Fun For A Hamilton: September 22-28

Here we are, with the best in free/cheap fun. Got an idea? Email

Friday, September 22
For $7, ($3.50 if you're a student and free if you're an MFAH member), go get a little history with your culture by listening to Dr. Emily Ballew Neff, curator of American Painting and Sculptur speak on Building Heritage in the Lone Star State: The Hoggs of Houston, 1900-1957. This Houston family founded lots of the arts institutions around town, gave tons of stuff to the MFAH (1001 Bissonnet), and did we mention Mr. Hogg was the first native-born governor of Texas? Of course, the man also named his daughter Ima, but that's another story...1:30 pm.

Saturday, September 23
Poets Stephen Burt and Joseph Campana will read from their poetry at Brazos Bookstore (2421 Bissonnet). Both have books from Greywolf press. Burt frequently reviews and writes on poetry for publications such as the New Yorker, and Campana is a scholar of Italian Rennaisance literature, Shakespeare, medieval romance, and histories of gender, sex, and sexuality, as well as poetry. He is currently in his first year as a professor at Rice University. 7 pm. Free.

Sunday, September 24
Book signing plus music equals fun! If you like Zydeco, come out to the Continental Club (3700 Main Street) for a book signing of Roger Wood's Texas Zydeco and enjoy live music by many of the artists featured in the book. Pre-show book signing is 12-2 @ Sig's Lagoon, which is two doors down from the Continental, and music'll play 2-6.

Monday, September 25
Go listen and laugh either with or at the aspiring comedians at the Laff Stop Open Mic Night. The event's been gaining buzz, with more and more audience members and performers every week. Monday's normally a pretty dead night, so this is a great option. Who knows, you might just run into the next Dave Chapelle. Free. The Laff Stop is 1952a West Gray, in the River Oaks Shopping Center. The show's @ 7:30 but if you want to perform, arrive by 6:45.

Tuesday, September 26
Movie? The Angelika's hosting a Pedro Almodovar film fest, and the first offering is playing at the moment. The movie, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown launched the career of Antonio Banderas. Tickets are $8, free if you're a student or senior. 500 Texas Ave.

Wednesday, September 27
An exciting historical and artistic event for all ages is at Miller Theatre, today, where the Houston Metropolitan Dance Center presents Danceology 101, a performance that'll trace the history of dance from the Charleston to disco to hiphop. 11 am. Tickets are free and avaliable at the box office for covered seating--if you want to sit on the lawn no ticket is needed.

Thursday, September 28
Search Engine is an art show featuring a current internet phenom: MySpace.

As an open call the show also includes non-artists, who formulate creative competively driven images on the website to create interest in their personalities about themselves. It also addresses the idea of networking, community, narcissism, and searching