Cheap Chick NYC Memorial Day Weekend Picks, May 28-May 31, 2010

Hope everyone is ready for Memorial Day! I've got some great picks for the long w/e, apologies for the many links and event listings w/o my trademark wit, I've been busy packing up the current Cheap Chick digs to move to a new nest on Tuesday. Look for a great summer guide, hopefully by next weekend!

Friday May 28, 2010
Blood and Wine Screening (Second Show)
8:30 p.m.
See the documentary about Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan and learn how he got into the winemaking business.
Cheap Chick Info: $12
Location Info: City Winery, 155 Varick St.
Subway: C,E to Spring Street

Tonight the Intrepid's Film series starts with Top Gun (Don't lose that lovin' feeling!) http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/Summer-Movie-Series.aspx and the Lower East Side Festival for the Arts http://theaterforthenewcity.net/, which is running all weekend, starts! It's also National Hamburger Day (http://www.winedanddined.com/2010/05/celebrate-national-hamburger-day-on-may-28th/) (!) where's the beef?

Hey sailor, Fleet Week is also in full swing!

Saturday May 29, 2010
Score! Pop-Up Swap
Noon-6 p.m.
It's time to trade-up that Aladdin CD for a garden gnome or a copy of The Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood. Bring all that stuff you've been storing in your oven or all those clothes that you know Tim Gunn would disapprove of to this swap and then grab things that are "new to you."
Cheap Chick Info: $3 in advance, $5 at the door
Location Info: BKYLN Yard
Subway: F,G to Carroll St., R to Union

NYC International Polar Festival
12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
To celebrate "The Race to the End of the Earth" Antarctic exhibit opening the Natural History Museum is hosting this family-friendly program with performances, movies, talks, scientists, and real-life explorers.
Cheap Chick Info: Free with museum admission!
Location Info: American Museum of Natural History, 79th St. and CPW, Kaufmann and Linder Theaters and Grand Gallery, first floor
Subway: C to 81st St./Museum of Natural History

Robert Hass and Brenda Hillman in the Great Outdoors: A Reading
4 p.m.
From the website, "This reading inaugurates Poets House's outdoor courtyard in the new South Teardrop Park.
(Part of Ecopoetic Futures, a series of events that examine poetry and the environment. Programs in this series are funded, in part, by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York Council for the Humanities.)
Cheap Chick Info: $10
Location Info: Poets' House, 10 River Terrace
Subway: 1,2,3,A, or C to Chambers Street

Revolutionary New York
1 p.m.
Join Big Onion for this special historic holiday weekend walking tour with stops that may include Fraunces Tavern, the graves of Alexander Hamilton and General Richard Montgomery, Federal Hall, and sites associated with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Jay, and Albert Gallatin.
Cheap Chick Info: $15
Location Info: Meet at the Intersection of Broadway and Murray St. at the gated entrance to City Hall Park.
Subway: 2,3 to Park Place, 4,5,6 to Brooklyn Bridge, and the R,W to City Hall

Light Saber Battle
9 p.m.
The Jedi and the Dark Side battle it out Skywalker-style tonight in NYC!
Cheap Chick Info: Free to participate, bring your own light saber, or rent one there for $5!
Location Info: Sarah D. Roosevelt Park, Chrystie St between Delancey and E. Houston
Subway: F to Delancey

Haven't got your fix of Nathan's yet? Luna Park(http://lunaparknyc.com/) is opening for the summer today!

Sunday May 31, 2010
Opera in HD: Bellini's Norma
3 p.m.
Watch opera on the big screen, details and tickets here: http://www.symphonyspace.org/event/6212-norma?source=calendar
Cheap Chick Info: $21
Location Info: Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway
Subway: 1,2,3,C to 96th St.

Passport to Taiwan
12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Dance, music, and plenty of food play homage to the island nation at this festival.
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: Union Square West and 17th St.
Subway: N,R,W,Q,L,4,5,6 to 14th St./Union Square

Don't forget the Zombie Crawl Festivities (http://nyczombiecrawl.com/)!

Monday May 31, 2010
Today the Metropolitan Museum of Art (http://www.metmuseum.org/) is open for Met Holiday Mondays (don't forget it's pay-what-you-wish there all the time), the Museum of the City of New York (http://www.mcny.org/) is open for free today as well, there is a Food Truck Festival at the BKYLN Yard (http://bklynyard.com/mon-may-31st-opening-weekend-parked/), and the and the New York Philharmonic is at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine for a free concert! (http://stjohndivine.org/)!


There's also a Memorial Day party at the South Street Seaport (Fulton) Water Taxi Beach (http://watertaxibeach.com/), and a Dreamland (jazz music) party at the LIC WTB location (http://dreamlandorchestra.com/calendar.php)!

