Serge the Concierge

Fall under the Spell of Lura, Free Chicago Concert by Portuguese Singer, July 9

If you are lucky enough to be in Chicago this evening of July 9 and not afraid to fall under the charm of Lura, the Portuguese singer will be treating happy ears to her sensual voice as displayed in 'Oh Naia' (below).

Even better, the early show (6:30pm) is Free.

Location: Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park (info: 312-742-1168)

Sharing the bill with Lura is Megitza Quartet.

Lura's latest release is 'Eclipse'

Found out about this Summer Freebie via Chicago Reader.

Recent Music Bit:
3 Days of Peace and Yoga, Wanderlust, Music Festival with a Different Recipe, Lake Tahoe, July 24-26

Treat your Creative Self to Free Coworking Fridays at Lab 24/7 in Brooklyn

Getting a slice of Jelly in my e-mail this morning, I noticed that the next Jelly NY Session was taking place at a new space Lab 24/7 in Brooklyn.

What the space is about in their own words:

"Lab 24/7 incubates creative projects and events for fun, profit and community service. The Lab has a space in the cellar of an old Brooklyn brownstone where we meet up, jump off and occassionally cowork."

Need to take a break from your routine and some human interaction, Lab 24/7 has Coworking Fridays and best of all it's FREE.

WHEN: Most Friday's (join the list for updates)
WHERE: 247 Stuyvesant Ave, @ Putnam, BK (click for directions)
HAPPY: Happy Hour from 5:30-ish - 7:00-ish

From the look of it, seems like Lab 24/7 has a strong Food connection including with Senegal, not sure why and an artist/fundraising take, the Kimchi Pancake Project and a Cooklyn Improv (see below).

As for the Jelly Session on July 10, it will feature,Todd Sunstead, one of the authors of I'm Outta Here (a book on coworking) amongst others.

All you have to do is Take the A Train

Scrabbling or Crosswordpuzzling on Sunday, Have you tried Wordnik?

Are you Scrabbling or Crosswordpuzzling on Sunday?

You might be working on a book, an essay or an online story as I am right now?

Have you tried Wordnik as your little helper?

What's it all about? It describes itself as 'an ongoing project devoted to discovering

all the words and everything about them', not as a static thing but keeping up with them as they evolve.

Quite an ambitious task it is.

It all started at TED where Erin McKean had a chance encounter with the deep pockets of Roger McNamee.

I love words, reading them, writing them, understanding them.

I can see the passion behind a venture like Wordnik yet I cannot quite figure how it could become a money maker.

Maybe it is just treated as a worthy cause by its backers, the new age of enlightenment.

Found my way to Wordnik via Spinning the Web: P.R. in Silicon Valley (Claire Cain Miller, NY Times, July 5)...

Free Jazz, 70 Years of Blue Note Album Covers at Jazz Fest Montreal, July 1-8

Visiting Montreal or just living there, you have about a week left to check 70 Years of Blue Note Album Covers, a Free Exhibit featuring many classic albums such as Dexter Gordon 'Our Man in Paris' (1963, cover below) at Village de la Musique ( corner of Maisonneuve Blvd. and Bleury St).

This 'for your eyes only' treat runs from July 1st to July 8 as part of the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal (Jazz Fest) which closes on July 12.

The hours for the Blue Note Records exhibit are great for 'noctambules' as doors are opened from 12 Noon to Round About Midnight.

Looking for more free stuff offered by this Jazz Festival, check the Free Concerts- Concerts Gratuits listing.

Par ici la musique

Summer events for the Consumed to Thrifty

In London and on a Budget, Free Events Some Kids Friendly are Plentiful

Traveling with kids, maybe you want to join a Family spaceship workshop on Friday, June 26 (listed on Free London Events) where families and children under 7 are invited to join professional artists to create a spectacular 3D space ship and alien for the Waterloo Carnival.

Also in the family friendly department count the Art Trolley Weekend Sessions from 11am to 5pm at Tate Britain (no registration required) which I discovered via London is Free.

What's Art Trolley about?

"Visit and discover imaginative and weird and wonderful materials. You can build a sculpture, draw something that catches your eye or even create a pretty collage. Pose for a picture with your art work and then check out Tate's website to see if your work has been published online."

In a different sphere, London is Free lists the 60's tinged Monday 'Love-In' film & music in Camden Town at inSpiral Lounge.

Let's not forget Time Out London where I found Street Pianos which runs until July 12.

Here's Time Out take on Street Pianos:

"For three weeks 30 pianos will be installed in the street at locations all over London. Decorated to suit their location and marked 'Play me, I'm Yours', they'll be available to anyone who fancies a tinkle. Each piano will have its own songbook attached to encourage communal involvement - and a protective tarpaulin to pull over if rain threatens. A full time piano tuner on a pushbike will ensure the pianos remain in good condition."

This event is organized by Sing London in association with the City of London Festival and artist Luke Jerram whose photo of the London 2009 - (Harrow Rd piano) above illustrates this piece.

I could go on and on but I do not want to get you tired so I might come back with a second helping in a few days.

Just what we need in our Consumed to Thrifty times.

Related:
Yes You Can...Travel Around Europe this Summer with Rail Europe, Reduce Carbon Fooprint, Save Big time

June 20, Fete de la Musique in Silicon Valley, Thanks to San Jose Jazz

Is it due to the sizable contingent of French Expats, I don't know.

Anyway on Saturday June 20, 2009, thanks to San Jose Jazz, the Fete de la Musique comes to Silicon Valley.

