Whassup: So Cold, It's Hot Edition

via jokeroo.com

Good Lord, so I guess there's a winter this year, after all. If the cold-snap hasn't lifted by the time this goes to screen, y'all are likely either hiding from the weather or nursing flash-frozen cheeks. I recommend rubbing your face against a warm housecat. He'll hate you for it, but that's a likelihood with cats, anyway. Regardless, I encourage you to fill your gullets with soup, tea, whiskey, molten lead and any other warm things you have handy. For you must be fortified -- there remains fun to be had in Brooklyn! Welcome to Whassup: So Cold, It's Hot Edition:

* Thursday, Jan. 24: Trauma, Truths, and Twitter; PowerHouse Arena: Postponed by Hurricane Sandy (itself an event that caused some trauma and got a little Twitter coverage), this talk by authors Rahimeh Andalibian and Rory O'Connor looks at social media, Islam, and the Arab Spring. It's brain food, people, and it will make you understand the world better. And since you live in a part of America where most people actually have no problem with understanding the rest of the world, go for it. 7pm-9pm, FREE. 

* Friday, Jan. 25: Brooklyn Contra, Lyceum: As gentrification turns more and more of old Brooklyn into new, hip, weird Brooklyn, it's nice to know that some of the old, weird, Brooklyn can still survive. The Lyceum hangs on to what's old with a night of Contra -- a folk dance that fuses New and Old World styles. And you won't even need a cheat code for extra lives. (That's my convoluted way of saying there's a beginner class starting at 7:30.) 8pm, $12.

* Friday, Jan. 25-Saturday, Jan. 26: John Hartford Tribute Weekend, Jalopy/Littlefield: On Friday at Jalopy (Red Hook) and Saturday at Littlefield, a whole wagon-load of roots musicians pay tribute to the bluegrass music of John Hartford. People, this is the sound of folk music quietly taking over south Brooklyn, to try to cure us of all this big-city bustle. It's an insidious plot, obviously, but probably a good thing. Chew some straw between your teeth, and kick back. 8pm, $12-15.

* Sunday, Jan. 27: Metball Takedown, Bell House: It's been a bit, but Matt Timms' excellent food-competition 'takedown' returns to the Bell House -- and this time, it's all about Matt's balls. Well, not his balls, per se. Other people's balls. Meat balls, that is. Like the other takedowns, this cooking and eating extravaganza casts you as the judge in a competition among amateur chefs. Let them put their balls in your mouth. All of their balls, you food sluts, you. 2pm, $15.

* Sunday, Jan. 27: Tete Offensive Open Mic, Freddy's: Don't let the punny name fool you -- you don't have to be clever to take part in this spoken word/poetry/storytelling/music/comedy open mic -- just ballsy enough to get drunk and talk into a mic for five minutes. It's a great way to try out some new pieces of whatever it is you create, or just get a thrill if you have any sort of stage fright issues. And if you're clever, all the better. 9pm, FREE.

* Wednesday, Jan. 30 (Order-by): Delaney Bowl-B-Q: Daniel Delaney, the meaty genius behind last summer's awesome BrisketLab and the ongoing, awesome BrisketTown, has a much better Super Bowl food option than tired old wings and pizza -- party packs of ribs, sides, and brisket that is so moist, flavorful, juicy, ahdghshskdljohlllll…sorry, was drowning in my own drool there for a while. Anyway, orders are due by the 30th, so get on it if you want it.