Cheap Chick Weekend Picks, May 21-23, 2010

Friday May 21, 2010
Housing Works Spelling Bee
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Find out if it really helps to ask for the definition…
Cheap Chick Info: Free to watch, $5 to compete
Location Info: Housing Works Bookstore, 126 Crosby St.
Subway: B,D,F,V to Broadway/Lafayette, Downtown 6 to Bleecker St.

Interactive Seminar-Greek and Roman Art
6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Is Greek and Roman art all Greek to you? Find out more at this session with informal discussion with educators and curators in the Met galleries.
Cheap Chick Info: Free with admission, but program is limited to 25 people and registration is required. For more info email observanteye@metmuseum.org
Location Info: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave. at 82nd St. Meet at the Carson Family Hall in the Uris Center for Education
Subway: 4,5,6 to 86th St.

Kevin Geeks Out About Aliens
8 p.m.
This 2-hour extravaganza features E.T. rip-offs presented by Elliott Kalan, Emmy Award-winning Daily Show writer, homemade alien cupcakes, Martian-themed comic strips, and a brief history of Project Blue Book, “a survey of the galaxy’s sexiest extraterrestrials.” Attendees are encouraged to enter the tinfoil hat contest.
Cheap Chick Info: $10
Location Info: 92ndY Tribeca, 200 Hudson St.
Subway: E,1 to Canal St.

Saturday May 22, 2010
Earth Celebrations Hudson River Pageant
1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Where else could you see 15-foot puppets representing the river’s plants and denizens, I ask you? Not Sesame Street! This event includes a parade, dance, performance, and poetry events.
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: Parade starts at World Financial Garden, then heads to Hudson River Park
Subway: E to World Trade Center

Dance Parade/Dance Fest
Parade is 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and the actual Dance fest is from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“Have the time of your life” as you see dancers perform boogie, hula, swing, salsa, and Irish step in the parade. Hopefully no one will put you in the corner…The dance fest includes free dance lessons and a dance party.
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: The parade will start at 22nd and 21st between Park and Fifth Avenue and then the dance fest will be held at Tompkins Square Park
Subway: Tompkins Square Park: L to 1st Ave., Parade: 6 or N,R,W to 23rd St.

3rd Ward Annual Birthday Barbecue
Could not get a time from the website, so maybe they tell you when you RSVP? Hope so…
Get your grill on with BBQ, drinks, arts and crafts, workshops, and synchronized biking.
Cheap Chick Info: Free! RSVP to events@3rdward.com
Location Info: 3rd Ward, 195 Morgan Ave.
Subway: L to Grand St. or Morgan Ave.

Free Comedy Workshop
2 p.m.
I don’t imagine Drew Carey will be there with his annoying buzzer, (but boy I wish Colin Mocherie were…), though Chuck Nice (VHI’s Best Week Ever), Brian Baldinger (comedy booker for Just For Laughs and Jimmy Kimmel Live), Matt Goldich (staff writer for Late Show With David Letterman), and Cory Kahaney (headliner for Comedy Central and HBO and instructor for The Manhattan Comedy School) will be on-hand. The class will cover the basics like auditions and how to find an agent. All participants will get a coupon for a discount to the Manhattan Comedy School’s six week class.
Cheap Chick Info: Free! Space is limited so register at manhattancomedyschool.com/workshop.html
Location Info: Comix, 353 W. 14th St.
Subway: A,C,E to 14th St./8th Ave.

Dance Dance Library Revolution
10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
This is one library-inspired event where you don’t have to be quiet! At this benefit you can help Books Through Bars (if I might interrupt this blog to say that this is a very worthy cause that the Cheap Chick fully supports) with donations of dictionaries and thesauruses. You can also get a free drink through Enid’s, and win prizes through a raffle.
Cheap Chick Info: Donations of dictionaries and thesauruses
Location Info: Enid’s Bar, Greenpoint, 560 Manhattan Ave.
Subway: G to Nassau

Sunday May 23, 2010
Opening Day Celebration for Greater New York
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Grand opening event for new exhibit featuring more than 68 artists from the NYC area and curated in conjunction with MOMA.
Cheap Chick Info: $5 suggested donation
Location Info: P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center, 22-25 Jackson Ave. at the intersection of 46th Ave.
Subway: E,V to 23rd St./Ely Ave., 7 to 45th Rd./Courthouse Square

Bust Spring Craftacular
11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
More than 50 vendors will be displaying their wares at this event, which includes treats, drinks, and DJ’s. Plus you can bring all those items you cleared out from your closet during all the rain we had the past few days and donate them to Pop-Up Swap’s big swap on May 29.
Cheap Chick Info: $2
Location Info: The Warsaw, 261 Driggs, Greenpoint
Subway: G to Nassau

