Whassup: It's Spring Damnit, Damnit It's Spring! Edition

Spring!! (via bi.ku.dk)

Yesterday was the first day of spring, sorta, I guess. Blame it on global weirding, blame it on rodents with mystical powers, but it's still been cold as sleet out there. How does one cope with the lingering death that is a long-ass winter? I think the same way one copes with tooth pain when one has no anesthetic: whiskey. That is to say, drinking and celebration. They warm the gullet and the soul, and perhaps the motion of our drunken, dancing bodies will warm the frigid Brooklyn air a bit. Couldn't hurt, right? Welcome to Whassup: It's Spring Damnit, Damnit It's Spring! Edition: 

* Friday, March 22-Sunday, March 24: Cajun Fest, Jalopy (Red Hook): Louisianna-based Freetown Produce will take advantage of the excess of down-home authenticity at Jalopy for this 3-day Cajun fest. Celeb chef Toby Rodriquez will teach the spicy cooking as you, the students, help prepare a huge meal full of crawdads and jazz trumpets and whatever. (That I'm assuming you also get to eat, 'cuz otherwise that's slavery.) Appropriate to the Jalopy music school, you'll also find classes in Cajun accordion and fiddle, along with performances by the pros. Passes available for day or night classes each day. $15-$37.50, 12pm-11:30pm.

* Friday, March 22: ON SALE Barenaked Ben Folds, Bandshell: I guess now people can get nostalgic for the early 2000s? Are we already at that point? Christ. It seems that way, 'cuz here comes a nostalgia grouping of Ben Folds Five, Barenaked Ladies and Guster, hitting the Celebrate Brooklyn stage in Prospect Park this summer. Tix to the July 30 show go on sale Friday, 11am, $49.50-$55 (before fees). 

* Sunday, March 24: Bob Ross Painter Takedown, Active Space (Bushwick): Matt Timms, he of the most excellent food (chili, cookies, etc.) "Takedowns" at the Bell House (and nationwide, now) is expanding into the non-culinary arts. (Unless you eat paint. In which case, come on, dude.) Artists will, in Timms' words, "throw away all of their training, ethics and personal aesthetics" to construct the happy little clouds of Bob Ross' gentle fantasies. There will be an art auction, chili, and Six Point beers -- with all proceeds going to NYC's Citymeals-on-Wheels charity. 6pm-9pm, FREE.

* Sunday, March 24: Geek of Thrones, Freddy's: Geek night goes Westeros this time out with a Game of Thrones theme night. Oh, you know you want to geek out like this: costume contest, Thrones trivia, and steins of the new "Iron Throne" ale by Ommegang. Drink enough of it, and you just may find out what sex is like in Game of Thrones regalia. (Hint: probably a little frightening.) 7pm, FREE. 

* Wednesday, March 27: Rally for Rockaway, Modca Cafe (Williamsburg): A bunch of local merchants are pooling their resources to help you help the Rockaways. Sandy kicked some shit out of that place, but they want to get ready for beach season. There'll be a raffle and prizes, DJs, and yoga from benefit creator and Pop Up Yoga NYC founder Angelica Olstad. 7:30pm, $5 donation for yoga, $20 for yoga + raffle.  

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COMING UP: 

* April 10: Taste of 5th Ave: Get ready to slurp your taste buds up and down Fifth Avenue! That sounds just delightful, doesn't it? But, even better, "Taste of 5th" lets you go inside the actual restaurants to taste things that are edible. Your ticket gets you samples from 27 (as of now) participating restaurants. (And, yes, that includes Pork Slope for all you Dale Talde groupies.) It's sort of like trick-or-treat for (hopefully) non-costumed adults. So start planning your route. Tickets now on sale, $45.