SKINT GIVEAWAY: PASSES TO SEE 'BROTHERS' STARRING NATALIE PORTMAN, JAKE GYLLENHAAL AND TOBEY MAGUIRE

We’ve got 20 passes to see Jim Sheridan’s sibling/war drama "Brothers," starring Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire. (Each pass admits 2 people. Valid Mon-Thurs for the duration of its theatrical run at any AMC movie theater in Manhattan.) For a chance to win, just drop us a line (subject line: "Brothers") or re-tweet our Twitter contest alert by 11:59pm tonight. Winners will be notified individually tomorrow.

TODAY: JONATHAN SAFRAN FOER + FRANK BRUNI, ELF WORLD RECORD @ BRYANT PARK

skint pick
7:30pm: jonathan safran foer ('eating animals') and former ny times restaurant critic frank bruni ('born round') discuss how we eat and why america is fixated on food. jcc, $15

around town today
reminder (every mon-thurs): the met opera offers 200 orchestra seats for $20 2 hours prior to performances. tonight- 'les contes d'hoffmann' >>
ends 12/12: exhibition 'the great masters of lithography: vintage posters of calder, chagall, dufy, léger, matisse, miró, picasso, and others' @ fiaf, free >>
ends 12/15: see one of four surviving original copies of the magna carta @ the fraunces tavern museum, $10 >>
12pm: erin mckenna, owner of our beloved babycakes vegan and gluten-free bakery, comes to 92yt to talk about how she creates the tasty recipes in her cookbook. a perfect gift even for carnivores. $16 >>
12-2pm: jenny mccarthy, dean mcdermott, tori spellling and others from abc family attempt to set the guinness world record for the largest gathering of santa's elves at the pond @ bryant park (elf costumes provided), free >>
7pm: former top chef contestants manuel trevino, lisa fernandes, nikki cascone and ariane duarte sign the new 'top chef quickfire cookbook' @ borders columbus circle, free >>
7pm: joe harvard gives a multimedia presentation on his entry to the 33 1/3 book series, 'the velvet underground and nico.' barbes $? (but cheap) >>
8pm: the onion's a.v. club celebrates the release of their new book 'inventory' at union hall, free >>
10pm: frou frou + bjork = norway’s kate havnevik. brilliant. rockwood music hall, free (1 drink min) >>

coming up
12/8 5pm: enjoy musical perforrmances, hot chocolate and cookies at the met’s opera's holiday tree lighting. free >>
12/8 6pm: timbaland gives a performance and signs his new cd 'shock value, vol. 2' @ j+r >>
12/8 7:30pm: whisky siren heather greene sings + gets you boozed up on glenfiddich scotch @ joe's pub, $12 >>
12/10-20 7pm: pig brooch theatre co. presents ‘a charlie brown christmas - live’ accompanied by a jazz trio performing vince guaraldi’s classic score. brooklyn lyceum, 7pm, $10 or $30/four. >>

sales, deals, freebies
reminder: buy one small pinkberry, get one free (any flavor, including topings). coupon valid thru 12/11 >>
groupon alert: get $50 worth of food and drinks at the orchard (l.e.s.) for just $20 >>
89thandbroke tells you where to get discounts on restaurant gift certificates (20% off $100 or more @ rosa mexicano, free $25 gift card with purchase of a $100 card @ smith + wollensky, more) >>
get a traditional or cold laser acupuncture at steadman acupuncture for $45 (reg $160) >>
now on hulu: luc besson's 'la femme nikita' >>
free mp3: lady gaga 'christmas tree' >>
free mp3s: 5 tracks from a new wave legend that never was- pittsburg's the cardboards >>

there are still 23 more days of skintmas left! >>

30 BROOKLYN BASED DEALS FOR $30 (SPONSORED POST)

You need Brooklyn Based’s awesome, limited edition coupon book, 30 Brooklyn Based Deals for $30. Inside are 30 deals at local shops and restaurants (plus a yoga studio + climbing gym) good through March and June of next year.

