Monday August 5, 2019
Manhattan
11am-2pm Free (with museum admission): Jackie Robinson Family Day at the Museum of the City of New York. Learn about Jackie Robinson’s career as the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. Go on a scavenger hunt in the exhibition In the Dugout with Jackie Robinson to consider the challenges and successes he faced during his career. Then design a sports pennant to share an accomplishment while enjoying a snack. More info. [HISTORY]
7-9pm Free: Portraits of Iranian Female Composers. The intrepid International Contemporary Ensemble performs the music of Anahita Abbasi, Aida Shirazi, and Niloufar Nourbakhsh from the Iranian Female Composers Association. This concert will be preceded by a mini-documentary about the composers. More info. [MUSIC]
Tuesday August 6, 2019
Manhattan
6:30pm $15: Solar Eclipses: Math, Science, and Spectacle. As a veteran of 35 total solar eclipses, 17 annular solar eclipses, and 19 partial solar eclipses, astronomer Jay Pasachoff is uniquely positioned to share recent scientific work related to eclipses, international coordination of observations, and future plans. What role does mathematics play in predicting eclipses, from the ancient saros observations to Halley’s 1715 map, and from Bessel’s 19th-century equations to today’s web-based zoom-and-click maps? Join the event to find out! More info. [SCIENCE]
7-10pm Free: taste of science presents: Outbreak! With the inventions of antibiotics and vaccines humans thought we had conquered the microbial world, but the emergence of new viruses and antibiotic-resistant bacteria has shown us that we were naive to think so. Join taste of science for talks from two scientists who are continuing to fight to protect humans from the microbes that cause infectious disease. More info. [SCIENCE]
7:30pm $35: Live Taping of Hit Podcast Nice Try! Utopian at the 92Y. Join Curbed and Nice Try! host Avery Trufelman as she dives into one more fascinating attempt at creating a utopia in this bonus live taping of hit podcast Nice Try! Utopian. Avery will be in conversation with Caity Weaver of the New York Times, and the two will dig into humanity’s obsession with the “perfect” living environment—and why utopia is an impossible dream to execute, in reality. More info. [CULTURE]
7:30pm $15: Psychopaths: Everything you wanted to know, but were afraid to ask. The representation of psychopaths in mainstream media – be it Dexter or Hannibal Lecter – is often full of stereotypes and not particularly concerned with truth or facts. In this presentation by Pascal Wallisch (Clinical Assistant Professor at NYU), we will explore common myths and misconceptions about psychopaths, for instance, that they are rare, violent, and predominantly male. We will also discuss how to identify and what to do about the psychopaths in our own lives. More info. [GEEK]
Brooklyn
7:30-9:30pm $31: Seasonal Skies: Summer Stars and Planets. As the night sky changes with the seasons, a recurring treasure trove of celestial sights awaits our gaze. Learn to identify the bright stars, planets, and constellations of Brooklyn’s summer sky. If it is clear, we will view these seasonal delights through a telescope. In case of cloudy weather, activities to hone your star-gazing skills will take place in the classroom. More info. [SCIENCE]
Wednesday August 7, 2019
Manhattan
6-8pm $30: East Village/Lower East Side Historic District Tour. This historic district, designated in 2012, was once part of the estate of Dutch Governor Peter Stuyvesant, but saw a development boom beginning in the 1830s when German immigrants arrived. Originally considered part of the Lower East Side, the neighborhood assumed a new identity in the mid-20th century, drawing a vibrant mix of artist, musicians, and community activists and has been called the East Village since the 1950s. Join this special twilight tour with Laurence Frommer to explore the different layers of history that still exist in the built fabric of this vibrant neighborhood. More info. [TOUR]
7-8:30pm Free: The Annotated Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant. History buff? Join us at Bryant Park for a fascinating evening talk with Elizabeth D. Samet, author of The Annotated Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant. Books are available for purchase at the event and for signing by the author. Stick around for a Q&A. More info. [BOOKS]
7-8:30pm $25: Khentrul Rinpoché: Rituals of Empowerment. The tantric ritual of initiation, referred to as an “empowerment” in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, reveals the depth and sophistication behind this truism. Khentrul Rinpoché is one of the few masters to teach the highly complex Kalachakra from the Jonang tradition. In this session at the Rubin Museum, Rinpoché explains the role of empowerment rituals to awaken in the student the capacity for primordial wisdom. More info. [MINDFULNESS]
Brooklyn
6:30-8:30pm $5: These Films Cannot Be Trusted, Part One: “The President’s Analyst.” A film series exploring themes of surveillance, media manipulation, conspiracy, and more! Part One kicks off with The President’s Analyst, a mind-bending political satire steeped in paranoia, superspies, and communications surveillance that mirrors our own social media-addled world. Rafer Guzman, film critic for Newsday and WNYC’s The Takeaway, introduces the film with history and trivia. More info. [FILM]
7:15pm $15: Prospect Park Philosophy: Art vs. Reality (a Think Olio Event). Philosophy and art have been at war since Ancient Greece. Join philosophy professor Geoff Klock for a look into this battle in a three-part series in Prospect Park! Tonight’s Part One looks at the fraught relationship between art and reality – is art a dangerous illusion, an instruction manual, a mirror, or an escape, and can we even tell where art begins and reality ends? More info. [PHILOSOPHY]
