The 'Low Down: 8/4 - 8/15 ✨
Anyone know where a girl can find some 1960s teak?
Hey friends,
Where are all the good vintage media consoles hiding? I’m in pursuit of some mid-century furniture — please send recs my way! 🙏
I went to a cyanotype workshop at Tiny Arts Supply in Ridgewood on Sunday, and it was SO cool. Highly recommend taking a look at their upcoming classes. What have you been up to?! I’m always looking for new venues, communities, niche interests, and delightfully specific happenings to feature, so lmk any favorites.
This roundup has dragon boat races, a mean woman monologue contest, a poetry-and-wine tasting, 150 pounds of cheese, and what may become the world’s largest gathering of sourdough bakers…
🫖 is it AI or is it someone’s actual tea?
Wednesday, August 5 | Location with RSVP | Free
“The anti-AI news is running rampant right now… so we had to host this. Ever heard a story and thought, that can’t be real? It’s time for you to be the judge of that. We’ll have participants recite true personal stories about themselves or a random AI story. You’ll have to guess what’s real and what’s not real. If you would like to tell your story or an AI story, fill out this form by August 3rd, 2026: https://forms.gle/61oHu8STGfJgbX1G8”
🎤 Written in Brooklyn Storytelling Series presents: Raised by Pop Culture
Wednesday, August 5 | Farm.One (625 Bergen St) | $29
“A night of of wildly true stories about celebrities we worshiped, tv shows that felt like family, and cringy moments from our youth. Fun! Duck into some air conditioning as cold as your ex’s heart and let our hilarious performers entertain you, hunni! This month’s theme is Raised by Pop Culture! Stories about celebrities we worshiped, tv shows that felt like family, and cringy moments from our youth. Fun! As always, true stories, lots of laughter, tons of hot people, delicious cocktails, incredible pizza by Pizza Party, and a healthy dose of exposed shame.”
🍅 Produce Parties: Tomato Party
Thursday, August 6 | TALEA Williamsburg (87 Richardson St) | $35
“Join us for PRODUCE PARTIES’ SUMMER TOMATO PARTY at @taleabeer!
There’s something about a big tomato that feels so I ♥ NY. Maybe it’s because it shares the same bright red as the Big Apple. Maybe it’s because it’s the star of two of the city’s greatest foods: pizza and the bagel sandwich. Whatever the reason, come savor summer in the city with a seasonal celebration of our favorite fruit / vegetable hybrid. As always, there is just one rule: bring a tomato dish to share.”
🎶 New York City Opera: Celebration of Ella Fitzgerald
Friday, August 7 at 7 p.m. | Bryant Park | Free
“New York City Opera returns in August with a performance by three-time Grammy Award-winning soprano Latonia Moore, honoring the timeless music of “The First Lady of Song”.”
🇺🇸 The Good Liars- Live!
Friday, August 7 | Littlefield (635 Sackett St) | $22
“Jason Selvig and Davram Stiefler — better known as The Good Liars — have spent the last several years embedded in America’s political circus: interviewing rallygoers, pranking politicians, and somehow becoming recurring characters in the country’s endless doom scroll. You may know them from your feed, from appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, MSNBC, CNN, or from being aggressively hate-posted by a guy wearing wraparound Oakleys and holding a fish in his profile picture. Now they’re bringing the chaos live to the stage. This completely original evening blends comedy, politics, field reporting, and audience interaction as The Good Liars break down the latest headlines, premiere never-before-seen videos, share behind-the-scenes stories from the road, and welcome special guests from the worlds of comedy, media, and politics.”
🐉 The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York
Saturday, August 8 - Sunday, August 9 | Flushing Meadows Corona Park | Free
“See teams from all over North America compete in fiberglass dragon boat races. The festival, which began in 1990, is inspired by the legend of Zhou dynasty poet Qu Yuan, who drowned himself in the Ni Lo River after hearing that his homeland had been invaded. Local fishermen paddled out to save him but were too late; they then tossed rice dumplings called zongzi into the water to distract the fish. In addition to the races, there’s a parade, traditional music and dance performances, and souvenir and food vendors.”
😡 mean woman monologue contest 08/08
Saturday, August 8 | Life World (563 Johnson Ave)
“A night of unhinged, devastating, mean woman monologues. The nastiest of the nasty will be awarded with the Oscar for Best Mean Woman. The first ever Mean Woman Monologue Contest is a celebration of cinema’s most unhinged, devastating, and iconic meltdowns. Gay guys Rick Swenson and Andy Ward are your hosts for a night of disturbing speeches that will make you say, “You know what, she kind of has a point.” A dais of the most accomplished gay guys and women we could find will be judging every tremble, tear, and read, and at the end of the night we’ll crown our top Meanest Woman, complete with an official Academy Award and eternal bragging rights.”