You could use them all yourself, or be really generous and give a coupon to a friend who would love, say, a free cupcake at Baked with any purchase! Or maybe a buy one, get one free sake tasting flight with an Omakase meal at Zenkichi; 20% percent off handbags at Thistle & Clover; $50 dollars off a 3rd Ward membership; 20% off cheese and (still) wine at Stinky Bklyn and Smith & Vine; or a free draught beer during happy hour at the Bell House!

In short, this little book = 30 deals that can save you big, and motivate you to check out other neighborhoods beside your own.

They go on sale Dec. 12 at the 3rd Ward Handmade Holiday Craft Fair in East Williamsburg, where we’ll have a curated corner with vendors like The Shiny Squirrel. You’ll also find them after Dec. 12 at Lion in the Sun in Park Slope, and The Brooklyn Kitchen’s new outpost, The Labs.

Participants include 3rd Ward, Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store, Baked, The Bell House, Brooklyn Boulders, Bussaco, Corduroy Kid, Doggie Academy, Enid’s, Foxy & Winston, iCi, Lion in the Sun, Luz, Mala Yoga, The Meat Hook, Metal and Thread, MiniMax Toys and Cuts, Skinnyskinny, Smith & Vine, Stinky Bklyn, Task, Tiburon, Zenkichi, and more!

SKINT WEEKEND

saturday
11am-6pm: the dumbo winter pop-up flea market opens for the season today @ 81 front st >>
11am-8pm: 50 of etsy’s best-loved nyc vendors pack mulberry street’s openhouse gallery with their well-priced wares for the 2009 holiday handmade cavalcade. free admission. >>
12-6pm: dozens of artisans and crafters sell their handmade goodies at the martha stewart living holiday craft sale. 601 w. 26th st >>
1pm: scandinavia house's annual 'family lucia' program celebrates saint lucia overcoming darkness, and the promise of returning sunlight. $10 >>
3, 7:30pm (ends today): 'nutcracker in the lower' = urban ballet theater's re-imagined 'nutcracker' (think krumping rats, popping soldiers, crooked hats). abrons arts center, $20 >>
4-7pm: wolfcon 3! get your teen wolf thing on while you parade + bar hop with other furry friends. meet in union square >>
5-9pm: the nouveau classical project's holiday soirée features an open wine bar, goodie bags (incl. a free concert ticket to le poisson rouge), more. lpr, $12 adv ($15/door) >>
9pm (+ 12/10-12): move over rockettes... lady circus + friends star in the house of yes christmas spectacular, $15 >>
10pm: glam it up as the 'bowie ball' pays homage to the starman. gift bags, dj's, a live band, burlesque, fashion show, costume contest, more! lpr, $10 w/ rsvp + costume, ($15/$20 otherwise) >>

sunday
every sun thru 12/27: take a ride on one of the 1930's subway cars and 1950's busses this holiday season >>
10-7:30pm: 200+ crafty vendors hawk handbags, jewelry, clothing, more at the bust holiday craftacular. first 500 people snag a goodie bag. metropolitan pavilion, $2 >>
11am-midnight: 80 musicians and 16 yoko impersonators play all 185 original beatles songs... on ukulele (!) at the 2nd annual beatles complete on ukulele festival. brooklyn bowl, $10 >>
12-6pm: north brooklyn boutiques and designers take over both rooms at public assembly's winter market, free >>
3pm: snap up sexy dirty dolls lingerie and enjoy the show at the mode merr fashion show spectacular. lpr, $10 adv ($15 dos) >>
7:30pm: michael showalter + eugene mirman’s culty ‘tearing the veil of maya’ sketch show does a holiday special @ bell house, $10 >>

