Whoop, whoop! The weekend is here. Now here’s everything you should be doing with it…

Friday

What’s On… The Menu

Le Boutier are getting well and truly into the sharing-is-caring Thanksgiving spirit tonight: they’re providing the turkey, but they invite you to bring a side dish of your own for a huge potluck (6pm-9pm, St 308, Tonle Bassac).

Love street food but less keen on risking Ebola? Satisfy those cravings at ElevenOne Kitchen’s Street Food Fridays night instead (6pm-9.30pm, St 123, Toul Tom Poung).

What’s On… Screen

For an early-doors film, META House is screening Before the Flood, a documentary produced by Leonardo DiCaprio highlighting the devastating effects of climate change around the world (4pm, Sothearos Boulevard)

… This is followed by a screening of the only existing TV interview footage of Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot, filmed in 1978 (7.30pm, META House, Sothearos Boulevard, Tonle Bassac).

Or if you’re more in the mood for daft comedy-horror, check out Happy Death Day, a Groundhog-day ripoff about a sorority girl doomed to repeat her birth/death day over and over until she figures out who killed her (9pm, Major Cineplex, Aeon Mall, Sothearos Boulevard).

What’s On… Stage

Stand Up Comedy

Comedic Stylings hosts stand up comedy tonight at The Box Office, featuring new and established acts (7.30pm-10.30pm, St 244, Daun Penh).

Live Music

Queen of Punk Vartey Ganiva plays another awesome gig at Tusk tonight (9pm, St 278, BKK1) ahead of her set at next week’s Diamond Moon Festival.

Or for something completely different, DJ Guesthouse, experimental musician Gone Marshall blends original songs and beat-driven spoken word in this part neo-psychedelic, part alt-rock, part blues-and-country performance (8pm-11pm, St 29, Tonle Bassac).

Elsewhere, Joshua and Denver play a set of Britpop classics at Farm to Table (6.30-8.30pm, St 360, BKK1), the Riverside Raybans are rocking it at Botanico (7pm-9.30pm, St 29, Tonle Bassac), alt-rockers Road to Mandalay deliver another Cambodia-inspired set at Duplex (8pm, St 278, BKK1), shoegaze band Simoun play Oscar’s On the Corner (9pm, Corner St 104 & 13) and gypsy guitarist Aymen Ghali plays a hot and steamy Latin set at Bouchon, supported by pianist Metta Legita and jazz drummer Toma Willen (8pm-11pm, St 246).

Plus there’s a gig from brand new band SHO NUFF, who make their debut tonight at Alchemy (8pm-11pm, St 123, Tuol Tom Poung). 

What’s On… Late?

DJ Sna spins everything from hip hop to reggaeton at Show Box tonight – and if you need a little pick-me-up after a long week of work, Espresso Martinis are just $2.50 (7.30pm-10.30pm, St 330, BKK2).  Meanwhile it’s the Hip Hop takeover at Cloud, featuring 3D virtual street art and sets from Khmer rapper Morano Morno and DJ Soul Iration (8pm-2am, Street 9, Tonle Bassac).

And, to keep the party going through until morning, head to MadHouse, where Heka and Crappy Beats are on the decks until 7am (St 172).

Saturday

What’s On… The Menu

ElevenOne Kitchen hosts its Saturday night BBQ tonight – choose from salmon, pork ribs or seafood with sides (7pm-10pm, St 123, Tuol Tom Poung; $4.95pp).

What’s On… Screen

The legendary Janis Joplin is immortalised in the powerful documentary Little Girl Blue, showing at META House at 4pm (Sothearos Boulevard).

Then, at 6pm, there’s a special screening The Animal Protection Documentary by Singaporean director (and founder of the Animal Human Alliance) Chan Chow Wah. The aim of the film is to educate viewers on the Buddhist approach to compassion and animal welfare, and the event raises money for Animal Rescue Cambodia (6pm-9pm, META House, Sothearos Boulevard; $5).

Lipstick Under My Burkha sent shockwaves through India upon its release – and now you can find out for yourself what all the fuss is about (6pm, Flicks 1, St 95).

Or, if you’re across the river, catch the visually spectacular Life of Pi at Outpost (7pm, Tonle Sap Road, next to the Sokha Hotel)

What’s On… Show

There’s a massive celebration of Khmer culture on at Chaktomuk Theatre today, showcasing  art, theatre, ballet, Aspara dance, contemporary music performances, fashion shows and more. The aim is to deepen young Cambodians’ understanding of and pride in this ancient civilisation, and encourage them to get involved in protecting the environment. (9am-6pm, Chaktomuk Theatre, Sisowath Quay).

Later, the brand new exhibition Tales From Borneo opens at Neverland Artspace. This features the work of illustrator Rico Leong, known in Malaysia for his punk album cover art, who has now moved into a new medium: traditional-style woodcuts printed on fabric and rice paper (6pm-9.30pm, St 172z2, opposite St 380, off Norodom Boulevard).

