EVENTS WEDNESDAY 8/7 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.
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.
NY Blues Cruise Texas Blues queen Marcia Ball performs numbers from her newest album Marcia Ball: Presumed Innocent aboard cruises departing from Pier 16, South Street Seaport, Fulton St., www.bluescruiseny.com, tkts. 212-630-8888; 7 & 9:30 p.m., $40, $35 adv.
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].
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 When it's this hot, you have to skate after dark! 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. Adventure Tales theme feat. Dave Fleischer's Popeye Meets Ali Baba's 40 Thieves (1937) & Raoul Walsh's tinted & toned The Thief of Bagdad (1924)?musical score accompanies films; Donnell Library Center Aud., 20 W. 53rd St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-621-0609; 2:30, free.
Just for Kids portion of Lincoln Center's "Out of Doors" Festival feat. Alice Farley's Dance Theater presentation of puppets, masks & dancing; North Plaza, 65th St. (betw. B'way & Amsterdam Ave.), 212-875-5108; 10:30, free.
The Peter Pan Game ABBA is Swedish & they have a song called "I'm a Marionette"?coincidence? We 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.
"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.
New Filmmakers pres. Something Else program of shorts followed by Jeremy Lerman's movie about three slacker college grads & their attempts at making a living in Omaha, Nebraska Supersonic; Anthology Film Archives, 32 2nd Ave. (2nd St.), 212-505-5181; 6, $8, $5 st./s.c.
"Take Me to the River" Hudson River Park's series of movies, concerts, plays & dance performances, screens the hilariously funny film from 1980 starring Chevy Chase, Bill Murray & Rodney Dangerfield, Caddyshack w/free popcorn; Hudson River Park's Pier 54, 13th St. (West St.), 212-533-PARK; 8, free.
Tugboat Film & Video Festival celebrating tugboats & fleeting passage of time screens full-length feature Nostalgia. Plus shorts: Rachel Amodeo's "Pierre Paulo," Jenny Perlin's "View from Elsewhere," Monika Bravo's "For the Time Being" & Joel Katz's "Dear Carry"; Beekman Annex & Melville Gallery, South St. Seaport Museum, 213 Water St. (betw. Fulton & Beekman Sts.), 212-748-8735; 7, free.
Urbanworld Film Festival Sixth-annual showcase of films incl. 12 features & 28 shorts. Festival kicks off w/Drumline, which chronicles life of Harlem street drummer & the challenges he faces in a University marching band. Barbershop, starring the fabulously funny Ice Cube & Eve, closes out the five-day series. Other highlights incl. Biggie & Tupac & Paid in Full; Loew's 34th St., Loew's Time Sq., Magic Johnson Theater in Harlem & Directors Guild; 212-941-3845, www.uwff.com for complete sched. of events & prices [through 8/11].
Lectures
Birdwatching NYers love their flying rats, ahem?pigeons. Join David Burg for a "lunchtime talk" & informative slide presentation on birdwatching in New York's urban jungle; Urban Wildlife Observation Unit, Madison Square Park, E. 23rd St. (betw. B'way & Park Ave.), 212-980-4575; 12:30, free.
Readings
Amazing Tales of Modern Israel: Life in a Land Where Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins w/Jon Papernick & Jonathan Tel at Makor, 35 W. 67th St. (betw. Columbus & Central Park W.), 212-601-1000; call for times & prices.
Barnes & Noble Is Burnin', Baby And the pigs on the street are freakin' out! Augusten Burroughs (Sellevision) thinks he's walking into a reading of his new memoir, Running with Scissors, but will instead find an (okay, peaceful) protest. Iron your "omniscient narrator or bust" t-shirts & head to Park Slope Barnes & Noble, 267 7th Ave. (6th St.), 718-832-9066; 7:30, free.
House Under Snow Jill Bialosky, editor at Norton & established poet, reads from debut novel about family's unending grief after loss of its father; Barnes & Noble, 240 E. 86th St. (betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.), 212-794-1962; 7, free.
