NYC Events,”Only the Best” (07/26) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 07/26/2017 by

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > WEDNESDAY/JULY 26, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-July”
It’s the most comprehensive list of top events this month that you’ll find anywhere.

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

If you are a fan of the national past time you won’t want to miss this one and the baseball clubhouse is pretty cool.

“The Cooperstown Casebook” with Jay Jaffe
Bergino Baseball Clubhouse, 67 E. 11th St./ 7PM, FREE, RSVP required
“The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, tucked away in upstate New York in a small town called Cooperstown, is far from any major media market or big league stadium. Yet no sports hall of fame’s membership is so hallowed, nor its qualifications so debated, nor its voting process so dissected.

Since its founding in 1936, the Hall of Fame’s standards for election have been nebulous, and its selection processes arcane, resulting in confusion among voters, not to mention mistakes in who has been recognized and who has been bypassed. Numerous so-called “greats” have been inducted despite having not been so great, while popular but controversial players such as all-time home run leader Barry Bonds and all-time hits leader Pete Rose are on the outside looking in.

Now, in “The Cooperstown Casebook,” Jay Jaffe takes us through his revolutionary ranking system. The foundation of Jaffe’s approach is JAWS, an acronym for the Jaffe WAR Score, which he developed over a decade ago. Through JAWS, each candidate can be objectively compared on the basis of career and peak value to the players at his position who are already in the Hall of Fame. Because of its utility, JAWS has gained an increasing amount of exposure in recent years. Through his analysis, Jaffe shows why the Hall of Fame still matters and how it can remain relevant in the 21st century.”

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6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>FRED HERSCH TRIO
>>OFFA REX
>>TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS
>>BALLET FESTIVAL
>>Henry David Thoreau: A Life
>>Beyond the Ballot: From Suffrage to the Women’s March
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Music, Dance, Performing Arts

FRED HERSCH TRIO ((July 25-30)
at the Village Vanguard / 8:30 and 10:30PM, $30
“Mr. Hersch plays the piano with a scrupulous momentum, especially when he’s with his trio. His solos can be swift and elusive, but they never sacrifice their distinctive lyrical clarity. Next week at the Village Vanguard, he will perform two sets a night with his longtime sidemen, the bassist John Hébert and the drummer Eric McPherson. This run is part of a busy summer: Before it’s over, Mr. Hersch will release both a solo piano album, “Open Book,” and a memoir, “Good Things Happen Slowly.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

OFFA REX
at the Town Hall / 8PM, $35-$55
“Two years ago the Oregon songwriter and performer Colin Meloy heard, and fell in love with, the music of the English folk artist Olivia Chaney. He invited Ms. Chaney to collaborate with his band, the Decemberists; the two acts ultimately merged to form Offa Rex, a new group whose excellent debut album, “The Queen of Hearts,” arrived this month. Concertgoers can expect to hear the British folk covers from the album, as well as reinterpreted songs from Ms. Chaney’s and the Decemberists’ catalogs.” (NYT- SIMON VOZICK-LEVINSON)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:

TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS (also Thursday)
at Forest Hills Stadium / 6:30PM, $50+
“Few 20th-century rock songs say “summer” quite as distinctly as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “American Girl” (although the other 17 songs on the band’s 1993 “Greatest Hits” collection are nearly as suited to the season). This two-night stand in Queens next week is part of a run of shows celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Heartbreakers’ founding. Mr. Petty has said that it’s likely to be his final major American tour, so fans should savor those choruses while they can.” (NYT- SIMON VOZICK-LEVINSON)

BALLET FESTIVAL (through July 29).
at the Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Ave., at 19th St./ 7:30PM, $31-$51
“This festival of small and enterprising ballet troupes continues with Claudia Schreier & Company (Friday and Saturday), Cirio Collective (Sunday and Monday), Gemma Bond Dance (Tuesday and Wednesday), and Amy Seiwert’s Imagery (Thursday through July 29). Although they create their work outside of large institutions, many of the choreographers have culled their dancers from the ranks of New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Boston Ballet and other established companies. Among the high-profile guests is the former City Ballet principal Wendy Whelan, who appears on Ms. Schreier’s program.” (SIOBHAN BURKE, NYT)

Smart Stuff / Other NYC Events
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)

Henry David Thoreau: A Life
Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Ave./ 6:30PM, $15
“Join Laura Dassow Walls, author of the forthcoming Henry David Thoreau: A Life, for an illustrated presentation on the profound, inspiring complexity of Henry David Thoreau. Drawing on Thoreau’s copious writings, published and unpublished, Walls presents a Thoreau with all his quirks and contradictions: the young man shattered by the sudden death of his brother; the ambitious Harvard College student; and the ecstatic visionary who closed Walden with an account of the regenerative power of the Cosmos.

The exhibition This Ever New Self: Thoreau and His Journal will be open at 5:30 pm for program attendees.”

Beyond the Ballot: From Suffrage to the Women’s March
Federal Hall, 26 Wall Street at 6:30PM, FREE
“In honor of the 2017 New York State Centennial of Women’s Suffrage, Humanities New York invites you to converse with a panel of women from the fields of journalism, history and community organizing to look back on the history of women’s rights and discuss what’s next.”
Complimentary refreshments prior to the event.

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Bonus NYC Events – 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
Feinstein’s/54 Below – 254 W54th St., 54below.com, 646-476-3551
Joe’s Pub @ Public Theater – 425 Lafayette St., joespub.com, 212-967-7555
Metropolitan Room – 34W22ndSt., metropolitan room.com, 212-206-0440
Beacon Theatre – 2124 Broadway @ 74th St., beacontheatre.com, 212-465-6500
Town Hall – 123 W43rd St., thetownhall.org, 212-997-6661
B.B. King’s Blues Bar – 237W42nd St., bbkingblues.com, 212-997-2144
Bowery Ballroom – 6 Delancey St. boweryballroom.com,
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St., lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474

Special Mention:
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.
See Below.

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♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2017.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):
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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.

Website: http://caffevivaldi.com/
Phone #: (212) 691-7538
Hours: Music generally 7:30PM – 11PM, but varies
Lunch/Dinner 11AM-on
Subway: #1 to Christopher St.
Walk 1 blk S. on 7th ave S. to Bleecker St., 1 blk left on Bleecker to Jones St., 50 yards left on Jones St. to Caffe V.
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“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.
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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.

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“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”
No reservations needed.
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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 Fall 2017).
◊ Order before Nov. 30, 2017 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.

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NYC Events,”Only the Best” (07/25) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 07/25/2017 by

Today’s Sweet 6 NYC Events > TUESDAY/JULY 25, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-July”
It’s the most comprehensive list of top events this month that you’ll find anywhere.

