Edition 16: The 'Low Down ✨
Hey friends,
Hope you had a great Memorial Day Weekend! I’m headed back to the city from a trip to Des Moines which, as I learned, is basically the Paris of the Iowa 🌽 🐮 🚜
Summer is officially upon us, and our first 8:30 PM sunset is just around the corner. FOTN Ben is celebrating the season’s arrival with a Songs of Summer: 2024 Spotify playlist which he’s inviting anyone & everyone to contribute to. He says, “The rule, as usual: add 5 songs that embody the summer 2024 vibe (whatever that means).” As a subscriber of The ‘Low Down, you obviously have excellent taste, so you should add to his playlist as well 🤪
As for the events in this addition… Have you ever wanted to dive into a bowl of nostalgia with dishes inspired by childhood classics? Sip on botanical drinks and swap plant cuttings? Get an origami crane from a vending machine? That’s great because you can do all of the above, and more, this month. Reply directly to this email if you want to check anything out together!
🐛 May 28 at Heaven and Earth: Stay for Supper: Story Book Dinner – “I’m back with perhaps the most wholesome dinner theme in the game…the Story Book Dinner series. I’ll be cheffing up dishes inspired by the stories we grew up listening to. Basically serving you a bowl of nostalgia. Menu: ~charcuterie: The Very Hungry Caterpillar ~harvest salad: Inch by Inch ~saucy meatballs: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs ~bowl of mush (pesto risotto): Goodnight Moon ~blueberry cobbler w/ fresh whipped cream: Blueberries for Sal~with James and the Giant Peach lemonade by Happy Lemons & featured wine pairing by Heaven and Earth” [$90]
🪴 May 29 at Farm.One: Music For Plants – “Music for Plants = ambient and luxurious music in a welcoming space surrounded by plants sipping on botanical drinks. Entry is FREE. We'll play music that makes plants (and people) happy. BYOP (Bring Your Own Plant!) to swap cuttings!” [Free]
📄 May 30 at Ace Hotel: Origami Vending Machine & Origami-Making Class – “Come and try the Origami Vending Machine (OVM) in the Lobby at Ace Hotel New York!– an innovative fusion of art and technology designed to captivate and delight. Crafted as a site-specific, interactive sculpture, the OVM has been traveling all over the city spreading the joy of folding to everyone! Participants are invited to select a sheet of patterned origami paper and insert it into the machine. With a simple press of a button, they choose their desired origami model, setting the magic of the machine in motion. A captivating animation unfolds on the vibrant digital screen, showcasing the intricate folding process. In mere moments, the OVM works its enchantment, delivering your own origami creation, ready to be treasured. (OVMNYC.com) Sok will also present an origami-making class on May 30th.”
🛍️ June 1 at Hester Street Fair: Girl Power Saturday – “Join us this weekend at the Hester Street Fair for a vibrant celebration of girl power! Show your support for female artists, designers, food vendors, and more as we come together to embrace the diversity and strength of women from all walks of life and generations. Feel the amazing energy of our community as we create a warm, supportive, and empowering atmosphere that’s bound to make this weekend truly badass! This year we’re featuring a big roster of brand new vendors mixed in with some very familiar faces. Come to support local bizz, attend a workshop or two, eat incredibly well, dance out loud, and enjoy live musical performances.”
😆 June 4 at The Bell House: Pat Regan [comedy show]– “Pat Regan is a stand-up comedian and writer currently based in LA. Pat has written on several TV shows and feature projects including the (HBO) MAX Emmy Award-winning series, HACKS which he has worked on since the show’s inception. As a stand-up, Pat has performed at venues across the US and UK in addition to several comedy festivals such as Just for Laughs, Netflix is a Joke, New York Comedy Festival, Vulture Fest, Moontower, Clusterfest, etc. Pat can be heard weekly as host of the widely popular podcast (and live stage show) SEEK TREATMENT WITH CAT AND PAT, available wherever you listen to podcasts.” [$30]
💃 June 4-9 at The Brooklyn Academy of Music: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – “The company that changed American dance forever returns to Brooklyn with two robust programs, featuring stunning works by Jamar Roberts, Hans van Manen, and Alonzo King, as well as iconic Ailey classics Memoria, A Song for You, Cry, and the transcendent masterpiece Revelations. Experience the agility and soul of “America’s most popular dance company” (The New Yorker) on the BAM stage, where Alvin Ailey first performed in 1956. Over 65 years later, the company continues to champion African American artistry and forge a bold new path for Ailey’s legacy—and modern dance itself.” [$34+]
💅 June 5 at The Strand: Jonathan Van Ness + Eva Chen: Gorgeously Me! [Book Talk] – “Join us for an in-person event with New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-Winning star of Queer Eye, Jonathan Van Ness, for the release of their new children’s book Gorgeously Me! Joining Jonathan in conversation is acclaimed journalist Eva Chen.” [$25]
🪩 June 6 at TALEA: Disco Draw – “Disco Draw is a 2-hour live figure drawing event paired with a DJ. Listen to disco, sip some cocktails or mocktails & receive live instruction led by artist Zac Crawford. All materials included. BEGINNERS WELCOME!!” [$40]
