Results tagged “benefit”

Are you ready to hear 16 hours of Beatles tunes live... on the ukulele? Well, you have over a month to get ready. This December 5th and 6th, a two-day benefit for Yoko Ono will take place, featuring 185 Songs (the entire Beatles catalog), 60 Singers, 40 Musicians and 16 Yokos.

Six months into her job at an NYC law firm, a woman who would only identify herself as "Karin" was terminated. She relocated to St. Louis, Mo., and began studying for the bar exam while staying busy with a food blog, STL Meal Deals. Money was tight; she was living on $405 a week from unemployment benefits from New York, so she thought she'd try generating a little side money by signing up for Google AdSense, which pays bloggers to host ads on their sites and sends checks when their earnings hit $100. It was a pittance that would cost her dearly.

It's been over three months since jewelry designer Nicole Gagne was seriously injured during an external stairway collapse at 5Pointz. The LIC building housed her studio, along with many other artist's workspaces.

              

Yesterday afternoon the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company hosted an 826NYC benefit, in the form of an Honest Elimination Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tournament. Ira Glass, David Cross, and Michael Ian Black were all on hand, as well as ticket holders taking part and supporting the organization. We took the opportunity to head over to the storefront and explore their superhero goodies. The shop opened years ago, but incase you haven't been here's what you should know:

A bill to raise New York's unemployment benefits, which allow a maximum payout of $430/week ($150 less than states like NJ and Connecticut), has died on the vine. Despite support from Governor Paterson, labor leaders and many lawmakers, the highly dysfunctional Senate seems incapable of passing the bill, which would have raised maximum weekly jobless benefits on July 1st to $625, and close the gap in the state’s unemployment trust fund. According to the Times, it's as good as dead, because apparently the Assembly is not currently scheduled to convene until January. Meanwhile, the state’s Labor Department reports that more New Yorkers were out of work than at any time in more than 30 years; last month the jobless rate hit 7.8% (in NYC, the rate is 8.1%). Advocate for the unemployed Andrew Stettner says, "It’s a big problem that we’ve fallen so short in terms of not doing this. What was nice about this legislation was it got the benefits out during the recession and it had a plan for paying back the fund over several years. It was a smart approach." Ah, but Albany doesn't really do smart approaches.

Saturday night Radio City Music Hall housed a lot of big names for a benefit concert for the David Lynch Foundation (which "provides funds to teach students how to meditate so they can change their world from within"). Lynch hosted the show, and although the evening was billed as Paul McCartney & Friends, USA Today reports that the Beatle didn't show up until three hours into the affair. Once he did, however, he played a lengthy set (watch "Can't Buy Me Love" below).

                     

Last night the kilts came out for the Dressed to Kilt fashion show and charity event (benefiting the Friends of Scotland charity), hosted at M2. Hopefully this will be the only time that Sir Sean Connery, Obama Girl and Real Housewives Alex McCord are ever in the same room together, as the bold-faced names mingled with the D-listers all in the name of Scotland. While models debuted traditional kilts and fashion-forward couture, the big names also walked the runway in the appropriate plaid garb. Sadly, there were no upskirt shots of Gossip Girl's Ed Westwick, but a model gave the audience a (SFW) full frontal peak. Enjoy!

The remaining Beatles will be regrouping for one night only this spring to headline a benefit concert in NYC. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will take their two-man act to Radio City Music Hall on April 4th in the name of the David Lynch (yes, that one) Foundation, which "provides funds to teach students how to meditate so they can change their world from within." Rolling Stone points out this is right up their alley, or at least it would have been decades ago when the Fab Four traveled to India to visit with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Discussing the benefit, McCartney touched on his meditation practices, saying “In moments of madness, it has helped me find moments of serenity." Joining them in the transcendentalfest are Eddie Vedder, Sheryl Crow, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Moby and many more (including appearances by Russell Simmons and Laura Dern). Tickets on sale starting March 9th.

    

Last night Robert Thurman's annual Tibet House benefit concert took to Carnegie Hall, featuring performances by Antibalas, The National (who performed two new, untitled songs), Vampire Weekend, Patti Smith, Steve Earle, Angelique Kidjo, Keb' Mo', Philip Glass, and his son Zack (whose performance served as an alternate answer to that age old question, how does one get to Carnegie Hall).

The Tibet House has announced initial details for their annual benefit, taking place this coming February 3rd. "Held at legendary Carnegie Hall since 1993, Philip Glass, the benefit's esteemed Artistic Director and Vice President of Tibet House, creates an exceptional show every year, highlighted by unique collaborations between the artists." So far their 19th concert will include performances by The National, Vampire Weekend, Patti Smith & Jesse Smith. Consider this a heads up to buy tickets now, before even more acts are announced. Last year we talked to co-founder of the Tibet House, Robert Thurman, prior to the benefit. [via Brooklyn Vegan]

Spencer Tunick and a crowd of volunteer naked people brazenly defied the dress code at the Four Seasons restaurant last Saturday for Tunick’s 75th installation documenting the human form in unexpected places. Other New York locations where Tunick's models have gone au naturale include Grand Central Station and Times Square.

Next Wednesday a cornucopia of comedians (Dave Attell, Louis C.K., Artie Lange and more) will gather at Town Hall for the The Gerry Red Wilson Foundation Comedy Benefit. Greg Fitzsimmons is one of the comedians responsible for putting together the show, which will raise awareness about meningitis (a disease that struck three people in his life, one of which was Gerry Red Wilson). You can buy tickets here.

