Winter Garden:
A parade of 12 singer-songwriter hopefuls took the stage at the Winter Garden in the World Financial Center on October 22 for the Mountain Stage Newsong Contest. At the end of three hours, 28-year-old Amber Rubarth was declared the winner.
The prize was the chance to record a CD with 2010 Grammy-winning producer Jacquire King at Saint Claire studio, to be released on the NewSong Recordings label, plus performing opportunities on N.P.R.’s “Mountain Stage” show and at “Summer on the Plaza,” an outdoor music series in Los Angeles presented by Arts Brookfield. Rubarth, who was born in California and now lives in Brooklyn, said she was “thrilled.”
Next up in the Winter Garden is Screamin’ Green Halloween on Saturday, October 30 from noon to 4 p.m. The Winter Garden Halloween celebration is part of a national initiative to encourage a healthier Halloween with organic treats and recycled materials.
Started in 2007 by a mom of two, Corey Colwell-Lipson, and her mom, Lynn Colwell, this year, Green Halloween events will take place in almost 20 cities throughout the country. At the Winter Garden, families will find 30-foot high figures of a scarecrow, witch, and skeleton and recycled materials so that kids can make masks and costumes. In addition, there will be a costume swap so that families can exchange last year’s costumes for gently used and ready-to-wear ones. There will also be games and mini-parades throughout the World Financial Center including the waterfront (if weather permits) at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. led by the Hungry March Band. The day will culminate with a Ghosts and Goblins Parade to Poets House at 10 River Terrace for a reading of spooky poems and seasonal snacks.
Breast Cancer Books:
In 1985, October was designated National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This year, the Battery Park City branch of the New York Public Library at 175 North End Ave. responded to the suggestion of a local patron that it create a feature section about breast cancer with a variety of books. Some of the books are for children, some are for people grappling with the disease and some have health information that could help a parent explain cancer to a child or help someone understand what a friend is going through. As the New York Public Library explained on a link to its home page (decorated earlier this month with pink ribbons), the lifetime risk for breast cancer in the United States is one in eight for women and one in 1,000 for men. In the United States, almost 20 percent of the women who contract the disease will die from it, but, says the library, “breast cancer is now 98 percent survivable if detected early.” For more information, visit the Battery Park City branch library (open Monday to Saturday).
World Financial Center Greenmarket: Storytime comes to the World Financial Center Greenmarket on Thursday, October 28 at 3 p.m., when Anne Barreca, the children’s librarian at the Battery Park City branch library, reads picture books for kids ages two to six on green living and farming. The Greenmarket at Liberty Street and South End Avenue is open Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with plenty of healthy produce, dairy products and baked goods for sale should the kids and their caretakers be inspired to patronize local farmers after the free reading.
Dining Deals:
Steamers Landing on the Battery Park City esplanade just north of Albany Street is now offering weekly “specials.” Mondays are “all-you-can-eat” mussels and fries for $9.95. On Tuesdays get two bottles of beer for the price of one. On Wednesdays, buy a glass of a featured wine with your entrée and Steamers will leave the rest of the bottle. Thursdays bring “thirteen spice chicken” with autumn vegetable hash for $13. The Friday “special” is fish — dourade with tomato coulis and Greek anchovies for $22. On Saturdays and Sundays, Steamers is serving macadamia nut-crusted rack of lamb with star anise and baby fennel for $26. Battery Park City residents with a “locals” card get 10 percent off these prices. To obtain a card, e-mail your name and address to info@steamerslanding.com or fill out a card at the restaurant. For more information, call 212-432-1451 or go to www.SteamersLanding.com.
