NYC Events,”Only the Best” (11/13) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 11/13/2018 by

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > TUESDAY/ NOVEMBER 13, 2018

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

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

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

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

Marc Ribot (Nov. 13-17)
The Stone at the New School, 55 W. 13th St. / 8:30PM, $20
“As socially conscious and politically active as he is musically inventive, the guitarist Marc Ribot is understandably piqued these days. How that will affect the intensity of his upcoming performances at this residency is anyone’s guess, but his solo recitals—featured Nov. 13-14 and Nov. 16—are generally special events. A duet with the pianist Anthony Coleman on Nov. 15 also has promise.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

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6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>‘GRAHAM DECONSTRUCTED: MARTHA’S MEN’
>> Jim James
>>Marcus Roberts Nonet
>> Tosca
>>  Diagnosis: Literature
>> “The Science of Music”
Continuing Events
>> Canstruction
>> White Light Festival
>> Harry Potter: A History of Magic
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Music, Dance, Performing Arts

‘GRAHAM DECONSTRUCTED: MARTHA’S MEN’ (Nov.13-14)
at the Martha Graham Studio Theater / 7PM, $
“This season, the Martha Graham Dance Company is highlighting historical and contemporary ideas of femininity in Graham’s work. As a complement to that theme, this iteration of the company’s casual, intimate showcase series in its home studio focuses on Graham’s depiction of men by presenting male solos from classic works like “Cave of the Heart,” “Night Journey” and “Errand Into the Maze.” A preview of the revival of the 1962 comedic work “Secular Games” will also be performed. As usual, the artistic director Janet Eilber will offer context.” (NYT-Brian Schaefer)

Jim James
The Town Hall / 8PM, looks like a tough ticket, may need to use the secondary market.
“Jim James, leader of Louisville psych-roots-pop juggernaut My Morning Jacket, steps out for a gig at Town Hall to play his latest album Uniform Clarity—an acoustic version of his third proper solo LP Uniform Distortion. He is joined by special guests Alynda Segarra and Hurray For The Riff Raff.” (TONY)

Marcus Roberts Nonet (Nov.13-18)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $35
“The 1989 recording “Deep in the Shed”—the pianist Marcus Roberts’s second project as a bandleader, featuring the guest soloist Wynton Marsalis (under the alias E. Dankworth) and a cadre of fine young players—was a bracing affirmation of jazz essentials coated in the thick rhythms and tones of the blues. Roberts has used the ensuing decades to examine both historical and original jazz tangents. At his first Vanguard appearance in fifteen years, he revisits his opus with a nonet braced by six horns.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

Tosca (next Nov.17, 1PM)
Metropolitan Opera House / 7:30PM, $30+
“Met favorite Sondra Radvanovsky and rising star Jennifer Rowley share the title role of the volatile diva at the heart of Puccini’s operatic thriller. Joseph Calleja brings his stylish tenor to the role of Cavaradossi, Wolfgang Koch is the nefarious police chief Scarpia, and Carlo Rizzi conducts Sir David McVicar’s resplendent production.”

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

# YeahYouWrite & The Arnold P. Gold Foundation Present Diagnosis: Literature
Bo’s Kitchen & Bar Room, 6 W. 24th St./ 6:30PM, FREE
“Prescribe yourself a trip to this #YeahYouWrite author reading exploring the doctor-patient relationship in fiction and non-fiction.

Feed your belly and your brain at #YeahYouWrite, a monthly author reading held in the dark and dreamy lounge at Bo’s Kitchen & Bar Room (6 W 24). Enjoy literary cocktails and dinner while authors read.

Afterwards enjoy the fun, rapid fire Q&A session, open mic, book sales, and book signing. #YeahYouWrite supports First Book through sales of our own literary cocktail recipe book.

Not exactly Manhattan’s WestSide, but this looks worth the detour:

“The Science of Music”
Subject, 188 Suffolk St./ 8PM, $18
“Music plays a central role in many people’s lives, both in terms of time and money spent on it. Yet, music is not necessary for survival – animals don’t make music; so why do all human cultures produce – and enjoy listening to it?

The emerging field of Music Psychology attempts to answer questions like that scientifically.
In this talk, Dr. Pascal Wallisch will address this and other questions, like “what is music?”, “why does it move us – but not others?”, “what does the music I like tell me about my personality?”, “does our love for music grow the more we listen to it?” and many more.
Some of the answers may surprise you!”

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Continuing Events

Canstruction (Nov.02-15)
Brookfield Place | Battery Park City / 10AM-8PM, FREE
“This annual cans-for-a-cause competition pits architecture teams against each other to create larger-than-life Pop Art–installations using more than 120,000 cans of nonperishable food, all in the name of ending hunger (every can is donated to City Harvest). Head down to Brookfield Place to see the unveiling of these engineering spectacles, all built overnight after months of planning, and check back to see if your favorite takes home any titles in judges’ categories like Best Use of Labels, Best Meal and Structural Ingenuity. Admission is free, but do your part by bringing the suggested donation of one canned good per person.” (TONY)

White Light Festival (through Nov.18)
“Lincoln Center’s annual White Light Festival, integrating performances from around the world in a cross-cultural extravaganza, will play six venues across the city.

The festival will include performances of Waiting for Godot from Ireland’s Druid Theatre Company, directed by Tony-winning director Garry Hynes—the first female to win a Tony Award for direction of a play.

Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui brings Sutra to the stage, featuring martial arts from China’s Shaolin monks. Hip-hop, contemporary dance, and aerial work combine in the presentation of Borderline by Company Wang Ramirez. The U.S. premiere of Blak Whyte Gray, a mix of hip-hop and African-inspired movement, makes its way from across the pond to the Lincoln Center stage, as well as the U.S. premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s chamber opera Only the Sound Remains, directed by Peter Sellars and starring Philippe Jaroussky and Davóne Tines.”

Harry Potter: A History of Magic (Now-1/27/19)
New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W.
“Gather round ye muggles and wizards, squibs and witches, tourists and natives: magic is on its way. Harry Potter: A History of Magic, commemorating the beloved series’s 20th anniversary, is now open at the New-York Historical Society. One of the most eagerly anticipated exhibits to hit the city since, well, ever, the show comes straight from the British Library in London, where, not surprisingly, it was the institution’s most successful exhibition.

Artifacts like crystal balls, Leonardo da Vinci notebooks, and the first written record of the magic word “abracadabra” are among the treasures on display, joined by original materials from author J.K. Rowling’s archives. Also on view to the public for the first time will be Mary GrandPré’s illustrations created for Scholastic’s original editions of the novels. Costumes and set models from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which opened on Broadway in April, will be showcased in the exhibition. A long list of events will take place in conjunction with the exhibit, including trivia night, talks, an adult costume party, and more.” (cityguideny)
Daily, except most Mondays, $21, $6 ages 5-13, free 4 and younger

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♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, plus dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.6 million, had a record 63 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2018 – awesome! BUT quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just earlier on the day of performance.

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

Greenwich Village:
(5 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. So., villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037 (1st 8:30)
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592 (1st set 8pm)
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883 (1st 7pm)
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346 (1st 8)
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346 (1st set 7:30pm)
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319 (6pm)

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

Special Mention:
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones St. nr Bleecker St. — caffevivaldi.com / 212-691-7538 (1st 7pm)
a classic, old jazz club in the Village, Caffe V often surprises with a wonderfully eclectic lineup. It’s my favorite spot for an evening of listening enjoyment and discovery.

Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.