Walt Whitman’s Fort Greene Park
1 p.m.
Learn about the poet’s connection to the park during this walking tour led by Greg Trupiano, the artistic director of the Walt Whitman project. The event will include readings and discussion of Whitman's work.
Cheap Chick Info: Free! This event is being held rain or shine. Space is limited, for more information and reservations call 718-391-8824
Location Info: Meet at the visitor’s center at the top of the hill in Fort Greene Park, enter at Myrtle Ave, Washington Park, or DeKalb.
Subway: M,Q,R to DeKalb

On Sunday check out the Eldridge Street Synagogue's walking tour: Gangster, Writer, Rabbi. http://www.eldridgestreet.org/calendar-newyork-events.html

LIC Open Studio Event (http://www.licartists.org/documents/LIC-Open-Studios-2010.pdf) and the Hell’s Kitchen Open Studios (http://www.hellskitchen.bz/information/artists-in-the-kitchen-2010.html are on Saturday and Sunday!

Cheap Chick NYC Weekend Event Picks, May 14-16, 2010

Friday May 14, 2010
Church Tower Walk
3 p.m.
Take a hike up the wooden staircase at St. Paul’s church tower.
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: 897 South Columbus Ave., Mount Vernon
Subway: 5 to Dyre Ave.

Tonight is Rooftop Films’ opening night (http://www.rooftopfilms.com/)
you can grab a drink at the Met’s rooftop garden (http://www.metmuseum.org/) , and you can attend the Veggie Prom (http://veggieconquest.com/veggieprom/)

Saturday May 15, 2010
Singles Brooklyn Brewery and Beer Tasting Tour
1:30 to 4 p.m.
Meet Market Adventures is sponsoring this special private tour and tasting, with the opportunity for mingling and the drinks after the tour.
Cheap Chick Info: $19.99, first beer is on them, get tkts here: http://www.meetmarketadventures.com/events/3335/New-York-Singles-Brooklyn-Brewery-Beer-Tasting-Tour.html
Location Info: Brooklyn Brewery, 79 N. 11th St.
Subway: L to Bedford

Five Points Walk and Lecture
1:30 to 3 p.m.: Talk, Optional walking tour: 3:45
Learn about the real “gangs of New York” with a discussion and tour of the Five Points area with an emphasis on the police actions of that day.
Cheap Chick Info: $12 adults/$10 children, reservations are required, you can make them through the Seaport Museum (212-748-8786) or the Police Museum (212-480-3100 ext. 116)
Location Info: Not sure, ask when making reservations.
Subway: See above.

Financial Architecture Walking Tour
1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
This 90-minute walking tour sponsored by the Museum of American Finance details the buildings of the Financial District.
Cheap Chick Info: $15
Location Info: Museum of American Finance, 48 Wall Street
Subway: 4,5 to Bowling Green

Radical Greenwich Village Walking Tour
11 a.m.
This walking tour led by Marty Shore, an urban historian, will cover sites associated with Margaret Sanger, Emma Goldman, Jackson Pollack, and Timothy Leary among others.
Cheap Chick Info: $15
Location Info: Meet under the arch of Washington Square Park, at the foot of Fifth Ave.
Subway: A,C,E,F,D to West Fourth St.

Love Your Library Brooklyn Public Library Benefit
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Help keep Ben Franklin’s dream alive and support the efforts of the Brooklyn PL (I hear Queens needs help too for those fellow bookworms keeping track) at this day-long event that features $1 book sale, live music, arts and crafts, and an author talk.
Cheap Chick Info: Buy as many books as you can fit into your small NYC apt., and the library suggests a $5 donation to help keep their doors open!
Location Info: Central Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza
Subway: 2,3 to Grand Army Plaza

Brooklyn/Queens Birding Day Out
8 a.m.
Bring binoculars and a sack lunch to this all-day birding tour led by the Urban Park Rangers.
Cheap Chick Info: Free! Space is limited, reserve a spot here:
Location Info: Meet at the Wollman Rink and flower garden in Prospect Park
Subway: F to Prospect Park/15th St.

Tour de Farmer’s Market
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Bicycle to farmer’s markets at Union Square, Fort Greene Park, and Grand Army Plaza.
Cheap Chick Info: Free, bring money to purchase treats!
Location Info: Meet at the Union Square Greenmarket, corner of 17th and Broadway
Subway: N,R,Q,W,4,5,6 to 14th St./Union Square

Bronx Week http://www.ilovethebronx.com/?pg=load&loc=bronxweek&tab=calendar, starts today, there’s also Super Sabado at El Museo del Barrio http://www.elmuseo.org/en/event/target-free-third-saturdays-may, Taste of Tribeca http://www.tasteoftribeca.com/, and the Wall to Wall Behind the Wall Eastern European-inspired music festival at Symphony Space, http://www.symphonyspace.org/event/6005-wall-to-wall-behind-the-wall?source=calendar.

