around town today
reminder (every mon-thurs): the met opera offers 200 orchestra seats for $20 2 hours prior to performances. tonight- 'elektra' >>
10am, 12 and 4pm: uptown dance academy’s 14th annual ‘black nutcracker’ blends tchaikovsky’s original score with duke ellington + billy strayhorn’s ‘harlem nutcracker,’ plus music by the commodores and live african drummers. $7 >>
6:30pm: michael gross' 'the secret history of the moguls & money that made the met museum' @ nypl mid-manhattan, free >>
7pm: chelsea haywood reads from her '90 day geisha: my time as a tokyo hostess' @ kgb, free >>
7:30pm: snl's jenny slate and gabe liedman host a benefit for runtellmanrun: tellman knudson's barefoot run across the country to raise $100 million for the homeless. with todd barry, wyatt cenac ('the daily show'), others. bell house, $15 >>
8pm: the root's drummer ?uestlove dj's at s.o.b.'s 4th annual holiday party, $16 >>
sales, deals, freebies
3-6pm (+ 12/22): get a free spicy sushi sandwich: spicy tuna, avocado and eel, between toasted bread crumbs, sesame seeds and spicy mayo (reg. $14.95) @ bamboo 52 (344 west 52nd st, bet 8th + 9th aves) >>
serious eats tells you where to get your gingerbread man fix- from duane park patisserie to bouchon bakery ($1-4) >>
the new york times rounds up readers' holiday cookies and recipes >>
groupon alert! get tickets to cirque du soleil's 'wintuk' at msg 11/26-1/3 for $40-60 (reg $75-115) >>
get a marine vitality facial @ orchid aestheics (w. 84th st) for $25 (reg $67) >>
get a 20 minute shoulder or foot massage + 40 minutes of 'yelonap' for $30 (reg $80) at yelospa (columbus circle) >>
today only: pink floyd's 'dark side of the moon' just $1.99 (reg $7.99) on amazon >>
now on hulu: 'i want a dog for christmas, charlie brown' >>
free mp3: harper simon (paul's son) 'wishes and stars' + 'shooting star' >>
free mp3: 3 tracks from the pains of being pure at heart >>
