The Weekender

I love me some rain. Especially warm spring rain. Most especially when that rain washes away all the icky nasty ice that is still all over the neighborhood. I want to take my cart out for a stroll to the Laundromat and the grocery store-but not if I’m going to get stuck in ice and muck.

Tonight head over to Waltz. If there’s an act you catch there it should be Annie Fitzgerald. She has such a great voice, wonderful melodies and awesome lyrics. Check out her myspace page to sample some tunes. I can be a music snot, and I really like what I heard today. I try not to accept myspace friend requests from bands. If it’s something I like, I’ll just bookmark the page. This here gal I’m friend requesting-I think she’s that good and she’ll be going places. There’s something great about discovering new, great and as of yet unheard of artists. Waltz is just the local spot providing us Astorians with great music. She goes on at 9 and it’s a $5 cover (reasonable) and a $7 minimum purchase (which should be easy to accomplish).


Waltz seems to like it’s the place to be on weekends (oh why aren’t you or something like you closer to Broadway?! Oh yeah-probably too pricey and/or you’re not a trashy euro lounge). This Saturday from noon-7pm head over for their weekly Mini Arts and Flea Market. Stop by to support local craftiness or contact them about selling your own craftiness.

Later that night at 9 they host their monthly Talk Wine Series. 7 reds paired with tasty treats to go with the flavors. Kevin Rose won’t be able to host and do any actual talking but you can still head over and sample all the tasty wines for a participation fee of $25.

If you’d rather get your groove thang on then put on your walking shoes and head over to Hell Gate Social since Astoria’s own DJ Lo-Fi will be spinning the groovy tunes starting at 9:30. Word on the street is he’s throwing in some extra 80’s flavor for those missing it the last time he was there. No cover for this one.

Saturday beware of Ferrari Driving School cars around 3:00 if you live near the movie theatre. I’ll be having my evaluation for driving lessons. I’ve never done anything close to driving a car before in my life. Hell, I can’t even ride a bike. Be afraid, be very afraid. They are actually making me attempt to drive. Anyone want to tell me what’s where in a car?

If your’re feeling artsy fartsy this weekend here’s a sampling of what’s happening at our local art spaces:

PS1-they have multiple new exhibits that have only been up for about 2 weeks.
Not For Sale
Sillicone Valley
Tom Sandberg
Vik Muniz: Reflex
Jonas Mekas: The Beauty of Friends Being Together Quartet
Abbas Kiarostami: Image Maker

Noguchi Museum
Shin Banraisha: A Cultural Memory

Chocolate Factory Theatre
Drifting Awake

AMMI
Screening Mondo Cane as part of the Great Documentaries series.
Also: Climates and Army of Shadows at 2, 4:30 and 6:30 respectively.

The Sculpture Center
Monica Bonvicini: Never Missing A Line


This oughtta keep you occupied. Make it a great weekend. And run if you see me in the drivers side of a car!

PS-LATE BREAKING
Lookie at what I just read about:
TONIGHT (Friday) at Last Resort...
9:30 Dami (folk)10:30 slow/dynamite (experimental)
11:30 Va Va China (jazz electro)
12:30 Highway Gimps (rock psych)
with DJ Ex Machina playing techno and industrial tunes from 1:30 on
Last Resort is a new music venue "inconveniently located in Queens". That's what the nonsensenyc list-serv has to say about us. Be that as it may, our last show was a ragingly good time, with or without the endorsement of the Williamsburg hipsterati. Come out tonight for an eclectic lineup of good music.
Cost: $4 suggested donation (money goes straight into the drywall fund so we can construct gallery space/a projection wall)
All ages
Byob
Indoor bicycle parking
Directions:Last Resort Art Space is at 8-63 Astoria Blvd between 8th St and 12th St. Don't ring the buzzer, just come to the 2nd floor.
SUBWAY from anywhere: N/W line to 31st St/Astoria Blvd. Walk west (aka the direction of decreasingly numbered cross streets) for 15 minutes.
Alternative SUBWAY from anywhere: (If you go this way it's only an 11 minute walk BUT if you can't follow directions you'll get lost and we'll have no sympathy.) N/W line to 30th Ave. Walk west (in the direction of decreasingly numbered cross streets) on 30th Ave til 21st St. Cross the street and make a right. Walk to 29th Ave and make a left. Walk to the intersection with 12th St. 12th St intersects 29th Ave at an oblique angle and looks like an alley. Make a right onto it anyway. Walk one very short block to Astoria Blvd. Cross the street and make a left. Last Resort is a few doors down on your right.