Patti LaBelle, Intergalactic Curiosities, and Brooklyn nuns : 12 things to do this weekend

By Joshua Encinias

You made it to the weekend. Good job. Got plans yet?

Friday brings the Cine Gear Expo to Industry City for the latest and greatest in entertainment technology, and Red Baraat brings their Holi Festival of Colors to Brooklyn Bowl. There’s a Biggie-theme karaoke night at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Saturday night, and on Sunday, you can contemplate the work of Brooklyn nuns or sing Patti LaBelle’s praise at Kings Theatre.

Here’s what’s on deck this weekend:

Friday, March 10

Try St. JOHN’s delicacies at As You Are
Reservation times are available through March 22
London’s legendary St. JOHN pioneered dining concepts like “farm-to-table,” and now through March 22, you can try their cuisine at the As You Are pop-up inside the Ace Hotel. St. JOHN’s chef-director Jonathan Woolway and his team collaborated with As You Are’s executive chef Michael King on classics like ox cheek-and-pickled walnut pie and with pastry chef Danny Alvarez on St. JOHN madeleines (by the dozen or half dozen). Their specials can be ordered a la carte or as a three-course tasting. Other dishes include baked quail eggs with trotter and scoops of Dr. Henderson ice cream. Reservations are highly encouraged. 252 Schermerhorn Street. A la carte prices vary and a three-course tasting is $80.

Cine Gear Expo New York
Friday and Saturday
Are you a gearhead in the movie and entertainment space? Head down to Cine Gear Expo at Industry City on Friday and Saturday. Hear complimentary seminars from industry experts on topics ranging from vérité cinema to virtual production, and one of the nation’s largest gathering of production experts in the field. 220 36th Street. Registration is free.

Luttrell’s sunset concert
4 p.m.
Wind down the week with Luttrell at a special sundown performance on “The Roof of Superior Ingredients” on Friday. Luttrell is signed to Anjunadeep records, which is named after a beach in Goa, India renowned for trance music. And trance-inducing is the best way to describe Luttrell’s music, like his remix of Jai Wolf’s “Lose My Mind.” So order a ticket and chill your way into the weekend this Friday. 74 Wythe Avenue. Tickets are $25.75.

Red Baraat Festival of Colors
7 p.m.
Red Baraat brings their multi-city Festival of Colors tour to Brooklyn Bowl on Friday night. Inspired by the Indian holiday, Holi, the party atmosphere deploys a montage of classic Bollywood visuals, dancing, and original music. Sunny Jain, bandleader, and dhol player, curated a night of music with guests Kahani and Shubh Saran to celebrate the South Asian Diaspora. Everyone is invited to participate in the Holi festivities of play and laughing, forgetting and forgiving, and repairing ruptured relationships — something we could all use in 2023. 21+. 61 Wythe Avenue. Tickets are $20.

Saturday, March 11

She’s Got It: Great Women of Green-Wood Cemetery
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Women’s History Month is in full swing, and Green-Wood Cemetery is honoring its famous female permanent residents. On this trolly tour, you’ll learn the history of civil rights activist Grace Nail Johnson, a champion of the Harlem Renaissance. Johnson is one of many guests you’ll “meet” who changed the social, cultural, and political order of the 19th and 20th centuries. 500 25th Street. Tickets are $32.

Shabazz B. Spacely’s Cabinet of Intergalactic Curiosities
2 to 3:30 p.m.
Winner of the coolest name for a puppet show is … Shabazz B. Spacely’s Cabinet of Intergalactic Curiosities! Join the Brooklyn Children’s Museum this Saturday on a journey to the Afrofuturist multiverse of TRiPTIC, led by musician and educator Kwame Brandt-Pierce. The tripped-out journey blends shadow puppetry, video, choreography, and sound design to conjure up creatures who can only be found by performing specific sounds, body movements, and gestures. Recommended for children ages 7 to 10. 145 Brooklyn Avenue. Tickets are $12 to $13.

Kids Cooking Class: Heart Soft Jelly Cookies
2 to 3:30 p.m.
Give your kids an international afternoon, learning to make Italian dolcetti con Marmellataheart aka soft jelly cookies. Even better — they’ll learn from some of the best Italian cooks Speakitaly has to offer. English and Italian are spoken during the class to immerse your little one (or teen) in traditional Italian methods of cooking and baking. They’ll get their hands dirty, learn some teamwork skills, and come home with enough jelly cookies to put your Nonna in a coma. For ages 4 to 16, and parents cannot stay during the class. 110 York Street, 5th Floor. Tickets are $50.

Biggie Themed Karaoke and Game Night
6 to 10 p.m.
Hip Hop Closet, located in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, celebrates its 25th anniversary on Saturday night with its annual Biggie Smalls-themed karaoke and game night. The party happens at Suite 607, their event space and showroom. Biggie is the night’s theme, but you can sing any song you want. The night is BYOB, but there will be non-alcoholic drinks and mixers on hand for game playing, karaoke, and shopping … and if you don’t know now you know. 141 Flushing Avenue. Free.

Sunday, March 12

Anne Goetze’s exhibit, “Pray to Love: the Brooklyn Nun”
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This weekend is the opening of award-winning artist Anne Goetze’s exhibit on the nuns of Brooklyn’s Sisters of the Visitation of Holy Mary at The Emmaus Center. In 1610, the Visitation Order was the first order of nuns started by a woman, and in 1855, they planted their flag in Brooklyn. The nuns dedicate their lives to prayer and to live their motto, “To be a gentle presence in a violent world.” Anne’s paintings feature text written by the nuns that challenge the perceptions of the religious and contemplative life. 288 Berry Street.

Patti LaBelle in concert
5:30 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show
The queen of R&B Patti LaBelle performs at Kings Theatre on Sunday night. Come for “Lady Marmalade,” stay for “Something in the Air / The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” Will Downing opens. 1027 Flatbush Avenue. Tickets begin at $143.

Bushlicker’s Comedy Show
6 to 9 p.m.
Bushlicker’s is a monthly comedy show featuring queer and trans comedians with a theory: “everyone’s horny,” says co-host Sheria Mattis. But it’s unclear whether that means they only tell sexual jokes or you have the chance to hook up with a comedian. There’s only one way to find out! This Sunday’s line-up includes Jes Tom, Maddie Peck, Aurea Young, and Kari Burt. 159 Central Avenue. Tickets are $13.

Oscars viewing party at littlefield
6:30 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show
littlefield welcomes cinephiles and regular moviegoers alike to enjoy their free Oscar viewing party on Sunday night. Don your “finest attire” (however you define that) to walk the pre-show red carpet and nosh on some popcorn and a free glass of prosecco. Snacks will be available to order from Parklife and seating is first come, first served. You’re invited! (Or at least that was the Oscars’ first tagline). 635 Sackett Street. Free.