ART

DRAWING A BEAD Australian native Sally-Ann Rowland uses greeting cards as her canvases, adding embroidery, beads, and colored ornaments to embellish their simple sentiments. The exhibit “I’m Sorry You Feel That Way” includes 25 of her works. A sympathy card depicting a mountain view is encrusted with silver and black beads turning the scene into a nuclear Armageddon. A saccharine “To My Wife” card shows a woman smiling at her baby – Ms. Rowland adds a torrent of spangled vomit spewing into the mother’s face. Through Thursday, October 7, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., ZieherSmith Inc., 531 W. 25th St., between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, 212-229-1088, free.

BOOKS

HIP-HOP HISTORY The editor of “And It Don’t Stop: The Best American Hip-Hop Journalism of the Last 25 Years” (Faber and Faber), Raquel Cepeda, discusses and signs the compendium of music criticism. Friday, 7 p.m., Barnes & Noble Bronx, Bay Plaza, 290 Baychester Ave., Bronx, 718-862-3945, free.

CAMPAIGN CONTROVERSY The author of “Adams vs. Jefferson” (Oxford University), John Ferling, talks about the dramatic election of 1800. The race climaxed with a deadlocked Electoral College and threw two nascent political parties into crisis. Monday, 7-9 p.m., South Street Seaport Museum, 12 Fulton St., between South and Front streets, 212-748-8735, $5 suggested donation.

CARTOONS

ACTION ON THE PAGE Former Marvel Comics’ artist Ben Caldwell gives a demonstration based on his book “Action! Cartooning” (Sterling). Sunday, 1 p.m., Barnes & Noble Bayside, Bay Terrace Shopping Center, 23-80 Bell Blvd. at 38th Avenue, Bayside, Queens, 718-224-1083, free.

COLLECTING CHARMING CHINA David Lladro, the youngest son of one of the founders of the Spanish porcelain design company Lladro, meets with collectors this weekend in Astoria. Mr. Lladro unveils the company’s latest line and signs guests’ new sculptures. Saturday, 4-6 p.m., GL & Markella, 3520 Ditmars Boulevard at 35th Street, Astoria, Queens, 718-721-3724, free.

FAMILY

CHEESY SCIENCE Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, the creators of “The Stinky Cheese Man” (Viking), sign their latest children’s book, “Science Verse” (Viking). The book follows the transformation of traditional science lessons into raucous parties: A boring lesson about the food chain, for instance, becomes a sing-along party about predators and prey. Saturday, noon-2 p.m., Books of Wonder, 16 W. 18th St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-989-3270, free, customers have one book from home signed for each book they purchase.

SOMETHING’S COOKING The Kitchen’s neighborhood street fair, Open Kitchen, includes a Slavic brass band, a gaggle of musical puppets, storyteller Abike Jotayo, book- and button-making booths, and a “life size comic strip.” The afternoon is hosted by performance artist Julie Atlas Muz. Saturday, 2-5 p.m., 19th Street between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, 212-255-5793 ext. 10, free.

FILM

HORSE SENSE The 1979 family film “The Black Stallion” screens in Brooklyn. The movie is based on Walter Farley’s children’s novel about a boy befriended by a horse after a shipwreck. Saturday, 11 a.m., Brooklyn Public Library Central Library, second floor, Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, 718-230-2100, free.

SILENT SLAPSTICK The Silent Clowns Film Series screens classic films featuring Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, and others. The series kicks off with “Why Worry?” the 1923 Harold Lloyd vehicle. Also on the program is “Dogs of War,” an Our Gang short that follows the kids behind the scenes at the Hal Roach Studio during the making of “Why Worry?” Film historian Bruce Lawton introduces each film and discusses them after the screenings. Ben Model provides musical accompaniment. Sunday, 2 p.m., West Side YMCA Little Theater, 5 W. 63rd St. at Central Park West, 212-969-0968, $8 general, $5 seniors and children under 12.

WOODSTOCK ON RAILS Musician Eric Anderson and journalist David Dalton discuss the 2003 documentary “Festival Express” after a screening next week. The film consists of recently discovered footage of a 1970 cross-Canada train tour that included the Grateful Dead, the Band, Janis Joplin, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Buddy Guy, and Mr. Anderson. Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., Makor, 35 W. 67th St., between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue, 212-415-5500, $9. Film also screens Tuesday and Thursday, 7 p.m.

FOOD & DRINK

STREET EATS The Carmine Street Block Association presents Meet the Chefs, a tasting event featuring food from Blue Ribbon, Citron, Da Silvano, Gobo, and other neighborhood eateries. Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Carmine Street at Bleecker Street, 646-752-4958, $5 each tasting, $20 for five tastings if purchased in advance.

