Title: Your Post-Election Refresh

[MUSIC]

Brigid Bergin: It's The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC. I'm Brigid Bergin, filling in for Brian today on Friday. Now, we're going to end today's show with your post-election refresh calls. It has been a long election season. Here at The Brian Lehrer Show, we began interviewing candidates for mayor in January and haven't stopped our coverage since, but now, New Yorkers and New Jerseyans, you've made your decision. It is time to rest and think about maybe something other than electoral politics, at least for just this weekend. Listeners, what are you going to do to reconnect with the world beyond politics now that Election Day has passed? Give us a call. 212-433-WNYC. That's 212-433-9692. You can call or text.

We assume a lot of you Brian Lehrer Show listeners have been thinking probably a lot about in the lead up to Tuesday, whether you've been anticipating the big day since the beginning of the year, or you just tuned in in the last few weeks, there were lots of big elections to take up a lot of brain space. Some of you who were undecided on the candidates and the ballot proposals up until the last minute might have been spending a lot of energy talking through your options with friends and family. Perhaps there were even some heated debates at the dinner table.

Some of you may have even been involved in some of these campaigns. Did you work the polls throughout early voting or participate in any canvas operations, knock any doors for a candidate? What are you going to do now now that you have passed that election, your weekends are free? Call and tell us how you plan to re-engage with the city's culture and everything else the city has to offer. Are you seeing any movies? Maybe visiting a museum to catch an exhibit that's about to end? Maybe catching a concert from your favorite musician or anything else that helps you feel reconnected to your city and this region? Maybe other dinnertime conversations to have with your friends and family?

The number, 212-433-WNYC. That's 212-433-9692. Joining me now to help you figure out some politics-free weekend plans is Hannah Frishberg, my colleague here in the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom. She covers arts and culture for WNYC and Gothamist. Hannah, welcome to The Brian Lehrer Show.

Hannah Frishberg: Thanks so much for having me. An honor to be on.

Brigid Bergin: I know you have a list of some fun events that are happening this weekend. Before we dive in, give us some of your trade secrets. How do you learn and keep track of all the cool cultural events that are happening in the city, and how can we do that too?

Hannah Frishberg: I have a very anal-retentive Google Calendar, and I have also lived here my entire life and experienced a lot of things. At this point, I have a good sense of what venues are going to be fitting for my mood that weekend. I also just listen. A few of the events that I have on my mind for this weekend are just things I heard people mentioning around the newsroom, on the subway, in life. Just pick up on it. We have barely any listing emails anymore for New York events.

Brigid Bergin: Yes. There's one event on your list that has already started, so listeners might want to get a move on if they want to check it out. I also think that our listeners are probably the perfect audience for this. I know that when I heard this was happening, I wanted to reschedule my plans because I want to be there. There is something happening at the Municipal Archives and Library. Is that started today already?

Hannah Frishberg: Yes, it's 10:00 to 4:00 today and tomorrow--

Brigid Bergin: I hope my editor doesn't mind when I leave a little early.

Hannah Frishberg: I think a few people are planning on sneaking out of the newsroom to attend this. It's a ton, like hundreds of books that have been deaccessioned, I think is the word from the Municipal Archive and Library. They're selling them. It's on Chambers Street at the NYC Surrogate's Courthouse. It's going to be a giant book sale. If you know anyone who loves New York, all the books are about New York.

Brigid Bergin: We've got some callers with some suggestions. Let's get them in on the mix. Let's go to Paul in Washington Heights. Paul, how are you reconnecting to the city this weekend?

Paul: Oh, hi. Thank you for taking my call. Every Thursday at St. Malachy's church. This is 239 West 49th Street, right off 8th Avenue. At 1:15, there is a free concert sponsored by Gotham Early Music Scene. It's early music, classical music. It lasts 45 minutes. It is a wonderful, calming, reconnecting experience, and it's free.

Brigid Bergin: That sounds great, Paul. Thanks so much for that call. Let's go to Kathy in Old Bridge, New Jersey. Kathy, what are you up to this weekend?

Kathy: Hi, I'm going alpaca walking in New Jersey, out in the country.

Brigid Bergin: Alpaca walking? I think you need to tell me what that is, Kathy. I don't understand what alpaca walking is.

Kathy: I've never been before, but instead of just going and visit the alpacas on the farm, you get to actually walk them, I guess, similarly to walking a dog.

Brigid Bergin: Oh, wow.

Kathy: I'm guessing we're going to be escorted by some of the staff, but we're really looking forward to it. It should be a lot of fun and something very different than worrying about the election.

Brigid Bergin: Very different indeed. Kathy, thanks so much for alpaca walking. Let's go to Laurie in Brooklyn. Laurie, you're WNYC.

Laurie: I'd like to shout out an amazing, extraordinary small opera company in Brooklyn called Regina. They are performing the weekend of the 15th and 22nd, the most glorious opera called La Boheme. A great opera for your first visit. The quality is right below the Met, but it's only $25, $20 for seniors. I highly recommend giving it a try. Regina Opera.

