NYC Events,”Only the Best” (10/14) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 10/14/2019 by

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > MONDAY/ OCTOBER 14, 2019

“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We make it as easy as 1-2-3.

For future NYC Events, check the tab above:  “October NYC Events”
It’s the most comprehensive list of top events this month that you will find anywhere.
Carefully curated from “Only the Best” NYC event info on the the web, it’s a simply superb resource that will help you plan your NYC visit all over town, all through the month.

OR to make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

==============================================================

Have time for only one NYC Event today? Do This:

Emel Mathlouthi, Faten Kanaan
@ Le Poisson Rouge / 7PM, $18
“Tunisian-born, New York-based art pop singer Emel Mathlouthi is fresh off releasing her excellent new album Everywhere We Looked Was Burning, which is her first album sung almost entirely in English. Tonight’s her first hometown show since its release.” (BrooklynVegan)

“The most natural power derives from the four elements: earth, water, air, and fire. This quartet of forces fuses art to life. As such, Emel Mathlouthi aligns nature and music on her third full-length album, Everywhere We Looked Was Burning [Partisan Records]. Striking a balance between eloquent songcraft, sparse instrumentation, and the voices of the woods, wind, sea, and flames, the Tunisia-born and New York-based singer heralds revolution by trumpeting creative experimentation.”

========================================================

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> Juilliard Jazz Ensembles
>> SHIZ
>> The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
>> Jim Caruso’s Cast Party
>> Rep. Adam Schiff in Conversation with Nicholas Kristof
>> Monday Night Magic

You may want to look at previous days posts for events that continue through today.

=======================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Art

Juilliard Jazz Ensembles: The Conceptual Genius of John Lewis & George Russell
Dizzy’s Club / 7:30PM, +9:30PM, $35
“The Juilliard School has been a destination for world-class music education since it was founded, and these incredible young musicians will exemplify that legacy in this performance. The Juilliard School Jazz Ensemble features some of the world’s most talented emerging jazz artists, many of whom are already professional musicians. No stranger to Dizzy’s Club, the ensemble has also performed at noted venues such as the Blue Note and Alice Tully Hall. These gifted young musicians are proof of jazz’s bright future.”

SHIZ
Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre / 10:30PM, $9
“Broadway characters find themselves in hot sketch-comedy waters in this monthly night of musical comedy, the brainchild of comic Matt Gehring and singer-songwiter Shaina Taub. The writer-performers include Gehring, Preston Martin, Alex Song, Mahayla Laurence, Max Ash, charisma machine Natalie Walker and ringers Joél Pérez (Fun Home) and Heath Saunders (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812).” (TONY)

The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave. South (btw W11th/Perry St.) / 8:30PM +10:30PM, $35
“World class big band with 16 members on that small stage, a monday night institution.
“Almost exactly half a century ago, the trumpeter-composer-arranger Thad Jones and the drummer Mel Lewis began their Monday-night big band residency at the Village Vanguard, establishing what became a hallowed tradition.” (NYT)

Jim Caruso’s Cast Party (Cabaret)
Birdland, 315 West 44th St. (btw 8/9 ave) / 9:30PM, $25-$30
“The witty host attracts broadway stars on their night off, along with up and comers.”
“Part cabaret, part piano bar and part social set, Cast Party offers a chance to hear rising and established talents step up to the microphone (backed by the slap and tickle of Steve Doyle on bass and Billy Stritch at the ivories, plus the bang of Daniel Glass on drums). The waggish Caruso presides as host.” (TONY)

=========================================================

Smart Stuff / Other NYC EventS

Rep. Adam Schiff in Conversation with Nicholas Kristof
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ 7:30PM, $50
“Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Nicholas Kristof talks with Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Join them for an in-depth and illuminating conversation about the issues behind today’s biggest news stories including the investigation of Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and its implications for 2020, the release of the Mueller report and analysis of his public testimony, the latest foreign policy issues, the Whistleblower’s complaint, the impeachment inquiry, and more.”

Monday Night Magic
Players Theatre, West Village / 8PM, $42.50
“For more than two decades,, this proudly old-school series has offered a different lineup of professional magicians every week: opening acts, a headliner and a host, plus two or three close-up magicians to wow the audience at intermission. Housed for the past seven years at the unprepossessing Players Theatre, it is an heir to the vaudeville tradition.

Many of the acts incorporate comedic elements, and audience participation is common. (If you have young children, bring them; they make especially adorable assistants.) Shows cost just $37.50 in advance and typically last well over two hours, so you get a lot of value and variety for your magic dollar. In contrast to some fancier magic shows, this one feels like comfort food: an all-you-can eat buffet to which you’re encouraged to return until you’re as stuffed as a hat full of rabbits.” (TONY)

Continuing Events

Ron Carter (Oct. 1-26)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ various times, $30-$40
“If Ron Carter had retired in the mid-seventies, after helping cement the sonic identity of the now revered CTI Records, he’d still be recognized as one of the most substantial bassists in jazz history, having shared stages with a slew of legendary figures (including Miles Davis) and recorded with dozens more—but he didn’t. He has since added thousands of recordings to his résumé and established a respected solo career. Week one of this monthlong stint features the exemplary instrumentalist fronting his Great Big Band.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

===========================================================

COMING SOON (WFUV)

10/15 Black Keys, Barclays Center
10/15 Orville Peck, Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/15-16 Kacey Musgraces/Lucius, Radio City Music Hall
10/15-16 Steely Dan, Beacon Theatre

Fall Concerts (nycgo.com)

David Byrne’s American Utopia on Broadway
October 4­, 2019–January 19, 2020
Hudson Theatre
The Talking Heads frontman hits Broadway with a show based on his latest album—but you can expect some old favorites as well.

Kacey Musgraves
October 15
Radio City Music Hall
The Grammy-winning country artist brings her tour to Radio City.

Steely Dan
October 15, 16, 18, 19 and 22
Beacon Theatre
Donald Fagen keeps the jazz-rock music of Steely Dan, familiar from songs like “Do It Again,” “Reelin’ in the Years” and “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” going strong.
Advertisement

Alessia Cara
October 23
PlayStation Theatre
The Canadian pop and R&B star known for the song “Here” plays in Times Square.

Sleater-Kinney
October 30 and 31
Kings Theatre and Hammerstein Ballroom
Minus one Janet Weiss, the Pacific Northwest rockers tour behind new album The Center Won’t Hold.

==========================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, plus dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.6 million, had a record 65 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2019 – the ninth consecutive year. BUT quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just earlier on the day of performance.

=====================================================

A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating Places – Greenwich Village

Caffe Vivaldi / 32 Jones Street (btw. Bleecker St./W4th St.)

Café Vivaldi is a classic, intimate club located in Greenwich Village on Jones Street, the street featured on the cover of Bob Dylan’s second album, “Freewheelin’. ”

maxresdefaultEach night Ishrat, the long time proprietor and impresario, carefully curates and schedules an eclectic series of musicians. You can often see him at his table in the corner, hard at work reviewing music videos and listening to cd demos on his laptop, scouting out future bookings. Musicians come from all over to play and sing in a club in Greenwich Village. Some are local New Yorkers, others are just passing through, in town for a few days.

There is a small bar, seating maybe 10. It’s close to the stage and I find it’s a perfect spot to sip a glass of red wine while listening to the music. The room itself has the performance area at one end and a cozy fireplace at the other. The performance area here is small, dominated by a large black Yamaha Grand piano. Tables are bunched together and most people at the tables are eating lite meals or sampling the wonderful desserts.

There is also a good selection of fairly priced wines,  but you are here because of the music. You can never be quite sure what you’re going to find, and that’s half the charm of this place. It’s not a home run every night, but many nights it’s pretty special.

I remember the night I saw the most talented bossa nova group, just in from San Paulo. As I listened, I wondered if there was any better music playing anywhere else in New York City that night. And at Caffé Vivaldi there is never a cover charge. Their recently redesigned web site does give you a better idea of the type of music playing each night.

At one time Greenwich Village was filled with clubs just like this, but times change. Real estate interests have impacted the village, and not for the better. Even Caffé Vivaldi had a rough time recently, when a new landlord raised the rent exorbitantly. Fortunately, Ishrat has built a loyal following over the years, and a fund raiser and slightly more reasonable rent has kept Café Vivaldi in business.

When Woody Allen and Al Pacino wanted to make movies featuring the timeless quality of Greenwich Village they came to Vivaldi. It’s important that we keep this special place alive, for if we lose Cafe Vivaldi, NYCity will have lost a piece of it’s soul.

CAFFE VIVALDI HAS CLOSED, VERY SAD.
I HAVE LEFT THIS REVIEW ON MY SITE AS A KIND OF MEMORIAL and A WARNING. WE HAVE TO WORK HARDER TO SAVE THESE SPECIAL PLACES.

As reported in the “Gothamist”:
“Caffe Vivaldi, one of the last bohemian bastions of the West Village, is set to close this weekend. During its 35 years on Jones Street, the casual cafe won the hearts of locals and celebs alike, including Oscar Isaac, Bette Midler, and Al Pacino.

Despite that friendly communal atmosphere, the owners ultimately struggled to survive under their notorious vulture landlord Steve Croman, who they say waged a harassment campaign against the restaurant, and eventually tripled their rent.”
==============================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, jazz clubs, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges, and of course, pubs – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge.

If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a comment.
========================================================

3 Good Eating places

It’s not difficult to find a place to eat in Manhattan.
Finding a good, inexpensive place to eat is a bit harder.
Here are a few of my faves in this neighborhood:

Fish – 280 Bleecker St. (just a bit S. of 7th ave South)
This was an easy pick – the best raw bar special in town. $9 gets you 6 of the freshest oysters or clams + a glass of wine or beer. Don’t know how they can do it, but I tell everyone I know about this place. And it’s located right in the heart of some of the best no cover music in town.

Bleecker Street Pizza – 69 7th ave S. (corner of Bleecker St.)
The place is tiny and not much to look at, but this is one good slice. They like to brag that they have been voted “Best pizza in NY” 3 years in a row by the Food Network. I believe them. I would have voted for them.

Num Pang – 21 E 12th St. (btw. University Place/5th ave.)
This is a Cambodian banh mi sandwich shop that kept me well fed while I was in class nearby recently. It’s cramped, even for NYCity, but usually there is room up the spiral staircase to sit down and eat. In good weather carry your sandwich a few blocks to Union Square park. You may have to wait a few minutes, because everything is freshly made, but it’s worth it. Can you believe – an unheard of 26 food rating by Zagat.

========================================================
“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”
No reservations needed.
========================================================
NYCity is the most diverse and interesting place to find a meal anywhere in the world. With more than 24,000 eating establishments you might welcome some advice.

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places, and essays on my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods on Manhattan’s WestSide, order a copy of my e-book:
“Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($4.99, available WINTER 2020).
◊ Order before FEB. 28, 2020 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.

=====================================================
Bonus: Nifty 9 – Best Cabarets / Piano Bars NYCity
These are my favorite places for an after dinner night on the town – music and drinks.
Hit the Hot Link and check out what’s happening tonight:

Feinstein’s/54 Below – 254 W 54th St.

The Green Room 42 – 570 Tenth Ave.

Don’t Tell Mama – 343 W 46th St.

The Rum House, in the Hotel Edison – 228 W. 47th St.

Laurie Beechman Theatre – 407 W 42nd St.

Marie’s Crisis – 59 Grove St.

The Duplex – 61 Christopher St.

Sid Gold’s Request Room – 165 W 26th St.

