Don't Forget to "Break the Mold" Tonight!

Tonight and tomorrow on the UES, a group of artists come together to Break the Mold. As Jocelyn detailed in her latest Upper East Side Informer post, Break the Mold is a group of young artists who will be putting on two shows this weekend right here on the Upper East Side. Both shows will feature performances by a variety of musicians, dancers, and actors, all of whom have come together in an effort to maintain integrity in the arts and provide young artists with a venue through which to collaborate with one another and perform for a larger audience.

Says Melinda Marie Heitzman, one of the group's coordinators, "We are taking the power of art seriously by promoting dignity, integrity and quality in the arts through many styles, including rock music, opera singers, classical piano, tap hoofers, musical theater ballads and more."

Fantastic performances, all with a such a worthy goal in mind? Count me in. Here are all the details so that you can Break the Mold this weekend, too:

When: Saturday, November 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, November 22 at 2 p.m.
Where: Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, 230 East 90th Street (between 2nd and 3rd).
What: Each show will be an hour long, followed by a reception where you can meet and mingle with the artists.
Who: The shows are open to everyone, including kids and families. There will even be on-site child care provided for the little ones.
How Much: The suggested donation is $8.

The 23rd Annual Goddard Book Fair

This past weekend, I did something many people are currently dreading. No, I did not visit the dentist; nor did I contract the swine flu. Even though Thanksgiving hasn’t arrived yet, I ventured out to get started on my Christmas shopping.

Now, despite what you may be thinking, I am not a super early shopper determined to beat the crowds by buying my Christmas gifts before I even buy my turkey. While I think Christmas decorations should be safely tucked—and perhaps even locked—away after Halloween at the very earliest, there are benefits to starting your Christmas shopping once November arrives. For one, you avoid the crowds. But most importantly, shopping becomes much more manageable when there are nearly two months before you in which to accomplish it all, rather than just a few days in which to select 25 thoughtful gifts from a pile of picked-over sale items.

And so, in the spirit of making everyone’s holiday shopping a bit more manageable and a lot more enjoyable this year, I’m excited to share with you the information about an annual shopping experience that has continuously proven to be the perfect place to kick off the holiday shopping season: the Goddard Riverside New York Book Fair.

Now in its 23^rd year, the Goddard Book Fair takes place each year the weekend before Thanksgiving, when it sells hugely discounted books—from chick lit to historical fiction, cookbooks to children’s books, and everything in between—as well as cards, CDs, calendars, and other gift items, all of which have been generously donated by publishers. All of the books featured are new, popular titles, and, if that’s not enough motivation for you, all proceeds go to the Goddard Riverside Community Center, an organization on the Upper West Side that provides affordable housing, cultural and recreational opportunities, and community outreach to children, the homeless, and the elderly in the area.

The Goddard Book Fair kicks off this Friday with the Book Bash, a party that features food from local vendors, cocktails, a raffle, and first dibs at the fair’s selection of books. The Book Bash is a major part of the weekend’s fundraising efforts. Click here to purchase tickets in advance.

On Saturday, the fair opens to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and again on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. But get there as early in the weekend as possible, as I’ve learned from experience that the event gets crowded and the best selection of books goes quickly.

Both the Book Bash and the Book Fair take place at the Goddard Riverside Community Center, located at 593 Columbus Avenue at 88^th Street. Click here for more information, and then head over to the UWS this weekend to get started on your shopping—and support a good cause in the process.