Friday, January 6
Kangeiko/Kuviasungnerk begins in earnest on Monday, but before the onslaught of early-morning calisthenics, you can take advantage of free skate rental, hot chocolate, snacks, and Polaroids tonight by attending Skate Night at the Midway. Enjoy the unseasonably, unreasonably warm weather while it lasts. Let’s hope the ice doesn’t melt. (8 p.m. to 11 p.m., free, Midway Skating Rink)
Aspiring professors, take note: Elizabeth Chandler speaks on “How to Prepare an Effective Syllabus” in BSLC 205 this afternoon. Even if grad school’s not part of your game plan, you might pick up some useful tips to pass along to profs past and present. (4 p.m., free, 924 East 57th Street)
Come see a bunch of bands perform at the Metro tonight: Escape from Earth, Absent Star, Blame Twilight, Flying Just Below Radar, and A Fading Memory. (5:30 p.m., $9, 3730 North Clark Street)
Saturday, January 7
Jazz pianist and singer/songwriter Patricia Barber teams up with Contempo for a cross-genre performance at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Also featured are vibraphonist Joe Locke and gospel choir Choral Thunder. (7:30 p.m., call (312) 397-4010 for student prices, 220 East Chicago Avenue)
Sunday, January 8
What better way to start the New Year than Elvis Fest 2006? Celebrate Elvis’s birthday at Mother’s with the Elvis impersonators. (7 p.m., 26 West Division Street)
Monday, January 9
With a week to go until Martin Luther King Day, MLK Week 2006 kicks with an opening ceremony in Ida Noyes, featuring remarks by Bishop Arthur M. Brazier of the Apostolic Church of God. (4:30 p.m., free, 1212 East 58th Street)
Catch Michael Columbia, the Chandeliers, and the Killer Whales at the Empty Bottle. It’s a little early in the quarter to blow off work, but hey, it’s free! (9:30 p.m., 1035 North Western Avenue)
Tuesday, January 10
Become a master at slicing and dicing with Chef Bryan at the Wooden Spoon as he shows you how to choose and use that indispensable kitchen tool: the knife. (6:30 p.m., $65, 5047 North Clark Street)
Rochona Majumdar speaks on “Family Values in Modern India: The Hindu Code Debates of 1955-1956” at the Center for Gender Studies. Follow the links for the workshop at humanities.uchicago.edu/orgs/cgs/ for a copy of her paper. (4:30 p.m., free, 5733 South University Avenue)
Wednesday, January 11
Chipotle fans, head to Hutch Courtyard for Burritos on the Quad. You can chow down and check out ice sculptures at the same time. Mmmm, Chipotle. Just thinking about it makes the cravings grow stronger. (11 a.m. to 2 p.m., free, 5706 South University Avenue)
OMSA hosts a screening of Crash, a movie about racial tensions in L.A., followed by a light reception and moderated discussion. (7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., free, 924 East 57th Street)
You may not be an alum yet, but rest assured, the Alumni Association is already working hard to earn your love and loyalty. Hot chocolate, cookies, and (if you’re a member of the Class of 2009) a free mug are yours for the taking at Hot Chocolate Night at the Alumni House. (5 p.m. to 7 p.m., free, 5555 South Woodlawn Avenue)
Thursday, January 12
The evil stepmother is a familiar stock character to anyone who has read fairy tales or seen Disney movies, but the incestuously chaste stepmother? If you’re curious to know how someone can be both incestuous and chaste, check out David Wray’s lecture on versions of Phaedra and Hippolytus. (3:30 p.m., free, 5555 South Woodlawn Avenue)
August Wilson’s Fences opens today at Court Theatre. (7:30 p.m., $8, 5535 South Ellis Avenue)
Have an event you’d like to see in STD? Send an e-mail to Hana Yoo at htyoo@uchicago.edu.
