French Food Going Fast! David Cross Almost Sold Out! Two Big Shows @ BAM! Jerrod Carmichael!
Plus: 'Drag Race,' Drag History, & Drag Performances!
Happy New Year and welcome back to your Park Slope events newsletter. As always, links to sources are in (parentheses) after each event. Follow our IG for updates as events change.
Getting Involved
🛑Petition to Support Speed Cameras Coming Off the Prospect Expressway Near K280: “We have all seen automobiles and trucks drive through red lights and aggressively outmaneuver each other coming off the Prospect Expressway. As a pedestrian, it is nerve-wracking and even more worrisome given all the children that cross these intersections.” (Change.org)
💸‘Fill the Jug’ Fundraiser to Fight Domestic Violence @ Sandy Jacks: Have a drink, throw a donation in the jug all month. (Sandy Jack’s)
🐶Sean Casey Animal Shelter Met Their $4K Goal! Organizers put out a call to support a volunteer spay/neuter event, and raised their goal in days. (If you’re looking for another way to help, pups named Furry and Scurry still need homes.)
Book Now
🤣One David Cross Show Left: Cross almost set up a mini-residency at Union Hall with nine shows at Union Hall, and eight are sold out. Watch one of the great comedic voices workshop his material for his next tour. (Union Hall)
French Food Appointments: Galettes & Raclettes
🇫🇷Le French Tart Has Galettes on Saturday 1/6: Saturday is Epiphany, a feast day in France, and our favorite French Bakery is making galettes, a frangipane-filled puff pastry. We Google-translated the coverage from French Morning New York, above: “At Chef Laurent Chavenet’s of the French Tart Deli, frangipane pancakes are prepared for 6 to 8 people and sold for $35, a price he has maintained since last year, which is rare enough to be noted! They can be pre-ordered or purchased directly.” [Editor’s note: Perhaps poorly Google-translated? Notes from French-speakers welcome!] Click through to see the pastry with its crown. (Le French Tart)
🇫🇷Winemak’her Has Raclettes on Tuesday 1/9: “Come and enjoy the favorite dish of the French in winter, La Raclette. For $29 you get Raclette cheese (of course), prosciutto, smoked ham, dry sausage, potatoes, salad.” (Winemak’her Bar)
All Events
Thursday, 1/4
🦾Brooklyn Robotics League Park Slope Team: “This program is in partnership with First LEGO League and a systemwide Brooklyn Public Library competition will be happening this Janurary 2024. If you are in between the ages of 9 to 17, please register with your parent's permission and join the team!” (3:00 PM, Park Slope Library)
📖Adult Manga Discussion Group: “Interested in reading and sharing your thoughts on manga? Join us in a discussion where we share our favorite series and single volume series.” (6:00 PM, Central Library)
🤣Joe Mande SOLD OUT: “Writer/comedian/actor Joe Mande was most recently a Co-EP on the critically-acclaimed HBO Max show Hacks. He also wrote for all four seasons of The Good Place on NBC. Other writing credits include three seasons on Parks And Recreation. ” (7:00 PM, Union Hall, $20)
🥄🍿Spoons Toons & Booze New Years After Dark: “A new year means a fresh start, a reinvention, a new beginning and in some cases…a genesis. To mark the beginning of 2024, we’re looking all the way back to the beginning of our favorite prime time and late night cartoon series and characters! Hosted by SecretFormula’s cartoon and cereal experts Michael Austin and Nell Casey.” (9:15 PM, Nitehawk)
Friday, 1/5
🌼Conservatory Highlights Tour: “Discover plants from faraway places and different climates around the world on this tour of the Steinhardt Conservatory. Free with Garden admission.” (1:00 PM, Brooklyn Botanical Garden)
🎮Teen Tech Time: Gaming. “Join us at our Teen Tech Time program where you can play various PS4 or Switch games in a friendly, competitive environment, or just hang out. Board games and card games are also available.” (3:30 PM, Park Slope Library)
🎨Closing Day of the Small Work Show 2023: “The final day to view our Small Work Show juried by Grace Freedman.” (4:00 PM, 440 Gallery)
🧪Night Science Pajama Party!: “This Friday drop off your kids at our South Slope location for a jaw-dropping night of mad scientist FUN! ” (6:30 PM,Tiny Scientist)
🤣Exploration Live! “The world is a confusing place, full of mysteries to be probed and questions to be answered. No worries, though: hosts Charlie Bardey and Natalie Rotter-Laitman are on it. Together, with the help of comedian friends from Brooklyn and beyond, Charlie and Natalie address some of our most (and least) pressing questions.” (7:00 PM, The Bell House, $15)
💃Live Salsa @ Sahadi's: “Come hang out in Courtyard 3/4 at Sahadi’s Industry City every Friday and listen and dance to live Latin music by Cuarteto Guataca – One of NYC’s biggest salsa parties.” (7:30 PM, Sahadi's)