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

Summer of Know: Surveillance and Civil Liberties in the Age of Hacking
Guggenheim Museum,1071 Fifth Ave. (at 89th St.)/ 6:30PM, FREE with museum admission.
“From Snowden to Russia, our understanding of the sheerness of the membrane that protects our digital privacy has never been more evident. As part of the Guggenheim Museum‘s “Summer of Know” conversations, Ben Wizner, Director, ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, looks at mass surveillance and civil liberties in an age of hacking. He’s joined by artist Trevor Paglen (Blank Spots on the Map: The Dark Geography of the Pentagon’s Secret World).” (ThoughtGallery.org)

The Guggenheim Museum presents a series of conversations that bring together contemporary artists who think deeply about the most urgent social, political, environmental, or legal challenges facing our world today, with individuals who tackle those issues outside of the cultural sphere. Moderated or introduced by Guggenheim curators, these informal discussions invite different perspectives and are premised on the meeting of profound conviction with empirical experience. Summer of Know provides a forum for responding to and engaging with current issues as they are filtered through the generative lens of art.

Conversations take place in Cafe 3, where drinks and food are available. Please note capacity is limited.

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5 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>Liz Callaway: The Beat Goes On
>>Akua Allrich’s Nina Simone and Miriam Makeba tribute with The Tribe
>>BALLET FESTIVAL
>>Astronomy Live: Stars of Summer
>>The Amazing and Incredible History and Future of Brooklyn Animation
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Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Liz Callaway: The Beat Goes On (also July 28, 29)
Feinstein’s/54 Below, 254 W 54TH St. / 7PM, $45+
“The sunny Callaway, whose gleaming Broadway belt has brightened such shows as Cats, Baby and Miss Saigon, returns to 54 Below with a collection of songs from the 1960s, including selections from her 2001 album The Beat Goes On.” (TONY)

Akua Allrich’s Nina Simone and Miriam Makeba tribute with The Tribe
Dizzy’s Club, / 7:30PM, +9:30PM, $35
With vocalist Akua Allrich, pianist Mark Meadows, bassist Kris Funn, drummer Corey Fonville, saxophonist/flautist Brent Birckhead, guitarist Mongezi Ntaka, and conga player Agyei Osei Hargrove.

“Allrich is a powerful composer, but something very personal also happens when she pays tribute to her two biggest idols: Nina Simone and Miriam Makeba. Together with a funky large ensemble designed specifically for this repertoire she brings their message of truth into the present day.” – CapitalBop

An easy recommendation for a wide range of music fans, Allrich offers an eclectic artistry that is aptly (and perhaps playfully) summarized on her facebook page as “Jazz + Neo Afro-Soul-blues-reggae-funk-rock-folk music.” Allrich can carry a tune across these many genres with stunning authority, and she also excels at enriching such diverse styles with inventive improvisation and scat solos. This will be her ninth annual tribute to Nina Simone and Miriam Makeba—and her first time bringing this acclaimed program to Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola.”

BALLET FESTIVAL (through July 29).
at the Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Ave., at 19th St./ 7:30PM, $31-$51
“This festival of small and enterprising ballet troupes continues with Claudia Schreier & Company (Friday and Saturday), Cirio Collective (Sunday and Monday), Gemma Bond Dance (Tuesday and Wednesday), and Amy Seiwert’s Imagery (Thursday through July 29). Although they create their work outside of large institutions, many of the choreographers have culled their dancers from the ranks of New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Boston Ballet and other established companies. Among the high-profile guests is the former City Ballet principal Wendy Whelan, who appears on Ms. Schreier’s program.” (SIOBHAN BURKE, NYT)

Smart Stuff / Other NYC Events
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)

Astronomy Live: Stars of Summer
American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St./ 7PM, $15
“The summer sky sizzles with an abundance of bright planets and the brilliant Milky Way crossing from north to south. Join Joe Rao as he highlights the wonders of summer nights from Saturn and its spectacular rings to Jupiter gleaming in the south as darkness falls to Venus’ magnificent predawn show.”

Elsewhere, but this sure looks worth the detour:

The Amazing and Incredible History and Future of Brooklyn Animation
Brooklyn Historical Society, 128 Pierrepont St./6:30PM, $5
The big ol’ treasure trove of history can bring us so much — in 1929, a couple of Princeton researchers wired a live cat into a telephone — but as juicy as bizarre feline experiments may be, it’s not nearly as wild as discovering that Hays Code–censored sex symbol Betty Boop was originally an anthropomorphic poodle. Join animators John Canemaker and Jennifer Oxley, collector Tommy Stathes, and archivist David Kay for a chat about why some of the contemporary period’s enduring cartoon icons — Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, Shrek — have nothing on the original, wacky animation studios housed in Brooklyn. And don’t just take their word for it — you can see for yourself with featured clips from a number of animators, including Winsor McCay (Gertie the Dinosaur), Fleischer Studios (Betty Boop), and 100 Chickens (Peg + Cat). Who knows, maybe the panel will even reunite Betty with her pre-Code lover, Bimbo the dog!”
(Julia Irion Martins, Village Voice)

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Bonus NYC events– Jazz Venues:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(5 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com / 212-864-6662

Special Mention:
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 enjoyment and discovery.

==================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2017.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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WHAT’S ON VIEW
My Fave Special Exhibitions – MUSEUMS / Manhattan’s WestSide
(See the New York Times Arts Section for listings of all museums,
and also to see their expanded reviews of these exhibitions)

Whitney Museum of American Art:

Calder: Hypermobility (thru Oct 23)
“focuses on the extraordinary breadth of movement and sound in the work of Alexander Calder. This exhibition brings together a rich constellation of key sculptures and provides a rare opportunity to experience the works as the artist intended—in motion. Regular activations will occur in the galleries, revealing the inherent kinetic nature of Calder’s work, as well as its relationship to performance. Influenced in part by the artist’s fascination and engagement with choreography, Calder’s sculptures contain an embedded performativity that is reflected in their idiosyncratic motions and the perceptual responses they provoke.”

Museum of Arts and Design (thru Aug 20)
2 Columbus Circle
Counter-Couture: Handmade Fashion in an American Counterculture
“In all its sumptuous, ragtag, iconoclastic, and utopian forms, hippie clothing reflected the seismic cultural shifts of Vietnam War-era America, eschewing the mass-produced in favor of the personalized and the handmade. This captivating exhibition, installed in moodily lit galleries against purple-and-gold wallpaper, goes beyond the expected caftans and macramé to detail the nuances and extremes of countercultural aesthetics. A section devoted to stage costumes includes a medieval-inspired muumuu, its pastel-ombré velvet adorned with a starburst appliqué; Mama Cass Elliot, of the Mamas & the Papas, wore it in 1967. Nearby, looping film footage includes performance documentation of the Cockettes, an anarchic theatre group whose psychedelic, thrift-store drag sensibility helped shape a nascent queer aesthetic. From the Army-surplus garments appropriated and painstakingly embroidered by flower children to the dashikis and African fabrics embraced by the black-pride movement to the ascetic styles of communes and cults, the exhibition emphasizes how vernacular fashion signalled antiestablishment values and group identity. That said, high fashion isn’t neglected. One highlight is the visionary designer Kaisik Wong’s glittering, futuristic “wearable art,” which resembles armor and cocoons from another planet—or the next Aquarian age.” (NewYorker)

Museum of Modern Art:

‘ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG: AMONG FRIENDS’ (thru Sept.17)

“This retrospective of one of America’s great artists includes more than 250 paintings, sculptures, drawings, sound and video recordings, prints and photographs created over the course of a six­decade career. Rauschenberg sometimes worked with artists, dancers, musicians and writers (including John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Yvonne Rainer and Jasper Johns), and the exhibition will be supplemented by dance and performance.” ( STAV ZIV-Newsday)

A special pat on the back to MOMA, who is now displaying art from the seven countries affected by Trump’s travel ban.

