EVENTS WEDNESDAY 7/31 Around Town Barefoot Dancing Let your tootsies ...
Around Town
Barefoot Dancing Let your tootsies loose on this 28-acre public garden w/casual dance instruction followed by open dancing; Wave Hill, W. 249th St. (Independence Ave.), 718-549-3200; 7-8:30, $4, $2 st./s.c.
Black Pride NYC Award Cocktail Reception WBLS' Wendy Williams hosts night honoring leaders of color incl. svelte Rev. Al Sharpton & Borough President C. Virginia Fields for improving the lives of gay persons of color; New York Brooklyn Marriott, 333 Adams St. (Willoughby St.), 212-613-0097; 8-10, $60, $50 two or more tkts.
Farmers Market Eight farm stands offer home-grown organic produce, fresh cut flowers, cooking herbs & NY wines, cheeses, breads, eggs & baked goods; Tulip Tree Allée, NY Botanical Garden, 200th St. (Southern Blvd.), Bronx, 718-817-8700; 10-3, free to look.
House of Field/Patricia Field Sample Sale All merchandise is 50-80% off! Patricia Field helps outfit you just like the queens of Wigstock or Sex and the City; Patricia Field, 242 W. 38th St., 6th fl. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.), 212-382-1940; 11-7, free. [repeats Thurs. & Fri.].
Qi Gong Tony Lee teaches you to integrate the body, mind & breath, while strengthening the immune system; 70th St. Pier, fish table in Riverside Park S., Riverside Dr. (68th St.), 212-408-0219; 7:30 p.m., free.
Salute to the Sun: Hatha Yoga for Beginners, but all levels are welcome to join Ruth Vargas' after-work yoga?bring mat & wear loose clothing; 70th St. Pier, fish table in Riverside Park S., Riverside Dr. (68th St.), 212-408-0219; 6:30 p.m., free [through 8/28].
Summer Beach Party Celebrate summer in style at Printing House Fitness & Racquet Club's annual party feat. music, food, fabulous prizes, complimentary classes & more; Printing House Fitness & Racquet Club, 421 Hudson St. (Leroy St.), 212-243-7600; 5:30-8:30, free.
Twilight Tours Prospect Park Alliance invites you to discover nocturnal wildlife (bats, raccoons & night-herons) in its waterways & forests during leisurely cruise aboard The Independence & some walking?refreshments & binoculars are provided; the Audubon Center, the Boathouse, Lincoln Rd. (Ocean Ave.), 718-287-3400; 6-8, $5.
Wednesday Night Skate NY recreational skate group moves in giant swarms through Central Park, Union Square, the Brooklyn Bridge & more; meet at Union Sq. N. (17th St.), 212-696-7247; 8, free.
Family
"Children's Books in Performance" Film series pres. Happy Families theme feat. Dave Fleischer's Koko's Earth Control (1928), film adaptation of Mr. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1919) from the book by Alice Caldwell Hegan Rice, plus 1994's Little Women?music accompanies films; Donnell Library Center Aud., 20 W. 53rd St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-621-0609; 2:30, free.
The Peter Pan Game ABBA is Swedish & they have a song called "I'm a Marionette"?coincidence? I think not! Anyway, this take on Never Never Land feat. new marionettes, hand-painted scenery & original score?plus ask questions & learn the workings of marionettes; Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, Central Park, 79th St. (midpark), 212-988-9093, res. req.; 10:30 a.m. & 12 p.m., $6, $5 contrib. [repeats Thurs., Fri., Mon. & Tues.].
Sarah, Plain & Tall Theatreworks/USA pres. musical based on Patricia MacLachlan's novel of the same name about life on the American prairie of 1800s?for ages 8 & over; Lucille Lortel, 121 Christopher St. (betw. Hudson & Bleecker Sts.), 212-627-7373; 2 & 6:30, free [repeats Thurs. & Tues. at 10:45 & 2, Fri. at 2 & 6:30, Sat. at 2, Sun. at 3, through 8/14].