👖 June 6 at Radio City Music Hall: Michelle Buteau: Full Heart, Tight Jeans [Comedy Show] – “Michelle is the creator/writer/star of the upcoming Netflix series SURVIVAL OF THE THICKEST, inspired by her autobiographical book of essays of the same name, published by Gallery Books. She is also the host of popular reality competition show, THE CIRCLE on Netflix. Other film and TV credits include MARRY ME, FIRST WIVES CLUB, ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE, AWKWAFINA IS NORA FROM QUEENS, RUSSIAN DOLL, and SOMEONE GREAT. She is also the Modern Manners columnist for Real Simple and hosts the popular podcast Adulting. Michelle’s one-hour comedy special WELCOME TO BUTEAUPIA is streaming on Netflix and won the Critics Choice Award for Best Comedy Special.” [$50+]
🍝 June 6 at Farm.One: Pasta Class & Dinner – “Looking for a good date night or a new culinary experience? Join Chef Tom Coughlan for a cozy night in at the Brew Lab making fresh pasta inlaid with Farm.One herbs and edible flowers. You’ll make your own dough along with two different sauces: an herbaceous pesto (using Farm.One basil, of course), and a shallot tomato sauce. Yum! You'll end the evening dining with your fellow classmates and enjoying the delicious pasta you just made. Ticket includes a complimentary glass of wine (NA option available).” [$140]
🏃♀️ June 8 at Cafe Kitsune: Bodies in Motion [5K run + disco] – “Love Language is getting into their health and wellness era. Join us for the second installment of Bodies In Motion, featuring a 5K run followed by a lively disco party at Café Kitsuné. (Run optional) In collaboration with Spoonful and ON, we’re excited to support Food with Fam in their mission to provide groceries and health services to families in need within the Harlem area. Your $15 donation will go directly towards their goal of raising $50,000.” [$15]
🎥 June 10 at Bryant Park: Forrest Gump [Outdoor Movie] – “Welcome to the 31st season of summer movies in Bryant Park! Bring a blanket and a friend, and snag your spot on the lawn to watch a feature film on the big screen under the stars. The lawn opens 5pm; film begins 8pm.” [Free]
🍽️ June 13 at Poppy’s: Katherine Lewin: Big Night w/ Hunter Harris [Cookbook Talk] – “When Katherine Lewin opened up her first store—a dinner party shop—she had one goal: to help everyone make their meals at home feel a little bit more special. A little bit more joyful. A little bit Bigger. In her debut book, Katherine channels her New York City-based brick-and-mortar’s irresistible energy into a treasure trove of tips, tricks, and hosting essentials for every kind of Big Night. Learn how to Stop Worrying About Everything Matching and Just Set the Table; the step-by-step formula for discovering your (and your guests) Perfect Martini; and the Cheese Plate of Dreams math of how many ounces to plan per person.” [$49 - includes cookbook]
🐠 June 14 at Washington Square Park: The Odyssey (L’Odyssée) [Outdoor movie] – “Summer 1946. The Cousteau family—Jacques, his wife Simone, and their two children Philippe and Jean-Michel—reside in their beautiful house by the Mediterranean Sea. By day they dive, exploring the depths of the ocean, while by night they watch the stars. It’s paradise on Earth. But Jacques is never content. He longs to explore the world beneath the sea and believes in the virtues of progress. With his invention, the Aqualung, his recently acquired vessel, the Calypso, and a crew of free-spirited adventurers led by his wife, Jacques is ready to delve where no man has been before… Film in French and English with English subtitles.” [Free]
😆 June 15 at Littlefield: Jordan Show –“Jordan Show is a live late-night talk show hosted by cultural critic and performer Jordan Coley (The New Yorker, GQ, The Nation, NPR). Each month, Jordan presents a unique blend of standup, original video sketches, and irreverent interviews with guests from the comedy world and beyond. Past guests include award-winning critic Doreen St. Felix of The New Yorker, filmmaker Alex Huggins (The Curse, Showtime), actor and comedian Sabrina Wu (Verified Stand-Up, Netflix), and musical performances from buzzing independent acts like Chanel Beads, Caleb Giles, and Starchild & The New Romantic. It has been called “very nice” by his mother.” [$15]
❤️🩹 June 19 at The Bell House: Why Are You Single? A Singles Game Show with Marie Faustin – “Join comedian Marie Faustin in a hunt for red flags in total strangers, live on stage! One by one single contestants are subjected to in depth emotional questioning and physical challenges. Who will be sent packing to the singles lounge, and who will be named the Super Single? Contestants are selected from online submission! Submit yourself today via Instagram @whyare.yousingle” [$25]
🧜♀️ June 22 at Coney Island: The Coney Island Mermaid Parade – “We hope you've been stocking up on glitter and nautical attire: The Coney Island Mermaid Parade returns to one of the best Brooklyn attractions for its 42nd year! Thousands of spectators flock to Surf Avenue—Coney Island’s main drag—each year to watch King Neptune and Queen Mermaid lead a procession of glittering, semi-nude marchers in costumes.”
🍿 June 26 at Prospect Park: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark [Outdoor movie] – “We’re back for the 2024 season! This summer, you can catch your favorite films shown in Fort Greene Park, Prospect Park, McCarren Park, and Coney Island Beach for free beginning at sunset. Get your friends, family, and your picnic blankets ready – this is something you won’t want to miss! New this year – free popcorn provided for event RSVP holders at screenings (first-come, first-served, while supplies last).”
Who’s down?!
xx Anna