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NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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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)

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Hilma af Klint : Paintings for the Future (thru 02/03/19)

“Convinced that the world was not ready for her artistry in 1906, particularly as an underrepresented female in her field, af Klint of Sweden kept her work private. Her paintings anticipated by years “breakthroughs” by Kandinsky, Mondrian and others and were unseen before 1986. The Guggenheim rediscovers her.”

“Recognized as one of the art world’s earliest abstract painters, Hilma af Klint was a steadfast believer that her work was inspired by the spiritual. The new Guggenheim exhibition, “Hilma af Klint: Paintings for the Future,” showcases the work of this groundbreaking Swedish artist (1862-1944), whose work was rarely seen until the 1980s.” (Newsday)

Jewish Museum

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

Museum of the City of New York

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

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

Delacroix  (Now-1/6/19)
“This is the first comprehensive U.S. retrospective of the work of French artist Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863). The Met has teamed up with The Louvre, showcasing in chronological order some 150 pieces, including paintings, drawings, manuscripts, and prints.” (cityguideny)

‘CROWNS OF THE VAJRA MASTERS: RITUAL ART OF NEPAL’ (through Dec. 16). “Up a narrow staircase, above the Met’s galleries of South and Southeast Asian art, are three small rooms of art from the Himalayas. The space, a bit like a treehouse, is a capsule of spiritual energy, which is especially potent these days thanks to this exhibition. The crowns of the title look like antique versions of astronaut headgear: gilded copper helmets, studded with gems, encrusted with repoussé plaques and topped by five-pronged antennas — the vajra, or thunderbolt of wisdom. Such crowns were believed to turn their wearers into perfected beings who are willing and able to bestow blessings on the world. This show is the first to focus on these crowns, and it does so with a wealth of compressed historical information, as well as several resplendent related sculptures and paintings from Nepal and Tibet. But it’s the crowns themselves, the real ones, the wisdom generators, set in mandala formation in the center of the gallery, that are the fascinators.” (NYT-Holland Cotter)

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

Although technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection (closed Mon) (Wed 2-6pm PWYW; First Friday each month (exc Jan+Sep) 6-9pm FREE) on the corner of 70th St. and Fifth Avenue and the The Morgan Library & Museum (closed Mon) (Fri 7-9 FREE) on Madison Ave and 37th St are also located near Fifth Ave.
Now plan your own museum crawl (info on hours & admission updated June 2, 2015).
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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 11/11 and 11/09.
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NYC Events,”Only the Best” (11/12) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 11/12/2018 by

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > MONDAY/ NOVEMBER 12, 2018

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

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

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

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

ROBBINS CENTENNIAL
at New York City Center, Studio 5 / 6:30PM, $30
“The celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Jerome Robbins’s birth continue with an intimate series in City Center’s upstairs studio. Adrian Danchig-Waring, a New York City Ballet principal dancer, serves as the event’s master of ceremonies, introducing excerpts from works that Robbins created for City Ballet when it was in residence at the center in its early years. Monday’s performance is sold out, but there will be a standby line at the box office.” (NYT-Brian Schaefer)

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6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> Shaina Taub
>> MELANIE CHARLES
>> Jim Caruso’s Cast Party
>> Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism:
>>  The Life of Saul Bellow: Love and Strife 1965-2005
>> The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction”
Continuing Events
>> Canstruction
>> White Light Festival
>> Harry Potter: A History of Magic
========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Shaina Taub
Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater / 7PM, $20
“Accomplished piano songstress and theater composer Taub, whose wrote the score for the Public Works productions of Twelfth Night and As You Like It, shares new material in her latest Joe’s Pub set. Though her musicianship sometimes outstrips her lyrics, there’s no doubt she’s a rising talent.” (TONY)

MELANIE CHARLES
at Dizzy’s Club / 7:30 and 9:30PM, $30
“Catch Charles, a vocalist and flutist, performing in a coffeehouse setting and you’ll be struck by the easy intimacy in her singing, lightly redolent of Roberta Flack. Hear her fronting a combo at a jazz club, and you’ll notice generations of tradition spring from her voice. Then flip on “The Girl With the Green Shoes,” an album she released last year, and you’ll find something else: a creative, dusty-groove blend of neo-soul and experimental hip-hop, a new kind of music that plays by its own rules.

At Dizzy’s, Charles presents a program she’s calling “Make Jazz Trill Again.” The name is a reference to hip-hop slang, but the band is stacked with young jazz talent, including the alto saxophonist Godwin Louis, the pianist Luke Carlos O’Reilly, the bassist Jonathan Michel and the drummer Charles Haynes. The alto saxophonist Rogerst Charles will appear as a special guest.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Jim Caruso’s Cast Party
Birdland, / 9:30PM, $30
Jim Caruso’s Cast Party is a wildly popular weekly soiree that brings a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and urbane wit to the legendary Birdland in New York City every Monday night. It’s a cool cabaret night-out enlivened by a hilariously impromptu variety show. Showbiz superstars, backed by Steve Doyle on bass, Billy Stritch on piano and Daniel Glass on drums, hit the stage alongside up-and-comers, serving up jaw-dropping music and general razzle-dazzle.” (broadwayworld)

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

Kristen R. Ghodsee | “Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism: And Other Arguments for Economic Independence”
The Half King, 505 W. 23rd St./ 7PM, FREE
“Ethnographer and Eastern Europe expert Kristen R. Ghodsee went viral with a Times op-ed on “Why Women Had Better Sex Under Socialism.” Monday night at The Half King she’ll speak on the book-length expansion of the essay, which includes chapters like “Women: Like Men, But Cheaper” and “What to Expect When You’re Expecting Exploitation.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

Author Reading |
The Life of Saul Bellow: Love and Strife 1965-2005
CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Ave., Room C200 /7PM, FREE; RSVP required
“Zachary Leader, in conversation with Martin Amis, on the second volume of Leader’s two-volume biography of Bellow. When this volume begins, Bellow, at forty-nine, is at the pinnacle of American letters – rich, famous, critically acclaimed. The expected trajectory is one of decline: volume 1, rise; volume 2, fall. Bellow never fell, producing some of his greatest fiction (Mr Sammler’s Planet, Humboldt’s Gift, all his best stories), winning two more National Book Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, and the Nobel Prize.”

Agora Presents “The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction”
W83 Ministry Center, 150 W. 83rd St./ 7PM, $10
“What if the most important parts of our life are the most invisible parts of our life? They are called habits. They are the thousand little actions we take every day that we don’t see because they are so normal, and yet they determine who we are and who we are becoming. In the words of Annie Dillard, “How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.”

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Continuing Events

Canstruction (Nov.02-15)
Brookfield Place | Battery Park City / 10AM-8PM, FREE
“This annual cans-for-a-cause competition pits architecture teams against each other to create larger-than-life Pop Art–installations using more than 120,000 cans of nonperishable food, all in the name of ending hunger (every can is donated to City Harvest). Head down to Brookfield Place to see the unveiling of these engineering spectacles, all built overnight after months of planning, and check back to see if your favorite takes home any titles in judges’ categories like Best Use of Labels, Best Meal and Structural Ingenuity. Admission is free, but do your part by bringing the suggested donation of one canned good per person.” (TONY)

White Light Festival (through Nov.18)
“Lincoln Center’s annual White Light Festival, integrating performances from around the world in a cross-cultural extravaganza, will play six venues across the city.

The festival will include performances of Waiting for Godot from Ireland’s Druid Theatre Company, directed by Tony-winning director Garry Hynes—the first female to win a Tony Award for direction of a play.

Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui brings Sutra to the stage, featuring martial arts from China’s Shaolin monks. Hip-hop, contemporary dance, and aerial work combine in the presentation of Borderline by Company Wang Ramirez. The U.S. premiere of Blak Whyte Gray, a mix of hip-hop and African-inspired movement, makes its way from across the pond to the Lincoln Center stage, as well as the U.S. premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s chamber opera Only the Sound Remains, directed by Peter Sellars and starring Philippe Jaroussky and Davóne Tines.”

Harry Potter: A History of Magic (Now-1/27/19)
New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W.
“Gather round ye muggles and wizards, squibs and witches, tourists and natives: magic is on its way. Harry Potter: A History of Magic, commemorating the beloved series’s 20th anniversary, is now open at the New-York Historical Society. One of the most eagerly anticipated exhibits to hit the city since, well, ever, the show comes straight from the British Library in London, where, not surprisingly, it was the institution’s most successful exhibition.

Artifacts like crystal balls, Leonardo da Vinci notebooks, and the first written record of the magic word “abracadabra” are among the treasures on display, joined by original materials from author J.K. Rowling’s archives. Also on view to the public for the first time will be Mary GrandPré’s illustrations created for Scholastic’s original editions of the novels. Costumes and set models from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which opened on Broadway in April, will be showcased in the exhibition. A long list of events will take place in conjunction with the exhibit, including trivia night, talks, an adult costume party, and more.” (cityguideny)
Daily, except most Mondays, $21, $6 ages 5-13, free 4 and younger

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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. Hit the Hot Link and check out who’s playing tonight:

City Winery – 155 Varick St., citywinery.com, 212-608-0555
Joe’s Pub @ Public Theater – 425 Lafayette St., joespub.com, 212-967-7555
Beacon Theatre – 2124 Broadway @ 74th St., beacontheatre.com, 212-465-6500
Town Hall – 123 W43rd St. (btw 6/7), thetownhall.org, 212-997-6661
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St., lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474
Sony Hall – 235 W 46th St. (btw 7/8), sonyhall.com, 212-997-5123
and one more, not exactly WestSide:
Bowery Ballroom – 6 Delancey St. boweryballroom.com,

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.

Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.

See Below.
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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.

CAFFE VIVALDI HAS CLOSED,  JUNE 23 WAS THE FINAL NIGHT. VERY SAD.
I HAVE LEFT THIS REVIEW ON MY SITE AS A KIND OF MEMORIAL.
As reported in the “Gothamist”:
“Caffe Vivaldi, one of the last bohemian bastions of the West Village, is set to close this weekend. During its 35 years on Jones Street, the casual cafe won the hearts of locals and celebs alike, including Oscar Isaac, Bette Midler, and Al Pacino.

Despite that friendly communal atmosphere, the owners ultimately struggled to survive under their notorious vulture landlord Steve Croman, who they say waged a harassment campaign against the restaurant, and eventually tripled their rent.”

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.

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

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places, and essays on my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods on Manhattan’s WestSide, order a copy of my e-book:
“Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($4.99, available SPRING 2019).
◊ Order before MAY 31, 2019 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.

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NYC Events,”Only the Best” (11/011) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 11/11/2018 by

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > SUNDAY/ NOVEMBER 11, 2018

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

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

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

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

MusicFuture
Zankel Hall / 7:30PM, $59+
“The Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi’s impressive record in writing music for the movies—specifically, the long string of delightful scores he created for Hayao Miyazaki’s marvellous Studio Ghibli animated features—has earned him comparisons to John Williams. Hisaishi recently sold out two Carnegie Hall concerts of his cinematic fare, but, on Sunday, at Zankel Hall, as part of a series he started to promote contemporary classical music, he joins forces with David Lang, the Bang on a Can co-founder and a Pulitzer Prize winner. The program includes pieces by both composers, along with Hisaishi’s arrangement of “Two Pages,” by Philip Glass; among the performers are the cellist Maya Beiser and the Mivos Quartet.” (Steve Smith, NewYorker)

=========================================================
6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> Hungarian State Opera and Ballet
>> Kamasi Washington
>> The Bad Plus
>> Django Reinhardt Festival
>>  Veterans Day Parade
>> New York Cider Week 2018
Continuing Events
>> Canstruction
>> White Light Festival
>> Harry Potter: A History of Magic
========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Hungarian State Opera and Ballet (LAST performance)
NYS Theater, Lincoln Center/ 2PM, $10+
“The Hungarian State Opera of Budapest makes its Lincoln Center debut with a rich variety of ballet and opera productions to choose from. It will present Hungarian iconic historical opera pieces: Erkel’s Bánk bán (The Viceroy Bank), Goldmark’s The Queen of Sheba, world-famous 20th century one-act operas Vajda’s Mario and the Magician and Bartók Bluebeard’s Castle, but also beloved classical ballets: Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, and Petipa and Minkus’ Don Quixote. Those who prefer more modern ballet pieces can also see Hans van Manen’s 2017 triple bill LOL”

Elsewhere, but this dude is always worth the detour:

Kamasi Washington
at Brooklyn Steel, 319 Frost St./ 7PM, $40, looks like a tough ticket – head to the secondary market.
“Jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington brings his “Heaven and Earth” project, which includes his recent single “Hub-Tones,” a tribute to the great Freddie Hubbard — to life on the current tour, though his improvisation skills make every show different from the last.” (amny.com)

Django Reinhardt Festival (LAST DAY)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $50
“The spell of a Belgian Gypsy guitarist­ with a damaged fretting hand, who made a single, brief visit to America in late 1946, seven years before he died, still retains its power. Paying homage to the passionate virtuoso at this annual festival will be members of the Schmitt family, including the guitarists Dorado and his sons Samson and Amati, along with such Stateside guests as Grace Kelly, Edmar Castañeda, and Joel Frahm.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

The Bad Plus (LAST DAY)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $35
“Any worries that the addition of a new pianist might have dulled the intensity or the imagination of the Bad Plus have been assuaged. With Orrin Evans at the keyboard, and Reid Anderson and Dave King holding steady on the bass and the drums, the freshly minted outfit has retained all the expressionistic power and improvisational daring that first made the band a sensation, more than twenty years ago.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

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

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

Veterans Day Parade
Midtown East – Fifth Avenue
“More than 25,000 people, 30 floats, and 150 vehicles will parade up Fifth Avenue from 26th to 45th Street to thank veterans and current military for their service. This year’s edition commemorates the end of World War I 100 years ago. A 10 a.m. opening ceremony ends with a wreath laying at the Eternal Light Monument. Pay your respects and see vintage military vehicles and marching bands from across the country.”
Cost: Free; opening ceremony has limited seating with priority to elderly and disabled veterans.” (thrillist.com)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:

New York Cider Week 2018
Taste all the ciders
Brooklyn Cider House / 11 AM-4PM, $
“New York Cider Week 2018 wraps this Sunday with a Hard Cider Festival and Market at Brooklyn Cider House. Our favorite place to drink — and just as importantly, catch! — cider in the city is hosting free tastings of over 60 varieties, or come for a five-course dinner with cidermakers that night with paired tastings ($125). Nov. 11, tastings 11 a.m.-4 p.m., dinner 6-9 p.m., 1100 Flushing Ave., Bushwick, brooklynciderhouse.com”

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

Continuing Events

Canstruction (Nov.02-15)
Brookfield Place | Battery Park City / 10AM-8PM, FREE
“This annual cans-for-a-cause competition pits architecture teams against each other to create larger-than-life Pop Art–installations using more than 120,000 cans of nonperishable food, all in the name of ending hunger (every can is donated to City Harvest). Head down to Brookfield Place to see the unveiling of these engineering spectacles, all built overnight after months of planning, and check back to see if your favorite takes home any titles in judges’ categories like Best Use of Labels, Best Meal and Structural Ingenuity. Admission is free, but do your part by bringing the suggested donation of one canned good per person.” (TONY)

White Light Festival (through Nov.18)
“Lincoln Center’s annual White Light Festival, integrating performances from around the world in a cross-cultural extravaganza, will play six venues across the city.