Cafe Carlyle, in the Carlyle Hotel – 35 E. 76th St.
This is the only one not located on Manhattan’s WestSide, and it ain’t cheap, but it has some of the finest singers.

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

=======================================================

NYT Theater Reviews – Our theater critics on the plays and musicals currently open in New York City.

=======================================================

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (10/13) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 10/13/2019 by

Today’s Elite 8 NYC Events > SUNDAY/ OCTOBER 13, 2019

“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We make it as easy as 1-2-3.

For future NYC Events, check the tab above:  “October NYC Events”
It’s the most comprehensive list of top events this month that you will find anywhere.
Carefully curated from “Only the Best” NYC event info on the the web, it’s a simply superb resource that will help you plan your NYC visit all over town, all through the month.

OR to make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

==============================================================

Have time for only one NYC Event today? Do This:

New York City Wine and Food Festival (Oct.10-13)
Various Locations and Prices
“Spend four days feasting at tastings, classes and dining events all over the city with TV personalities like Ted Allen, Bobby Flay, Ina Garten, Masaharu Morimoto, Rachel Ray, Emeril Lagasse and Martha Stewart, plus local heroes like Pig Beach’s Matt Abdoo, Baoburg’s Chef Bao Bao and Jacob’s Pickles’ Glenroy Brown. You may not be able to fit into your Halloween costume, but it will certainly have been worth it.” (TONY)

========================================================

7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> Art Blakey Centennial Celebration
>> Porgy and Bess
>> Chita Rivera
>> Fly
>> CLASSIC NYCB
>> Gerald Clayton Quartet
>> ‘New York Coffee Festival

You may want to look at previous days posts for events that continue through today.

=======================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Art

Art Blakey Centennial Celebration, featuring Kenny Washington
Smoke / 7PM, +9PM, $35
“This 100th birthday tribute to the legendary drummer Art Blakey features an all-star quintet with the great Kenny Washington on drums. Perhaps the most important mentor in jazz history, and his band the most important gig for many future greats, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers in its various incarnations created the sound of modern jazz. Brooklyn-born and Staten Island-raised, Kenny Washington is a jazz legend in his own right.”

The Metropolitan Opera
Tonight:  Porgy and Bess (next Oct.16, 7:30PM)
Metropolitan Opera House / 3PM, $53+
“One of America’s favorite operas returns to the Met for the first time in nearly 30 years. James Robinson’s stylish production transports audiences to Catfish Row on the Charleston waterfront, vibrant with the music, dancing, emotion, and heartbreak of its inhabitants. “If you’re going to stage Gershwin’s opera, this is how,” raved the Guardian when the new production premiered in London in 2018. David Robertson conducts a dynamic cast, featuring the sympathetic duo of Eric Owens and Angel Blue in the title roles and an all-star ensemble that includes Golda Schultz, Latonia Moore, Denyce Graves, Frederick Ballentine, Alfred Walker, and Ryan Speedo Green.”

Chita Rivera
Feinstein’s/54 Below / 7PM, $75+
“Rivera came to New York in the early 1950s, and the rest is razzle-dazzle history: starring roles in the original casts of West Side Story, Bye Bye Birdie and Chicago; 10 Tony nominations (including two wins); the 2002 Kennedy Center Honors. She’s often called a legend, but she’s very much real—and, at 86, still firmly in command of her talents.” (TONY)

Fly (Oct. 8-13)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S./ 8:30 and 10:30 p.m.; $35
“The novelty of compact ensembles of saxophone, bass, and drums may have worn off since Sonny Rollins spotlighted his celebrated stripped-down trio at the Village Vanguard, in 1957, but Fly—consisting of the tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, the bassist Larry Grenadier, and the drummer Jeff Ballard—is proof that the concept still has wings. Discerning in its dedication to composition and arrangements as much as to creative improvisation, Fly is a coöperative that generates strength through egoless unity.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

New York City Ballet (LAST DAY)
Tonight: CLASSIC NYCB
NYS Theater, Lincoln Center / 3PM, $35+
“The last week of the fall season offers a little bit of everything, including several masterpieces of the repertoire: Jerome Robbins’s “Dances at a Gathering,” Merce Cunningham’s “Summerspace,” and George Balanchine’s “Serenade” and “Symphony in C.” Two new works, by Lauren Lovette (a company member) and by Edwaard Liang (a former member), return on the last day of the season, Oct. 13, paired with Robbins’s haunting “Opus 19/The Dreamer,” created for Mikhail Baryshnikov, in 1979. Gonzalo Garcia and Taylor Stanley alternate in the role of the Dreamer, a man navigating his inner world and the turbulent melodies of Prokofiev’s First Violin Concerto.” (Marina Harss, NewYorker)

Gerald Clayton Quartet (Oct.10-13)
Jazz Standard / 7:30PM, +9:30PM; $30
“You can feel the weight of history behind everything pianist Clayton plays, yet that heritage never weighs down the buoyant flow of his lines. Here, Clayton leads a heavyweight postbop foursome featuring alto saxist Logan Richardson, bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Kendrick Scott.” (TONY)

=========================================================

Smart Stuff / Other NYC EventS

New York Coffee Festival (Oct.11-13)
Make your morning buzz last all day
Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St./ hours vary daily; $40
“The New York Coffee Festival has hundreds of coffees to try, guaranteeing a weekend full of wakefulness. There’ll be live cooking demos; a cold brew cocktail bar stocked with vodka; and New York’s Best Barista competition, where local baristas will be recognized for their talent and community impact. 100% of the profits from the festival will benefit Project Waterfall, which brings clean water to coffee-growing regions around the world. At last, all that iced coffee you chug can finally do some good.” (thrillist.com)

Continuing Events

New York Film Festival (LAST DAY)
“Lincoln Center’s signature cinematic event returns with a lineup that’s simply packed with eagerly anticipated movies by major filmmakers. The festival opens with Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” and closes with Edward Norton’s “Motherless Brooklyn.” In between, you can find new work by everyone from Bong Joon-Ho (“Parasite”) to Kelly Reichardt (“First Cow”), along with Antonio Banderas and Pedro Almodóvar (“Pain and Glory”).” (amNY)

FALL FOR DANCE (LAST DAY)
at New York City Center / 8PM, $15 (Sundays 3PM)
“The annual smorgasbord of high-quality, low-cost dance returns with five diverse programs that mixes hometown stars with global luminaries, and classics with new commissions. Program 1, on Tuesday and Wednesday, features Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in a work by Crystal Pite, Vuyani Dance Theater from South Africa with the stateside debut of a piece by Gregory Maqoma, Caleb Teicher & Company in Teicher’s “Bzzzz,” and Misty Copeland in a Kyle Abraham premiere. The lineup for Program 2, on Oct. 3 and 4, comprises Mark Morris Dance Group, the French hip-hop troupe Dyptik, the Washington Ballet and Malevo, who bring a rock version of the Argentine folk dance malambo. All shows have sold out, but any cancellations will result in tickets becoming available online and at the box office, so keep an eye out.” (NYT-Brian Schaefer)

Ron Carter (Oct. 1-26)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ various times, $30-$40
“If Ron Carter had retired in the mid-seventies, after helping cement the sonic identity of the now revered CTI Records, he’d still be recognized as one of the most substantial bassists in jazz history, having shared stages with a slew of legendary figures (including Miles Davis) and recorded with dozens more—but he didn’t. He has since added thousands of recordings to his résumé and established a respected solo career. Week one of this monthlong stint features the exemplary instrumentalist fronting his Great Big Band.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

===========================================================

COMING SOON (WFUV)

10/13 Wilco, Brooklyn Steel
10/15 Black Keys, Barclays Center
10/15 Orville Peck, Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/15-16 Kacey Musgraces/Lucius, Radio City Music Hall
10/15-16 Steely Dan, Beacon Theatre

Fall Concerts (nycgo.com)

David Byrne’s American Utopia on Broadway
October 4­, 2019–January 19, 2020
Hudson Theatre
The Talking Heads frontman hits Broadway with a show based on his latest album—but you can expect some old favorites as well.

Kacey Musgraves
October 15
Radio City Music Hall
The Grammy-winning country artist brings her tour to Radio City.

Steely Dan
October 15, 16, 18, 19 and 22
Beacon Theatre
Donald Fagen keeps the jazz-rock music of Steely Dan, familiar from songs like “Do It Again,” “Reelin’ in the Years” and “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” going strong.
Advertisement

Alessia Cara
October 23
PlayStation Theatre
The Canadian pop and R&B star known for the song “Here” plays in Times Square.

Sleater-Kinney
October 30 and 31
Kings Theatre and Hammerstein Ballroom
Minus one Janet Weiss, the Pacific Northwest rockers tour behind new album The Center Won’t Hold.

==========================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, plus dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.6 million, had a record 65 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2019 – the ninth consecutive year. BUT quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just earlier on the day of performance.

=========================================================

WHAT’S ON VIEW
These are My Fave Special Exhibitions @ MUSEUMS / Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue
(See the New York Times Arts Section for listings of all museum exhibitions,
and also see the expanded reviews of these exhibitions)

Jewish Museum

‘SCENES FROM THE COLLECTION’

“After a surgical renovation to its grand pile on Fifth Avenue, the Jewish Museum has reopened its third-floor galleries with a rethought and refreshed display of its permanent collection, which intermingles modern and contemporary art, by Jews and gentiles alike — Mark Rothko, Lee Krasner, Nan Goldin, Cindy Sherman, and the excellent young Nigerian draftswoman Ruby Onyinyechi Amanze — with 4,000 years of Judaica. The works are shown in a nimble, non-chronological suite of galleries, and some of its century-spanning juxtapositions are bracing; others feel reductive, even dilletantish. But always, the Jewish Museum conceives of art and religion as interlocking elements of a story of civilization, commendably open to new influences and new interpretations.” (Farago) 212-423-3200, thejewishmuseum.org

Museum of the City of New York

NY AT ITS CORE (ongoing)
“Ten years in the making, New York at Its Core tells the compelling story of New York’s rise from a striving Dutch village to today’s “Capital of the World.” The exhibition captures the human energy that drove New York to become a city like no other and a subject of fascination the world over. Entertaining, inspiring, important, and at times bemusing, New York City “big personalities,” including Alexander Hamilton, Walt Whitman, Boss Tweed, Emma Goldman, JP Morgan, Fiorello La Guardia, Jane Jacobs, Jay-Z, and dozens more, parade through the exhibition. Visitors will also learn the stories of lesser-known New York personalities, like Lenape chieftain Penhawitz and Italian immigrant Susie Rocco. Even animals like the horse, the pig, the beaver, and the oyster, which played pivotal roles in the economy and daily life of New York, get their moment in the historical spotlight. Occupying the entire first floor in three interactive galleries (Port City, 1609-1898, World City, 1898-2012, and Future City Lab) New York at Its Core is shaped by four themes: money, density, diversity, and creativity. Together, they provide a lens for examining the character of the city, and underlie the modern global metropolis we know today. mcny.org” (NYCity Guide)

and you should be sure to check out these special exhibitions at that little museum on Fifth Ave., The Metropolitan Museum of Art
(open 7 days /week, AND always Pay What You Wish for NewYorkers)