+ all weekend
11am (+ 12/12-13): ifc's tennessee williams on film tribute kicks off with 'the glass menagerie' and 'suddenly last summer,' $12.50 >>
1-5pm: a gaggle of authors ('the magicians' lev grossman, ‘when you reach me’’s rebecca stead, and others) will hang out at word brooklyn, recommending titles, signing their books, even gift wrapping! free >>
thru 12/10: film forum's festival celebrating classic horror director james whale continues w. 'bride of frankenstein' (1935) + 'the old dark house' (1932) double feature, $12 >>
thru 12/13: pinchbottom burlesque presents ‘filthy lucre: a burlesque christmas carol,’ walkerspace, $20 >>
weekends thru 12/27 11am, 3pm: watch as baboons, meerkats, other creatures tear into ‘presents’ stuffed with junglebait holiday treats at the prospect park zoo. $7 admission >>
thru 1/10/10: the new york botanical garden's conservatory is transformed into a landscape of model trains, trolleys, lights and replicas of nyc landmarks made entirely from plant parts at the holiday train show. $20 >>

TODAY: BRYANT PARK TREE LIGHTING, NEUE GALLERIE'S FIRST-EVER FIRST FRIDAY

skint pick
7pm: olympic skater elene gedevanishvili, synchronized skating team the lexettes, live music from jazz @ lincoln center + more at bryant park’s tree-lighting ceremony, free

around town today (friday)
thru 12/10: film forum's festival celebrating classic horror director james whale kicks off w. 'frankenstein' (1931) + 'the invisible man' (1933) double feature, $12 >>
thru 12/20: the 'spanish cinema now' series @ fslc shows you that there's more than just almodóvar, cruz, and bardem (although we loves them). $11 >>
6-8pm: check out works by austrian and german artists klimt, schiele and others as neue gallerie holds its first-ever free friday >>
7pm: the society for ethical culture's 'ethics in film' series presents 'the brother from another planet' (1984). $5 adm. includes drinks + snacks >>
7:30pm: an evening of lo-fi keyboard magic with the casio sk orchestra @ the tank, $5 >>
7pm: tonight's opera on tap features opera singers paired with... puppets! barbes, $10 suggested donation >>
9pm (+ 12/5,10-12): move over rockettes... lady circus + friends star in the house of yes christmas spectacular, $15 >>
10pm: ex-new order bass man peter hook, ladytron's daniel hunt, others spin at the bravery's new cd release party, webster hall. $15 (online) >>
10pm: the yale glee club takes a break from class and makes it's annual performance at grand central terminal, free >>

sales, deals, freebies
get a free smoothie when you buy a $25 jamba juice gift card >>
groupon alert: get $20 off admission to the beer, bourbon, and bbq festival 1/30 ($60 value) >>
nymag's holiday guide to seasonal pop-up shops (candy shoppe, japan brand, the winter market, more) >>
inhabitat's green holiday gift guide that won't break your budget >>
visitors for the holidays? staycation? here are brooklyn's best b+b's for under $150 >>
how to make a handbag out of a recycled book (via sarahspy.com) >>
now on hulu: 'santa claus conquers the martians' (1964) and 'scrooge' (1935)
ree mp3: slow club covers 'christmas (baby please come home)' >>
free mp3: sigur ros front man jonsi's solo debut 'boy lilikoi' >>

TODAY: $49 DENTAL, CRUSH CHAMPAGNE GALA, WYE OAK + PULSARS + RUMOURS

skint pick
5:30-8pm: epic tasting of 25+ champagnes and sparkling wines (dom perignon, cristal, veuve clicquot, schramsberg, more) @ crush wine + spirits (e. 57th), free (rsvp)

around town today
5:30pm: nigella lawson's still in town... enjoy free samples of her christmas rocky road and cranberry + white chocolate chip cookies while she signs her 'nigella christmas' @ williams-sonoma chelsea (7th ave @ 17th) >>
7pm: author michael zuckoff reads from his 'robert altman: an oral biography,' 192 books, free >>
7-10pm: the 12th annual brad nack 100% reindeer art show is exactly what is sounds like. 303 grand gallery, free >>
7:30pm: john and molly knefel host an evening of independent comedy wtih janeane garofalo, others @ le poisson rouge, free >>
7:30pm: tonight @ the bell house: indie-folk rockers wye oak, plus a rare appearance by 90's electro-rockers pulsars and an all-star indie rock tribute to fleetwood mac- rumours. $10 >>
8-10pm: sex worker literati's boys’ night features readings and performances by a bondage rope company founder, a porn historian, others. happy ending, free >>
9pm: soundpool (shoegaze, effects-laden, dreamy) perform @ cameo gallery, $7 >>
9pm: echo + the bunnymen's ian mcculloch gives a rare acoustic show at other music, free >>

