WEDNESDAY 9/17 WEDNESDAY 9/17 Around Town "Apollo Amateur ...
Around Town
"Apollo Amateur Night" Legendary amateur night at the Apollo "where stars are made & legends are born"; Apollo Theater, 253 W. 125th St. (betw. Frederick Douglass & Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvds.), 212-531-5303, apollotheater.com; 7:30, $16-$24.
Benefit Book Sale Pick-up a super cheap novel for a good cause?proceeds benefit Bellevue's Patient's Library; Bellevue Hospital Center, 1st Ave. (27th St.), 212-562-5255; 10-4, free.
Explorers Club Centennial Photography Competition Sip cocktails & enjoy photos from finalists in the competitions "Landscape & Architecture," "People" & "Flora & Fauna" categories before award presentation?preceded by virtual tour of 100 years of archive photos by curator Clare Flemming; Explorers Club, 46 E. 70th St. (betw. Madison & Park Aves.), 212-628-8383, www.explorers.org; 6:30, $15, $5 st.
"Thinking and Drinking" Smarty-pants compete in five fast rounds of random trivia for prizes of $10-$25 bar tabs; Dempsey's Pub, 61 2nd Ave. (betw. 3rd & 4th Sts.), 212-678-5126; 7:30, free.
Film/Video
"Blast From Your Past What Gen X Watched: 1969-1985" Groovy Tunes. Every 70s program, incl. The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour & The Partridge Family, had a groovy soundtrack or dynamite musical hosts?see which shows worked & which were best forgotten; Museum of Television & Radio, 25 W. 52nd St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-621-6600; 12:30 & 3, $10, $8 st./s.c., $5 child. under 14 [repeats Thurs.].
Giraffes Director Tzahi Grad's 2001 coincidental Israeli drama, that tracks three unrelated women as their lives intersect through mistaken identities?Hebrew w/English subtitles; Makor, 35 W. 67th St. (betw. Columbus Ave. & Central Park W.), 212-413-8806, ww.makor.org; 7:30 & 9:30, $9 [repeats Thurs.].
Touchez pas au Grisbi New 35mm b&w print of director Jacques Becker's 1953 Parisian ganster classic, feat. René Dary & Jean Gabin, who duel over loot, when Jeanne Moreau's big mouth reveals too much about their 50 million franc score?French w/English subtitles; Film Forum, 209 W. Houston St. (betw. Varick St. & 6th Ave.), 212-727-8110, www.filmforum.com; 1:30, 3:25, 5:30, 7:25 & 9:20, $9.75, $5 child./s.c. [repeats Thurs.].
Lectures
"Assessment, Response & Management of Disasters:Lessons from Sept. 11, 2001" Panel discussion focuses on "professional & self-care commitment in serving the needs of disaster survivors" & provides a "safe forum" for clinicians, grief & social service professionals & individuals still impacted by 9/11; LGBT Community Center, 208 W. 13th St. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.), res. req. 212-620-7310; www.gaycenter.org; 10-1, free.
Brown Bag Lunch Series: Asian American Popular Culture Professor Thuy Linh Tu analyzes how the "forces of contemporary Asian immigration...have altered the boundaries of American citizenship"; A/P/A Studies Conference Room, 269 Mercer St., Suite 609 (betw. W. 4th & Washington Place), RSVP 212-992-9653, www.apa.nyu.edu; 12, free.
Career Transition How to make your "job search count" so you can make "healthier choices in your life, relationships & career"; NYC Exhale, 594 B'way, 3rd fl. (betw. Prince & Houston Sts.), 212-965-9840; www.exhale212.com; 7, $45 [repeats Thurs.].
Enneagram Wisdom & Relationships Discussion of personality traits & the "essential nature in ourselves"; Sufi Books, 227 W. B'way (betw. Franklin & White Sts.), 212-334-5212; www.sufibooks.com; 7, $10.
Health & Safety in the Home Learn about repairs, housing violations, mold/mildew, maintaining a healthy home & how to take your landlord to court; Lexington United Methodist Church, 150 E. 62nd St. (betw. Lexington & 3rd Aves.), 212-308-2210; 7, free.
"Housing Issues" Assemblymen Scott Stringer addresses housing-related issues; West Side Senior Center, 120 W. 76th St. (betw. Amsterdam & Columbus Aves.), 212-712-0170; 11:15, free.