“Trump’s ban against refugees from seven Muslim-majority nations has sparked acts of defiance in NYC, from demonstrations across town, to striking taxicab drivers at JFK to Middle Eastern bodega owners closing their shops in protest. Recently, the Museum Of Modern added its two cents by bringing out artworks it owns from the affected countries, and hanging them prominently within the galleries usually reserved for 19th- and 20th-century artworks from Europe and the United States. Paintings by Picasso and Matisse, for example, were removed to make way for pieces by Tala Madani (from Iran), Ibrahim El-Salahi (from Sudan) and architect Zaha Hadid (from Iraq). The rehanging, which was unannounced, aims to create a symbolic welcome that repudiates Trump by creating a visual dialog between the newly added works and the more familiar objects from MoMA’s permanent collection.” (TONY)

American Museum of Natural History:

Mummies (thru 1/7/18)
“For thousands of years, peoples around the world practiced mummification as a way of preserving and honoring their dead. Mummies brings you face to face with some of these ancient individuals and reveals how scientists are using modern technology to glean stunning details about them and their cultures. In Mummies, ancient remains from the Nile Valley of Africa and the Andes Mountains of South America will be on view, allowing visitors to connect with cultures from the distant past. Mummification, a more widespread practice than most think, was used not only for royal Egyptians but also for common people and even animals. Interactive touch tables let visitors virtually “unravel” or see inside mummies as they delve deep into the unique stories of the people or animals who lie within. Other parts of the exhibition showcase the latest isotopic and DNA testing being performed on mummies, and explain how these sophisticated analytical techniques are helping scientists discover important clues about long-vanished practices. Mummies was developed by The Field Museum, Chicago.”(NYCity Guide)

 

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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 07/23 and 07/21.
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NYC Events,”Only the Best” (07/24) + Today’s Featured Pub (Upper West Side)

Posted on 07/24/2017 by

Today’s Sweet 6 NYC Events > MONDAY/JULY 24, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-July”
It’s the most comprehensive list of top events this month that you’ll find anywhere.

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

BALLET FESTIVAL (through July 29).
at the Joyce Theater 175 Eighth Ave., at 19th St./ 7:30PM, $31-$51
“This festival of small and enterprising ballet troupes continues with Claudia Schreier & Company (Friday and Saturday), Cirio Collective (Sunday and Monday), Gemma Bond Dance (Tuesday and Wednesday), and Amy Seiwert’s Imagery (Thursday through July 29). Although they create their work outside of large institutions, many of the choreographers have culled their dancers from the ranks of New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Boston Ballet and other established companies. Among the high-profile guests is the former City Ballet principal Wendy Whelan, who appears on Ms. Schreier’s program.” (SIOBHAN BURKE, NYT)

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6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>Linda Lavin: My Second Farewell Concert
>>ABIGAIL LEVINE
>>Jim Caruso’s Cast Party
>>Ramin Karimloo
>>Not a Scientist: How Politicians Mistake, Misrepresent, and Utterly Mangle Science
>>Dennis Lim on David Lynch: The Man from Another Place
 ===========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Linda Lavin: My Second Farewell Concert
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 7PM, $35-$45
“Singer-actor extraordinaire Linda Lavin, most recently on Broadway in Our Mother’s Brief Affair but perhaps still best known to general audiences as the title character of the sitcom Alice, gets back to her musical-theater roots, with Billy Stritch at the piano and a guest appearance by Aaron Weinstein on violin. Lavin has few peers as a performer, so this should be a treat.” (TONY)

ABIGAIL LEVINE (July 23-27)
at Fridman Gallery. / 12PM – 6PM,
“A square white wall, 12 feet on each side, is Ms. Levine’s canvas for “Restagings No. 1: Choreographing LeWitt,” a 25-hour performance unfolding over five days. Interpreting the written instructions for Sol LeWitt’s “Wall Drawing #56” (1970) as a choreographic score, Ms. Levine will complete the 3,744 lines with attention to the physicality of drawing, raising questions about precision, reproduction and impermanence. Accompanied by Dave Ruder’s sound design, the performance is the first in her “Restagings” series, which considers the body’s role in the production of visual art.” (NewYorker)

Jim Caruso’s Cast Party
Birdland, 315 W44th St. / 9:30PM, $30
“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)

Ramin Karimloo
BB King Blues Club, 237 W 42nd St. / 8PM, $45
“Having played the titular sensitive masked killer in The Phantom of the Opera and its ill-fated West End sequel, Love Never Dies, this Iranian-Canadian theater vocalist currently stars as the hunky heavy in Broadway’s Anastasia. At this B.B. King show, expect selections from his 2012 debut Human Heart.” (TONY)

Smart Stuff / Other NYC Events
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)

Not a Scientist: How Politicians Mistake, Misrepresent, and Utterly Mangle Science
Mid-Manhattan Library, 455 Fifth Ave./ 6:30PM, FREE
With journalist Dave Levitan.
“This illustrated lecture features an eye-opening tour of the political tricks that subvert scientific progress.”

Dennis Lim on David Lynch: The Man from Another Place
Bryant Park/Bryant Park Reading Room
Between 40th & 42nd Sts. and Fifth and Sixth Aves./ 12:30PM, FREE
​Join film connoisseur Scott Adlerberg and special guests for talks on film, the culture of cinema and filmmaking.
Hosted by Scott Adlerberg, resident film expert.
Part of the Reel Talks program.

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Bonus NYC Events – 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
Feinstein’s/54 Below – 254 W54th St., 54below.com, 646-476-3551
Joe’s Pub @ Public Theater – 425 Lafayette St., joespub.com, 212-967-7555
Metropolitan Room – 34W22ndSt., metropolitan room.com, 212-206-0440
Beacon Theatre – 2124 Broadway @ 74th St., beacontheatre.com, 212-465-6500
Town Hall – 123 W43rd St., thetownhall.org, 212-997-6661
B.B. King’s Blues Bar – 237W42nd St., bbkingblues.com, 212-997-2144
Bowery Ballroom – 6 Delancey St. boweryballroom.com,
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St., lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474

Special Mention:
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.
See Below.

==================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2017.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):
=================================================================================

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. Au contraire. 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. 