Sunday May 16, 2010
51st Annual Park Slope House Tour
12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Visit home sweet 19th and 20th century homes in the neighborhood
Cheap Chick Info: $20 tax-deductible donation, buy tkts here: http://www.nycharities.org/events/EventLevels.aspx?ETID=1325
Location Info: Check in at Poly Prep Lower School, 50 Prospect Park West at 15th St.
Subway: 2,3 to Grand Army Plaza

Magic in the Park
12 p.m.
Will magicians ever reveal their secrets? I don’t know, but maybe you can figure them out as you watch these talented magicians at work.
Cheap Chick Info: $20, buy tkts here: http://www.joespub.com/component/option,com_shows/task,view/Itemid,40/id,5122
Location Info: Joe's Pub, 425 Lafayette St.
Subway: 6 to Astor Place

The AIDS Walk (http://www.aidswalk.net/newyork/) is today, as is Farm Fest at the Queens County Farm Museum (http://www.queensfarm.org/events.html), there is Taste of Williamsburg/Greenpoint (http://www.tastewg.com/), the Punk + Underground Record Fair (http://spsounds.com/calendar/), the Veggie Pride Parade (http://www.veggieprideparade.org/), and the NY Bike Jumble (http://nybikejumble.com/) is today!

All weekend long the Noguchi Museum (http://www.noguchi.org/) is free as part of its 25th anniversary celebration, and you can sample goodies from around the world at the Ninth Avenue Food Festival (http://www.hellskitchen.bz/information/ninth-avenue-food-festival-2010.html)

Cheap Chick NYC Weekend Picks, May 7-9, 2010

Friday May 7, 2010
Insectomaina
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Maybe you can learn how to be as cool Corey Haim in Lucas. Don’t forget your butterfly net! The event includes film, readings, sound, images, projections, and cocktails.
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: Cabinet Magazine Space, 300 Nevins St.
Subway: F,G to Carroll St.

Nerd Nite
7 p.m.
Find out about all sorts of nerdy things like Governor’s Island and the Large Hadron Collider.
Cheap Chick Info: $10-$13, buy tkts here: http://nyc.nerdnite.com/
Location Info: Galapagos Art Space
Subway: F to York St., A to High St./Brooklyn Bridge

Central Park Moonlight Ride
10 p.m. to Midnight
Stop and enjoy the nighttime scenery with fellow bike enthusiasts and discover parts of the park you’ve never seen before!
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: Columbus Circle in Central Park
Subway: A,C,D,1to Columbus Circle

Gilbert and Sullivan: Shining Into a New Century With Reflected Light
6:30 p.m.
Ralph MacPhail Jr. will give a lecture on the famous opera pair.
Cheap Chick Info: Free! For advance reservations call 212.685.0008, ext. 560, or e-mail tickets@themorgan.org.
Location Info: Morgan Library and Museum, 225 Madison Ave, bet. 36th and 37th St.
Subway: 6 to 33rd St.

Celebrate First Fridays at the Bronx Museum! http://www.bronxmuseum.org/events.php

Self magazine Workout in the Park
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Celebrity yoga trainer Mandy Ingber teaches you the secret favorite moves of celeb clients like Jennifer Aniston!
Cheap Chick Info: $20, but space is limited. Reserve space ahead of time, available on first-come, first-served basis. Buy tkts here: http://www.selfworkoutinthepark.com/default.asp
Location Info: Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, Fifth Ave. and 72nd St.
Subway: C to 72nd St. or 6 to 77th

BAM Street Fair
12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Neighborhood block party with marching bands, food vendors, and arts and crafts.
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: BAM Harvey Theater, 651 Fulton St., Brooklyn
Subway: 2,3,4,5 to Nevins St.

GI Joe Stop Motion Film Festival
7 p.m.
A film festival tribute to that real American hero.
Cheap Chick Info: $12
Location Info: 92nd St. Y Tribeca, 200 Hudson St.
Subway: A,C,E,1 Canal

Grease 2 Sing-a-long
11 p.m.
I don’t know if this movie will help you “score tonight,” but darn if I don’t love pre-90210 pilot Maxwell Caufield. Of course pre-Catwoman Michelle Pfeiffer is there too…
Cheap Chick Info: $13
Location Info: 92nd St. Y, Tribeca, 200 Hudson St.
Subway: A,C,E,1 to Canal St.

