The best cheap eats are free

Artisan Wine Shop in Beacon offers free wine and food tastings every Friday and Saturday night.

Spend happy hour tonight (4 to 7 p.m.) with all-American wines like SkinFlint Rose, Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc and Bogart Old Vine Cinsault Lodi and munch on whatever owners Tim Buzinski and Mei Ying So — both Culinary Institute of America grads — are inspired to make.

On Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m., Artisan features South African wines and frikkadels — South African meatballs — to go with them.

Artisan is located at 180 Main St.

One more apocalyptic treat from Vassar

"Children of Men" (2006) closes Vassar College's free outdoor series of films that focus on some form of failed utopian ideals. The movie, screened tonight at 8:30 on the east lawn of the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, is an absolute must-see for sci-fi fans.

Directed by Alfonso Cuaron, "Children of Men" is set in Great Britain in 2027, an era plagued by two decades of global infertility that has left the remaining humans with less than a century to survive.

Check out the ground-breaking camerawork in the car scene. Cuaron's use of long shots makes you feel like you are part of this dystopia.

I'm going to have to miss tonight's screening because I'll be on the Poughkeepsie campus watching "Geometry of Fire."

Click here to read my interview with star Logan Marshall-Green.

Late to the sake party

I recently discovered that New Paltz has its own sake bar in the Cabaloosa complex. It's called Katana Sake. Katana features dry sake, unfiltered sake and sweet sake. The list of Japanese-inspired cocktails is creative and fun: Love Potion #9. Apple Sakatini, Singapore Sling, Thai Stick, Patpong Punch, Siam Squeeze and Samurai Rocks.

The Hello Kitty is made with Japanese Soju vodka, Calpico and cranberry juice.

They also advertise "Absinthe Refined." Absinthe? Wow. Is this for real?

If anyone is a fan of Katana, tell me more about it. I did find an article by Journal reporter Alice Hunt that describes the place. The photo above was taken for the story last year by Journal freelancer A.J. Soto.

See you out in New Paltz.

Cheap eats update: Janet's Jerk Stop

Poughkeepsie's highly recommended Janet's Jerk Stop, 96 Washington St., has a booth at the Poughkeepsie Farmers Market, which takes place on Fridays on Main Street.

I'm writing this post in between delicious forkfuls of curry chicken, rice and beans and cabbage with carrots: $6. Janet is also serving jerk chicken and fried chicken at the stand. If you can't get to the market today, you will have to wait two weeks. Janet will be vacationing Jamaica.

Also, Anu Bhatia is at the market today doing cooking demonstrations with her homemade chutneys and masala sauce.

Beautify your palms with mendhi for free

Sadhna Bhargava will be in front of Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center today creating intricate designs with henna. Her appearance is part of Weekend on Main, a daylong celebration of the artistic renaissance taking place in downtown Poughkeepsie. It begins today at noon and goes until 8 p.m.

This photo by Poughkeepsie Journal photographer Kathy McLaughlin demonstrates Bhargava's handiwork (so to speak).

Read my Poughkeepsie Journal article about henna here.

During your Weekend on Main stroll, be sure to check out G.A.S., a new visual art and performance space at 196 Main St.

For lunch, I recommend a stop at The Artist's Palate, which has a farm-driven menu and features fabulous exhibition of posters from the "Jazzin', Jammin' and Jivin'" collection of Separate Cinema.

'Entourage' star dons Vassar T-shirt in doc

To call Adrian Grenier a friend would be a lie. To call him an acquaintance would be a gross overstatement.

But back in 2000, I actually kinda sorta knew him. Adrian was dating the beautiful and super talented roommate of my boyfriend (now husband), Sean, so our paths crossed all the time.

In 2001, he attended my wedding at the Hillside Manor as a guest but pitched in to help his then-girlfriend, our photographer. That's right, Adrian took pictures of me.

Sean and I were part of a short film Adrian directed that involved us getting on a subway train and acting like tourists.

He even invited us to the Tribeca Film Festival screening of his documentary, "Shot in the Dark" in 2002.

Haven't spoken to Adrian since we moved from New York, but I did get a chance to watch the deeply personal documentary again on HBO last night. In it he questions the necessity of fatherhood as he confronts his estranged dad. The two hadn't seen each other in 18 years.

Although he attended Bard College, Adrian wears a Vassar T-shirt for much of the film.

Check out "Shot in the Dark" if you can. You will get a glimpse of the life of the down-to-earth star before Vincent Chase was even a concept.

Calling all cyberpunks

Vassar College will screen Ridley Scott's 1982 cult film, "Blade Runner," for free Thursday.

The outdoor screening at 8:30 p.m. coincides with the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center's current exhibition, "Utopian Mirage: Social Metaphors in Contemporary Photography and Film."

The museum remains open until 9 p.m. Thursday nights.

So pack a picnic, libations and bug spray, and head to the Poughkeepsie campus.

It's time to ponder the classic sci-fi question, "Can the maker repair what he makes?"