tuesday
any day now: corpse flower at brooklyn botanic garden: something funky is afoot at brooklyn botanic garden. a giant corpse flower (amorphophallus titanum) is poised to bloom any day now, releasing an aroma that’s been likened to rotting flesh. the phenomenon normally lasts only about 24-36 hours, so check the venue’s social media for updates. included with regular admission (pay-what-you-wish winter weekdays). >>
thru 2/9: nyc winter outing: enjoy cool savings on broadway shows, museums, tours, dining, and more during the annual nyc winter outing promotion. this season’s deals once again include restaurant week (prix-fixe meals at hundreds of restaurants in all five boroughs), broadway week (2-for-1 tickets to select broadway shows), and nyc must-see week (2-for-1 tickets to attractions, museums, performing arts, and tours). >>
thru sun: animation first 2025: french institute alliance française presents the eighth edition of animation first, the only festival in the u.s. dedicated to french and francophone animation. this year’s fest will present seven feature-length films and five short film programs, with a special focus on swiss animation. films will include english subtitles, unless otherwise noted. french institute alliance française (ues), various prices. >>
tues 6pm: liana finck: mixed feelings: cartoonist liana finck (the new yorker, passing for human) presents her new book, mixed feelings, a collection of illustrations portraying scenarios involving a child and a phrase that reminds readers (young and old) that not all feelings can be summed up in a single word. books are magic (boerum hill), free admission, $20.93 ticket includes a copy of the book. >>
tues 7pm: collage party: get crafty at tiny arts supply store’s collage party at the windjammer (ridgewood). supplies included, but feel free to bring items to use/share. $5+ suggested donation. >>
tues 7pm: desperately seeking aerobicide: get into the groove at this all-levels dance class, starting with an all-madonna dj set by andi. then, learn choreography to a surprise madonna song taught by neil ’80sbaby’ schwartz. tv eye (ridgewood), $20. >>
tues 7pm (monthly): brooklyn books + booze: hear established and up-and-coming authors of different genres read from their current works every third tuesday of the month at barrow’s intense tasting room (industry city). tonight’s edition features lancelot schaubert and authors from of gods and globes: a cosmic anthology. free admission. >>
tues 7pm (monthly): astronomy on tap: ‘celebrating the parker solar probe’ edition: things are looking up at astronomy on tap, an evening where astronomy enthusiasts come together in a bar to hear talks from professional scientists and play themed games. tonight’s edition celebrates the closest approach of nasa’s parker solar probe with stefan hofmeister (columbia university) and russell taragan (amnh). pete’s candy store (williamsburg), free admission. >>
tues 7pm (monthly): the broad squad: kendra cunningham presents this monthly throwback variety show filled with stand up, storytelling, music, and tarot readings. tonight: calvin cato, mel ferraro, shaun murphy, and nonye brown west. young ethel’s (park slope), free ($5 suggested donation). private tarot readings are $5 a card. >>
tues 8pm (monthly): animation nights new york: watch animated short films and virtual reality animation experiences from around the world at this monthly curated screening event. the gutter spare room (williamsburg), pay-what-you-wish admission. >>
wednesday
weds 7pm: letters + sodas: lic reading series: writer lana schwartz (build you own romantic comedy) brings local comedians and writers together to read from their original works at long island city’s the greats of craft. featuring jeremiah budin (the new yorker), elyssa maxx goodman (miss manhattan non-fiction reading series), nat towsen (fallon), brittany migs (cracked), ronuk johal, and mia arias tsang. $5. >>
weds 7:30pm: we have fun: a stand-up show: hosts zach sims and dan wilbur bring the fun-ny to young ethel’s (park slope), with stand-up by guests chloe radcliffe (fallon), josh gondelman (showtime), alex grubard (siriusxm), and mary cella (the new york times). free admission. >>