Film/Video
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart Premiere of Sam Jones's 16 mm b&w documentary on alt/country band Wilco, their ordeals during recording of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot & their ultimate major-label rejection. Geez, for a bunch of guys no longer being pimped by mainstream media, they're sure overexposed lately; Cinema Village, 22 E. 12th St. (betw. 5th Ave. & University Pl.), 212-924-3364; call for sched., $9.
Kissing Jessica Stein Popular, contemporary, New York-Jewish-neurotic-lesbian-romantic comedy screens at Makor, 1395 Lexington Ave. (92nd St.), 212-996-1100; 7:30 & 9:30, $9-$15 [repeats Thurs.].
Maldone, by acclaimed French director Jean Grémillon, closes out two-week retrospective at BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Ave. (Ashland Pl.), Ft. Greene, 718-636-4100; 7, $9.
"Movies Under the Stars" Free outdoor screenings in Hoboken, on the waterfront overlooking the Hudson River, continue w/romantic comedy about prearranged marriage: Monsoon Wedding; Pier A Park, 1st St. (Frank Sinatra Dr.), Hoboken PATH Station, 201-420-2207; 9.
Lectures
Elements of Nature Drawing Using Battery Park City's parks & gardens as a backdrop, participants work w/variety of media during this art class for beginner & advanced students; Battery Park City, Wagner Park, (Battery Pl.), 212-267-9700; 11:30-1:30, free.
Israel 101: History Behind the Headlines Get a better understanding of the history & discuss the future of Israeli/Palestinian conflict; Makor, 35 W. 67th St. (Central Park W. & Columbus Ave.), 212-601-1000; 7, $20, $15 adv.
"Memories of Underdevelopment" Join Martiza Arrastia for screening & discussion on first Cuban film made after the Castro Revolution; Brecht Forum, 122 W. 27th St., 10th fl. (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), 212-242-4201; 7:30, $6
Readings
Blue Road to Atlantis Jay Nussbaum reads from new novel that "intertwines a spiritual parable with Hemingway's classic, The Old Man and the Sea"; Barnes & Noble, 240 E. 86th St. (betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.), 212-794-1962; 7, free.
Drastic Maud Casey (The Shape of Things to Come) reads from new collection of shorts at Village Barnes & Noble, 4 Astor Pl. (betw. Lafayette St. & B'way), 212-420-1322; 7:30, free.
The Gambler "Gay New York City writer" John Chism reads from new screenplay based on Dostoevsky's dark novel. And don't worry, John says there'll be some straight characters in his version, too?whew!; Shelter Theater, 250 W. 54th St. (8th Ave.), 718-802-9708; 8, $5.
New American Literary Magazines are now on display (although unlike Barnes & Noble, there is no cafe) at the DeWitt Wallace Periodical Room, New York Public Library's Humanities & Social Sciences Library, 5th Ave. (42nd St.), 212-869-8089; call for times, free [through 8/17].
Novelist Elizabeth Maguire reads from Thinner, Blonder, Whiter?which, despite appearances, is not the latest installment of the Bridget Jones cannon (page count was too high to even be considered)?today at New York's real Filthy MacNasty's; Rocky Sullivan's, 129 Lexington Ave. (betw. 28th & 29th Sts.), 212-725-3871; 8, free.
Workshops
Health Issues Anonymous Twelve-step group for those living w/a health concern; St. Luke's-Roosevelt Center, 324 W. 108th St. #205 (betw. B'way & Riverside Dr.), 212-362-7214; 5:30-7, free.
THURSDAY 8/1
Around Town
Dancing on the Plaza Central Park Conservancy lets you jump, jive & wail, swing style?first w/instruction, then groove solo 'til 8:30; the plaza, Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, Central Park, 110th St. (5th Ave.), 212-860-1370; 6, free.
Fifth-Annual Rock'n'Rollerblade RollerDisco party rivaling Roxy's! All-ages can check out the mobile skatemobile feat. free skate & protective gear rentals & blasting WKTU beats?coming to a borough near you; Leif Ericson Park, 65th St. (5th Ave.), Bklyn, 888-NYPARKS; 6:30-9:30 p.m., free.