Oh – and if you want to learn the craft for yourself, Rico Leong also hosts a Woodcut Printmaking Workshop today (10am-1pm).

What’s On… Stage

Acoustic rockers WW&J have just landed from London for the Diamond Moon Festival, and the duo play a warm-up gig tonight at Tusk tonight (9pm, St 278, BKK1).

There’s another lively street party on Bassac Lane tonight – and the Boxchords are playing a singalong-ready set of pop, rock, funk, folk and r&b hits (8.30pm, Bassac Lane, St 308, Tonle Bassac).

At FCC rooftop, Sangvar Day strip back their prog rock sound for an acoustic set (8.30pm-11.30pm, Sisowath Quay, Riverside), while Phil O’Flaherty, the “Irish James Taylor”, plays another set at Botanico tonight (7pm, St 29), Moi Tiet plays Oscar’s On the Corner (9pm, Corner St 104 & 13), and there’s gorgeous Bossa Nova and jazz at Trattoria Bello (7.30pm, St 460, Toul Tom Poung).

And the InterContinental Hotel’s classical music festival continues this week with a duet performance by pianists Lestari Scholtes  and Gwylim Janssens (6pm-9pm, Mao Tse Toung Boulevard; $12).

What’s On… Late

The full moon is out, and Cloud9 Skybar is taking advantage of it with a Full Moon Party on their starlit rooftop. DJs Tim Coates and Nora Haidee are on the decks, and there’s an optional all-you-can-eat BBQ for $25 (6pm-11pm, St 136).

In Tuol Tom Poung, Soul Iration’s Amrane, Lienj Gorimaa, Dubbas and Shanti Sapana are spinning wicked reggae tunes at WAT A GWAAN (8pm-Midnight, Alchemy, St 123), while META House throws its weekly Vinyl Mania Party – only real records allowed (8pm-2am, Sothearos Boulevard).

What Else?

Looking for a great spot to watch the Australia vs England rugby match? Our top pick is Sundance Riverside, a 24-hour bar that offers happy hour on beer throughout all sports events (10pm-1am, Sisowath Quay).

Sunday

What Better Than…

Spending your Sunday lazing in a pool in the sunshine? That’s right, nothing. Luckily, you have a couple of top pool party options today.

The first is at Tusk, where you can chill in the gorgeous garden with a cocktail while blissing out to DJ Yes Peace on the decks (All day, St 278, BKK1). Or, if you’re up by Wat Phnom, dive (literally) into Eighty8 for their Sunday Sessions, where the tunes are provided by Khmer pop duo DNA (3pm-10pm, St 88).

What’s On… The Menu

A couple of upmarket Sunday brunches on offer today: Alchemy hosts theirs in Toul Tom Poung, where you’ll be serenaded by Rob Narciso as you eat your way through the menu and cry your way through your hangover (11am-4pm, St 123), Chinese House serves up an unlimited seafood feast with optional mimosas and jazz from Aymen Ghali and Stan Paleco on Riverside (11am-3pm, Sisowath Quay; $24), while at the InterContinental’s Regency Cafe, there’s an extravagant buffet with free flowing wine and delectable desserts (12pm-3pm, Mao Tse Toung Boulevard).

At the Box Office, it’s all about traditional British Sunday Roast. Choose between roast pork or beef, plus Yorkshire Puddings and all the trimmings, followed by apple crumble. Plus, there are board games! (1pm-8pm, St 244).

Alternatively, see out your Sunday in style at Sundown Social’s Cocktail Garden Party (4pm-10pm, St 440, Tuol Tom Poung).

What’s On… The Agenda

Hosted by the excellent Politikoffee, Dr. Chheang Vannarith, Research Associate in Asia Pacific Studies at ISEAS, leads a forum on the effect of geopolitics (particularly China’s influence) on Cambodian politics and foreign policy (2.30pm-4.30pm, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, St 462).

What’s On… Screen

It doesn’t count that you’re vegging out if you’re watching top athletes do their thing, right? Exercise vicariously at the Flicks 1’s screening of the terrifying crossfit documentary Fittest on Earth (4pm, St 95)

Or head to Flicks 2 to break your heart over the superb rockumentary Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten (5pm-7pm, Flicks 2, St 136).

What’s On… Stage?

End your evening at the chilled-out, open mic Sundowner Sessions at Tacos Kokopelli, hosted by Scoddy (5pm-8pm, St 19z), a beautiful “East Meets West” piano recital featuring Mozart and Beethoven alongside pieces by Prince Sihanouk (7pm-9pm, InterContinental Hotel, Mao Tse Toung Boulevard; $9), or head to Hops Brewery, for a final shot of funk and Motown, courtesy of Double A & Mirasol (7pm-10pm, St 228).

What Else?

You can also unwind with Yoga Basics, led by Myrto at Show Box (5pm-6.30pm, St 330)… or stress yourself out by taking on masters of chess at Alchemy (6pm-9pm, St 123).

That’s everything for this weekend, folks. Don’t forget to sign up here to get this roundup delivered direct to your inbox, every Friday!