The Weekender

This weekend is all about celebrating our neighborhood. I previously blogged about the upcoming screening at AMMI of A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, and it’s this Friday. Have you got your tickets yet? I’ve got mine set for the 9:30. In addition to Dito Montiel being there Chazz Palmenteri will be there as well! From the site it seems that if you go to the early show they will engage the audience in a discussion afterwards whereas the 9:30 they’ll be introducing…bummer. Additionally AMMI is sponsoring an Astoria party in the courtyard with food from the neighborhood being sold starting at 6. This is something I can totally miss Stargate for. That and I can get it taped, hehehe.

If you’re going to the early show then you have time to swing over to Waltz to listen to Melissa Gerstein perform “Art Songs.” Up first- Classical works, batting cleanup, well I just had to take it from their site “Fancy Bread is a frensh and tasty new group fusing classical technique with off-beat jazz and funk rhythms. Founded by operatic mezzo-soprano Melissa Gerstein and guitarist Ethan Hein, the band bakes lightly flaky originals and rich crusty reinterprestations of artists ranging from Bjork to Elliot Carter to Stevie Wonder to the Beatles. If you're a music dork who wants to chuckle, scratch your head and shake your booty all at the same time, you'll want to taste some Francy Bread.” Could not have written better copy myself.

Saturday the party in Astoria continues, but before that do the neighborhood some good and participate in Shore is Clean. Join the LIC/Astoria Waterfront Alliance in cleaning up what would otherwise be a beautiful shoreline. Think about it, the beautiful Manhattan skyline set against the foreground of nasty garbage that nasty people think is ok to pitch into the river. Do something and help clean it up! Tools, gloves, and good company provided along with free snacks for all volunteers. Cleanup held rain or shine-but a thunderstorm cancels the goodwill. Be prepared to get dirty.
Here’s where you can volunteer your time:
10am-12pm:Socrates Sculpture Park, Broadway at Vernon Blvd
10:30am-3pm: Gantry Plaza State Park, 49th Ave at the East River
12-3pm: Socrates Sculpture Park ’s beach at Hallets Cove, 31st Ave at Vernon Blvd
12-3pm: Hallets Cove North, 31st Ave at Vernon Blvd
12-3pm: Astoria Park, War Memorial at Shore Blvd

Afterwards, reward yourself with Socrates Sculpture Park’s 20th Anniversary Celebration! The party gets underway at 12pm, but you'll have time to get home and clean up if you spent your early afternoon cleaning the shoreline to make it back in time to be honored for your good deeds at 4pm.
Some highlights include:
Socrates Sculpture Park’s 20th anniversary book available
Live Music by Citigrass, Coko Sukali and Indofunk & Performances by Sunnyside Drum Corps, Brazileirando Dance Group, Circus Amok, Miss Saturn and DJ Luz Mob
Free artmaking workshops with Socrates Sculpture Park artists
FacePainting by Agostino Arts.
Food available from Five Star Punjabi Restaurant and Opa! Souvlaki and Kids' fare from Bel-Aire Diner.
Flat rate shuttle service to and from the N subway line with Manhattan Rickshaw Company.
All at the newly cleaned shoreline at the East River with the new installation the 2006 Emerging Artist Fellowship Exhibition (which opened last week and I hurt to much to blog about on Friday)

LATE BREAKING NEWS: Socrates Sculpture Park's website has updated to say that the party has been moved to Sunday.

Saturday is also the opening of the Art-o-Mat exhibit Paintings and Prints by Sharon Florin, the second in the See LIC Art Series. The exhibit includes selected paintings and prints from an extensive body of oil paintings created by Florin over a period of 30 years in which she’s documented the changing face of Long Island City’s Hunters Point neighborhood.

Sunday (and Saturday too) AMMI has a whole bunch of cool sounding demonstrations at various times, such as: Kinetoscope, interactive animation stands, video games, sound editing and film editing.

If the weather holds, kayak on the east river Sunday.
I’ll update if I can confirm Hell Gate Social will be having a movie.
Hopefully the Irish Rover starts up their Sunday trivia nights sometime soon.

Make it a good one!