What Are You Doing This Weekend?

Summary

All Of It – "What Are You Doing This Weekend?"

Date: July 19, 2024
Host: Koosha Navadar (filling in for Alison Stewart)
Theme: A Weekly Weekend Roundup of NYC Culture, Events, and Listener Recommendations

---

Overview

This episode of "All Of It" focuses on sharing and curating the weekend plans, recommendations, and cultural happenings around New York City, inviting listeners to call or text in with their own tips. The host, Koosha Navadar, facilitates a lively, community-driven segment highlighting art exhibitions, local sports, theater, music, and family activities happening in and around the city. Listeners and community leaders provide firsthand suggestions and insights, making the show a vibrant resource for experiencing NYC's diverse culture.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sugar Hill Children's Museum: Storytelling & Art (02:26 – 05:41)

Guest: Chris Joya (Operations and Program Manager, Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art and Storytelling)

• Highlight: The museum is showcasing "Conduit," an immersive art and storytelling installation focusing on motherhood.
  • Developed in collaboration with the World Mother Storytelling Project, initiated by oral historian Murray Nosso.
  • Features 30 portraits by artist Doug Safranik, paired with recorded stories from Harlem mothers.
  • The installation encourages intergenerational engagement, inviting families to add their own stories and artwork on-site.
  • Includes a workshop this weekend centering on storytelling, listening, and collaborative art creation.

Quote:
"It's really a beautiful testament to motherhood. It's the voices of our neighbors illuminating all the diverse facets of motherhood and really celebrating that maternal bond that exists across cultures and borders."
— Chris Joya (03:54)

2. Listener Roundup: Things To Do in NYC

a. Gotham Roller Derby in Prospect Park (06:30 – 08:24)

Caller: Lily from Brooklyn (member of Gotham Roller Derby, player for Queens of Pain)

• Announces roller derby games at Prospect Park Saturday night.
  • First game: Queens of Pain vs. Manhattan Mayhem (5:30 PM)
  • Second game: Bronx Gridlock vs. Brooklyn Bombshells (7:30 PM)
• Explains the sport’s revival and the vibrant community around it.

Quote:
"Roller derby is a full contact sport played on quad roller skates... We are New York City's only roller derby league and you know, we just gotta keep it spicy and... be part of the New York City community."
— Lily (07:00, 07:52)

• For info and tickets: gothamrollerderby.com

b. More Listener Contributions (08:25 – 13:12)

• Text: Excited to see new Broadway hit "Stereophonic," Tony Award winner.
  • Listeners encouraged to revisit previous interviews with the show's creatives.
• Text: Seeing the Neo Futurist Collective perform "30 Plays in One Hour": an experimental theater experience (two minutes per play).
• Caller: Rich from Brooklyn (09:45)
  • Performing with his band "The Men" at Our Wicked Lady on Sunday, alongside Chilpa Ray and Jonathan Toobin.

c. "Cats Jellicle Ball" – Theater Recommendation (10:25 – 10:49)

• A reimagination of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Cats" through ballroom culture.
• Running at the Perelman Performing Arts Center near One World Trade.

d. Music & Outdoor Events (11:42 – 12:27)

Caller: Gigi from Hopewell, NJ

• Announces "La Casita" at Lincoln Center's Hearst Plaza (Sunday, 4:30 PM), a program featuring diverse artists including Bulgarian women's choir Jasna Voices.
  • Part of "Summer for the City" series; open-air, family-friendly cultural celebration.

Quote:
"La Casita is a whole grouping of different artists and it's part of the summer for the city... it's outdoors at Hearst Plaza."
— Gigi (12:09)

e. Family Fun: The Sluice Slime Museum (12:39 – 13:12)

Caller: Sariah, 11 years old, Brooklyn

• Recommends the Sluice Slime Museum in NYC: interactive museum with slime-making activities and free samples.
• Favorite type: butter slime.

Quote:
"They give you tons of activities and I love it."
— Sariah (12:55)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "We're taking a weekly weekend roundup. We want to use the collective wisdom of New York City to find out some great things to do this weekend."
  — Koosha Navadar (05:42)

• On the inclusive spirit of roller derby:
  "Just gotta keep it spicy and... be part of the New York City community." — Lily (07:52)

• On Sluice Slime Museum:
  "Free slime. They give you tons of activities and I love it." — Sariah (12:52–12:55)

