What To Do: Events Winter 2014

Murder, Mayhem, Food, Love & Wine

January 

North Castle Library Art History Series: LIU Professor Valerie Franco provides a world historical tour of the art of Asia, The Middle East and South America. Each week she explores new topics such as Tibetan and Buddhist Art, Balinese Painting and Shadow Theatre Art, Totems, Tikis and Tools of the Maori of New Zealand, the art of India, Baghdad, Argentina and ancient Israeli art. Wed, 1/15-6/26: 7pm. (19 Whippoorwill Rd. E., Armonk; www.northcastlepubliclibrary.org)

NCPL Friday Night Cinema: LIU Professor Valerie Franco presents original language foreign films with subtitles. Including The Story of the Weeping Camel (Mongolia), The Way Home (Korean comedy), Better Luck Tomorrow (alienated Chinese teens from Wes Anderson), Together (Chinese violin prodigy), Spring, Fall, Winter… and Spring (Korea), Shower (multi-award winner from China), Whale Rider (Maori culture), Once Were Warriors, Rabbit Proof Fence (border crossings.) Fri, 1/17-3/21: 7pm. except 2/21. (19 Whippoorwill Rd. E., Armonk; www.northcastlepubliclibrary.org)

Baseball Card Show and Stamp, Coin & Paper Money Show: 300 tables of baseball cards and memorabilia. Onsite autograph authenticators. Plus, 100 tables of stamps, coins and postcards.Fri-Sun, 1/17-19: check times.(Westchester County Center, 198 Central Ave., White Plains; www.countycenter.biz)

Astronomy Nights, Stamford Museum and Nature Center: Start by enjoying a presentation on Jupiter, followed by a visit to view the night sky through their 22-inch telescope. The presentation portion of the program will be held rain or shine. Viewing hours are weather permitting. Fri, 1/24: 7pm. (39 Scofieldtown Road, Stamford; www.stamfordmuseum.org)

Bedford 2020 Salutes Lee Roberts: Bedford 2020 and over 30 local groups salute Bedford Town Supervisor Lee Roberts as she steps down after 20 years of service. The event at The Harvey School Athletic Center promises cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, special guests and surprises. (Love surprises.) Event proceeds go to support her legacy program Bedford 2020. The mission of the Bedford 2020 Coalition is to promote a community wide effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 and to create a sustainable community that conserves its natural resources. Sat, 1/25: 6:30-8:30pm. (260 Jay St. Katonah; www.bedford2020.org)

Hillside Food Outreach Gala: Yankees greats Bernie Williams and Mariano Rivera host this year’s gala that features a gourmet dinner, cocktail reception and open bar all night, and a silent auction that includes sports memorabilia, dinners at area restaurants, trips and more. Hillside Food Outreach in Pleasantville provides food for 2,000 men, women and children in Westchester, Putnam and western Connecticut. Sat, 1/28: 6pm. (The Matrix Conference and Banquet Center, 39 Old Ridgebury Rd., Danbury; www.hillsidefoodoutreach.org)

Toy and Train Show: The largest toy and train show in the Northeast featuring more than 350 vendor tables. New & antique toys and trains – all gauges, train parts, layouts, appraisals, die cast automobiles, books, test tracks, toy soldiers, Match Box, Star Wars, Thomas and Friends, games & toys for all ages. Sun, 1/26: 9am-3pm. (Westchester County Center, 198 Central Ave., White Plains; www.countycenter.biz)

Chappaqua Library, Israel/Palestine:  Baruch College ProfessorDov Waxman, co-author of Israel’s Palestinians: the Conflict Within and contributor to The Daily Beast, will discuss Middle East politics, Israeli politics, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Thurs, 1/30: 10am. (Chappaqua Library, 195 S. Greeley Ave., Chappaqua; www.chappaqualibrary.org)

BHHS Pink The Rink Hockey Game for Breast Cancer: The Byram Hills High School hockey team’s annual “Pink The Rink” hockey game honors those affected by Breast Cancer. There will be fundraising events at the game and bake sales, at the high school the week of the game. There are sponsorship opportunities for those who wish to honor or remember a person affected by breast cancer. Sponsors can send a $50 check, payable to the “American Cancer Society” to Melissa Mykytiuk, 21 Blair Road, Armonk, NY 10504. Please include the name of the honoree on the check. Fri, 1/31: 9pm. (Brewster Ice Arena, 63 Fields Ln., Brewster)

Gertrude Stein When This You Remember Me: This film provides a biographical look at the life and times of Stein as she touches the lives of artists and writers from Cezanne and Picasso to Ernest Hemingway. The works of Stein and Alice B. Toklas, and friends, offer a view into the creative life in Paris after WWI. Fri, 1/31: 7pm. (Chappaqua Library, 195 S. Greeley Ave., Chappaqua; www.chappaqualibrary.org)

February

John Jay Lecture Series, Faith in Their Own Color: Black Episcopalians in Antebellum New York: Craig D. Townsend, Vicar of St. James’ Church in New York, discusses John Jay II’s role in advising St. Phillip’s Church, the first African-American Episcopal congregation in New York City, apply for recognition in 1853 to the Episcopal hierarchy to gain equal status with white churches. Thurs, 2/6: 7pm. (John Jay Homestead, 400 Jay St., Katonah; www.johnjayhomestead.org)

