Weekly happenings: April 21 - April 27
A reworked runway show, cookie bakeoff, fashion photography talk, and dog-friendly comedy show
Like I imagine many of you, I spent most of the weekend soaking up the sun in parks. Saturday was a full day in Prospect Park, starting with the Botanical Garden and ending with a lazy afternoon laying by the Picnic House. On Sunday, I squeezed in a two-mile loop through Central Park before winding down on a friend’s rooftop with a Spritz. I’m not ready for it to be Monday. This week’s line up of events is the main thing giving me solace.
Monday April 21
3 Year Anniversary Party
Place des Fêtes | 6-10pm at 212 Greene Ave, Brooklyn
Neighborhood wine bar Place des Fêtes is turning 3 and inviting you to come celebrate. It will be a cocktail style evening with passed and stationed snacks, unlimited wines by the glass, and a celebratory toast at 8:30pm. Snacks will include a raw bar and their famous crispy fish sandwiches. Would particularly recommend going if you live in the Clinton Hill area - this feels like a super community oriented evening. Tickets are $95.
⭐ Brooklyn Bookstore Crawl
Various Brooklyn Bookstores | Through April 26th
26 Brooklyn bookstores are participating in the 2025 Bookstore Crawl leading up to Independent Bookstore Day on April 26th. You can pick up a passport (which kind of looks like a bingo card) at any of the participating stores to get started. Stop at different locations to win prizes, meet fellow book loves, and support independent bookstores. See the full list of participating stores here.
Tuesday April 22
⭐ Reworked Runway: Fashion Show + Concert
Xanadu | 7pm at 262 Starr St, Brooklyn
Xanadu is hosting the 3rd annual Reworked Runway, showcasing the work of 9 indie fashion designers. Each designer's collection will be worn by a group of talented dancers as they perform choreography created by Verbal Animal Dance Co to a live full band musical set performed by Brooklyn based indie band The Thing. There will be a pre-show opener of performance art and a post-show after party with local DJs. Tickets are $36.
You: Mooney’s Bookstore Pop Up
Netflix | Tuesday & Wednesday 12-8pm at 489 Broome St, Manhattan
You season 5 is being released on Netflix on April 24th for the last time. The last season returns to NYC and to celebrate, you can visit a pop up version of Mooney’s Bookstore for 2 days only. There will be a literary scavenger hunt, merch, prizes, and more. Unclear if Penn Badgley will be there, but if you want a sighting I’d recommend walking through Prospect Heights for a day. I see him like once a month, usually while grabbing a coffee.
Wednesday April 23
⭐ Statements on Style
MoMA | 5:30-7:30pm at 11 W 53rd St, Manhattan
MoMA’s forums on contemporary photography are designed to encourage debate about the perspectives of still and moving images among leading artists. This conversation will focus on fashion photography. It will offer varied explorations of both the fictions of fashion photography and its potential to express forms of social and cultural resistance through sustainable collaborations, queer histories of capitalism, and liberatory frameworks. You’ll hear from multiple artists, curators, professors, and editors in conversation. Attendance is free with museum admission.
Spring Ceramics: Handbuilding
Bushwick Ceramics | Wednesdays 6:30-9pm at 228 Suydam St, Brooklyn
Bushwick Ceramics is one of the best studios in the city, at least from what my craftier friends tell me. They’re kicking off their spring season with a ton of new 6-week classes. I’m featuring their all-level handbuilding because it seems most fun to me and because it’s meant for all levels, but there’s also wheel throwing and wheel kicking off this week. Checkout their full schedule if you’re looking for a new hobby this spring.
Crafting Wellness
After Hours Club | 6:30pm at 77 E 7th St, Manhattan
After Hours Club is an art and wellness club that hosts unique workshops and meditative art activities to help people decompress from daily stresses. They have a weekly Wednesday art and meditation workshop, this week at B Lounge, where you’ll be taken through a series of art exercises, breath work, and creative exploration. Tickets are $35 and include all materials.
Cookie Bake-Off
Beer Witch | 6-9pm at 460 Bergen St, Brooklyn
If you think you make the best cookie, this event is for you. If you just really like cookies and beer, this event is also for you. To participate, bring at least 10 of your cookies - they will be cut up and sampled by a panel of randomly selected judges to determine who makes the best cookie in Brooklyn. There will also be a prize for the winner, but I personally think the pride is enough. Free to attend and taste, make sure to check out the rules if you want to enter your cookie.
Thursday April 24
Krapow Shroom Burger Debut
Little Grenjai x Moonburger | 6-10pm at 126 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn
Thai restaurant Little Grenjai is collaborating with Moonburger on a new creation: the krapow shroom burger. To celebrate, they’re bringing in a DJ, making a dancefloor, and serving up smash burgers along with a Thai tea cake shake all night long. No RSVP required, first come first served.
Schmear Goodness
Pop Up Bagels | April 24-30th at all Pop Up Bagel locations
Pop Up Bagel is once again testing limited edition schmears. There will be a ramp cream cheese (garlicky & savory) as well as a lemon lavender honey butter (sweet & tart) available for a few days only. Highly recommend preordering if you want to give these a try.
Friday April 25
Studio Session: Joan Miró
Arts Club | 6:30-8:30pm at 311 E 3rd St, Manhattan
Arts Club hosts evenings for you to learn about, discuss, and create art together with a community. Tonight’s session is all about Joan Miró, known for his joyful use of color, organic shapes, and whimsical symbols. The evening will start with a brief lecture on the life and work of Miró, followed by a series of guided exercises to help you experiment with surrealist techniques of art making. Tickets are $68 and include all materials. You’ll also go home with your own canvas.