 

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NYC Events,”Only the Best” (07/23) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 07/23/2017 by

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > SUNDAY/JULY 23, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-July”
It’s the most comprehensive list of top events this month that you’ll find anywhere.

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

Jewels
NYS/DHK Theater, Lincoln Center / 2:30PM, $75+
“Fifty years after its premiere at Lincoln Center, three of the world’s most celebrated ballet companies come together for a once-in-a-lifetime presentation of George Balanchine’s masterpiece, Jewels. For five performances on the same stage where it was premiered, the Paris Opera Ballet embodies Emeralds. New York City Ballet and the Bolshoi alternate Rubies and Diamonds, illuminating the different facets of Balanchine’s masterpiece like the sun catching on one of its namesake gems.

The three-part, evening-length work traces Balanchine’s life and loves. Emeralds, set to Fauré, evokes the mystery and grace of France. Fueled by Stravinsky, Rubies crackles with jazz-inflected wit and sass, channeling the mid-century audacity of Manhattan. And breathtaking from the moment the lights go up, Diamonds conjures the grandeur of Imperial Russia, set to Tchaikovsky’s lush Third Symphony.”

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

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>Summergarden: New Music for New York
>>Ramin Karimloo
>>DIZZY GILLESPIE BIG BAND
>>Ben Allison & Think Free
>>MARY HALVORSON OCTET
>>Le Corps Sonore: The Artists’ Process
++ continuing events:
>>‘THE ART OF WATCHES’
>>‘UP CLOSE: MICHELANGELO’S SISTINE CHAPEL’
>>Seaport Food Lab

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Summergarden: New Music for New York
MOMA, The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden / 8PM, FREE
Entrance to Summergarden is through the Sculpture Garden gate on West 54 Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues.
Tonight: Juilliard Concert II: New Music for String Quartet
With The Verona Quartet
“The Museum of Modern Art established Summergarden in 1971. In keeping with MoMA’s history of presenting jazz and classical music in the Sculpture Garden, this year’s concert series once again welcomes the participation of The Juilliard School and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Titled New Music for New York, the series comprises four evenings of adventurous contemporary music, with premieres each night.”

Ramin Karimloo (also Monday)
BB King Blues Club, 237 W 42nd St. / 8PM, $45
“Having played the titular sensitive masked killer in The Phantom of the Opera and its ill-fated West End sequel, Love Never Dies, this Iranian-Canadian theater vocalist currently stars as the hunky heavy in Broadway’s Anastasia. At this B.B. King show, expect selections from his 2012 debut Human Heart.” (TONY)

DIZZY GILLESPIE BIG BAND
Blue Note / 8PM, +10:30PM, $30-$45
“History has produced its share of great artists and great people. John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie was both. As a performer, he left behind an incredible record of innovation and inspiration; as a composer, a broad repository of musical masterpieces; and as a man, a legion of friends, colleagues, and compatriots who remember him with the same degree of love and esteem they reserve for his work.

The Dizzy Gillespie Big Band is a direct descendant of Gillespie’s musical ventures. The group has featured some of Dizzy’s closest compatriots and all of them are outstanding band leaders, educators, and recording artists in their own right.

The band debuted in 1998. Together they continue to delight audiences around the world with the enduring power and freshness of Gillespie’s music. These groups are the legacy the master would have wanted, and they serve as a living tribute from extraordinary musicians who exemplify his style, range, and commitment.”

Ben Allison & Think Free
Jazz Standard / 7:30PM, 9:30PM, $30
“Ben Allison’s bands are built on the thrills of interplay, but a fetching simplicity has marked the bassist-composer’s music ever since he dropped his Seven Arrows debut in the mid-Nineties. Umpteen albums later, that mix of pop pith and jazz extrapolation gooses the action on Layers of the City, a new quintet date that’s emblematic of Allison’s p.o.v. The intricacy in play is delivered with a fully focused ease; whether it’s a swampy groove supporting a gurgling trumpet drone or an inventive and poised refraction of John McLaughlin’s “Follow Your Heart,” the dude’s stuff flows in a kaleidoscopic way. Bet the tension sounds a bit like release at this three-night stand.” (Jim Macnie, VillageVoice)

MARY HALVORSON OCTET (LAST DAY)
at the Village Vanguard / 8:30 and 10:30PM, $30
“Ms. Halvorson’s guitar sound is so distinctive — coiled and tart; unwieldy; both tinny and wooden — that you might wonder how it would fit in a relatively large ensemble. And how could she possibly arrange music for such a band that would both adhere to and expand that idiosyncratic sound? With her octet she accomplishes both those things, as proved on the band’s 2016 debut, “Away With You.” Most of that album’s personnel will join here: Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet, Jon Irabagon on alto saxophone, Ingrid Laubrock on tenor saxophone, Jacob Garchik on trombone, Susan Alcorn on pedal steel guitar, Chris Lightcap on bass, and Ches Smith on drums.” (GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO – NYT)

Smart Stuff / Other NYC Events
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)

Le Corps Sonore: The Artists’ Process
Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W. 17th St./ 2PM, $20
“The site-specific installation Le Corps Sonore, which makes the museum space itself an instrument of transformation, is the centerpiece of the Rubin’s exhibition The World Is Sound. In this conversation moderated by curator Risha Lee, artists Laetitia Sonami, Bob Bielecki, and Éliane Radigue (via Skype from Paris, France) will discuss their creation, its connection with Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, its interaction with other works of art in the museum, and its place in their long careers as artists and innovators of electronic music and sound art.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

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

Let’s not forget these marvelous continuing events:

‘THE ART OF WATCHES’ (LAST DAY)
“Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe has been practicing its art and science for 178 years. Now, visitors can immerse themselves in the past and present of the company’s timekeeping traditions with historical timepieces ­­ such as the astronomical pocket watch, pictured ­­ and their contemporary counterparts. The exhibition inhabits several rooms of a two­ story structure set up within Cipriani specifically for the occasion.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Thursday, July 13, thru July 23 at Cipriani 42nd Street, 110 E. 42nd St.
INFO FREE; 212-­218-­1240, patek.com

‘UP CLOSE: MICHELANGELO’S SISTINE CHAPEL’  (LASTDAY)
“You don’t have to travel all the way to Rome to experience the masterpieces Michelangelo painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. This immersive exhibit is comprised of 34 high­ quality reproductions nearly the size of the originals, presented to allow for close observation. Follow an audio guide, or contemplate in silence.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Friday, June 23, through July 23 in The Oculus at Westfield World Trade Center, 186 Greenwich St.
INFO $20; westfield.com/upclose ­­

Seaport Food Lab
203 Front St., various times, prices vary
“What would it take to get you down to the South Street Seaport, a place overrun by tourists, during the heart of summer? The promise of some of the country’s best chefs popping up for two-week residencies might do the trick. Through Friday, July 21, the Seaport Food Lab will be serving Top Chef judge Hugh Acheson’s take on Southern cuisine; Alon Shaya, of the New Orleans restaurants Domenica, Pizza Domenica, and Shaya, then takes over for the July 30–August 12 slot. Those who’ve become enamored of L.A. cuisine via Instagram will be thrilled to know that Jessica Koslow, of the revered Sqirl, is at the helm from August 20 to September 2, before local stars Dale Talde (September 10–23) and Wylie Dufresne (September 29–October 11) work their shifts. Each chef has a distinctive style; tickets for the individual stints will be doled out incrementally on Resy.” (Alicia Kennedy, VillageVoice)

=====================================================
Bonus NYC events– Jazz Venues:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(5 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com / 212-864-6662

Special Mention:
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 enjoyment and discovery.

