By Tracy Zwick

Let’s Weekend! 

November 15 to 17, 2024

See a Classic Film at New Plaza Cinema: 35 West 67th Street; Friday, November 15th at 8:00 p.m., followed by a conversation with NYC historian Keith Tallon; tickets $15 ($12 for students and seniors)

Nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, “Working Girl,” directed by Mike Nichols, takes a witty, romantic look at life in the 1980s corporate jungle of NYC. It stars Melanie Griffith as an ambitious secretary from Staten Island, alongside Harrison Ford and Sigourney Weaver. If you’ve seen this film and remember nothing else, you’ll likely recall the featured song, “Let the River Run,” by Carly Simon, which won a Grammy, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe. After the screening, NYC historian Keith Taillon will discuss the locations, streets, and buildings featured in the film. New Plaza Cinema is a not-for-profit organization and the only independent cinema north of 14th Street in Manhattan. Films are shown on weekends at Macaulay Honors College on West 67th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West. 

Enjoy Fall Foliage and Volunteer in Riverside Park: Various locations; Saturday November 16th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 

You don’t need your own rake or raking experience to come out and help clear high traffic pathways in the park, which provides a safer and cleaner experience for all. Enjoy the outdoors, meet new people, and make a difference! All ages including entire families are welcome, and all leaves removed will be composted in Riverside Park. Wear comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes. Choose from three locations in Riverside Park and sign up here. 

Bake and Donate Cookies for Goddard Riverside’s Thanksgiving Meal; Homemade cookies of any kind are needed for a community Thanksgiving meal; sign-up in advance here

There’s no wrong time of year to support those in need, foster a sense of community, practice gratitude, and set an example of generosity toward neighbors, but the holidays are a great time for all of those things. Volunteer to bake and drop off a minimum of four dozen cookies, bagged in groups of 5-6 cookies per sandwich bag, to help meet a goal of 10,000 homemade cookies for the Goddard Riverside Community Thanksgiving Dinner. Cookies should be dropped off at the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew, at 263 West 86th Street, next Sunday, November 24 from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m., or on Tuesday, Nov. 26th from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Make your cookie pledge using this link, and use the contact provided here to reach out with questions. 

Watch “Say Nothing” and Visit an Irish Pub: Available on Hulu; watch trailer here

After I finish baking and pop my cookies in the freezer, I’m putting my feet up to finally watch “Say Nothing”, the FX limited series I’ve been waiting months to see. It’s based on Patrick Radden Keefe’s gripping nonfiction book of the same name, which details the turmoil and tragedy of the troubles in Ireland through the personal stories of IRA members Dolours Price and Brendan Hughes. The book captivated me with its exploration of family, loyalty, trauma, resistance, love, and secrets within a political conflict that seized the world’s attention. Keefe, a staff writer for The New Yorker, also serves as an executive producer for the series. If you’re in the mood for a Guinness, or Irish food and vibes after watching the show, hit up one of the UWS’s Irish pubs. They include The Dublin House on West 79th Street (drinks only), St. James Gate on Amsterdam at 81st Street, and The Dead Poet on Amsterdam and 82nd Street. Drop your favorite UWS Irish spot in the comments, please! 

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