Coming Soon

===========================================================
Museum Mile is a section of Fifth Avenue which contains one of the densest displays of culture in the world. Eight museums can be found along this section of Fifth Avenue:
• 105th Street – El Museo del Barrio (closed Sun-Mon)*
• 103rd Street – Museum of the City of New York (open 7 days /week)
•  92nd Street – The Jewish Museum (closed Wed) (Sat FREE) (Thu 5-8 PWYW)
•  91st Street  –  Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (open 7 days /week)
•  89th Street –  National Academy Museum (closed Mon-Tue)
•  88th Street –  Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (closed Thu) (Sat 6-8 PWYW)
•  86th Street –  Neue Galerie New York (closed Tue-Wed) (Fri 6-8 FREE)
Last, but certainly not least, America’s premier museum
•  82nd Street – The Metropolitan Museum of Art (open 7 days /week)*
*always Pay What You Wish (PWYW) for NewYorkers

Although technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection (closed Mon) (Wed 2-6pm PWYW; First Friday each month (exc Jan+Sep) 6-9pm FREE) on the corner of 70th St. and Fifth Avenue and the The Morgan Library & Museum (closed Mon) (Fri 7-9 FREE) on Madison Ave and 37th St are also located near Fifth Ave.
Now plan your own museum crawl (info on hours & admission updated June 2, 2015).
==============================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 10/11 and 10/09.
============================================================

Bonus Live Music  – NYC Jazz Clubs:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. My favorite Jazz Clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide, feature top talent every night of the week.
Hit the Hot Link and check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(4 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. So., villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037 (1st 8:30)
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592 (1st set 8pm)
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883 (1st 7pm)
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346 (1st 8)
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346 (1st set 7:30pm)
The Stone at The New School – 55 w13 St. (btw 6/5 ave) – thestonenyc.com (8:30PM)

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595 (1st set 7:30pm)
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080 (1st 8:30pm)
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com/ 212-864-6662 (7pm)
Jazz Standard – 116 E27 St. (btw Park/Lex) – jazzstandard.com – (1st set 7:30)

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

In Memoriam:
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones St. nr Bleecker St. — caffevivaldi.com / 212-691-7538 (1st 7pm)
a classic, old jazz club in the Village, Caffe V often surprised with a wonderfully eclectic lineup. It was my favorite spot for an evening of listening enjoyment and discovery.
Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319
And more recently we have lost Cornelia Street Cafe. After 41 years, it too became another victim of an unreasonable rent increase.

I MEMORIALIZE THESE TWO WONDERFUL CLUBS AS A WARNING.
WE HAVE TO WORK HARDER TO SAVE THESE SPECIAL PLACES.

=======================================================

NYT Theater Reviews – Our theater critics on the plays and musicals currently open in New York City.

=======================================================

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (10/12) + Today’s Featured Pub (Upper West Side)

Posted on 10/12/2019 by

Today’s Elite 8 NYC Events > SATURDAY/ OCTOBER 12, 2019

“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We make it as easy as 1-2-3.

For future NYC Events, check the tab above:  “October NYC Events”
It’s the most comprehensive list of top events this month that you will find anywhere.
Carefully curated from “Only the Best” NYC event info on the the web, it’s a simply superb resource that will help you plan your NYC visit all over town, all through the month.

OR to make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

==============================================================

Have time for only one NYC Event today? Do This:

The Jazz Messengers: The Legacy of Art Blakey led by Valery Ponomarev (Oct. 11-12)
at Dizzy’s Club / 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.; $45
“World-renowned trumpeter Valery Ponomarev continues the Art Blakey Centennial Celebration with a hard-swinging tribute to his iconic former bandleader and band in The Jazz Messengers: The Legacy of Art Blakey. As a bandleader, Blakey was best known for his ability to find and hone the sharpest young talent in jazz, from Lee Morgan to Ponomarev himself, who held the trumpet spot right before a young Wynton Marsalis. Ponomarev has already wowed Dizzy’s Club audiences with a big band that he leads in that same spirit, highlighting some of the most talented young jazz musicians. Tonight’s group, however, goes after the classic, small-group energy of the legendary Jazz Messengers, with a lineup featuring five of today’s top instrumentals performing a set of expertly arranged hard bop”

========================================================

7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> Bettye LaVette
>> Gerald Clayton Quartet
>> ‘DEZRON DOUGLAS QUARTET
>> A Monument to Memory: The Architecture & Preservation of Fraunces Tavern
>> ‘‘Kill’ an Evening with Edgar Allan Poe
>> ‘New York Coffee Festival
>> New York City Wine and Food Festival

You may want to look at previous days posts for events that continue through today.

=======================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Art

Bettye LaVette (Oct. 10-12)
Café Carlyle (at the Carlyle Hotel), 35 E. 76th St./ 8:45PM, $110+
GD: Try to snag one of the 10 less expensive bar seats.
“In the nearly two decades since she emerged from a purgatory imposed by record-industry malfeasance, the veteran soul singer Bettye LaVette has focussed on reimagining the songs of her peers. But hers are not conventional covers. Whether turning to the Dylan songbook or to Gnarls Barkley, LaVette performs the musical equivalent of gut renovations; amid the ravishing wreckage, she unearths a Biblical gravity that can dwell within the most innocuous radio hits. Following this week’s Carlyle engagement, LaVette kicks off BRIC JazzFest, on Oct. 19.” (Jay Ruttenberg, NewYorker)

Gerald Clayton Quartet (Oct.10-13)
Jazz Standard / 7:30PM, +9:30PM; $30
“You can feel the weight of history behind everything pianist Clayton plays, yet that heritage never weighs down the buoyant flow of his lines. Here, Clayton leads a heavyweight postbop foursome featuring alto saxist Logan Richardson, bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Kendrick Scott.” (TONY)

DEZRON DOUGLAS QUARTET (Oct. 11-12)
at Smalls / 10:30 p.m. and midnight; $20
“A bassist with a rare depth of feeling and flavor, Douglas can typically be heard in bands led by some of jazz’s brightest talents. He’s the kind of side musician who can almost single-handedly make a band shine, while doing nothing so flashy as to seize the spotlight. So his talents as a bandleader should come as no surprise. Douglas’s most recent album, “Black Lion,” from last year, dealt in capering funk, briskly swinging postbop and maximalist contemporary jazz, all arranged for a sextet with a three-horn front line. Here he leads a quartet featuring the tenor saxophonist Grant Stewart, the pianist Sylvia Manco and the drummer Jerome Jennings.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

=========================================================

Smart Stuff / Other NYC EventS

A Monument to Memory: The Architecture & Preservation of Fraunces Tavern
Fraunces Tavern Museum / 2PM, $7
“Celebrate the 300th anniversary of the construction of Fraunces Tavern, one of the oldest sites in New York City. This tour will take your through our new exhibition, A Monument to Memory: 300 Years of Living History, to explore the history of 54 Pearl Street, its significance to the American Revolutionary era, and the efforts to restore and preserve the building.” (ThoughtGallery)

‘Kill’ an Evening with Edgar Allan Poe (Oct.10-13)
Merchants House Museum / 7PM, $40-$55
“John Kevin Jones, a Poe impersonator, will perform Poe’s tales “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Raven,” “The Pit and the Pendulum” and “The Cask of Amontillado” in the parlor of the Merchant’s House Museum, which will be made up with a coffin and mirrors in black crepe.” (amNY)

New York Coffee Festival (Oct.11-13)
Make your morning buzz last all day
Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St./ hours vary daily; $40
“The New York Coffee Festival has hundreds of coffees to try, guaranteeing a weekend full of wakefulness. There’ll be live cooking demos; a cold brew cocktail bar stocked with vodka; and New York’s Best Barista competition, where local baristas will be recognized for their talent and community impact. 100% of the profits from the festival will benefit Project Waterfall, which brings clean water to coffee-growing regions around the world. At last, all that iced coffee you chug can finally do some good.” (thrillist.com)

New York City Wine and Food Festival (Oct.10-13)
Various Locations and Prices
“Spend four days feasting at tastings, classes and dining events all over the city with TV personalities like Ted Allen, Bobby Flay, Ina Garten, Masaharu Morimoto, Rachel Ray, Emeril Lagasse and Martha Stewart, plus local heroes like Pig Beach’s Matt Abdoo, Baoburg’s Chef Bao Bao and Jacob’s Pickles’ Glenroy Brown. You may not be able to fit into your Halloween costume, but it will certainly have been worth it.” (TONY)

Continuing Events

New York Film Festival (Sept. 27 — Oct. 13)
“Lincoln Center’s signature cinematic event returns with a lineup that’s simply packed with eagerly anticipated movies by major filmmakers. The festival opens with Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” and closes with Edward Norton’s “Motherless Brooklyn.” In between, you can find new work by everyone from Bong Joon-Ho (“Parasite”) to Kelly Reichardt (“First Cow”), along with Antonio Banderas and Pedro Almodóvar (“Pain and Glory”).” (amNY)

FALL FOR DANCE (Oct.1-13)
at New York City Center / 8PM, $15 (Sundays 3PM)
“The annual smorgasbord of high-quality, low-cost dance returns with five diverse programs that mixes hometown stars with global luminaries, and classics with new commissions. Program 1, on Tuesday and Wednesday, features Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in a work by Crystal Pite, Vuyani Dance Theater from South Africa with the stateside debut of a piece by Gregory Maqoma, Caleb Teicher & Company in Teicher’s “Bzzzz,” and Misty Copeland in a Kyle Abraham premiere. The lineup for Program 2, on Oct. 3 and 4, comprises Mark Morris Dance Group, the French hip-hop troupe Dyptik, the Washington Ballet and Malevo, who bring a rock version of the Argentine folk dance malambo. All shows have sold out, but any cancellations will result in tickets becoming available online and at the box office, so keep an eye out.” (NYT-Brian Schaefer)

Ron Carter (Oct. 1-26)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ various times, $30-$40
“If Ron Carter had retired in the mid-seventies, after helping cement the sonic identity of the now revered CTI Records, he’d still be recognized as one of the most substantial bassists in jazz history, having shared stages with a slew of legendary figures (including Miles Davis) and recorded with dozens more—but he didn’t. He has since added thousands of recordings to his résumé and established a respected solo career. Week one of this monthlong stint features the exemplary instrumentalist fronting his Great Big Band.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

===========================================================

COMING SOON (WFUV)

10/12 Live From Here w/Chris Thile, Town Hall
10/12 Wilco, Radio City Music Hall
10/12 Shovels & Rope, Brooklyn Steel
10/13 Wilco, Brooklyn Steel
10/15 Black Keys, Barclays Center
10/15 Orville Peck, Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/15-16 Kacey Musgraces/Lucius, Radio City Music Hall
10/15-16 Steely Dan, Beacon Theatre

Fall Concerts (nycgo.com)

David Byrne’s American Utopia on Broadway
October 4­, 2019–January 19, 2020
Hudson Theatre
The Talking Heads frontman hits Broadway with a show based on his latest album—but you can expect some old favorites as well.

Wilco
October 12
Radio City Music Hall
Yes, Ode to Joy, the title of Wilco’s upcoming album, was used centuries ago by Friedrich Schiller and then Beethoven. But occasional parallel thinking is inevitable in any creative endeavor.

Kacey Musgraves
October 15
Radio City Music Hall
The Grammy-winning country artist brings her tour to Radio City.

Steely Dan
October 15, 16, 18, 19 and 22
Beacon Theatre
Donald Fagen keeps the jazz-rock music of Steely Dan, familiar from songs like “Do It Again,” “Reelin’ in the Years” and “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” going strong.
Advertisement

Alessia Cara
October 23
PlayStation Theatre
The Canadian pop and R&B star known for the song “Here” plays in Times Square.

Sleater-Kinney
October 30 and 31
Kings Theatre and Hammerstein Ballroom
Minus one Janet Weiss, the Pacific Northwest rockers tour behind new album The Center Won’t Hold.