🏃 BRC x HOKA 5K Demo Run
Saturday, August 8 | HOKA Midtown Store (579 5th Ave)
“Hey everyone, we’ve got a run coming up and would love to see you there! Here’s what’s going down: HOKA Shoe Demos: Try out some of the latest HOKAs on the run (get there early to grab your size!)… Live DJ: Keeping the vibes going before and after we hit the road… HOKA Giveaway: A chance to score some free gear… Drinks & Refreshments: Free post-run drinks provided by Red Bull and HOKA… Distance: 5K — all paces and experience levels are welcome! We will have different pace groups for you to run with! Come hang out, grab a pair of demo shoes, and get a good sweat in with us!”
📿 NYC HANDMADE JEWELRY POP UP
Saturday, August 8 | Haricot Vert (119 N 1st St) | $78
“Skin Contact is popping up at Haricot Vert for one day only! Come shop handmade pearl jewelry, hang out, and spend the afternoon with us in Brooklyn. There’ll be a DJ set by Crush Club, ceramics by @thrownbysierra, and plenty of new Skin Contact pieces to try on.”
🎭 Every Brilliant Thing
Now through August 9 | Hudson Theatre (141 W 44th St) | $59+
“Another British import, Every Brilliant Thing kicked off its US run with Daniel Radcliffe as the lead. I saw him perform a couple of months ago, and was blown away by the performance—it was unlike anything I’d seen on Broadway before, mostly due to the amount of audience participation. It’s no spoiler to say that the lead (now played by Tracee Ellis Ross), walks around the audience before the show starts (arrive 30-40 minutes early!!) and hands out lines for people to read. The way it all comes together is quite touching (it’s worth noting that the plot deals with themes of depression and suicide), and I left feeling ultimately uplifted.”
💃 Battery Dance Festival
Tuesday, August 11–Sunday, August 16 | Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park | Free
“The Battery Dance Festival brings dance companies from New York and around the world to the waterfront for a week of free outdoor performances. Each evening features a different mix of styles and artists, all set against the backdrop of New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty. It’s an especially lovely way to experience dance if you don’t usually seek it out: relaxed, accessible, and one of those quintessential summer-in-the-city events that feels a little magical.”
💘 The West Side Highway Run-In
Wednesday, August 12 | West Side Highway | Free
“Everybody talks about the West Side Highway for one reason: It’s New York’s unofficial singles club. For one night Leg Day makes it official. Using the app, you’ll be able to see in real time if someone that caught your eye during your run, walk, strut, etc feels the same…Those who match will be exclusively invited to our post-event venue on the West Side Highway! There you can finally mingle with your crush and share a drink (or two).”
😋 Dairrière: A Cream Cheese Pop-Up
Wednesday, August 12 | Lise & Vito (126 Nassau Ave)
“Chef Vanessa Bee is transforming our three globally inspired cream cheeses into a one-night-only menu of small bites, while Bang Bang Bridgette soundtracks the evening with eclectic cuts pulled from every corner of her deep crates. The menu features Chicken Tinga Tostadas and Carrot Tinga Tostadas made with Chili Lime Peanut cream cheese; Crab Rangoons with Apricot Ginger Chili Sauce and Curried Sweet Potato Tots with Piccalilli featuring Apricot Ginger Curry; and a Coconut Oatmeal Crème Pie made with Passionfruit Black Sesame. Come hungry, shake your dairrière, and leave with a tub. New here? Zebrina is a Brooklyn-based cream cheese brand inspired by flavors from around the world. Born from 15 years in New York City hospitality and a lifelong curiosity about global food cultures, we make small-batch cream cheese that transforms an everyday staple into a passport for curious eaters.”
🍷 Poetry and Pours: A Wine and Poetry Tasting
Thursday, August 13 | June Wine Bar (231 Court Street) | $99
“Can wine help you taste language? Come find out at Poetry & Pours, an immersive experience that explores the way both wine and poetry can awaken and transform the senses. The event will feature a tasting menu of five seasonal wines from June, a natural wine bar in Cobble Hill, paired with poems hand-selected by local poets Sharon Lin and Stephanie Niu to highlight the sensory qualities, mood, and notes of each glass. Attendees with leave with a deeper appreciation for the ways that both wine and poetry can activate the palate.”
🪦 Book Talk: Are They Dead Yet?