"First Thursday" Venture into Brooklyn to take advantage of Atlantic Ave. stores (mostly antique & boutiques) & Middle Eastern restaurants staying open till 10 p.m., plus there's live music at the Melting Pot & Gumbo; Atlantic Ave. (betw. Nevins & 3th Aves.), 12-10 p.m.
Greenwich Village at Twilight Big Onion Walking Tours explores legendary home of artists & radicals w/stops at the Jefferson Market Courthouse & homes of Edith Wharton & e.e. cummings; meet at Washington Sq. Arch, 5th Ave. (Washington Sq. N.), www.bigonion.com, 212-439-1090; 6:30, $12, $10 st./s.c.
Julia Child's 90th Birthday One of only 20 restaurants in the nation, L'Ecole, pres. host Jacques Pepin's three-course meal (served w/wine) in honor of Ms. Child's big day?benefits Julia Child Endowment Fund; L'Ecole, 462 B'way (Grand St.), RSVP 646-254-7506; 7 p.m., $275, $375 incl. seat at Jacques Pepin's table.
Valvoline Instant Oil Change "Famous Cars Roadshow" Traveling exhibit begins in NYC w/Dukes of Hazzard's Tom Wopat (Luke Duke) & displays cars from the Flintstones, Beverly Hillbillies & Back to the Future to benefit Charity Cars, Inc.; Planet Hollywood, 1540 B'way (betw. 45th & 46th Sts.), 212-889-6401; 11 a.m., free.
Family
Afternoon Chess Teens who haven't succumbed to the allure of Grand Theft Auto 3 can learn strategy in a more constructive way Thursday afternoons through the summer. Chess in the park is free, lessons are also available Mondays for a $56 fee; Nelson A. Rockefeller Park (Chambers St.), 212-267-9700; 3:30-5:30.
Tick, Tock: Time in Art Children ages 5-10 & adult companions explore the Museum's permanent collection & temporary exhibitions through activities & discussions in MoMA's "One-at-a-Time Gallery Talks." Each week is a new theme. Note: MoMA is now temporarily located in Queens, even though the phone number is the same; Museum of Modern Art, 33rd St. at Queens Blvd., LIC, 212-708-9400; 3, $5/family.
River & Blues: The Threads Music group the Threads incorporates jazz, rock, world music, modern relationships & soci-political commentary into a mix that's fun for the whole family; Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Park, Battery Park City (betw. Battery Pl. & W. Side Hwy.), 212-267-9700; 7, free.
Young Dancers in Repertory offers tuition-free dance classes for children ages 4-14. So kick up your heels & head to Sunset Park, 44th St. (6th Ave.), Bklyn, 718-567-9620; 10:30-12, free.
Film/Video
Black Picket Fence Brooklynite Sergio Goes' doc. exposing shocking reality of life in East New York public housing screens as part of "BFN Brooklyn Independents" series (q&a w/filmmaker follows 6:30 showing); BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Ave. (Ashland Pl.), Ft. Greene, 718-856-1137; 4:30, 6:30, 9:10, $9, $6 st./s.c.
"Brooklyn Bridge Park Summer Film Series" My American Girls finishes off four-week series of free film at Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, Water St. (betw. Manhattan & Brooklyn Bridges), 718-802-0603; 8:45, concessions available.
"David Bowie: Sound + Vision," five-part screening celebrates 30th anniversary of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars. We're on "Part Two, 1974-76," in which our hero becomes even more bizarre; Museum of Television & Radio, 25 W. 52nd St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-621-6800; call for times, $6 [through 9/14].
Harlem Week 2002 Black Film Festival Fifteenth-annual showing of 40 rarely screened & independent flicks. Tonight's program feat. Anna Lucasta (6:30) & St. Louis Blues (8:05); Art Gallery of the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Bldg., 163 W. 125th St. (7th Ave.), 212-749-5298, www.aboutharlemarts.org; $5, $4 st./s.c. [repeats daily, through 8/17].
Metropolis Digitally restored 35mm print of Lang's science fiction epic extents its run, and new recording of the original orchestral score has got to be eons better than the synth-laden restoration that made the rounds in the 90s; Film Forum, 209 W. Houston St. (Varick St.), 212-727-8110; 1, 3:15, 5:35, 8, 10:15, $9.75.