How I Stayed Alive When My Brain Was Trying to Kill Me Susan Rose Blauner offers an "avoiding suicide for dummies" discussion w/advice on utilizing friends, therapists, drugs & 12 step programs. Plus?and most importantly?understanding why you can't seem to get those self-destructive thoughts out of your head; Borders Books, 576 2nd Ave. (betw. E. 31st & E. 32nd Sts.), 212-685-3938; 7, free.
Workshops
Gotham Writer's Workshop Reading Series at the Knitting Factory Relax & hear an evening of short fiction, poetry, memoir, playwriting & the occasional comedy routine; 74 Leonard St. (betw. Church & Broadway), 212-974-8377; 7-8:30, $12 & 2 drink min., 21+.
Health Issues Anonymous 12-step group for those living w/ a health concern; St. Luke's, Roosevelt Center, 324 W. 108th St. (betw. B'way & Riverside Dr.), 212-362-7214; 5:30, free.
THURSDAY 8/8
Around Town
Brooklyn Bridge & Brooklyn Heights Walk across landmark bridge?option to buy?w/Big Onion Walking Tours for spectacular view of Manhattan skyline & learn a little too! Stops incl. Plymouth Church & sites associated w/Arthur Miller, Robert Moses & Norman Mailer; meet at City Hall Park, SW corner of B'way (Chambers St.), 212-439-1090; 6:30, $12, $10 st./s.c.
Dancing on the Plaza Central Park Conservancy lets you salsa your heart out?first w/instruction, then shimmy solo 'til 8:30; Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, the plaza, Central Park, 110th St. (5th Ave.), 212-860-1370; 7, free.
Fifth-Annual Rock'n'Rollerblade RollerDisco party rivaling Roxy's! Everyone is welcome to check out the mobile skating rink coming to a borough near you. This week, travel to Queens & skate to WKTU. Free skate & protective gear rentals!; Cunningham Park, Union Turnpike (196th St.), Queens, 888-NYPARKS; 6:30-9:30 p.m., free.
Free Wine Tastings Bulging eyes, dropped jaws & drool reveal our surprise! Taste Glazebrook wines of New Zeland incl. Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs & Merlot/Cabernet blends?plus cheeses!; 67 Wines & Spirits, 179 Columbus Ave. (betw. 67th & 68th Sts.); D'Vine Wine & Spirits, 764 3rd Ave. (betw. 47th & 48th Sts.); Roque American Bottles, 300 E. 78th St. (betw. 77th & 78th Sts.); Windsor Wine Shop, 1114 1st Ave. (betw. 61st & 62nd Sts.), 800-RED-WINE for more info; 5-7, free.
NY Blues Cruise Thirty years & four Grammy nominations give Roomful of Blues a well deserved place in Blues history. Hear numbers from their newest album aboard cruises departing from Pier 16, South St. Seaport, South St. (Fulton St.), tkts. 212-630-8888; 7 & 9:30 p.m., $35, $30 adv.
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.
From Roadsters to Racecars: Modern Automobiles Children ages 5-10 & adult companions obtain a better understanding of Museum's permanent collection & temporary exhibitions during activities & discussions in MoMA's "One-at-a-Time Gallery Talks." Each week's a new theme; Museum of Modern Art, 33rd St. (Queens Blvd.), LIC, 212-708-9400; 3, $5/family.
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 a.m.-12 p.m., free.
Film/Video
"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].
Metropolis Digitally restored 35mm print of Lang's sci-fi epic extents its run! We've heard that this new recording of the original orchestral score is 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 [through 8/15].
Traveling Film South Asia Fifteen docs by emerging filmmakers from India, Nepal, Pakistan & Bangladesh, which incorporate current issues in these regions, closes out its run today at IndoCenter of Arts & Culture, 530 W. 25th St. (betw. 10th & 11th Aves.), 212-462-4221; call for sched., $10-$20/film.
Lectures
Young Right-Wing Conservatives Unite The New York Sun columnist & critic, Alicia Colon, addresses issues of diversity, pro-life conservatives & more during this NY Young Republican Club general meeting; American Israel Friendship House, 136 E. 39th St. (betw. Lexington & 3rd Ave.), 212-533-4940; 7:30, $8, $2 st.
