The Weekend Has Landed - December 11th

Greetings citizens of Durham! Our writer who usually does Weekend Has Landed is currently at The Down Under Pub and doesn't want to do his usual post from his phone (besides, with $4 Kamikaze shots currently on special, who knows what it would end up like). So, since I've finished my work for the day, I agreed to do it.

There is a lot of theater going on this weekend (See The Upstager's weekly list, sample below):

Jane Eyre – Return to Thornfield Manor! Little Green Pig’s new stage adaptation of the Charlotte Brontë novel about a rebellious heroine determined to succeed against all odds. This weekend: Wednesday-Saturday 8:15, Sunday 3:15. Continues through December 19, atManbites Dog Theater, Durham.

littlegreenpig.com

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby – David Edgar’s massive two-part adaptation of Charles Dickens other novel, presented in rotating rep. This weekend: Part 1 – Wednesday 10:30 and 7:30, Thursday and Saturday 7:30. Part 2: Friday 7:30, Saturday and Sunday 2:00, Tuesday 7:30. Part 1 continues through December 19, Part 2 through December 20. Paul Green Theater, UNC campus, Chapel Hill.
www.playmakersrep.org

I saw Jane Eyre last weekend, it was a good time. The Nicholas Nickleby show sounds cool too. DBL happened to be doing some unrelated work with one of the actors yesterday and heard more about it. Then we read the wikipedia article, and now we are enlightened.

Screw this linear crap, I'm just going to jump around now. This sounds cool, Guglhupf Bakery is hosting a German Christmas market from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday:

The star of the Christmas market is Guglhupf's stollen, which they describe as "a dense leavened bread made from a sweet dough with citrus peel, raisins, almonds, and a complex blend of spices." They add that the bread is dipped in butter and rolled in sugar, which seals the loaf and gives it a protective coating, and is finished with powdered sugar which looks like snow.

The market also will include arts and crafts sellers from the Durham Craft Market, The Ginger Young Gallery and Outsiders Gallery.

Shoppers can drink mulled wine or cider while shopping.

Hmmmm... Guglhuph. I still need to try their dinner service, I've heard mixed reviews.

There's a new bar open downtown, The Republic. I checked it out last Friday (http://tweetphoto.com/5843376) and it was pretty cool, still too soon to tell. But you should all go and support them since they just opened!

There's also (as always) lots of really good live music. Check out the calendar. Of particular note is a Durham Socialite favorite, Violet Vector and the Lovely Lovlies (pictured at top) at the Pinhook Saturday night.

Best of Both Worlds Cask Stout

'Tis the season to be drinking dark beer.

And Triangle Brewing Company will be tapping a cask tonight (Dec. 9th) that is a beer to remember. It's their "Best of Both Worlds," a rich stout prepared with local coffee, Godiva dark chocolate, and raspberries.

It was also featured at the Black Friday Cask Festival. So if you were out of town or your taste buds were too distracted by the other casks, this is your chance for redemption. And for those of you who want to like beer but don't, this here's a great starter beer.

Don't believe me? Go try it for yourself. The cask will start pouring 6:00pm sharp, at Alivia's Durham Bistro.

The Weekend Has Landed - December 4th

*Friday*

Durham Gay and Lesbian Happy Hour @ Whiskey - Check out our feature. 7pm.

Super Sounds for Saving Lives @ Broad Street Cafe - Check out our feature. 8pm.

Catherine and Kathy’s 20th Anniversary Toys for Tots Party! @ Club Steel Blue - 8pm

Humble Tripe CD Release Party @ Duke Coffeehouse - The CD release party for Humble Tripe's debut album, Counting Stars. They will be accompanied by Midtown Dickens and Justin Robinson and the Mary Annettes (of the Carolina Chocolate Drops). Doors at 8pm, show at 9pm. FREE/BYOB.

Funkuponya @ Papa Mojo's - It's time to get your funk on with this instrumental quartet hailing from Raleigh. 9:30pm/$7.

Yep Rock and Red Eye Dance Party @ The Pinhook - Observe how record labels and distributors rock out. 9pm.

*Saturday*

Holiday Festival @ Brightleaf Square - The Caroling Party will be providing holiday cheer from 12-2pm, and singer-songwriter Tad Dreis will be performing from 2:30-4pm. For the kids, there will be face painting with Zoe the Clown from 1-3pm, and Santa Claus himself will make an appearance from 1:30-2:30pm.

Scientific Superstar CD Release @ The MarVell - The show will also feature Beloved Binge and Battle Rockets. 6pm/FREE.

Retrofantasma Film Series @ Carolina Theatre - Alien: The Director's Cut at 7:30pm, Leviathan at 9:30pm.

St. Lawrence String Quartet @ Reynolds Industries Theater - The quartet will be performing Beethoven's String Quartet in C Sharp Minor, Op. 131 and John Adams's String Quartet (2008, St. Lawrence String Quartet Commission). 8pm/$30.

Live Music @ Broad Street Cafe - Flava at 8pm, The Gravy Boys at 10pm.

Mystery Hillbillies @ Papa Mojo's - A country music quartet that draws from styles that range from the 40s up to present day. 9:30pm/$8.

Lip Syncing Competition @ The Pinhook - Jeff and King present "Puttin' on the Hits," a Lip Syncing Competition and dance party. 10pm/FREE.

*Sunday*

Chef Shirle's Vegan Brunch @ The Pinhook - This month the menu includes shepherds pie, garden salad, fresh fruit and coffee. Bloody Marys and Mimosas will of course be available. 12pm/$7.

Holiday Bawl III @ Carolina Theatre - A benefit for the Durham Branch of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC and Independent Animal Rescue. Admission is FREE with a donation of canned goods for the food bank or cat food for IAR. It will be a 35mm David Lean double feature, including Brief Encounter at 2:30pm and Summertime at 4:30pm.

BSC Kids @ Broad Street Cafe - Featuring storyteller Robin Kitson and balloon artist Steve McDonough. 4:30pm/FREE.

Super Sounds for Saving Lives

If you're into listing to good music and supporting a noble cause, then check out this Friday's fund raising benefit for the Eastern NC Chapter of the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society.

The live music line-up is composed of Tad Dreis, Soulless Dogs, Roxcetera, and Pistil. The $10 door fee (a donation to L/LS) also includes a raffle ticket, with prizes from Whole Foods, DogStar Tattoo, Vaguely Reminiscent, and others. It'll run from 9:30pm-2am at The Broad Street Cafe.

The End of the Year is Near

With a few hours of manual labor, the aid of some automation, and a few caffeinated beverages, the Durham Social Calendar as been populated for December!

If there is anything you, our well informed readers, would like to add -- shoot us an email. Attachments in the iCalendar (.ics) format would color us impressed, but plain 'ol text or flier images work as well.

Hope y'all enjoy the season that makes it easy to stay out after dark!