All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

The Capital Region is climbing out of the kind of a deep freeze that makes hibernation seem like the only reasonable way to spend your free time. If you're sick of being cooped up because of the cold, we've compiled a few things you might want to check out after the jump.

Doing something that's not listed here? Add it to the comments section so the rest of us can see. And whatever you're up to, have a fantastic weekend.

Ice skating
The ice skating rink on the ESP has a very high fun:cost ratio. It's open all weekend from 11 am to 8 pm, weather permitting -- be sure to check before heading out. $4 adults / $3 kids / free on Friday

Film

Multiplexes
A bunch of anticipated movies debut at local multiplexes this Friday: Spike Jonze's Her, the Coen brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis, and the star-filled August: Osage County. Her -- in which a character played by Joaquin Phoenix falls in love with an operating system -- has been getting great reviews.

Film Forum
The Saratoga Film Forum is screening Blue is the Warmest Color. Friday at 7:30pm, Sunday at 3pm

Rear Window
Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window is this week's Movies and Mimosa flick at the Saratoga Bow Tie Cinema. Saturday and Sunday at 11am - $5.50 film, $2 mimosa

Comedy

Theater Sports
The Mop & Bucket Company is back at Proctors Underground on Friday night with their TheaterSports competition -- where teams of improvisors compete based on audience suggestions. Think, Whose Line is it Anyway? Friday at 8pm - $14, $6 students and seniors

Museums

Free Day at MASS MoCA
Saturday is the annual Free Day at MASS MoCA in North Adams. "Free admission and brick-wall-to-brick-wall programming throughout the museum..." It's a good time of year to hit up the museum -- it's gotta be one of the biggest indoor spaces in the greater region. Saturday 11 am-7 pm

Mr. Mummy
Sunday: Bob Brier -- a well-known Egyptologist at Long Island University/C.W. Post Campus who's apparently known as "Mr. Mummy" -- will be at the Albany Institute for talk connected to the museum's new mummies exhibit:

Brier will describe the various phases of mummification and exactly what was done to the mummy of Ankhefenmut, the 21st Dynasty mummy in the Albany Institute's collection. He will also share what was discovered from the study of Ankhefenmut's mummy and what future discoveries are possible from the study of mummies.

Sunday 2 pm - free with museum admission

Toys and Trains
You still have a couple of weeks to check out the Toys and Trains exhibit at MiSci in Schenectady.

Music

Friday: Jes Hudak at Caffe Lena
Piano pop singer/songwriter back where she first started performing. 8 pm - $16

Friday: Martin Sexton at Helsinki Hudson
Singer/songwriter. 9 pm - $45

Friday: Cheryl Wheeler at Proctors
Folk singer/songwriter. An 8th Step show. 7:30 pm - $26 ahead / $28 at door

Saturday: Andre Watts at The Palace
Famous concert pianist. As a teen, introduced to a national TV audience by Leonard Bernstein -- and then later called in by Bernstein to play with the New York Philharmonic. 7:30 pm - $30 and up

Saturday: Bettye LaVette at Helsinki Hudson
Long career as a soul singer, recently riding a wave from her covers of pop songs. 9 pm - $45 ahead / $50 day of

Saturday: Seth Glier + Antje Duvekot at The Linda
Folk pop. 8 pm - $15

Saturday: WEXT folk DJ series at Caffe Lena
With: Tor & The Fjords, Zan Strumfeld, Ashley Sofia. 8 pm

Sunday: Trombone Shorty at The Egg
Jazz trombonist playing "Supafunkrock." 7:30 pm - $29.50 and up

Sunday: Jonathan Bliss at Union College
Pianist who plays regularly at Carnegie Hall. 3 pm - $25

Theater

The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told
Confetti Stage presents Paul Rudnick's The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, a biblical satire that tells the story of Adam and Steve. Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2pm - $15

Good People
Curtain Call Theater opens a production of David Lindsay-Abaire's Good People. Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 3 pm - $23

Hoops
The Siena men's basketball team takes on Marist at the TU Center Friday at 5pm, and Iona on Sunday at 2pm. $16 / $12 and up

Hockey
Saturday is Kids Get in Free Day at The Albany Devils game at the TU Center. Kids 12 and under get a free ticket when accompanied by a paying adult. The Devils take on the Manchester Monarchs. Saturday at 5pm.$13.50 to $25

Food
Saturday: Chef Sarah Fish -- from The Hungry Fish Cafe -- is teaching a class at Different Drummer's Kitchen on different types of chili, including turkey and vegetarian. Saturday 6 pm - $65

The Fabulous Beekman Boys
The Fabulous Beekman Boys -- Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge, known for their Discovery Network and Cooking Channel shows as well as their appearance on the Amazing Race -- will be at the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library on Saturday. And it's sold out.

Farmers' markets
Indoor markets are open in Troy (Saturday at the Atrium), Saratoga (Saturday at the Lincoln Baths in Spa State Park), Schenectady (Sunday at Proctors), and the Spa City Farmers Market -- at the Lincoln Baths in Saratoga Springs (Sunday at the Lincoln Baths).

photo: Kirk Edwards