Readings
The Courage of Strangers: Coming of Age with the Human Rights Movement Jeri Laber, early founder of Human Rights Watch, appears for discussion & signing at Barnes & Noble, 2289 B'way (82nd St.), 212-362-8835; 7:30, free.
Dead Poet?redundant? Not to these good folks, who'll dress up in their best Byron, Browning & Baudelaire (we've got dibs on a postmortem Poe) to read at the Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery (Bleecker St.), 212-614-3040; 7:30, $5.
Omar Tyree reads from his latest, Leslie, which follows various members of a black, first-generation American family; Borders Bookstore, 461 Park Ave. (57th St.), 212-980-6785; 1, free.
Workshops
Sharpen Your Spy Skills Using handheld devices, track the "path of least surveillance" during this unique walking tour of Manhattan; Eyebeam, 540 W. 21st St. (betw. 10th & 11th Aves.), 212-675-1800; 12 & 6, free.
FRIDAY 8/9
Around Town
The Bowery Walk along NYC's most infamous street discovering sites incl. Big Tim Sullivan's HQ, P.T. Barnum's circus, McGuirk's Suicide Hall & the flophouses of America's "skid row"; meet at the Black Cube, Astor Pl. (8th St.), 212-439-1090; 1, $12, $10 st./s.c.
Shabbat Service Get your Jew on! Congregation Beth Simchat Torah holds main service followed by kiddish at Chelsea location; 296 9th Ave. (28th St.), 212-929-9498; 8, free.
You Can Camp on the Beach! Who would've thunk it? Bring camping basics to fish, barbecue or relax outdoors under the stars; Fort Tilden Back Beach, Rockaway, 718-318-4300; call for application & availabilty, $50 per group.
Family
Just for Kids Lincoln Center's "Out of Doors" Festival continues w/the Jiving Lindy Hoppers of London wherein they introduce munchkins to the pleasure of swing; Josie Robertson Plaza at Lincoln Center, B'way (65th St.), 212-875-5108; 10:30 a.m., free.
Sunset Jam on the Hudson Young & old join Pamela Patrick for African-inspired call & response, traditional & creative drumming?borrow a instrument or bring one from home; Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Park, Battery Park City (betw. Battery Pl. & West Side Hwy.), 212-267-9700; 6:30, free.
Film/Video
Harlem Week 2002 Black Film Festival Fifteenth-annual showing of 40 rarely screened & independent flicks. Tonight, Spike Lee double feature: behind-the-scenes & interviews from Do the Right Thing & She's Gotta Have It; Art Gallery of the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Bldg., 163 W. 125th St. (7th Ave.), 212-749-5298, www.aboutharlemarts.org; 6:30, $5, $4 st./s.c. [repeats daily, through 8/17].
King of the Jungle Director Seth Zvi Rosenfeld joins screening of his coming-of-age story, starring John Leguizamo, Rosie Perez & Rosario Dawson, today at Imagenation Digital Soul Cinema, 135 W. 188th St. (betw. 7th & Lenox Aves.), www.imagenationfilfestival.org; 7 & 9:30, $7 [through 8/30].
"Rooftop Films" Weekly showcase of independent shorts screened on top of a Brooklyn building. This week, What is Paper Mache? & shorts; 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 Alfred Hitchcock's thriller, Rear Window w/free popcorn!; Hudson River Park's Pier 25, N. Moore St. (West St.), 212-533-PARK; 8, free.
Readings
Lambs to the Slaughter "Selected new writers [will be] presented to the reading public," and considering the current state of Barnes & Noble's new arrivals section, one has nothing to lose by showing up; KGB, 85 E. 4th St. (betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.), 212-505-3360; 7-9, free.
Pink Pony Reading Series Nothing says Friday night like?the poetry of Frank Simone!; Cornelia St. Cafe, 29 Cornelia St. (6th Ave.), 212-989-9319; 6, $6.
