Saturday
August 8
Gin-teresting
A gin-soaked afternoon should be enjoyable and educational! Visit the Herbal Alcohol Tour of Gin to learn the history of Mother’s Ruin, see and smell the plants that make it — most notably juniper berries (pictured) — and sample a cocktail from a local gin distillery.
11 am, 1:15 pm, and 3:30 pm at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden [900 Washington Ave. near Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, (718) 623-7200] www.bbg.org]. $13 ($11 members).
Sunday
August 9
Maid of magic
Tonight, magician Tanya Solomon will produce — as though from thin air! — an astounding assortment of clowns, dancers, rockers, and freak show performers for the neo-vaudeville show “Force Majeure.”
9 pm at the Cobra Club (6 Wyckoff Ave. between Jefferson and Troutman streets in Bushwick, www.cobra
Tuesday
August 11
Artographers
Life without Google Maps on our phones is almost unimaginable, but local artists went back to that benighted time to create work for the “Mapping Brooklyn” exhibit. Hear them talk about historical maps and modern art.
6:30 pm at the Brooklyn Historical Society [128 Pierrepont St. at Clinton Street in Brooklyn Heights, (718) 222–4111, www.brook
Wednesday
August 12
Rolling into town
Is there anyone who does not love country icon Willie Nelson, aside from the Internal Revenue Service? The weed-loving red-haired stranger, now 82, is on the road again, making music with his friends tonight in Prospect Park.
7 pm at the Prospect Park Bandshell (enter at Prospect Park West and Ninth Street in Park Slope, www.brica
Thursday
August 13
The brothers Grossman
We all know Clinton Hill author Lev Grossman, of “The Magicians” trilogy — but do you know his twin brother, Austin Grossman? Austin has a new book about former president (and secret wizard) Richard Nixon, and the siblings will discuss blending magic with the real world tonight at Greenlight Bookstore.
7:30 pm at Greenlight Bookstore [686 Fulton St. between S. Elliott Place and S. Portland Avenue in Fort Greene, (718) 246–0200, www.greenlightbookstore.com]. Free.