---

Segment Timestamps

• [02:26] – Sugar Hill Children's Museum: Exhibition and storytelling discussion (Chris Joya)
• [06:30] – Roller Derby games preview (Lily, Gotham Roller Derby)
• [09:45] – Local music performance announcement (Rich, "The Men")
• [10:25] – Broadway & Perelman Performing Arts Center recommendations
• [11:42] – Lincoln Center's La Casita event and Jasna Voices choir (Gigi)
• [12:39] – Sluice Slime Museum for families (Sariah, age 11)

---

Overall Tone & Community Engagement

The episode is upbeat, highly participatory, and deeply rooted in the diverse urban fabric of New York City. Listeners are the heartbeat of the segment, with recommendations ranging from avant-garde theater to playgrounds for families, reflecting WNYC's mission to curate and companion the city’s culture. Koosha’s inviting and playful style keeps the energy lively, ensuring all listeners—longtime residents, newcomers, or the simply curious—feel welcome and included in the city’s vibrant cultural weekend.

---

For Your Weekend in NYC...

• Art with a cause: Sugar Hill Children's Museum's "Conduit" exhibition
• Live local roller derby: Gotham Roller Derby at Prospect Park
• Music in Brooklyn: The Men at Our Wicked Lady
• Open-air global choir: Jasna Voices at Lincoln Center's La Casita
• Kids’ delight: Sluice Slime Museum
• Experimental theater: Neo Futurists' "30 Plays in One Hour"
• Drink with a view: Cocktails at the Peninsula Hotel (try something cucumber!)
• Broadway: "Stereophonic" or the ballroom-inspired "Cats Jellicle Ball"

Whatever you choose, NYC's weekend has something for you—just ask your neighbors.

Transcript

[Uncle]

I' ma put you on, nephew.

[Nephew / Lily]

All right, unk. Welcome to McDonald's. Can I take your order, miss?

[Uncle]

I've been hitting up McDonald's for years. Now it's back. We need snack wraps. What's a snack wrap? It's the return of something great. Snack wrap is back.

[MultiCare Narrator / Tide Advertiser]

Our state has changed a lot in the last 140 years. We know because MultiCare has been here guided by a single making our communities healthier. That comes from making courageous decisions, partnering with local communities to grow programs and services, and expanding healthcare access to those who need it most. Together, we're building a healthier future. Learn [e-mail] did you know Tide has been upgraded to provide an even better clean in cold water. Tide is specifically designed to fight any stain you throw at it. Even in cold butter. Yep. Chocolate ice cream. Sure thing. Barbecue sauce. Tide's got you covered. You don't need to use warm water. Additionally, Tide pods let you confidently fight tough stains with new coldzyme technology. Just remember, if it's gotta be clean, it's gotta be Tide.

[Uncle]

Listener supported on WNYC studios.

[Koosha Navadar]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Koosha Navadar filling in for Alison Stewart. It is time for one of my favorite parts of the week, our weekly weekend roundup listeners. Give us a call or send us a text and let us know what you're up to this weekend or what have you seen or read or heard lately that you'd like to recommend to your fellow listeners. Give us a call or text us. The number is 212-433-9692. That's 212433, WNYC. Or you can tweet us or DM us on Instagram. We're all of it. WNYC. What are your plans this weekend? What do you recommend? Give us a call, let us know what's up. We actually have our first caller ready. Chris Joya, operations and program manager at the Sugar Hill Children's Museum and storytelling. Chris. Hey. Welcome to the show.

[Chris Joya / Rich]

Hey. Hi, Kusha. Hi. Thanks for having me.

[Koosha Navadar]

Absolutely. So what are you up to this weekend? But I think also maybe what is the Sugar Hill Children's Museum up to this weekend?

[Chris Joya / Rich]

Yes. Yeah. Well, the Sugar Hill Children's Museum is a contemporary art space located in the historic Sugar Hill neighborhood of Harlem. We've been here since 2015, so we're coming up on our 10th anniversary. I will be here all weekend, of course, to welcome our guests into our three exhibitions. But we're Also going to be focusing on one in particular, one particular exhibition, which is called Conduit, and it's an immersive art and storytelling installation focusing on mother stories.

[Koosha Navadar]

Oh, wow. Can you tell me more about mother's stories? What is that?

[Chris Joya / Rich]

Sure. So this is the first exhibition developed by our collaborators, the World Mother Storytelling Project. There's an oral historian, Murray Nosso, who's developed this project, started it in South Africa, and has traveled around to various countries to do these oral histories with mothers and their kin. So this exhibition really features the mother stories and portraits of members of the Harlem community here. So the tales are shared through actual recordings that are broadcast throughout the gallery. So there's 30 portraits that combine with this, and these are portraits by artist Doug Safranik, and they're lining the walls, and they mirror the voices that echo within the space. So it's really a beautiful testament to motherhood. It's the voices of our neighbors illuminating all the diverse facets of motherhood and really celebrating that maternal bond that exists across cultures and borders.