Workshops
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 8/10
Around Town
Crab Crunch No, not another STD lecture! The Hudson River Foundation's Christopher Letts prepares & serves commercially fished blue crabs from water deemed unswimmable by Health Department?we assume no one told the crabs; Pier 26, West St. (N. Moore St.), 212-431-5787; 3-6, free samples.
Music Memorabilia Show Thousands of LPs, 45s, 78s, CDs, books, sheet music, posters & photos in every music category from 1800s to 1980s; Tip Top Shoe Bldg., 155 W. 72nd St., 4th fl. (B'way), 212-579-0689; 10-2, free.
Old Time NYC Gangsters Tour Bring your Metrocard & visit places where famiglia heavies worked, lived, loved & died?often at the hands of others; meet at 147 W. 43rd St. (B'way), 212-475-6914, www.newyorkcity-tours.com; 11 a.m., $20.
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].
2002 Citywide Beach Volleyball Tournament Borough preliminaries take place today, so don some block & be prepared to score! Men's, women's & co-ed games held at Coney Island, Bklyn; Orchard Beach, Bronx; Rockaway Beach, Queens; novices at Riverside Park & pro-am at Central Park, 212-360-8222 for info; 10-6, free.
Village Alliance Walking Tour Ever wonder where exactly Babs got her musical start, Jimi Hendrix built his music studio, or Abraham Lincoln declared "Right makes might"? Find out when Arthur Marks leads a tour of St. Marks Pl.; meet at NW corner of 2nd Ave. (St. Marks Pl.), 212-777-2173; 11:30, free.
Family
Family Art Project: A Summer of Shadow Play Artist & author Jorge Crespo pres. puppet play set in Caribbean rainforest, then he shows you how to create you own; Kerlin Learning Center, Wave Hill, 675 W. 252nd St. (Indep. Ave.), Bronx, 718-549-3200 x211; 1 & 4, free w/adm. [repeats Sun.].
"Folklore & Fairytales" Storytelling series feat. colorfully costumed performers acting out tales, continues w/Story Laurie?we love it when names rhyme; 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.
Fort Fringe Junior Gehnaire pres. children's activities incl. theatre games, music, crafts & storytelling from Tinamarie Panyard, as part of Fringe Festival; La Plaza Garden, 9th St. (Ave. C), 212-631-3612; 12-2, free.
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 modernization is clever use or tiresome abuse of pop culture during this installment of "Tales in the Park" at QMA?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.
Storytelling in the Park Children of all ages are welcome to hear classic tales in idyllic setting?today Raouf Mama tells Benin tale, Fortune's Favorite Child; Hans Christian Andersen statue, Central Park, 72nd St. (5th Ave.), www.centralparknyc.org; 11, free.
Teatro Hugo & Ines Peruvian troupe pres. one-man puppet show of Short Stories, based on daily life for ages 10 & up?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.
Film/Video
"Carnal Knowledge: The Sexual Revolution on Film, 1967-1972" Third weekend of seven-weekend retrospective of foreign, underground, hardcore & underground films that challenged censorship. Tonight, the famous Barbarella, which celebrates Jane Fonda's discovery of sex in go-go boots; American Museum of the Moving Image, 35th Ave. (36th St.), Astoria, 718-784-0077; 2, $8.50, $5.50 st./s.c. [through 9/8].
Lectures
Indigenous Peoples of the Himalayas Sher Malik shares rare insights into the lives of Himalayan tribal communities; American Museum of Natural History, Linder Theater, 79th St. (Central Park W.), 212-769-5200; 1, free w/ mus. adm.
Native American Poetry Reading Local poets of various tribal affiliations share their experiences & perceptions on diverse topics affecting the lives of indigenous peoples locally, nationally, & internationally w/q&a to follow; American Museum of Natural History, Linder Theater, 79th St. (Central Park W.), 212-769-5200; 3, free w/mus. adm.
Workshops
Canoeing Get a river otter's eye view of the city while learning basic canoeing techniques; Crotona Nature Center, Crotona Park, Bronx, Charlotte St. (Crotona Park E.), 212-360-2771; 1, free.