=============================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, plus dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.6 million, had a record 65 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2019 – the ninth consecutive year. But quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just earlier on the day of performance.
================================================================================

A PremierPub / Upper West Side

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que / 700 W125th St. @ 12th ave.

Walk only five minutes from the 125th St. station on the #1 line to find this authentic honky-tonk barbecue joint. Some folks think Dinosaur is just a place to eat ribs. Not so. With 24 carefully selected taps, this is a place to drink beer, and eat ribs.

HarlHostStandNo food goes better with American craft ales than American barbecue. Dinosaur may be the best combo of good beer drinking and hearty eating in town, which makes the trip uptown to West Harlem totally worthwhile.

This second incarnation of Dinosaur in Harlem is in a two story, old brick warehouse near the Hudson River. Don’t let that run down exterior fool you. Inside it’s a large space with huge, rough wooden columns and unfinished wooden floors and brick walls – just right for a bbq joint. As soon as you open the front door you are hit with that tantalizing aroma of barbecue coming from the large open kitchen. Reminds me of those great rib joints I frequented when stationed in North Carolina all those years ago. If your stomach wasn’t grumbling before, it is now.

Head to the bar, sit down and try to decide on a beer. It’s not an easy decision – a good problem to have. This is a pretty damn good beer list to choose from, one that most beer bars should be jealous of. I love that they feature NY craft beers. You may want to try the four beer sampler, which is always fun, and in this place may be necessary.

The blues music playing in the background will get you in the mood for their North Carolina style barbecue, and even when it’s a full house your order shouldn’t take too long (assuming you snagged a table). The food is all slow smoked, so it’s already mostly done and ready to go. I always start with an order of their giant, spice rubbed wings, so good they may make you give up Buffalo wings.

Unfortunately, a place this good does not fly under the radar. There can be some long waits for a table at dinnertime. So you need a strategy – avoid prime time, and try not to arrive with your entire posse, which will limit your seating options.

A seat at the bar, a small table in the bar area, or in the summer, an outside table underneath what’s left of the elevated West Side Highway, all may open before a table inside the main dining room. Otherwise, try Dinosaur for lunch, or come very late for dinner, maybe after a show at the nearby Cotton Club nightclub.

Website: http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/
Phone #: 212-694-1777
Hours: Mo-Th 11:30am-11:00pm; Fr-Sa 11:30am-12:00am;
Su 12:00pm-10:00pm
Happy Hour: 4-7pm every day; $1 off all drinks
Music: Fri / Sat 10:30pm
Subway: #1 to 125th St.
Walk 2 blk W on 125th St. to Dinosaur Bar-B-Q,
just past the elevated highway.
========================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, jazz clubs, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges, and of course, pubs – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge (except for certain jazz clubs).

If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a  comment. 

============================================================

Bonus Live Music  – NYC Jazz Clubs:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. My favorite Jazz Clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide, feature top talent every night of the week.
Hit the Hot Link and check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(4 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. So., villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037 (1st 8:30)
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592 (1st set 8pm)
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883 (1st 7pm)
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346 (1st 8)
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346 (1st set 7:30pm)
The Stone at The New School – 55 w13 St. (btw 6/5 ave) – thestonenyc.com (8:30PM)

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595 (1st set 7:30pm)
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080 (1st 8:30pm)
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com/ 212-864-6662 (7pm)
Jazz Standard – 116 E27 St. (btw Park/Lex) – jazzstandard.com – (1st set 7:30)

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

In Memoriam:
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones St. nr Bleecker St. — caffevivaldi.com / 212-691-7538 (1st 7pm)
a classic, old jazz club in the Village, Caffe V often surprised with a wonderfully eclectic lineup. It was my favorite spot for an evening of listening enjoyment and discovery.
Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319
And more recently we have lost Cornelia Street Cafe. After 41 years, it too became another victim of an unreasonable rent increase.

I MEMORIALIZE THESE TWO WONDERFUL CLUBS AS A WARNING.
WE HAVE TO WORK HARDER TO SAVE THESE SPECIAL PLACES.

=======================================================

NYT Theater Reviews – Our theater critics on the plays and musicals currently open in New York City.

=======================================================

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (10/11) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 10/11/2019 by

Today’s Elite 8 NYC Events > FRIDAY/ OCTOBER 11, 2019

“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We make it as easy as 1-2-3.

For future NYC Events, check the tab above:  “October NYC Events”
It’s the most comprehensive list of top events this month that you will find anywhere.
Carefully curated from “Only the Best” NYC event info on the the web, it’s a simply superb resource that will help you plan your NYC visit all over town, all through the month.

OR to make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

==============================================================

Have time for only one NYC Event today? Do This:

Neil deGrasse Tyson in Conversation with Robert Krulwich: Letters from an Astrophysicist
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ 7PM, $55
All tickets include a copy of the book.
“Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of the world’s most influential scientists.

As director of the Hayden Planetarium, and host of Cosmos and StarTalk, he has dedicated his life to exploring and explaining the mysteries of the universe. Join him for an evening of humor, passion and big ideas as he shares insights and anecdotes from his new book, Letters from an Astrophysicist. Every year, Tyson receives thousands of letters from people across the globe who have sought him out in search of answers to questions about science, faith, philosophy, life and, of course, Pluto. His replies are by turns wise, funny and mind-blowing. Join the galactic conversation as he talks with Radiolab host Robert Krulwich about his quest to understand our place in the cosmos.”

========================================================

7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> The Jazz Messengers: The Legacy of Art Blakey led by Valery Ponomarev
>> GODWIN LOUIS
>> Jesse Baez
>> ‘DEZRON DOUGLAS QUARTET
>> ‘New York Coffee Festival
>> New York City Wine and Food Festival
>> I Got Gershwin: The Inside Story of the Most Celebrated Song in All of Jazz and Broadway

You may want to look at previous days posts for events that continue through today.

=======================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Art

The Jazz Messengers: The Legacy of Art Blakey led by Valery Ponomarev (Oct. 11-12)
at Dizzy’s Club / 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.; $45
“World-renowned trumpeter Valery Ponomarev continues the Art Blakey Centennial Celebration with a hard-swinging tribute to his iconic former bandleader and band in The Jazz Messengers: The Legacy of Art Blakey. As a bandleader, Blakey was best known for his ability to find and hone the sharpest young talent in jazz, from Lee Morgan to Ponomarev himself, who held the trumpet spot right before a young Wynton Marsalis. Ponomarev has already wowed Dizzy’s Club audiences with a big band that he leads in that same spirit, highlighting some of the most talented young jazz musicians. Tonight’s group, however, goes after the classic, small-group energy of the legendary Jazz Messengers, with a lineup featuring five of today’s top instrumentals performing a set of expertly arranged hard bop”

GODWIN LOUIS
at the Jazz Gallery / 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.; $25-$35
This alto saxophonist was born in Harlem to parents of Haitian descent; as an adult he has lived in New York, Haiti and New Orleans, and on his debut album — the double disc “Global,” which effortlessly mixes carnival bounce with jazz linguistics — he explores the common threads of black expression that he discovered along the way. At the Gallery, Louis will perform music from that release with Axel Tosca Laugart on piano, Kareem Thompson on steel pan, Giveton Gelin on trumpet, Dion Kerr on bass and Jonathan Barber on drums.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Jesse Baez
S.O.B.’s, 204 Varick St./ 8PM, $18
“R. & B. has been slowly bubbling up in underground music scenes across Latin America, and the Chicago-born, Guatemala-bred singer Jesse Baez has found his footing in the genre. On his EP “Turbo,” from last year, he sprawled suave vocals over slick, pop-flecked melodies, resulting in chromatic experiments like “Quiero Saber” and “Siempre.” As the style he’s known for becomes more popular in the Spanish-language mainstream, Baez sets himself apart by selecting beats that are laid-back and just a little dark.” (Julyssa Lopez, NewYorker)

DEZRON DOUGLAS QUARTET (Oct. 11-12)
at Smalls / 10:30 p.m. and midnight; $20
“A bassist with a rare depth of feeling and flavor, Douglas can typically be heard in bands led by some of jazz’s brightest talents. He’s the kind of side musician who can almost single-handedly make a band shine, while doing nothing so flashy as to seize the spotlight. So his talents as a bandleader should come as no surprise. Douglas’s most recent album, “Black Lion,” from last year, dealt in capering funk, briskly swinging postbop and maximalist contemporary jazz, all arranged for a sextet with a three-horn front line. Here he leads a quartet featuring the tenor saxophonist Grant Stewart, the pianist Sylvia Manco and the drummer Jerome Jennings.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

=========================================================

Smart Stuff / Other NYC EventS

New York Coffee Festival (Oct.11-13)
Make your morning buzz last all day
Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St./ hours vary daily; $40
“The New York Coffee Festival has hundreds of coffees to try, guaranteeing a weekend full of wakefulness. There’ll be live cooking demos; a cold brew cocktail bar stocked with vodka; and New York’s Best Barista competition, where local baristas will be recognized for their talent and community impact. 100% of the profits from the festival will benefit Project Waterfall, which brings clean water to coffee-growing regions around the world. At last, all that iced coffee you chug can finally do some good.” (thrillist.com)

New York City Wine and Food Festival (Oct.10-13)
Various Locations and Prices
“Spend four days feasting at tastings, classes and dining events all over the city with TV personalities like Ted Allen, Bobby Flay, Ina Garten, Masaharu Morimoto, Rachel Ray, Emeril Lagasse and Martha Stewart, plus local heroes like Pig Beach’s Matt Abdoo, Baoburg’s Chef Bao Bao and Jacob’s Pickles’ Glenroy Brown. You may not be able to fit into your Halloween costume, but it will certainly have been worth it.” (TONY)

I Got Gershwin: The Inside Story of the Most Celebrated Song in All of Jazz and Broadway
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ 12PM, $29
“When George Gershwin, already the most celebrated songwriter of his day, wrote “I Got Rhythm” for newcomer Ethel Merman in the 1930 musical Girl Crazy, he not only launched the career of the most dynamic performer in the history of musical theater, he created a song that truly changed the world.

“I Got Rhythm” became not only a Broadway blockbuster, but the definitive “jazz song,” a number that thousands of major musicians continually deconstructed and reconstructed, ransacking its chord changes to produce new songs of their own. This special Clip Joint looks at both sides of “Rhythm,” theatrical and jazz, from Judy Garland & Mickey Rooney to Nat King Cole, Charlie Parker, Count Basie and even The Flintstones!”