North by Northwest Hitchcock's naughty, 1959 film noir starring Cary Grant & Eve Marie Saint screens after live performance by jazzy "Sex Mob" as part of "Celebrate Brooklyn" series at Prospect Park Bandshell, 9th St. (Prospect Park W.), Park Slope, 718-855-7882 x45; 7:30, contrib.
Readings
My Legendary Girlfriend Mike Gayle crosses the pond to promote his first novel, billed as "the male Bridget Jones," which received a negative review from Publisher's Weekly, yet is currently clocking in at 18,288 on Amazon.com. Thankfully, Denise Bozman from Bowie, MD finally weighed in?"This was a great book. Its [sic] the only book I have ever read that takes place over only 4 days"; Village Barnes & Noble, 4 Astor Pl. (betw. Lafayette St. & B'way), 212-420-1322; 7:30, free.
Why I'm Like This: True Stories Actor/juggler/mime Cynthia Kaplan appears to hawk memoir (w/requisite photo of author as a child on the cover?thanks for yet another atrocity against art, indie rock!); Barnes & Noble, 240 E. 86th St. (betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.), 212-794-1962; 7, free.
Workshops
Tastes of the Southwest Explore the cooking & food history of America's Southwest w/chef Melissa Homann. Reception & sampling to follow; American Craft Museum, 40 W. 53rd St. (5th & 6th Aves.), 212-956-3535; 6, $5 & mus. adm.
FRIDAY 8/2
Around Town
Co-Ed Soccer World Cup fever doesn't have to end! Relive your favorite soccer moments, learn why those guys are so out of breath or just kick the ball around w/coach Martin Jacobson?all levels are welcome, but don't wear cleats!; soccer field, Riverside Park S., Riverside Dr. (68th St.), 212-408-0219; 7:30 p.m., free.
Homo Harlem Tour Michael Adams leads you through the underground world of gay Harlem feat. homes & haunts of Langston Hughes, Wallace Thurman, Edna Thomas & Olivia Wyndham?as part of Black Pride NYC; 21 W. 122nd St., garden level (betw. Lenox Ave. & Mt. Morris Park W.), 212-426-5757; 3, $25, $35 w/Sette Panni pastries [repeats Sat. at 10 a.m., $25, $40 w/Spoon Bread lunch buffet].
You Can Camp on the Beach! We didn't believe it either, but it's true! Bring the camping basics & fish, barbecue or relax outdoors where there are stars; Fort Tilden, Rockaway, 718-318-4304; call for times, $50 per group of 6.
Family
Sunset Jam on the Hudson Young & old join West African & Middle Eastern drumming specialists in call & response, traditional & creative drumming?borrow a instrument or bring one from home; Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Park, Battery Park City (betw. Battery Pl. & W. Side Hwy.), 212-267-9700; 6:30, free.
Film/Video
Big Pun: Still Not a Player World premiere screening of doc. traces rise & fall of Puerto Rican rapper, Christopher "Big Punisher" Rios, w/appearances by Nas, Noreaga & DJ Premiere as part of third-annual NY International Latino Film Festival; French Institute's Florence Gould Hall, 55 E. 59th St. (betw. Madison & Park Aves.), 212-726-2358; 8, call for price.
"Rooftop Films" Weekly showcase of independent shorts screened on top of a Brooklyn building. This week, comedy from Ohio: "Come and Get It"; 265 McKibbin St. (Bushwick Ave.), 877-786-1912, www.rooftopfilms.com for info, 8:30, $6 [through 9/13].
"Take Me to the River" Hudson River Park's series of movies, concerts, plays & dance performances screens the 1985 classic that made John Cusack a viable presidential candidate, Better Off Dead, w/free popcorn!; Hudson River Park's Pier 25, N. Moore St. (West St.), 212-533-PARK; 8, free.
Readings
Pink Pony Reading Series Nothing says Friday night like?the poetry of Frank Lima & Vicki Hudspith; Cornelia St. Cafe, 29 Cornelia St. (6th Ave.), 212-989-9319; 6, $6.
