Dining: Join our own “Sweet” Melissa Murphy as she offers up a full menu for Thanksgiving. Find your favorite recipes below — or start with Murphy’s turkey recipe by clicking above. Comments (1).

Where to GO: Editors’ Picks

That’s all, folks

Friday, November 20: Remember the days before mediocre cartoons like “Spongebob Squarepants” and “Dragonball Z”? Of course you do. Take the kids and show them what a real cartoon is like with a marathon of Bugs Bunny shorts — and then stay for Disney’s sort-of classic, “Dumbo.” The good news? Flying elephant. The bad news? It’s Disney, so someone dies.

6:15 pm. Moxie Spot [81 Atlantic Ave. between Henry and Hicks streets in Brooklyn Heights, (718) 923-9710]. Tickets, $2.50 per kid.

Hip gallery hop

Saturday, November 21: Seeking inspiration for a classy holiday gift? Check out the “Smart” Brooklyn Gallery Hop, which features shuttle busses to take you and your disposible income to galleries all over the borough. Experts will be on hand to offer advice about buying art (like Adam Niklewicz’s “Monument to Borscht”). More important, there will be plenty of free refreshments.

Starts at 1 pm. Shuttles take off from various locations on Saturday and Sunday. Check www.visitbrooklyn.org for full schedules and information.

Hot stuff

Sunday, November 22: You know what? We’re sick of all you anti-hipsters complaining about the glut of cookoffs. We happen to like the idea of paying one low fee to sample dozens of varieties of chili in one cool location. There’ll be Texas chili (big beef chunks), Cincinatti chili (with cinnamon, served over pasta), and even vegetarian chili. Really, what could go wrong?

4 pm. Brooklyn chili takedown. The Bell House [149 Seventh St. at Third Avenue in Gowanus, (718) 643-6510], www.thebellhouseny.com. Tickets, $15.

Snoop and booze

Wednesday, November 25: A scavenger hunt with drink specials — now that’s a winning combination. Plenty of prizes abound in The Great Gowanus Pilgramage Pre-Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt, which at the very least will be more entertaining than listening to your relatives run their mouths. And after the hunt, stick around for the after-party with DJ Andy Beta!

5 pm check-in. The Bell House [149 Seventh St. between Second and Third avenues, (718) 643-6510]. $5 per person, 2–4 people per team.

Skate up a storm

Thursday, November 26: Grab a date, or Grandma (hey, it’s Thanksgiving), bundle up and head over to Wollman Rink on opening day to build up a big appetite for the our annual autumnal Bacchanal of Thanksgiving. Who needs tryptophan when you can get in that sleepy mood the old-fashioned way?

10 am–6 pm. Prospect Park [enter near Lincoln Road and Ocean Avenue in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, (718) 287-6431]. Tickets $5, $6.50 for ice skates. Closed 1–2 pm.

View the full nightlife and events calendars.

Stuffing with a difference!

By Melissa Murphy

Dining: I love to use different types of sausage for this bread pudding. I recently discovered some wild boar and red wine sausage at our local Los Paisanos family owned butcher on Smith Street. It was an incredible substitution for the pork sausage here. Comment.

Who says bacon can’t get dates?

By Melissa Murphy

Dining: These are a great appetizer to serve while you are waiting for everyone to arrive. They can be prepped up to two weeks ahead and frozen. Pop them in the oven 20 minutes before your guests are expected. Early arrivals will hope the other guests get stuck in traffic. Comment.

A killer mushroom soup

By Melissa Murphy

Dining: This is a great soup, full of wonderful earthy mushrooms. Roasting the mushrooms concentrates their flavor. It is an elegant first course that acts as a preview of the delicious meal to come. Comment.

Mashed potatoes with a parsnip twist

By Melissa Murphy

Dining: Everyone loves roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and the parsnips add a subtle sweetness that I adore. The toasted breadcrumbs sprinkled on just before serving may be gilding the lily, but I love the buttery crunch it lends to the creamy mash. Comment.

These baked pairs are one great dish

By Melissa Murphy

Dining: I love something sweet next to all these savory dishes, and these baked pears are perfect. As an added bonus, they smell like absolute heaven in the oven. This is a great “signature” dish for you or your kids to make. It’s so easy and delicious, it’ll become a new tradition for sure. Comment.

And of course you need cranberry sauce

By Melissa Murphy

Dining: This recipe will help use up that box of clementines! The cranberry sauce can be made up to one week ahead and stored tightly wrapped in the refrigerator. Comment.

The meal is useless without this pie

Dining: There’s only one way to punctuate the perfect meal — and that’s with Melissa Murphy’s perfect apple pie. We ran this recipe last year and offer it again as a tribute to its lasting greatness. Comments (1).

Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009

Bar owner defies tarot reading and opens anyway

By Shane Kite

Nightlife: Jesse Levitt, owner of the Minor Arcana on Washington Avenue, is optimistic. Comment.

Monday, Nov. 16, 2009

Finally, real British football with real British food

By Will Yakowicz

Dining: Plenty of bars show European football matches, but at the long-awaited Black Horse Pub in Park Slope, you can watch Manchester United live while eating fried eggs, Irish bacon, black pudding, sausage, baked beans, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, and fried toast — and wash it down with a spot of tea or a pint of Guinness. Comments (5).

Friday, Nov. 13, 2009

Got something to say? Stick it in this artwork

By Will Yakowicz

Art: A piece of sculpture at the Pratt Institute asks you to scribble down your inner-most thought. Relax, it’s art. Comment.

Comedy comes to the Knitting Factory

By Meredith Deliso

Nightlife: Comedy is coming to the Knitting Factory. Comment.

Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009

Finally, Tom Mylan is on our meat hook!

By Andy Campbell

Shopping: The celebrity butcher finally breaks his silence about his new butcher shop, the Meat Hook. Comments (1).

Our guide to do-it-yourself fun

By Yardena Schwartz

The Brooklyn Paper / Tom Callan

With the economy the way it is, who can afford the luxury of paying someone to entertain you? Today, the buzzwords are “do it yourself” — and seizing the DIY spirit will not only save you money, but also let the good times roll. Comment.

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