Every Step You Take, I'll Be Watching You? Join the Surveillance Camera Players (SCP) as they use infrared message devices to communicate w/and entertain guards watching security monitors; Eyebeam, 540 W. 21st St. (betw. 10th & 11th Aves.), 212-675-1800; 2, free.
Inline Skating Scraped knees & bruised face got you down? Get "quick tips" on preventing road rash while improving your skating skills?beginners & advanced skaters welcome; Battery Park City, North Esplanade (Chambers St.), 212-267-9700; 2:30, free [through 10/31].
Join Olympic Medalists & Speed Skaters Derek Parra, Joey Cheek & Rusty Smith for an inline skate clinic w/q&a followed by a public skate; Central Park, Wollman Rink, E. 62nd St. (5th Ave.), 212-213-7059; 12, free.
SUNDAY 8/11
Around Town
Fast & Fabulous Cycling Club What a treat! Join NYs lesbian & gay cycling club & pedal from upper Manhattan through lower Westchester County, back down the Hudson River to a W. Village emporium that makes their own ice cream?helmets are required & rain cancels the trip; meet on A train platform, 207th St. stop, 212-567-7160; 9 a.m., free.
Ride the Nostalgia Train Enjoy a day-trip to Coney Island aboard the three-car 1920s D-Type Triplex feat. hand-woven rattan seats, flickering light bulbs, ceiling fans & a really smooth ride?it's one of the heaviest car ever built?as you receive looks of disbelief from folks waiting on platforms; call for meeting location, 718-694-5139 res. req., www.mta.info/museum; 10 a.m., $30, $10 child., free 3 & under.
2002 Citywide Beach Volleyball Tournament Borough winners of men's, women's & co-ed games battle it out, getting down & really dirty in Coney Island Sand; Coney Island, W. 10th St. (Boardwalk), Bklyn, 212-360-8222; 10-6, free.
Workmen's Circle Annual Klezmer Meet Jazz Street Fair Now that we're all aquatinted, make sure to check out fair feat. Tantsn in gas (Dancing in the streets) w/the Golden Land Klezmer Orchestra incl. vocalists Joanne Borts & Wendy Kimball; Madison Ave. (betw. 42nd & 57th Sts.), 212-889-6800 x270; 11-6, performances 12-4.
Family
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.
Film
Cine Movil: Open-Air Cinema Latin Style Weekly outdoor festival of Latin American culture feat. ethnic cuisine & live music, plus classic & contemporary films in Spanish or Portuguese w/English subtitles, begins w/screening of El Santo El Enmascarado de Plata vs. La Invasion de los Marcianos (El Santo Against the Martian Invasion), spoof wherein silver-masked wrestler saves Mexico City from alien life?food & music in the courtyard starts at 6 p.m.; P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, 22-25 Jackson Ave. (46th St.), L.I. City, 718-784-2084; 8, free [through 9/1].
Lectures
"End of Life Issues: Combining the Practical & the Pastoral" Thinking about the end of our lives is not only difficult, but important. Ethical culture leader, Susan Teshu, combines the practical w/the pastoral to bring understanding & compassion to this process; New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 W. 64th St. (Central Park W.), 212-874-5210; 10:30, free.
Fundamentals of Prayer Address the what? how? when? who? & where? of prayer as the High Holy Days approach; the Young Israel of Fifth Ave., 3 W. 16th St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-255-4826; 11, free.
Readings
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.
Woodstock Poetry Festival today at Marcus Garvey Park, 124th St. (5th Ave.), 212-330-8012; 12-5, 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].
Meteor Shower Meditation Enjoy peaceful guided meditation during a spectacular sky show; Salt Marsh Nature Center, Marine Park, Bklyn, 3302 Ave. U (E. 33rd St.), 212-360-2771; 7, free.
MONDAY 8/12
Around Town
Reggae on the Hudson John Shop Records pres. riverside jam w/Stone Love, Hot 97's Bobby Konders & Jabba spinning dancehall classics & hiphop; authentic eats incl. jerk chicken, saltfish & fried sweet potato?plus Red Stripe to wash it all down; the Frying Pan, Pier 63, Hudson River (23rd St.), 718-231-9983; 10 p.m.-4 a.m., $20, $10 before 12 a.m.