sales, deals, freebies
7-9pm: donate lightly worn shoes and get 30% off a new pair at the adidas holiday shoe swap event – plus cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, giveaways, and 20% off all other purchases. adidas, 136 wooster, rsvp >>
7-late (+ 12/10): park slope shops stay open late and offer special discounts, booze and snacks at the 3rd annual snowflake celebration, free >>
groupon alert: just $49 for a dental exam, cleaning and x-rays @ tribeca dental studio ($435 value!) >>
you talkin' to me? 'taxi driver' is now available on hulu >>
free mp3: 5-track classical christmas sampler >>
free mp3: los straightjackets 'deck the halls' >>

we made some technological changes to the skint, so we apologize for the late email delivery today

TODAY: NIGELLA LAWSON, BATALI + CHANG, ROCKEFELLER TREE LIGHTING

skint pick
6:45-9pm: aretha franklin, barry manilow, shakira, jane krakowski, and other stars help light the 30,000 bulbs on the 76-foot norway spruce @ the rockefeller center christmas tree lighting ceremony

around town today
6:30pm: avant-rock band pere ubu's frontman david thomas chats with greil marcus @ the new school, $5 >>
7pm: brit chef/butter evangelist nigella lawson celebrates and signs her new cookbook ‘nigella christmas’ at b+n 86th/lex (also @ williams-sonoma chelsea tomorrow), free >>
7pm: mario batali talks shop with momofuku authors david chang and peter meehan @ strand books, free >>
7pm: amnh's after-hours series 'scicafé' explores the biology behind holiday madness with talk, 'naughty or nice: the biological basis of greed and altruism.' free >>
7pm-midnight: pretend your company can afford to throw a party at the metro metro holiday office party. $10 gets you a free drink, 2-4-1 all night, contest entry. bar 82 >>
7:30pm (+ 12/4, 5): dj spooky's multi-media 'terra nova: sinfonia antartica' mixes hip hop and sound recordings from the antarctic with video and live performance by the international contemporary ensemble, bam, $20 >>
7:30pm: choreographer twyla tharp discusses her new book 'the collaborative habit: life lessons for working together' @ b+n lincoln triangle, free >>
8pm (thru 12/13): pinchbottom burlesque presents ‘filthy lucre: a burlesque christmas carol,’ walkerspace, $20 >>
8pm: celebrate brooklyntheborough.com's (almost) 1st birthday party featuring authors nancy balbirer and cintra wilson, music from aeroplane pageant, the fearsome sparrow, more. free jameson 8-9pm. public assembly, free (rsvp) >>
8pm: save coney island's siren screen series brings 10 coney-themed shorts to black horse pub (park slope). all profits support save coney island. $10 >>

coming up
12/4 6-8pm: check out works by austrian and german artists klimt, schiele and others as neue gallerie holds its first-ever free friday >>
12/5 4-7pm: wolfcon 3! get your teen wolf thing on while you parade + bar hop with other furry friends. meet in union square >>
12/9 7:30pm: screening of 'green porno' plus q+a with isabella rossellini. $25 adm. gets you a copy of the book/dvd and two seats at the event. word brooklyn >>

sales, deals, freebies
5-10pm: score deals on dior, chanel and more at the sassy city chicks fashion bash. $20 2-4-1 vip tix get you a gift bag, cocktails and spa services ($3 admission otherwise). hotel penn. >>
grab one-day-only drink specials thru the end of the year via time out new york's hoiday drink calendar >>
groupon alert: get $35 worth of natural and organic groceries from fresh fanatic (fort greene/clinton hill) for $15 >>
winedanddined’s festive foodie holiday shopping guide (events, markets, gifts, more) >>
pee-wee's playhouse christmas special is streaming on peewee.com (via @popcandy) >>
free mp3: j.d. mcdonald 'boogaloo santa claus' >>
free mp3: the futureheads 'struck dumb' >>
free mp3: the bird and the bee 'please don't stop the music' >>

follow the skint on twitter for late-breaking info >>

NYC BLOGGERS DO THE HOLIDAYS

NYC Bloggers Do the Holidays is a one-day group effort among thirteen New York City websites to publish a cumulative guide to enjoying the next month. Today, each of these sites has put its own unique spin on the season which you can access here. the skint's contribution, '30 days of skintmas,' follows below. Enjoy!

