Everybody loves Art Walk week

It's Friday! It's the day we've been waiting for since Monday's balmy temps made us either wish we could play hooky from work (or caused us to just do it anyway - paycheck be damned). But here we are, ready for another weekend in Vacation-fun-land, and what better way to start off the weekend than with an art walk?

This week, it's almost all about the music

If you're like me, you went through a childhood phase during which you knew you had the talent to be a drummer. At one point I thought for sure I could be one of the Go Gos. Monday's as good a day as any to travel back down your drumming memory lane with a visit to Thornton Academy (438 Main St., Saco) where Different Drummers Drum Circle will be putting on a free show at 7:30 pm. DDDC is a group of drummers, musicians and poets and they'll perform with current and former Martin Steingesser students. Find out more at the group's website.

Add some culture to your weekend

Good music and a good book. What a great way to get another weekend started.

Conveniently, you can get both in one shot Friday if you head over to Books Etc at 8 pm for Jazz Poetry. Your hosts will be Betsy Sholl, Ira Sadoff, Jeff Thomson and Paul Lichter. Enjoy some prose and peruse the stacks of books. Strangely, there will be no music. All of it costs just $5.

Cheap ways to survive another work week

The kids are on vacation this week, so it might be a good idea to put off any outings to the mall or the factory stores in Freeport until they're back studying hard again. Another week at the gym before you try to find that perfect bathing suit won't hurt a bit.

Heading for a holiday weekend of cheap (& free) music

I know, I know - it's a drag that tickets to the Ani DiFranco show at Merrill Auditorium are so pricey. No one has $35 to spare. But you must have been a very good little worker bee this week 'cause Ani's putting on a freebie Friday show for folks just like you. She's playing at 1 pm at Bull Moose in Scarborough. Be there to meet her and sing along as a prelude to Record Store Day.

Open mics, Greendrinks & karaoke nights

You probably got a heavy dose of family over the Easter weekend and now you're itching for some "you" time - and maybe a little Mexican food. You can get them both tonight at the weekly Monday Open Mic Night at Amigos (9 Dana St., Portland) from 8-11 pm. Listen to locals belt out hits (or their originals) and enjoy the $2 tacos and drink specials. No ham anywhere to be found.

A little culture (and some chocolate) never hurt anyone

The excitement of last week's Art Walk may have worn off now, but there's plenty of offerings this week that can help make you a better, more knowledgeable and more interesting person.

A job, The Bard or a PBR?

Maybe you've been looking for cheap entertainment because, like too many Mainers, you happen to be temporarily unemployed. So ... maybe you should be thinking about finding gainful employment instead of another PBR.

Another Art Walk, plus plenty about books

When it's First Friday, you can wander just about anywhere downtown - Congress Street, the East End, the Arts District - and find plenty of free stuff to do and see.