 212-358-7501; 3-5.

    Praying Dangerously?Radical Reliance on God Regina Sara Ryan (The Woman Awake: Feminine Wisdom for Spiritual Life) reads at East West Books, 78 5th Ave. (13th St.), 212-243-5994; 4, free.

    Pulitzer-prize winning poet Philip Levine & his arch nemesis, Tom Sleigh, read today at Dia Center for the Arts, 548 W. 22nd St. (betw. 10th & 11th Aves.), 212-989-5566; 4.

    Writing To Be Seen is not a satire of young memoirists, but rather the "first major anthology of visual & experimental poetry in 30 years"; Printed Matter, 535 W. 22nd St. (betw. 10th & 11th Aves.), 212-925-0325; 5-7.

    Workshops

    Digital Video Shock Course Day-long class in video production; [www.mediabistro.com](http://www.mediabistro.com/) for complete info.

    World Famous DJs to Teach Their Craft Free to the Public That should be a short lesson; 600 B'way (Houston St.), 917-545-7823 or 347-351-4170 call for times [through 5/16].

    SUNDAY 5/5

    Around Town

    Cinco De Mayo Festival Celebrate Mexican Independence Day at this fourth-annual street fair feat. multiethnic food, vendors, arts & crafts, antiques & exhibits; Little Mexico, 5th Ave. (betw. 44th & 59th Sts.), Sunset Park, Bklyn, 212-809-4900; 11-6, free.

    Dogswalk Against Cancer Grab your beloved pooch & start walking! Honoring search & rescue dogs from September 11th tragedies, walk-a-thon feat. contests, music & food?to benefit American Cancer Society & the Animal Medical Center; Riverside Park, 89th St. (Riverside Dr.), 800-227-2345; 10, $25.

    Fashion Brunch BORU vodka pres. Loungewear Betty's intimates fashion show at Marion's Continental Restaurant & Lounge, 354 Bowery (4th st), RSVP 212-475-7621; 12 & 1:30, $17.65 incl. brunch, show & drink.

    14th Annual Broadway Spring Festival Broadway Mall Center pres. outdoor fair w/craft & antique dealers, 40 food vendors, urban nursery display & performances incl. Linda Miller & The Girls Next Door; B'way (betw. 86th & 96th Sts.), 212-764-6330; 11-6, free.

    National Asthma Screening Program The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology conducts free asthma screenings; 92nd St. Y, 1395 Lexington Ave. (92nd St.), 877-874-2796; 10-4, free [repeats Tues. at YMCA, 5 W. 63rd St. (betw. Central Park West & B'way), 1-5].

    23rd Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival feat. Pacific & Asian foods, mini film festival, martial arts & dance exhibits, arts & crafts & children's fair w/story telling & traditional Asian crafts; Union Sq. Park N., B'way (17th St.), 212-989-3610; 12-6, free.

    Family

    Children's Galleries for Jewish Culture Chelsea museum feat. two exhibits: "From Tent to Temple" & "From Home to Home" for children 7 & over?no strollers admitted; 515 W. 20th St. (betw. 10th & 11th Aves.), 212-924-4500; 2-5, $5.

    Just Kidding! The Neta Dance Co. performs selections from Apple Venus & The Orchid Show set to music from XTC?followed by Flowering Stabiles workshops at Children's Museum; Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space, 2537 B'way (95th St.), 212-864-5400; 11, $10-$14.

    Kids 'N Comedy Workshop teaches kids what it takes to be funny, then tryout to be in one of their comedy shows; Gotham Comedy Club, 34 W. 22nd St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-877-6115, reg. req.; 4, $30 [repeats Sun.].

    "Music for Families" series continues w/blues guitarist Bill Sims Jr. chronicling the music of African-Americans from the last century; Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, 58 7th Ave. (Lincoln Pl.), Park Slope, 718-622-3300; 3, $10, 45 kids.

    Sea Chantey Folk Singers Mystic Seaport's Don Sineti joins the museum's 12-member folk group, the New York Packet, for outdoor concert; Whitman Gallery, South Street Seaport Museum, 209 Water St. (Fulton St.), 212-748-8600; 3-5, $4 contrib.

    Spirit of New York City "Tales about the courageous & enduring nature of our city" told w/puppets. Today, These Are My Canyons w/Franc Menusan; the Provincetown Playhouse, 133 MacDougal St. (betw. W. 3rd & 4th Sts.), 212-998-5867; 3, free.

    Film/Video

    Brooklyn International Film Festival concludes today at Brooklyn Museum of Art, 200 Eastern Pkwy. (Washington Ave.), [www.wbff.org](http://www.wbff.org/) for sched. $8 st./s.c.

