All Over Albany

The week ahead

Here are a few things to keep in mind, look forward to, or keep busy with this short week, from the weather (big storm?), Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Thanksgivikkah, movies, ice skating, museums, music...

Weather

Here's the paraphrased forecast for this week:

Monday: Sunny, windy, mid 30s, but wind chill temps will be much lower.

Tuesday: Maybe some snow to start, then rain. Highs near 40.

Wednesday: Rainy, upper 40s. Big temperature drop over night.

Thursday: Sunny, upper 20s.

Friday: Repeat.

Weekend: Sunny, 30s.

Last week there was some talk about a big storm moving up the East Coast during the middle of this week. As of right now, though, it looks like it will mostly be rain with warmer temps, and then back into sub-freezing temps after it passes by.

Thanksgiving

You might've heard: it's this Thursday. Feels late, right? Because it is. In fact, this year's Thanksgiving -- on November 28 -- is the latest possible date for the holiday. Making it feel even later: last year's Thanksgiving was the earliest possible date (November 22) for the holiday.

Hanukkah

Double holiday! In an unusual quirk of the calendars -- Gregorian and Jewish -- Hanukkah starts at sunset Wednesday and runs through sunset on December 5, overlapping Thanksgiving. How unusual is this overlapping Thanksgivikkah? It last happened in 1918 and, won't happen again until 2070. And the next time Thanksgiving will coincide with the first full day of Hanukkah, as it does this year, is 70,000some years from now.

Hanukkah commemorates the re-dedication of the temple in Jerusalem in 165 BCE, and a miracle in which a supply of oil only large enough to burn for one night lasted for eight -- thus the eight nights of Hanukkah. Another tradition that comes out of the miracle of the oil: Hanukkah foods often includes things that are fried (and delicious) -- jelly-filled donuts and latkes. More Hanukkah fun: spinning the dreidel.

Movies

If you have some free time this week because of the holiday, it's not a bad time to catch a movie.

To Kill A Mockingbird
Monday: The AFI 100 series at Proctors is showing To Kill A Mockingbird, starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. It is one of the all-time classics.

Multiplex
Lots of decent choices at the multiplexes now: The new Hunger Games movie -- Catching Fire -- has been getting good reviews. 12 Years A Slave -- the historical story based on the life of Solomon Northup, who was from Saratoga Springs -- has been getting fantastic reviews. Also getting praise: Dallas Buyers Club. Though they've been out for a while, Gravity is really good and the new Thor movie is fun. And opening Thursday: The Book Thief and Black Nativity.

Museums

Got people in town and need to take them somewhere? You might hit up a museum. The Albany Institute (see the mummies), miSci (the train exhibit is opening), the State Museum, MASS MoCA, the Arkell, and the Baseball Hall of Fame are all open Friday and the weekend.

Ice skating

The ice skating rink at the Empire State Plaza is scheduled to open Friday, weather permitting. The rink is open 11 am - 8 pm. Skating is free. Skate rentals are $4 / $3 for kids under 12 (and skate rental is free on Fridays). And looking ahead to the weekend, there's a free learn-to-skate clinic on Saturday (registration required, and it fills up fast).

Music

Monday: Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls at Upstate Concert Hall
English folk/punk. With: The Smith Street Band, Koo Koo Kanga Roo. 7:30 pm - $17 ahead / $20 day of

Wednesday: Hamell on Trial at Valentine's
One-man punk and storytelling. 6 pm

Wednesday: Wild Adriatic at The Hollow
Indie pop rock. 8 pm - $10 ahead / $12 day of

Wednesday: Eastbound Jesus at Putnam Den
With: North and South Dakotas. 9:30 pm - $10

Friday-Sunday: We Will Rock You at Proctors
The Queen musical is at Proctors for four shows in three days. various times - $20 and up

Friday: Grainbelt at Valentine's
The 14th or 15th annual day-after Thanksgiving show. 6 pm

Friday: The Franklin Electric at Helsinki Hudson
Indie pop folk from Montreal. 9 pm - $10 ahead / $12 day of

Saturday: Nellie McKay at Helsinki Hudson
She's hard to describe -- sort of Broadway cabaret inflected by rap, jazz and a whole bunch of other musical styles. And Doris Day. 9 pm - $25 ahead / $30 at door

Saturday: Irish Christmas with Eileen Ivers at Troy Music Hall
Virtuoso Celtic fiddler. 7:30 pm - $20 and up

Saturday: No Pepper Fest at Valentine's
"Heavy duty mayhem on both floors." 5 pm

Sunday: Sean Rowe at Caffe Lena
A chance to see him up close. 7 pm - $18

To do list

1. Finalize travel plans, train tickets, whatever, if you're headed somewhere else.

2. Take the turkey out of the freezer to thaw. (Seriously, do it now. Put it in the fridge. Those things take a long time to thaw.) Knock out the supermarket list so you don't have to hit up the store multiple times while everyone's rushing for the last can of cranberry sauce.

3. Spend time with family and friends.
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These are a just a few things for this week, not a comprehensive list. Know of something people should be looking forward to this week? Please share!

The Troy Music Hall advertises on AOA.

photo: Erik Weiss