💋Rupaul’s Drag Race Screenings @ Parklife: “Drag Race is back on Friday, January 5 with 14 new drag queens competing for the, $200,000 grand prize and the title of America’s next drag superstar! In the two-part series premiere, the queens will show off their stuff in the annual talent show.” (8:00 PM,Littlefield)
🧑🎤️The Fourth Annual ‘Loving The Alien: A Bowie Tribute’ Dance Party: “Celebrate David Bowie’s 77th birthday and the 50+ years of music he gave us. DJ Steve Reynolds (Party Like It’s 1999) will spin the hits and deep cuts from The Thin White Duke’s 50-year career, with videos of Bowie’s best videos and movie appearances projected by Music Video Time Machine.” (9:00 PM,Littlefield, $5)
Saturday, 1/6
⚜️Galette Day @ Le French Tart: See Eat French Food section above. (Le French Tart)
🏃☕️Saturday Morning Run and Coffee: “Come join us for a casual run in Prospect Park at 9:45 am and then have coffee etc if you like with us at Overgreen’s Cafe on Prospect Park West between 14th Street and 15th Street two doors down from the movie theater.” (8:45 AM, Prospect Park)
🌳Prospect Park Tours with Turnstile Tour: “Discover hidden treasures, natural wonders and little-known tales on interactive guided tours of Prospect Park in the heart of Brooklyn, presented by Turnstile Tours in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance. Explore everything about Prospect Park, from its flora and geology, to the architectural movements that shaped the park, to the evolution of recreation and play.” (10:30 AM, Prospect Park)
🍿👠‘The Wizard of Oz' @ Nitehawk: “The Wizard of Oz is as close as you can get to pure magic on the cinema screen. On her farm in Kansas, young Dorothy dreams of a more fantastical place over the rainbow and, after hitching a ride on a tornado, winds up in the wonderful world of Oz.” (11:00 AM, Nitehawk)
🎟‘Nabucco’ @ BAM: “Ancient Babylon comes to life in this classic Met staging of biblical proportions. Baritone George Gagnidze stars as the imperious king Nabucco, alongside soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska, reprising her thrilling turn as his vengeful daughter Abigaille.” (12:00 PM, BAM, $34)
🌼Conservatory Highlights Tour @ BBG: See listing above. (1:00 PM, Brooklyn Botanical Garden)
📕🐶Read with a Therapy Dog: “Kids can make enormous strides in building self-esteem and confidence while acquiring a love of books by reading to a therapy dog. Utilizing a registered therapy animal and their human teammate in a calm and relaxing atmosphere, this program helps improve children’s reading, communication, and social skills.” (2:00 PM, Central Library)
🪘West African Drumming Workshop with Amos Kwaku Gabia: “A West African drumming professional development workshop geared to ADULTS of all levels. The event will take place at the BKCM Concert Hall. Participants will learn and practice basic rhythmic technique on the djembe, kpalango and dun dun. The workshop will include drumming, storytelling, dance and song from Ghana.” (5:30 PM, Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, $25)
🤣17th Annual 50 First Jokes: “‘50 Comics. One Mega Show. 1st New Joke of the New Year!’ - That's been the logline that defines this very special party show, celebrating the massively talented stand-up comedy scene in this City. A mixture of established NYC comedians along with the best and brightest up-and-comers share the stage to present the 1st new joke they've written since The Ball has dropped. This fun, fast and loose show is a favorite amongst audiences and comedians alike.” (6:30 PM and 10PM, The Bell House, $20)
Sunday, 1/7
🌼Conservatory Highlights Tour @ BBG: See listing above. (1:00 PM, Brooklyn Botanical Garden)
🎨Artist Talk: María Magdalena Campos-Pons: “Campos-Pons joins us to share insights into her multidisciplinary practice and the making of her four-decade survey Behold. The groundbreaking artist reflects on her expansive approach, from performance to photography and everything in between, spanning themes of migration, diaspora, spirituality, motherhood, and memory.” (2:00 PM, Brooklyn Museum, $20)
🤣Steve Martin Presents: “Okay, Steve Martin doesn’t present, but Andrew Dismukes and Michael Good do, and their jokes and funny friends are just as good as Steve Martin’s. Andrew’s a stand-up comedian known for Saturday Night Live. Michael’s a stand-up comedian who writes for Who Wants, $2.69 with Martin Urban.” (7:00 PM, Union Hall, $10)
Monday, 1/8
🧶Gathering Wool: Knit and Crochet @ Park Slope Library: “Join us for a knitting/crocheting/needlework get together. Share your projects and your fiber inspirations.” (11:00 AM, Park Slope Library)
🦾Brooklyn Robotics League: Central Library Team: “Do you love LEGOS, robotics, teamwork and making a difference? Then join the robotics team at Central Library every Monday from 4 PM to 5:30 PM to build and solve missions with a Lego Robot! Meet like-minded individuals to team up in preparation for the 2024-2024 theme, Masterpiece, to learn STEM skills!” (4:00 PM, Central Library)