"Opening the Tanya?a Classic Work of Kabbalah" Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz discusses the Kabbalistic work "The Tanya" and the challenge of tackling difficult philosophical works in modern times; 92nd St. Y, 1395 Lexington Ave. (92nd St.), 212-415-5500, www.92y.org; 8, $20.
The Power of Socialist Feminism Dr. Susan Williams discusses how to "end capitalist patriarchy"; Freedom Hall, 113 W. 128th St. (betw. Malcolm X & Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvds.), 212-222-0633; 7:30, free.
Rebecca Matthias President of a Pea in the Pod speaks about the "changing face of expectant & celebrity styles"; A Pea in the Pod, 860 Madison Ave. (70th St.), 212-826-6468; 1:30, free.
The Supreme Court & American Democracy David Garrow, Jeffrey Rosen, David Savage & Nina Totenberg assess the "Rehnquist court" & the issues of "diversity, civil rights & civil liberties"; New School University, 66 W. 12th St. #407 (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-229-5488, www.nsu.newschool.edu; 6, $8.
Why America Slept: The Reasons Behind Our Failure to Prevent 9/11 Author & journalist Gerald Posner discusses "what went wrong" in the years before 9/11; 92nd St. Y's West Side Satellite, 35 W. 67th St. (betw. Columbus Ave. & Central Park W.), 212-415-5500; 12-1, $15.
Readings
Blue Shoe From Amazon.com: "One of the few progressive Christian writers with a national voice, Anne Lamott's work (Bird by Bird, Operating Instructions) ranges from the meditative to the hilarious. Blue Shoe falls somewhere in the middle of that range?a slow, thoughtful novel, rooted in the domestic routines of child-raising..."; Chelsea Barnes & Noble, 675 6th Ave. (21st St.), 212-727-1227; 7, free.
The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty From Publisher's Weekly: "During the 1789 mutiny, crew members were set adrift in an open boat and eventually returned to England. 'No feat of seamanship was deemed to surpass Bligh's navigation and command of The Bounty's 23-foot-long launch, and few feats of survival compared with his men's forty-eight-day ordeal on starvation rations.' [Caroline] Alexander's reconstruction of the mutiny and its aftermath...is almost as remarkable..."; Barnes & Noble, 240 E. 86th St. (betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.), 212-794-1962; 7, free.
Lisa Dierbeck reads from One Pill Makes You Smaller at NYC's real Filthy MacNasty's; Rocky Sullivan's, 129 Lexington Ave. (29th St.), 212-725-3871; 8, free.
Fantastic Fiction w/James Patrick Kelly (Wildlife) & Theodora Glass (The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror: Sixteenth Annual Collection); KGB, 85 E. 4th St. (betw. 2nd Ave. & Bowery), 212-505-3360; 7, free.
Food Fight: The Inside Story of the Food Industry, America's Obesity Crisis, and What We Can Do About It Dr. Kelly D. Brownell discusses; Barnes & Noble, 160 E. 54th St. (3rd Ave.), 212-750-8033; 7, free.
Holy Fiction: Contemporary Writing on Religious Lives Ruchama King (Seven Blessings), Joan Leegant (An Hour in Paradise: Stories) & Risa Miller (Welcome to Heavenly Heights: A Novel); Makor, 35 W. 67th St. (betw. Columbus Ave. & Central Park W.), 212-601-1000; 7:30.
Madame Secretary: A Memoir Madeleine Albright appears for signing and discussion; Union Square Barnes & Noble, 33 E. 17th St. (betw. B'way & Park Ave. S.), 212-253-0810; 7, free.
Workshops
Meditation Class w/SistaShree Learn how to "use sound to meditate", engage in "call & response" & recite 108 repetitions of the Gayathri Mantra; Amrita Yoga Center, 125 4th Ave. (betw. 12th & 13th Sts.), 212-614-6993; 8:15 p.m., $5 sugg. don.
Writing Fieldwork Intensive workshop for writers "developing original text"; The Field, 161 Sixth Ave. (Spring St.), 212-691-6969, www.thefield.org; 7-9, $90.
THURSDAY 9/18
Around Town
78th Mid-Atlantic Championships 750 skaters of all ages compete in one of the oldest figure skating competitions in the U.S; Chelsea Piers, Pier 61, 23rd St. (Hudson River); all day, $5/$2 [through 9/21].