Workshops
Psychology Discussion Group Discuss gay life w/other men & women; Lesbian & Gay Community Services Center, 208 W. 13th St. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.), 212-228-5153; 8, $5.
Tai Chi Battery Park City hosts free weekly class at Esplanade Plaza, Liberty St. bridge (Church St.), 212-267-9700; 8:30 a.m.
SATURDAY 8/3
Around Town
Family Day People of Color in Crisis sponsors outdoor celebration of life & love feat. children's games, cultural vendors, entertainment, free food, dance & fun?as part of Black Pride NYC; Ft. Greene Park, (betw. Dekalb & Myrtle Aves.), Bklyn, 212-613-0097; 12-7, free.
Kustom Kills & Hot Rod Thrills The Rumblers Car Club parties like it's 1959 w/pre-64 Rods & classic cars, bbq, drinks, prizes & 12 bands incl. Kings of Nuthin', Turbo AC's & Tombstone Brawlers at Union Pool, 484 Union Ave. (Stillman St.), Williamsburg, 718-609-0484; $15, $12 adv.
Our Borough's Own Beer: The Brooklyn Brewery Prez & co-founder, Steve Hindy, leads you through the history of the company & brewing methods?beer tasting is a definite possibility!; Brooklyn Brewery, 79 N. 11th St. (betw. Wythe Ave. & Berry St.), 718-788-8500 x208; 2, $8, $5 st./s.c.
Second-Annual Harlem Renaissance Farmers Market Harlem Renaissance Economic Development Corp. pres. flowers, handcrafted soaps, local farm-fresh produce?plus music to shop by; Lenox Ave./Malcolm X. Blvd. (betw. 111th & 112th Sts.), 212-932-2141; 8 a.m.-4 p.m., free [through 12/20].
Family
Family Art Project: Shades of Summer Create your own custom made sunglasses for visions of lush gardens & river scenery seen through rose (or blue or green or purple) colored glasses; Wave Hill, 675 W. 252nd St. (Indep. Ave.), Bronx, 718-549-3200 x211; 1 & 4, free w/adm.
"Folklore & Fairytales" Storytelling series feat. colorfully costumed performers acting out tales, continues w/the return of the Brothers Grinn; Everett Children's Adventure Garden, NY Botanical Garden, Bronx River Pkwy. (Fordham Rd.), Bronx, 718-817-8700; 2 & 3, $6, $4 st./s.c., $2.50 for child 12 & under.
Little Red Riding Hood: Little Red, Girl from the Hood Multicultural adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood walks fine line between the Brothers Grimm & Ice Cube lyrics. Find out if this modernization is clever or just tiresome in this installment of "Tales in the Park" at QMA, children's theater using the park itself as a stage?blankets & pillows are encouraged for mobile, DIY seating; Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens Museum of Art, Grand Central Pkwy. (Northern Blvd.), 718-592-9700 x222; 1:30, $5 contrib.
Playday This "interactive day of family fun" opens Lincoln Center's Out of Doors Festival feat. Flamenco dance, subway musicians, puppets & clowns courtesy of the Big Apple Circus & Alice Farley Dance Theater & Carmen: A Giant Puppet Opera by the Pupeteer's Cooperative of Boston & New York. Later, Arlo Guthrie in the Damrosch Park Bandshell; Lincoln Center Out of Doors; North Plaza, 65th St. (betw. B'way & Amsterdam Ave.), 212-875-5108; 2-6, free.
Storytelling in the Park Children of all ages are welcome to hear classic tales in idyllic setting?today Drew Gibson tells "The Mahabarata"; Hans Christian Andersen statue, Central Park, 72nd St. (5th Ave.), www.dianewolkstein.com; 11, free.
Film/Video
"Cinema of Shadows: The Hollywood Film Noir" series continues w/Robert Siodmak's Phantom Lady; YWCA, 610 Lexington Ave. (53rd St.), 212-735-9717; 4:30, $7 [repeats Sun.].
Traveling Film South Asia Fifteen docs by emerging filmmakers from India, Nepal, Pakistan & Bangladesh, which incorporate current issues in these regions, begin their week-long run at IndoCenter of Arts & Culture, 530 W. 25th St. (betw. 10th & 11th Aves.), 212-462-4221; call for sched., $10-$20/film [through 8/8].
SUNDAY 8/4
Around Town
Beach Party & Cultural Celebration Festival Black Pride NYC's blow out party at gay-friendly beach feat. live entertainment, games, vendors, exotic foods & fun; Riis Beach & Baseball Field, Rockaway, Queens, 212-613-0097; 11-7, free.
Left Foot Forward Bob Erler & Bob Palmer recount the unconventional history & architectural response of Greenwich Village & Noho incl. the Triangle Fire, 1961 Right to Sing protest, Walt Whitman's hang-out & collapse of the Grand Central Hotel; meet at the Peace Bldg., 339 Lafayette St. (Bleecker St.), 718-264-3021, 2:30, contrib.
Park to Park One Miler Good Luck! Manhattan Island Foundation hosts third-annual one mile swim for fools??deemed unsafe for swimming by Health Department?ages 15 & over in Hudson River's 78-degree water from South Cover to Pier 26; South Cove, Battery Park City (2nd Pl.), 800-NYC-SWIM, www.nycswim.org; 2:45, $50-$55.
Family
Ballet Fiesta Mexicana Bringing the experience of Mexico's folklore, dance & regional costume to thousands of students through rich & diverse repertory. Part of the Latino Cultural Festival 2002; Queens Theatre in the Park, Flushing Meadows Corona Park (Grand Central Pkwy.), 718-760-0064 res. req.; 3, $5 adults, kids free.
Etiquette Classes for Children Mortified that your children have improperly greeted the Japanese ambassador? Scandalized when they fumble w/escargot at society dinners? At these classes, children age 6-18 receive hands-on instruction from a professional certified etiquette expert, incl. how to create proper place settings w/fine china & how to handle "difficult" foods, sponsored by the Plaza Hotel's "Young Plaza Ambassadors" program; Plaza Hotel, 5th Ave., 3rd fl. (59th St.), RSVP 212-843-9316; 11:30 a.m.; $40-$75 incl. lunch.
Readings
KGB Fiction Rebecca Donner & Emily Chenworth (former & current KGB fiction curators, respectively) read from new work. Come on, you didn't actually think they were putting up w/obsessive compulsive scribblers all these years just for shits & giggles?; KGB, 85 E. 4th St. (betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.), 212-505-3360; 7, free.
Unorganicized Reading Oh, the always-appropriate allusion to Taxi Diver?high school seniors will smile in smug self-satisfaction during this open reading at ABC No Rio, 156 Rivington St. (betw. Suffolk & Clinton Sts.), 212-254-3697; 3, free.
Workshops
Aggressive Inline Skating Grind your soul on the ramps & rails at Battery Park City?beginners & advanced skaters welcome; Battery Park City, North Esplanade (Chambers St.), 2:30, free [through 10/31].
Salsa Crash Course Remedy your two Latin left feet w/this crash course; Dance Manhattan, 39 19th St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-807-0802. 12-4, call for prices.
Walking Tour of Manhattan's "Lower South Side" Explore important Jewish sites in Battery Park City & the Financial District such as Jewish "Plymouth Rock" & Castle Garden?the first Ellis Island; Museum of Jewish Heritage, 18 First Pl. (Battery Pl.), 212-968-1800; 2, $7, $5 st./s.c.
MONDAY 8/5
Around Town
Swedish Institute Open House covers admission requirements, financial aid & masters program questions?plus Swedish massage & Shiatsu demos; Swedish Institute, 226 W. 26th St. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.), 212-924-5900 x146; 6:15, free.
Family
Advanced Art Instructor Miki Iwamura teaches free weekly course in Battery Park City for "skilled artists" (ages 10-18). Participants apply drawing & painting techniques to still-lifes & landscapes, practice sculpting skills & participate in projects such as printmaking & t-shirt design; Nelson A. Rockefeller Park, (Chambers St.), 212-267-9700, res. req.; 4-5:30, free.
