😻 nyc weekend guide
🌸 spring is breaking through edition
Spring is only a few weeks away — March 20 — and your weekend plans are shaping up to be fantastic.
Dive into the Lady Gaga MAYHEM album release rave on Friday night, or catch Bruce LaBruce’s bold new film The Visitor at Roxy Tribeca.
For a more laid-back vibe, enjoy Studio Ghibli + Anime Jazz with the Seoyeon Im Quartet at The Red Pavilion on Saturday night, or immerse yourself in the enchanting Orchid Nights at the New York Botanical Garden, featuring breathtaking floral displays under twinkling lights.
Read more about these and more below.
Have an amazing weekend,
P.S. The new Brooklyn classic Anora swept the Oscars on Sunday, winning Best Picture, Actress, and three more awards. Check out my cover story about the film for MovieMaker Magazine, for which I spent time with its cast and crew last August.
Friday, March 7
MAYHEM: The Album Release Rave
Celebrate Lady Gaga's seventh studio album, MAYHEM, at The Brooklyn Monarch on Friday night. Luis Fernando's Album Release Rave features a star-studded lineup including Nick Gaga, Andrew Barret Cox, and La Zavaleta, hosted by BadBoyRoy and Xenogaga. Enjoy the immersive MAYHEM Museum with original Gaga artifacts, a massive stage, and state-of-the-art production. Ticket holders receive free official merch while supplies last, and a surprise guest will make a special appearance. Tickets are available at LuisFernandoNYC.com.
Hamburger America welcomes Ohio's Swensons Drive-In for the month of March
Hamburger America, a SoHo restaurant preserving America's burger culture, introduces the Galley Boy as its March "Monthly Burger Special." This Ohio specialty from Swensons Drive-Ins features a double cheeseburger with two sauces on a toasted bun, topped with an olive. Burger expert George Motz will showcase the Galley Boy through April 8th, continuing the restaurant's mission of highlighting regional burger specialties and preserving America's culinary heritage.
Bruce LaBruce’s The Visitor comes to Roxy Cinema
Bruce LaBruce’s The Visitor reimagines Pasolini’s Teorema for a contemporary audience, blending explicit sexuality with bold political and social critique. Set in modern London, the story follows a refugee who washes ashore in a suitcase and infiltrates an upper-class family, seducing each member in turn. Through these provocative encounters, the family undergoes radical sexual and spiritual transformations. Known for pushing boundaries, LaBruce uses queer aesthetics and explicit storytelling to explore themes of power, otherness, and liberation. The Visitor premiered at the 2024 Berlinale and continues LaBruce’s legacy as a daring voice in gay cinema.
Saturday, March 8
Orchid Nights at the New York Botanical Garden
Experience the vibrant Orchid Nights at the New York Botanical Garden on Saturday from 7–10 p.m. This event, part of The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism, transforms into a lively dance party with Mexican Cumbia music, professional dancers, and cash bars. Enjoy a memorable night amidst thousands of stunning orchids, dubbed by The New York Times as the "lushest bar in town!"
Studio Ghibli + Anime Jazz w/ Seoyeon Im Quartet
Join the Seoyeon Im Swing Quartet for an enchanting evening of Studio Ghibli-inspired jazz! On Saturday night at The Red Pavilion, experience your favorite themes from Ghibli’s beloved films reimagined with a fresh, vivacious sound. Led by Seoyeon Im, a renowned South Korean jazz violinist now making waves in New York’s swing jazz scene, the quartet brings a unique blend of Gypsy and modern jazz. Known as ‘V.OLIN,’ Seoyeon has performed at iconic venues like Carnegie Hall and Zinc Jazz Club. Prepare to be spirited away by this intimate and unforgettable musical journey!
Michael Shannon performs R.E.M.’s Fables of the Reconstruction at Brooklyn Steel
Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy are hitting the road again in 2025 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of R.E.M.'s Fables of the Reconstruction. Following their acclaimed Murmur tribute tour, this all-star band—featuring Wilco’s John Stirratt, Jon Wurster, Dag Juhlin, and Vijay Tellis-Nayak—will perform Fables in full, along with deep cuts from R.E.M.’s catalog. And if you’re lucky, R.E.M. might show up like they did at the 40 Watt Club performance.