The festival will include performances of Waiting for Godot from Ireland’s Druid Theatre Company, directed by Tony-winning director Garry Hynes—the first female to win a Tony Award for direction of a play.

Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui brings Sutra to the stage, featuring martial arts from China’s Shaolin monks. Hip-hop, contemporary dance, and aerial work combine in the presentation of Borderline by Company Wang Ramirez. The U.S. premiere of Blak Whyte Gray, a mix of hip-hop and African-inspired movement, makes its way from across the pond to the Lincoln Center stage, as well as the U.S. premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s chamber opera Only the Sound Remains, directed by Peter Sellars and starring Philippe Jaroussky and Davóne Tines.”

Harry Potter: A History of Magic (Now-1/27/19)
New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W.
“Gather round ye muggles and wizards, squibs and witches, tourists and natives: magic is on its way. Harry Potter: A History of Magic, commemorating the beloved series’s 20th anniversary, is now open at the New-York Historical Society. One of the most eagerly anticipated exhibits to hit the city since, well, ever, the show comes straight from the British Library in London, where, not surprisingly, it was the institution’s most successful exhibition.

Artifacts like crystal balls, Leonardo da Vinci notebooks, and the first written record of the magic word “abracadabra” are among the treasures on display, joined by original materials from author J.K. Rowling’s archives. Also on view to the public for the first time will be Mary GrandPré’s illustrations created for Scholastic’s original editions of the novels. Costumes and set models from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which opened on Broadway in April, will be showcased in the exhibition. A long list of events will take place in conjunction with the exhibit, including trivia night, talks, an adult costume party, and more.” (cityguideny)
Daily, except most Mondays, $21, $6 ages 5-13, free 4 and younger

==========================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, plus dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.6 million, had a record 63 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2018 – awesome! BUT quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just earlier on the day of performance.

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

Feinstein’s/54 Below – 254 W 54th St.

The Green Room 42 – 570 Tenth Ave.

Don’t Tell Mama – 343 W 46th St.

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

Laurie Beechman Theatre – 407 W 42nd St.

Marie’s Crisis – 59 Grove St.

The Duplex – 61 Christopher St.

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

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

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

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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

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 exhibitions)

Museum of Modern Art:

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)

‘BODYS ISEK KINGELEZ: CITY DREAMS’ (through Jan. 1). “The first comprehensive survey of the Congolese artist is a euphoric exhibition as utopian wonderland featuring his fantasy architectural models and cities — works strong in color, eccentric in shape, loaded with enthralling details and futuristic aura. Mr. Kingelez (1948-2015) was convinced that the world had never seen a vision like his, and this beautifully designed show bears him out.” (NYT-Smith)
212-708-9400, moma.org

Rubin Museum of Art

Chitra Ganesh: The Scorpion Gesture (Through Jan. 7)
“The Brooklyn artist’s new animations ingeniously combine her own drawings and watercolors with historical imagery, peppering the journeys of bodhisattvas with contemporary pop-culture references. Five of these pieces are installed on the museum’s second and third floors amid its collection of Himalayan art, elements of which appear in her psychedelic sequences of spinning mandalas and falling lotus flowers. (Ganesh’s works are activated, as if by magic, when viewers approach.) In “Rainbow Body,” a cave, which also appears in a nearby painting of Mandarava, is filled with people in 3-D glasses, watching as the guru-deity attains enlightenment. “Silhouette in the Graveyard” is projected behind a glass case containing a small sculpture of Maitreya, from late-eighteenth-century Mongolia, for a cleverly dioramalike effect. Prophesied to arrive during an apocalyptic crisis, the bodhisattva is seen here against Ganesh’s montage, which includes footage of global catastrophes and political protests, from the Women’s March to Black Lives Matter.” (

==============================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Posts in right Sidebar dated 11/09 and 11/07.
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NYC Events,”Only the Best” (11/10) + Today’s Featured Pub (Midtown West)

Posted on 11/10/2018 by

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > SATURDAY/ NOVEMBER 10, 2018

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

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

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

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

54 Sings Broadway’s Greatest Hits!
Feinstein’s/54 Below / 9:30PM< $40+
“Broadway by the Year impresario Scott Siegel curates this monthly concert series, in which Broadway stars sing some of the Great White Way’s best-loved tunes. Performers at the October edition include Emily Janes, John Easterlin, Joshua Israel, William Michals, Kelsey Lee Smith, Michael Winther and Time Out’s own Adam Feldman.” (TONY)

=========================================================
6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> Carmen
>> ATE9
>> The Bad Plus
>> “JALC Plays Miles Davis”
>>  Hafez Modirzadeh
>> New York Whiskey Fest
Continuing Events
>> Canstruction
>> White Light Festival
>> Harry Potter: A History of Magic
========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Carmen (next Nov.10, 8PM)
Metropolitan Opera House / 7:30PM, $20+
“Mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine reprises her remarkable portrayal of opera’s ultimate seductress, a triumph in her 2017 debut performances, with impassioned tenors Yonghoon Lee and Roberto Alagna as her lover, Don José. Omer Meir Wellber and Louis Langrée share conducting duties for Sir Richard Eyre’s powerful production, a Met favorite since its 2009 premiere.”

ATE9
at the Schimmel Center at Pace University / 7:30PM, $
“Out in Los Angeles, the choreographer Danielle Agami has taken some of the sexy, spastic energy that she brought with her from her native Israel, after years of dancing with the Batsheva Dance Company, and given it Californian cool. For “Calling Glenn,” she has collaborated with the percussionist Glenn Kotche of the alt-rock band Wilco to create a feverous sonic world that matches her company’s captivating precision and intensity.” (NYT – Brian Schaefer)

“JALC Plays Miles Davis” (Nov. 8-10)
Rose Theatre, 60th St. at Broadway / 8PM, $
“Miles Davis, by his own account, changed the nature of music some “four or five times.” The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, in its survey of the great man’s work, will only scratch the surface of his multifarious career, but it will still cover considerable ground, touching on Davis’s bebop, cool-jazz, hard-bop, and modal periods, and concluding with a new arrangement of “Tout de Suite,” from the early days of his late-sixties foray into fusion.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

The Bad Plus (Nov. 6-11)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $35
“Any worries that the addition of a new pianist might have dulled the intensity or the imagination of the Bad Plus have been assuaged. With Orrin Evans at the keyboard, and Reid Anderson and Dave King holding steady on the bass and the drums, the freshly minted outfit has retained all the expressionistic power and improvisational daring that first made the band a sensation, more than twenty years ago.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

Hafez Modirzadeh 
The Jazz Gallery / 7:30PM, +9:30PM, $25
“This Iranian-American saxist Hafez Modirzadeh first came to our attention releasing a series of excellent albums on Pi Recordings that attempted to find common ground between Persian scales and their Western counterparts. Here he plays two duo perfomances for his “Pulsivity/Resonance Project,” which explores notions of time through re-tuned piano and saxophone.”