Food Bank for Westchester, Valentine’s Day Wine Tasting Dinner: An evening of food, love and wine produced in collaboration with Abigail Kirsch Catering Relationships and Pernod Ricard USA features a five-course dinner with wine pairings to mark the Food Bank’s 25 years of fighting hunger in Westchester. The evening will honor former board presidents Joseph Masterson, Reverend John Duffell, Joel Mounty, Patricia Murphy, William Harrington, William Bernstein, Robert Redis, Spencer Barback and Rick Rakow.Fri, 2/7: 6-9pm. (Tappan Hill Mansion, 82 Highland Ave., Tarrytown, 914.909.9610; www.foodbankforwestchester.org)

Murder and Mayhem Films, Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. Discussion follows with librarians Cathy Paulsen and Chris Trzcinski. Fri, 2/7: 7pm. (Chappaqua Library, 195 S. Greeley Ave., Chappaqua; www.chappaqualibrary.org)

Jacob Burns Film Center, Around the World in 18 Films: Join great filmmakers—Ozu, Altman, Friedkin, Rossellini, and many others— on a wild and wonderful trip from Paris (France) to Paris (Texas) to Paris (Australia), and everywhere in between. Including, Tokyo Story, (Ozu, ’53), Manhattan (Woody Allen, ’79), Rome, Open City (Rossellini, ’45), Amsterdamned (Dick Maas, ’88), The Cars That Ate Paris (Peter Weir, ’74), Funeral in Berlin (with Michael Caine, ’66), Casablanca (Bogey & Bergman, ’42), Paris Belongs To Us (Rivette, ’60), An American Werewolf in London (John Landis, ’81), My Winnipeg (sounds like a hoot, shown on right), Nashville (Altman, ‘’75), Stalingrad (with live WWII footage of the German siege of Stalingrad, ’03), The Battle of Algiers (see what the French learned about fighting in the Middle East, ’66), To Live and Die in LA (Friedkin, ’85), Shanghai Triad (loved it, Yimou, ’95), Bad Day at Black Rock (Spencer Tracy as a one-armed kung-fu expert at the foot of the Sierra Nevadas, 55), Paris, Texas (Wim Wenders, ’84) and Rain Over Santiago (1973 Chilean coup of Salvador Allende, ’75.) Fri-Wed, 2/7-26: check dates and times. (364 Manville Rd., Pleasantville; www.burnsfilmcenter.org)

Menus in the Movies: Food author and film buff Carol Durst presents Three Stars, a documentary that peaks behind the scenes at top-class restaurants and offers exclusive interviews with celebrity chefs from France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, the USA and Japan. Homemade desserts and discussion follow the film. Fri, 2/14: 7pm. (Chappaqua Library, 195 S. Greeley Ave., Chappaqua; www.chappaqualibrary.org)

Burst by Barbara Reiner

New York Botanical Garden, Valentine’s Date at Tropical Paradise: Treat yourself and your loved one to Tropical Paradise–a showcase of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory’s permanent collection, including orange-yellow crotons, fuchsia bromeliads, and rosy-red hibiscus. Stroll through this exotic wonderland with complimentary champagne in hand. Indulge your senses in the love-inspiring qualities of dark chocolate and other plant-based aphrodisiacs. Guides will be on hand throughout the Haupt Conservatory to share their juicy tidbits about these plants and also offer some tasty samplings. Fri, 2/14: 6:30-8:30pm, Sat, 2/15: 5-7pm. (2900 Southern Parkway, Bronx; www.nybg.org)

Astronomy Nights, Stamford Museum and Nature Center: Start by enjoying a presentation on Doing Astrophotography for Free, followed by a visit to view the night sky through our 22-inch telescope. The presentation portion of the program will be held rain or shine. Viewing hours are weather permitting. Fri, 2/21: 7pm. (39 Scofieldtown Road, Stamford; www.stamfordmuseum.org)

March

Murder and Mayhem Films, Agatha Christie’s Ten Little Indians. Discussion follows with librarians Cathy Paulsen and Chris Trzcinski. Fri, 3/7: 7pm. (Chappaqua Library, 195 S. Greeley Ave., Chappaqua; www.chappaqualibrary.org)

John Jay Lecture Series, What Makes a Transformative Life: Philip Kunhardt, founding director of the Center for the Study of Transformative Life at NYU, looks at “exemplary individuals whose dedication, genius and moral vision helped shape the course of human events. Including Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. Professor Kunhardt has co-authored five books and co-produced numerous documentaries for PBS, HBO and the Discovery channel.Tues, 3/11: 7pm. (John Jay Homestead, 400 Jay St., Katonah; www.johnjayhomestead.org)

Westchester County Home Show: The largest and longest running regional home show in the area. This show boasts an elite attendance from one of the wealthiest enclaves in the metropolitan area. Sat-Sun, 3/15-16: 11am-6pm (5pm on Sun.) (Westchester County Center, 198 Central Ave., White Plains; www.countycenter.biz)

See more stuff to do In & Around Town Winter 2014 here!