A million little lights and a million little lives and a million little chances to make this city yours. I’ve picked out a few of my favorite ways to do so this weekend, in your weekend guide. It’s all yours, below.
Things to do in Brooklyn on Thursday
New York Cider Festival, All Over Town
When exactly did apples transcend into the poster foods for a healthy lifestyle? An apple a day and all that bullshit? Weren’t these the original sinful foods? The ones that tempted us out of paradise and into the world of danger and mischief we currently inhabit? Celebrate their sinful side this weekend at the New York Cider Fest. Come explore the intricacies, layers, and immense flavors that can come from these enticing fruits this weekend. Check out the full event list here and find my favorite picks and pits scattered throughout this weekend’s guide.
Friendsgiving Potluck at Archestratus in Greenpoint
Swing by with your favorite dish from Emily Stephenson’s very helpful handbook and come to this down-home potluck! Because Greenpoint is like New York’s small town, so let’s all get together and do small-town things. Plus, Emily’s helpful book will help guarantee that you’re not left with a dry turkey and 20 pounds of stuffing and a lot of answered texts that say, “I told you I was doing Friendsgiving again this year, right?” Whip something up now, then get there tonight. Info here. 7-9pm. 160 Huron St.
Water from your Eyes Album Release Party at Rubulad in Bushwick
Why does it feel like this town is filled with musicians yet still difficult to go see good live music? Let me give you no more excuses. Head to this album release party for Water from Your Eyes, at Rubulad. Because you know Rubulad. You trust Rubulad. So you know this will be a hell of a party, and an amazing band. Info here. 8pm-1am.
Things to do in Brooklyn on Friday
The Other Art Fair at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint
The Other Art Fair Now this is refreshing. An art experience that doesn’t make YOU! the center of the “masterpiece” and doesn’t end in a ball pit. The Other Art Fair is happening this weekend and it’s a chance to experience and support so many amazing local artists who will be there to tell you about their work, and perhaps let you take home some of their stuff for perfectly reasonable prices. Go. Wander around. Remember why you moved here. It was never about monochromatic ball pits. Tickets and info here (but I usually have a few free ones at Le Fanfare, swing by!) 72 Noble St.
Mulled Wine on a Rooftop and Wegman’s in the Brooklyn Navy Yard
Listen. If you’ve never had a magical experience in a Wegman’s it means you haven’t ever been to a Wegman’s. So do yourself a favor. Head there this weekend. Be tempted to fill your cart with things you don’t need. Don’t feel bad about it either because you’ve just had some Chardonnay. Yep, you can do that there. Then go check out how Rooftop Reds is winterizing so you can enjoy Brooklyn-grown wines and indoor cornhole all year long. Info here and here.
Crazytown at Sunnyvale in Bushwick
Yeah. That Crazytown. Having trouble wracking your brain for that lyric? Let me help – “you’re my butterfly, sugar baby.” Whoops, sorry. Now that I’ve stuck that song in your head for the foreseeable future, are you wondering what this fairly one-dimensional group has been doing for the past 9 years? Well, then go see them at Sunnyvale Friday night. If you haven’t been wondering that at all, just scroll down. There are plenty of options for you in this crazy town. Tickets are $5, show starts at 7:30pm. Info here. 1031 Grand St.
Things to do in Brooklyn on Saturday
Mama D’s Second Saturday Salons in Bushwood
Don’t be the last person to hear about Mama D’s. That’s why you come here, so I can tell you about things and then you can seem cool to your friends. Mama D’s is a speakeasy and artist space hidden behind a door down a nondescript hallway on the first floor of a house. It’s the brainchild of photographer Diana “Mama D”, and she invites you into her imaginative space monthly for artist “salons”, drawing inspiration from Paris salon culture and New York speakeasies and the art and artists that surround all of us. The next one is Saturday. Get your ticket here now, address will be provided later, but it’s in Bushwood.
Cider Feast at Biba in Williamsburg
Before you do anything, read this delightfully evocative piece by Writer/Bartender Matt Fink via Bushwick Daily. Then get a ticket here fast to Cider Feast. Yes, that’s not New York Cider Fest, a state-sponsored, NY-centric, multi-day, city-wide apple celebration, this is a one-day celebration and brainchild of Jimmy Carbone, which means it will feature some of the very finest, and very few sweet, ciders from our state, our neighboring states, funky ones from France and highlighting especially the Basque country. Plus meats and other treats. Get your ticket here now. 1-4pm, 110 Kent Ave.