Thursday August 8, 2019
Manhattan
11am-12:30pm $20: Love and Courtship LES Tour. The Lower East Side was home to family-arranged marriages as well as young people mixing freely at dance halls and making their own matches. Meet at the Museum at Eldridge St for a tour of the sites where love once blossomed, including the former site of a popular dance hall, Seward Park and Seward Park Library, as well as bustling streets, stoops and shops. Along the way, hear accounts from 19th- and early 20th-century novels, newspapers and a Yiddish love-letter writing manual that draw a vivid portrait of turn-of-the-20th century wooing, love and marriage. More info. [TOUR]
6:30-8pm $15: Let’s Draw with Mark Mothersbaugh! Devo frontman, Hollywood composer, and conceptual artist Mark Mothersbaugh joins the Museum of Arts and Design from his L.A. studio via Skype for a big, fun group draw in The Theater at MAD. All ages and skill levels welcome. Just bring your love of drawing and favorite drawing tools. Paper and pencils will be provided. More info. [ART]
7-9pm $25: Shamanic Dream Circle with Kai Altair. In this class led by Kai Altair at the Assemblage in NoMad, we will learn foundational techniques of Shamanic Active Dreaming, and introduce keys to unlocking the healing & creative power of dreams. More info. [MINDFULNESS]
Brooklyn
6:30-8pm $10: Nappy Roots: A History of Black Hair. Brush up on the relationship between hair and African American culture as Lori L. Tharps and Ayana Byrd, co-authors of Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America, weave the tousled history, politics and culture of black hair in America. Joining the conversation is Noliwe Rooks, author of Hair Raising: Beauty, Culture and African American Women. Dana Oliver, Beauty Editor at Yahoo Lifestyle leads the discussion. More info. [CULTURE]
Friday August 9, 2019
Manhattan
6-8pm Free: Historic Greenwich Village Tour: Beats, Bohemians, and Icons of the ’60s. Bob Dylan, Richard Pryor, Edgar Allen Poe, Jane Jacobs, James Baldwin, Jack Kerouac, Dave Attell, Patti Smith, Joan Baez, and Truman Capote are just a few of the thousands of accomplished artists, writers, radicals, and performers who made their way through Greenwich Village. This tour, primarily focusing on the 1950s onward, visits the hangouts that have defined legendary people and the spirit of this iconic neighborhood. More info. [TOUR]
7-9pm $25: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times: Shambhala and World Peace. Each of us is an extraordinary potential for love and compassion, capable of completely transforming the way we experience our world. Through the ancient wisdom of the Kalachakra teachings, this potential can be unlocked to manifest a sublime realm of experience, free from all forms of suffering and conflict. This state of eternal bliss is known by some as Shambhala. Khentrul Rinpoché will help us unveil the hidden meaning of Shambhala and why it is so important for overcoming the problems of this world, especially in turbulent times of disagreement. More info. [MINDFULNESS]
Saturday August 10, 2019
Manhattan
11am-12:30pm $15: Walking Tour: History of Wall Street. Join the Museum of American Finance for a 90-minute historical walking tour of the Financial District. Tour meets outside 48 Wall Street (at Bank of New York sign). More info. [TOUR]
11am-1pm $20: Revisiting Ada Louise Huxtable’s Walking Tours of Modern Architecture. This tour, with John Arbuckle, will celebrate the seminal architecture critic Ada Louise Huxtable (1921-2013). Her pocket guide Four Walking Tours of Modern Architecture in New York City was jointly published by the Municipal Art Society and the Museum of Modern Art in 1961. During this tour, you’ll visit Philip Johnson’s Rockefeller Guest House, two of the city’s earliest Modern townhouses including the home and studio of William Lescaze, the recently restored United Nations Headquarters, and some less known Modern gems. More info. [ART]
3-5pm Free: Art of the Mountain Closing Reception. Attend the closing reception of the exhibit Art of the Mountain: Through the Chinese Photographer’s Lens at the China Institute. The event will feature remarks from China Institute President James B. Heimowitz, followed by a guided tour starting at 3:30 PM led by Willow Weilan Hai (Director of China Institute Gallery and Chief Curator) and Jiang Rong (Guest Curator). More info. [ART]
9pm $15: Fish vs Birds. Hosts Meg Pierson, Zak Martellucci, and Dustin Growick lead a rotating cast of special guest experts in a battle royale of serious—and not so serious—topics. Tonight, it’s fish vs birds. Representing fish is Al Leszczynski, a Science Interpreter at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Representing birds is Annie Novak, author, urban farmer, educator, and athlete. More info. [GEEK]
Sunday August 11, 2019
Manhattan
4-6pm Free: Pushcarts, Pickles, & Million Dollar Pastrami: The Jewish Lower East Side Tour. This two hour walking tour will visit some major historical sites of the Jewish Lower East Side, from the late 1800s all the way up until present day. Weaving stories of triumph, heartbreak, and humor together, this tour is at once informative, entertaining, and may put you in the mood for a knish or four! More info. [TOUR]
Weekend of Aug 10-11, 2019
Manhattan
10am-6pm $25: Play NYC: Game Convention at the Metropolitan Pavilion. Play NYC – New York City’s game convention – is returning for its 3rd year! Featuring 200 playable games from studios large and small, and from developers old and new, Play NYC celebrates every facet of gaming in a way that only New York City can. Join us for a weekend like no other on August 10th and 11th. More info. [GEEK]