Brooklyn Based
Home for the Holidays

Give and Get NYC
'Tis The Season to Volunteer

the improvised life
unwrapping the holidays

Manhattan User's Guide
The Gift Guide

Mommy Poppins
Offbeat and Multicultural Family Holiday Events

NY Barfly
It's the Holidays, Time to Drink

NewYorkology
Big-ticket holiday shows: Nutcracker, Rockettes, Wintuk

offManhattan
Ten Holiday Getaways Near NYC

Patell & Waterman's History of New York
A little history with your holidays

The Strong Buzz
Holiday Eats Old and New

WFMU's Beware of the Blog
Happy Freakin' Holidays Playlist

Walking Off the Big Apple
The Thin Man Walk: A New York Holiday Adventure with Nick and Nora Charles


(If you have a NYC blog or website and would like to participate in a future group post, let us know.)

30 DAYS OF SKINTMAS - A CHEAP (OR FREE!) HOLIDAYS-IN-NYC TREAT FOR EVERY DAY OF THE SEASON

this holiday list is a part of nyc bloggers do the holidays

1
start the season off right: enter to win tickets from the skint to see 'hansel and gretel' at the metropolitan opera. details here >>
2
brit chef/butter evangelist nigella lawson celebrates and signs her new cookbook ‘nigella christmas’ at b+n 86th/lex, 7pm, free >>
3
donate lightly worn shoes and get 30% off a new pair at the adidas holiday shoe swap event – plus cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, giveaways, and 20% off all other purchases. adidas, 136 wooster, rsvp, 7-9pm >>
4
skating performances, live music from jazz @ lincoln center + more at bryant park’s tree-lighting ceremony, 7pm >>
5
50 of etsy’s best-loved nyc vendors pack mulberry street’s openhouse gallery with their well-priced wares for the 2009 holiday handmade cavalcade. 11am-8pm, free admission >>
6
a gaggle of authors ('the magicians' lev grossman, ‘when you reach me’’s rebecca stead, and others) will hang out at word brooklyn, recommending titles, signing their books, even gift wrapping! 1-5pm, free (also 12/5) >>
7
erin mckenna, owner of our beloved babycakes vegan and gluten-free bakery, comes to 92yt to talk about how she creates the tasty recipes in her cookbook. a perfect gift even for carnivores. 12pm, $16 >>
8
for less than a tenner, get a fancy foreign beer at bavarian hideaway rolf’s: during the holidays, the room is lit up like elvis on a vegas tour. (all season long) >>
9
pinchbottom burlesque presents naked girls reading charles dickens’ 'a christmas carol' (12/9, $15) and ‘filthy lucre: a burlesque christmas carol’ (12/2-13, $20). walkerspace >>
10
santa claus get stuck in your chimney? get ‘help’ from new york’s bravest and hunkiest when they sign copies of the 2010 new york city firefighters calendar @ the firestore. 6:30-8:30pm, free. >>
11
‘everybody cries @ christmas’: three short plays that celebrate and skewer the less-fun parts of the holiday season. 9:30pm, $7 (12/11-13) >>
12
'no gelt, no glory! get your twirling fingers in shape for the 2009 major league spin the dreidel tournament at the knitting factory. 7pm, $10 >>
13
‘christmas eve on sesame street’ plus excerpts of ‘muppet family christmas’ + other sesame holiday moments screen at bam’s ‘a special sesame street christmas’ program. 4:30pm, $7-11 >>
14
call it ‘miracle on 34th street’ with scientists: lecturers aim to prove the existence of kris kringle at ‘beyond belief: a philosophical proof of santa claus.’ pete's candy store, 7:30pm, free >>
15
see the original, hand-edited manuscript of charles’ dickens ‘a christmas carol’ (written in 6 weeks!) at the mckim rooms of the morgan library + museum, on display thru 1/10. free admission today from 3-5pm. >>
16
try not to drool over the extravagantly high-end gingerbread houses created by bakeries around town to duff ‘ace of cakes’ goldman’s specifications. for $1, vote for your favorite – proceeds go to city harvest. parker meridien atrium, thru the end of january, free >>
