Tribeca meets Soho at a series of filmmaking events and workshops at The Apple Store, all of which are free and open to the public, during the Tribeca Film Festival. Last week's speakers included actor Clive Owen and "SNL" / "Baby Mama" star Amy Poehler, and the fun continues this week.

Tonight at 6:30, screenwriter / director / producer Tom Kalin will discuss his latest project, "Savage Grace," starring Julianne Moore, and field questions from the audience. Stick around after that to hear from actress Isabella Rossellini (8pm), who is making her directorial debut at the film fest with a series of short films collectively known as "Green Porno," which she also wrote and appears in.  (Get your head out of the gutter--the title refers to the mating habits of various creatures).

Tomorrow night (April 30) at 6:30pm, "Superbad" director Greg Mottola stops by to chat about "Adventureland," a new comedy to be released later this year, and on Friday Beastie Boy Adam Yauch discusses his new film, "Gunnin' For that #1 Spot," currently screening at the festival (May 2, 6:30pm).

Then on Saturday (May 3) Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis ("Crash," "Million Dollar Baby") drops in to speak about his most recent opus, "In the Valley of Elah," and two forthcoming projects, "Quantum of Solace" and "Ranger's Apprentice" (6:30pm).

Finally, on Sunday (the final day of the festival), Matthew Modine--one of this year's TFF jurors--will screen his short film, "I Think I Thought," followed by a discussion and a Q&A.

(Image borrowed from Apple)

Above: The graffitti-filled corridor that leads to Soho hot spot Upstairs--just one of the many places where I punished my liver this weekend

Welcome back to the perma-hell that is your 9:00 to 5:00--or, as the case may be, 10:00 to 6:00. OK, fine, 10:30 to 6:00--after another weekend, one that was likely filled with various acts of depraved indifference of the liquid kind. This weekend alone, my drinking problem (and my poor choice in friends) led me to hit up Phebe's, Bowery Electric, Bella's, Pastis, Upstairs, Boss Tweeds and Whiskey Ward. In at least one case (that I recall), I wound up behind the bar, pouring my own shots, before the night was over. 

But there is no amount of liquor in my apartment on God's green earth that could ever cause a blackout so severe that I'd forget any part of what I witnessed Sunday night at The Tank, where a friend of mine performed in a play called "Sherri Zahad and Her Arabian Knights." The Village Voice recently described the show--which runs every Sunday and Wednesday at 7pm until April 30th--thus:

The Middle East is a big topic in theater these days—but taking an unusually lighthearted approach in yet another desert-set play is Laboratory Theater, whose new piece, "Sherri Zahad and Her Arabian Knights," turns Sir Richard Francis Burton's translation of the "Arabian Nights" into a Vegas lounge act.

The whole spectacle pretty much defies all logic, and though I don't suspect my friend will appreciate it, I've posted several short video clips on YouTube; I figure it doesn't really do any further damage to post them here. He's the one wearing the miniature novelty monkey hat and the jockstrap (oh, and sometimes he's also wearing a blazer, but mostly, it's just the jockstrap). Here's one--click through to view all 9 clips.

The Rusty Knot--the new West Village bar conceived by alums of Spotted Pig, Milk and Honey and Freemans--may have opened last night. Or it may be opening this weekend. Or it may be closed. Or whatever. Daily Candy

Two days after the NY Times broke the news that Gov. Eliot Spitzer had engaged in extramarital romps with pricey New York prosties, he has officially stepped down. The torch now falls to Lt. Gov. David A. Paterson, who will make history as the state's first African-American governor. Unfortunately for Paterson, that considerable feat is likely to be outshined in November, when America elects its first black president. NY Times

Is the State Liquor Authority more drunk off its own power than a horny New York governor with a god complex and several thousand an hour to burn? In December, The Observer reported there was beef between Lola--a Cajun-soul-food spot featuring live soul, jazz and gospel music, which relocated from Chelsea to Soho last year--and local anti-bar-sprawl group SoHo Alliance. Now, Lola is ensnared in a battle that may force its closure, after the SLA granted their liquor license and then annulled it, only to have it reinstated on appeal but with a ban on live music, which was permitted under the original license and upon which Lola's livelihood depends. The Villager

So, you need a drink like whoa, but you've got no one to watch the rug rats while you're busy getting tanked. What do you do? Line 'em up--at least for patrons of DUMBO's Water Street Restaurant and Lounge, which has contracted with something called Parent Play to provide on-site babysitting during the dinner hour. (No word on whether irresponsible alcoholic adults can retain the babysitting services for myself themselves.) Brooklyn Paper

This week we review Bar Veloce, the third outpost of Frederick Twomey's Italian wine bar mini-chain, which recently re-opened in the same Soho space where it once lived, and then died, only to be reborn again. The menu is more or less the same there as in the East Village and Chelsea locations, but hey, when you've got a good thing going, why break the mold?

