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[title]Gertrude’s Paris Festival
Sunday 1–May 5
Emulate Owen Wilson’s Gil, the writer transported back in time in Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, and soak up the City of Light as Gertrude Stein knew it in the 1920s. Over five weeks, Symphony Space will present music, literature, food and art that hearkens back to the time when the American expat hosted salons frequented by Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. Highlights include guitarist Stephane Wrembel playing the theme music he performed on the Midnight in Paris soundtrack; screenings of An American in Paris (1951) and Jean Cocteau’s La Belle et la Bête (1946); and authors Siri Hustvedt and Margot Livesey reading F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender Is the Night. The series ends with the theater’s annual Wall to Wall offering, a 12-hour collage of musical performances all referencing Stein’s work. 2537 Broadway at 95th St (212-864-5400, symphonyspace.org). Times and prices vary.
Hanami
Sunday 1–April 29
Due to the warm winter and spring’s early arrival, Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s 220 cherry trees are bursting into clouds of pink and white earlier than ever. During the annual celebration, which follows East Asian traditions, visitors stroll among the grounds admiring the flowers and observing their falling petals. Either wander on your own or attend a guided tour of the institution’s Japanese collections—which include bonsai and tree peonies (Sat, Sun at 3pm). Upcoming talks by senior arborist Chris Roddick’s will answer questions regarding the science and aesthetics of the trees. Mark your calendars for the Sakura Matsuri Festival (Apr 28, 29 11am–6pm; $15, seniors and students $10), which fetes the spring rite with events, including tea ceremonies, bombastic drumming displays, manga exhibits and a cosplay fashion show over two days filled with performances and demos. Check out the garden’s online CherryWatch (bbg.org/cherrywatch) before you head over to gauge the blossoms’ progression from bud to bloom. 900 Washington Ave at Crown St, Crown Heights, Brooklyn (718-623-7200, bbg.org). Tue–Fri 8am–6pm; Sat, Sun 10am–6pm. $10, seniors and students $5, children under 12 free.