Cheap Chick NYC: Thanksgiving (Nov. 27 and 28, 2010) Weekend Picks

(Please scroll down for Friday picks.)

Saturday November 27, 2010

Be sure to look for Rudolph's red nose at the Staten Island Zoo where you can visit with Santa’s reindeer today through Jan. 4, 2010, For more info go here: http://www.statenislandzoo.org/index.php?option=com_eventlist&view=details&id=93&Itemid=90, $8 for adults, $5 for children (3-14) and free for children under 3 years of age and for all members.

Watch a free screening of Eat, Pray, Love at the Sony Wonder Technology Lab, 2 p.m., for more info and reservations (required) go here: http://wondertechlab.sony.com/pe-feature_screenings.html!

Travel to Staten Island for a little exercise to burn off those Thanksgiving-induced calories! The Shorewalkers are hosting a Walk off that Turkey Walk on the island that covers the area from the St. George Ferry Terminal to the George Washington Bridge, 10 a.m., meet at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal on the Manhattan side, suggested donation is $3 (bring water and lunch.)

Get ready to strike a pose at Material Girls: The Burlesque Tribute to Madonna with performances by Legs Malone, Go-Go Harder, Ekatarina, trivia games, and prizes. 11:30 p.m., Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette Street, $15.

The Houdini exhibit at the Jewish Museum is free today (http://www.thejewishmuseum.org/exhibitions/houdini) and have le fun at Le Bingo at Le Poisson Rouge (enough le's for you?) hosted by drag celebs Murray Hill and Linda Simpson (http://lepoissonrouge.com/events/artist/1099)!

Saturday and Sunday November 27 and 28, 2010

Learn about New York City’s role in the origins of Christmas with Discovery Walking Tour’s Victorian Christmas: Origins of Christmas Traditions! The tour will travel through “Gramercy Park, Ladies’ Mile, and Chelsea--exploring the Christmas traditions that emerged from each. Stops include where O. Henry wrote Gift of the Magi and where Clement Clarke Moore penned Twas the Night Before Christmas. The tour will also explore New York's role in the evolution of the modern Kris Kringle, from Washington Irving’s St. Nicholas figure to Thomas Nast’s jovial Santa.” 2 p.m., call 212-465-3331 for reservations and meeting place, $18. (this tour will be given again throughout the holidays.)

Join Discovery Walking Tours for their Historic Greenwich Village Taverns at Christmas tour! “Christmas cider, ale, and other spirits await you on this tour of historic taverns decorated for the holidays. Stops include a 1920s speakeasy frequented by Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and a haunt of Dylan Thomas, author of A Child’s Christmas in Wales.” 5:30 p.m., Call 212-465-3331 for meeting place and reservation, $18 (drinks extra.) (This tour will be given again throughout the holidays.)

Tour the kitchens at Historic Richmond Town from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., for more information on Historic Richmond Town (directions etc.) go here: http://www.historicrichmondtown.org/hours-and-directions, I assume that the price of the tour is included in the $5 adult admission.

Sunday November 28, 2010

Learn some “West Side Stories” about Central Park today during a free walking tour where you’ll “walk through a scenic area of the western edge of the Park, much of which is off the beaten track for most visitors. See rolling meadows, lake views, bridges of different styles, and a garden with flowers and plants mentioned by Shakespeare.” West 81st Street and Central Park West (in the park.) 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., free!

Laugh your butt off at Upright Citizens Brigade’s ASSCAT 3000 show tonight at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. The 7:30 show is $10 and tkts can only be bought here: http://newyork.ucbtheatre.com/shows/12. The 9 p.m. show is free, but reservations are not taken. Tickets are only distributed at the door at 8:15 p.m. UCB, 307 W. 26th, see above re pricing.

Don’t forget that the African Diaspora Film Festival (http://nyadiff.org) is ongoing through Dec. 14, 2010.

Cheap Chick NYC Mini Thanksgiving Guide!

Wednesday November 24, 2010

Where else can you walk alongside a giant Shrek balloon? See the enormous balloons being inflated for tomorrow’s parade from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. at 77^th St. to 81^st St. between Central Park West and Columbus Ave, free!