Brigid Bergin: Laurie, thank you so much for that. Regina Opera. I'm going to quickly read a couple texts, and then I know Hannah's got some other events for us. Some listeners are recommending the WQXR classical music fair for kids on Sunday. That's in Queens. There's the Bike Film Festival. Several of you out there, I understand where you're coming from. Many of you are saying that there's no rest. You're already starting to worry about the midterms. Don't worry, I'm right there with you because I'm already starting to report on them.

Hannah, tell us about some of the other events that are happening this weekend. You said, I think, there's a shopping event for art lovers this weekend. What's the other art fair happening in Brooklyn?

Hannah Frishberg: Yes, it's in its 16th year. It already happened in the spring as well. It's twice annually. Their goal is to just make art fairs more accessible. They got over 125 independent artists. The prices are listed. Entry starts at just $18. Should be fun.

Brigid Bergin: That sounds great. What kind of artists are showcasing their work there?

Hannah Frishberg: They're all independent, and they're mostly from New York.

Brigid Bergin: Oh, cool. We have another listener who texted, "Hi, WNYC. I'm 14 and my mom is driving into New York with me, and we're spending a mommy-daughter day because we now have a great mayor-elect." Just so you know, we see all your text messages when you tell us what you're doing and ask for your calls and comments. Hannah, this weekend is the second-to-the-last weekend to catch Viola's Room at The Shed. Tell us about this show and who might be interested.

Hannah Frishberg: Yes, I saw this a few weeks ago. It's really cool. It's by the creators of Sleep No More, and it is a truly innovative immersive theater experience. You have to take your shoes off. There's a lot of unique storytelling elements. I feel like these days immersive just means something is happening in front of and behind you. It's like an MRI can be more immersive than a lot of these shows these days, but this one really is immersive. I felt immersed. It was unique. It was well done. I do recommend it. I think tickets are still $50.

Brigid Bergin: I mean, Sleep No More was you were kind of in this space where you're moving around and had to deconstruct. It was Hamlet, correct? The story that was happening--

Hannah Frishberg: Macbeth.

Brigid Bergin: Or Macbeth, that was happening, so you might be in one scene and then in another. Is this similar where you're moving around?

Hannah Frishberg: There's similar elements. It's guided, and the story, most people will probably not be familiar with it. It is also very claustrophobic, though. If you don't like small spaces or the dark, they'll warn you, but I do recommend.

Brigid Bergin: That is a really excellent tip. A couple of other listeners are texting in. There's the WFMU Record Sale, the Brooklyn Folk Fest at St. Ann's Warehouse. Another listener writes, "Immersed myself in New York history instead of the future by going to the Museum of the City of New York yesterday. The You Are Here film exhibit brought me to tears. Instead of feeling weighed down by the Russian paranoia of city politics, there's a new hope. Exhibit closes January 19th." We've got a lot more listeners with some calls. Let's try Ward in Woodbridge, New Jersey. Ward, you're on WNYC.

Ward: Thank you for taking my call. This Sunday at 4:00 PM at Tower Hill Church in Red Bank, there's a free Veterans Day concert where veterans are encouraged to stand and be recognized when they're song from the service is sung. It's a wonderful experience at Tower Hill Church in Red Bank, Sunday at 4:00 PM.

Brigid Bergin: That sounds really powerful. Ward, thanks so much for calling with that. Let's go to Rachel in Nyack. Rachel, you're on WNYC.

Rachel: Yes. Tomorrow, Saturday, at Symphony Space, which is, for people who don't know, is on 95th and Broadway. Wall to Wall Stevie Wonder starts at 2:00, ends at 10:00. At two o'clock is Spirituals & Love Ballads, from 4:00 to 6:00 is Social Justice Stevie, from 6:00 to 8:00 are Stevie through a new lens. It's musicians-

Brigid Bergin: Love it.

Rachel: -doing their own rhythms, soaring interpretations. Then, from 8:00 to 10:00, it's time to get down with The Hitmaker.

Brigid Bergin: Rachel, thank you so much. That's at Symphony Space on Saturday, all Stevie Wonder, all the time. We're going to leave it there. My guest was Hannah Frischberg, New York City arts and culture reporter for WNYC and Gothamist. The Brian Lehrer Show's producers are Lisa Allison, Mary Croke, Amina Srna, Carl Boisrond, and Esperanza Rosenbaum. Our interns are Miranda Santos and Amanda DeJesus. Megan Ryan is the head of Live Radio. Shayna Sengstock and Milton Ruiz are at the studio controls today. That's it for The Brian Lehrer Show today and this week. Happy Election Week. Stay tuned for All Of It.

Copyright © 2025 New York Public Radio. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use at www.wnyc.org for further information.

New York Public Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline, often by contractors. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of New York Public Radio’s programming is the audio record.