==================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2017.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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

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 are two exhibitions the New Yorker really likes:

Meschac Gaba (through July 28)
Bonakdar, 521 W. 21st St. / Chelsea
“The tent that opens this transfixing show is deceptively cheery: it may be stocked with paper and colored pencils, but it was inspired by the global refugee crisis. Gaba, who divides his time between Holland and his native Benin, made it from fabric printed with a candy-stripe pattern he calls Citoyen du Monde (Citizen of the World); the stripes are actually elongated versions of the flags of many nations. Elsewhere, thirteen elaborately braided sculptures assume the shapes of national landmarks in Washington, D.C. (The White House is now red, black, and gold.) In a related short video, Gaba leads a small parade through the dusty streets of Cotonou, Benin—the participants wear his objects like crowns, as if to lampoon U.S. imperialism.”

“Cells”  (Jun. 28-Aug. 11)
Boesky, 509 W. 24th St./ Chelsea
“This ten-person show of works that flirt with functionality is as fun as a visit to Pee-wee’s Playhouse. The splendidly weird designs of the Haas Brothers include several “Zoidberg lamps,” silver-plated fixtures ringed with bulbous protuberances reminiscent of their namesake, a crustaceanlike alien on the cult T.V. show “Futurama.” Jessica Jackson Hutchins’s low ceramic tables are simultaneously heavy, delicate, busy, minimal, and unstable. Jackie Brookner contributes wooden seating, coated with crusts of black earth and sporting red-velvet tongues. A ten-foot-wide cotton embroidery by Cosima von Bonin, which involves a cigarette smoker, a cartoonish critter, and disembodied white gloves, hangs on the wall like a quilt awaiting a wild night’s sleep.”

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

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 to 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 the 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 07/21 and 07/19.

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

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (07/22) + Today’s Featured Pub (WestVillage)

Posted on 07/22/2017 by

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > SATURDAY/JULY 22, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-July”
It’s the most comprehensive list of top events this month that you’ll find anywhere.

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

Ben Allison & Think Free (also Sunday)
Jazz Standard / 7:30PM, 9:30PM, $30
“Ben Allison’s bands are built on the thrills of interplay, but a fetching simplicity has marked the bassist-composer’s music ever since he dropped his Seven Arrows debut in the mid-Nineties. Umpteen albums later, that mix of pop pith and jazz extrapolation gooses the action on Layers of the City, a new quintet date that’s emblematic of Allison’s p.o.v. The intricacy in play is delivered with a fully focused ease; whether it’s a swampy groove supporting a gurgling trumpet drone or an inventive and poised refraction of John McLaughlin’s “Follow Your Heart,” the dude’s stuff flows in a kaleidoscopic way. Bet the tension sounds a bit like release at this three-night stand.” (Jim Macnie, VillageVoice)

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

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>Shemekia Copeland
>>Compagnie XY
>>DIZZY GILLESPIE BIG BAND
>>Karrin Allyson
>>MARY HALVORSON OCTET
>>OZY FEST
++ continuing events:
>>‘THE ART OF WATCHES’
>>‘UP CLOSE: MICHELANGELO’S SISTINE CHAPEL’
>>Seaport Food Lab

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Shemekia Copeland
Iridium, / 8PM, $30-$40
“Whether she’s belting out a raucous blues-rocker, firing up a blistering soul-shouter, bringing the spirit to a gospel-fueled R&B rave-up or digging deep down into a subtle, country-tinged ballad, Shemekia Copeland sounds like no one else. The prestigious UK publication The Blues says, “Copeland is one of the best singers performing today,” and named Outskirts Of Love the 2015 #1 Album Of The Year.”

Compagnie XY
Rose Theater, Time WarnerCenter / 8PM, $30–$65
“A charming fusion of acrobatics, theater, and dance, this relatively low-tech collective of French performers combines jitterbug with some lighthearted heavy lifting and a poetic sensibility in Il N’est Pas Encore Minuit. Their newest work, Le Progrès, made in collaboration with the choreographer Loïc Touzé, mobilizes twenty-two extraordinarily centered acrobats in an exploration of instability; they learn to balance themselves precisely over another person’s center of mass, enabling towers of bodies several people high. The takeaway may be poetry and philosophy, but the strategy is pure physics, with a soupçon of Lindy hop thrown in. They give new meaning to the phrase “standing on the shoulders of giants.” (Elizabeth Zimmer, VillageVoice)

DIZZY GILLESPIE BIG BAND
Blue Note / 8PM, +10:30PM, $30-$45
“History has produced its share of great artists and great people. John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie was both. As a performer, he left behind an incredible record of innovation and inspiration; as a composer, a broad repository of musical masterpieces; and as a man, a legion of friends, colleagues, and compatriots who remember him with the same degree of love and esteem they reserve for his work.

The Dizzy Gillespie Big Band is a direct descendant of Gillespie’s musical ventures. The group has featured some of Dizzy’s closest compatriots and all of them are outstanding band leaders, educators, and recording artists in their own right.

The band debuted in 1998. Together they continue to delight audiences around the world with the enduring power and freshness of Gillespie’s music. These groups are the legacy the master would have wanted, and they serve as a living tribute from extraordinary musicians who exemplify his style, range, and commitment.”

