Music and menorahs: 10 things to do in Brooklyn this weekend

December 19, 2019 Scott Enman

You can now drink in igloos on the roof of Time Out Market. Photo: Ali Garber

1. Debate the debate

From left, Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. raise their hands to answer a question during a Democratic presidential primary debate in September. AP Photo/David J. Phillip

It’s the sixth democratic debate tonight, and to be honest, you’ll probably need a drink to get through it. The lineup is dwindling with just seven candidates slated to be on stage, which may lead to less interrupting and more discussing of crucial issues. Plus, it should be interesting to see what the group has to say just a day after President Trump was impeached.

If you’re a fan of Warren, there’s a watch party at Commons Cafe in Boerum Hill. Or if Pete Buttigieg is your guy, head down to Circa Brewing Co. in Downtown Brooklyn. Or if you don’t want to root for any single candidate, Marci Park in Wiliamsburg is a good place to go.

Various locations at 8 p.m. Free.

2. Drink in an igloo

Time Out Market New York’s new igloos. Photo: Ali Garber

Want the glorious views of the East River without having to face the cold? Time Out Market has the solution: igloos. Located on the fifth floor terrace, the transparent globes feature faux fur covered chairs, blankets and a winter cocktail menu featuring concoctions with white chocolate liqueur. Unlike other winter bungalows, there are no reservations or entrance fees required here, and they’ll be open until spring. Plus, you can also go inside and grab some food and take it back to the hut.

Various days and times at Time Out Market New York. Free.

3. Celebrate “Chanukahstravaganza”

The flyer for Chanukahstravaganza. Photo: Union Hall

Comedians Lana Schwartz and Ilana Michelle Rubin are heading down to Union Hall for the Fourth Annual Chanukahstravaganza. Schwartz and Rubin, both Jewish, are bringing a host of their Jewish comedian friends to celebrate “Chanukah. Hannukah. Hanukah. However you choose to spell it,” according to the event page. Proceeds will be donated to the Center For Advancing Holocaust Survivor Care.

Saturday at 7 p.m. at Union Hall. From $10.

4. See spacesuits up close

See spacesuits up close this weekend in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Photo: New York Adventure Club

Join New York Adventure Club for a tour of Final Frontier Design, a company making NASA space suits in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The business, started by a Russian engineer and a Broadway costume designer, even allows attendees to try on gloves in a negative pressure glove box.

Saturday at 1 p.m. at Building 92. $39

5. Listen to a legend

Minimalist composer Terry Riley, at the tender age of 85, is taking over Pioneer Works for two nights with a host of friends. The musician, known for fusing jazz, Indian classical music and everything in between, will be playing some of his best hits, as well as improvising with 15 other artists.

Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. at Pioneer Works. From $35.

6. Learn about death

Death used to be spoken about more openly, but it has since turned into a bit of a taboo topic. Think Olio wants to change that. It’s hosting a class with professor Jamie Warren that will explore “the lost art of dying, the absence of clear social expectations for the grieving, and try to understand how and why we let death disappear from life.”

Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Work Heights Electric. $15.

7. Yoga with a beat

Williamsburg night club Verboten hosts a Deep House Yoga series. Photos: Matthew Menbar/Verboten — Deep House Yoga. Photo: Matthew Menbar/Verboten

Are you into yoga but want to do something a bit different? George Faya, an actor and DJ, will be playing deep groovy beats for a yoga class at Bushwick nightclub House of Yes. “There’s a meditative stillness in deep house because of the chord progression and it creates a calm atmosphere,” Faya previously told the Brooklyn Eagle.

Sunday at noon at House of Yes. $25.

8. See a very, very large menorah

The menorah in Grand Army Plaza. Photo: Chabad of Park Slope

New York Sen. Chuck Schumer will light the first candle on “Brooklyn’s Largest Menorah” this Sunday. The menorah is so large, that Schumer will be lifted to the top with a 60-foot boom lift. The flames at the top will be protected from the wind with glass chimneys.

Sunday at 4 p.m. at Grand Army Plaza.

9. Go for a wintry stroll

The eye-catching Bushwick Theatre can be seen from the Gates Avenue Station’s train platform. Photo: Lore Croghan/Brooklyn Eagle

Take part in Eye on Real Estate’s latest tour, a second expedition down Gates Avenue. Expect to see “old theatres, a beautiful bank and a Masonic lodge in Bed-Stuy and Bushwick.” Wear comfortable shoes, as you’ll be walking from Clinton Hill to Queens.

Any time on Gates Avenue. Free.

10. Cheer on the Nets

Kyrie Irving and Joe Harris. AP Photo by Mary Altaffer

After this Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks, the Nets go on hiatus until next Thursday, so be sure to head down to Barclays Center to watch them hopefully pick up a win before the holiday break.

Saturday at 6 p.m. at Barclays Center. $31.

Follow reporter Scott Enman on Twitter.