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

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

New York Whiskey Fest
The Tunnel / 2PM +6:30PM, $70
“What a week, right? If you need some liquid help to wind down, the New York Whiskey Fest on Saturday has you covered, with over 100 styles of whiskeys, from Scotch to bourbon to Canadian, plus spirits including vodka, tequila, and local brews. Learn about them, then sip ‘em. A ticket gets you a souvenir glass for unlimited tastings.” (grubstreet.com)

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

Continuing Events

Canstruction (Nov.02-15)
Brookfield Place | Battery Park City / 10AM-8PM, FREE
“This annual cans-for-a-cause competition pits architecture teams against each other to create larger-than-life Pop Art–installations using more than 120,000 cans of nonperishable food, all in the name of ending hunger (every can is donated to City Harvest). Head down to Brookfield Place to see the unveiling of these engineering spectacles, all built overnight after months of planning, and check back to see if your favorite takes home any titles in judges’ categories like Best Use of Labels, Best Meal and Structural Ingenuity. Admission is free, but do your part by bringing the suggested donation of one canned good per person.” (TONY)

White Light Festival (through Nov.18)
“Lincoln Center’s annual White Light Festival, integrating performances from around the world in a cross-cultural extravaganza, will play six venues across the city.

The festival will include performances of Waiting for Godot from Ireland’s Druid Theatre Company, directed by Tony-winning director Garry Hynes—the first female to win a Tony Award for direction of a play.

Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui brings Sutra to the stage, featuring martial arts from China’s Shaolin monks. Hip-hop, contemporary dance, and aerial work combine in the presentation of Borderline by Company Wang Ramirez. The U.S. premiere of Blak Whyte Gray, a mix of hip-hop and African-inspired movement, makes its way from across the pond to the Lincoln Center stage, as well as the U.S. premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s chamber opera Only the Sound Remains, directed by Peter Sellars and starring Philippe Jaroussky and Davóne Tines.”

Harry Potter: A History of Magic (Now-1/27/19)
New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W.
“Gather round ye muggles and wizards, squibs and witches, tourists and natives: magic is on its way. Harry Potter: A History of Magic, commemorating the beloved series’s 20th anniversary, is now open at the New-York Historical Society. One of the most eagerly anticipated exhibits to hit the city since, well, ever, the show comes straight from the British Library in London, where, not surprisingly, it was the institution’s most successful exhibition.

Artifacts like crystal balls, Leonardo da Vinci notebooks, and the first written record of the magic word “abracadabra” are among the treasures on display, joined by original materials from author J.K. Rowling’s archives. Also on view to the public for the first time will be Mary GrandPré’s illustrations created for Scholastic’s original editions of the novels. Costumes and set models from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which opened on Broadway in April, will be showcased in the exhibition. A long list of events will take place in conjunction with the exhibit, including trivia night, talks, an adult costume party, and more.” (cityguideny)
Daily, except most Mondays, $21, $6 ages 5-13, free 4 and younger

==========================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, plus dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.6 million, had a record 63 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2018 – awesome! BUT quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just earlier on the day of performance.

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

Greenwich Village:
(5 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. So., villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037 (1st 8:30)
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592 (1st set 8pm)
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883 (1st 7pm)
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346 (1st 8)
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346 (1st set 7:30pm)
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319 (6pm)

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

Special Mention:
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones St. nr Bleecker St. — caffevivaldi.com / 212-691-7538 (1st 7pm)
a classic, old jazz club in the Village, Caffe V often surprises with a wonderfully eclectic lineup. It’s my favorite spot for an evening of listening enjoyment and discovery.

Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.

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

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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

A PremierPub / Midtown West

Russian Vodka Room / 265 W 52nd St (btw 7th/8th ave)

Sure, you could travel to Minsk or even Brighton Beach, for an authentic Russian experience, but why bother. On those days when you feel you must wash down your dish of kasha with a few glasses of icy, cold vodka, the Russian Vodka Room will definitely satisfy your urge.

From the outside this place looks a bit drab, and with no windows, a bit mysterious. Midtown tourists walk right by on their way to see “Jersey Boys,” just down the block.
(Alas, no more. After 10 years, “Jersey Boys” finally closed, now it’s “Mean Girls.”)

lThose in the know enter a secret hideaway, a dimly lit front room with soft jazz playing – a perfect spot for an illicit late-night rendezvous, or maybe a meet-up with your Russian spy handler, but that’s later in the evening. Early in the evening the large U-shaped bar fills with the after work happy hour crowd, a group made very happy by the much reduced prices.

Their website says: “Welcome Comrades”. Of course, this welcome focuses on dozens of different vodkas, including their own special infusions, which marinate in giant, clear glass jugs visible around the room. The large vodka martinis ensure that you won’t confuse this place with your mother’s Russian Tea Room.

But man does not live by vodka alone. Eat some food, especially the tapa like appetizers. Be decadent and try the cheese blintzes with chocolate, or try a main dish like beef stroganoff with kasha.

Your best bet is to go on a night when the piano man is playing. This guy, who looks like he has eaten a lot of those cheese blintzes, plays five nights a week from 7 to 12 (no Mondays and Thursdays). When the piano man is playing American pop tunes, and you are at the crowded, dimly lit bar testing the horseradish infused vodka, that’s when the RVR shines.

It’s the kind of place where the noise gets louder and the crowd gets happier as the happy hour goes on. I’m generally a beer guy, but I like to come here with a group of friends. We find a table in the back room near the piano man; we eat, and we drink vodka ‘till it hurts (and it will hurt).
=====================================================
Website: http://www.russianvodkaroom.com/
Phone #: 212-307-5835
Hours: 4pm-2am; Fri-Sun closes 4am (that could be trouble)
Happy Hour: 4-7pm every day
$4 shots infused vodka (2oz), $5 cosmos; $4 czech draft beer
Music: FR-SU; TU-WE / 7pm-12am
Subway: #1 to 50th St.
Walk 2 blk N. on B’way to 52nd St.; 1 blk W. to RVR
Confusingly, the Russian Samovar is right across the street, on the S. side of 52nd St.
The RVR, your destination, is on the N. side of 52nd St.
Update: music now includes a younger, trimmer piano man. “Tiny” we miss you.
Update#2: Rumor that “Tiny” is back playing only on Friday nights – need to check it out.

==============================================================================
“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” (11/09) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 11/09/2018 by

Today’s Sweet 6 NYC Events > FRIDAY/ NOVEMBER 09, 2018

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

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

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

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

Tosca (next Nov.13, 7:30PM)
Metropolitan Opera House / 7:30PM, $30+
“Met favorite Sondra Radvanovsky and rising star Jennifer Rowley share the title role of the volatile diva at the heart of Puccini’s operatic thriller. Joseph Calleja brings his stylish tenor to the role of Cavaradossi, Wolfgang Koch is the nefarious police chief Scarpia, and Carlo Rizzi conducts Sir David McVicar’s resplendent production.”

=========================================================
5 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> JAMES FRANCIES BAND
>> Hungarian State Opera and Ballet
>> Django Reinhardt Festival
>> “JALC Plays Miles Davis”
>>  Hafez Modirzadeh
Continuing Events
>> Canstruction
>> White Light Festival
>> Harry Potter: A History of Magic
========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

JAMES FRANCIES BAND
at Jazz Standard / 7:30 and 9:30PM, $30
“One of the more promising young pianists to emerge recently, Francies last month released “Flight,” his debut album, on Blue Note. Produced by the bassist Derrick Hodge, it’s got a spacey, glistening ambience, but Francies cuts through that with his bright, forthright touch and dashing improvisations. He will play original tunes from the album at Jazz Standard, with the tenor saxophonist Ben Wendel, the guitarist Gilad Hekselman, the bassist Burniss Travis and the drummer Kendrick Scott. The group will also welcome three guest vocalists — Chris Turner, Kate Kelsey-Sugg and YEBBA — each of whom sings one song on “Flight.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Hungarian State Opera and Ballet (next Nov.9, 8PM)
NYS Theater, Lincoln Center/ 7PM, $10+
“The Hungarian State Opera of Budapest makes its Lincoln Center debut with a rich variety of ballet and opera productions to choose from. It will present Hungarian iconic historical opera pieces: Erkel’s Bánk bán (The Viceroy Bank), Goldmark’s The Queen of Sheba, world-famous 20th century one-act operas Vajda’s Mario and the Magician and Bartók Bluebeard’s Castle, but also beloved classical ballets: Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, and Petipa and Minkus’ Don Quixote. Those who prefer more modern ballet pieces can also see Hans van Manen’s 2017 triple bill LOL”