weds 8pm: rat candy comedy variety show: while hosts anya ptáček and bekah hess can’t promise that they’ll be dressed as two rats standing on top of each other wearing a trench coat to look like a human, they do assure us there’ll be standup, sketch, songs, and possibly even tap dancing. all proceeds from the show will go to elevated access, an organization that provides transportation for abortion access. littlefield (gowanus), $15.08 admission with promo code ‘candy3’ (reg. $18.67) includes $10 to spend on a drink at the bar. >>
weds 8pm (monthly): ditmas lit: a diverse range of fiction writers, storytellers, poets, and essayists share their work at the ditmas lit series, returning to the urbane arts club (ditmas park) with mateo askaripour (black buck), amanda miller (one breath, then another: a memoir), irvin weathersby, jr. (ebony), and nicole treska (wonderland: a tale of hustling hard and breaking even). free admission. >>
thursday
thurs thru 5/5 (closed tuesdays): winter exhibitions at the international center of photography: weegee: society of the spectacle, to conjure: new archives in recent photography, and american job: 1940-2011. opening reception 1/23 5-8pm ($5). international center of photography (les), $18 general, $14 seniors, $12 students, $5 thursdays 5-8pm, free every third thursday from 5-8pm. >>
thurs thru 2/2: 16th annual the fire this time 10-minute play festival: the obie award-winning the fire this time festival, which provides a platform for early-career playwrights of african and african american descent, premieres six 10-minute plays under the direction of kimille howard. the wild project (east village), sliding scale admission. >>
thurs thru 1/30: 27th annual j.p. morgan tournament of champions: catch world-class squash professionals and future olympians go head-to-head at the ‘grand slam of squash,’ returning to the glass-enclosed court in grand central terminal’s vanderbilt hall (midtown east). $21+ for seats, free for limited standing room. >>
thurs 6-9pm: circles of abstraction opening: the bust gallery (chelsea) presents an evening of art, performance, and music for its latest pop-up. featurinig art by iutian tsai, miriam portilla espino, callen schaub, jake garcia, sasha bianca, and annika rhea, circles of abstraction‘s opening night will include djs and live performance painting by rhea. free admission. >>
thurs 6:30pm: winging it: an open mic night at lofty pigeon books: share your script, your poem, your music, your jokes, or just your support at this open mic night held at kensington’s lofty pigeon books, hosted by the comedian, performer, author, and new yorker cartoonist emily flake. light refreshments will be served, and attendees will save 10% on store purchases. free admission. >>
thurs 7pm: fiction new salon: join author valeria luiselli (lost children archive, the story of my teeth) for a reading and conversation with host darin strauss at tonight’s installment of the nyu creative writing program’s reading series. nyu’s lillian vernon creative writers house (greenwich village), free admission. >>
thurs 7pm: coolest american stories 2025 launch party: mark wish and elizabeth coffey launch their fourth annual short story anthology at kgb bar (east village) with a night of author readings and q+a. copies of the book will be available for purchase. free admission. >>
thurs 7pm: limousine reading series: hear new readings from writers at the limousinereading series, hosted by heather akumiah and leah abrams at berry park (williamsburg). featuring jordan coley, iva dixit, jeremy gordon, ama kwarteng, and zefyr lisowsky. $10. >>
thurs 7:30pm: eliot glazer: songs in the key of lolol: comedian and writer eliot glazer (broad city, new girl) performs genre-hopping mashups, original songs, and more at club cumming (east village). $15 adv, $20 day of. >>
thurs 9pm: a very silly feline movie musical screening: sing and laugh along to a screening of 2019 flop, cats. young ethel’s (park slope), free admission. >>
thurs 9:30pm: kelly bachman: patron saint: comedian kelly bachman (fx/hulu’s hysterical, ‘rape victims are horny too’) performs an hour of stand-up about spirituality, sexuality, virality, and why anyone is funny at caveat (les). $12 adv, $17 door. >>
ongoing
our roundup of 30+ ongoing events and attractions: film fests, light installations, ice skating, and more. >>
stay safe and healthy
– the skint