Bird Watching BPC Parks Conservancy invites bird watchers to join the NY Audubon Society's Sarah Elliott & Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge's Dave Taft in admiring our fair feathered friends; Battery Park City, Wagner Park, Battery Pl. (West St.), 212-267-9700; 9:30-11, free.
Brooklyn Peace Vigil Continues That's right! Bring your friends & a poster if you're feeling artistic. Speak out against issues incl. the war in Iraq & ethnic profiling; Junction, Flatbush Ave. (Nostrand Ave.), Bklyn, 718-768-3202, www.warresisters.org; 5:30-7, free.
Pride of Baltimore II Take a free tour of Maryland's majestic 157-ft. tallship while she's docked in the marina; Chelsea Piers, Pier 63, 23rd St. (12th Ave.), 212-989-6363; 10-2, free [repeats Fri.].
Film/Video
Cuba: Island of Music Gothamjazz.com pres. intimate screening of director Gary Keys' musical doc., exploring the importance of Afro-Cuban music in Havana, followed by discussion w/Keys?also the "International Solidarity In Cuban Poster Art" exhibit; Center For Cuban Studies, 124 W. 23rd St. (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), 212-242-0559, www.gothamjazz.com; 7:30, $15 incl. wine [repeats Fri.].
"John Mills: Forever English" Series of films feat. British actor Mills continues w/screenings of 1940 short All Hands, followed by 1942 war drama In Which We Serve (2 p.m.) & 1932 b&w comedy The Midshipman (4:30); MOMA's Gramercy Theater, 127 E. 23rd St. (betw. Lexington & Park Aves.), 212-777-4900; $12, $8.50 st./s.c. [through 10/17].
Special Screenings continue to mark the second anniversary of 9/11 incl. Don Lenzer's 16mm short A Wonderful Construction (1973) & Norman Cowie's segment Scenes from an Endless War, from 2002 video Underground Zero?followed by discussion w/both filmmakers; Donnell Library Center, 20 W. 53rd St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-621-0618; 6 p.m., free.
Lectures
"Advances in Cataract Treatment" Jack Dodick, MD & Iman Ali, MD discuss the latest in cataract treatment; Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital, Corwin Hall, 210 E. 64th St. (betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.), 888-536-6944; www.lenoxhillhospital.org; 3, free.
After the Ball: Gilded Age Secrets, Boardroom Betrayals & The Party that Ignited the Great Wall Street Scandal of 1905 Author Patricia Beard discusses her latest book and the events that revealed the "secrets" & "financial manipulations" of Wall Street; Science Industry Business Library, 188 Madison Ave. (34th St.), 212-592-7000; 5:30-7, free.
Doing it All?: Young Feminists Take on Work, Family & the Meaning of Success Panel discussion w/Lynette Clemeston, Cathi Hanauer & Carrie Fernandez addresses issues of feminism for today's modern woman; Barnard College, B'way (117th St.), 212-854-2037, www.barnard.edu; 7, free.
Dutch Colonial Homes in America Lecture on Dutch Colonial houses & barns in New York & New Jersey; Holland Society Headquarters, 122 E. 58th Street (betw. Park & Lexington Aves.), 718-629-5400; 6:30-8, $15.
Humanitarian Action in a Post 9/11 World Leonard Lopate talks to members of Doctors without Borders about how the "war on terror has affected humanitarian operations around the world"; FIT's Katie Murphy Amphitheater, Bldg. D, 7th Ave. (27th St.), RSVP 212-847-3151; www.doctorswithoutborders.org; 7, free.
Readings
After the Ball: Gilded Age Secrets, Boardroom Betrayals and the Party That Ignited the Great Wall Street Scandal of 1905 From Publishers Weekly: "With a vivid cast of supporting characters, including some of America's greatest financial titans, this lively history offers all the vicarious thrills of family drama and boardroom intrigue without making readers apprehensive about their own investment portfolios"; Science Industry Business Library, 188 Madison Ave. (34th St.), 212-592-7000; 5:30, free.
That Old Ace in the Hole: A Novel Annie Proulx tackles the Texas panhandle; Borders, 461 Park Ave. (57th St.), 212-980-6785; 6:30, free.
Workshops
Beginner Dance Series: Ethnic Thursdays Learn the techniques of "belly, African, Indian dance & more!"; McBurney YMCA, 125 W. 14th St. (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), 212-741-9210; 7 p.m., $12.