“JALC Plays Miles Davis” (Nov. 8-10)
Rose Theatre, 60th St. at Broadway / 8PM, $
“Miles Davis, by his own account, changed the nature of music some “four or five times.” The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, in its survey of the great man’s work, will only scratch the surface of his multifarious career, but it will still cover considerable ground, touching on Davis’s bebop, cool-jazz, hard-bop, and modal periods, and concluding with a new arrangement of “Tout de Suite,” from the early days of his late-sixties foray into fusion.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

Hafez Modirzadeh  (also Saturday)
The Jazz Gallery / 7:30PM, +9:30PM, $25
“This Iranian-American saxist Hafez Modirzadeh first came to our attention releasing a series of excellent albums on Pi Recordings that attempted to find common ground between Persian scales and their Western counterparts. Here he plays two duo perfomances for his “Pulsivity/Resonance Project,” which explores notions of time through re-tuned piano and saxophone.”

Django Reinhardt Festival (Nov. 6-11)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $50
“The spell of a Belgian Gypsy guitarist­ with a damaged fretting hand, who made a single, brief visit to America in late 1946, seven years before he died, still retains its power. Paying homage to the passionate virtuoso at this annual festival will be members of the Schmitt family, including the guitarists Dorado and his sons Samson and Amati, along with such Stateside guests as Grace Kelly, Edmar Castañeda, and Joel Frahm.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

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

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

More Smart Stuff coming soon.

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

Continuing Events

Canstruction (Nov.02-15)
Brookfield Place | Battery Park City / 10AM-8PM, FREE
“This annual cans-for-a-cause competition pits architecture teams against each other to create larger-than-life Pop Art–installations using more than 120,000 cans of nonperishable food, all in the name of ending hunger (every can is donated to City Harvest). Head down to Brookfield Place to see the unveiling of these engineering spectacles, all built overnight after months of planning, and check back to see if your favorite takes home any titles in judges’ categories like Best Use of Labels, Best Meal and Structural Ingenuity. Admission is free, but do your part by bringing the suggested donation of one canned good per person.” (TONY)

White Light Festival (through Nov.18)
“Lincoln Center’s annual White Light Festival, integrating performances from around the world in a cross-cultural extravaganza, will play six venues across the city.

The festival will include performances of Waiting for Godot from Ireland’s Druid Theatre Company, directed by Tony-winning director Garry Hynes—the first female to win a Tony Award for direction of a play.

Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui brings Sutra to the stage, featuring martial arts from China’s Shaolin monks. Hip-hop, contemporary dance, and aerial work combine in the presentation of Borderline by Company Wang Ramirez. The U.S. premiere of Blak Whyte Gray, a mix of hip-hop and African-inspired movement, makes its way from across the pond to the Lincoln Center stage, as well as the U.S. premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s chamber opera Only the Sound Remains, directed by Peter Sellars and starring Philippe Jaroussky and Davóne Tines.”

Harry Potter: A History of Magic (Now-1/27/19)
New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W.
“Gather round ye muggles and wizards, squibs and witches, tourists and natives: magic is on its way. Harry Potter: A History of Magic, commemorating the beloved series’s 20th anniversary, is now open at the New-York Historical Society. One of the most eagerly anticipated exhibits to hit the city since, well, ever, the show comes straight from the British Library in London, where, not surprisingly, it was the institution’s most successful exhibition.

Artifacts like crystal balls, Leonardo da Vinci notebooks, and the first written record of the magic word “abracadabra” are among the treasures on display, joined by original materials from author J.K. Rowling’s archives. Also on view to the public for the first time will be Mary GrandPré’s illustrations created for Scholastic’s original editions of the novels. Costumes and set models from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which opened on Broadway in April, will be showcased in the exhibition. A long list of events will take place in conjunction with the exhibit, including trivia night, talks, an adult costume party, and more.” (cityguideny)
Daily, except most Mondays, $21, $6 ages 5-13, free 4 and younger

============================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, plus dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.6 million, had a record 63 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2018 – awesome! BUT quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just earlier on the day of performance.

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

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

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

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.

Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.
===========================================================

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 is one exhibition the New Yorker likes:

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

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

*Now plan your own gallery crawl, but better 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 this NYT recommendation: “When you’re done, adjourn to the newly renovated Bottino , the Chelsea art world’s unofficial canteen on 10th Avenue (btw 24/25 St.) “

=======================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see recent posts in right sidebar dated 11/07 and 11/05.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (11/08) + Today’s Featured Pub (Times Square / Theater District)

Posted on 11/08/2018 by

Today’s Sweet 6 NYC Events > THURSDAY/ NOVEMBER 08, 2018

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

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

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

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

“JALC Plays Miles Davis” (Nov. 8-10)
Rose Theatre, 60th St. at Broadway / 8PM, $
“Miles Davis, by his own account, changed the nature of music some “four or five times.” The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, in its survey of the great man’s work, will only scratch the surface of his multifarious career, but it will still cover considerable ground, touching on Davis’s bebop, cool-jazz, hard-bop, and modal periods, and concluding with a new arrangement of “Tout de Suite,” from the early days of his late-sixties foray into fusion.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

=========================================================
5 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> THE BLOW
>> Catherine Cohen: The Twist?… She’s Gorgeous
>> Django Reinhardt Festival
>> The Bad Plus
>> American Honor: The Creation of the Nation’s Ideals During the Revolutionary Era
Continuing Events
>> Canstruction
>> White Light Festival
>> Harry Potter: A History of Magic
========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

THE BLOW
at Le Poisson Rouge / 8PM, $15
“This electro-pop project started in 2001 as a solo effort by Khaela Maricich, but it became a duo first with Yacht’s Jona Bechtolt, then, in 2007, with Melissa Dyne. A glimpse of mainstream success came with the critically acclaimed album, “Paper Television,” a collection of catchy, quietly subversive synth-and-drum-machine-driven songs. Maricich and Dyne have stayed the course with releases that remain both listenable and against the grain — if a little weirder than songs like “True Affection,” which have since found a second life on soundtracks.” (NYT-NATALIE WEINER)

Catherine Cohen: The Twist?… She’s Gorgeous
Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater / 11:30PM, $15
“If you live in New York and haven’t seen Catherine Cohen perform live…seek treatment. The comedy chanteuse had us mesmerized when she was singing in dive bars about boys; now armed with a full backing band at one of the city’s best venues, Cohen is a total force of nature. She takes over Joe’s Pub for a night of wickedly subversive musical comedy, fabulous looks and self-directed diva worship. She’s joined by regular collaborator Henry Koperski at the keys. Not to be missed.” (TONY)

Django Reinhardt Festival (Nov. 6-11)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $50
“The spell of a Belgian Gypsy guitarist­ with a damaged fretting hand, who made a single, brief visit to America in late 1946, seven years before he died, still retains its power. Paying homage to the passionate virtuoso at this annual festival will be members of the Schmitt family, including the guitarists Dorado and his sons Samson and Amati, along with such Stateside guests as Grace Kelly, Edmar Castañeda, and Joel Frahm.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

The Bad Plus (Nov. 6-11)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $35
“Any worries that the addition of a new pianist might have dulled the intensity or the imagination of the Bad Plus have been assuaged. With Orrin Evans at the keyboard, and Reid Anderson and Dave King holding steady on the bass and the drums, the freshly minted outfit has retained all the expressionistic power and improvisational daring that first made the band a sensation, more than twenty years ago.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

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

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

American Honor: The Creation of the Nation’s Ideals During the Revolutionary Era
Fraunces Tavern Museum, 54 Pearl St./ 6:30PM, $10
“In this lecture, Smith reveals how the American Revolution was not only for liberty and freedom, but also a revolution of ethics; reshaping what colonial Americans understood as “honor” and “virtue.” Smith will highlight prominent Americans who came of age before and during the Revolution, linking it to an ethical transformation, and sparking the American Revolution.”

