Events for Nov 20-22 weekend

Wow, there are a lot of great arts/crafts/holiday-ish events going on this weekend! Here are a few highlights i want to share:
Friday Nov 20 - So many art openings/benefits!
- Secret Artworks 6-9 Westin Hotel - i went to this a few years ago and the ticket price (and food offerings) have vastly increased since then, but it was a pretty cool event nonetheless. If you have some serious coin to drop, its for a good cause. Its an exhibition and sale of 5x7 inch pieces of artwork that you buy and you don't find out who the artist is until after the sale is over. I went to a similar event in Rochester that a friend of mine was in and at both shows i really enjoyed the vast array of style and ability contained in each show. 100$/person in advance, 125 at the door - benefits Artworks. http://www.artworkscincinnati.org/.
- Inkbleeds II: The Art of the Screenprint 5-9pm this opening is at the Art Academy's Pearlman Gallery and will feather posters from the rock scene from various area print makers including Powerhouse Factories which i have always heard does good work. A friend of mine is a print maker currently, so to get to know how the process works would be an excellent way to spend a Friday night for me. Ph #562-6262 The after party will be @ below Zero Lounge @ 10pm, and it should make for an interesting crowd b/c of the following event.....
- Gay BINGO @ Below Zero Lounge 6:30-10pm. Be there for all of the crazy fun, the outrageous costumes, the fabulous prizes and totally unconventional bingo games. Plus you will be supporting the Ensemble Theatre and STOP AIDS. 20$/person. http://www.belowzerolounge.com/cal.html
- Fabricate Grand Opening (inside of Red Polly) in Northside 7-11pm - full disclosure: this is actually a place a former coworker of mine is opening up. That being said, I'm a crafty person who's not all that talented and this really appeals to me. In addition to the store opening, there is an art exhibit that is up by Chris Salley and there will be great music as well as food and drink. The long term goal for this place is to be a place for crafters to show/sell their work, pick up supplies and have a general space to gather and craft. http://www.fabnorthside.com/

Saturday Nov 21 - get into the holiday spirit!
- BuyCincy's Cincinnati Unchained, is 11-6pm More than 30 stores citywide are offering deals, gifts and charitable donations during this annual campaign that highlights locally-owned businesses.
- Balluminaria @ Eden Park (at Mirror Lake) 4-6pm - There will be a bunch of tethered hot air balloons that will ring the "lake" that will be lit up as the light fades. The pictures I've seen of this event are amazing, and i think its supposed to be dry on that day. There will also be carollers and a Santa visit for those of you who go with kiddies. I personally have never been up close and personal with hot air balloons, so this sounds awesome. Parking will likely be short, so be prepared to walk, bike or take the bus.
- Winter Floral Show - A Swedish Holiday @ Krohns Conservatory 10-5pm - This will feature all sorts of lovely flowers, a beautiful Xmas tree and a train and Cincy landmark display. They used to get Wifi there too so if you want to cruise the net, have a coffee and read the paper, its a lovely place to do so. This place is open 7 days/week, so find an off time and go see the show!
- Indie Craft Show @ Northside Tavern 12-6pm - this is the first year for this show, and were my skills more up to par i would have totally submitted work to it. That being said, i hope this is a monstrous success so they have more! There will be crafts for sale (duh) by 20 vendors, gelato and music to keep the creative vibe going. http://craftysupermarket.wordpress.com/
- Chef Rob's Cooking class @ Kroger Fresh Fare in Kenwood 1pm - with all the great cooking classes being offered lately, the ones which are FREE are sometimes given short shrift. Not here, especially in these kind of times! This class is focused mostly on Thanksgiving food - turkey, sweet potatoes, gingered carrot salad and angel food cake with ganache and berries (YUM). You have to call to register though. 686-7900.
- Xmas @ Xmas (sorta) @ Below Zero 8-11 - alright so i already mentioned stuff going on at this place before, but damn if they don't have good planners! (Seriously, they have an event weekly for Glee!) Anyway this is another benefit, this time for the Cincinnati Men's Chorus, who incidentally are very good. They will have holiday music being performed cabaret style and it will be hosted by Penny Tration (a fabulously hilarious drag queen). Is it ever really too early to start the holiday singing? http://www.belowzerolounge.com/cal.html
Sunday Nov 22 - ZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Rest, relax and root on the Bengals. WHO DEY!

Upcoming events 11/13-11/15

With the weather starting to cool off, there are a lot of things going on this weekend (indoors) that will keep folks in the area active!

1. Kristen Chenoweth @ Music Hall - what can i say about her? I loved her in "Pushing Daisies" and LOVED Wicked, so its a no-brainer that her show with the CSO this weekend would appeal! There are shows @ 8pm Friday and Saturday night, and an afternoon one on Sunday (maybe another one on Sat?) and tickets are really reasonable. You get to hear her do some standard broadway tunes and they do promote the fact that she will be doing one or two songs from Wicked. Tix are anywhere from 20$ and up. Sold!

2. MUSE Concert - $15 Saturday 8pm or Sunday at 3pm @ St John's Unitarian Church in Clifton. I have not heard MUSE sing before, but from what I've been told, they are very powerful concerts. For the most part, the song list is nothing I've heard before, but it all seems to be centered around peace, justice and the celebration of women.

3. White Christmas @ the Aronoff - it still seems a bit early for this kind of stuff, but i guess its never too soon to get in the holiday spirit! Tix vary from 24.50 to 64$, but reviews are already very positive for the show. The show runs through 11/22 which i find somewhat odd, but maybe they'll have another holiday-ish show after that. (Technically, this show starts its run tonight.)

4. Bad Veins and You, You're Awesome @ Aliveone in Mt Adams- I've been jonesing to see Bad Veins, especially after all the press they've been given and here's a chance. Though i won't personally be going to this show (hate the parking in Mt Adams and Alive One seems like a VERY claustrophobic venue to play), I'm sure it will be a good one. they start @ 11pm and will be including some DJ's, so I'm not really sure what time either band will begin to play. Since they're only open until 2:30, hopefully people are punctual!

5. Moerlein Keg Tapping Friday @ the Cincinnati Central Turners Club House - festivities start @ 4pm, and the tapping is at 7. They will be tapping the keg for the Moerlein Kristalkindt Winter Warm Ale and admission is free. Not sure what the beer itself will cost, but it sounds like the place is kind of cool, and never having been to a proper keg tapping (aside from in college) it may be a novel experience. It sounds like the location is pretty cool and parking is available (also for free). More info here: http://www.gacl.org/gaclhot.html

6. Organ recital @ Christ Church - Sunday @ 5 Bryan Mock will present an organ recital in Christ Church Cathedral's glorious acoustic space. The concert is part of a series of organ recitals offered at the Cathedral on the third Sunday of each month, October through May. Admission is free. I personally think of the Simpsons episode when the church organist plays "In the Garden of Eden", but i'm not opposed to free concerts played with interesting instruments. The Cathedral is located at 318 East Fourth Street. For more information call (513) 621-1817.