Universal Love Party at Magick City in Greenpoint
You know you’re curious about what’s happening at this kombucha-factory/performance space that also likely boasts the city’s best sound system now that Output is gone… They’ll open their magickal doors this Saturday for Universal Love. Yep, it’s a fundraiser for a zine but it’s Paul Raffaelle’s zine. And he’s also DJing. So go, #revelwithacause and dance all night to help keep this music publication, and yourself, alive. Info here. It starts at 10pm so come see me for a drink before at Le Fanfare. 37 Box St.
Bushwick Inlet Park Weeding and Gardening Day
That “Where’s Our Park” yarn bomb wasn’t just to spark your curiosity about who and when people do yarn bombs. It was to provide a texturally-pleasing fight for a rather swampy little alcove that should (and now does!) belong to us. Celebrate the power of protest and come pull some weeds out in anticipation of that little nook becoming something better. It’s happening this Saturday so go, get your hands dirty. Maybe ask around about the yarn-bomber. Somebody knows something. They must. Info here.
Future Perfect Party at House of Yes in Bushwick
I appreciate and constantly seek to be fully present. We all should. But maybe, just for a night, we can all be our future selves. We can imagine ourselves in another time, another world, a future-perfect place where we can be whoever we want to be. Maybe your future-perfect self wears a spacesuit. Maybe your future-perfect self is some sort of mythical beast. Maybe your future self is hungover (likely). Use your imagination and think better than the present. Come in costume, don’t be lame. Tickets and info here. 10pm-4am, 2 Wyckoff Ave.
Wolffer Estate Dry Cider and Cheese Pairing at Murray’s Cheese in the West Village
Is there any better reason to cross the river this weekend other than for Wolffer’s Dry Cider with cheese pairings? That was obviously a rhetorical question. So shut up and head to Murray’s Cheeses for a tasting of 6 ciders paired perfectly with 6 of their hand-picked cheeses and gain enough information and additional cheeses and ciders (for purchase!) to impress/annoy everyone around the Thanksgiving table this year. Tickets, $85 available here. 254 Bleecker St. 4:30-6pm. Also, if they sell Edward’s ham there will you please let me know? Thank you.
Young Adult Friction Indie-Alt Dance Party at the Broadway in Williamsburg
Your favorite weekend rub down, for those of us who are looking for the anti-rave. Young Adult Friction, the indie-alt dance party that gets you to dance yrself clean and then dirty again in Brooklyn and will be heating up the dancefloor at the Brooklyn Bazaar Saturday night. Leave the hypnotic trance-dance warehouse scene behind in exchange for all of your favorite indie pop, alt rock, post punk, dance punk, and oldies, all night. Tickets and love are free. Dance all night and leave with a new lover. Info here, 11-3am, 1272 Broadway.
Brooklyn Crush Wine Fest in Industry City
Stop pretending you go to things like this to learn about wine and start admitting that you just want to get day drunk with your friends. It’s ok. I mean, that’s why brunch is a thing, right? Get your tickets here now for Brooklyn Crush Wine Fest and start practicing how believable you can seem while holding a branded wine glass and asking some person wearing a vest and standing behind a folding table about this year’s vintage while hoping they’ll get lost in the answer and pour you an extra taste. It’s happening in Industry City which, what the fuck?!?
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is Coming
Yeah, ok. It’s too soon. But still, it is kind of cool to see how the hell they manage to transport a 100 ft tree through the city and then place it in the middle of a concrete plaza and then try to find a skirt that fits it. It is, it’s cool. So go check it out this Saturday. Info here. It’s ok to admit you like Christmas… just don’t get too sappy on me. (ahem.)
Things to do in Brooklyn on Sunday
Wine Sundays at Le Fanfare in Greenpoint
It’s a fact: Natural wine leads to less hangovers (well, I mean not necessarily) It’s also a fact: “Unnatural” wine is packed with preservatives (no, I mean, that isn’t it either) Fact: the best way to find out more about natural wine is to drink it (YEP!) And the best place to do that is at Le Fanfare, and especially on Sunday’s. They now offer 25% off all bottles of wine, but go for the natural stuff. It’s what I prefer, and you should too. Come by, say hi. 1103 Manhattan Ave.
Lasagna Sundays at Rooftop Reds in the Brooklyn Navy Yard
I kind of forgot about lasagna. Like, completely. I didn’t really know people still… lasgana’d. But I suppose they do and if I decide to reapproach this savory tiramisu outside of my parents’ living room (that’s where they eat dinner), I’m gonna do it atop an industrial warehouse on a vineyard in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Yep, they’re doing Sunday lasagna and wine nights so you can get your fill of edible papier mache and start your week off right (I think?) Info here. Enter at 299 Sands St.
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