Where:

Santana Row, San Jose, CA 95128. Tel: 408.551.4611. Free, convenient parking. (Directions)

Here's what's on the menu for these 8 hours of Free Music:

Park Valencia Stage

1-4pm: Danny Hull and Kurt Anderson

4-5:30pm: Vie Victus (Rock/Indie/Punk) | myspace

5:30-7pm: Eric John Kaiser (Pop-Rock/Reggae) | myspace

7-9pm: Tété (Soul/R&B) | myspace

Santana Row Stage

1-3pm: San Jose Jazz Latin Youth Ensemble (Latin Jazz)

3-5pm: The Algorhythms (Funk/Soul/Contemporary Jazz) | website

5-6:45pm: Fear & Fancy (Hip Hop/Soul/Blues) | myspace

Intermission: Wrawsome Dance Team (Hip Hop Dance) | myspace

7-9pm: A Touch of Class (Swing Jazz)

Via Stage

1-3pm: Richard Osburn (Classical/World Guitar) | youtube

3-5pm: Jerry Snyder (Classical/Latin Jazz Guitar) | website

5-7pm: Shawn Evans Band (Rock) | website

Cine Arts Stage

1-2:30pm: International School of The Peninsula Band (French Folk and Guitar) | website

2:30-4pm: Barney and the Dinosaurs (Dance/Electronic/Funk/Jazz Latin) | website

4-5:30pm: Golden Handbells (Gospel)

5:30-7pm: Ron Gariffo Orchestra (Pop/Jazz/Latin) | website

There will also be Music in the following Restaurants from 6:30 to 9pm:

Amber India: Charles Perkins (Classical Guitar)

Citrus: Krisarel (acoustic, easy listening) | myspace

Consuelos: Kevy Nova (Rock) | myspace

Left Bank: Veronica Malki (Acoustic Guitar/Folk/Flamenco) | myspace

Maggiano's: San Jose Jazz Combo

Pasta Pomodoro: Phoebe Erler (Folk/Rock) | website

Rosie McCanns: Truth and the Music (Hip Hop DJ)

Roux: San Jose Jazz Combo (Jazz)

LB Steak: Jazz Jam

Thea: Superthrive DJ (Ambient/World/Electronic) | myspace

Village: Dune Tran (Indie/Pop/Alternative) | website

Happy Fete de la Musique Day in San Jose.

Souk Marketplace in Brooklyn wins my heart over National Doughnut Day

Remember when Krispy Kreme was all the craze.

Well if you are not concerned by your waist line, you might gobble cream and sugar and get your cholesterol in overdrive in other words Stuff your face as Huliq puts it.
National Doughnut Day is in full swing on June 5.

Do not blame the side effects on Serious Eats where I first saw it mentioned.

I would pick a pain au chocolat (what in the US is called chocolate croissant) anytime over a doughnut.

As far as food/cultural activities go the Souk Marketplace in Brooklyn next door to BAM wins my heart over National Doughnut Day.

Will there be middle eastern sweats on offer at this week-end outdoor fair (Sat, Jun 6, 12—10pm
Sun, Jun 7, 12—8pm)?

Some of the food could also come from the tagines you can see in the back row of the event's illustration above (from their site).

If you cannot make it to Marrakesh or Tunis anytime soon this might be the closest you get.

Got wind of this Free Event perfect for our Consumed to Thrifty times thanks to Food-Friendly Events, June 5-11 on Eating in Translation.

Have food and wine events worth trying taking place in the coming days or weeks that you want to share, go ahead and let us know.

Thanks, bon week-end!

Long Lines at Japan Day 2009 Tend to Kill the Fun of It

I decided to go ahead ans pay my first visit to Japan Day this Sunday, May 31.
I took the C line and after cutting across Central Park got to the Easy Meadows grounds where the event took place.
There was an atmosphere of bonhomie and family friendly fun in the air with dance and drums on and near the well set stage.
Many ladies donned kimonos while the younger crowd was all cosplay.
What kinda killed the fun was the long lines especially for the food offerings, at least a 100 people queuing up and since there was a different line for each treat, the process had to be repeated over and over.
I sampled first the dumplings and second went for the miso soup line since it seemed the shortest.
Unfortunately we had to stand in the heat for a good amount of time as the soup was being readied.
There were lines also if shorter for the games (Go and others), the Robot Battle even for the tourism table.
Longest of non food lines must have been for the Kabuki face paintings.
I will return next year if there is a better flow.
Maybe they are a victim of their popularity or it is just that I am impatient.

May 31, It's Japan Day 2009 in Central Park's East Meadow, New York

I have to thank a friend for reminding me that the last Sunday of May is not just Mother's Day in France, it is also when the Japanese community in and around New York shares its food, culture and traditions with the rest of us.

On May 31, it's Japan Day 2009 in Central Park's East Meadow. 

It starts with Japan Run at 8am which I think has closed its registration at this time.

The festival proper kicks off at 10 AM with free food samplings offered from 11 AM on...

Plenty of entertainment from the Chin Don band Zakuro with special guest Joey Morant (between 10 am and 12pm) to J Pop by Orange Pekoe (2.30 to 4.45pm).

I learned from the program that Chin Don bands go back to the EDO period (19th century) and originally were used for advertising and marketing purposes.

For each edition, Japan Day showcases a visual artist, Keisuke Takahashi in 2009, visual director for Nibroll.

A free event for our Consumed to Thrifty times...

And if you cannot make it to Japan Day, you can always read one of my 89 Tokyo Thursdays stories.

Sharing The Guardian Guide to Green Travel, Thanks to Issuu

I discovered Issuu thanks to a publisher mentioning the service for a peek at Woodstock, the book, one of them I mean.

What Issuu is, does?

They allow professional publishers and amateurs alike to let the world know about their magazines, books and other writings in digital form.

Since Travel and Green Issues are regular topics on 'Serge the Concierge', I decided to use Issuu to share The Guardian Guide to Green Travel (below) with you.

Enjoy!

Related: Green Mexico for Cinco de Mayo 2009