88-cent burgers today: http://www.8coupons.com/deals/specials/City%2CNY%2CNew_York/0/ocho_loco/search

Saturday and Sunday May 8 and 9, 2010
Fleece Festival
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Time to ask the sheep if they have any wool! I wonder if there are any black sheep…find out at this sheep shearing event. There will also be music, demonstrations, and crafts.
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: Prospect Park Zoo, Prospect Park
Subway: F to 15th St./Prospect Park

Sunday May 9, 2010
Shakey’s Record Fair
7 p.m.
Listen to music and look through records at this sale and record extravaganza!
Cheap Chick Info: 21 and up: $3
Location Info: Public Assembly,70 N. 6th St.
Subway: L to Bedford

Become a Multimedia Guru
Registration/Check-in: 12:30 p.m., Program starts at 1 p.m. See full line-up here: http://deadlineclub.org/events/become-a-multimedia-guru.
Master the art of multimedia at this event organized by the Deadline Club, the Society of Professional Journalists NYC chapter-you don’t even have to wax any cars! Plus a free mediabistro class will be raffled off and a SpaFinder gift certificate will be given away during the 3:30 SEO (that's Search Engine Optimization to you!) session.
Cheap Chick Info: One session is $10, and you can get into two sessions for $15. After this the prices aren’t exactly Cheap Chick-friendly, but it’s a pretty good deal nonetheless. Space is limited, so RSVP to rsvp@deadlineclub.org.
Location Info: University Settlement House, 273 Bowery
Subway: F to Second Ave.

Plus free fitness classes at Socrates Sculpture Park (http://www.socratessculpturepark.org/programs/fitness.php) and pigs at Jimmy's No. 43!

Cheap Chick New York City Weekend Picks, April 30-May 2, 2010

Friday April 30, 2010
Chelsea and the High Line
2 p.m.
Join Big Onion Walking Tours to learn more about this area of the city. Stops may include the High Line (depends on the weather), The Chelsea Hotel, Death Alley, The General Theological Society, and “sites associated with Dylan Thomas, Clement Clarke Moore, Janis Joplin, John Sloan, and the birthplace of the Oreo cookie.” (Hint: the Oreo cookie was “born” at the Chelsea Market.
Cheap Chick Info: $15
Location Info: Meet in front of the Chelsea Hotel, 222 West 23rd St. bet. 7th and 8th Aves. Subway: A,C,E,F,1 to 23rd St.

Made in the 80’s
11:30 p.m.
Costume and dance party recalling those good ‘ol days of crimped hair, leg warmers, and cuffed jeans. Prize for the best costume!
Cheap Chick Info: $5
Location Info: Union Hall, 702 Union St. at Fifth Ave.
Subway: M,R to Union Street

Wildflower Week also starts today!

Saturday May 1, 2010
Birds of Prey
1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Join Bobby Horvath, a NYC firefighter and the US Fish and Wildlife Services, for a lecture and demonstration featuring hawks, falcons, and owls as part of the park’s On a Wing Series.
Cheap Chick Info: Free! Call 212-772-0210
Location Info: Belvedere Castle, Central Park (mid-park near 79th Street)
Subway: C to 81st St./Museum of Natural History

1910 Costume Ball
7 p.m.
Party like it’s, well, 1910 to celebrate the beer garden’s 100th anniversary with a live band playing music from the era, ballroom dancers, and a best costume prize.
Cheap Chick Info: $19.10
Location Info: Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, 29-19 24th Ave., Astoria
Subway: N to Astoria Blvd.

Patti Smith and Jonathan Lethem in Conversation
1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
The music icon now memoirist and Brooklyn’s own Jonathan Lethem author of books like Motherless Brooklyn and Fortress of Solitude.
Cheap Chick Info: $10/$8 PEN members
Location Info: Great Hall, 7 E. 7th St.
Subway: 6 to Astor Place

Blended Families: Tracing African-Native American Genealogy
1 p.m.
Check out this workshop related to the exhibit "IndiVisible: African-Native Lives in the Americas" now on display in DC. Angela Walton-Raji will lead this workshop for people of dual and Native American ancestry.
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: National Museum of the American Indian, 1 Bowling Green
Subway: 4,5 to Bowling Green

Boardwalk Barrel of Fun
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Wear your play clothes to decorate the beach’s garbage cans (no trashy designs here, lol!) Seascapes, carnival scenes, and landscapes are the suggested themes, and the judges will award prizes to four categories: family (for the younger set and their parents), high school artists, college artists, and open (that’s the adults.) Judges will award prizes based on originality, following theme, creativity, use of color, and pizzazz. Supplies will be provided.
Cheap Chick Info: Free! Participants are encouraged to pre-register (call 718-965-8993), but the day-of participants will also be accommodated. Registered participants will get a free painter’s cap.
Location Info: Riegellman Boardwalk at Coney Island
Subway: D,Q,N,F to Stillwell Ave.