Continuing Events

New York Film Festival (Sept. 27 — Oct. 13)
“Lincoln Center’s signature cinematic event returns with a lineup that’s simply packed with eagerly anticipated movies by major filmmakers. The festival opens with Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” and closes with Edward Norton’s “Motherless Brooklyn.” In between, you can find new work by everyone from Bong Joon-Ho (“Parasite”) to Kelly Reichardt (“First Cow”), along with Antonio Banderas and Pedro Almodóvar (“Pain and Glory”).” (amNY)

FALL FOR DANCE (Oct.1-13)
at New York City Center / 8PM, $15 (Sundays 3PM)
“The annual smorgasbord of high-quality, low-cost dance returns with five diverse programs that mixes hometown stars with global luminaries, and classics with new commissions. Program 1, on Tuesday and Wednesday, features Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in a work by Crystal Pite, Vuyani Dance Theater from South Africa with the stateside debut of a piece by Gregory Maqoma, Caleb Teicher & Company in Teicher’s “Bzzzz,” and Misty Copeland in a Kyle Abraham premiere. The lineup for Program 2, on Oct. 3 and 4, comprises Mark Morris Dance Group, the French hip-hop troupe Dyptik, the Washington Ballet and Malevo, who bring a rock version of the Argentine folk dance malambo. All shows have sold out, but any cancellations will result in tickets becoming available online and at the box office, so keep an eye out.” (NYT-Brian Schaefer)

Ron Carter (Oct. 1-26)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ various times, $30-$40
“If Ron Carter had retired in the mid-seventies, after helping cement the sonic identity of the now revered CTI Records, he’d still be recognized as one of the most substantial bassists in jazz history, having shared stages with a slew of legendary figures (including Miles Davis) and recorded with dozens more—but he didn’t. He has since added thousands of recordings to his résumé and established a respected solo career. Week one of this monthlong stint features the exemplary instrumentalist fronting his Great Big Band.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

===========================================================

COMING SOON (WFUV)

10/10-11 Big Thief, Webster Hall
10/11 Bon Iver, Barclays Center
10/12 Live From Here w/Chris Thile, Town Hall
10/12 Wilco, Radio City Music Hall
10/12 Shovels & Rope, Brooklyn Steel
10/13 Wilco, Brooklyn Steel
10/15 Black Keys, Barclays Center
10/15 Orville Peck, Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/15-16 Kacey Musgraces/Lucius, Radio City Music Hall
10/15-16 Steely Dan, Beacon Theatre

Fall Concerts (nycgo.com)

David Byrne’s American Utopia on Broadway
October 4­, 2019–January 19, 2020
Hudson Theatre
The Talking Heads frontman hits Broadway with a show based on his latest album—but you can expect some old favorites as well.

Wilco
October 12
Radio City Music Hall
Yes, Ode to Joy, the title of Wilco’s upcoming album, was used centuries ago by Friedrich Schiller and then Beethoven. But occasional parallel thinking is inevitable in any creative endeavor.

Kacey Musgraves
October 15
Radio City Music Hall
The Grammy-winning country artist brings her tour to Radio City.

Steely Dan
October 15, 16, 18, 19 and 22
Beacon Theatre
Donald Fagen keeps the jazz-rock music of Steely Dan, familiar from songs like “Do It Again,” “Reelin’ in the Years” and “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” going strong.
Advertisement

Alessia Cara
October 23
PlayStation Theatre
The Canadian pop and R&B star known for the song “Here” plays in Times Square.

Sleater-Kinney
October 30 and 31
Kings Theatre and Hammerstein Ballroom
Minus one Janet Weiss, the Pacific Northwest rockers tour behind new album The Center Won’t Hold.

=============================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, plus dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.6 million, had a record 65 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2019 – the ninth consecutive year. BUT quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just earlier on the day of performance.

=========================================================

Chelsea Art Gallery District*

Chelsea is the heart of the NYCity contemporary art scene. Home to more than 300 art galleries, the Rubin Museum, the Joyce Theater and The Kitchen performance spaces, there is no place like it anywhere in the world. Come here to browse free exhibitions by world-renowned artists and those unknowns waiting to be discovered in an art district that is concentrated between West 18th and West 27th Streets, and 10th and 11th Avenues. Afterwards stop in the Chelsea Market, stroll on the High Line, or rest up at one of the many cafes and bars and discuss the fine art.

Here is one exhibition the New Yorker likes:

===========================================================================

For a listing of 25 essential galleries in the Chelsea Art Gallery District, organized by street, which enables you to create your own Chelsea Art Gallery crawl, see the Chelsea Gallery Guide (nycgo.com) Or check out TONY magazine’s list of the “Best Chelsea Galleries” and click through to see what’s on view.

*Now plan your own gallery crawl, but better plan your visits for Tuesday through Saturday; most galleries are closed Sunday and Monday.

TIP: After your gallery tour, stop in Ovest at 513W27th St. for Aperitivo Italiano (Happy Hour on steroids). Discuss all the great art you have viewed over a drink and a very tasty selection of FREE appetizers (M-F, 5-8pm). OR try this NYT recommendation: “When you’re done, adjourn to the newly renovated Bottino , the Chelsea art world’s unofficial canteen on 10th Avenue (btw 24/25 St.) “

=======================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see recent posts in right sidebar dated 10/09 and 10/07.
=====================================================

Bonus NYC Music Venues:
So much fine live music every night in this town. These are my favorite non jazz music venues on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who’s playing tonight:

City Winery – 155 Varick St., citywinery.com, 212-608-0555
Joe’s Pub @ Public Theater – 425 Lafayette St., joespub.com, 212-967-7555
Beacon Theatre – 2124 Broadway @ 74th St., beacontheatre.com, 212-465-6500
Town Hall – 123 W43rd St., thetownhall.org, 212-997-6661
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St., lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474
and one more, not quite WestSide
Bowery Ballroom – 6 Delancey St. boweryballroom.com

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

In Memoriam:
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones St. nr Bleecker St. caffevivaldi.com, 212-691-7538
a classic, old jazz club in the Village, Caffe V often surprises with a wonderfully eclectic lineup. It’s my favorite spot for an evening of listening discovery and enjoyment.
Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.

I MEMORIALIZE THIS WONDERFUL CLUB AS A WARNING.
WE HAVE TO WORK HARDER TO SAVE THESE SPECIAL PLACES.

=======================================================

NYT Theater Reviews – Our theater critics on the plays and musicals currently open in New York City.

=======================================================

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (10/10) + Today’s Featured Pub (WestVillage)

Posted on 10/10/2019 by

Today’s Elite 8 NYC Events > THURSDAY/ OCTOBER 10, 2019

“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We make it as easy as 1-2-3.

For future NYC Events, check the tab above:  “October NYC Events”
It’s the most comprehensive list of top events this month that you will find anywhere.
Carefully curated from “Only the Best” NYC event info on the the web, it’s a simply superb resource that will help you plan your NYC visit all over town, all through the month.

OR to make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

==============================================================

Have time for only one NYC Event today? Do This:

Bettye LaVette (Oct. 10-12)
Café Carlyle (at the Carlyle Hotel), 35 E. 76th St./ 8:45PM, $110+
GD: Try to snag one of the 10 less expensive bar seats.
“In the nearly two decades since she emerged from a purgatory imposed by record-industry malfeasance, the veteran soul singer Bettye LaVette has focussed on reimagining the songs of her peers. But hers are not conventional covers. Whether turning to the Dylan songbook or to Gnarls Barkley, LaVette performs the musical equivalent of gut renovations; amid the ravishing wreckage, she unearths a Biblical gravity that can dwell within the most innocuous radio hits. Following this week’s Carlyle engagement, LaVette kicks off BRIC JazzFest, on Oct. 19.” (Jay Ruttenberg, NewYorker)

========================================================

7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> Melvis Santa & Ashedi
>> Gerald Clayton Quartet
>> Porgy and Bess
>> ‘MASTERS AT WORK: BALANCHINE & CUNNINGHAM
>> ‘STRING ORCHESTRA OF BROOKLYN
>> New York City Wine and Food Festival
>> ‘Kill’ an Evening with Edgar Allan Poe

You may want to look at previous days posts for events that continue through today.

=======================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Art

Melvis Santa & Ashedi
Atrium @ Lincoln Center / 7:30PM, FREE
“Havana-born artist Melvis Santa made a splash on the Cuban musical scene at 14, when she founded the collective Sexto Sentido—a project that jazz great Chucho Valdés deemed “the best Cuban vocal quartet of the past 30 years.” The multitalented singer, composer, pianist, Afro-Cuban dancer, actress, and educator went on to perform at the historic Minton’s Playhouse jazz club, Birdland, and the Zinc Bar, among other storied music venues. Santa, a 2018 Grammy nominee for Best Latin Jazz Album, now brings her band’s rich palette of Latin sounds to the Atrium with their new project, Ashedí. Don’t miss this powerful performance exploring the connections between her Afro-Cuban musical heritage, bolero, and jazz.”

Gerald Clayton Quartet (Oct.10-13)
Jazz Standard / 7:30PM, +9:30PM; $30
“You can feel the weight of history behind everything pianist Clayton plays, yet that heritage never weighs down the buoyant flow of his lines. Here, Clayton leads a heavyweight postbop foursome featuring alto saxist Logan Richardson, bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Kendrick Scott.” (TONY)

The Metropolitan Opera
Porgy and Bess (next Oct.13, 3PM)
Metropolitan Opera House / 7:30PM, $53+
“One of America’s favorite operas returns to the Met for the first time in nearly 30 years. James Robinson’s stylish production transports audiences to Catfish Row on the Charleston waterfront, vibrant with the music, dancing, emotion, and heartbreak of its inhabitants. “If you’re going to stage Gershwin’s opera, this is how,” raved the Guardian when the new production premiered in London in 2018. David Robertson conducts a dynamic cast, featuring the sympathetic duo of Eric Owens and Angel Blue in the title roles and an all-star ensemble that includes Golda Schultz, Latonia Moore, Denyce Graves, Frederick Ballentine, Alfred Walker, and Ryan Speedo Green.”

New York City Ballet (Oct. 8-13)
Tonight: MASTERS AT WORK: BALANCHINE & CUNNINGHAM
NYS Theater, Lincoln Center / 7:30PM, $35+
“The last week of the fall season offers a little bit of everything, including several masterpieces of the repertoire: Jerome Robbins’s “Dances at a Gathering,” Merce Cunningham’s “Summerspace,” and George Balanchine’s “Serenade” and “Symphony in C.” Two new works, by Lauren Lovette (a company member) and by Edwaard Liang (a former member), return on the last day of the season, Oct. 13, paired with Robbins’s haunting “Opus 19/The Dreamer,” created for Mikhail Baryshnikov, in 1979. Gonzalo Garcia and Taylor Stanley alternate in the role of the Dreamer, a man navigating his inner world and the turbulent melodies of Prokofiev’s First Violin Concerto.” (Marina Harss, NewYorker)

Elsewhere, but this looks way worth the detour and I guess a lot of other people feel the same way:

STRING ORCHESTRA OF BROOKLYN (Oct. 8-10)
in the Green-Wood Cemetery Catacombs / 7:30 p.m.; $
These concerts sell out quickly, so put your name on their mailing list or make a donation and get early access.
“As part of the pioneering Angel’s Share series, and accompanied by projections, Eli Spindel conducts Pärt’s “Fratres,” Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” and Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater,” with the soprano Molly Netter and the mezzo-soprano Kate Maroney. As ever, a whiskey tasting begins at 6 p.m.” (NYT-David Allen)

=========================================================

Smart Stuff / Other NYC EventS

New York City Wine and Food Festival (Oct.10-13)
Various Locations and Prices
“Spend four days feasting at tastings, classes and dining events all over the city with TV personalities like Ted Allen, Bobby Flay, Ina Garten, Masaharu Morimoto, Rachel Ray, Emeril Lagasse and Martha Stewart, plus local heroes like Pig Beach’s Matt Abdoo, Baoburg’s Chef Bao Bao and Jacob’s Pickles’ Glenroy Brown. You may not be able to fit into your Halloween costume, but it will certainly have been worth it.” (TONY)

‘Kill’ an Evening with Edgar Allan Poe (Oct.10-13)
Merchants House Museum / 7PM, $40-$55
“John Kevin Jones, a Poe impersonator, will perform Poe’s tales “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Raven,” “The Pit and the Pendulum” and “The Cask of Amontillado” in the parlor of the Merchant’s House Museum, which will be made up with a coffin and mirrors in black crepe.” (amNY)

