We pride ourselves on our frugality when it comes to going out in New York City. It is actually possible to have an awesome cultural experience every day of the week without spending a dime, especially in the summertime. If you’re looking for a cheap date idea or just want to go easy on your wallet, we’d like to offer up our recommendations for this week. In the mix you’ll find book readings, a salute to artist Chris Burden, a beer tasting, film screenings, concerts, and an artsy uptown bloc party.

Monday, July 20
BOOKS: The Books Beneath the Bridge with Jami Attenberg and Kate Bolick
Books Beneath the Bridge is a popular summer reading series that happens outdoors on the waterfront in Brooklyn. Occurring six Mondays throughout July and August, each week a different independent Brooklyn bookstore plays curator. For this edition, the POWERHOUSE Arena is stepping up to bat. They have invited two Brooklyn authors, Jamie Attenberg and Kate Bolick to read from their latest books. Attenberg will read from her June release Saint Mazie and Bolick will discuss Spinster, which came out in April. The evening includes a Q&A and signing.
Time: 7pm
Place: Brooklyn Bridge Park, 334 Furman St. Brooklyn, New York 11201

FILM: Badlands
The HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival presents Terrence Malick’s debut feature film, Badlands. The film stars Sissy Spacek and Martin Sheen as a couple of teens who go on a crime spree that takes them through the Midwest to the Badlands of Montana. It’s inspired by real-life killers Charles Starkweather and Caril-Ann Fugate.
Time: Park opens at 5pm, screening at sunset
Place: Bryant Park, 42nd and 5th Avenue

MUSIC: Brixton presents Broadcast Brooklyn featuring Nude Beach & Honey
Lifestyle apparel brand Brixton is behind this free show at Baby’s All Right that features two rawkin’ Brooklyn bands, Nude Beach and Honey. Nude Beach specialize in garage punk and are signed to esteemed indie label Don Giovanni Records. They released their third LP “77” last year. Brixton has been producing events like these all over the world. Other shows in the Brixton Broadcast series have included The King Khan & BBQ Show at Bassy Club in Berlin, Germany, and a two-night event in Barcelona that showcased The Parrots, Wau Y Los Arrrghs!!!, The Saurs, Sultan Bathery and more. 
Time: 8pm
Place: Baby’s All Right, 146 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY, 11211

Tuesday, July 21
ART: Chris Burden: Daylong Tribute Screening
It’s still hard to believe that artist Chris Burden is no longer with us. A man who shot himself in the arm in the name of art, Burden died from complications of melanoma earlier this year. Best known for his edgy, controversial performance and body art works in the 1970s, Burden transitioned to sculpture in his later years. EAI pays homage to the artists with a daylong screening of video works by and about him. The program will include Documentation of Selected Works 1971-74 and The TV Commercials 1973–1977, among other films.
Time: 11:30 am–7:30 pm
Place: Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), 535 West 22nd Street, 5th Fl., New York, NY 10011

FOOD/DRINK: Knights of Bruklyn Quarterly Home Brew Competition
“Shrouded in mystery, thirsty for beer” the Knights of Bruklyn gather to find out whose brews are a head above the rest. One of their quarterly competitions, home brewmasters cook up their best stove-top-brewed suds in hopes of advancing to the finals. Spectators are encouraged to attend to sample the contestants concoctions, and learn about the home-brew process.
Time: 7pm
Place: Union Hall, 702 Union Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11215

PERFORMANCE: Aki Sasamoto: Food Rental
New York-based, Japanese artist Aki Sasamoto works in a variety of media including performance, sculpture, and dance. If you attended Frieze, you may have had your personality tested in her maze-like installation. This week, she brings one of her performance art pieces to the High Line. Food Rental is realized three evenings and involves a custom-built food cart that she will perch inside and offer passerbys a selection of micro performances and narrative demonstrations.
Time: July 21-23 at 7pm
Place: High Line at the Rail Yards

Wednesday, July 22
ART PARTY: Uptown Bounce
The City of the Museum of New York and El Museo del Barrio are re-teaming for another series of art-inspired bloc parties on the Upper East Side. Launching last year, these festive events feature live music, dancing, gallery talks, art workshops, summer drinks, local food and more. This edition serves up Operator Emz & DJ Joey Carvello of Mobile Mondays! spinning vinyl 45s all night and Kady Perry filling the sidewalks with chalk paintings. The City of the Museum of New York will be open late so people can tour their Hip-Hop Revolution exhibit, and El Museo del Barrio hosts artists talks on ¡PRESENTE! The Young Lords in New York.
Time: 6pm-9pm
Place: 104th and 5th Avenue
Advance registration required

MUSIC: Lincoln Center Out of Doors: The Muscle Shoals All-Stars
Lincoln Center Out of Doors is serving up one heck of a musical evening to launch its 2015 season. Flying in from Alabama are the Muscle Shoals All-Stars. The architects behind some of the greatest R&B and soul cuts this country has ever produced, the group have backed the likes of Aretha Franklin, and the Rolling Stones and were the subject of a documentary that came out in 2013. For this event, they perform with special guests Patterson Hood, Bettye LaVette, Sam Moore and Dan Penn. Donnie Fritts and John Paul White, formerly of The Civil Wars, open the show.
Time: 7:30pm
Place: Damrosch Park Bandshell, Lincoln Center

Thursday, July 23
MUSIC: Live from the Shop with Dee Dee of Dum Dum Girls
Dee Dee Penny of Dum Dum Girls has been keeping busy the last few months. She formed a new group called OCDPP with Cassie Ramone (Vivian Girls, The Babies), and OJ from Xray Eyeballs, and has also been recording as HUNI, a more synth-based project. She will be the special guest at Moscot’s music series this Thursday performing minimally with Kurt Feldman (Ice Choir). Expect to hear some new songs.
Time: 7pm
Place: Moscot, 108 Orchard Street, New York
RSVP essential

FILM: Close Encounters of the Third Kind
One of the greatest sci-fi films of all time, Close Encounters of the Third Kind screens under the stars at the Intrepid Museum. Written and directed by Steven Spielberg, the UFO classic was released in 1977 and stars François Truffaut, Richard Dreyfuss and Teri Garr. The screening will be introduced by Dr. Steve B. Howell of NASA who has been working on projects that search for habitable planets. Movie goers are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs, blankets and snacks.
Time: Tickets distributed at 6:15pm, Doors at 7:30pm, Screening at sunset
Place: Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, Pier 86, 12th Ave. & 46th Street