St. Nick of time
For visions of sugar plums and Mama in her kerchief, join the crowd at a reading of Clement Clarke Moore’s “ ’Twas the Night Before Christmas” at the Church of the Intercession on Sunday. NBC4’s “Weekend Today in New York” co-anchor Pat Battle will do the honors. She used to read the classic holiday tale to her children (now 12, 14 and 31) when they were younger, and her own mom read it to her as a child, as well.
“My mother had a beautiful melodic voice. She was actually a trained classical singer,” says Battle. “I remember her reading it with such genuine joy in her delivery when we were little. So I think when I started reading it to my kids, I adopted the same format. We do voices and everything.”
After the reading — a tradition at the church since 1911 — attendees will have a candlelight procession to Moore’s grave site across the street. 4 p.m.; 550 W. 155th St.; 212-283-6200, intercessionnyc.org.
— GREGORY E. MILLER
Getty Images/SuperStock RM
2 of 4
No lone wolf
It’s something that even their biggest fans can’t believe, but 2013 (in a little over a week) will mark 40 years of Los Lobos. And for singer David Hidalgo, the key to survival is breathtakingly simple. “Friendship,” he explains. “We all have families now, so we can’t hang out with each other as much as we used to. But we still enjoy each other’s company and still have the same passion for the band.” As a taster for their anniversary year, the Latin legends from Los Angeles are embarking on a three-night acoustic stand at City Winery this weekend. “Usually, when we play acoustic, we tend to perform a lot of traditional Mexican and Latin American music. But for these shows, we’re gonna play a lot more of our own songs, some of which we haven’t played [in concert] before.” Proof that it’s never too late to try something new. $45 to $60; today, tomorrow and Sunday, 8 p.m., City Winery, 155 Varick St.; 212-608-0555, citywinery.com.
— HARDEEP PHULL
Drew Reynolds
3 of 4
Bready or not…
New Yorkers take their apartment designs seriously; did you think gingerbread would be any different? City bakers have taken the art of gingerbread house making to new heights for the holidays. And here’s where to check out their creations:
World landmarks are the theme for the annual gingerbread display at Le Parker Meridien. But in addition to sweet re-creations of classics such as the Lincoln Memorial and a Mayan pyramid, there’s a gingerbread version of the hanging crane knocked over by Sandy, right near the hotel. “That was so significant in our lives this year,” says hotel spokeswoman Victoria Barr. Le Parker Meridien, 119 W. 56th St., through Jan. 3.
The Brooklyn Navy Yard hosted its first gingerbread ship-building workshop recently and created a sweet version of the USS Monitor, which was built at the yard. To christen it: a pretzel flag and a gummy champagne bottle. Building 92 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Center, 63 Flushing Ave., through New Year’s Day.
Chef Nicole Bermensolo visited the Horyu-Ji temple near Kyoto, Japan, when she was in that city learning to make tofu. Now, she’s made a temple model out of extra-spicy gingerbread (so it could be smelled from far away, she says). Kyotofu, 705 Ninth Ave., near 48th Street, through New Year’s Day.
Chef Renee Baumann and more than 30 volunteers spent two weeks creating a Brooklyn-baked brownstone block. See it at restaurant 61 Local, 61 Bergen St., near Smith Street, Boerum Hill, through 1 a.m. tonight.
Baked Ideas’ Patti Paige, the woman behind the gingerbread Lincoln Memorial (above) and others, has a post-holiday plan for her tasty tableaux: “I think it’s cool to after-the-fact eat them,” she says.
— TIM DONNELLY
4 of 4
Something to talk about
It’s one of the most spectacular and magical of all silent films. And Raoul Walsh’s “The Thief of Bagdad’’ (1924) features the athletically graceful Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in one of his greatest roles, the gorgeous young Anna May Wong as a treacherous Mongol slave, massively beautiful sets by William Cameron Menzies and special effects that still dazzle nearly 90 years later. A new digital restoration, with a score by Carl Davis, begins a one-week run today at Film Forum, Houston Street near Varick Street. Info: filmforum.com.
— LOU LUMENICK
United Artists / Photofest