Continuing Events

New York Film Festival (Sept. 27 — Oct. 13)
“Lincoln Center’s signature cinematic event returns with a lineup that’s simply packed with eagerly anticipated movies by major filmmakers. The festival opens with Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” and closes with Edward Norton’s “Motherless Brooklyn.” In between, you can find new work by everyone from Bong Joon-Ho (“Parasite”) to Kelly Reichardt (“First Cow”), along with Antonio Banderas and Pedro Almodóvar (“Pain and Glory”).” (amNY)

FALL FOR DANCE (Oct.1-13)
at New York City Center / 8PM, $15 (Sundays 3PM)
“The annual smorgasbord of high-quality, low-cost dance returns with five diverse programs that mixes hometown stars with global luminaries, and classics with new commissions. Program 1, on Tuesday and Wednesday, features Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in a work by Crystal Pite, Vuyani Dance Theater from South Africa with the stateside debut of a piece by Gregory Maqoma, Caleb Teicher & Company in Teicher’s “Bzzzz,” and Misty Copeland in a Kyle Abraham premiere. The lineup for Program 2, on Oct. 3 and 4, comprises Mark Morris Dance Group, the French hip-hop troupe Dyptik, the Washington Ballet and Malevo, who bring a rock version of the Argentine folk dance malambo. All shows have sold out, but any cancellations will result in tickets becoming available online and at the box office, so keep an eye out.” (NYT-Brian Schaefer)

Ron Carter (Oct. 1-26)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ various times, $30-$40
“If Ron Carter had retired in the mid-seventies, after helping cement the sonic identity of the now revered CTI Records, he’d still be recognized as one of the most substantial bassists in jazz history, having shared stages with a slew of legendary figures (including Miles Davis) and recorded with dozens more—but he didn’t. He has since added thousands of recordings to his résumé and established a respected solo career. Week one of this monthlong stint features the exemplary instrumentalist fronting his Great Big Band.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

===========================================================

COMING SOON (WFUV)

10/10 Thievery Corporation, Bowery Ballroom
10/10-11 Big Thief, Webster Hall
10/11 Bon Iver, Barclays Center
10/12 Live From Here w/Chris Thile, Town Hall
10/12 Wilco, Radio City Music Hall
10/12 Shovels & Rope, Brooklyn Steel
10/13 Wilco, Brooklyn Steel
10/15 Black Keys, Barclays Center
10/15 Orville Peck, Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/15-16 Kacey Musgraces/Lucius, Radio City Music Hall
10/15-16 Steely Dan, Beacon Theatre

Fall Concerts (nycgo.com)

David Byrne’s American Utopia on Broadway
October 4­, 2019–January 19, 2020
Hudson Theatre
The Talking Heads frontman hits Broadway with a show based on his latest album—but you can expect some old favorites as well.

Wilco
October 12
Radio City Music Hall
Yes, Ode to Joy, the title of Wilco’s upcoming album, was used centuries ago by Friedrich Schiller and then Beethoven. But occasional parallel thinking is inevitable in any creative endeavor.

Kacey Musgraves
October 15
Radio City Music Hall
The Grammy-winning country artist brings her tour to Radio City.

Steely Dan
October 15, 16, 18, 19 and 22
Beacon Theatre
Donald Fagen keeps the jazz-rock music of Steely Dan, familiar from songs like “Do It Again,” “Reelin’ in the Years” and “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” going strong.
Advertisement

Alessia Cara
October 23
PlayStation Theatre
The Canadian pop and R&B star known for the song “Here” plays in Times Square.

Sleater-Kinney
October 30 and 31
Kings Theatre and Hammerstein Ballroom
Minus one Janet Weiss, the Pacific Northwest rockers tour behind new album The Center Won’t Hold.

==========================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, plus dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.6 million, had a record 65 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2019 – the ninth consecutive year. BUT quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just earlier on the day of performance.

=========================================================

A PremierPub / West Village

Corner Bistro / 331 W. 4th St.

Sometimes you just need a beer and a burger. If so, Corner Bistro is the place you want. Located just outside the hip Meatpacking district, this corner bar and grill is decidedly unhip, but it’s not uncrowded, especially at night. Seems that everyone knows this place has one of the better burgers in town.

kac_120405_phude_corner_bistro_bar_1000-600x450In the maze of streets known as the West Village, where West 4th intersects with West 12th (and West 11th, and West 10th, go figure), you will eventually find Corner Bistro on the corner of West 4th and Jane Street. An unassuming neighborhood tavern, it looks just like dozens of other taverns around town.

The bartender tells me that the Corner Bistro celebrated it’s 55th anniversary last year. The well worn interior tells me that the place itself is much older.

Corner Bistro has outlasted many of those other taverns around town because they know how to keep it simple — just good burgers and beer, fairly priced. The classic bistro Burger is only $9.75, and should be ordered medium rare, which will be plenty rare for most folks. Actually, it will be a juicy, messy delight – make sure you have extra napkins. I like to pull up a stool and sit by the large front window in the afternoon, where I can rest my burger and beer on the shelf, and watch the Villagers walk by.

Corner Bistro seems to attract very different groups of patrons depending on time of day. While it’s crowded with locals in the evening, in the afternoon you hear different foreign languages, and watch groups of euro tourists wander in, led by their guidebooks and smartphones.

For the classic Bistro experience, order your burger with a McSorley’s draft, the dark preferably. This is the same beer that you can get over at the original McSorley’s in the East Village, the pub that claims to be the oldest continually operating bar in NYCity. The only difference is that this McSorley’s ale is served with a smile by the bartenders here. Or you can get a Sierra Nevada, Stella, or Hoegaarden on tap if you want to go upscale a bit. Either way this is a simple, but quality burger and beer experience that is just too rare these days (sorry for the pun).
=========================================================
Website: cornerbistrony.com
Phone #: 212-242-9502
Hours: 11:30am-4am Mon-Sat; 12pm-4am Sun
Happy Hour: NO
Music: Juke Box
Subway: #1/2/3 to 14th St. (S end of platform)
Walk: 1 blk W. on 13th St. to 8th Ave.; 1 blk S. on 8th Ave. to Jane St.
Update:
==============================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, jazz clubs, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges, and of course, pubs – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge (except for certain jazz clubs).

If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a comment.

=====================================================
Bonus: Nifty 9 – Best Cabarets / Piano Bars NYCity
These are my favorite places for an after dinner night on the town – music and drinks.
Hit the Hot Link and check out what’s happening tonight:

Feinstein’s/54 Below – 254 W 54th St.

The Green Room 42 – 570 Tenth Ave.

Don’t Tell Mama – 343 W 46th St.

The Rum House, in the Hotel Edison – 228 W. 47th St.

Laurie Beechman Theatre – 407 W 42nd St.

Marie’s Crisis – 59 Grove St.

The Duplex – 61 Christopher St.

Sid Gold’s Request Room – 165 W 26th St.

Cafe Carlyle, in the Carlyle Hotel – 35 E. 76th St.
This is the only one not located on Manhattan’s WestSide, and it ain’t cheap, but it has some of the finest singers.

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

=======================================================

NYT Theater Reviews – Our theater critics on the plays and musicals currently open in New York City.

=======================================================

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (10/09) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 10/09/2019 by

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > WEDNESDAY/ OCTOBER 09, 2019

“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We make it as easy as 1-2-3.

For future NYC Events, check the tab above:  “October NYC Events”
It’s the most comprehensive list of top events this month that you will find anywhere.
Carefully curated from “Only the Best” NYC event info on the the web, it’s a simply superb resource that will help you plan your NYC visit all over town, all through the month.

OR to make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

==============================================================

Have time for only one NYC Event today? Do This:

SHANTALA SHIVALINGAPPA (Oct.8-12)
at the Joyce Theater / 7:30PM, $25+
“This acclaimed classical Indian dancer returns to the Joyce with an evening of solos called “Akasha,” the Sanskrit word for “sky” or “space.” Shivalingappa, who was born in Madras (present-day Chennai) and raised in Paris, performs the Kuchipudi style, a kind of dance theater that emphasizes rhythmic feet, expressive hand gestures and physical fluidity in the service of dramatizing ancient narratives. In this 2013 work, Shivalingappa interprets five Hindi poems while accompanied by four traditional musicians.” (NYT-Brian Schaefer)

========================================================

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> Fly
>> Turnadot
>> ROBBINS + PECK
>> ‘ART BLAKEY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
>> ‘STRING ORCHESTRA OF BROOKLYN
>> Dalai Lama’s “Force for Good” Program—Psychedelics, Mysticism, and Enlightenment

You may want to look at previous days posts for events that continue through today.

=======================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Art

Fly (Oct. 8-13)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S./ 8:30 and 10:30 p.m.; $35
“The novelty of compact ensembles of saxophone, bass, and drums may have worn off since Sonny Rollins spotlighted his celebrated stripped-down trio at the Village Vanguard, in 1957, but Fly—consisting of the tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, the bassist Larry Grenadier, and the drummer Jeff Ballard—is proof that the concept still has wings. Discerning in its dedication to composition and arrangements as much as to creative improvisation, Fly is a coöperative that generates strength through egoless unity.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

The Metropolitan Opera
Turnadot (next Oct.12, 1PM)
Metropolitan Opera House / 7:30PM, $53+
“Two of opera’s most thrilling dramatic sopranos, Christine Goerke and Nina Stemme, reprise their fierce portrayals of the title princess. Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium to conduct Franco Zeffirelli’s dazzling production of Puccini’s final masterpiece, which also features tenors Roberto Aronica and Marco Berti as Calàf, sopranos Eleonora Buratto and Hibla Gerzmava as Liù, and bass-baritones James Morris and Nicolas Testé as Timur.”

New York City Ballet (Oct. 8-13)
Tonight: ROBBINS + PECK
NYS Theater, Lincoln Center / 7:30PM, $35+
“Resident Choreographer Justin Peck comes together with Founding Choreographer Jerome Robbins in a program featuring two epic ballets, complementary in their unique and colorful styles of movement.”