[Koosha Navadar]

You mentioned that it's immersive. Tell me more about that. What's immersive about it?

[Chris Joya / Rich]

So, you know, they're hearing actual stories that have been recorded by Murray, and then the artist did the portraits to illuminate those. And then we also have an area where families can share a story, so they'll be able to add to the wall and either do a picture or actually share texts and stories. And that goes to what we're hoping to do this weekend in our workshop. That's also going to be about storytelling and listening. And families will get to practice interviewing each other so that they can share their mother stories. And they'll get to make some art in the process, too. And then they can share it on the wall. So, you know, it's going to be kind of an interesting way for intergenerational audience to, you know, get together and share stories and talk to each other.

[Koosha Navadar]

Oh, that sounds great. Especially that element of being able to share your own stories. So, Chris, I'm going to let you go, but thanks so much. We're going to give a shout out to Chris Joya, operations and program manager at the Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art and Storytelling. Check out their weekend exhibit. Chris, thanks so much for hopping on with us.

[Chris Joya / Rich]

Thanks. Yep. You can find us on Instagram. Sugarhill Museum.

[Koosha Navadar]

Thank you, Sugarhill Museum. Thanks for shouting that out as well.

[Chris Joya / Rich]

Sugar Hill Museum.

[Koosha Navadar]

Awesome. Okay, so, listeners, there's one thing that's awesome that you could do this Weekend for the whole family. What are your plans this weekend? We're taking a weekly weekend roundup. We want to use the collective wisdom of New York City to find out some great things to do this weekend. Give us a call. Send us a text with your suggestions. We're at 212-433-9692. That's 212-433. Are you going to go see a cool play? Are you going to read a good book? Do you have a good book reading spot that you want to suggest? How are you going to beat the heat? Give us a call. We're at 212-433-9692. I see that we have Lily from Brooklyn on the line. Looks like something about derby games. Is that right? Lily?

[Nephew / Lily]

Hi. Yes, thanks for taking my call. I wanted to give a shout out to the Gotham Roller Derby games that are going to be happening and Prospect park tomorrow night.

[Koosha Navadar]

Wonderful. So tell us, for folks who aren't familiar with it, what, what are roller derby games? What is roller derby?

[Nephew / Lily]

Roller derby is a full contact sport played on quad roller skates. It started out way back in the day as kind of a race structure, but now as it's been revived in the 2000s, it's kind of about a full contact and stopping the point scorer from getting around the track by hitting them out of bounds with your body. So if you, if you like good fun on skates, it's a great time.

[Koosha Navadar]

That's awesome. Do you do roller derby, Lily? Are you part of the people on the team?

[Nephew / Lily]

Yes, I do. I like I said, the league is Gotham Roller Derby. I play for the Queens of Pain. Our game at 5:30 tomorrow is against Manhattan Mayhem and it will be followed by a second game at 7:30 between the Bronx and Gridlock and the Brooklyn Bombshells.

[Koosha Navadar]

Wow. I am writing down these names as you are saying them. Queens of Pain, Manhattan Mayhem. How did you come up with the team name? Was that, was that from you? The Queens of Pain?

[Nephew / Lily]

No, no, that predated me joining the league. But I believe it was inspired by the Cramp song. But you know, we just obviously are referencing four of the boroughs of New York. We are New York City's only roller derby league and you know, we just gotta keep it spicy and you know, be part of the New York City community.

[Koosha Navadar]

Absolutely. So if other folks want to check out the Gotham Roller Derby League, where can they go for more information?

[Nephew / Lily]

Yes, you can look us up and buy tickets [e-mail] youm can also follow us across most social media platforms by just searching for Gotham Roller Derby.

[Koosha Navadar]

All right, Gotham Roller Derby. Shout out to them. Lily, thank you so much for joining us and good luck with your games, especially against Bronx Gridlock. I heard that that can be pretty a lot of traffic. I like the traffic reference there. Listeners, we are talking about weekend plans. If you have an exciting thing you are doing this weekend or something you want to shout out, give us a call, send us a text. We're at 212-433-9692. We got a little bit of time left in this segment, folks. If you want to give a quick shout out. Love to get some more callers down there. You can give us a call at 212-433-9692. That's 212-433-WNYC. A couple texts coming in. One says GRE to many concerts in the 60s and 70s. So very excited to be seeing Stereophonic tonight. Stereophonic, that is a won a bunch of Tonys actually for their show that they're putting up on Broadway right now. We actually interviewed a lot of the creatives behind it a couple months back. So if you want to check out that segment to learn more about the play. Great play. Really enjoy talking to some of the folks from there. Got another text here that says, Saturday night I am going to see the Neo futurist collective perform 30 plays in one hour. Wow. That's two minutes per play. That's pretty impressive. We got another caller here, Rich from Brooklyn. Hey, Rich. Welcome to the show.