17
ny radio hosts annie bergen, elliott forrest and others perform the strand’s 6th annual reading of ‘a christmas carol’ (adapted by clayelle dalferes), 6pm, free >>
18
pig brooch theatre co. presents ‘a charlie brown christmas - live’ accompanied by a jazz trio performing vince guaraldi’s classic score. brooklyn lyceum, 7pm, $10 or $30/four. (runs 12/10-20) >>
19
ice-skating in mid-air! santa on a unicycle! a drunken sugar plum! aerial theater troupe suspended cirque’s ‘12 acts of christmas’ flies high at galapagos. 8pm, $20 (also 12/20) >>
20
the holiday cookie takedown is sure to make the bell house smell amazing – plus, you know there’ll be bacon in there somewhere. bonus: free spiked eggnog! 6:30pm, all-you-can-eat for $10 >>
21
14 feet high, 30 years of tradition, 1000+ multi-colored folded paper animals: be dazzled by the origami holiday tree in the american museum of natural history’s teddy roosevelt hall. 10am-5:45pm, $16 suggested admission (on view thru 1/3) >>
22
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. 10am, 12 and 4pm, $7. >>
23
the tourist crowds have thinned: go worship at the rockefeller center tree, them warm up with the city’s (world’s?) best hot chocolate: the bittersweet caracas at la maison du chocolat. $8 >>
24
nothing quite beats standing beneath the washington square arch and caroling up at the night sky, a long-running greenwich village christmas eve tradition. sheet music provided. 5pm, free >>
25
all-you-can-eat chinese buffet + a mel brooks double feature (‘blazing saddles’ and ‘spaceballs’) @ 92yt. 2pm. $25 adv with booze available at the bar. >>
26
gritty ‘nutcracker: rated r,’ set in 1980’s new york, is back for its 4th season @ theater for the new city. sat 3pm shows are pay-what-you-will ($20 reg) (runs 12/17-31) >>
27
watch as baboons and meerkats tear into ‘presents’ stuffed with junglebait holiday treats at the prospect park zoo. 11am and 3pm, $7 admission (other critters 12/5-27) >>
28
twirl, salchow or just glide at the pond at bryant park, nyc’s only free-admission ice rink, open 8am-10pm daily (midnight on fridays + saturdays) through 1/24. $12 skate rental. >>
29
swayze for you = all-burlesque holiday tribute to the late actor, with tassels twirling from ‘she’s like the wind’ to ‘unchained melody.’ kraine theater, 10:30pm, $15 >>
30
grand central terminal’s main concourse dazzles with a holiday light show projected 125 feet above your head, every half hour -- afterwards, grab some chowder at the oyster bar ($5.75). 11am-9pm, free >>

new to the skint? get updates delivered to your inbox every day >>

SKINT GIVEAWAY: HANSEL AND GRETEL @ THE METROPOLITAN OPERA

Hansel and Gretel returns to The Metropolitan Opera 12/14-1/2 for a special holiday family treat. Featuring Philip Langridge (reprising the role of the Witch) and Miah Persson and Angelika Kirchschlager as the lost brother and sister, Engelbert Humperdinck’s take on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale is a wicked yet delightful way to kick off the holiday season. And with tickets starting at just $20, it's also one of the best opera deals around!

We have a pair of tickets (in the orchestra section!) to give away to a lucky skint reader for the 12/14 or 12/17 performance. To enter to win, head here to sign up for the skint daily email by 11:59pm tonight. (Already a subscriber? Just drop us a line with your name, your subscriber email, the date of the performance you'd like to win and the subject 'Hansel and Gretel.') We’ll never share your email address with anyone, ever, period. Winner will be picked at random and notified tomorrow.

