Weekday Fun: The Best Events May 5-7

The days are getting longer, and this extra sunlight is a great excuse to get out and enjoy something fun in the neighborhood. From stories about neighborhoods, to a meditation workshop, to a discussion about the waters beneath 4th Avenue, there are some interesting things to do this week. Details on those events and more:

The Moth StorySlam
When: Monday, May 5, 8pm
Where: The Bell House, 149 7th Street
What: Whether you’re chosen to tell your 5-minute story or you just get to listen to others, this month’s topic — neighborhood — should be an interesting one. The winning storyteller of the night gets to move on to a GrandSlam Championship.
How much: $8 at the door

Mind & Meditation Workshop
When: Tuesday, May 6, 6:30pm
Where: Park Slope Library, 431 6th Avenue
What: Stress and life in the big city often go hand in hand, but the Park Slope Library is at the ready with a one hour meditation workshop aimed at helping neighbors “gain insight into the laws that govern the mind and emotions, learn breathing techniques that help de-stress and reduce negative emotions while increasing energy, focus and efficiency.”
How much: Free!

Roxane Gay In Conversation With Sari Botton
When: Tuesday, May 6, 7pm
Where: Community Bookstore, 143 7th Avenue
What: The author will discuss her debut novel, An Untamed State, which follows Mireille, a privileged Haitian woman kidnapped for a ransom her father refuses to pay.
How much: Free!

Brooklyn In Film: Two Lovers
When: Wednesday, May 7, 6:30pm
Where: Central Library, Dweck Center, 10 Grand Army Plaza
What: See Joaquin Phoenix as Leonard, a guy who moves back to his parents’ Brighton Beach apartment then gets set up with Michelle, played by Gwenyth Paltrow.
How much: Free!

A River Runs Through It: What Lies Below 4th Avenue
When: Wednesday, May 7, 7pm
Where: The Old Stone House, 336 3rd Street
What: Gowanus mapmaker Eymund Diegel will speak about ongoing research on the Gowanus watershed’s buried streams and springs that will still be there long after we are gone.
How much: Free!

Simply Unemployable Live
When: Wednesday, May 7, 8pm
Where: Union Hall, 702 Union Street
What: Matt Catanzano and Richie Moriarty, from YouTube’s Simply Unemployable, host a night of improv and stand-up featuring some of the best improvisers and stand-up comedians in NYC. They’ll be joined by stand-up comedian Nick Vatterott and improvisers Meg Griffiths Anderson and Christine Cuddy.
How much: $5, tickets available in advance

Image via Roxane Gay