ART BLAKEY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION (Oct. 7-12)
at Dizzy’s Club / 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.; $35
“Blakey is remembered equally for the thunderous power of his drumming and for his influence on future generations; for over three decades, his Jazz Messengers remained a proving ground for premier young musicians. In recognition of what would have been Blakey’s 100th birthday on Oct. 11, Jazz at Lincoln Center has assembled a six-night celebration of his legacy, starting on Monday with a performance by the drummer and Jazz Messengers alum Ralph Peterson, who now pays Blakey’s legacy forward as the leader of his own Gen-Next Big Band. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the all-star sextet One for All will play a selection of tunes from the Messengers’ songbook, and for the remaining nights the trumpeter Valery Ponomarev, a veteran of the Messengers, will lead tributes to Blakey (with his Our Father Who Art Blakey Big Band on Oct. 10, and then in a smaller group on Oct. 11 and 12).” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Elsewhere, but this looks way worth the detour and I guess a lot of other people feel the same way:

STRING ORCHESTRA OF BROOKLYN (Oct. 8-10)
in the Green-Wood Cemetery Catacombs / 7:30 p.m.; $
These concerts sell out quickly, so put your name on their mailing list or make a donation and get early access.
“As part of the pioneering Angel’s Share series, and accompanied by projections, Eli Spindel conducts Pärt’s “Fratres,” Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” and Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater,” with the soprano Molly Netter and the mezzo-soprano Kate Maroney. As ever, a whiskey tasting begins at 6 p.m.” (NYT-David Allen)

=========================================================

Smart Stuff / Other NYC EventS

Dalai Lama’s “Force for Good” Program—Psychedelics, Mysticism, and Enlightenment
Tibet House US, 22 W. 15th St./ 7:30PM, $25
“The Dalai Lama’s “Force for Good” Program convenes an expert panel at Tibet House US delving into mystical states. Among the topics: the latest in FDA-approved psychedelic-generated research, clinical psychology’s approaches to psychedelics, and the place of psychedelics in religion.” (ThoughtGallery)

Continuing Events

New York Film Festival (Sept. 27 — Oct. 13)
“Lincoln Center’s signature cinematic event returns with a lineup that’s simply packed with eagerly anticipated movies by major filmmakers. The festival opens with Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” and closes with Edward Norton’s “Motherless Brooklyn.” In between, you can find new work by everyone from Bong Joon-Ho (“Parasite”) to Kelly Reichardt (“First Cow”), along with Antonio Banderas and Pedro Almodóvar (“Pain and Glory”).” (amNY)

FALL FOR DANCE (Oct.1-13)
at New York City Center / 8PM, $15 (Sundays 3PM)
“The annual smorgasbord of high-quality, low-cost dance returns with five diverse programs that mixes hometown stars with global luminaries, and classics with new commissions. Program 1, on Tuesday and Wednesday, features Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in a work by Crystal Pite, Vuyani Dance Theater from South Africa with the stateside debut of a piece by Gregory Maqoma, Caleb Teicher & Company in Teicher’s “Bzzzz,” and Misty Copeland in a Kyle Abraham premiere. The lineup for Program 2, on Oct. 3 and 4, comprises Mark Morris Dance Group, the French hip-hop troupe Dyptik, the Washington Ballet and Malevo, who bring a rock version of the Argentine folk dance malambo. All shows have sold out, but any cancellations will result in tickets becoming available online and at the box office, so keep an eye out.” (NYT-Brian Schaefer)

Ron Carter (Oct. 1-26)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ various times, $30-$40
“If Ron Carter had retired in the mid-seventies, after helping cement the sonic identity of the now revered CTI Records, he’d still be recognized as one of the most substantial bassists in jazz history, having shared stages with a slew of legendary figures (including Miles Davis) and recorded with dozens more—but he didn’t. He has since added thousands of recordings to his résumé and established a respected solo career. Week one of this monthlong stint features the exemplary instrumentalist fronting his Great Big Band.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

===========================================================

COMING SOON (WFUV)

10/9 Big Thief, Brooklyn Steel
10/9 Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Webster Hall

Fall Concerts (nycgo.com)

David Byrne’s American Utopia on Broadway
October 4­, 2019–January 19, 2020
Hudson Theatre
The Talking Heads frontman hits Broadway with a show based on his latest album—but you can expect some old favorites as well.

Wilco
October 12
Radio City Music Hall
Yes, Ode to Joy, the title of Wilco’s upcoming album, was used centuries ago by Friedrich Schiller and then Beethoven. But occasional parallel thinking is inevitable in any creative endeavor.

Kacey Musgraves
October 15
Radio City Music Hall
The Grammy-winning country artist brings her tour to Radio City.

Steely Dan
October 15, 16, 18, 19 and 22
Beacon Theatre
Donald Fagen keeps the jazz-rock music of Steely Dan, familiar from songs like “Do It Again,” “Reelin’ in the Years” and “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” going strong.
Advertisement

Alessia Cara
October 23
PlayStation Theatre
The Canadian pop and R&B star known for the song “Here” plays in Times Square.

Sleater-Kinney
October 30 and 31
Kings Theatre and Hammerstein Ballroom
Minus one Janet Weiss, the Pacific Northwest rockers tour behind new album The Center Won’t Hold.

==========================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, plus dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.6 million, had a record 65 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2019 – the ninth consecutive year. BUT quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just earlier on the day of performance.

=========================================================

WHAT’S ON VIEW
These are My Fave Special Exhibitions @ MUSEUMS / Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue
(See the New York Times Arts Section for listings of all museum exhibitions,
and also see the expanded reviews of these exhibitions)

Jewish Museum

‘SCENES FROM THE COLLECTION’

“After a surgical renovation to its grand pile on Fifth Avenue, the Jewish Museum has reopened its third-floor galleries with a rethought and refreshed display of its permanent collection, which intermingles modern and contemporary art, by Jews and gentiles alike — Mark Rothko, Lee Krasner, Nan Goldin, Cindy Sherman, and the excellent young Nigerian draftswoman Ruby Onyinyechi Amanze — with 4,000 years of Judaica. The works are shown in a nimble, non-chronological suite of galleries, and some of its century-spanning juxtapositions are bracing; others feel reductive, even dilletantish. But always, the Jewish Museum conceives of art and religion as interlocking elements of a story of civilization, commendably open to new influences and new interpretations.” (Farago) 212-423-3200, thejewishmuseum.org

Museum of the City of New York

NY AT ITS CORE (ongoing)
“Ten years in the making, New York at Its Core tells the compelling story of New York’s rise from a striving Dutch village to today’s “Capital of the World.” The exhibition captures the human energy that drove New York to become a city like no other and a subject of fascination the world over. Entertaining, inspiring, important, and at times bemusing, New York City “big personalities,” including Alexander Hamilton, Walt Whitman, Boss Tweed, Emma Goldman, JP Morgan, Fiorello La Guardia, Jane Jacobs, Jay-Z, and dozens more, parade through the exhibition. Visitors will also learn the stories of lesser-known New York personalities, like Lenape chieftain Penhawitz and Italian immigrant Susie Rocco. Even animals like the horse, the pig, the beaver, and the oyster, which played pivotal roles in the economy and daily life of New York, get their moment in the historical spotlight. Occupying the entire first floor in three interactive galleries (Port City, 1609-1898, World City, 1898-2012, and Future City Lab) New York at Its Core is shaped by four themes: money, density, diversity, and creativity. Together, they provide a lens for examining the character of the city, and underlie the modern global metropolis we know today. mcny.org” (NYCity Guide)

and you should be sure to check out these special exhibitions at that little museum on Fifth Ave., The Metropolitan Museum of Art
(open 7 days /week, AND always Pay What You Wish for NewYorkers)

COMING SOON.

===========================================================
Museum Mile is a section of Fifth Avenue which contains one of the densest displays of culture in the world. Eight museums can be found along this section of Fifth Avenue:
• 105th Street – El Museo del Barrio (closed Sun-Mon)*
• 103rd Street – Museum of the City of New York (open 7 days /week)
•  92nd Street – The Jewish Museum (closed Wed) (Sat FREE) (Thu 5-8 PWYW)
•  91st Street  –  Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (open 7 days /week)
•  89th Street –  National Academy Museum (closed Mon-Tue)
•  88th Street –  Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (closed Thu) (Sat 6-8 PWYW)
•  86th Street –  Neue Galerie New York (closed Tue-Wed) (Fri 6-8 FREE)
Last, but certainly not least, America’s premier museum
•  82nd Street – The Metropolitan Museum of Art (open 7 days /week)*
*always Pay What You Wish (PWYW) for NewYorkers

Although technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection (closed Mon) (Wed 2-6pm PWYW; First Friday each month (exc Jan+Sep) 6-9pm FREE) on the corner of 70th St. and Fifth Avenue and the The Morgan Library & Museum (closed Mon) (Fri 7-9 FREE) on Madison Ave and 37th St are also located near Fifth Ave.
Now plan your own museum crawl (info on hours & admission updated June 2, 2015).
==============================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 10/07 and 10/05.
============================================================

Bonus Live Music  – NYC Jazz Clubs:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. My favorite Jazz Clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide, feature top talent every night of the week.
Hit the Hot Link and check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(4 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. So., villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037 (1st 8:30)
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592 (1st set 8pm)
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883 (1st 7pm)
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346 (1st 8)
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346 (1st set 7:30pm)
The Stone at The New School – 55 w13 St. (btw 6/5 ave) – thestonenyc.com (8:30PM)

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595 (1st set 7:30pm)
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080 (1st 8:30pm)
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com/ 212-864-6662 (7pm)
Jazz Standard – 116 E27 St. (btw Park/Lex) – jazzstandard.com – (1st set 7:30)

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

In Memoriam:
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones St. nr Bleecker St. — caffevivaldi.com / 212-691-7538 (1st 7pm)
a classic, old jazz club in the Village, Caffe V often surprised with a wonderfully eclectic lineup. It was my favorite spot for an evening of listening enjoyment and discovery.
Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319
And more recently we have lost Cornelia Street Cafe. After 41 years, it too became another victim of an unreasonable rent increase.

I MEMORIALIZE THESE TWO WONDERFUL CLUBS AS A WARNING.
WE HAVE TO WORK HARDER TO SAVE THESE SPECIAL PLACES.

=======================================================

NYT Theater Reviews – Our theater critics on the plays and musicals currently open in New York City.

=======================================================

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (10/08) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 10/08/2019 by

Today’s Elite 8 NYC Events > TUESDAY/ OCTOBER 08, 2019

“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We make it as easy as 1-2-3.

For future NYC Events, check the tab above:  “October NYC Events”
It’s the most comprehensive list of top events this month that you will find anywhere.
Carefully curated from “Only the Best” NYC event info on the the web, it’s a simply superb resource that will help you plan your NYC visit all over town, all through the month.

OR to make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

==============================================================

Have time for only one NYC Event today? Do This:

Macbeth (next Oct.12, 8PM)
at the Metropolitan Opera / 8 p.m.; $37+
“Soprano Anna Netrebko created a sensation when she made her Met role debut as Lady Macbeth in 2014 in Verdi’s gripping Shakespeare adaptation. Baritone Željko Lučić, who starred in the 2007 premiere of Adrian Noble’s evocative production, takes over the title role. Marco Armiliato conducts a cast that also features tenor Matthew Polenzani as Macduff and bass Ildar Abdrazakov as Banquo.” (NYT)

========================================================

7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> THANDISWA MAZWAI
>> Fly
>> ‘Chita Rivera
>> ROBBINS + PECK
>> The Lineup with Susie Mosher
>> ‘ART BLAKEY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
>> The Marriage of Photography and Architecture with Art Historian Sharon Suchma

You may want to look at previous days posts for events that continue through today.

