MLL » Happenings http://mlliu.com/blog Fri, 11 Feb 2011 23:48:54 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Happening: High Line Festival 2007 http://mlliu.com/blog/2007/03/28/happening-high-line-festival-2007/ http://mlliu.com/blog/2007/03/28/happening-high-line-festival-2007/#comments Wed, 28 Mar 2007 03:01:00 +0000 mll http://mlliu.com/blog/?p=191
What: Inaugural High Line Festival, a multidisciplinary arts festival. David Bowie is curating this year’s edition.
When: Wed., May 9-Sat., May 19, 2007
Where: Assorted New York City venues, including (but not limited to) the following:

May 9 | Arcade Fire, Radio City Music Hall
May 10 | Air, Theatre at Madison Square Garden
May 11-May 18 | Bowie Picks, 10 Spanish Language Classics of the Last 100 Years, Clearview Chelsea Cinemas
May 19 | Ricky Gervais, Theatre at Madison Square Garden

Cost: Varies

A portion of the proceeds will go to Friends of the High Line, which is working with the City of New York to convert an old elevated railway in Manhattan into a park.

]]> http://mlliu.com/blog/2007/03/28/happening-high-line-festival-2007/feed/ 0 Happening: The Changes http://mlliu.com/blog/2007/03/17/happening-the-changes/ http://mlliu.com/blog/2007/03/17/happening-the-changes/#comments Sat, 17 Mar 2007 13:49:00 +0000 mll http://mlliu.com/blog/?p=189
What: The Changes
When: Tues., Mar. 20, at 10 p.m. | Wed., Mar. 21, doors open at 8 p.m.
Where: Pianos, New York, NY | Union Hall, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: $10, both shows
The Changes are a great little indie group from Chicago. I’ve only seen them play live once, about three years back, but they’ve since become one of my favorite bands because of their smart, earnest lyrics and fun sound. Reminiscent of The Sea and Cake.

]]> http://mlliu.com/blog/2007/03/17/happening-the-changes/feed/ 0 Monstertrack 2007 http://mlliu.com/blog/2007/02/28/monstertrack-2007/ http://mlliu.com/blog/2007/02/28/monstertrack-2007/#comments Wed, 28 Feb 2007 07:43:00 +0000 mll http://mlliu.com/blog/?p=186 What: Monstertrack 8
What? Alleycat–a type of race based on what bike messengers do, with checkpoints in an urban setting. Also, only fixed gear, no brakes (!).
When: Sat., Feb. 17, 2007
Where: Across Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York, NY
Here are some pictures that I took. A telephoto lens would have come in handy.


Checking in at Seward Park in Manhattan’s Chinatown.

Two spectators on bikes.

Getting ready to release the hounds. The event organizers kept telling the competitors to get back against the wall.

The participants run for their bikes and take off.

Prior to the beginning of the race, we waited around for about an hour. I’m not sure what caused the delay. Consequently, the race didn’t start until 4 or so. I believe the fastest racers finished in about two hours.

Once the racers took off, I couldn’t get any good pictures. I lost sight of them as they raced into the distance, but a cacophony of honking car horns took their place.

Monstertrack competitor robotikon posted footage taken from a helmet cam:

Crazy, crazy! Notice how the racers didn’t stop for traffic (auto or pedestrian). As far as I know, no one got hurt. I also understand that they took advantage of some non-bike-sanctioned paths. The last part of the race took competitors across the Williamsburg Bridge into Brooklyn. Savvy racers biked across the bridge with auto traffic, a faster route than the elevated pedestrian/bike walkway.

]]> http://mlliu.com/blog/2007/02/28/monstertrack-2007/feed/ 2 Happening: Pillow Fight NYC 2007 http://mlliu.com/blog/2007/02/20/happening-pillow-fight-nyc-2007/ http://mlliu.com/blog/2007/02/20/happening-pillow-fight-nyc-2007/#comments Tue, 20 Feb 2007 21:49:00 +0000 mll http://mlliu.com/blog/?p=185

What: Pillow Fight NYC
When: Sat., Feb. 24, 2007, at 2 p.m.
Where: Union Square, New York, NY
FREE! Rain or shine. Soft pillows only. (A video of last year’s pillow fight can be found on the event Web site, linked above.)

]]> http://mlliu.com/blog/2007/02/20/happening-pillow-fight-nyc-2007/feed/ 0 Refugee Camp Exhibit http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/09/21/refugee-camp-exhibit/ http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/09/21/refugee-camp-exhibit/#comments Thu, 21 Sep 2006 03:10:00 +0000 mll http://mlliu.com/blog/?p=175 If you’re in New York City this weekend, be sure to check out the Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City. This outdoor exhibit is being hosted by Doctors Without Borders to give visitors a sense of what life in a refugee camp is like. According to their Web site, the exhibit consists of materials used by the humanitarian group, including “emergency refugee housing, a food distribution tent, water pump, health clinic, vaccination tent, therapeutic feeding center, and a cholera treatment center.”

The exhibit runs from now through Sunday, Sept. 24, at the Long Meadow in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Hours are 9:30 to 6:30 daily. Visit www.doctorswithoutborders.org/education/refugeecamp/index.cfm for more info.

]]> http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/09/21/refugee-camp-exhibit/feed/ 0 Politics and Play http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/09/08/politics-and-play/ http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/09/08/politics-and-play/#comments Fri, 08 Sep 2006 02:42:00 +0000 mll http://mlliu.com/blog/?p=170 Whenever I’m feeling low, I just repeat these words to myself:

Fantasy Bundestag
Which of the German parliament‘s 613 seats will you choose? How well will your political party do as the current legislative session advances? (Thanks to Sean and Vin for the awesome concept.)

I also get my kicks from the Prime Minister’s Questions.

If you’re in New York the weekend of Sept. 22, check out the Come Out and Play Festival.

]]> http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/09/08/politics-and-play/feed/ 0 Odds and Ends Pt. 6 http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/08/31/odds-and-ends-pt-6/ http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/08/31/odds-and-ends-pt-6/#comments Thu, 31 Aug 2006 03:46:00 +0000 mll http://mlliu.com/blog/?p=169 “Real Life” by GameSpot–Just in case you need to get an idea of what real life is like before you participate.

“What’s Lost Is Found, Very Cheaply”–If you’re ever in Scottsboro, Alabama, be sure to stop by the Unclaimed Baggage Center. I’m not sure how people lose some of the stuff that ends up in the store. One shopper, called Allan, is quoted as saying, “When Jesse Jackson was running for president his suits came in here. And one year when M.C. Hammer was touring, his backdrop came in here from his concert stage.” Jewelry, skis, works of art. Nothing’s too priceless to lose. (Check out the interesting stuff section of the store’s Web site for more gems. I won’t spoil it for you.)

Driving Under the Influence–I’ve only ever seen a few minutes of Reno 911! And I will look back on those minutes fondly.

Ask MetaFilter–Have I ever mentioned that I love this site? All the discussions I’ve ever read on there have been surprisingly good (and spam- and flame-free). Get or share your answers to such timeless questions as “What exactly do people, especially young people (18-22) DO at the lake or beach all day?” I’m still trying to decide whether or not I want to pay the $5 one-time registration fee to be able to post comments.

Metropolitan Opera–This New York institution (see Moonstruck) is having its first-ever open house Sept. 22. For those with no obligations that Friday, you can attend the final dress rehearsal for Madama Butterfly, which will kick off the Met’s 2006-07 season. Tickets to the rehearsal are free and will be distributed Wednesday, Sept. 20 on a first-come, first-served basis.

Survivor–The next season of this reality adventure show will premiere Sept. 14, with four teams of five members each based on race. Which means that the show will boost the total number of Asians on TV to 5. (OK, that might be a little harsh. More like, 6.)

Pluto’s demotion–Did anyone stop to think about the astrologers??

]]> http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/08/31/odds-and-ends-pt-6/feed/ 1 World Jump Day http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/07/18/world-jump-day/ http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/07/18/world-jump-day/#comments Tue, 18 Jul 2006 02:16:00 +0000 mll http://mlliu.com/blog/?p=159 World Jump Day is fast approaching! On Thursday, July 20, be one of the 600 million jumpers needed to help change the Earth’s orbit to stop global warming. Check out the official Web site for local jump times. (Or just check out this article, which explains the premise of the project.)

]]> http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/07/18/world-jump-day/feed/ 0 Really, Really Free Market (Really!) http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/07/12/really-really-free-market-really/ http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/07/12/really-really-free-market-really/#comments Wed, 12 Jul 2006 04:22:00 +0000 mll http://mlliu.com/blog/?p=158 Got the word from Treehugger that there will be a Really, Really Free Market this weekend in New York City. I didn’t make it to the Free Meet that I blogged about earlier, but I might just drop by this one with some stuff I’d like to get rid off, like my ax collection, which I’ve been warned is not good feng shui for the bedroom.

]]> http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/07/12/really-really-free-market-really/feed/ 0 Reduce and Reuse! http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/06/23/reduce-and-reuse/ http://mlliu.com/blog/2006/06/23/reduce-and-reuse/#comments Fri, 23 Jun 2006 03:58:00 +0000 mll http://mlliu.com/blog/?p=153 Forgot to mention that this Saturday, June 24, Freecycle New York City is hosting a FreeMeet. Their Web site describes it as their way of “helping to reduce New York’s waste and promote reuse with a day of giving (and getting). Bring your usable, but unwanted goods and come see what’s being given away. Leftover items will be donated to local charities to the extent possible.”

It will take place from 11 to 4 p.m. at the Habana Outpost Eco-Eatery, at 757 Fulton St. (at S. Portland) in Ft. Greene, Brooklyn.

And, of course, the event is free!

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