Karrin Allyson (July 18-22)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30Pm, +11PM, $40
“Although she can add polish to any number of Great American Songbook standards—as evinced by her most recent album, “Many a New Day,” which focusses on the work of Rodgers and Hammerstein—the singer Karrin Allyson has delved deeply into all manner of material, from tributes to John Coltrane to popular music from France and Brazil. Matching versatility with vocal flair, she’s a staple worth attending to.” (NewYorker)

MARY HALVORSON OCTET (July 18-23)
at the Village Vanguard / 8:30 and 10:30PM, $30
“Ms. Halvorson’s guitar sound is so distinctive — coiled and tart; unwieldy; both tinny and wooden — that you might wonder how it would fit in a relatively large ensemble. And how could she possibly arrange music for such a band that would both adhere to and expand that idiosyncratic sound? With her octet she accomplishes both those things, as proved on the band’s 2016 debut, “Away With You.” Most of that album’s personnel will join here: Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet, Jon Irabagon on alto saxophone, Ingrid Laubrock on tenor saxophone, Jacob Garchik on trombone, Susan Alcorn on pedal steel guitar, Chris Lightcap on bass, and Ches Smith on drums.” (GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO – NYT)

Smart Stuff / Other NYC Events
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)

OZY FEST
“Carlos Watson, co­founder and CEO of the Ozy (a website that calls itself “the new news”), hosts this festival now in its second year. There are performances and conversations with figures including RuPaul, pictured, Samantha Bee, Michael Che, Jason Derulo and Zara Larsson, as well as presentations, panels and discussions with Malcolm Gladwell, Kirsten Gillibrand, Jeb Bush, Jill Biden and more.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Saturday, July 22, at Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, enter at 69th Street and Fifth Avenue
INFO $50­$125; ozy.com/ozyfest ­­

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

Let’s not forget these marvelous continuing events:

‘THE ART OF WATCHES’
“Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe has been practicing its art and science for 178 years. Now, visitors can immerse themselves in the past and present of the company’s timekeeping traditions with historical timepieces ­­ such as the astronomical pocket watch, pictured ­­ and their contemporary counterparts. The exhibition inhabits several rooms of a two­ story structure set up within Cipriani specifically for the occasion.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Thursday, July 13, thru July 23 at Cipriani 42nd Street, 110 E. 42nd St.
INFO FREE; 212-­218-­1240, patek.com

‘UP CLOSE: MICHELANGELO’S SISTINE CHAPEL’
“You don’t have to travel all the way to Rome to experience the masterpieces Michelangelo painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. This immersive exhibit is comprised of 34 high­ quality reproductions nearly the size of the originals, presented to allow for close observation. Follow an audio guide, or contemplate in silence.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Friday, June 23, through July 23 in The Oculus at Westfield World Trade Center, 186 Greenwich St.
INFO $20; westfield.com/upclose ­­

Seaport Food Lab
203 Front St., various times, prices vary
“What would it take to get you down to the South Street Seaport, a place overrun by tourists, during the heart of summer? The promise of some of the country’s best chefs popping up for two-week residencies might do the trick. Through Friday, July 21, the Seaport Food Lab will be serving Top Chef judge Hugh Acheson’s take on Southern cuisine; Alon Shaya, of the New Orleans restaurants Domenica, Pizza Domenica, and Shaya, then takes over for the July 30–August 12 slot. Those who’ve become enamored of L.A. cuisine via Instagram will be thrilled to know that Jessica Koslow, of the revered Sqirl, is at the helm from August 20 to September 2, before local stars Dale Talde (September 10–23) and Wylie Dufresne (September 29–October 11) work their shifts. Each chef has a distinctive style; tickets for the individual stints will be doled out incrementally on Resy.” (Alicia Kennedy, VillageVoice)

=====================================================
Bonus NYC events– Jazz Venues:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(5 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com / 212-864-6662

Special Mention:
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 enjoyment and discovery.

==================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2016.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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

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 50th 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 $6.75, 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 2 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.
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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (07/21) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 07/21/2017 by

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > FRIDAY/JULY 21, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-July”
It’s the most comprehensive list of top events this month that you’ll find anywhere.

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

MARY HALVORSON OCTET (July 18-23)
at the Village Vanguard / 8:30 and 10:30PM, $30
“Ms. Halvorson’s guitar sound is so distinctive — coiled and tart; unwieldy; both tinny and wooden — that you might wonder how it would fit in a relatively large ensemble. And how could she possibly arrange music for such a band that would both adhere to and expand that idiosyncratic sound? With her octet she accomplishes both those things, as proved on the band’s 2016 debut, “Away With You.” Most of that album’s personnel will join here: Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet, Jon Irabagon on alto saxophone, Ingrid Laubrock on tenor saxophone, Jacob Garchik on trombone, Susan Alcorn on pedal steel guitar, Chris Lightcap on bass, and Ches Smith on drums.” (GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO – NYT)

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

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>BROOKLYN RAGA MASSIVE
>>Compagnie XY
>>DIZZY GILLESPIE BIG BAND
>>Karrin Allyson
>>Anatomical Illustrations From the Rare Book Room at the New York Academy of Medicine
>>Inventing the Concept of Race: There’s Nothing Natural About Segregation
++ continuing events:
>>‘THE ART OF WATCHES’
>>‘UP CLOSE: MICHELANGELO’S SISTINE CHAPEL’
>>Seaport Food Lab

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

BROOKLYN RAGA MASSIVE
at the Jazz Gallery / 7:30 and 9:30PM, $22
“The Brooklyn Raga Massive appears here in a not-quite-colossal iteration — just Roopa Mahadevan on vocals; Anjna Swaminathan on violin; and Abhinav Seetharaman on mridangam, a Carnatic percussion instrument. The revolving group of musicians mixes Indian classical with rock and jazz influences, making music that’s elegant, high-energy and broadly relatable.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Compagnie XY
Rose Theater, Time WarnerCenter / 8PM, $30–$65
“A charming fusion of acrobatics, theater, and dance, this relatively low-tech collective of French performers combines jitterbug with some lighthearted heavy lifting and a poetic sensibility in Il N’est Pas Encore Minuit. Their newest work, Le Progrès, made in collaboration with the choreographer Loïc Touzé, mobilizes twenty-two extraordinarily centered acrobats in an exploration of instability; they learn to balance themselves precisely over another person’s center of mass, enabling towers of bodies several people high. The takeaway may be poetry and philosophy, but the strategy is pure physics, with a soupçon of Lindy hop thrown in. They give new meaning to the phrase “standing on the shoulders of giants.” (Elizabeth Zimmer, VillageVoice)

DIZZY GILLESPIE BIG BAND
Blue Note / 8PM, +10:30PM, $30-$45
“History has produced its share of great artists and great people. John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie was both. As a performer, he left behind an incredible record of innovation and inspiration; as a composer, a broad repository of musical masterpieces; and as a man, a legion of friends, colleagues, and compatriots who remember him with the same degree of love and esteem they reserve for his work.

The Dizzy Gillespie Big Band is a direct descendant of Gillespie’s musical ventures. The group has featured some of Dizzy’s closest compatriots and all of them are outstanding band leaders, educators, and recording artists in their own right.

The band debuted in 1998. Together they continue to delight audiences around the world with the enduring power and freshness of Gillespie’s music. These groups are the legacy the master would have wanted, and they serve as a living tribute from extraordinary musicians who exemplify his style, range, and commitment.”