=======================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Art

THANDISWA MAZWAI
at the Schomburg Center / 7 p.m.; FREE
“One of the most famous musicians in South Africa, Mazwai jump-started her career as a vocalist for the band Bongo Maffin, which helped pioneer kwaito, a genre of South African house music. Since then she has established herself as a belter of clatteringly rhythmic, galvanizing songs about love, resistance and African identity (typically sung in Xhosa) — as well as a thrilling bandleader. This concert is presented in partnership with Carnegie Hall Citywide.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Fly (Oct. 8-13)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S./ 8:30 and 10:30 p.m.; $35
“The novelty of compact ensembles of saxophone, bass, and drums may have worn off since Sonny Rollins spotlighted his celebrated stripped-down trio at the Village Vanguard, in 1957, but Fly—consisting of the tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, the bassist Larry Grenadier, and the drummer Jeff Ballard—is proof that the concept still has wings. Discerning in its dedication to composition and arrangements as much as to creative improvisation, Fly is a coöperative that generates strength through egoless unity.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

Chita Rivera
Feinstein’s/54 Below / 7PM, $75+
“Rivera came to New York in the early 1950s, and the rest is razzle-dazzle history: starring roles in the original casts of West Side Story, Bye Bye Birdie and Chicago; 10 Tony nominations (including two wins); the 2002 Kennedy Center Honors. She’s often called a legend, but she’s very much real—and, at 86, still firmly in command of her talents.” (TONY)

New York City Ballet (Oct. 8-13)
Tonight: ROBBINS + PECK
NYS Theater, Lincoln Center / 7:30PM, $35+
“The last week of the fall season offers a little bit of everything, including several masterpieces of the repertoire: Jerome Robbins’s “Dances at a Gathering,” Merce Cunningham’s “Summerspace,” and George Balanchine’s “Serenade” and “Symphony in C.” Two new works, by Lauren Lovette (a company member) and by Edwaard Liang (a former member), return on the last day of the season, Oct. 13, paired with Robbins’s haunting “Opus 19/The Dreamer,” created for Mikhail Baryshnikov, in 1979. Gonzalo Garcia and Taylor Stanley alternate in the role of the Dreamer, a man navigating his inner world and the turbulent melodies of Prokofiev’s First Violin Concerto.” (Marina Harss, NewYorker)

The Lineup with Susie Mosher
Birdland / 9:30PM, $25
“Mosher is one of those talents you need to see to believe: warm, funny, biting, ferociously committed. In her weekly series at the downstairs Birdland Theater, she invites a gaggle of performers from Broadway and beyond to show their talents. Guests at the October 8 edition include Aisha de Haas, Christine Lavin, Sue Matsuki, the Boy Band Project, Kristen Alderson, Colleen Harris, Lauren Tyler Scott, Joel Waggoner and musical director Brad Simmons.” (TONY)

ART BLAKEY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION (Oct. 7-12)
at Dizzy’s Club / 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.; $35
“Blakey is remembered equally for the thunderous power of his drumming and for his influence on future generations; for over three decades, his Jazz Messengers remained a proving ground for premier young musicians. In recognition of what would have been Blakey’s 100th birthday on Oct. 11, Jazz at Lincoln Center has assembled a six-night celebration of his legacy, starting on Monday with a performance by the drummer and Jazz Messengers alum Ralph Peterson, who now pays Blakey’s legacy forward as the leader of his own Gen-Next Big Band. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the all-star sextet One for All will play a selection of tunes from the Messengers’ songbook, and for the remaining nights the trumpeter Valery Ponomarev, a veteran of the Messengers, will lead tributes to Blakey (with his Our Father Who Art Blakey Big Band on Oct. 10, and then in a smaller group on Oct. 11 and 12).” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

=========================================================

Smart Stuff / Other NYC EventS

The Marriage of Photography and Architecture with Art Historian Sharon Suchma
The General Society Library, 20 W. 44th St./ 6:30PM, $15
“Celebrate Archtober with art historian Sharon Suchma, PhD. She’ll talk about the interplay between two well-suited disciplines—photography and architecture—a relationship that goes back to the dawn of photography nearly 200 years ago.” (thoughtgallery)

Continuing Events

New York Film Festival (Sept. 27 — Oct. 13)
“Lincoln Center’s signature cinematic event returns with a lineup that’s simply packed with eagerly anticipated movies by major filmmakers. The festival opens with Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” and closes with Edward Norton’s “Motherless Brooklyn.” In between, you can find new work by everyone from Bong Joon-Ho (“Parasite”) to Kelly Reichardt (“First Cow”), along with Antonio Banderas and Pedro Almodóvar (“Pain and Glory”).” (amNY)

FALL FOR DANCE (Oct.1-13)
at New York City Center / 8PM, $15 (Sundays 3PM)
“The annual smorgasbord of high-quality, low-cost dance returns with five diverse programs that mixes hometown stars with global luminaries, and classics with new commissions. Program 1, on Tuesday and Wednesday, features Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in a work by Crystal Pite, Vuyani Dance Theater from South Africa with the stateside debut of a piece by Gregory Maqoma, Caleb Teicher & Company in Teicher’s “Bzzzz,” and Misty Copeland in a Kyle Abraham premiere. The lineup for Program 2, on Oct. 3 and 4, comprises Mark Morris Dance Group, the French hip-hop troupe Dyptik, the Washington Ballet and Malevo, who bring a rock version of the Argentine folk dance malambo. All shows have sold out, but any cancellations will result in tickets becoming available online and at the box office, so keep an eye out.” (NYT-Brian Schaefer)

Ron Carter (Oct. 1-26)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ various times, $30-$40
“If Ron Carter had retired in the mid-seventies, after helping cement the sonic identity of the now revered CTI Records, he’d still be recognized as one of the most substantial bassists in jazz history, having shared stages with a slew of legendary figures (including Miles Davis) and recorded with dozens more—but he didn’t. He has since added thousands of recordings to his résumé and established a respected solo career. Week one of this monthlong stint features the exemplary instrumentalist fronting his Great Big Band.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

===========================================================

COMING SOON (WFUV)

10/8 “Songs For The Mind” w/ Deva Mahal and more, Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/8 “On Your Radar” w/FUV’s John Platt, Rockwood Music Hall
10/9 Big Thief, Brooklyn Steel
10/9 Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Webster Hall

Fall Concerts (nycgo.com)

David Byrne’s American Utopia on Broadway
October 4­, 2019–January 19, 2020
Hudson Theatre
The Talking Heads frontman hits Broadway with a show based on his latest album—but you can expect some old favorites as well.

Wilco
October 12
Radio City Music Hall
Yes, Ode to Joy, the title of Wilco’s upcoming album, was used centuries ago by Friedrich Schiller and then Beethoven. But occasional parallel thinking is inevitable in any creative endeavor.

Kacey Musgraves
October 15
Radio City Music Hall
The Grammy-winning country artist brings her tour to Radio City.

Steely Dan
October 15, 16, 18, 19 and 22
Beacon Theatre
Donald Fagen keeps the jazz-rock music of Steely Dan, familiar from songs like “Do It Again,” “Reelin’ in the Years” and “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” going strong.
Advertisement

Alessia Cara
October 23
PlayStation Theatre
The Canadian pop and R&B star known for the song “Here” plays in Times Square.

Sleater-Kinney
October 30 and 31
Kings Theatre and Hammerstein Ballroom
Minus one Janet Weiss, the Pacific Northwest rockers tour behind new album The Center Won’t Hold.

==========================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, plus dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.6 million, had a record 65 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2019 – the ninth consecutive year. BUT quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just earlier on the day of performance.

=====================================================

A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating Places – Greenwich Village

Caffe Vivaldi / 32 Jones Street (btw. Bleecker St./W4th St.)

Café Vivaldi is a classic, intimate club located in Greenwich Village on Jones Street, the street featured on the cover of Bob Dylan’s second album, “Freewheelin’. ”

maxresdefaultEach night Ishrat, the long time proprietor and impresario, carefully curates and schedules an eclectic series of musicians. You can often see him at his table in the corner, hard at work reviewing music videos and listening to cd demos on his laptop, scouting out future bookings. Musicians come from all over to play and sing in a club in Greenwich Village. Some are local New Yorkers, others are just passing through, in town for a few days.

There is a small bar, seating maybe 10. It’s close to the stage and I find it’s a perfect spot to sip a glass of red wine while listening to the music. The room itself has the performance area at one end and a cozy fireplace at the other. The performance area here is small, dominated by a large black Yamaha Grand piano. Tables are bunched together and most people at the tables are eating lite meals or sampling the wonderful desserts.

There is also a good selection of fairly priced wines,  but you are here because of the music. You can never be quite sure what you’re going to find, and that’s half the charm of this place. It’s not a home run every night, but many nights it’s pretty special.

I remember the night I saw the most talented bossa nova group, just in from San Paulo. As I listened, I wondered if there was any better music playing anywhere else in New York City that night. And at Caffé Vivaldi there is never a cover charge. Their recently redesigned web site does give you a better idea of the type of music playing each night.

At one time Greenwich Village was filled with clubs just like this, but times change. Real estate interests have impacted the village, and not for the better. Even Caffé Vivaldi had a rough time recently, when a new landlord raised the rent exorbitantly. Fortunately, Ishrat has built a loyal following over the years, and a fund raiser and slightly more reasonable rent has kept Café Vivaldi in business.

When Woody Allen and Al Pacino wanted to make movies featuring the timeless quality of Greenwich Village they came to Vivaldi. It’s important that we keep this special place alive, for if we lose Cafe Vivaldi, NYCity will have lost a piece of it’s soul.

CAFFE VIVALDI HAS CLOSED, VERY SAD.
I HAVE LEFT THIS REVIEW ON MY SITE AS A KIND OF MEMORIAL and A WARNING. WE HAVE TO WORK HARDER TO SAVE THESE SPECIAL PLACES.

As reported in the “Gothamist”:
“Caffe Vivaldi, one of the last bohemian bastions of the West Village, is set to close this weekend. During its 35 years on Jones Street, the casual cafe won the hearts of locals and celebs alike, including Oscar Isaac, Bette Midler, and Al Pacino.

Despite that friendly communal atmosphere, the owners ultimately struggled to survive under their notorious vulture landlord Steve Croman, who they say waged a harassment campaign against the restaurant, and eventually tripled their rent.”
==============================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, jazz clubs, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges, and of course, pubs – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge.

If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a comment.
========================================================

3 Good Eating places

It’s not difficult to find a place to eat in Manhattan.
Finding a good, inexpensive place to eat is a bit harder.
Here are a few of my faves in this neighborhood:

Fish – 280 Bleecker St. (just a bit S. of 7th ave South)
This was an easy pick – the best raw bar special in town. $9 gets you 6 of the freshest oysters or clams + a glass of wine or beer. Don’t know how they can do it, but I tell everyone I know about this place. And it’s located right in the heart of some of the best no cover music in town.

Bleecker Street Pizza – 69 7th ave S. (corner of Bleecker St.)
The place is tiny and not much to look at, but this is one good slice. They like to brag that they have been voted “Best pizza in NY” 3 years in a row by the Food Network. I believe them. I would have voted for them.

Num Pang – 21 E 12th St. (btw. University Place/5th ave.)
This is a Cambodian banh mi sandwich shop that kept me well fed while I was in class nearby recently. It’s cramped, even for NYCity, but usually there is room up the spiral staircase to sit down and eat. In good weather carry your sandwich a few blocks to Union Square park. You may have to wait a few minutes, because everything is freshly made, but it’s worth it. Can you believe – an unheard of 26 food rating by Zagat.

========================================================
“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”
No reservations needed.
========================================================
NYCity is the most diverse and interesting place to find a meal anywhere in the world. With more than 24,000 eating establishments you might welcome some advice.

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places, and essays on my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods on Manhattan’s WestSide, order a copy of my e-book:
“Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($4.99, available WINTER 2020).
◊ Order before FEB. 28, 2020 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.

=====================================================
Bonus: Nifty 9 – Best Cabarets / Piano Bars NYCity
These are my favorite places for an after dinner night on the town – music and drinks.
Hit the Hot Link and check out what’s happening tonight:

Feinstein’s/54 Below – 254 W 54th St.

The Green Room 42 – 570 Tenth Ave.

Don’t Tell Mama – 343 W 46th St.

The Rum House, in the Hotel Edison – 228 W. 47th St.

Laurie Beechman Theatre – 407 W 42nd St.

Marie’s Crisis – 59 Grove St.

The Duplex – 61 Christopher St.

Sid Gold’s Request Room – 165 W 26th St.

Cafe Carlyle, in the Carlyle Hotel – 35 E. 76th St.
This is the only one not located on Manhattan’s WestSide, and it ain’t cheap, but it has some of the finest singers.

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

=======================================================

NYT Theater Reviews – Our theater critics on the plays and musicals currently open in New York City.

=======================================================

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment