Turkey Day’s only a week away, so you’re probably running around town like a headless chicken trying to find the best recipes, finalize your guest list, stock your liquor cabinet or find something killer to here in the city while your friends head to other cities for Thanksgiving. Seriously, though, take a break from those holiday-related chores and have some fun, because Brooklyn — it’s your weekend!
• Start your Friday off right with a trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden (it’s free on weekdays, you guys!) and check out the monster tiger orchid that’s blooming there.
• Walk across to street tot he Brooklyn Museum and check out its brand new —and highly controversial — show, “Hide/Seek,” that features a piece of art so racy it was banned from the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. It’s cool — Brooklyn can handle it.
• Then, spend Friday evening with Brooklyn’s favorite poet laureate Tina Chang (yes, she’s our only poet laureate, but we love her), who’ll be hosting a book party for her second poetry collection, “Of Gods and Strangers” in Cobble Hill.
• After you’ve gotten your poetry on, go grab a deliciously boozy mescal drink at Blueprint bar in Park Slope. Try the Oaxacan cocktail ($12) — a shaken blend of Los Nahuales Mezcal, buckwheat honey from the farmer’s market and fresh-squeezed lime juice. Yeah, we’re thirsty just thinking about it.
• Kick off your Saturday with a tour of Green-Wood Cemetery — led by legendary author Paul Auster! Ok, ok: it’s not exactly a tour, but Auster will be reading from his newest novel “Sunset Park,” in which Green-Wood sets the stage. Join him for a reading and conversation — and go check out that fall foliage before it’s all gone!
• Keep your Saturday going strong with a spinning session — in an art gallery! Kiwi Sweat wants to give you a workout at the Invisible Dog in Brooklyn Heights, so you can work up a sweat while soaking in some culture!
• Not enough culture for ya? Spend the rest of your Saturday learning all about Brooklyn’s tremendous maritime history at the brand spankin’ new Navy Yard museum! Who wouldn’t wanna?
• Then, wrap it up by watching the sexy ladies of Wasabassco Burlesque take it off at Union Hall!
• Sunday, head back out to Union Hall (that is, if you didn’t curl up in a ball and spend the night under the bar) for the Muppet Vault, an extravaganza for kids and adults (though the kids are going to miss out on the Miss Piggy- and Kermit the Frog-themed boozy drinks).
• Then, wander over to Prospect Park Sunday afternoon and watch as hundreds of runners race the very first Brooklyn Marathon!
• Head up to Williamsburg and check out “Block by Block” at Union Docs, a conversation with documentarian Nathan Kensinger and his pals about — you guessed it! — New York City’s secret treasures, untold secrets, obscured corners (you know where we’re going with this. We’ll stop now, and leave it to the experts).
• And as always, these and other great events are in our exclusive family calendar, our great nightlife calendar, and our matchless events calendar.