    Reports from the Global Village Political shorts precede film noir feature entitled Ice; Ocularis at Galapagos, 70 N. 6th St. (betw. Wythe & Kent Aves.), Williamsburg, 718-388-8713; 7, $6.

    Lectures

    Introduction to the New York Art World for New Collectors Some of these are just too easy; Rosenberg & Kaufman Fine Art, 115 Wooster St. (Prince St.), 212-431-4838; call for times & prices.

    Readings

    Alaska's Fiddling Poet Returns to NYC!, tonight at the Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard St. (betw. B'way & Church St.), 212-219-3055; 7.

    KGB Sunday Fiction Series Howard Norman reads from The Haunting of L. (third in his "Canadian trilogy") plus Australian Chloe Hooper reads from her first novel, A Child's Book of True Crime; KGB, 85 E. 4th St. (betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.), 212-505-3360; 7, free.

    MONDAY 5/6

    Around Town

    Back House Productions Fundraiser for Arthur Seelen Theatre w/performances, monologues, poetry & guests Norman Mailer & Donald Sadler?open bar & hors d'oeuvres; the Drama Book Shop, 250 W. 40th St. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.), RSVP 212-946-5411; 7-11 p.m., $50-$250.

    Friendly French Conversation Group Intermediate & advanced-level speakers meet & discuss recently read works incl. Beaumarchais' Le Mariage de Figaro; Magic Carpet Restaurant, 54 Carmine St. (Bedford St.), 914-803-0654; 7:30-9:30, free.

    Film/Video

    "Mondo Mondays" Retro film series feat. The History of Racist Animation doc., which shows R-rated acts by popular cartoon characters; Den of Cin, Two Boots, 44 Ave. A (betw. 3rd & 4th Sts.), 212-714-3575; 8, $5 incl. 1 drink.

    Yaldei Stalin (Stalin's Disciples) 1986 film addresses communism & satirizes kibbutz life; Center for Jewish History, 15 W. 16th St. (5th Ave.), 212-294-8301; 7:30, $7, $3.50 st./s.c.

    Lectures

    Cancer Care Today's topic: "It Doesn't Have to Hurt," a discussion on managing pain; 275 7th Ave. (betw. W. 25th & W. 26th Sts.), 800-813-HOPE or [www.cancercare.org;](http://www.cancercare.org;/) 12:30.

    Readings

    The Company: A Novel of the CIA Robert Littell reads from his popular new book at Union Sq. Barnes & Noble, 33 E. 17th St. (betw. B'way & Park Ave. S.), 212-253-0810; 7, free.

    Lost Nation Jeffrey Lent reads from his novel?the classic western set in New Hampshire?about a man named "Blood," & the 16-year-old girl he won in a game of cards; the Half King, 505 W. 23rd St. (10th Ave.), 212-462-4300; 7, free.

    Saturn Series Open mic plus weekly guest; Revival, 129 E. 15th St. (betw. 3rd Ave. & Irving Pl.), 212-253-8061; 7:30, $3.

    TUESDAY 5/7

    Around Town

    Find Your Inner MacGyver Elle pres. recycling guru Danny Seo's exhibition "Conscious Style" closing party feat. Imitation of Christ's Tara Subkoff & designer goods raffle?proceeds benefit Ovarian Cancer Research Fund; Felissimo, 10 W. 56th St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-247-5656; 7.

    Pure Country NYC Weekly country dance & music night w/line dance lessons from Rona Kaye; Jack Rose, 771 8th Ave. (47th St.), 212-247-7518; 6:30, $13.

    Fourth Annual Senior Fitness Day NYU Medical Center pres. workshops on nutrition, osteoporosis, memory enhancement, contemporary medicine & more?refreshments will be served?does Ozzy qualify for this yet?; 550 1st Ave. (33rd St.), 212-263-5018; 10-4, free.

    Film/Video

    Films & Popcorn Mayday Books pres. "Rosa Luxemburg" about the struggles of Red Rosa; ABC No Rio, 156 Rivington St. (betw. Suffolk & Clinton Sts.), 212-894-3749, x2156; 7, $5 contrib.

    Readings

    Meet the Author Reception Yes, tonight Donald Westlake will be forced to mingle w/you, for a fee, at Mysterious Books & Murder Ink, 129 W. 56th St. (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), 212-765-0900; 5-7, $25.

    The Season of Lillian Dawes In prose described by one reviewer as marked by "faint echoes of Edith Wharton and Henry James," Katherine Mosby chronicles the life of young Gabriel Gibbs, recently expelled from private school, and her obsession, the upper-class deb Lillian Dawes, in post WWII New York; Upper West Side Barnes & Noble, 2289 B'way (82nd St.), 212-362-8835; 7:30, free.