Today through January 2nd, the Museum of the City of New York (1220 Fifth Avenue) will offer all visitors “two-for-the-price-of-one” admission and a 10% discount on all holiday purchases in the Museum Shop.

Thursday November 25, 2010-Have a Happy Cheap Chick Thanksgiving!

For those who don’t mind getting up early and standing for hours in the cold weather, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade starts at 9 a.m. (it will also be broadcast live on NBC). For all the parade info you could ever want go to Macy’s parade site here.

Watch (free!) or run in ($25-$30) the Prospect Park Turkey Trot 5M at 9 a.m. today!

At Bubby’s in Tribeca you can enjoy a Thanksgiving buffet from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. where you can set your own price from the meal and make a charitable donation for those less fortunate.

After you’ve had your tryptophan-induced nap, you may want to get off the couch and head to some of these places that will be open today:

Central Park Zoo

Prospect Park Zoo

Queens Zoo

New York Aquarium

New York Botanical Garden - 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Socrates Sculpture Park - 10 a.m. to sunset

Plus:

Skate around The Pond ice rink at Bryant Park, 8 a.m. to midnight, free!

Have a drink at the 230 Fifth rooftop lounge, open 4 p.m. to 4 a.m.

You can also catch The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn concert at Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Atrium, 8 p.m., free!

Share your time today with other New Yorkers! Here are Time Out New York’s Thanksgiving volunteer picks: http://newyork.timeout.com/things-to-do/55671/thanksgiving-volunteering

Friday November 26, 2010

If you still haven’t stuffed yourself with enough turkey, then join Big Onion Walking Tour’s Annual Post-Thanksgiving Multi-Ethnic Eating Tour! “Our "noshing" tour combines the history of the multi-ethnic Lower East Side with diverse tastes of the neighborhood. Learn about the Jewish East Side, Little Italy and Chinatown as we walk through New York’s historic "ethnic quarter." 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Meet at the southeast corner of Delancey and Essex Streets, in front of the Olympic Diner. Reservations are requested, please email info@bigonion.com. You will need to include your name, date, and the number of people in your party. Big Onion will confirm via email. $20 (includes food.)

Welcome the Christmas season with a tree lighting ceremony (http://www.southstreetseaport.com/events/tree-lighting-spectacular) at South Street Seaport with sightings of Santa and all his friends! 8 p.m., free!

Remember MOMA (http://www.moma.org) is free from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., the American Folk Art Museum sponsors Free Music Fridays today (http://www.folkartmuseum.org/freemusicfridays), Housing Works Bookstore is having a Black Friday Sale, 30% off the entire store (http://www.housingworks.org/events/detail/black-friday-blowout-sale/), and the Center for Fiction’s Lit47 store (17 East 47th Street) is taking an additional 10% off its already discounted selection of books today (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Saturday (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), plus enjoy some cider and cookies!

Stay tuned for additional holiday weekend picks that will be posted by Friday!

Cheap Chick NYC: Cheap and Free Weekend Event Picks, Nov. 19-21, 2010

Friday November 19, 2010

Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger appear at the Lincoln Center Barnes & Noble Lincoln Triangle, 7:30 p.m., free!

Find a new Rainbow Connection when attending the 92YTribeca’s Muppet Movie Sing-Along. Visit with your old friends Kermit and Miss Piggy as they travel to Hollywood and meet up with the familiar faces of Mel Brooks, Steve Martin, and Orson Welles! Hosted by Raven Snook, with some Muppet trivia before the film! 11 p.m., 92Y Tribeca, 200 Hudson Street, $13 (includes a beer). Cheap Chick update from 92Y Tribeca: Currently, all seats are reserved for this event. Seating capacity for events varies. For the benefit of our patrons, a limited number of tickets for sold out events may be available one hour before curtain. Call Y-Charge at 212.601.1000 during our Hours of Operation for more information.

Have a pre-holiday taste of the bubbly with a free Ayala champagne tasting, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., 67 Wine, 179 Columbus Ave!

