At this point, it's hard to tell whether Ed Begley, Jr. is more famous for his decades of acting or his decades of environmentalism. Sure, he's logged over 200 appearances on stage, film and television, including his Emmy-winning breakout role on St. Elsewhere and his priceless turn on Arrested Development. But his funniest performance is arguably his self-effacing cameo as a hardcore green activist in the classic 1999 Simpsons episode "Homer to the Max", in......

EVENT: Into anime? It's your lucky weekend, the New York Anime Festival is in town! There will be previews, screenings and panels galore. Check out their website for more details. All Weekend // Jacob Javits Convention Center [655 W 34th St] // $30 day pass, $55 weekend pass SHOP: FIT and the Design Mavens come together for a 3 day shopstravaganza. Tons of designers we're not cool enough to have ever heard of will be......

EVENT: Tonight Duncan Sheik (ah, we still remember when he sang "Barely Breathing" at the Peach Pit After Dark) and Steven Sater pair up for a Spring Awakening book signing. They will be joined from 5–5:30pm by Spring Awakening cast members Jennifer Damiano and John Gallagher, Jr., who will perform acoustic versions of two song selections from the show at the signing. 5 to 7pm // Drama Book Shop [250 W 40th St] // Free......

Category 7 for ABC 7’s Bill Evans WABC’s Bill Evans is the latest local news talent to author a disaster novel about the city with his book “Category 7”, which he co-authored with Marianna Jameson. The book is the story about a man made hurricane heading towards New York. The book shouldn’t be confused with the 2005 made for TV movie Category 7: The End of the World, which was also about a deadly storm.......

April 14: Denise Landis at Broadway Panhandler Join Denise Landis, recipe tester for The New York Times, as she shares recipes and expertise from her newest cookbook, Dinner for Eight. Free tasting and book signing to follow the demonstration. Broadway Panhandler, 65 East 8th Street (between Broadway and University), 3 PM, free. April 16: A Menupoems Reading April is National Poetry Month and Alimentum is joining in the celebration with Menupoems. During the month, participating......

March 10: Cantina-Style: One Pot Meals Cooking Demonstration and Luncheon It's cantina time at Rosa Mexicano. Learn the ropes from Culinary Director Roberto Santibañez, as he teaches you to make cantina-style dishes including Zarzuela de Mariscos (cantina seafood stew: jumbo shrimp, clams, mussels and white fish braised with chorizo, baby artichokes and olives and served in a tomato-serrano chile broth) and Salsa en Molcajete (freshly ground roasted tomato (red) or tomatillo (green) salsa). 10:00 a.m.......

SIGNING: Child Magazine honored Julie Andrews with a Lifetime Achievement Award at their 6th Annual Best Children's Book Awards. Today you can meet her and other winning authors at a celebratory book signing. 5 to 6:30pm // Books of Wonder [18 W 18th St] // Free MOVIE: Screening Liberally is showing Hannibal Rising tonight (prior to its release). The movie brings us to Hannibal Lecter's formative years, during World War II at the medieval castle......

THEATER: Dance-theatre maverick Pina Bausch returns to the Brooklyn Academy of Music with Nefés, which is described as an ode to Istanbul, 'the city of water'. Originally conceived in 2002, Nefés (Turkish for "breath") “quickly became a life-affirming response to Istanbul's bouts with political upheaval. But rather than echoing the violence, Bausch invests her signature humor and emotional pathos with an acute sense of calm. Set to an eclectic score featuring Turkish songs, tangos from......

December 7: Alex Prud’homme at O&CO. Join Alex Prud’homme, Julia Child's grandnephew, as he recounts stories about Julia and reads from her memoir, My Life in France, which he co-authored. He will also be available to sign books, which might make a great present for someone on your holiday shopping list. O&CO. store, Grand Central Terminal, Graybar Passage--Lexington Ave & 42nd St. (212-973-1472), 6:00 pm, Free. December 8 - 17: Gingerbread Homes for Animals Pastry......

October 21: Halloween Cupcake Decorating and Book Signing Come meet Elaine Cohen at Broadway Panhandler and learn how to decorate spooky halloween cupcake treats. While you're there, get a copy of her book, Super-Duper Cupcakes, signed. Free, 2 p.m., Broadway Panhandler at 65 East 8th Street, between Broadway and University. October 22: The Second Annual Vendy Awards You've read about the finalists, now come taste for yourselves. Each of the finalists will be serving food......

LITERATI and GRAFFITI: Smith Dalek, Sasha Jenkins and Darin Rowland (one of the authors of the book "Freight Train Graffiti") discuss the nature of the relationship between graffiti and art, and how a city fad broke out worldwide. A reception and book signing with the graffiti artists on hand will follow. 7 to 9pm // Chelsea Art Museum [556 West 26th St near 11th Ave] // Free ART: Witness a Gordian knot of artistic/intellectual conjecture......

Demetri Martin,
Comedian...

July 8: Red, White & Views! Sparkling Tasting The 14 Wall Street Restaurant is highlighting eight types of bubbly for you to sip while you enjoy their panoramic views. Nosh on artisanal cheeses and learn, once and for all, how to open those bottles without taking out someone's eye. $40.00, reservations required. Email NIKI_LEBOUQUIN@ yahoo.com or call (212)233-0320. 6-8pm, 14 Wall Street, 31st Floor Penthouse. July 9: Chips, Soda, and a Chowhound Drop by Tekserve......

Friday the 13th stopped being scary for us when we were younger, rebellious and declaring things like "13, in fact, is our lucky number". We embraced the superstition and turned it in to our lucky day. Or, as it turns out, just another day. Anyway, we were hoping that some theater in this city would be showing Friday the 13th: Jason Takes Manhattan, but no such...luck. You'll have to deal with these other non-scary events:......

April 27th: Celebrate the Joy of Cooking at City Opera Thrift Shop Okay, so it's not really a food event, but it's food related, and where else can you get kitchen items and vintage cookbooks while being a benefactor of the arts? 222 East 23rd Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, 6:00 - 9:00 pm. April 27th: Sherry & Soup Tasting Women for WineSense, a nonprofit wine educational organization, presents a sherry and soup tasting......

Okay, red-blooded male Gothamist readers who are seeking girls who laugh, like the snark, and are interested in the direction this country is going in: It seems the part of the code has been cracked on how to meet lovely ladies in a place that isn't a bar or a comedy club. You need to go to events where Jon Stewart is present. Eric at State of the Art went to Stewart's book signing and......

Josh Aiello, Author...