Thursday, August 13 | Strand Book Store (828 Broadway) | $14
“After nearly a decade behind the obituaries desk at the paper of record, Sam Roberts knows obits aren’t really about deaths. In fact, they usually only mention dying once. Over the course of the nearly 1,500 obituaries he has written throughout his career, he has instead come to understand that they’re about distilling an entire life lived—for someone whose name he may have learned that morning. In Are They Dead Yet?, Roberts explores the major questions that arise from the task of producing a succinct yet record-defining account of a life. Who deserves an obituary, and how do we decide who gets one? How does an obituarist choose what to include—and to omit? What happens when embarrassing information, like a crime, affair, or wonky cause of death, makes itself known? What makes a legacy, a claim to fame? And what happens when that claim to fame, so important in death, isn’t what mattered in life at all?”
🎤 ABOUT MY FRIEND (NY) !!!!!
Thursday, August 13 | Baby's All Right (146 Broadway) | $15
“Come watch people hop on stage & introduce the audience to their amazing single friend. Want to pitch? we need folks to talk up their pals. it’s like doing karaoke. fill out the form linked HERE: https://forms.gle/ofQD12BGunmkPfKK6 We’ll hear about how they met, what makes them tick, and try to understand why they’re still single. after the last pitch, we'll provide a soundtrack while everyone chats. it all ends around midnight, the night is young”
🐶 Better in Person: A Dog-Friendly Comedy Show
Friday, August 14 | Boris & Horton (195 Avenue A) | $23
“Join Must Love Dogs and Comedy for an unforgettable, dog-friendly stand-up comedy show. Enjoy top-notch comedy while you and your furry friend makes new friends, all while supporting a great cause. This time, we're welcoming fans of Better in Person, the new talk show from Freakonomics, to hang out!”
🎉 HARLEM WEEK 2026: Honoring Our Legacy
Now through Friday, August 14 | Across Harlem
“HARLEM WEEK returns for its 52nd annual celebration, bringing sixteen days of music, art, film, fashion, health, business, and community events across Harlem. Under the theme "Honoring Our Legacy," the festival celebrates Harlem's cultural impact while honoring Maxwell, the late Richard Smallwood, the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute, and many more. Signature events include A Great Day in Harlem, Harlem Day, Summer in the City, fashion shows, concerts, and film screenings.”
🧀 Metro Cheese Club’s Cheese Party
Saturday, August 15 | Future Space (5-84 Woodward Ave) | $25
“Enjoy 150 pounds of all-you-can-eat cheese and accoutrements, served by real-life cheesemongers, along with live music, stand-up comedy, games, a donation-based bar, flash tattoos, and other surprises. The event will take place at Future Space, also known as our Kaleidescope bestie’s new studio space in Ridgewood. Performances and activities include live music from Jacob Daley and Cori & the Grass Fed Blues, a disco DJ set by Lamb Over Rice, cheesemonger improv from Lilah Guaragna, stand-up from cheesemonger Joe Rosenzweig and cheese lover Rachel Coster, live caricature drawings with Ally Abad, Mario Kart with Taha, a photo opportunity with Bella, a poem reading with Emily, and hummus by Hummus Guy.”
🍞 biggest ever sourdough baker meetup!
Saturday, August 15 | Long Meadow, Prospect Park
“What if we made the largest crowd of sourdough bakers (and lovers), ever? like, can we break the record for most ppl bringing a sourdough loaf? Calling ALL of NYC’s homebakers to come hang out, bring a loaf of your homemade (or favorite bakery) sourdough, compete for best bread (crowd favorite), and find fellow bakers ❤️ (Generally primarily bakers invited so that we have enough food for everyone, but FOTB (friends of the bakers) welcome too :)) Competition for the 'best' sourdough (you can submit your bread and we will taste test & vote), Sourdough starter swapping, BYOButter (we'll have a table for 'spreads' specifically).We'll bring folding tables/ tablecloths/ plates, but BYOBread knife if you can!”
🍖 Blues BBQ Festival
Saturday, August 15, 1–9 p.m. | Pier 76 | Free admission
“One of the city’s longstanding summer festivals combines two stages of blues and jazz with barbecue from local pitmasters beside the Hudson. Join us in your west side backyard for New York’s finest smoked delicacies, music at two unparalleled stages, dance lessons, hot sauces, a marketplace, games, family fun and so much more!”
🌿 Superfly x Shakespeare in the Park: William Bakespeare
Now through August 23 | Superfly (57 W 86th St)
“Superfly, the licensed Upper West Side dispensary, is celebrating the summer tradition with a limited-edition “William Bakespeare” tee, featuring the Bard with a canna-friendly twist. Adults 21+ who show a valid Shakespeare in the Park ticket in-store will receive a complimentary shirt and 10% off their purchase, while first-time customers receive 20% off instead. The giveaway is available while supplies last and the production is open.”
Who’s down?!
xx Anna