Maybe the thought of listening to a lecture doesn’t exactly whet your appetite. But what if the event also included alcohol, covered an interesting topic, and attracted people who are…attractive? Ah, so now I’ve got your attention.
The American Museum of Natural History is hosting another edition of its popular SciCafe series at 6:30 p.m. this Wednesday, with two scientists, Ian Tattersall and Rob DeSalle, discussing the “scientific myth” of race. The museum always puts up pictures of these events, and the people are always looking very cool, like maybe they’re going to a concert afterward. But they could just be really attractive smart people.
Check out the SciCafe and dozens of other free and cheap events in our calendar below. We will likely add more as the week progresses. And email us at info at westsiderag dot com to let us know about upcoming events.
Please double-check times and prices with the event producer. Many venues offer special pricing for students, seniors and members.
Monday
6 p.m.
Ben Katchor and Mark Mulcahy’s Musical Theater piece “Up From the Stacks” Set in The New York Public Library at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street and in the environs of Times Square circa 1970, Up From the Stacks is the story of Lincoln Cabinée, a college student working part-time as a page, retrieving books for readers from the Library’s collection of 43 million items. This routine evening job inadvertently thrusts young Cabinée into the treacherous crossroads of scholarly obsession and the businesses of amusement and vice that then flourished in the 42nd Street area. The intellectual life of the city and the happiness of a young man hang in the balance. At New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Bruno Walter Auditorium. FREE.
7:30 p.m.
Strange New Worlds with Ray Jayawardhana Soon astronomers expect to find alien “Earths” by the dozens in orbit around distant suns. Before the decade is out, telltale signs that these planets harbor life may be found. If they are, the ramifications for all areas of human thought—from religion and philosophy to art and biology—will be breathtaking. In Strange New Worlds, renowned astronomer Ray Jayawardhana brings news from the front lines of the epic quest to find planets—and alien life—beyond our solar system. At the Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium. $15.
8 p.m.
In a Landscape: Music as a Map Red Light New Music presents In a Landscape: Music as a Map, a concert of music influenced by landscapes and the natural world. Composer John Luther Adams paints in the broad strokes of the wide open spaces as Chaya Czernowin, on the other hand, focuses more on the minute and the fleeting, choosing a close-up lens and a finer brush in her sonic landscapes. Red Light composers Christopher Cerrone and Vincent Raikhel bring their brand new commissions to the program as well. At Symphony Space. $15.
Tuesday
10 a.m.
Hippo Playground Class: Creative Tuesday Art Class Join Marina, an experienced early childhood art teacher, for a creative Tuesday in the Hippo Art Studio. Each week, toddlers ages 2-4 will create artwork inspired by favorite stories, authors, artists, seasons and the ever-inspiring NYC. Classes will be limited to 10 children with accompanying caregivers and will be filled on a first come first served basis. In the Park House at Riverside Park’s Hippo Playground. $15.
12 p.m.
Toe-Tappin’ Tuesdays – Dixieland Jazz with the Gotham Jazzmen The Gotham Jazzmen bring you all your old favorites and more on Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Bruno Walter Auditorium. FREE.
12 p.m.
Eastside Westside Music Together Demo class for early childhood music program. At 48 West 68th Street. FREE.
7 p.m.
Jeffrey Sachs Jeffrey Sachs, economist and director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and author of the bestseller The End of Poverty, discusses his new book, The Price of Civilization, his blueprint for America’s recovery. At the 82nd Street Barnes & Noble. FREE.
7 p.m.
Irish American Writers and Artists Salon For the IAW&A Salon, participants will have up to ten minutes to present in the medium of their choice: reading, poetry, comedy, music, etc. Works in progress are welcome. If they choose, participants can use part of their allotted 10 minutes to ask for comments or advice from the audience. Others may want to brainstorm for the whole 10 minutes, or simply present their work. At Symphony Space. FREE.
10 p.m.
Cady Finlayson & Vita Tanga Cady Finlayson, fiddle Cady Finlayson offers a spirited fiddle show with a global twist, blending traditional Irish tunes with world rhythms and American folk music. She has performed in 33 states at venues including Carnegie Hall, Cleveland’s State Theatre, Town Hall, and the Great Irish Fair. Her latest CD, “Irish Coffee” received a nomination for “Best Celtic CD of 2007” by the NAR lifestyle Awards. Cady performs both with her full band and as a duo with French guitarist Vita Tanga. At Symphony Space. FREE.
Wednesday
9 a.m.
Walk NYC Walk NYC is a program that encourages New Yorkers of all ages to get fit while enjoying the outdoors. Parks will staff locations throughout the city with trained walking instructors to lead one-hour walks. Meet at 83rd Street & Riverside Drive. FREE.
2 p.m.
Guitar Afternoon Enjoy free live music performed by jazz guitarist Bill Wurtzel and guest musicians each Wednesday from 2 to 3 pm. Folk Art Museum. FREE.
6:30 p.m.
Yoga-Evening Salute to the Sun End your day with relaxing Hatha yoga in a beautiful sunset setting. Suitable for all fitness levels. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing and bring your own mat. In Riverside Park at the plaza around 66th Street. FREE.
7 p.m.
SciCafe: Debunking the Scientific Myth of Race Enjoy cocktails, cutting-edge science, and conversation at this popular after-hours series, which takes place on the first Wednesday of every month. What is the latest scientific evidence about the nature of race and “racial” differences? Museum Curators Ian Tattersall and Rob DeSalle, who recently co-authored a book on the subject, will lead a lively discussion for the first SciCafe of the season. Join DeSalle, an evolutionary geneticist, and Tattersall, a physical anthropologist, for a conversation about the lack of biological evidence for “racial” boundaries among human populations, the evolutionary processes that account for distinctions among Homo sapiens, and the growing body of research from the fields of physical anthropology, genetics, and genomics that indicates there’s no scientific justification for the concept of race. At the Museum of Natural History. FREE (21 and up).
7 p.m.
Steven Pinker The author of “The Stuff of Thought”, Steven Pinker, discusses his latest work, “The Better Angels of Our Nature”, a book that explores humankind’s thrust towards violence and the better angels that attempt to pull us back. At the 82nd Street Barnes & Noble. FREE.
8:30 p.m.
Bar Trivia TriviaTryst was founded in NYC in 2009 by Bryce Galen after realizing that pub quizzes were fun, but there was potential for a new type of trivia night with music, energy and popular appeal! At Symphony Space’s BAR Thalia. FREE.
Thursday
12:30 p.m.
Eastside Westside Music Together Demo class for early childhood music program. At 48 West 68th Street. FREE.
6 p.m.
Liederabend Pianists from Juilliard’s Collaborative Piano Department perform vocal repertoire with singers from the Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts. At Paul Hall. FREE.
6 p.m.
Eiko & Koma: A Retrospective of Films Screening of Eiko and Koma videos, including Lament, Husk, Undertow, and Breath. Panel discussion to follow with Jerry Pantzer, Academy and Emmy Award winning filmmaker and Lydia Bell, Retrospective Project Coordinator, moderated by Jan Schmidt, Curator of the Jerome Robbins Dance Division. At New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Bruno Walter Auditorium. FREE.
7 p.m.
Barbara Gordon “I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can” became a classic, published 30 years ago. Barbara Gordon joins Barnes & Noble for the re-release of her memoir, interviewed by Bill Goldstein, a book editor. Bring your NOOK to download Gordon’s The Music Changes, free at the event. At the 82nd Street Barnes & Noble. FREE.
8:30 p.m.
Ben Katchor and Mark Mulcahy: Up From the Stacks Set circa 1970 in the famous Schwartzman building of the New York Public Library and in the environs of Times Square, Up From the Stacks is the story of Lincoln Cabinée, a college student working part-time as a page, retrieving books for readers from the Library’s collection of 43 million items. This routine evening job inadvertently thrusts young Cabinée into the treacherous crossroads of scholarly obsession and the businesses of amusement and vice that then flourished in the 42nd Street area. The intellectual life of the city and the happiness of a young man hang in the balance. At the David Rubenstein Atrium. FREE.
9:30 p.m.
Nick Magliato Enjoy a glass of wine and a snack at Bar Thalia as Nick Magliato performs. At Symphony Space. FREE.
Friday
8 a.m.
Walk NYC Walk NYC is a program that encourages New Yorkers of all ages to get fit while enjoying the outdoors. Parks will staff locations throughout the city with trained walking instructors to lead one-hour walks. Meet at 83rd Street & Riverside Drive. FREE.
8 a.m. (until 1 p.m.)
Green Market Choose from fresh produce & dairy, artisanal breads, baked goods, meats & poultry, honey, eggs. Clothing/textile recycling bin on-site. 97th Street and Columbus.
5 p.m.
Jazz Legend Fall Series Musicians play at Whole Foods. This week: Danny Mixon. At the Columbus Square Whole Foods (at 97th Street). FREE.
5:30 p.m.
Free Music Fridays Jalopy Theatre Presents: A Listening Party and Discussion of Early American Blues 78 rpm Recordings, followed by The East River String Band. At the Folk Art Museum.
7 p.m.
Ethics in Film – Dirty Pretty Things Undocumented immigrants Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Senay (Audrey Tautou) work at a posh London hotel and live in constant fear of deportation. One night, Okwe stumbles across evidence of a bizarre murder, setting off a series of events that could lead to disaster — or freedom. This gritty, complex thriller from director Stephen Frears received an Oscar nod for its screenplay. Sophie Okonedo and Sergi López co-star. Moderator: Sharon Pope. At the Society for Ethical Culture. Suggested donation: $5, includes snacks and beverages.
8 p.m.
Jonesy Jonesy began telling jokes on the stages of comedy clubs in his hometown of Boston in the summer of 2002. Since then, he has spit up a storm at colleges and clubs over the Northeast, Los Angeles, New Orleans and San Francisco. He has participated in numerous Comedy Festivals including the Boston Comedy Fest, Rhode Island Comedy Fest, Los Angeles Comedy Fest, and the New York City Underground Comedy Fest. He can currently be seen nightly on the stages of Gotham Comedy Club, Standup New York, and the Comic Strip Live. At Symphony Space. FREE.
10:30 p.m.
Jazz Patrol Jazz Patrol melds contemporary jazz rhythms and traditional jazz harmony with a combination of electric and acoustic instruments. This blend of rich harmony, aggressive rhythms, and traditional music stylings creates for an engaging listening experience. At Symphony Space. FREE.
Saturday
10 a.m. (until 5)
Kayaking on the Hudson Join the Downtown Boathouse for 20-minute instructional paddles, and explore the Hudson River first hand. Please wear a bathing suit or shorts and a t-shirt, and know how to swim. 72nd St. & the Hudson River. FREE.
11 a.m.
Storytelling at Hans Christian Andersen Each Saturday at 11 am, from June through September, storytellers tell folk and fairy tales from many countries and especially the stories of Hans Christian Andersen. The majority of the audience is adults who know that a good story sustains one throughout the week and often throughout a lifetime. Children over five years old are welcome. 72nd Street and 5th Avenue inside Central Park. FREE.
1 p.m.
Pumpkin Carving Demonstration Join the Hippo Playground Project for this annual event. Watch Master Pumpkin Carver Hugh McMahon carve pumpkins into unique masterpieces. Carved pumpkins will be raffled off. Rain or shine. Riverside Park’s Hippo Playground (91st Street). FREE.
2 p.m.
Women of the Calabash Combining traditional instruments with lush vocals, this renowned group performs original and traditional music from Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas. At Symphony Space. $20.
2:30 p.m.
Silent Clowns Film Series “Spooks on the 2nd Reel: Scary Comedies” Ko-Ko’s Earth Control (Max and Dave Fleischer, 1928), Harold Lloyd in Haunted Spooks (1920), Buster Keaton in The Haunted House (1921), Our Gang in Shootin’ Injuns (1925), Lupino Lane in Who’s Afraid? (1927). Live piano accompaniment by Ben Model. Program presented partnership with the Silent Clowns Film Series. New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Bruno Walter Auditorium. FREE.
9:30 p.m.
Benita Charles Benita Charles is a singer/songwriter/producer who resides in Harlem, NY by way of Detroit “Motown”, Michigan. She’s appeared at various clubs in the New York tri-state area including Crash Mansion, Webster Hall, Kenny’s Castaways, Bitter End, Alphabet Lounge, Upstairs at Rose’s Turn, and the Beacon Theater. At Symphony Space. FREE.
Sunday
10 a.m. (until 5)
Kayaking on the Hudson Join the Downtown Boathouse for 20-minute instructional paddles, and explore the Hudson River first hand. Please wear a bathing suit or shorts and a t-shirt, and know how to swim. 72nd St. & the Hudson River. FREE.
11 a.m.
The Scene @ Tavern: Harvest Festival Expand your fall cooking repertoire at a seasonal cooking demonstration and get some fresh Halloween ideas from master pumpkin carver Hugh McMahon while your kids get their faces painted and decorate a mini pumpkin. At Tavern on the Green (67th Street off Central Park West). FREE.
2:30 p.m.
The Con Brio Ensemble Plays Bruch, Brahms, and Turina Chamber music concert by the Con Brio Ensemble, featuring Anton Miller, violin; Rita Porfiris, viola; André Emelianoff, cello; and Diana Mittler-Battipaglia, piano. New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Bruno Walter Auditorium. FREE.
Ongoing Events
Lincoln Center: American Ballet Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Chamber Music Society, NYC Ballet, War Horse
NYPL for the Performing Arts: Residue: Installation by Eiko & Koma, Marlboro Music at 60
American Museum of Natural History: Ongoing Exhibits
Photo by American Museum of Natural History via flickr.