Capoeira Class Contra-Master Gulliver teaches techniques of this unique exercise/art form?walk-ins & beginners welcome; OfficeOps, 57 Thames St., 2nd fl. (betw. Morgan & Knickerbocker Aves.), Bushwick, 718-418-2509; www.OfficeOps.Org; 7-8:30, $10 [repeats Sat. 11-12:30].
Dario Fo & the Commedia dell'Arte Stefano Di Pietro, Gianni Pontillo & Absurda Comica theater co. pres. workshop/discussion of Dario Fo's unique "theatrical techniques" & the art of storytelling; Graduate Center, CUNY, 365 5th Ave. (34th St.), 212-817-8215, www.gc.cuny.edu; 4-6:30, $15.
Fiction Writing Workshop Book signing & writing workshop w/Gotham Writers' Workshop Dean of Faculty Alexander Steele; Barnes & Noble, 1972 B'way (betw. W. 65th & W. 66th Sts.), 212-WRITERS; 7-8, free.
Vinyasa Yoga Before work, take an hour to relax & stretch-out w/instructor Jonesy?hey, it beats drinking before noon; Joyous Life Center, 119 W. 23rd St. #700 (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), 212-352-9910; 7:30 a.m., $10.
What Are You Doing Wrong in Your Search for Mr. Right? Grant Wheaton, founder of the tri-state area's largest personalized gay dating service hosts "evening-long dating & relationship workshop"; LGBT Community Center, 208 W. 13th St. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.), 212-462-9255, www.outprofessionals.org; 7, $25.
"Working in the Theater Production Seminar" Seminar brings together theater's "best known performers"?feat. Phyllis Frelich, Tyrone Girodano, Daniel Jenkins, Jeff Calhoun & Bill O'Brien; Graduate Center, CUNY, 365 5th Ave. (34th St.), res. req. 212-765-0606; 11-1, free.
FRIDAY 9/19
Around Town
Metro Tour Service History & landmark specialist Mauricio Lorence leads three-hour tour around Brooklyn Heights, Ft. Greene & Clinton Hill's historic ethnic communities & institutions; Marriott Hotel Brooklyn, 333 Adams St. (betw. Pearl & Willoughby Sts.), Bklyn, 718-789-0430, metrotourservice@yahoo.com; 2-5, $25 [repeats Sat. & Sun.].
19th-Annual Bessie Awards Hosts Julie Atlas Muz & Jennifer Miller honor "outstanding innovative achievement in dance and related performance"?plus see Ronald K. Brown's dance "Walking Out the Dark" & excerpt from Vicky Shick & Barbara Kilpatrick's "Undoing"; Joyce Theater, 175 8th Ave. (19th St.), 212-924-0077; 7, $15.
NY Water Taxi Sunset Cruise Take a date on this evening jaunt around Lady Liberty feat. a couple free cocktails & maybe you won't go home alone; meet at Pier 11, Wall St. (East River S.), 212-742-1969 x201; 7:30, $20.
Film/Video
"Blast From Your Past What Gen X Watched: 1969-1985" Classic Night: 1985. Don't miss three favorites, Growing Pains, Who's the Boss? & Moonlighting, from ABC's fall line-up that tested 80s gender roles w/a stay-at-home dad, a male housekeeper & sexual-tension filled office, respectively; Museum of Television & Radio, 25 W. 52nd St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-621-6600; 12:30 & 3, $10, $8 st./s.c. [repeats Sat., Sun. & Tues., through 9/28].
Frankenheimer Three-week retrospective of director John Frankenheimer (1930-2002) opens by screening new 35mm b&w print of 1962 Cold War conspiracy classic The Manchurian Candidate, starring Frank Sinatra, Angela Lansbury & Janet Leigh; Film Forum, 209 W. Houston St. (betw. Varick St. & 6th Ave.), 212-727-8110, www.filmforum.com; 2, 4:30, 7 & 9:30, $9.75 [repeats Sat. & Sun.].
"Friday at the Movies" Green-Wood Partnership pres. disturbing back-to-back Stanley Kubrick greats incl. 1980 thriller The Shining, starring Jack Nicholson (7:30 p.m.) & 1971 sci-fi drama A Clockwork Orange, based on Anthony Burgess' novel & starring Malcolm McDowell (10); the Brooklyn Lyceum, 227 4th Ave. (betw. Union & President Sts.), 718-857-4816, RSVP www.gowanus.com; $8 per film.