Read our full editorial review of Bar Veloce, then peruse other New and Notable bar reviews or check out our list of spots that are too new to review (but not too new to get you wasted).

And be sure to bookmark Imbible and check back regularly for more new reviews--we've got everything from Mansion and Suzie Wong to Weather Up and The Hideout on deck.

submercer (the lower level lounge at the Mercer Hotel) was reportedly closed (again) on Saturday night by the FDNY, this time indefinitely. Eater

Beatrice Inn, Dirty Jers style? Word on the street is that the Chelsea Hotel in Atlantic City has tapped Paul Sevigny and Matt Abramcyk of the beloved Beatrice Inn to oversee the hotel's new nightclub. Down By the Hipster

NY Magazine's Best of NY double issue is out this week, but no one cares--give us more Lindsay Lohan, dammit. New York Mag

Think that ID scanner just prevents 19-year-old jailbait from getting into Cain? Think again--it also records your information, which means that now if you stab someone outside a club you'd better get your alibi straight, because the coppers are coming. NY Post

Last week, Steelo' president and designer Matt Levine celebrated his new fall line with an invite-only party at Upstairs, the grimy cafe-turned-celeb hangout on the corner of Spring and Broadway. Matt tells us the bash was quite a success, with "Ford Models casually previewing the collection while mingling the scene, and Cisco Adler jumping on the turntables (and couches) ... while Aubrey O'Day, Jason Preston (Marc Jacobs' boyfriend), Lydia Hearst, Miss Teen USA Hilary Cruz, Theodora Richards, and Trevor Rains of Heatherette admired the sneak-peak preview of the much anticipated collection."

Next time, maybe Cisco--whose musical career has been less widely publicized than his now-defunct relationship with actress Mischa Barton--will take off more than just his shirt. Oh, that's right, he already did that.

(Photos courtesy of Matt Levine)

Where the hell was I when Novo (the restaurant) reopened as Novo (the lounge)? And yet it is so, at least according to Nicole Nelch, who throws a weekly party there every Saturday. After receiving two email blasts with the flyers above, I sent her an email and she confirmed that the spot has reopened as a lounge, though I can't seem to get ahold of a working phone number (the old Novo number is out of service). For inquiries about Novo Saturdays (but not general info about the ever-mysterious venue), send an email.

Perhaps you've heard the buzz about Upstairs, the second story "secret" hot spot at Bari, the grimy Spring Street cafe best known for leaving plates of food on an outdoor table display, beckoning the savages with promises of crusty penne a la vodka and soggy french fries. It's always been the kind of place where you suspected things were not so fresh in the kitchen, even though you'd only been inside to use the bathroom while shopping in Soho before Bloomingdale's opened down the block.

And then several months ago, chatter began on the blogs about a super-exclusive, A-list celebrities-only hangout on Bari's second floor known only as "Upstairs." Personally, I've never bothered to try getting in, since I'm neither a celebrity nor a model, and something tells me they wouldn't care too much about my press credentials. But for those of you who found Diddy's recent altercation at Upstairs to be an incentive rather than a deterrent, but didn't have a chance in hell of getting in, now the Bloc Group is finally making this mysterious hot spot accessible to the public--or, at least to those members of the public willing to drop mad cash on a ticket to their New Year's Eve party.

But for those of you who would rather suffer indignities at the door somewhere else on New Year's Eve, refer to our complete NYE '08 planner. And check back on the booze blog later this month for the Poor/Lazy Man's Guide to New Year's Eve '08, coming soon.

Apparently it's not too late to be sending out invites for parties that take place three hours from now. This one, courtesy of Music Nation, boasts a live acrobatic performance at 11pm, and live tarantulas, which, as far as I'm concerned, is actually a reason to stay the hell away from Broadway and Grand Street, but you be the judge. 

What successful Soho bar owners-turned-restaurateurs say they'll open a new spot within the year and may also be looking into New York hotel possibilities?

(Image courtesy of SOHH.com)