TODAY: WORLD AIDS DAY VIGILS, FREE 'FIGHT FEST,' ZIGGY PLAYED... VIOLIN?

skint pick
remember loved ones who've passed at world aids day vigils at washington square park and other locations around the city

around town today (tuesday)
12:30pm, 6:30pm: new york theatre ballet performs an hour long production of 'the nutcracker' @ wfc, free >>
6pm: panel discussion and screening of the first animated christmas special, 'mister magoo's christmas carol' (1962). bonus: all attendees receive a free dvd of the film. paley center for media, $20 >>
6:30pm: 'poems + pints' tops off the season with ron padgett and katha pollittas reading their own work as well as favorites in historic fraunces tavern, free >>
6:50pm: documentary 'still bill,' about r+b artist bill withers ('lean on me,' 'ain't no sunshine,' 'use me') plus q+a w. directors damani baker and alex vlack. bamcinématek', $7-11 >>
7pm: julie + julia's julie powell ('cleaving: a story of marriage, meat and obsession)' and anna lappé ('diet for a hot planet: the climate crisis at the end of your fork and what you can do about it') read at kgb's true story nonfiction reading series, free >>
7pm: apparently, there is no actual max brenner, but it is true that there will be a chocolate tasting and book signing of 'max brenner chocolate: a love story' at strand books. free >>
7:30pm: tonight's adult education speaker series presents 'death' in various forms (taxidermy, medical museums... sex?), union hall, $5 >>
7:30pm: the ladies of wasabassco burlesque present 'a bavarian x-mas' (think polka music, lederhosen, santa hats, pork belly bratwurst). plus free jameson drinks 7:30-8:30pm. bell house, $10 >>
8pm: the tami stronach dance co. benefit + carnival features performances by lindsey dietz marchant, tara o'con, tvotr's tunde adebimpe, human beat boxer adam matta, many others. plus hair cuts, manicures, massage, body painting, tarot card readings, more! galapagos, $20 >>
8pm: get a free sneak peek of 'fight fest' - the brik theater's 3-week ode to stage combat, followed by opening night party (rsvp) >>
9:30pm: ziggy played... violin? this ambitious orchestra pay symphonic tribute to david bowie @ mercury lounge, $12 >>
10pm: brooklyn's beautiful balkan a cappella quartet black sea hotel enchants @ pete's candy store, free >>

coming up
12/2 7pm: amnh's after-hours series 'scicafé' explores the biology behind holiday madness with talk, 'naughty or nice: the biological basis of greed and altruism.' free >>
12/2 8pm: celebrate brooklyntheborough.com's (almost) 1st birthday party featuring authors nancy balbirer and cintra wilson, music from aeroplane pageant, the fearsome sparrow, more. public assembly, free (rsvp) >>
12/3 5:30-8pm: epic tasting of 25+ champagnes and sparkling wines (dom perignon, cristal, veuve clicquot, schramsberg, more) @ crush wine + spirits (e. 57th), free (rsvp) >>
12/4 7pm: tonight's opera on tap features opera singers paired with... puppets! barbes, $10 suggested donation >>

sales, deals, freebies
6-9pm: join ladies lotto in starting the holiday season in a healthy way with a free yoga class, acupuncture/chinese herbal chat, plus freebies from chelsea market, l'uvalla organics, more. reflections yoga (rsvp) >>
groupon alert: $45 for a haircut, shampoo, blow dry and kerastase treatment at jean-claude biguine ($112 value) >>
get $25 worth of southeast asian cuisine and sake cocktails for $10 at kuta house (l.e.s.) >>
recessionwire's 13 ways to save money on holiday gifts >>
baby it's cold outside! metromix's 5 ways to enjoy a hot toddy >>
amazon's picked 100 albums for $5 this month. choose from 50 cent, air, lily allen, ray charles, duran duran, lady gaga, massive attack, mazzy star, moby, my morning jacket, cassandra wilson, various holiday albums, much more >>
free mp3s: 7-song holiday music sampler (frank sinatra, mario lanza, roubert goulet, more) >>