"Images Between Cultures: The Third Generation of the Turkish-German Cinema" Series opens w/screening of Turkish director Züli Aladag's 2002 coming-of-age boxing drama Elephant Heart?German w/English Subtitles; NYU Deutsches Haus, 42 Washington Mews (University Pl.), 212-998-8661, www.nyu.edu/deutscheshaus; 6:30, free.
Mean Streets Midnight screening of writer/director Martin Scorsese's 1973 crime drama that follows small-time hoods (incl. Robert De Niro & Harvey Keitel) through the "mean streets" of Little Italy; Landmark Sunshine Cinema, 143 E. Houston St. (betw. 1st & 2nd Aves.), 800-555-TELL; 12 a.m., $10, $6.50 s.c. [repeats Sat.].
Lectures
An Evening w/Johnny Valiant Two-time World Wide Wrestling Federation champion speaks about his life as a pro-wrestler; The Theater for New York City, 155 First Ave. (10th St.), 212-254-1109; www.theaterforthenewcity.net; 8, $10 [repeats Sat. & Sun.].
Lucy Grealy Memorial Symposium on Nonfiction Panelists Tom Courser, Vivian Gornick, David Hajdu, Honor Moore & Luc Sante discuss "memoirs at the turn of the century" & "writing/teaching nonfiction"; New School University, 66 W. 12th St. #407 (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-229-5488, www.nsu.newschool.edu; 2-4:30, free.
Rabbi Rafael Grossman Speaks on the "universal meaning of the High Holidays"; West Side Senior Center, 120 W. 76th St. (betw. Amsterdam & Columbus Aves.), 212-712-0170; 1:15, free.
Readings
Al Franken signs copies of Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right; Borders, 100 E. B'way (Allen St.), 212-964-1988; 12:30, free.
Full Frontal PR Richard Laermer offers advise to those seeking "buzz" who can't afford Dick Johnson's wife; Barnes & Noble, 160 E. 54th St. (3rd Ave.), 212-750-8033; 7, free.
New Yorker Festival Aleksandar Hemon (Nowhere Man) & Jeffrey Eugenides (Middlesex, The Virgin Suicides); Joe's Pub, 425 Lafayette St. (betw. E. 4th St. & Astor Pl.), 212-539-8778; 7.
Workshops
Rules to Attracting Your Soul Mate Psychic Judi Hoffman teaches you how to "harness the power of the unconscious mind that will attract the love of your life"; Proof, 239 Third Ave. (betw. 19th & 20th Sts.), RSVP 888-89-EVENT, www.metroplanners.com; 7:30, $30, $20 adv.
SATURDAY 9/20
Around Town
8th Street Festival Food, arts & crafts from more than 100 vendors?proceeds benefit Friends of Community Board #2; 8th St. (Betw. B'way & Lafayette St.), 646-230-0489; 11-6, free.
Clinique's Best Kept Beauty Tips Make-up experts, lipstick in hand, give makeovers & share beauty tips?take advantage of it!; Sephora Ansonia, 2103 B'way (73rd St.), res. req. 212-362-1500; 12-6, free.
"CultureFest" Third-annual celebration of the city's diverse cultural offerings incl. Museum of Television & Radio program showcase, face-painting, puppet shows & children's book readings?plus two stages of live jazz, theater, dance & opera performances; Battery Park, State St. (West St.), 212-307-7171; 11-5:30, free [repeats Sun.].
Electronics Recycling Don't throw that old moniter out on the street! Let the Lower East Side Ecology Center recycle your electronic waste incl. computers, tvs, pagers & cell phones; Little Red School House, 6th Ave. (Bleecker St.), 212-477-4022; 9-5, free.
46th-Annual German-American Steuben Parade See Grand Marshal, Mike Bloomberg at parade honoring 70 million German-Americans?expect kraut & steins; 5th Ave.(betw. 63rd & 86th Sts.), 516-239-0741; 12, free.
German-American Friendship Party Avoid post-parade depression w/beer, brats & music at this Steuben Parade "Oktoberfest-like bash"; Central Park SummerStage Rumsey Playfield, 72nd St. (midpark), 212-360-CPSS; 2-6, $5 don.
Hudson River Weekend Explore the ecology of the Hudson learning from tanks of local aquatic life, 2,200 lbs. of sugar & geological history expert Jay Holmes; Wave Hill, 675 W. 252nd St. (Independence Ave.), Bronx, 718-549-3200, www.wavehill.org; 1-4, $4, $2 st./s.c. [repeats Sun.].