Two new museum exhibits open today, including Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum (http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/norman_rockwell/), and Denys Wortman Rediscovered: Drawings for the World-Telegram and Sun, 1930-1953 at the Museum of the City of New York (http://www.mcny.org/exhibitions/future/Denys-Wortman-Rediscovered.html)!

You can also visit the South Street Seaport Museum (http://www.seany.org/) for free today from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

To get a jump on pre-Thanksgiving holiday shopping the Union Square Holiday Market and the Wired Pop-up Store (in the old Tower Records space) open today as well!

Saturday November 20, 2010

Watch a free screening of Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Director’s Cut at the Sony Wonder Technology Lab, 2 p.m., tho free, reservations are required, for more info go here: http://wondertechlab.sony.com/pe-feature_screenings.html

Great Performances Pastry Chef Newton Pryce leads a workshop on how to make the perfect pumpkin pie just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday! 1 p.m., Wave Hill (West 249th Street, the Bronx), $15-$20, space is very limited so RSVP by calling 718-549-3200 x305.

Explore the Upper West Side with Big Onion Walking Tours including stops at “Lincoln Center, the Dakota and Ansonia apartment houses, Dante Square, and sites associated with Rudolph Valentino, Rabbi Stephen Wise, and the Parlor Mob.” 11 a.m., meet at the northeast corner of 59th Street and Central Park West at Columbus Circle, at the US Maine Memorial. $15.

Hear how poets such as Dylan Thomas, and Virginia Woolf responded to the events of World War II at the Poets House program “The Lost Poetry of World War II,” led by Skidmore professor Daniel Swift. 2 p.m., Poets House, 10 River Terrace at Murray St., $10.

Curses may fly between Gryffindor and Slytherin-and a few laughs too no doubt at the Hogwarts Improvisation Society event at Upright Citizens Brigade. Midnight, Upright Citizens Brigade, 307 W. 26^th between 8^th and 9^th, $5.

What could be better than listening to chamber music on a barge? I certainly don't know, so attend this free concert today (remember, you never run on a barge!) 1 p.m., For more info go here: http://www.bargemusic.org/calendar.html.

The cast of 30 Rock will be on-hand at the NBC Experience Store today celebrating the release of their new soundtrack (yes, Tina Fey will be there!), 11 a.m., 30 Rock Center (lol!), free!

Also the Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show starts today, details here: (http://www.nybg.org/hts/), and spice up your weekend with Super Sabado, El Museo del Barrio’s free third Saturday program (http://www.elmuseo.org/en/event/target-free-third-saturdays-november).

Saturday and Sunday November 20 and 21st, 2010

Shop for the book-lover in your life at the Goddard Riverside New York Book Fair! There’s more than just books at this annual sale, there are also DVD’s, CD’s, calendars, and other gift items! On Saturday the sale runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (TK location info) Cost is the price of the items you buy, which are for the most part heavily discounted! Cheap Chick Cheap Tip: There is definitely bargaining to be done (many items are priced on-the-spot by volunteers, def try to haggle a little), and if you go the last hour on Sunday, you can get even bigger bargains as the sale closes out!

Sample foods such as pizza, cannolis, spring rolls, and dumplings during NYC Discovery Walking Tour’s Little Ireland, Chinatown, and Little Italy History and Tasting Tour. This tour includes stops at the Church of the Transfiguration; Five Points, made famous in Gangs of New York; Banco Stablile, Confucius Plaza, the residence of Dr. Sun-Yat-sen. 1:30 p.m., call 212-465-3331 for reservations and meeting place, $25, includes food.

Get some Christmas shopping done and sample herring at the Norwegian Seaman's Church Christmas Fair (http://www.sjomannskirken.no/new-york) Saturday and Sunday!

Sunday November 21, 2010

It may be chilly outside, but today you can enjoy your chili inside at the Brooklyn Chili Takedown, with more than 30 types of this cold-weather dish (including vegetarian!) to sample. 4 p.m., the Bell House, 149 7^th Street, Brooklyn, $15. For more info go here: http://chili-takedown.com/

Flock to Fresh Kills to learn about the birds that live there! Naturalists from the Staten Island Museum and members of the Freshkills Park development team will lead the tour, which will take place both on foot and by bus. 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event is free, but space is limited, and registration is required. To RSVP email doug.elliott@parks.nyc.gov or call (212) 788-8277.