The Brooklyn Museum is hosting an Enviro-friendly fair as part of its Free First Saturday program , check out Kentucky Derby Parties at Union Hall (http://www.unionhallny.com/home.php), Flloyd (http://floydny.com/), Dry Dock Wine and Spirits (http://www.drydockny.com/, and the Bell House (http://www.thebellhouseny.com)/, and you can check out the Mayor’s Cricket Cup!

There is also another free Bargemusic concert today http://www.bargemusic.org/calendar.html and Toni Morrison is at Cooper Union http://cooper.edu/home/news-events/events/toni-morrison-and-marlene-van-niekerk-in-conversation-with-anthony-appiah/, it's Swing-a-Ring Day http://www.nycgovparks.org/events/2010/05/01/7th-annual-swingaring-day, and every Saturday through 6/19 there are free tours of Fresh Kills!

Saturday and Sunday April 29th and 30th
Mott Haven Open Artist Studio Tour
11 am to 5 p.m.
Visit galleries, studios, galleries, and alternative art spaces in the Bronx.
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: A map of the studios is available here. http://bronxarts.org/documents/4MHmap.pdf
Subway: 2, 4, 5 trains to 149 St-Grand Concourse (recommended for Sat.) and the 6 train to 3 Avenue / 138 Street (recommended for Sunday.) The trolley will run on Saturday from the Longwood Art Gallery (450 Grand Concourse) to stops on the map.

Sunday May 2, 2010
Raspberry Brothers, Twilight 2: New Moon
7 p.m.
There’s just something mockable about these movies isn’t there?
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: Knitting Factory, 361 Metropolitan Avenue
Subway: L,G to Lorimer/Metropolitan

Momma Said: Lies Our Mother Told Us (And some We Wish They Had)
6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
From the website, "Join us for a hilarious pre-Mother's Day evening of readings, memories, and family secrets with some of Brooklyn's funniest writers and comedians." For more info go here. http://wordbrooklyn.com/event/moms-are-funny
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: Word, 126 Franklin St.
Subway: G to Greenpoint

Fort Greene Association House Tour
12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Explore the historic homes of this Brooklyn neighborhood. More info here: http://historicfortgreene.org/
Cheap Chick Info: $20 in advance, non cheap-chick price: $25
Location Info: Tour starts at the BAM Triangle Park at Fulton Street and Lafayette Avenue, but participants are given maps to tour the homes at any time they wish.
Subway: For directions check here: http://historicfortgreene.org/house-tour-2010/

On Sunday there is also the Irish Arts Center New York City Dance Festival http://www.irishartscenter.org/dance.htm, The Miss Fag Hag Pageant http://www.mintyfreshcomedy.com/missfaghag/show.html, and the Stoop, Synagogue, and Soapbox Walking tour via the Museum at Eldridge Street!

All weekend there’s the Spring Food and Craft Market at the Brooklyn Lyceum http://www.bkcraftcentral.com/ the Marble Cemetery at 41 and ½ Second Ave. is open from Noon to 4 p.m. and the Cherry Blossom Festival is happening at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden http://www.bbg.org/discover/cherries/!

Cheap Chick New York City, Weekend Picks April 23-25, 2010

All events are up now! Also be sure to follow me on Twitter for other great deals, events, and links to articles!

Friday April 23, 2010
Inhabitat Fifth Birthday Party
7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
The green-friendly weblog celebrates in a green space with food, conversation, and cocktails. Who says it’s not easy being green?
Cheap Chick Info: Free
Location Info: Green Spaces NYC, 394 Broadway, 5th Fl.
Subway: N,R,Q,W,J,M,Z,6 to Canal St.

Project Runaway
8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
This 2D/3D “mash-up” features inflatable sculptures, and performances featuring pizza and soccer balls, Batman, and live music. Not to be confused with the Heidi Klum show, though I think it’s included all of the above elements.
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: 3rd Ward, 195 Morgan Ave.
Subway: L to Grand St. or Morgan Ave.

Literary Lunchtime with Anchee Min
12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
This is the first in a new series at the Asia Society with the first program highlighting a reading and discussion of Anchee Min’s new novel Pearl of China, a novel inspired by the author Pearl Buck. Min will be joined by Emily Parker, a fellow for the Arthur Ross Center on US-China relations.
Cheap Chick Info: Free for Asia Society and AAWW (Asian-American Writer’s Workshop), $8 for students/seniors, and $10 for non-members. Buy tkts by calling 212-517-ASIA, or possibly at the door.
Location Info: Asia Society and Museum, 725 Park Ave.
Subway: 6 to 68th St.