Club Cosmos
The Alchemist’s Kitchen | 7:30-8:45pm at 117 Crosby St, Manhattan
Club Cosmos is a monthly community gathering for those who love Astrology and are curious about how the planets pair with botanicals that support our overall health and well being. You’ll hear from Meghan of Sacred Scar Astrology about a lot of things I didn’t totally understand about some recent full moon as well as how to prepare for the upcoming Taurus season. Tickets are $22 and include the experience as well as an herbal mocktail to sip throughout the night.
⭐ Dog-Friendly Comedy Show
Boris & Horton | 7-9pm at 195 Avenue A, Manhattan
Yes, you read this correctly. This is a dog-friendly (assuming they are well-behaved) show and fundraiser. Tickets will raise money for local animal rescue Every Last One, which focuses on ensuring dogs don’t face the risk of euthanasia simply due to lack of space and resources. Tickets are $18 and include entry to the show, a donation to the rescue, and a goodie bag to take home.
Saturday April 26
Big Miss Steak: Fundraiser for Children’s Rights
Stay for Supper | 5pm in Bushwick, location upon RSVP
Join Chef Lottie Gurvis of Stay for Supper, Children’s Rights Researcher Val Weisler and artist/producer/host Lara Atry for Big Miss Steak, a springtime dinner party extravaganza that flips the classic steakhouse on its head. This is a 21+ event but there will be crayons on the table, a grown-up-meets-kidcore meal, and even a post-dinner talent show. The dinner supports Val’s PhD project with Brooklyn kids designing their own child-friendly material at Brooklyn Children’s Museum. Tickets are $60 and include all food and drinks for the evening.
Earth Day Festival
Randall’s Island | 12-3pm at Randall’s Island
Randall’s Island is celebrating sprint and the end of Earth Week with a full day of free programming. There will be live band performances, arts activities, free treats, park tours, and more. No RSVP required. Looks really cute but also very family-friendly/oriented so don’t get mad at me if there’s lots of screaming children.
⭐ FAD Market
Fashion Art Design | Saturday & Sunday 11am-6pm at 128 Pierrepont St, Brooklyn
FAD Market is back in Brooklyn to celebrate Earth Month (is it Earth Day, Week, or Month?) with a curated lineup of 40+ sustainable and local makers, designers, and small businesses. There will be a mix of handmade jewelry, apparel, skincare, homegoods, and artisanal packaged foods. RSVP for free to shop.
Spring in New York Festival
Leon & Son | 2-4pm at 995 Fulton St, Brooklyn
Celebrate New York based winemakers at this spring tasting event. Leon & Son will be showcasing wines, spirits, and ciders from Brooklyn to the Finger Lakes, featuring a tasting from 20+ makers. Tickets are sliding scale $20-$40 and $10 of your ticket can be issued as a credit towards the purchase of any featured bottle.
Sunday April 27
⭐ Flowers & Wine
Saturn Road | 2-4:30pm at 276 Court St, Brooklyn
Post up at Saturn Road for an afternoon of floral arranging led by Floriconvento Flowers and paired with a floral inspired wine tasting. All materials and flowers will be provided and you’ll get guidance along the way. Tickets to make a small bouquet are $89 and include the wine tasting. If you’re enjoying the vibe at Saturn Road, you can also stay through 6pm when they’ll be hosting a night of Drag Bingo.
Manhattan Vintage Limited Edition
Manhattan Vintage | 11am-5pm at 2 E 79th St, Manhattan
If you’ve been reading for a while, you know Manhattan Vintage is in my very well studied opinion, the best vintage shopping event in NYC. They’re hosting a special 1 day event at the Ukrainian Institute with a select edit of dealers. This is also a good chance to check out the restored mansion that is the Institute. Tickets are $27, and I can basically guarantee you’ll find at least a few things if you’re into vintage shopping.
Makers Market
Tears of Venus x Roberta’s | 12-7pm at 261 Moore St, Brooklyn
Roberta’s Pizza is hosting a makers market in partnership with hand crafted jewelry brand Tears of Venus. Shop from 15+ local NYC based vendors for goods including ceramics, jewelry, apparel, screen prints, housewares, and more. If you don’t find anything at least you can grab a slice while you stop by. No RSVP required.
⭐ Coffee & Art Sunday
Bravin Lee | 2-4pm at 207 Front St, Manhattan
Gallery Bravin Lee is starting a new series Coffee Sundays where you can come enjoy coffee from while talking with some of the artists who will be by their art work. It feels like a very unpretentious and intimate way to learn about art.
Recs of the week
Places or shows I discovered over the last week. These are personal recommendations. If I had a cool week, they’ll be cool. If I didn’t, they won’t.
Berimbau Brazilian Kitchen - Super fun for a birthday dinner. The pao (Brazilian cheese bread) was insane, as was the picanha steak experience.
Bar Valentina - They serve $10 mini martinis and that’s kind of all you need to know.
Win Son - Always one of my favorites and much more accessible now that they’re on the LES. I somehow hadn’t tried the mochi donut before and it has completely altered my previously negative association with mochi.
Mikado - Their $27 handroll set deal is extremely good value for the amount of fish you get.
Grand Army Greenmarket - I walk by it almost weekly, but I’m usually rushing my dog past the crowd. I actually spent time visiting the stalls this weekend and it was a really cute spring activity. Especially loved all the fresh flowers and bundles of blossoms you could take home.
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Legend for new readers
⭐ = events I am particularly excited about
everything else = things I am still really excited about
Can confirm Bushwick Ceramics is great!