Rock out like the Weird Sisters at the NYC Wizard Rock Festival, 1:30 p.m., Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N 6th St., $20 in advance, $25 at the door, get tkts here: http://www.nycwizardrockfestival.com/

“Walk the streets of "The Great White Way," tracing the history of New York's Broadway theater district from Oscar Hammerstein in the 1890s to Walt Disney in the 1990s to its latest configuration. See the great Broadway theaters built between the turn of the century and the onset of the Great Depression,” at the Municipal Art Society’s “Give My Regards to Broadway” walking tour, 2 p.m., meet at the SW corner of 44th St. and Sixth Ave., $15.

Cheap Chick NYC, Cheap and Free Weekend Event Picks, Nov. 12-14, 2010

Friday November 12, 2010

Geek out with Nerd Nite! Tonight’s topics include the seedy underbelly of bed bugs, lasers, and a post-election analysis! Rev your brain up with trivia before all the learning begins! Trivia at 7 p.m., lectures begin at 9 p.m., Galapagos Art Space, 16 Main St., DUMBO, $14 with trivia, $10 minus the quiz! RSVP here: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=3266625

Can’t get your fill of Facebook? Think Twitter is Terrific? Then check out SCENEPR!’s I LOVE Social Media Event, hosted by Daron Jenkins of SCENEPR! 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., Village Pourhouse, 366 W. 46^th St., $5, open bar 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Enjoy a free gospel choir concert sponsored by the Brooklyn Arts Council and featuring local talent such as “Wonderboy” Johnson and the Spiritual Voices and the Haitian-American Pelerin Choir. 7:30-9:30 p.m., Concord Baptist Church of Christ (833 Marcy Ave./Gardner Taylor Blvd.), free!

Celebrate the demise of fossil fuels with this sound installation modeled after a memorial mass with artists including Bruce Odland and Sam Auinger and singers Hai-Ting Chinn (mezzo soprano), Martha Cluver (soprano), Mark Uhlemann (bass) and Geoffrey Silver (tenor), who will perform live. 7 p.m., World Financial Garden, 220 Vesey at West St., free!

LOL today and tomorrow with the New York Musical Theater Festival! http://www.nymif.com

Saturday November 13, 2010

Jump, jive, and wail to tunes from the ‘30s, '40s and '50s at the 92^nd Street Y’s Saturday Night Swing Dance! 7 p.m. (special guest performance at 10 p.m.), 92^nd Street Y, Corner of 92nd St and Lexington Ave, $15-$18, visit http://www.92y.org/shop/event_detail.asp?productid=T-AD5DP04 for tkts.

Get clued into the inner workings of mystery novels with the Queens Public Library’s Whodunit Slam! “Crime novelist Jonathan Santlofer (Anatomy of Fear) will moderate a discussion and readings by Jason Starr, Megan Abbott, Stefanie Pintoff, S. L. Linnea and M. J. Rose, who will talk about how they develop their stories. Then Jane K. Cleland, the author of the Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery series, will interview Lorenzo Carcaterra, author of Midnight Angels and a former writer and producer of Law & Order.” 2:30 p.m., Forest Hills branch of the Queens Public Library, (108-19 71st Avenue; 718-268-7934, free!

If you’re feeling bored this Saturday, you might like to play some board games like Battleship, chess, or Scrabble! 11 a.m., Mid-Manhattan Library (40^th and Fifth Ave.), free!

Parlez-vous fire-dancing? Learn to speak the language of Rococo at the Return of Rococo party, which also includes women in corsets, wire walking, and burlesque! 8 p.m., Teneleven, 171 Ave. C bet. 10^th and 11^th Streets, only $5 in costume, $10 sans costume!

Impress your relatives by knowing exactly which wine to pair with T-day classics like turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie at Bottlerocket Wine and Spirit’s Thanksgiving Workshop. 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Bottlerocket Wines and Spirits, 5 West 19th Street. Tkts are $10 and this event often sells out, so visit www.bottlerocketwine.com/thanksgiving to save your spot!

Saturday and Sunday November 13 and 14, 2010

Get your stomach warmed up for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday with Discovery Walking Tour’s Pre-Thanksgiving Brooklyn Heights/Cobble Hill History and Tasting Tour, “tour these Victorian neighborhoods, New York's earliest historic landmark districts. A home to wealthy 19th century merchants and later 20th century writers, neighborhood stops include Plymouth Church, where Lincoln and Walt Whitman worshipped; the Brooklyn Promenade; and the homes of Jennie Jerome, Churchill’s mother; and writer Thomas Wolfe. Along the way, taste the area’s classic and contemporary foods, from egg creams to spinach pie.” 2 p.m., call 212-465-3331 for reservation and meeting place, $25 (includes food.)

See if you can spot the Snitch and watch out for those bludgers at the Quiddich World Cup! More than 50 high school and college teams will compete for the glory of their house, er, school! Games start at 10 a.m. each day, DeWitt Clinton Park, 52^nd St. and 11^th Ave., free!

Sunday November 14, 2010

Discover everything you didn’t know about St. John the Divine from The Young Unicorns (which if you haven’t read it, I highly recommend doing so!) on a tour of the cathedral aptly titled, “Secrets of St. John the Divine.” Find out why a stripper and the signs of the zodiac are displayed in the stained glass windows, 1 p.m. Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 112^th St. and Amsterdam. All programs meet at the Visitor Center inside the Cathedral. For reservations call the Public Education & Visitor Services Department at (212) 932-7347. Free!

Journey below the city streets and see just how close you can get to the center of the earth with the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Tour and traverse a half-mile of the world’s oldest subway tunnel! 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., meet at the SW corner of Atlantic Ave. and Court St., Cobble Hill, call 718-941-3160 for reservation, $15!

Slice out some time to day to attend the Brooklyn Pie Bake-Off where you can sample pies made with homemade piecrust made with local ingredients. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Spacecraft, 355 Bedford Ave. @ South 4^th St., free to enter (email: brooklynpiebake@gmail.com), and $10 to sample the goodies!

Did you know that Syrians, Lebanese, Greeks, Turks, Irish, Slovaks, Poles, and Ukrainians all once called downtown Manhattan home? Explore their communities on the Lower West Side with the Municipal Art Society during a walking tour led by Joe Svehlak, urban historian, and Barbara Rizek, author and former resident. 11 a.m., Meet at the corner of Whitehall and Water streets by One New York Plaza, $15!

Bushwick gets the chance to show-off its art scene all day today, with its BETA Spaces Festival where you have the opportunity to visit 50 projects at art spaces around the neighborhood. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., free! For more info click on http://www.artsinbushwick.org.

I’m guessing it won’t be too quiet at the Eldridge Street Synagogue’s screening of silent film shorts featuring Max Davidson. Pianist Ben Model will accompany the films on the piano. 3 p.m., Eldridge Street Synagogue, 12 Eldridge St. bet. Canal and Division Sts., tkts are $15 and can be purchased here: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=3266625

Vincent Cianni will be discussing his new book Gays in the Military: How America Thanked Me, which features interviews and photos of gay and lesbian soldiers and how these military members have been affected by “Don’t ask, Don’t Tell.” powerhouse Arena, 37 Main St. at Water St., 5 p.m., $5.

How far will you go? Hear true stories of women who broke "...society's rules and expectations, defying common sense and safety, in a struggle to define themselves and to grasp what it might mean, some day, to lead an emotionally fulfilling life" in a play by Gordon Farrell. 8 p.m., People Lounge, 163 Allen St. bet Stanton and Rivington, email red.productions.08@gmail.com for reservations, tkts are $10. Play will also be on next Sunday, Nov. 21!

Don’t forget the Margaret Mead Film Festival is ongoing through the 14^th, For more info go here: http://www.amnh.org/programs/mead/ and one of my favorite fall events, Canstruction began Thursday and runs through the 22^nd. Soup isn’t just for eating anymore, see what can be created with mere cans! World Financial Garden, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 22^nd, free!

Cheap Chick NYC, Cheap and Free Weekend Event Picks, Nov. 5-7, 2010

Friday October 5, 2010

Check out what’s “new” at the Neue Galerie from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. during their free First Fridays event, 1048 Fifth Avenue, http://www.neuegalerie.org.

See what Mrs. Ellen DeGeneres has to say when talking with Brooklyn’s own Jonathan Safran Foer, 7:30 p.m., at the B&N Lincoln Triangle (1972 Broadway and 67^th St.), free!

Will you ever finish that Great American Novel? Find out during this NaNoWritMo (National Novel Writing Month for the uninitiated) write-in event at the Mid-Manhattan Library, More info on this novel-writing spectacular and to register officially go here: http://www.nanowrimo.org), 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., free!

Can you spell F-U-N? Then head down to Housing Works Bookstore and compete with other geeks for the rank of top speller! Sign-up is at 6:30 p.m., the spelldown starts at 7 p.m., 126 Crosby Street, free to watch, $5 to play!

Author Tim O’Brien, discusses his classic, The Things They Carried, 7 p.m., Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St., $20, call 212-967-7555 for tickets. Later writer/director John Patrick Shanley will be interviewed at 9:30 p.m., same price, same number!

Hey even zombies should be able to sport the latest fashions! Catch the styles that just won’t die at the Zombie Fashion Show, 7 p.m., Shops at the Loom, 1087 Flushing Ave., Brooklyn, free!

Saturday October 6, 2010

Francis Morrone, author of Fort Greene Clinton Hill Neighborhood & Architectural History Guide, is leading a tour of the area to celebrate the book’s release. Stops include sites associated with Richard Wright and Marianne Moore, brownstones near the park, and ends at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music.) 2 p.m., meet at the northeast corner of Flatbush Avenue and DeKalb Avenue outside the former Paramount Theatre at 1:45 p.m., $20 for non-members. CANCELED!

Appropriately enough, Peter Filichia will be at the Broadway branch of the Queens Public Library discussing his book Broadway Musicals the Biggest Hit and the Biggest Flop of the Season 1959-2009, 3:30 p.m., Broadway Branch, 40-20 Broadway, free!

Chowderheads from near and far will be gathering to slam back some of the hot stuff at the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance Chowder Cook-Off! Keep that chill away as you sample varieties of that classic hot broth! 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Jimmy’s No. 43, 43 E. 7^th Street, $10!

Don’t kid yourself any longer, that one pair of jeans you have hanging in your closet will just not fit anymore. No worries, trade it up for a sweater or a dress that may actually fit or a good book to cuddle up with during this cold weather, at the Some of the Girls Brunch and Clothing Swap! $11 nets you brunch (inc. a mimosa or Bloody Mary) and the chance to trade off items like that ugly sweater you got from your Aunt Edna last Christmas for items that fit your wardrobe. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Bowery Wine Company, 13 E. 1^st Street, $11, plus bring items to swap. For more info and RSVP visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/someofthegirls/.

The art world rocks at the Brooklyn Museum’s First Saturday program, which includes music, readings by Rick Moody and a screening of Alice in Wonderland, http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/visit/first_saturdays.php, free!

Channel your inner Mad Men persona with a walking tour celebrating the 50^th anniversary of JFK’s election as well as the 48 anniversary of Eleanor Roosevelt. This tour will cover sites related to JFK as well as RFK, Eleanor Roosevelt, FDR, Jacqueline Kennedy, Teddy Roosevelt, and Sargent Shriver. Noon, Call 212-465-3331 for meeting place and reservation, $18.

She ain’t fraid of no ghost! L’Aura Hladik, author of Ghosthunting New York City, will be discussing her new book and inviting others to share their haunting experiences. 7:30-8:30 p.m., Word Bookstore, 126 Franklin St. at Milton St., Brooklyn, free!

Comedian Adam Carolla will be discussing his new book In Fifty Years We'll all be Chicks, (not such a bad thing I think!), 2 p.m., Borders Columbus Circle (10 Columbus Circle), free!

Plus enjoy free walking tours of the High Line on Saturdays: http://www.thehighline.org/tours

Sunday November 6, 2010

Run like Forrest, not walk, to cheer on your favorite granola-head at the ING New York City Marathon. Free to cheer runners on, for more info and route, check here: http://www.nycmarathon.org.