Peter Cooper Village & Stuyvesant Town Flea Market Diverse pool of residents fill nearly 2000 booths w/trash & treasures at 33rd-annual flea market attracting stealthy bargain hunters; Peter Cooper Village & Stuyvesant Town, betw. 1st Ave. & FDR Dr. (betw. 14th & 23rd Sts.), 212-598-5296; 10-6, free [repeats Sun.].
Rosh Hashanah Israeli Folk-Dance Marathon Dance 'till you drop w/folk masters Ruth Goodman & Danny Uziel in celebration of the fall High Holidays; 92nd St. Y, 1395 Lexington Ave. (92nd St.), 212-415-5500; 8:45, $15.
Film/Video
"Nail Biters: Seriously Suspenseful Stories" "Evenings at the Picture Show" screens shorts incl. director Mike Hoover's Solo (1972), Gene Deitch's 16mm fable Strega Nona (1978) & Edmond Séchan's 1959 Oscar-winner The Golden Fish?also "Surprising Sculpture" workshop & live music by Hot Peas 'n Butter; Socrates Sculpture Park, B'way (Vernon Blvd.), LIC, 718-956-1819, www.socratessculpturepark.org; 6 p.m., free [through 9/27].
Sa Pinilakang Tabing 2003 Arkipelago pres. seventh-annual East Coast Filipino Film Festival feat. works from Filipino filmmakers & videographers. Today, programs incl. "Underdogeaters" (3 p.m.), "Rebel Without Applause" (5:30) & "Living Here: We've Got Issues" (8)?followed by reception; Anthology Film Archives, 32 2nd Ave. (2nd St.), 718-658-2315, www.arkipelago.org; see website for full sched., free [continues Sun.].
"Saturday at the Movies" Green-Wood Partnership pres. director John Huston's 1982 orphan musical Annie, starring Carol Burnett & Albert Finney (3 p.m.) & 1941 b&w mystery The Maltese Falcon, starring Humprey Bogart (9)?plus Byron Haskin's 1953 sci-fi adventure The War of the Worlds, based on H. G. Wells' novel (6)?proceeds benefit Saved In Time; Green-Wood Cemetery Chapel, 500 25th St. (5th Ave.), Sunset Park, 718-857-4816, RSVP www.gowanus.com; $5-$8 per film.
Lectures
Artists Talks Discussion w/artist, activist & author Howardena Pindell; Rush Arts, 526 W. 26th St. (betw. 10th & 11th Aves.), 212-691-9552; 4-6, free.
Celebrating & Defending Our Democratic Values Day-long conference feat. Nat Hentoff, Tony Kushner, Donna Lieberman & others in open discussion of the current "state of civil liberties & rights in American society"; Graduate Center, CUNY, 365 5th Ave. (34th St.), 212-817-8215; www.gc.cuny.edu; 9-5, $10, $5/st..
A Fresh Look at Glaucoma Medications Speaker Anshu Sinha, MD offers opportunity to "explore the best drops for your condition & to learn more about side effects"; New York Eye & Ear Infirmary, E. 14th St. (2nd Ave.), 212-873-9661; 10:30, free.
MAAFA Commemoration Cllinical Psychologist Edwin Nichols speaks about the transatlantic slave trade; St. Paul Community Baptist Church, 859 Hendrix St. (Linden Blvd.), Bklyn, 718-257-1300; www.themaafa.com; 10, free.
Tips on How to Produce & Market Saleable Work Discussion w/panelists Regina Brooks, Marie Brown, Cherise Grant, Chris Jackson & Kelli Martin; Aaron Davis Hall, W. 135th St. (Convent Ave.), 212-650-7100; 10, $25.
Workshops
Amazing Maize! Children learn abut the "world's most versatile vegetable...corn!"?activities incl. grinding corn & making dolls w/corn husks; Brooklyn Children's Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave. (St. Mark's Ave.), 718-735-4400; 1-4, $4 [repeats Sun.].
"Boyfriend Guaranteed: Brainstorming for Love" Join the "feel-tank" & learn what has & hasn't worked for other "lonesome men"; Identity House, 39 W. 14th St. #205 (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-243-8181, www.identityhouse.org; 11-1, $10 sugg. don.
Dance Fieldwork "Rigorous" weekly workshop for choreographers working on duets, solos or group pieces in "any style"; Dance Space Center, 451 B'way, 2nd fl. (betw. Grand & Howard Sts.), RSVP 212-691-6969, www.thefield.org; 12-2:30, $90.