Don’t Touch Me There Comedy
7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
A “comedy spectacular” that features Matt McCarthy (from the Verizon Fios commercial), live sketches, short film, and an after-party
Cheap Chick Info: free!
Location Info: Karma Downstairs Theater, 51 First Ave. bet 3rd and 4th Streets
Subway: F,V to Second Ave.

Friday April 23, 2010, and Saturday April 24, 2010
EarthFair at Grand Central Station
Friday 12 to 7 p.m. and Saturday 11 to 5p.m.
This green-friendly fair has live music, organic food, and large exhibit areas.
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: Vanderbilt Ave., Grand Central
Subway: 4,5,6,7,S to 42nd St. to Grand Central Station

Saturday April 24, 2010
Gemini and Scorpio Swing House Second Anniversary
9 p.m.
It isn’t Brenden Fraser in Blast From the Past, but these guys know how to throw a party. Channel the spirit of the Great Gatsby and revisit the Jazz Age, so no flannel shirts here folks!
Cheap Chick Info: $20/$15 with RSVP and theme dress, $10 after midnight
Location Info: The Green Building, 450 Union St. at Bond St., Gowanus, Brooklyn
Subway: F,G to Carroll St.

The Author in the Age of the Internet
7 p.m.
Authors John Lanchester, Andrew O’Hagan, Colm Tobin, Mary-Kay Wilmers, and James Wood weigh in on the future of writing and publishing with that new-fangled Internet thing, and that darn Kindle contraption.
Cheap Chick Info: $15
Location Info: NYU, Tishman Auditorium, 66 W. 12th St. at 6th Ave.
Subway: L,F to 14th St./6th Ave.

NYC Chili Cookout
11 a.m. through 4 p.m.
This family-style event will include chili sampling, judging, cash prizes, amusements, and live entertainment.
Cheap Chick Info: $8
Location Info: Historic Richmond Town, 441 Clarke Avenue, Staten Island
Subway: Take the Staten Island Ferry and then the S74 bus to Richmond Road or St. Patrick's Place

Portals to the Past: Archaeology at New York City’s Historic Homes
1 p.m.
The Professional Archeologists of New York City presents information about the places people have called home in this urban metropolis. The home sweet homes range from mansions to tenement apartments.
Cheap Chick Info: Free with museum admission
Location Info: Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave.
Subway: 6 to 103rd St.

Off the Grid 2010: Sustainable Music Festival
3:30 to 8 p.m.
Free outdoor music festival on a recycled stage with educational exhibitions and giveaways.
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: Solar One, 23rd St. and the East River
Subway: 6 to 23rd St., then take the M23 Bus east to Ave. C

There is a free Bargemusic concert today http://www.bargemusic.org/calendar.html, a free open house at the Taoist Tai Chi Society, http://www.taichinyc.org/, and see the Sikh Day Parade, http://www.sikhnet.com/events/2010/annual-nyc-sikh-day-parade-please-note-changed-route.

Sunday April 25, 2010
Zoe Heller and Robin Black
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Heller, the author of Notes on a Scandal, and Black, whose work had appeared in anthologies such as The Best Nonrequired Reading share from their new works.
Cheap Chick Info: Free!
Location Info: KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th St.
Subway: 6 to Astor Place

Antique Auto Show
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
See cars on display from the New York Antique Auto Club, and check out historic house tours, hayrides, and food.
Cheap Chick Info: $5 for adults, $2 for children under two.
Location Info: Queens County Farm Museum
Subway: E or F Train to Kew Gardens/Union Turnpike Station, Q46 Bus (eastbound on Union Tpk.) to Little Neck Parkway Stop. Cross Union Tpk and walk North on Little Neck Pky 3 blocks to Museum Entrance

Moravian Cemetery Tour: A Who’s Who in Staten Island History
2 p.m.
Join Richard L. Simpson, the “cemetery guy” for a 90-minute tour of this local cemetery. Today the focus will be on the Atlantic Avenue section with looks at resting places of Alice Austen, George Wm. Curtis (Curtis High School), Judge Erastus Brooks (the first person to make use of the telegraph for newspaper reports), historian and philanthropist Dorothy Valentine Smith, Elmer Dundy (owner of Coney Island’s Luna Park), cigar manufacturer Alvaro Garcia (Garcia & Vega), pencil manufacturer Eberhard Faber, Dr. Nathaniel Lord Britton (founder-New York Botanical Gardens), and historian/author Charles W. Leng.
Cheap Chick Info: $10, Reservations are recommended since tours are limited to 20 people, RSVP to cemeteryguy@earthlink.net
Location Info: Meet at the Moravian Cemetery, 2205 Richmond Road
Subway: Sorry guys, best I can do is take the ferry and then take the bus to the Grant City stop