Karrin Allyson (July 18-22)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30Pm, +11PM, $40
“Although she can add polish to any number of Great American Songbook standards—as evinced by her most recent album, “Many a New Day,” which focusses on the work of Rodgers and Hammerstein—the singer Karrin Allyson has delved deeply into all manner of material, from tributes to John Coltrane to popular music from France and Brazil. Matching versatility with vocal flair, she’s a staple worth attending to.” (NewYorker)

Smart Stuff / Other NYC Events
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)

Anatomical Illustrations From the Rare Book Room at the New York Academy of Medicine
The New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Ave./ 2PM, $35
“Depictions of the human body don’t just tell the story of an evolving understanding of anatomy: the illustrations also track our changing attitudes toward death. Atlas Obscura leads an afternoon session in the rare book room of The New York Academy of Medicine that shows off shifting anatomical visualizations, influenced by x-rays, photography, and revolutions in printing.” ((ThoughtGallery.org)

Inventing the Concept of Race: There’s Nothing Natural About Segregation
The Strand, 828 Broadway / 7PM, $20, includes complimentary beer and wine
“Many people believe that racial segregation is natural. People simply want to be around others who look like them. This line of reasoning assumes there is something coded in our DNA that compels us to marry, live, and work around people from the same ethnic backgrounds. If this were true, why did the interracial marriage rate drastically increase after laws forbidding it were abolished? If a natural inclination to racially segregate existed, why were anti-miscegenation laws necessary in the first place?

This Olio will trace the historical invention of the “race” concept as a step-by-step, intentional process designed to prevent interracial collaboration. We will look at important laws and images that tell the story of how and why “race” was invented. This class will also address what happened to ethnic groups that did not fit within the “black/white” dichotomy, the performance of whiteness, and how these processes continue to impact us today.”

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

Let’s not forget these marvelous continuing events:

‘THE ART OF WATCHES’
“Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe has been practicing its art and science for 178 years. Now, visitors can immerse themselves in the past and present of the company’s timekeeping traditions with historical timepieces ­­ such as the astronomical pocket watch, pictured ­­ and their contemporary counterparts. The exhibition inhabits several rooms of a two­ story structure set up within Cipriani specifically for the occasion.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Thursday, July 13, thru July 23 at Cipriani 42nd Street, 110 E. 42nd St.
INFO FREE; 212-­218-­1240, patek.com

‘UP CLOSE: MICHELANGELO’S SISTINE CHAPEL’
“You don’t have to travel all the way to Rome to experience the masterpieces Michelangelo painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. This immersive exhibit is comprised of 34 high­ quality reproductions nearly the size of the originals, presented to allow for close observation. Follow an audio guide, or contemplate in silence.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Friday, June 23, through July 23 in The Oculus at Westfield World Trade Center, 186 Greenwich St.
INFO $20; westfield.com/upclose ­­

Seaport Food Lab
203 Front St., various times, prices vary
“What would it take to get you down to the South Street Seaport, a place overrun by tourists, during the heart of summer? The promise of some of the country’s best chefs popping up for two-week residencies might do the trick. Through Friday, July 21, the Seaport Food Lab will be serving Top Chef judge Hugh Acheson’s take on Southern cuisine; Alon Shaya, of the New Orleans restaurants Domenica, Pizza Domenica, and Shaya, then takes over for the July 30–August 12 slot. Those who’ve become enamored of L.A. cuisine via Instagram will be thrilled to know that Jessica Koslow, of the revered Sqirl, is at the helm from August 20 to September 2, before local stars Dale Talde (September 10–23) and Wylie Dufresne (September 29–October 11) work their shifts. Each chef has a distinctive style; tickets for the individual stints will be doled out incrementally on Resy.” (Alicia Kennedy, VillageVoice)

===========================================================
Bonus NYC events– Jazz Venues:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(5 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com / 212-864-6662

Special Mention:
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 enjoyment and discovery.

==================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2017.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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

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)

Museum of the City of New York
‘A CITY SEEN: TODD WEBB’S POSTWAR NEW YORK, 1945­-1960’ (thru Sept.04)
“Webb, a Detroit native who lost his money in the 1929 crash, served as a Navy photographer during World War II. His first major solo exhibition, “I See a City,” opened at the Museum of the City of New York in September 1946. Now the museum is putting the photographer, who died in 2000, in the spotlight again with more than 100 of his pictures of the city, including this shot of 125th Street in Harlem in 1946.
WHEN | WHERE Through Sept. 4, at the Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave.
INFO $18; 212­534­1672, mcny.org ­­ (STAV ZIV-Newsday)

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)

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum  (now-9/6/17)
“This newest show, Visionaries: Creating a Modern Guggenheim, provides a rare chance to explore in-depth some of the key artists of this essential New York institution. Framed by the interests of six leading patrons, Visionaries brings together canvases from masters like Max Ernst, René Magritte, and Yves Tanguy, and sculptures by Joseph Cornell and Alberto Giacometti. In addition, Jackson Pollock’s Alchemy (1947) is being shown in the U.S. for the first time in nearly 50 years. More than a dozen works on paper by Picasso and Van Gogh, rarely on view to the public, can be seen in the Thannhauser Gallery, and paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Gauguin, and Édouard Manet are displayed on the museum’s legendary ramps.”

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

at the very least you will want to see this one:
MM

===========================================================
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)

Although technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection (closed Mon) (SUN 11am-1pm PWYW) 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 07/19 and 07/17.
=============================================================

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

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (07/20) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 07/20/2017 by

Today’s Elite 8 NYC Events > THURSDAY/JULY 20, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-July”
It’s the most comprehensive list of top events this month that you’ll find anywhere.

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

DIZZY GILLESPIE BIG BAND
Blue Note / 8PM, +10:30PM, $30-$45
“History has produced its share of great artists and great people. John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie was both. As a performer, he left behind an incredible record of innovation and inspiration; as a composer, a broad repository of musical masterpieces; and as a man, a legion of friends, colleagues, and compatriots who remember him with the same degree of love and esteem they reserve for his work.

The Dizzy Gillespie Big Band is a direct descendant of Gillespie’s musical ventures. The group has featured some of Dizzy’s closest compatriots and all of them are outstanding band leaders, educators, and recording artists in their own right.

The band debuted in 1998. Together they continue to delight audiences around the world with the enduring power and freshness of Gillespie’s music. These groups are the legacy the master would have wanted, and they serve as a living tribute from extraordinary musicians who exemplify his style, range, and commitment.”