Yoga There's no excuse for being yoga-phobic w/free classes popping up everywhere incl. this class taught by Joan Coddington for early birds?wear comfy clothes & bring a towel; 6th & B Garden, 6th St. (Ave. B), 212-982-5673; 7 a.m.
Film/Video
"Bryant Park Summer Film Festival" Free outdoor festival continues 10-year "stars under the stars" run every Mon. night. This week, see the seaside set built by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in A Summer Place?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. Today, Henry Fonda plays a criminal who's down on his luck in the 1937 You Only Live Once; 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].
"Mondo Mondays" Peter Sellers & Ringo Starr star in Joseph McGrath-directed film about money & corruption, The Magic Christian (1970); Den of Cin, Two Boots, 44 Ave. A (betw. 3rd & 4th Sts.), 212-254-0800; 8, $5.
Mr. Hulot's Holiday Weekly movie screenings in Park Slope joint screens French comedy about one man's vacation at a seaside resort; Barbes, 376 9th St. (6th Ave.), 718-965-9177; 9, free.
Readings
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café Author Fannie Flagg, which is either a pseudonym, or her Southern familial signature, reads from her latest, Standing in the Rainbow, feat. several characters from Welcome Back to the World, Baby Girl; Borders Bookstore, 461 Park Ave. (57th St.), 212-980-6785; 6:30, free.
New York Review of Science Fiction Jack Ketchum reads from Red, Right to Life & Triage; Dixon Place at the Vineyard, 309 E. 26th St. (2nd Ave.), 212-532-1546; 7:30, $6.
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
Clutter Support Group Sondra Schiff addresses simple ways of beating that pack-rat mentality in a "Peace of mind?one file, one pile at a time" workshop geared towards seniors; 246 W. 80th St., 4th fl. (betw. B'way & West End Ave.), 212-769-2850; 10:30, $3-$5 sugg. don.
New York City Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association pres. "Coping w/ Alzheimer's Disease: Three Workshops on Early, Middle & Late Stages"; 360 Lexington Ave., 5th fl. (betw. 40th & 41st Sts.), 212-983-0700, reg. req.; 6, free.
TUESDAY 8/13
Around Town
Pure Country NYC Weekly country stomp & music night w/DJ Alan Kohn, 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
Just for Kids portion of Lincoln Center's "Out of Doors" Festival, which is dedicated to children's activities feat. performance by Bobby Sanabria & !Quarteto Aché!; North Plaza, 65th St. (betw. B'way & Amsterdam Ave.), 212-875-5108; 10:30, free [raindate Aug. 14].
Film/Video
"Sly Grin: Contemporary French Comedies" closes its run w/Le goût des autres (The Taste of Others) & Trois vie et une seule mort (Three Lives and Only One Death)?in French w/English subtitles; French Institute, 22 E. 60th St. (betw. Madison & Park Aves.), 212-355-6100; 12:30, 3:30, 6:30, 9, $8, $6 st.
"Visions, Versions & Communities of New York" screens Ang Lee's tale of two male lovers living in Chinatown & one parent's attempt at pre-arranged marriage, The Wedding Banquet; 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].
Lectures
"There's No Such Thing as Failure! Every Step's a New Possibility" Move over Tony Robbins, motivational speaker Lewis Harrison is here to help you to unlock your full potential; St. Jean Baptiste Church, Community Center, E. 76th St. (betw. 3rd & Lexington Aves.), 212-844-8369; 6, free.
Readings
The Art of Seeing First novel of sibling rivalry by sister of actress Elizabeth McGovern; Borders Bookstore, 461 Park Ave. (57th St.), 212-980-6785; 6, free.
Strong of Heart: Life & Death in the Fire Department of New York Thomas Von Essen, NYC's 13th Fire Commissioner, signs at Midtown Barnes & Noble, 600 5th Ave. (48th St.), 212-765-0592; 1, free.