Celebrate Asian-American authors like Richard Price, Henry Chang, and Tao Lin today at Page Turner: The Asian American Literary Festival, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., powerHouse Arena, 37 Main St DUMBO, $10. A full schedule of panels and events is here: http://pageturnerfest.org/schedule/

Walk and cheer at the same time with Discovery Walking Tour’s pre-Marathon Central Park Tour. Learn about the park (aka” the city’s backyard”) Stops include Strawberry Fields, Lake, The Ramble, Literary Walk, Bow Bridge, Wagner Cove and Bethesda Fountain. Then keep a look out for the runners as they complete the last leg of a 26 mile marathon. 10 a.m., call 212-465-3331 for meeting place and reservation, $18.

Plus: Book it on over to MOMA PS 1 for the NY Art Book Fair all weekend (http://ps1.org/calendar/view/day/2010/11/4/), travel to Malaysia through food at Grand Central (http://www.grandcentralterminal.com/go/mallEvents.cfm?eventID=2145377612) Fri and Sat, view post-election midnight screenings of Red Dawn at the IFC Sat and Sun (http://www.ifccenter.com/films/red-dawn), Live the comic book dream at King-Con, Brooklyn’s answer to Comic-Con (http://www.kingconbrooklyn.com), Classy canned beers get the spotlight this weekend at Candemonium (http://candemonium.com), save 30% off on all items at Housing Works bookstore Sat and Sun (http://www.housingworks.org/events/detail/monthly-30-off-sale-all-day-november-6th-and-7th), Find some boots made for walkin’ and other items at the What Goes Around Comes Around Sample and Stock Sale (http://www.facebook.com/pages/What-Goes-Around-Comes-Around-NYC/110681684654) all weekend, and the New York Doc Fest rages on through the 9^th (http://www.ifccenter.com/series/doc-nyc)!

On the Menu: Saving Money When Eating Out!

Appetizers-Do not order them! Or if you are so inclined, share with a friend and split the cost. OR have an appetizer as your whole meal-yes, it can be done!

Carryout vs. staying in?-If your restaurant of choice is nearby, then by all means order your food to go and carryout to avoid the extra money spent on tipping.

Drinks anyone?-When eating out, restrain yourself from ordering a $9 cocktail. Have one later at a bar or club or even at home rather then adding the additional expense to your bill. Quench your thirst with a nice ice cold glass of water, and if you want to get fancy, ask the waiter to add lemon to it.

To refill or not to refill-Before you hand over your glass for another drink, be sure to check the menu or ask your server if refills are indeed free. Restaurants will sometimes be sneaky about offering a refill and then charging the full price of the drink.

Soda pop? Why not?-I’ll tell you why not, if you don’t see the price of soda on the menu, then the price is prob. around $3-$5, which is far too much to pay for a soda. Wait until dinner is over to grab a can instead or just get something alcoholic, the price will be close to a beer and some mixed drinks.

Half-and-half-After your meal is served, cut it in two parts and eat one half. If you’re full take the other half home with you, and have it for another meal. If not, become a member of the clean plate club, but you’ll probably be surprised by how often half of your meal will suffice!

Lunch or dinner date?-If there’s a restaurant you’re just dying to try, consider taking a whack at the lunch menu. Even the fanciest restaurants in NYC have lunchtime specials!

Work the Magic of the Web-Have a favorite restaurant? Harness the power of the Internet and follow your favorite restaurant on Twitter, sign up for their email list (Cheap Chick Cheap Tip: the restaurant Big Daddy’s sends great deals via email and on your birthday when you join their email list!), and “friend” them on Facebook, you never know what kind of deals you’ll find in the virtual world.

Reap Restaurant Rewards-Many restaurants, esp. casual chains like Panera Bread, Subway, and Chipotle offer rewards clubs where you get a card punched every time you stuff some of their food down your throat. Once the card is filled you get free food!

Cut straight to the Certificate-At restaurant.com you can purchase a $25 certificate from a local restaurant for just $10! A savings of $15 for all of you math-challenged readers out there! My sources tell me that other deals may also be had through this site as well…