🎨Life Drawing: @ Central Library “Build hand-eye coordination, develop better observation skills, and get into a relaxing zone through drawing. Leo Jimenez is a NYC-based artist with a BFA in Computer Arts from the School of Visual Arts, and boasts over two decades of professional video production experience. ” (6:00 PM, Central Library)
🍿Brian De Palma's 'Hi Mom!' @ Nitehawk: “After serving in Vietnam, veteran Jon Rubin (Robert De Niro) arrives in New York City and approaches sleazy producer Joe Banner (Allen Garfield) about directing a pornographic film. Rubin becomes obsessed with his beautiful neighbor, Judy Bishop (Jennifer Salt). He also begins shooting footage of the residents of an apartment building on the other side of the street. Soon, he falls in with a group of militant black activists as he struggles to find meaning in his increasingly unsatisfying life.” (9:15 PM,Nitehawk)
Tuesday, 1/9
🤣Jerrod Carmichael: Self Importance. “Carmichael is an Emmy-winning comedian from Winston-Salem, NC. His most recent special, Rothaniel, can be streamed on Max.” (7:00 PM and 9:00 PM, The Bell House, $20)
📕🏳️⚧️Mason Deaver’s ‘Okay. Cupid' @ The Ripped Bodice: “From the bestselling author of ‘I Wish You All the Best’ (soon to be a major motion picture!), comes ‘Okay, Cupid,’ a sweet, funny, and deep story of a cupid who thinks they know everything about love... until they fall in love themselves. They will chat with Page Powars about their trans romance.” (7:00 PM, The Ripped Bodice, $22)
⚜️Raclette Party: See Eat French Food section above. (7:30 PMWinemak'her Bar, $29)
Wednesday, 1/10
📕Anime Club @ Central: “Do you love anime? Do you want to get together with other fans of anime and manga? Join us in the Information Commons Lab while we draw, eat snacks, and chat about anime.” (4:00 PM, Central Library)
📕The ABCs of Book Banning & Talkback with Producer/Director Sheila Nevins: “In recent years, more than 2,500 books have been removed from school districts around the US, labeled as banned, restricted, or challenged, and made unavailable to millions of students. By no accident, the themes targeted are the usual scapegoats of the American Right—LGBTQ+ issues, Black History, and women’s empowerment—impeding the power of future generations to develop their own thoughts and opinions on critical social issues. By weaving together a lyrical montage of young readers and authors, The ABCs of Book Banning reveals the voices of the impacted parties, and inspires hope for the future through the profound insights of inquisitive youthful minds.” (7:00 PM, Central Library)
Thursday, 1/11
🎦Make a Movie On Your Phone: “Learn to use your mobile device to make compelling short-form videos. We’ll start you off with scriptwriting and storyboarding discuss frame composition, and then cover how to get the best audio and lighting when recording your footage. You’ll also explore free/wallet-friendly editing apps that can assemble it all into your final short form masterpiece.” (2:00 PM, Central Library)
🦾Brooklyn Robotics League Park Slope Team: See earlier listing. (3:00 PM, Park Slope Library)
💋📕The Glitter and Concrete Show: A Night of Drag History and Performance. “Drag history is New York history is American history, and on January 11 the Center for Brooklyn History brings you all three! Join us for an evening featuring readings from Elyssa Maxx Goodman’s new book Glitter and Concrete: A Cultural History of Drag in New York City, with drag performances by Julie J, Xana Whoria, and Jupiter based on the book. The night continues with a conversation between author and drag artists about the importance of drag as a form of personal and artistic expression. Glitter and Concrete will be available at the CBH Shop with a book signing to follow.” (7:00 PM, Central Library)
🤣George Civeris & Friends: “Civeris workshops new material centered around the theme of "contemporary society." Featuring superstar guests, shocking revelations, and enough intellectual rigor to kill a tenured professor of semiotics.” (7:00 PM, Union Hall, $15)
🎟‘Angel Island’ @ BAM: “Starting in 1910, many immigrants who journeyed to America were processed at an immigration station on Angel Island, located in the middle of San Francisco Bay. Until a fire led to its closure in 1940, the station primarily functioned as a detention center, where half a million people from 80 countries were held under barbaric conditions—some for weeks, others for years. Making his BAM debut, acclaimed Chinese-American composer Huang Ruo (M. Butterfly, An American Soldier, Book of Mountains & Seas) revisits this chapter of American history in Angel Island, a poignant multimedia experience scored for voices and string quartet that blurs the boundaries of opera, theater, dance, and music.” (7:30 PM, BAM, $30)
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