Banksy, the cheeky street artist/prankster turned multimillionaire art star, was in town last week, presumably for the Damien Hirst-coordinated auction at Sotheby’s to benefit the (Project) RED campaign, which works with corporations like the Gap to raise money for the treatment of A.I.D.S. patients in Africa. The $48 million raised at the event – through the sale of works by Hirst, Banksy, Jeff Koons, Jasper Johns, Willem de Kooning and others – will be distributed by the Global Fund.

Professor, author and activist Robert Thurman is widely regarded as the leading American expert on Tibetan Buddhism, having been a major force in the widespread introduction of Tibetan culture and religion to the west. In 1962, Thurman became the first American ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist monk, but after a few years he shifted from strict monasticism to the more conventional lifestyle of an academic. Though currently on sabbatical to write another book, Thurman remains a beloved professor in the Religion Department of Columbia University. At the behest of the Dalai Lama, Thurman co-founded Tibet House with composer Philip Glass and others; this year’s annual Carnegie Hall benefit for the organization takes place next Wednesday, February 13th. The lineup thus far includes performances by Glass, Ray Davies, Phamie Gow, Nawang Khechog, Ashley MacIsaac, Marisa Monte, Sufjan Stevens & Tom Verlaine.

It's been five years since Jam Master Jay (Jason Mizell) was murdered in his Queens studio, and though some people have recently started piping up about who may have pulled the trigger - no suspect has been named. Moving forward -- his friends, family and fellow musicians have begun to get closure in other ways. Mizell's widow, Terri, started the Jam Master Jay Foundation for Music -- a non-profit that provides funding and resources to...

READING: We originally thought this was going down yesterday, but you still have a chance to see it! Not in a million years would we have thought we'd be listing a reading by former Guns n' Roses guitarist, Slash. But it turns out old rockers love to dish on their sordid lives, and this mysterious musician is no different. Tonight he'll read from his book, called Slash, which apparently "redefines sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll."

First Lady Laura Bush visited a school on the Lower East Side with Mayor Bloomberg and other city officials yesterday. The first lady, a former school librarian, announced a $1.3 million grant from the Laura Bush Foundation for school libraries across the country to update their book collections. Twenty-eight schools in the city will get grants up to $5,000, including the the Island School on East Houston. The Post reports that the Island School's head librarian Lewis Lhana, who conducts puppets shows, had one of the puppets "gentle dragon Qualia" tell Mayor Bloomberg he smelled "like a rocket ship."

March 10: Cantina-Style: One Pot Meals Cooking Demonstration and Luncheon

This might be the nuttiest re-purposing of one beauty product since the use of Preparation H on puffy eyes. There's a scary New York Magazine Intelligencer piece on how Benefit's Benetint is being marketed as a nipple tint. Yes, a "kiss-proof and water-resistant" nipple tint, apparently what every woman wants. While Benetint says the product was originally meant for lips and cheeks giving women a "sexy flush," it seems that nipples need make-up, too. No word on whether you need to apply lip liner before or lip gloss after.

One of the first Carnegie Hall shows we went to, years ago, was the Tibet House Benefit. The President of Tibet House is none other then Uma's dad, Robert A.F. Thurman. The annual show he has help put on is now in its 17th year, and this time around will take place on February 26th. The lineup has been confirmed (why the press release is giving Ben Harper top billing is beyond us) and some of the artists include: Laurie Anderson, Ray Davies, Philip Glass, Deborah Harry, Lou Reed, Sigur Ros (pictured), Patti Smith, Michael Stipe.

EVENT: The Academy presents Meet the Oscars. On top of learning fun facts about Oscar, you'll get to see the little gold guy (and tons of tourists) up close and personal, as the statuettes are on display in Times Square. We suggest you bring a fake acceptance speech with you.

February 11: Second New Indian Dinner - A Benefit for Kids with Cameras

Jagshemash!

There are some things that just don't belong on Broadway. We can all agree that Bob Dylan's music is one of those things (even if the man himself enjoyed the show). Finally the powers that be have also realized this and have pulled the plug on The Times They Are A-Changin', after only a month on stage. Wonder what's next for Twyla Tharp? Let's just hope she doesn't think of a good dance number for The Velvet Underground's "White Light/White Heat".

but a very reliable source on comedy assures us that "it's the funniest movie ever." While the officials from Kazakhstan may not be happy about how their people are being satirized, it's just the kind of humor that appeals to us young urban professionals. So get your tickets for this weekend early, it's sure to be hugely popular at the cineplex.

If you missed Saturday Night Live this weekend, you're in luck. The best part about the show was the cold opening - a plea from Borat Sagdiyev to visit Kazakhstan and to see his film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan - and the video is available on NBC.com. There are also some other skits from Saturday's episode: A requisite Halloween skit - is it us or has Bill Hader played Frankenstein about 100 times now - and one about farting.

Brooklyn Vegan reports that Styx will be playing a benefit show in Red Hook.

THEATER: Teflon war criminal and Nobel laureate Henry Kissinger made news again this week with the revelation that Dr. Strangelove has secretly cautioned against any troop withdrawal from Iraq because, just like ‘Nam, such action would “become like salted peanuts to the American public; the more troops come home, the more will be demanded.” Kissinger’s breathtaking contempt for democracy is matched only by his Machiavellian genius; both attributes are skewered to great effect in this terrific revival of Nixon’s Nixon, which imagines what went down during Nixon’s historic meeting with Kissinger on the eve of his resignation. The play is getting great reviews, which further disproves Tom Lehrer’s quip that political satire became obsolete when Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize. - John Del Signore

With special appearances by DEBBIE HARRY and MISS GUY

As fall settles in and another calendar page gets turned, thoughts turn from bbq's and vacations to holidays and the realization that '06 is coming to an end. With all that going on, with change in the air, we wonder what is it that made that makes the -ists ponder?