KAREN’S KITCHEN Former model and MTV VJ Karen Duffy, the author of “A 476 473 543 483Slob in the Kitchen” (Clarkson Potter), offers party-planning tips and easy recipes at a shopping event. Tuesday, 6-8 p.m., Bloomingdale’s, 1000 Third Ave. at 59th Street, free.

HEALTH

RACE TO THE FINISH The Fitness Magazine Mind, Body, Spirit Games include a 1.7-mile health walk and a 4-mile race. Afterward, a health fair offers mini-massages and other treats. Saturday, 7:30 a.m. registration, 8:40 a.m. health walk, 9:40 a.m. race, Central Park, 72nd Street Transverse at Bethesda Terrace, $20 general, $14 members (before Friday), $30 general, $20 members (day of race). See www.nyrr.org for registration.

MUSIC

A WHOLE NEW WORLD The New Juilliard Ensemble, with conductor Joel Sachs, opens its 12th season with a program of world music composed after 1990. Highlights include the world premiere of Israeli composer Menachem Zur’s “Threads of the Heart.” Saturday, 8 p.m., Juilliard 565 829 630 839Theater, Broadway at 65th Street, 212-769-7406, free, reservations required.

PETS

CANINE CARE The American Kennel Club hosts an event for New York dogs and their owners. A “canine good citizen test” rewards dogs for good behavior, and an obedience demonstration shows off the best of the bunch. Canine freestyle time features choreographed pet performances with music, and dog treats, coupons, magazines, and dog accessories are also on hand. Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Madison Square Park, 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue, www.akc.org, free.

TALKS

ACTORS’ ANSWERS Woody Allen favorite Dianne Wiest and actress Estelle Parsons share the stage when they discuss their bodies of work as part of the Harold Clurman Lecture Series. The talks are followed by an audience Q&A. Monday, 6:30 p.m., Stella Adler Studio of Acting, 31 W. 27th St., between Broadway and Sixth Avenue, 212-689-0087, $5 suggested donation, reservations required.

GILDED GLAMOUR Curators discuss American collectors who helped define the Gilded Age appetite for decorative arts. Participants include a curator emeritus at the Frick Collection, Edgar Munhall, who discusses Henry Clay Frick and an associate curator of European sculpture and decorative arts, Danielle Kisluk-Grosheide, on the Met’s collection. An associate curator at event sponsor the Morgan Library, Jennifer Tonkovich, moderates the discussion and speaks about J. Pierpont Morgan’s “artistic house.” Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. reception, 6:15-8:15 p.m. talk, the Bard Graduate Center, 18 W. 86th St., between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue, 212-590-0333, $25 general, $17 members.

UNDERSTANDING TORTURE A panel surveys the legal road to the Abu Ghraib prison abuses and the systemic remedies available. Participants include an intelligence correspondent for the Washington Post, Dana Priest, a lawyer for the Marines, Major Michael “Dan” Mori, and a lawyer representing an Australian detainee at Guantanamo Bay, Joshua Dratel.

Thursday, 6-8 p.m., New York University, D’Agostino Hall, Martin Lipton Hall, 110 W. 3rd St., between Sullivan and Mac-Dougal streets, 212-998-6849, free.

THEATER

JOYEUX NOEL Noel Coward’s “Tonight at 8:30” is performed tonight (and throughout the week) at 8. Performances by students in NYU’s educational theater and vocal performance program include classic Coward songs and three one-act plays from the “Tonight at 8:30” series. Friday through Sunday, September 26, Friday, Saturday, and Thursday, September 23-Saturday, September 25, 8 p.m., Sundays, 3 p.m., Provincetown Playhouse, 133 MacDougal St. at W. 3rd Street, 212-998-5281, $15 general, $5 NYU students.

O BROTHER, DONDE ESTAS? The Society of the Educational Arts/Sociedad Educativa de las Artes, a Latino theater company for young audiences, opens its fall season with “Little Brothers/Hermanitos.” The new interactive clown comedy uses the style of vaudeville and silent films to tell the story of two brothers who have a competition to see who can dance better, walk better, eat more, laugh funnier, and get messier. Saturday, and Saturdays, October 2 and 16, November 6 and 20, and December 11, 3 p.m., Teatro Sea at Los Kabayitos Puppet & Children’s Theatre, 107 Suffolk St., between Delancey and Rivington streets, second floor, 212-260-4080 ext. 14, $12 general, $10 children.

PUSHKIN PLAY Melissa Errico and Harry Lennix appear in a reading of Jonathan Leaf’s new play, “Pushkin.” Erica Gould directs the performance, which tells the story of Russian poet Alexander Pushkin’s tumultuous relationship with the tsar, with his African ancestry, and with one of the most beautiful women in the country. Monday, 7:30 p.m., Manhattan Theatre Club, 311 W. 43rd St., between Eighth and Ninth avenues, eighth floor, 212-561-1694, free, reservations required.

To submit an event for consideration for the Calendar, please wire the particulars to calendar@nysun.com