"Essentials of French Cooking" 40-hour intensive program designed for anyone who wants to "raise the level of their culinary craftsmanship & prepare beautiful food at home"; French Culinary Institute, 462 B'way (at Grand St.), 888-324-2433; www.frenchculinary.com; 9:30-2:30, $1995.
HipHop Jazz Saturdays Two on-going dance workshops for hiphop & jazz lovers; McBurney YMCA, 125 W. 14th St. (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), 212-741-9210; 12, $12.
Kundalini Yoga Spend the morning stretching w/Francoise; Joyous Life Center, 119 W. 23rd St. #700 (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), 212-352-9910; 9:30-10:45, $10.
"Starting Out (Or Starting Over)" Instructor Andrew Jannetti helps you "break through the anxiety, fear & inertia about starting an exercise program" in this "gentle introductory workshop"; Brooklyn Arts Exchange, 421 5th Ave. (betw. 7th & 8th Sts.), Bklyn, 718-832-0018; www.bax.org; 1:30-3, $25.
Stories of the Sky Children 4-6 journey into inflatable planetarium "Starlab" & learn the "ancient tales of the Sun, Moon & stars" w/music, games & storytelling; American Museum of Natural History, Central Park W. (79th St.), 212-769-5100; www.amnh.org; 12:30-2, $30/parent & child.
What is Multiple Sclerosis Gail Herring leads informal discussion on "symptoms, current treatments & how to manage the disease"; Andrew Heiskell Library for the Blind & Physically Handicapped, 40 W. 20th St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-206-5400; 2, free.
SUNDAY 9/21
Around Town
Bear Cafe Fuzzy men of all ages & their admirers relax in an "alcohol-free, attitude-free" environment; LGBT Community Center, Norman White Bldg., 221 W. 13th St. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.), 212-620-7310; 3-6, $4.
Fifth-Annual Jewish Life Festival Don't miss live performances by crossover star Piamenta, aka the "Hasidic Hendrix," & rapper/reggae artist Matityahu?plus Kosher snacks, games & workshops; Washington Square Park, SE corner W. 3rd St. (B'way), 212-674-1950, www.chabadwashingtonsquare.com; 2-6, free.
Green-Wood Cemetary Tour History obsessed guides introduce you to famous residents incl. Leonard Bernstein & Horace Greeley on two-hour tour?part of proceeds benefits historic fund; meet at Green-Wood Cemetery, 4th Ave. (35th St.), Sunset Park, 718-469-5277; 1 p.m., $6.
Harlem, Your Way! Visit the former sites of notable venues in jazz history (1920s to today), culminating w/"jazz jam session" in the parlor of a private residence?followed by optional snack or dinner; Harlem, Your Way, 129 W. 130th St. (Lenox Ave.), 212-690-1687, www.harlemyourwaytours.com; 2:30, $55.
New York Is Book Country Street Fair Get your read on at 25th-annual fair feat. children's parade, lots of booths incl. antiquarian, Spanish language, theater & art book?plus meet & greets w/George Plimpton, John Lithgow, Katharine Holabird (Angelina Balerina) & Neil Gaiman; 5th Ave.(betw. 42nd & 55th Sts.), www.nyisbookcountry.com; 11-5, free.
Pass the Pumpkin Don't miss Thurston Moore, DJ Spooky & John Sinclair at benefit performance for Nesenkeag Farm, a New Hampshire organic grower providing specialty crops to New England soup kitchens; Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery (betw. 1st & 2nd Aves.), 212-614-0505; 2-5, $15 sugg. don.
West Side County Fair Herald fall at down-home county fair in the big city feat. ferris wheel, petting zoo, pony rides, arts & crafts, pie/cake bake-off, puppet show & live music by Richard Frank & Stony Creek; Riverside Park, South Pier, Hudson River (betw. 68th & 72nd Sts.), 212-408-0219; 12-5, free.
Film/Video
"From the Dream Life: American Movies & Mythology of the 1960's" Series screens Dennis Hopper's directorial debut, 1969 counter-culture biker adventure Easy Rider, starring Hopper, Peter Fonda & Jack Nicholson?preceeded by 1968 Warner Bros. cartoon Bunny and Claude: We Rob Carrot Patches; American Museum of the Moving Image, 35 Ave. (36 St.), Astoria, 718-784-4520; 2, free w/adm.
