Your Ideal Week

December 5 - December 12

Welcome back from what I hope was a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday and hellloooo December! It feels a little rushed already, doesn’t it? Between various social obligations and shopping and trying to keep warm and indulging my compulsive need to read any gift guide or “best of” list that crosses my path, I’m already a bit frazzled, which doesn’t bode well in terms of avoiding some manner of pre-Christmas meltdown. One thing that might save me is the promise of some well-deserved articles of impeachment before the month is out, but who can pin her hopes on that in the current climate? Instead I’ll just bank on the crazy Cats movie to be the source of my schadenfreude, and everything else is just gravy.  

I spent a glorious Thanksgiving with family and friends in Maine, and the high was only slightly diminished by the record 10-hour car ride home in standstill traffic in Connecticut. Never a fan of that state, I’m now utterly convinced of the truth behind this tweet. We watched the first half of The Irishman one night and I’m dying to finish it, despite the disparate reviews I’m hearing from others. I also saw Knives Out at Nitehawk this week and recommend it to anyone who loves a good caper and has watched Clue more times than a normal person would admit on a publicly-accessible website.

This weekend is a straight-up bonanza of holiday markets to help you check off your Christmas list, many of which you can read about here. There are also a few late entrants to the roundup: specifically, the WantedDesign Market in Industry City, a holiday market at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and the Holiday of Wonders edition of the Oddities Flea Market taking place at Villain both days this weekend. Ben Brantley just gave a great review to The Barber Shop Chronicles, a new play at BAM that’s only running through Sunday, so I’d try to see that if you can. If you're without plans for this evening, you can catch Janeane Garofalo, Dave Hill, and other first-rate comics at Eastville on Atlantic, and it’s also the first night of the Janelle James Comedy Festival at The Bell House. Personally, I have a feeling my weekend is going to consist of tackling at least one recipe from this gorgeous Christmas cookie spread in the Times. 

Please read on for more local diversions we’ve dug up that are taking place over the next week— there’s lots to do without even taking into account our December Culture Essentials preview or our list of spots to enjoy a satisfying holiday drink or two. Enjoy the Ideal Week, everyone!

—Kate Hooker

Thursday, December 5
BOERUM HILL, Commons Cafe, Zero Waste workshop for the holidays, 6:30pm, $15

Friday, December 6
RED HOOK, Pioneer Works, An evening with Sir Roger Penrose, 7-10pm, FREE

Saturday, December 7
GREENWOOD, Greenwood Park, 8th Annual Tree Lighting party, 2pm, FREE • GOWANUS, Shapeshifter Lab, Charlie Brown Christmas Live, 12pm, $15 • PROSPECT HEIGHTS, Brooklyn Museum, First Saturday, 5-11pm, FREE

Sunday, December 8
COLUMBIA WATERFRONT, The Great Room, Brooklyn Brunch Club, 2pm, $45 • GOWANUS, Parklife, Holiday cocktail class, 2pm, $50

Monday, December 9
BUSHWICK, The Gradient, Christmas movie night, 8pm, FREE

Tuesday, December 10
SOHO, Drawing Center, "The Pencil Is a Key: Drawings by Incarcerated Artists,” 6pm, $5 

Wednesday, December 11
BUSHWICK, Elsewhere, Planned Parenthood dance party, 8pm, FREE

Thursday, December 12
FORT GREENE, BAM, A Very Meow Meow Holiday Show, 7:30pm, $35

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