Get your Crif

The wait is almost over.

The Village Voice confirms that tomorrow, Crif Dogs officially opens in Williamsburg at 7 am for business (good luck getting up that early).

At the Manhattan spot, you can gorge yourself on hot dogs wrapped in bacon, smothered in cheese (and cream cheese), and nestled in the bun with a pickle or fried egg. Our Driggs Avenue location will have hot dogs exclusive to Brooklyn. What combinations would you dare to see?

Crif Dogs [555 Driggs Ave. at N. Seventh Street in Williamsburg, (718) 302-3200].


Photo: Mighty Sweet

 

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A dating event for the poors

It pays to be a cheap date.

If “Millionaire Matchmaker” is a bit out of your league, head to Union Hall tonight for “Hundredaire Matchmaker,” a singles event where you can meet, greet and get set up with other broke people.

Here’s how it works: two male contestants, with literally hundreds of dollars in their bank accounts, will be introduced to female contestants who are OK with settling. They’ll go on mini-dates with each woman, eventually narrowing it down to one person to date more formally.

The contestants will be chosen before the show, but audience members have the chance to get involved in the festivities through games such as “truth or dare-aoke.” Plus, there’s guaranteed to be other poor, single people with whom to share a PBR.

“Once a room full of single people gets drunk, anything can happen,” said Liam McEneaney, who is hosting the show with fellow comedian Myka Fox. “Alcohol and loneliness are the perfect combination.

“The point is for everyone in the room to have a good time, and hopefully meet someone. Even if they don’t meet ‘the one,’ it might be the one they go home with,” added McEneaney. “It’s ‘Hundredaire Matchmaker.’ We’re asking everyone to set their sights a little bit lower.” 

“Hundredaire Matchmaker” at Union Hall [702 Union St. near Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, (718) 638-4400], Jan. 10 at 8 pm. $5. For info, visit www.unionhallny.com.

Photo by Maryanne Ventrice.

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The Weekend: 1.7-1.9

All weekend


Borough-wide: Start the new year on the right foot and follow through on resolutions you can keep, thanks to our trusty guide.


Friday, Jan. 7

Williamsburg: Let pop rockers Super Mirage entertain you at Trash Bar.

DUMBO: A "Wizard of Oz"-inspired cabaret, "Friends of Dorothy," lands at Galapagos Art Space. Also Saturday.

Saturday, Jan. 8

Bushwick: DIY rockers Buke and Gass head to Silent Barn.

Greenpoint: Comedian Patton Oswalt reads from his new book, "Zombie Spaceship Wasteland," at Warsaw.

DUMBO: Daniel Kitson's heralded one-man show, "The Interminable Suicide of Gregory Church," comes to St. Ann's Warehouse. Also Sunday.

Sunday, Jan. 9

Williamsburg: Check out the Three Kings Day festivities on Graham Avenue.

Park Slope: Hear harpist Bridget Kibbey as part of Simone Dinnerstein's Neighborhood Classics at PS 321.

Park Slope/Bushwick: The No Pants Subway Ride returns, no matter the weather.

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Artist and Fleas on the move

If you're heading to Artist and Fleas this weekend, make sure you head to its new location.

It's still in Williamsburg, but the market can now be found on N. Seventh Street between Wythe and Kent avenues -  not too far from its old location on N. Sixth Street.

And you can still expect a lot of artist-made, designer-created, vintage-based stuff.

It's open from noon-8 pm, Saturday and Sunday.

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Be a 'King' for a day

It’s not every day you see a camel walking down Graham Avenue.

But this Sunday in Williamsburg, your eyes won’t be deceiving you when the Three Kings Day Parade returns in all its spectacular glory.

Three Kings Day, also known as The Epiphany or Dia de los Reyes, traditionally occurs on the 12th day after Christmas (also known as Jan. 6), and celebrates the day when Jesus was revealed to be the son of God.

It’s essentially one big birthday party all over again.

The treasured procession, now in its 14th year, brings out thousands to share in the cultural heritage of the neighborhood’s Hispanic community. Parade highlights include a procession of three camels and three wise men, in shimmering red, green and purple robes, and a whole petting zoo, including donkeys and sheep, to recreate the nativity scene, as well as live music, dancing, and, just for the fun of it, a train of classic cars.

Also expect to see children dress up for the parade, Halloween-style (except that instead of Spider-Men or witches, they’ll be shepherds and angels).

Three Kings Day Parade starts at Meeker and Graham avenues in Williamsburg on Jan. 9 at 2 pm. For info, visit www.tresreyesmagos.org.

Photo by Stefano Giovannini

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An instant classic

Brooklyn has its own certifiable mini-Carnegie Hall, and you have Simone Dinnerstein to thank.

Since 2009, the Park Slope-based pianist (pictured) has been bringing first-class talent to PS 321 with her semi-regular classical concert series, Neighborhood Classics.

“I wanted to start a concert series that would bring families together to listen to classical music, and doing this in my own neighborhood seemed like a good place to begin,” said Dinnerstein, who donates all proceeds from the concert series to her old school. “We can all look just outside our front doors for opportunities like this.”

Dinnerstein is used to making opportunities happen — she self-released her 2007 album, a recording of Bach’s “Goldberg Variations,” and saw it quickly shoot to the top of the Billboard Classical Chart. Her follow-up, “The Berlin Concert,” did the same. Another all-Bach disc, “Bach: A Strange Beauty,” comes out on Jan. 19, this time on Sony Classical.

When the concerts series kicks off its third year on Jan. 9, though, all eyes — and ears — will be on Bridget Kibbey. The award-winning, genre-bending harpist will perform an international program that includes Benjamin Briten’s “Suite for Harp,” Andre Caplet’s “A L’espanol,” Kati Agocs’s “Every Lover is a Warrior,” and an arrangement of Celtic reels.

Neighborhood Classics at PS 321 [180 Seventh Ave. between First and Second streets in Park Slope, (718) 499-2412], Jan. 9 at 2 pm. Tickets $15. For info, visit www.neighborhoodclassics.com.

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Take off your pants!

By Andy Campbell

Brooklyn, it’s time to make public your privates.

Thousands of folks across the city will be showing some leg on Sunday at the 10th annual No Pants Subway Ride — and this time, Brooklyn will represent so hard that it will be forever known as the Borough of Tighty Whities.

The rules are simple: bring your friends to Maria Hernandez Park in Bushwick or the Old Stone House in Park Slope at 3 pm, get signed up for a group and a specific train, and take off your pants. Act as you normally would on the subway and if you’re questioned, say something along the lines of “I forgot to wear pants today.”

Don’t worry; it’s completely legal, and you’ll be joining our staff in all of our leopard-print glory (viral YouTube video to follow).

The bottomless journey is not a protest of the recent fare hike, just the group Improv Everywhere’s way of having fun.

“It’s going to be ridiculously epic,” said Bushwick resident Eric Alba. “I’m not sure what I’ll wear yet, but I’m trying to decide between flashy and bright or small and tight.”

The choice is yours.

No Pants Subway Ride in either Bushwick (Maria Hernandez Park at Starr Street and Irving Avenue) or Park Slope (Old Stone House of Brooklyn at Fourth Avenue and Third Street), Jan. 9, 3 pm. For info, visit www.improveverywhere.com.

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