"Silent Slapstick Family Tree" Ken Gordon pres. silent comedies feat. live piano accompaniment by Stuart Oderman. Today, in "Mabel & 'Fatty' & Buster" see b&w shorts incl. Barney Oldfield's Race for a Life (1913), Fatty and Mabel Adrift (1916), The Cook (1917) & The Scarecrow (1920); Brooklyn Public Library, Grand Army Plaza, Flatbush Ave. (Prospect Park W.), 718-230-2100; 2, free.
Tom Jones The 1963 period comedy by British director Tony Richardson, not the stunning Scottish performer! Starring Albert Finney (Erin Brokovich) as charming Tom, in this adaptation of Henry Fielding's novel; Ocularis at Galapagos, 70 N. 6th St. (betw. Wythe & Kent Aves.), Williamsburg, 718-388-8713; 7, $5.
Lectures
American Jewry & the Civil War Bud Livingston speaks about the presence of prominent Jews during the Civil War?presentation includes bagel brunch; Congregation Beth Elohim, 274 Garfield Pl. (betw. Prospect Park W. & 8th Ave.), Bklyn, 718-768-3814; 11, $5.
Comparing Notes: Writing for Children & Adults Art Spiegelmen & Neil Gaiman discuss their work & experiences; 92nd St. Y, 1395 Lexington Ave. (92nd St.), 212-415-5500; www.92y.org; 7:30, $25.
"A Hero of Our Own: The Story of Varian Fry" Sheila Isenberg pres. story of the American who saved over 1000 refugees from Hitler; Council Senior Center, 241 W. 72nd St. (betw. Amsterdam & West End Aves.), 212-273-5304; 1-2, $3.
Madeline Albright Speaks on foreign policy & her personal experiences as the "highest-ranking woman in the history of the US government"; 92nd St. Y, 1395 Lexington Ave. (92nd St.), 212-415-5500; 7:30, $25-$50.
Resplendent Synagogues: The Stories Houses of Worship Tell Architectural historian Thomas Hubka pres. slide lecture & book talk about the "architecture, art & material culture of wooden synagogues"; Eldridge Street Project, 12 Eldridge St. (betw. Canal & Division Sts.), 212-219-0888; 2, $8, $4 st./s.c.
Trampoline Hall Three non-professional speakers talk about their passions, crackpot theories & obsessions; the Marquee, 356 Bowery (betw. Great Jones & E. 4th Sts.), 212-475-1975; 8, $6.50.
Readings
Humor Revue Woody Allen, Steve Martin & Susan Orlean are just a few of the notable humorists reading excerpts of their work today?as part of the annual New Yorker Festival; Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd St. (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), 212-840-2824; 3, $35.
Workshops
Beginning Djembe Workshop Bashir Shakur teaches traditional rhythms from Ivory Coast, Mali, Ghana, Senegal & Guinea?beginners welcome; Tribal Soundz, 340 E. 6th St. (betw. 1st & 2nd Aves.), 212-673-5992, www.tribalsoundz.com; 2-3, $15.
Introduction to Massage Therapy Hands-on workshop teaches you introductory Swedish massage techniques, Shiatsu techniques/theory & anatomy/physiology; Swedish Institute, 226 W. 26th St. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.), res. req. 212-924-5900; 10-6, $75.
New York Writers Workshop Open House Meet faculty of NY Writers Workshop & hear readings by Lauren Weisenberg, Patty Dann & Regie Cabico; JCC, 334 Amsterdam Ave. (76th St.), 646-505-5708; www.jccmanhattan.com; 2-4, free.
MONDAY 9/22
Around Town
A Taste of Down Under Skip the shrimp on the barbee?Australia only has prawns! Sample actual food & wine from Australia & New Zealand?proceeds benefit the Muscular Dystrophe Association; Museum Club, 11 Fulton St. (South Street Seaport), 212-689-9040; 6-10, $100-$125.
Film/Video
Birdman of Alcatraz Three-week retrospective of director John Frankenheimer (1930-2002) continues w/screening of 1962 drama based on the real story of ornithologist & lifer Robert Stroud, starring Burt Lancaster, Karl Malden & Telly Savalas; Film Forum, 209 W. Houston St. (betw. Varick St. & 6th Ave.), 212-727-8110, www.filmforum.com; 1, 3:45, 6:30 & 9:15, $9.75.