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

Continuing Events

Canstruction (Nov.02-15)
Brookfield Place | Battery Park City / 10AM-8PM, FREE
“This annual cans-for-a-cause competition pits architecture teams against each other to create larger-than-life Pop Art–installations using more than 120,000 cans of nonperishable food, all in the name of ending hunger (every can is donated to City Harvest). Head down to Brookfield Place to see the unveiling of these engineering spectacles, all built overnight after months of planning, and check back to see if your favorite takes home any titles in judges’ categories like Best Use of Labels, Best Meal and Structural Ingenuity. Admission is free, but do your part by bringing the suggested donation of one canned good per person.” (TONY)

White Light Festival (through Nov.18)
“Lincoln Center’s annual White Light Festival, integrating performances from around the world in a cross-cultural extravaganza, will play six venues across the city.

The festival will include performances of Waiting for Godot from Ireland’s Druid Theatre Company, directed by Tony-winning director Garry Hynes—the first female to win a Tony Award for direction of a play.

Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui brings Sutra to the stage, featuring martial arts from China’s Shaolin monks. Hip-hop, contemporary dance, and aerial work combine in the presentation of Borderline by Company Wang Ramirez. The U.S. premiere of Blak Whyte Gray, a mix of hip-hop and African-inspired movement, makes its way from across the pond to the Lincoln Center stage, as well as the U.S. premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s chamber opera Only the Sound Remains, directed by Peter Sellars and starring Philippe Jaroussky and Davóne Tines.”

Harry Potter: A History of Magic (Now-1/27/19)
New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W.
“Gather round ye muggles and wizards, squibs and witches, tourists and natives: magic is on its way. Harry Potter: A History of Magic, commemorating the beloved series’s 20th anniversary, is now open at the New-York Historical Society. One of the most eagerly anticipated exhibits to hit the city since, well, ever, the show comes straight from the British Library in London, where, not surprisingly, it was the institution’s most successful exhibition.

Artifacts like crystal balls, Leonardo da Vinci notebooks, and the first written record of the magic word “abracadabra” are among the treasures on display, joined by original materials from author J.K. Rowling’s archives. Also on view to the public for the first time will be Mary GrandPré’s illustrations created for Scholastic’s original editions of the novels. Costumes and set models from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which opened on Broadway in April, will be showcased in the exhibition. A long list of events will take place in conjunction with the exhibit, including trivia night, talks, an adult costume party, and more.” (cityguideny)
Daily, except most Mondays, $21, $6 ages 5-13, free 4 and younger

==========================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, plus dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.6 million, had a record 63 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2018 – awesome! BUT quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just earlier on the day of performance.

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

Feinstein’s/54 Below – 254 W 54th St.

The Green Room 42 – 570 Tenth Ave.

Don’t Tell Mama – 343 W 46th St.

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

Laurie Beechman Theatre – 407 W 42nd St.

Marie’s Crisis – 59 Grove St.

The Duplex – 61 Christopher St.

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

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

========================================================================
NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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

A PremierPub

Jimmy’s Corner / 140 W 44th St (btw B’way & 7th ave)

IMG_2083Jimmy’s Corner is right in the heart of Times Square, but you won’t find it on the corner, it’s mid-block. Enter this long narrow bar and you are struck by the walls covered with mostly black-and-white boxing photographs, and memorabilia. Soon enough you learn that “Corner” refers to proprietor Jimmy Glenn’s long career as a corner man for some of boxing greats – Liston, Tyson, even “the greatest,” Ali.

Jimmy’s is a sort of time machine, taking you back to a time and place that no longer exists. All around you Times Square has cleaned up, grown up, assumed a new identity. Jimmy’s probably hasn’t changed a bit since it first opened in 1971. Certainly the bar itself looks original and the prices haven’t changed much either. When I brought a friend, who owns her own bar, she was surprised when she got the small tab for a round of drinks. Figured there must be a mistake, that maybe they forgot to charge for all the drinks.

Times Square today is filled with neon glitz and wandering tourists from Dubuque, but not Jimmy’s. You’ll likely find some old timer’s at the bar nursing their drinks, some younger locals at tables in the back, and maybe a few adventuresome tourists clutching their trusty guidebooks. There’s no food served here because this is just a bar, and sometimes that’s all you need.

On nights when no local team is playing, it’s a fine place to sip some drafts and listen to a great old time jukebox, with a great selection of  40s& 50s R&B and soul. On sports nights this very narrow bar can get a bit claustrophobic, filled with excited fans watching their team on the TVs. Either way, Jimmy’s is the place to be if you are looking for an old time bar in the new Times Square.
————————————————————————————————————————
Website: are you kidding !
(although there is a facebook page with lots of photos –
facebook.com/jimmyscornernyc)
Phone #: 212-221-9510
Hours: 11am – 4 am, except Sunday they open 12 noon
Happy Hour: not necessary, low prices all day, every day
Subway: #1,2,3 to TimesSquare 42nd st
walk 2 blks N on 7th ave to 44th st; ½ blk E to Jimmy’s

================================================================================
“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.
================================================================================
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (11/07) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 11/07/2018 by

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > WEDNESDAY/ NOVEMBER 07, 2018

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

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

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

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

Hungarian State Opera and Ballet (next Nov.9, 8PM)
NYS Theater / 7PM, $10+
“The Hungarian State Opera of Budapest makes its Lincoln Center debut with a rich variety of ballet and opera productions to choose from. It will present Hungarian iconic historical opera pieces: Erkel’s Bánk bán (The Viceroy Bank), Goldmark’s The Queen of Sheba, world-famous 20th century one-act operas Vajda’s Mario and the Magician and Bartók Bluebeard’s Castle, but also beloved classical ballets: Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, and Petipa and Minkus’ Don Quixote. Those who prefer more modern ballet pieces can also see Hans van Manen’s 2017 triple bill LOL.

=========================================================
6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> Django Reinhardt Festival
>> LUCINDA WILLIAMS and her band BUICK 6
>> KANE BROWN
>> ‘Marnie
>> Ryan Raftery: The Obsession of Calvin Klein
>> The Bad Plus
Continuing Events
>> Canstruction
>> White Light Festival
>> Harry Potter: A History of Magic
========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Django Reinhardt Festival (Nov. 6-11)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $50
“The spell of a Belgian Gypsy guitarist­ with a damaged fretting hand, who made a single, brief visit to America in late 1946, seven years before he died, still retains its power. Paying homage to the passionate virtuoso at this annual festival will be members of the Schmitt family, including the guitarists Dorado and his sons Samson and Amati, along with such Stateside guests as Grace Kelly, Edmar Castañeda, and Joel Frahm.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

LUCINDA WILLIAMS and her band BUICK 6
Beacon Theater / 8PM, $35+
Lucinda Williams and her band Buick 6 bring the Car Wheels On A Gravel Road 20th Anniversary Tour to the Beacon Theatre.