Swap away at Swap-a-Palooza at NYU, http://fashionswapandmeet.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/nyu-swap-a-palooza-sunday-april-26/, attend NYC Grows http://www.nyrp.org/Calendar_Programs/Calendar/vw/3/ItemID/75/d/20100425, do some shopping at the Hester Street Fair http://www.hesterstreetfair.com/, which opens this weekend, and find out all the buzz on beekeeping http://rooftopfarms.org/

May Media Events, Cheap Chick New York City Bargain Bulletin, April 20, 2010

Calling all Journalists and Writers! The Deadline Club (The NYC Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists) is having two awesome media-related events in May!

Become a Multimedia Guru, Sunday May 9, 2010
Join the Deadline Club Sunday May 9, 2010 for a special day of multimedia programming that will bring together a variety of multimedia experts to share their knowledge with fellow journalists and media professionals!This day-long event will include four 1-hour long sessions at University Settlement House at 273 Bowery.

Here’s a rundown of the day (Come for just one session or come for all four!):

12:30-1 p.m.
Registration/Check-in (will also be available prior to each session start.)

1-2 p.m.
“How to Build Your Brand Online — Building Your web Portfolio, not Just the Website, but What’s in it, Too” presented by Wasim Ahmad, faculty member at SUNY Stony Brook. Wasim has a MS in photography from Syracuse’s Newhouse school and has worked as a copy editor, columnist, multimedia journalist, and web editor at Gannet and Scripps newspapers in Minnesota, Florida, and at the Press & Sun-Bulletin in Binghamton, New York.

2-3 p.m.
“How to be a Full-Service Freelancer” presented by Nicholas Charles, a former reporter at the New York Daily News, Newsday, a foreign correspondent covering Africa and Haiti for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, staff writer at People, editor-in-chief at Black Voices, and VP for digital content at BET. He will share knowledge on bringing together the elements of web journalism: text, photo, video, and audio.

3-3:30 p.m. Break

3:30-4:30 p.m.
“Use SEO in Your Writing to Drive Traffic to Your Articles and Blogs” presented by Gracey Newman, SEO/Content Manager for Spafinder.com and the author of (http://graceynewman.wordpress.com/) about personal branding, SEO, and social media. Gracey has worked as a Marketing Consultant at Indeed.com, the Marketing Manager at PPR Healthcare Staffing, and the Senior Creative Designer at PPR Healthcare Staffing.

4:30-5:30 p.m.
“Making Good Pictures Great in a Multimedia Environment” presented by Todd Maisel, who has worked as a photographer for 27 years and is currently an 11-year staff photographer for the New York Daily News, an adjunct professor of photography at City Tech (CUNY), Region 2 Chairman of the National Press Photographers Association (http://www.nppa.org/) and a member of the police and credentials committee for the New York Press Photographers Association.

5:30-6 p.m.
End/Check-out

Price: Free to Deadline Club members, For non-members: $10 per individual session, Two sessions for $15, Three sessions for $25, and Four sessions for $35!

Seating is limited! Please RSVP to rsvp@deadlineclub.org with the sessions you want to attend. Cash-only will be taken at the door.

Education Event: "Doing FOI When Stretched Thin," May 26, 2010
Are you bombarded with daily stories, web postings and extra responsibilities? Feel like you can’t do the kind of depth reporting you want? Or maybe you just want to improve your reporting skills and bolster your already stellar stories?

David Cuillier, the chairman of the Society of Professional Journalists’ Freedom of Information Committee, will share great ideas for document-based community stories, strategies for overcoming public records denials, psychological skills for getting officials to give you what you need, tips for making records part of your daily routine and rousing inspiration for doing great journalism.

Cuillier, a FOI newsroom trainer for SPJ for five years, is a former reporter and editor and now teaches journalism at the University of Arizona. He is co-author of The Art of Access: Strategies for Acquiring Public Records, teaches courses on access, and conducts research on access strategies. His national FOI tour is sponsored by the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation, a non-profit organization that aids SPJ and journalism initiatives, with assistance by the University of Arizona School of Journalism.

What: FOI Presentation With Dave Cuillier, chairman of the Society of Professional Journalists’ Freedom of Information Committee
When: May 26, 2010, Check-in at 6:30 p.m. with program starting at 7 p.m.
Where: NY Associated Press Headquarters, 430 W. 33rd St.
Cost: Free to members, $10 for non-members
RSVP: Space is limited, so reserve a seat now at rsvp@deadlineclub.org.