All Over Albany

The week ahead

Here are a few things to keep in mind, look forward to, or keep busy with this week, from the weather (perhaps a bit messy), to holiday stuff, to a famous holiday poem on trial, to movies, to cheese, to music...

Weather

Here's the paraphrased forecast for this week:

Monday: Sunny. High (if that's the right word) of 18. Maybe some snow in overnight.

Tuesday: Cloudy, probably some snow. Mid 20s.

Wednesday: Sunnier, low 30s.

Thursday: Sunny, low 30s.

Friday: Cloudy, maybe some rain/snow, mid 40s.

Weekend: Maybe some rain and snow, upper 30s.

Hmm, could be a bit messy.

Holiday stuff

Monday: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation at The Palace
Spending the holidays with the Griswolds. 7 pm - $5 / $3 kids

Tuesday: Make the Yuletide Gay at Proctors
A film about a college student going home for holidays and back into the closet -- until his boyfriend shows up unannounced. Also: an ugly Christmas sweater contest. 7 pm - $5

Friday: It's a Wonderful Life at The Palace
Seeing it a big, old movie house like this is better than watching it on TV. 7 pm - $5 / $3 kids

Friday: West Point Jazz Knights at The Linda
Annual big band holiday concert. 7 pm - free (reservation required, and it's filled up in years past)

Friday-Sunday: Christmas with The Rat Pack at Proctors
"Raise some holiday spirits with Frank, Sammy and Dean as they sing, dance and unwrap all of your seasonal favorites." various times - $20 and up

Saturday: The Nutcracker at The Egg
A production by the Albany Berkshire Ballet. 1:30 pm and 5:30 pm - $38 adults / $25 children

Saturday: 8th Step Sing Solstice! at Proctors
Concert celebrating "the Season of Light: Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hannukah, Las Posadas, Santa Lucia, Yule and many more around the world." 7:30 pm - $24 ahead / $26 day of

Sunday: Boston Camerata at Union College
"Noël, Noël: A French Christmas." 3 pm - $25 / $10 students

Until December 22: A Christmas Carol at Capital Rep
A new adaptation in which five actors play 20 characters. various times - $20 and up

A Visit from St. Nicholas -- on trial

Wednesday: A mock trial at the Rensselaer County courthouse in Troy will aim to settle who actually wrote the famous poem "A Visit form St. Nicholas" -- Clement Clarke Moore or Henry Livingston Jr. The poem was first published in the Troy Sentinel in 1823. The case will be argued by local attorneys E. Stewart Jones and Jack Casey, and heard by a retired state State Supreme court justice. The event is hosted by Duncan Crary, because of course it is. (as mentioned) Wednesday 6 pm

Ice skating

After a few delays, the ESP ice skating rink has opened for the season. The rink offers free skating every day from 11 am- 8 pm. Skate rental is $4 adults / $3 kids (cash only) -- and free on Fridays. And this Friday is Holiday Rock 'n Skate from 6-8 pm.

Movies

Multiplex
There are a handful of decent options at the multiplexes, including the just-opened The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (this one has gotten better reviews than the first one -- maybe it doesn't have 35 minutes of Bilbo being upset about dwarves eating all this food). Arriving this weekend: David O. Russell's American Hustle, which has a really good cast and is getting very positive reviews.

Not holiday movies
Thursday: It Came From Schenectady has its holiday show -- which doesn't include holiday movies. Still, they're comedy classics: Caddyshack and Ghostbusters. Plus games and prizes and whatnot. Thursday 7 pm - $9 / $6 students

Food

A few classes cooking this week:

Bacon
Monday: Erika Tebbens brings her popular class about curing bacon at home to the Honest Weight Food Co-op. 6 pm - $20

Cheese plates
Wednesday: The Cheese Traveler is offering "A Crash Course in Holiday Cheese Plating" led by cheesemonger Eric Paul at its store in Albany -- "a 2 hour workshop that will teach you how to create a gorgeous and delicious cheese plate." Wednesday 6 pm - $40

Handmade ravioli
Thursday: A hands-on class at Gio Culinary Studio about making ravioli from scratch -- three types, with sauces. Thursday 6:15 pm - $65

Great Balls of Cheese
Saturday: Troy native Michelle Buffardi -- she works at the Food Network -- will be at Market Block Books for a demo/book signing related to her new cookbook: Great Balls of Cheese, which is all about cheeseballs. (We flipped through this book the other day, it's cheesy and fun.) 1 pm

Handmade gifts
Saturday: Deanna Fox will be at Different Drummer's Kitchen for a hands-on class about making a range of holiday food gifts. 2 pm - $65

Music

Thursday: Rosanne Cash at Troy Music Hall
Country royalty. 7:30 pm - $28 and up

Thursday: Devon Allman at Helsinki Hudson
Blues rock. Son of Gregg. 8 pm - $20

Friday: The African Children's Choir at Proctors
They've performed all around the world. 7 pm - $30

Friday: The Figgs at Valentine's
It really must be the holidays. With: Kitty Little. 8 pm

Friday: Teddy Thompson at Helsinki Hudson
Folk rock. Son of Richard and Linda. 9 pm - $25 ahead / $30 day of

Saturday: The Figgs at Putnam Den
This time with the Charlie Watts Riots.

Saturday: Brothers Past at The Hollow
Indie electronica. 8 pm - $12 ahead / $15 at door

Saturday: Pony in the Pancake Holiday Show at Valentine's
With: Party Boat, Beaked Whale, Los Espejos. 8 pm

Sunday: Jewmongus at Caffe Lena
"Hilarious and irreverent acoustic rock songs about being Jewish." 7 pm - $16
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To do list

1. Nail down Christmas plans, whether it's travel or food (get those orders in) or whatever.

2. Find some time to maybe go skating or play in the snow with friends and family.

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!

Capital Rep, Honest Weight, The Cheese Traveler, and Troy Music Hall advertise on AOA.

It's a Wonderful Life still via Wikipedia