KANE BROWN
at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden / 7:30 p.m., $35
“In 2018, a country star citing hip-hop and R&B among his or her influences is not unusual; it is slightly more so, though, when that star is also Randy Travis’s vocal doppelgänger. This 25-year-old rose to fame through a distinctly 21st-century mode — video covers of country songs posted on social media — but what makes Brown distinctive is that he still has the chops to tackle the classics. His own music skews romantic, with many heartfelt ballads that fit easily within the glossy, bombastic sound of contemporary country radio.” (NYT-NATALIE WEINER)

Marnie (next Nov.10, 1PM)
Metropolitan Opera House / 7:30PM, $20+
“Composer Nico Muhly unveils his second new opera for the Met with this gripping reimagining of Winston Graham’s novel, set in the 1950s, about a beautiful, mysterious young woman who assumes multiple identities. Director Michael Mayer and his creative team have devised a fast-moving, cinematic world for this exhilarating story of denial and deceit, which also inspired a film by Alfred Hitchcock. Mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard sings the enigmatic Marnie, and baritone Christopher Maltman is the man who pursues her—with disastrous results. Robert Spano conducts.”

Ryan Raftery: The Obsession of Calvin Klein
Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater / 9:30PM, $35
“After going in deep with inventive cabarets on the lives of Andy Cohen, Anna Wintour and Martha Stewart, maverick character marauder Ryan Raftery crafts a totally bonkers Black Swan-level stage saga on the life of Calvin Klein and his “henchwoman” Donna Karen. Set to Fleetwood Mac, Ke$ha, Amy Winehouse and other favorites, this high-drama night promises to make hilarious madness out of the world’s first lifestyle brand.” (TONY)

The Bad Plus (Nov. 6-11)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $35
“Any worries that the addition of a new pianist might have dulled the intensity or the imagination of the Bad Plus have been assuaged. With Orrin Evans at the keyboard, and Reid Anderson and Dave King holding steady on the bass and the drums, the freshly minted outfit has retained all the expressionistic power and improvisational daring that first made the band a sensation, more than twenty years ago.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

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

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

More smart stuff coming soon.

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

Continuing Events

Canstruction (Nov.02-15)
Brookfield Place | Battery Park City / 10AM-8PM, FREE
“This annual cans-for-a-cause competition pits architecture teams against each other to create larger-than-life Pop Art–installations using more than 120,000 cans of nonperishable food, all in the name of ending hunger (every can is donated to City Harvest). Head down to Brookfield Place to see the unveiling of these engineering spectacles, all built overnight after months of planning, and check back to see if your favorite takes home any titles in judges’ categories like Best Use of Labels, Best Meal and Structural Ingenuity. Admission is free, but do your part by bringing the suggested donation of one canned good per person.” (TONY)

White Light Festival (through Nov.18)
“Lincoln Center’s annual White Light Festival, integrating performances from around the world in a cross-cultural extravaganza, will play six venues across the city.

The festival will include performances of Waiting for Godot from Ireland’s Druid Theatre Company, directed by Tony-winning director Garry Hynes—the first female to win a Tony Award for direction of a play.

Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui brings Sutra to the stage, featuring martial arts from China’s Shaolin monks. Hip-hop, contemporary dance, and aerial work combine in the presentation of Borderline by Company Wang Ramirez. The U.S. premiere of Blak Whyte Gray, a mix of hip-hop and African-inspired movement, makes its way from across the pond to the Lincoln Center stage, as well as the U.S. premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s chamber opera Only the Sound Remains, directed by Peter Sellars and starring Philippe Jaroussky and Davóne Tines.”

Harry Potter: A History of Magic (Now-1/27/19)
New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W.
“Gather round ye muggles and wizards, squibs and witches, tourists and natives: magic is on its way. Harry Potter: A History of Magic, commemorating the beloved series’s 20th anniversary, is now open at the New-York Historical Society. One of the most eagerly anticipated exhibits to hit the city since, well, ever, the show comes straight from the British Library in London, where, not surprisingly, it was the institution’s most successful exhibition.

Artifacts like crystal balls, Leonardo da Vinci notebooks, and the first written record of the magic word “abracadabra” are among the treasures on display, joined by original materials from author J.K. Rowling’s archives. Also on view to the public for the first time will be Mary GrandPré’s illustrations created for Scholastic’s original editions of the novels. Costumes and set models from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which opened on Broadway in April, will be showcased in the exhibition. A long list of events will take place in conjunction with the exhibit, including trivia night, talks, an adult costume party, and more.” (cityguideny)
Daily, except most Mondays, $21, $6 ages 5-13, free 4 and younger

==========================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, plus dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.6 million, had a record 63 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2018 – awesome! BUT quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just earlier on the day of performance.

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

Greenwich Village:
(5 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. So., villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037 (1st 8:30)
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592 (1st set 8pm)
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883 (1st 7pm)
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346 (1st 8)
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346 (1st set 7:30pm)
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319 (6pm)

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

Special Mention:
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones St. nr Bleecker St. — caffevivaldi.com / 212-691-7538 (1st 7pm)
a classic, old jazz club in the Village, Caffe V often surprises with a wonderfully eclectic lineup. It’s my favorite spot for an evening of listening enjoyment and discovery.

Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.

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

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)

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Hilma af Klint : Paintings for the Future (thru 02/03/19)

“Convinced that the world was not ready for her artistry in 1906, particularly as an underrepresented female in her field, af Klint of Sweden kept her work private. Her paintings anticipated by years “breakthroughs” by Kandinsky, Mondrian and others and were unseen before 1986. The Guggenheim rediscovers her.”

“Recognized as one of the art world’s earliest abstract painters, Hilma af Klint was a steadfast believer that her work was inspired by the spiritual. The new Guggenheim exhibition, “Hilma af Klint: Paintings for the Future,” showcases the work of this groundbreaking Swedish artist (1862-1944), whose work was rarely seen until the 1980s.” (Newsday)

Jewish Museum

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

Museum of the City of New York

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

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

Delacroix  (Now-1/6/19)
“This is the first comprehensive U.S. retrospective of the work of French artist Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863). The Met has teamed up with The Louvre, showcasing in chronological order some 150 pieces, including paintings, drawings, manuscripts, and prints.” (cityguideny)

‘CROWNS OF THE VAJRA MASTERS: RITUAL ART OF NEPAL’ (through Dec. 16). “Up a narrow staircase, above the Met’s galleries of South and Southeast Asian art, are three small rooms of art from the Himalayas. The space, a bit like a treehouse, is a capsule of spiritual energy, which is especially potent these days thanks to this exhibition. The crowns of the title look like antique versions of astronaut headgear: gilded copper helmets, studded with gems, encrusted with repoussé plaques and topped by five-pronged antennas — the vajra, or thunderbolt of wisdom. Such crowns were believed to turn their wearers into perfected beings who are willing and able to bestow blessings on the world. This show is the first to focus on these crowns, and it does so with a wealth of compressed historical information, as well as several resplendent related sculptures and paintings from Nepal and Tibet. But it’s the crowns themselves, the real ones, the wisdom generators, set in mandala formation in the center of the gallery, that are the fascinators.” (NYT-Holland Cotter)

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

Although technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection (closed Mon) (Wed 2-6pm PWYW; First Friday each month (exc Jan+Sep) 6-9pm FREE) on the corner of 70th St. and Fifth Avenue and the The Morgan Library & Museum (closed Mon) (Fri 7-9 FREE) on Madison Ave and 37th St are also located near Fifth Ave.
Now plan your own museum crawl (info on hours & admission updated June 2, 2015).
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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 11/05 and 11/03.
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