SASS Presents: Sexy History @ Caveat
Start off your Valentine’s week with a heaping helping of Sexy History, courtesy of the Society for the Advancement of Social Studies. This month’s “love stinks” talks might put the idea of romance right out of your head. First fragrance expert Jessica Murphy leads an olfactory time-travel journey from ancient Egypt to the Victorian Era, then historian Kevin Valliere shares the tale of Ayn Rand’s affair with a man 25 years her junior, and finally, author Jennifer Wright shares some of the worst breakups in history, filled with beheadings, uprisings, and tragic tales like Oscar Wilde's, who went to jail for a man "who abandoned him when faced with being cut off financially from his wealthy family and wrote several self-serving books denying the entire affair," according to Wright's book.
Monday, February 10th, 6:30 p.m. // Caveat, 21A Clinton St., Manhattan // Tickets: $12
I Love Myself When I Am Laughing @ Schomberg Center
Listen to tales of a literary icon at I Love Myself When I Am Laughing, a celebration of the life of Zora Neale Hurston. Last month, the Feminist Press reissued Hurston’s essay collection of the same name, 40 years after its original publication, born out of Alice Walker’s efforts to amplify Hurston’s literary prowess. Hear a conversation about her legacy with Feminist Press Executive Director Jamia Wilson, Amistat Editorial Director Tracy Sherrod, ZORA Editor-in-Chief Vanessa De Luca, and Random House Children’s Books Managing Editor Jennifer Baker.
Tuesday, February 11th, 6:30 p.m. // Schomberg Center, 515 Malcolm X Blvd., Harlem // Free
Marvel at multimedia storytelling at Pop-Up Magazine
Pop-Up Magazine @ BAM
Get ready for a thrill at the newest iteration of multimedia storytelling show Pop-Up Magazine. The consistently excellent evening features writers, comedians, storytellers, musicians, and filmmakers performing never-before-heard stories accompanied by animations, art projections, and live music. The Winter 2020 edition includes tales of Russian soap operas, flying saucers, and family obsessions from comedians Catherine Cohen and Jordan Klepper, documentary filmmakers Isabel Castro, Jon-Sesrie Goff, and Cecilia Aldarondo, artists Liana Finck and Esther Pearl Watson, and more.
Wednesday, February 12th, and Thursday, February 13th // BAM, Peter Jay Sharp Building, 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn // Tickets: $39–$79
Love Gone Sour: A Vinegar Valentine’s Dinner @ Museum of Food and Drink
Get in the Victorian spirit of anti-Valentines at MOFAD’s Love Gone Sour. Inspired by the cold-hearted Vinegar Valentines of yore—comically insulting cards sent to the object of one’s non-affection—chef Harry Rosenblum has conceived a vinegar-focused three-course dinner that goes from pork with piquant sauce to cider vinegar pie, with plenty of pungency in between. Diners will also hear from co-host Gastro Obscura about this period of bitter history, and Rosenblum will discuss his homemade vinegar techniques.
Thursday, February 13th, 7 p.m. // Museum of Food and Drink, 62 Bayard St., Brooklyn // Tickets: $75
Galentine's Day Spectacular @ St. Vitus Bar
Get ready to be swept off your feet at Word Bookstore’s fifth-annual Galentine's Day Spectacular, hosted by Romance Book Club leader Maddie Caldwell. There will be games, trivia, giveaways, and lots of steamy books to peruse and buy, plus a panel discussion with romance novelists Maya Rodale, Zoraida Córdova, Adriana Herrera, Kate Clayborn, and Andie Christopher. Each ticket includes a cocktail, a romance novel, and a raffle entry.
Thursday, February 13th, 7 p.m. // St. Vitus Bar, 1120 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn // Tickets: $25
Seven Sins: Valentine’s Première Fête @ Théâter XIV
If you’re in the mood for a dramatically decadent Valentine’s, bring your sweetie to the opening night of Company XIV’s newest production, Seven Sins. Billed as a baroque burlesque reimagining of the story of Adam and Eve, it’s sure to feature the over-the-top scenery and lush costuming that Company XIV is known for, with a wild variety of performances from live music to high-caliber dance numbers to circus and magic. Attendees of the Valentine’s Day premiere will get complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres throughout the evening, as well as entrance to the afterparty with the cast.
Friday, February 14th, 8 p.m. // Théâtre XIV, 383 Troutman St., Brooklyn // Tickets: $95
Steamy Valentine's Night @ Brooklyn Banya
Heat up the night at one of Gemini & Scorpio’s signature events: the 12th-annual Steamy Valentine's Night at the Brooklyn Banya. Take your pick of Russian, Turkish, and Swedish steam rooms, hot and cold pools, platzas and massages, a poolside dance floor presided over by a live brass band, pierogis and other Russian treats, and an open vodka bar from 9 to 10 p.m. And if all that isn’t enough for you, spend the next night at the cozy G&S loft for Meet Me in Paris, a clandestine cabaret.
Friday, February 14th, 7 p.m. // Brooklyn Banya, 602 Coney Island Ave., Brooklyn // Tickets: $45–$65
Hear heavenly harping from Bridget Kibbey at Crypt Sessions
Crypt Sessions @ Church of the Intercession
For a darkly stunning Valentine’s, take it underground for Death of Classical’s Crypt Sessions. This edition presents a musical union of “rockstar harpist” and Journées de les Harpes Premier Prix winner Bridget Kibbey with grammy-nominated mandolinist Avi Avital. It all takes place inside a Harlem crypt, and the program includes pieces by Bach, Manuel de Falla, Marc Lavry, and Joaquín Rodrigo. The concert will be preceded by a wine and cheese reception.
Friday, February 14th, 7 p.m. // Church of the Intercession, 550 West 155th St., Harlem // Tickets: $80
Yamato: The Drummers of Japan @ Queens Theater
Feel the beat in your bones with Yamato: The Drummers of Japan. The group of 16+ musicians will perform their newest show, Passion, played on dozens of drums including one that weighs more than half a ton and was made from a 400-year-old tree. Formed in 1993, the drummers live and work communally in the Japanese village of Asuka, creating every element of their productions together. They’ve performed more than 3,500 shows in 54 countries since their creation.
Saturday, February 15th, and Sunday, February 16th // Queens Theater, 14 United Nations Ave., Queens // Tickets: $20–$42
Bring the whole family to celebrate the Himalayan New Year
Losar Family Day @ Rubin Museum
Celebrate an entirely different holiday this weekend at Losar Family Day. Fête the Himalayan New Year, the Year of the Metal Rat, at the Rubin, with an afternoon of art, activities, and creativity. Glimpse new year’s traditions, explore the galleries, wander through a scavenger-hunt maze, create torma butter sculptures and mouse masks, and more family-friendly fun. There will also be live music from Tibetan folk and freedom singer Techung, traditional costumed Tibetan dance presented by YindaYin, mindfulness journeys with museum educator Tashi Chodron, and on and on.
Sunday, February 16th, 12 p.m. // Rubin Museum, 150 West 17th St., Manhattan // Free for kids and their accompanying adults