Food Fight! TADA!, NYC's leading youth theater, pres. its ongoing summer series of "Musical Theater Week-longs," where kids 8-18 learn to sing, dance & act in productions of original musicals. Courses run Mon.-Fri.; TADA! 15 W. 28th St., 3rd fl. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-252-1619; 9:30-2:30, call for details & prices.
Film/Video
"Bryant Park Summer Film Festival" Free outdoor festival continues 10-year "stars under the stars" run every Mon. night. This week, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, which earned Katharine Hepburn her second Oscar (bring a blanket to sit on & arrive early); 6th Ave. (42nd St.), 212-512-5700, www.hbobryantparkfilm.com; sunset [through 8/19].
"Fear and Fury: The American Cinema of Fritz Lang" After a successful series last winter, BAM offers yet another retrospective on this German turned Hollywood filmmaker, but this time around it's for his career in the states. Appropriately enough, Lang's American debut from 1936, Fury, starring Spencer Tracy, kicks off the program; BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Ave. (Ashland Pl.), Ft. Greene, 718-636-4100; 4:30, 6:50, 9:10, $9 [repeats Tues., through 10/1].
The Harder They Come Portrayal of Jamaica not offered in tourist guides, starring Jimmy Cliff; Brecht Forum, 122 W. 27th St., 10th fl. (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), 212-242-4201; 7:30, $6-$10 sliding scale.
"Mondo Mondays" series screens the once X-rated feature, Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?, starring Milton Berle & Joan Collins; Den of Cin, Two Boots, 44 Ave. A (betw. 3rd & 4th Sts.), 212-254-0800; 8, $5.
Readings
Faith Sharon Salzberg's memoir of a Buddhist; Village Barnes & Noble, 4 Astor Pl. (betw. Lafayette St. & B'way), 212-420-1322; 7:30, free.
Smokin' Word What's in a title? Hopefully not much for the sake of this new open mic where, no doubt, for ten big ones the president of Random House himself will be judging; Nell's, 246 W. 14th St. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.), 212-675-1567; 7:30, $10.
Workshops
Stretch Your Mind World music pioneer Jai Uttal leads Kirtan yoga workshop at Jivamukti Yoga Center; 404 Lafayette St., 3rd fl. (betw. Astor Pl. & E. 4th St.), 212-353-0214; 8, $5 sugg. don.
TUESDAY 8/6
Around Town
Pure Country NYC Weekly country stomp & music night w/line dance lessons from Rona Kaye & complimentary partner; Jack Rose, 771 8th Ave. (47th St.), 212-247-7518; 6:30, $13.
Tuesday Night Trivia It's probably not as fun as VH1's Rock & Roll Jeopardy, but prizes incl. $10-$25 bar tabs; Baggot Inn, 82 W. 3rd St. (betw. Thompson & Sullivan Sts.), 212-477-0622; 7:30, free.
Family
Young Dancers in Repertory offers tuition-free dance classes for children ages 4-14, so kick up your heels & head to McKinley Park, 75th St. (Ft. Hamilton Pkwy.), Bklyn, 718-567-9620; 10:30 a.m., free.
Film/Video
"Visions, Versions & Communities of New York" screens Woody Allen's portrait of 40s Brooklyn, Radio Days; the New-York Historical Society, 2 W. 77th St. (Central Park W.), 212-873-3400; 6:30, $5, $3 st./s.c. [through 8/20].
Readings
Botany of Desire Crazed ex-con on loose in small, seaside resort town can only climax inside of a watermelon?okay, okay, we had hoped to keep this from you, but the truth is even more bizarre?Michael Pollan (which is one vowel away from being really fucking weird) writes about life "from the plant's perspective" (and in college he thought writing a believable heroine would be his biggest challenge: barrom-chi!); Barnes & Noble, 2289 B'way (82nd St.), 212-362-8835; 7:30, free.
Workshops
What Every Gay Man Should Know About Prostate Cancer Malecare pres. Dr. Franklin Lowe, St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital's Assoc. Chairman of Urology, answering your questions at 10 Union Sq. E., 2nd fl. (betw. 14th & 15th Sts.), 212-844-8369; 6, free.