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

7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>Broadway in Bryant Park
>>Compagnie XY
>>Marissa Mulder ~ Shelter from the Storm
>>ESPERANZA SPALDING
>>MARY HALVORSON OCTET (
>>Karrin Allyson
>>JAZZ IN JULY
++ continuing events:
>>‘THE ART OF WATCHES’
>>‘UP CLOSE: MICHELANGELO’S SISTINE CHAPEL’
>>Seaport Food Lab

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Broadway in Bryant Park
Bryant Park / 12:30PM, FREE
“LiteFM radio hosts a showcase of actors from the hottest on and off Broadway shows playing their hits in Bryant park. Try not to sing and dance along to tunes from classics like Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, and Avenue Q, as well as newcomers like Kinky Boots, Waitress, and Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. The recurring event will take place every Thursday from July 6 through August 10th.” (TONY)
TODAY:
Today’s show is hosted by Rich Kaminski and includes performances from:
Billy Porter
Waitress
Cats
Spamilton: An American Parody

Compagnie XY
Rose Theater, Time WarnerCenter / 8PM, $30–$65
“A charming fusion of acrobatics, theater, and dance, this relatively low-tech collective of French performers combines jitterbug with some lighthearted heavy lifting and a poetic sensibility in Il N’est Pas Encore Minuit. Their newest work, Le Progrès, made in collaboration with the choreographer Loïc Touzé, mobilizes twenty-two extraordinarily centered acrobats in an exploration of instability; they learn to balance themselves precisely over another person’s center of mass, enabling towers of bodies several people high. The takeaway may be poetry and philosophy, but the strategy is pure physics, with a soupçon of Lindy hop thrown in. They give new meaning to the phrase “standing on the shoulders of giants.” (Elizabeth Zimmer, VillageVoice)

Marissa Mulder ~ Shelter from the Storm
Metropolitan Room / 7PM, $24
The Songs of Bob Dylan
Mike Rosengarten: Guitar
Mike Lunoe: Drums

Stephen Holden of The NY Times said, “Ms. Mulder has a voice with a bounce and a twinkle that recalls that much missed pop-jazz pixie, Blossom Dearie. Her ingenuousness is real.”

ESPERANZA SPALDING
at Carnegie Hall / 7:30PM, $10-$50
“On each of her three most recent albums Ms. Spalding, the bassist and vocalist, has chosen a new genre to infuse with jazz chops. Here she will perform selections from “Emily’s D+Evolution,” her 2016 rock fusion record, and “Chamber Music Society,” from 2010, an ode to chamber music. She’ll perform here with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra and NYO2, Carnegie Hall’s summer orchestral program for talented young musicians.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

MARY HALVORSON OCTET (July 18-23)
at the Village Vanguard / 8:30 and 10:30PM, $30
“Ms. Halvorson’s guitar sound is so distinctive — coiled and tart; unwieldy; both tinny and wooden — that you might wonder how it would fit in a relatively large ensemble. And how could she possibly arrange music for such a band that would both adhere to and expand that idiosyncratic sound? With her octet she accomplishes both those things, as proved on the band’s 2016 debut, “Away With You.” Most of that album’s personnel will join here: Jonathan Finlayson on trumpet, Jon Irabagon on alto saxophone, Ingrid Laubrock on tenor saxophone, Jacob Garchik on trombone, Susan Alcorn on pedal steel guitar, Chris Lightcap on bass, and Ches Smith on drums.” (GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO – NYT)

Karrin Allyson (July 18-22)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30Pm, +11PM, $40
“Although she can add polish to any number of Great American Songbook standards—as evinced by her most recent album, “Many a New Day,” which focusses on the work of Rodgers and Hammerstein—the singer Karrin Allyson has delved deeply into all manner of material, from tributes to John Coltrane to popular music from France and Brazil. Matching versatility with vocal flair, she’s a staple worth attending to.” (NewYorker)

JAZZ IN JULY (through July 27).
at the 92nd Street Y / 7:30PM, $45
“Now in its 33rd year, this festival reliably offers an impressive smorgasbord of straight-ahead jazz. The 2017 edition gets started on Tuesday with a concert celebrating the pianist Dick Hyman, 90, Jazz in July’s founding artistic director. Wednesday night, the tenor saxophone giants Jimmy Heath and Benny Golson — who grew up together in Philadelphia in the 1940s — will make a rare onstage appearance together. On Thursday the vocalist Jane Monheit is featured in a program of Frank Loesser compositions.” (GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO, NYT)

Smart Stuff / Other NYC Events
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)

No Smart Stuff today, there are just too many good music and dance performances happening. Come back tomorrow for your Smart Stuff events, “only the best.”

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

Let’s not forget these marvelous continuing events:

‘THE ART OF WATCHES’
“Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe has been practicing its art and science for 178 years. Now, visitors can immerse themselves in the past and present of the company’s timekeeping traditions with historical timepieces ­­ such as the astronomical pocket watch, pictured ­­ and their contemporary counterparts. The exhibition inhabits several rooms of a two­ story structure set up within Cipriani specifically for the occasion.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Thursday, July 13, thru July 23 at Cipriani 42nd Street, 110 E. 42nd St.
INFO FREE; 212-­218-­1240, patek.com

‘UP CLOSE: MICHELANGELO’S SISTINE CHAPEL’
“You don’t have to travel all the way to Rome to experience the masterpieces Michelangelo painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. This immersive exhibit is comprised of 34 high­ quality reproductions nearly the size of the originals, presented to allow for close observation. Follow an audio guide, or contemplate in silence.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Friday, June 23, through July 23 in The Oculus at Westfield World Trade Center, 186 Greenwich St.
INFO $20; westfield.com/upclose ­­

Seaport Food Lab
203 Front St., various times, prices vary
“What would it take to get you down to the South Street Seaport, a place overrun by tourists, during the heart of summer? The promise of some of the country’s best chefs popping up for two-week residencies might do the trick. Through Friday, July 21, the Seaport Food Lab will be serving Top Chef judge Hugh Acheson’s take on Southern cuisine; Alon Shaya, of the New Orleans restaurants Domenica, Pizza Domenica, and Shaya, then takes over for the July 30–August 12 slot. Those who’ve become enamored of L.A. cuisine via Instagram will be thrilled to know that Jessica Koslow, of the revered Sqirl, is at the helm from August 20 to September 2, before local stars Dale Talde (September 10–23) and Wylie Dufresne (September 29–October 11) work their shifts. Each chef has a distinctive style; tickets for the individual stints will be doled out incrementally on Resy.” (Alicia Kennedy, VillageVoice)

=======================================================
Bonus NYC Events – 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
Feinstein’s/54 Below – 254 W54th St., 54below.com, 646-476-3551
Joe’s Pub @ Public Theater – 425 Lafayette St., joespub.com, 212-967-7555
Metropolitan Room – 34W22ndSt., metropolitan room.com, 212-206-0440
Beacon Theatre – 2124 Broadway @ 74th St., beacontheatre.com, 212-465-6500
Town Hall – 123 W43rd St., thetownhall.org, 212-997-6661
B.B. King’s Blues Bar – 237W42nd St., bbkingblues.com, 212-997-2144
Bowery Ballroom – 6 Delancey St. boweryballroom.com,
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St., lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474

Special Mention:
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.
See Below.

==================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2017.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):
=================================================================================

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.

Website: http://caffevivaldi.com/
Phone #: (212) 691-7538
Hours: Music generally 7:30PM – 11PM, but varies
Lunch/Dinner 11AM-on
Subway: #1 to Christopher St.
Walk 1 blk S. on 7th ave S. to Bleecker St., 1 blk left on Bleecker to Jones St., 50 yards left on Jones St. to Caffe V.
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“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.
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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.

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“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”
No reservations needed.
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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 Fall 2017).
◊ Order before Aug. 31, 2017 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.

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