The Weekender

First my apologies for not having a posting the past two weeks. Verizon is the devil’s internet choice. Intermittent connection that would of course go down as I was publishing but then I would lose the whole post and just get pissed off and frustrated.
Grrrrr.
So let’s try this at work, where the connection is solid and it’s a slow morning.

Art-O-Mat starts the weekend off for us with the opening of For the Moment – Portraits and Scenarios by Realist oil painter Ann Leggett. This exhibition of paintings, sculpture, and sketchbooks are influenced by many years of travel, people watching, and a unique life. Reminiscent of Vermeer her darkly rich paintings record how life looks today. Her work glorifies what we see as mundane, capturing contemporary scenes that appear encapsulated in Old World form. Her involvement with Japanese art influences her aesthetic with Eastern color and form.

Later on, head over to Waltz-Astoria to catch a 9pm performance by Warren Kimmel & Vito Pandolfo

A few exhibits at the Sculpture Center are closing tomorrow and they invite the community to join them for Closing Conversation, with Douglas Boatwright, Melissa Dubbin and Aaron S. Davidson, Valerie Hegarty, Matthew Lusk, and Karen Yasinsky. Join Sculpture Center's In Practice artists and artist teams for a walk-through to celebrate and discuss the exhibition Denial is a River. SculptureCenter's staff will discuss the work of In Practice artists Edgar Orlaineta and Wonjoo Park. Hot apple cider (with or without whiskey) will be served.

At the Chooclate Factory Theatre Saturday night: Live Sh--* an intermittent after hours performance party situation curated by Chase Granoff & Chris Peck
November 18 @ 10PM $3 Pronounced "Live Shhhhhhh," "Live Show," or "Live Shit", Live Sh--* is an intermittent after hours performance party situation occupying the Factory's basement and elevator shaft. Highlights include cheap beer and "Old skool style" by DJ White Licorice. Featuring performances by Peter Kerlin, Dirty Pool and Isabel Lewis.

Genesis Repertory, one of News York's most respected off-off Broadway companies comes to Astoria in a big way with a gala musical event at the Advance Island City Mispah Lodge (21-14 30th Avenue 646-226-0370) Saturday night at 8:00 in the main hall. The company presents a musical celebration featuring guest artists as well as artists who work and reside in Astoria. Aside from a bevy of musical and classical works on display that night, the evening will include a grand finale entitled "Ethel Sang Here" a tribute to Ethel Merman, one of Astoria's most famous theatrical citizens – who actually did sing at the meeting hall in her early days. Refreshments will be served. $20 GenesisAstoria@gmail.com . Genesis begins a season of theatrical entertainment starting April 2007 at the Greek Cultural Center on Hoyt Avenue South.

If that’s not your bag Waltz Astoria has a Happy Hour Saturday from 7-9pm with $3 drink specials and snacky snacks for $1. Stay after 9 and get your Scrabble on, or Monopoly or Scategories, whatever board game you fancy, b/c its game night.

I just discovered that Freeze Peach the awesome coffee shop in Northern Astoria has a calendar up with all sorts of goings on. On tap on Sunday there’s a bookswap at 2pm. I’d love to participate but I can’t bear to part with my books. Maybe I can find some I wouldn’t mine ousting off the shelves…my opera librettos from that god awful class I had to take just to have enough credits to graduate? HHHmmmm now maybe I can go and pillage! Oh yeah!

Up & Coming
Christmas comes early to Astoria. The Christmas lights are already lit (for those who keep saying they put them “up” pay attention! J they’re up all year, they just light ‘em up later) Monday courtesy of the Central Astoria Local Development Coalition is the tree lighting on Broadway and Steinway and a visit from Santa at 4:30pm. This also heralds the start of shops staying open later for Christmas shopping. I wonder how much longer until the crap Christmas pop music starts to get piped into the streets. Whatever happened to waiting until at least Thanksgiving for this stuff? I thought the Santa at the Macy’s parade herald’s the start of the Christmas season.
Sorry folks, I’m not a huge fan of Christmas.

By the way, it looks like I’ve been at this for a year. Congrats to me. How am I doing? Anything else you’d like to see? Let me know and leave me a comment.

Next week, hopefully over the weekend I’ll post up info on the Macy’s parade and more simple recipes for thanksgiving. I’ll be eating out with the family this year, so I’ll let you all know how Woodhaven house is.

Make it a great weekend!