[Chris Joya / Rich]

Hey, what's up?

[Koosha Navadar]

Hey, how you doing?

[Chris Joya / Rich]

Good. I'm playing a show with my band on Sunday.

[Koosha Navadar]

What's the show?

[Chris Joya / Rich]

My band is called the Men. I play drums and it's we're playing with Chilpa Ray and Jonathan Toobin at our Wicked Lady.

[Koosha Navadar]

Wonderful, Rich. Thank you so much for that. Hope you have a great show. You know, we've had such a fun show this week and I don't know if any of you caught this, but on Tuesday, Alison talked to a couple of the creatives behind a new show called Cats Jellicle Ball. It's a reimagining of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical by adapting it to ballroom culture and putting the musical Cats on the Runway that's going on right now at the Pearlman Performing Arts center down near One World Trade. And it could be a good fun thing to go see this weekend. Do you have plans to see it? If you're listening right now? If not, what are your weekend plans? Do you have anything you'd like to suggest to our listeners. Give us a call or send us a text. We're at 212-433-9692. That's 212-4339, WNYC. You know, yesterday I talked to Kerry Jones and John McCarthy, their mixologists and food writers, about summer cocktails that both alcoholic and non alcoholic and cucumbers were a big point of discussion during that conversation. This weekend I am personally excited to be visiting the top of the Peninsula Hotel to get a drink with some friends visiting the city. Maybe I'll ask for something with cucumber in it. If you are doing something like that, if you have a place in the city that you're going to get a drink, give us a call. Send us a text. 212-433-9692. Looking at the clock. Want to get a couple more callers down in here? We've got Gigi in Hopewell, New Jersey. Hey, Gigi, welcome to the show.

[Gigi]

Hi. Thank you. This Sunday at Lincoln center at Hearst Plaza at 4:30, La Casita, it's going to be a whole grouping of wonderful artists, but I'm particularly excited to see Jasna Voices. It's a Bulgarian women's choir.

[Koosha Navadar]

Wonderful. Have you heard Bulgarian music before? Is this something that you're into?

[Gigi]

It is. I am into it.

[Koosha Navadar]

Oh, wonderful. And so is this a new concert series or is this the first time that they're putting it on?

[Gigi]

Well, this is La Casita is a whole grouping of different artists and it's part of the summer for the city.

[Koosha Navadar]

Oh, wonderful.

[Gigi]

So it's out? Yeah, it's outdoors at Hearst Plaza. It starts at 4:30.

[Koosha Navadar]

Wonderful.

[Gigi]

And I can't wait.

[Koosha Navadar]

Gigi, thank you so much for that call and we really appreciate that. I think we have time for just one more person, Sariah in Brooklyn. Hey, Saraya, you got about 20 seconds. Go ahead.

[Nephew / Lily]

Hi, I'm Soraya. I'm 11 years old. And the place I recommend for you to go to is the Sluice Fly Museum in New York. It's a really fun place.

[Chris Joya / Rich]

Free slime.

[Nephew / Lily]

Free slime.

[Koosha Navadar]

Sweet.

[Nephew / Lily]

They give you tons of activities and I love it.

[Koosha Navadar]

Sariah, have you been to the museum before? What's your favorite kind of slime?

[Nephew / Lily]

Yes, I've been to the museum before and my favorite kind of slime is the butter slime.

[Uncle]

What?

[Koosha Navadar]

Say it one more time. I couldn't hear you. The butter slime, the Hutter slime. Thank you, Saria. Thank you so much for that call. Check out the Slime Museum in New York, folks, what a great way to end the segment. Thank you all so much for your ideas. Whatever you're doing this weekend, we hope that it's fun, we hope that it's good, and we hope that you stick around, because there is more, all of it, on the way. Coming up, we're gonna look at a new documentary about the Taliban and the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. It'll be great. Stick with us. We'll be right back.

[Uncle]

I'm gonna put you on, nephew.

[Nephew / Lily]

All right, unk. Welcome to McDonald's. Can I take your order, miss?

[Uncle]

I've been hitting up McDonald's for years. Now it back. We need snack wraps. What's a snack wrap? It's the return of something great. Snack wrap is back.