NYC Events,”Only the Best” (06/24) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 06/24/2018 by

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > SUNDAY/ JUNE 24, 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-JUNE”
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.

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

Arturo O’Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 9PM +11PM, $30
“Grammy Award winning pianist, composer and educator Arturo O’Farrill — leader of the “first family of Afro-Cuban Jazz” (NY Times) — was born in Mexico and grew up in New York City. He played piano in Carla Bley’s Big Band from 1979 through 1983 and earned a reputation as a soloist in groups led by Dizzy Gillespie, Steve Turre, Freddy Cole, Lester Bowie, Wynton Marsalis and Harry Belafonte. The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra is the resident large format ensemble of the nonprofit Afro Latin Jazz Alliance (ALJA) founded by Arturo O’Farrill in 2007 and dedicated to preserving the music and heritage of big band Latin jazz.”

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6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>Junior Brown “The American Original”
>>David Murray & Class Struggle
>> MIRANDA CUCKSON AND ETHAN IVERSON
>> Hallelujah Disco with Harlem Gospel Choir and Tony Award Winner Melba Moore
>> Summer of Love Secret Speakeasy
>> Figment NYC
Continuing Events
>> RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL
>> Othello
>> ‘THE LET GO’
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Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Junior Brown “The American Original”
City Winery / 8PM, $22+
“Junior Brown has shown himself to be equally adept at virtually all styles of American music, leading many to dub him America’s most versatile musician. A listen to his catalog of recordings reveals a virtuosity in Country, Western Swing, Hawaiian, Rock and Roll, (Hard Rock, Surf, etc.), Blues, Trad. Jazz, (Swing), Pop, Bluegrass, and even Mariachi.”

David Murray & Class Struggle (LAST DAY)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $35
“Though less conspicuous than he was a few decades ago—is there anyone who’s actually made their way through the relentless tsunami of recordings that Murray appeared on in the eighties and nineties?—the fire-breathing saxophonist and bass-clarinet player remains a force to be reckoned with. His Class Struggle sextet has some trusted peak-era collaborators, including the trombonist Craig Harris and Murray’s son, Mingus, on guitar.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

MIRANDA CUCKSON AND ETHAN IVERSON
at Spectrum / 7 p.m., $
“A tireless advocate of new music for violin and a jazz pianist and composer join forces for this program of solo and duo works, as part of the ongoing Modern Piano (+) Festival. Alone, Ms. Cuckson plays Donald Martino’s “Romanza,” three of Salvatore Sciarrino’s “Six Caprices” and Josiah Catalan’s “Aperture Perpetuum.” Mr. Iverson contributes original jazz pieces. Together, they play violin sonatas by Louise Talma and George Walker.” (NYT-David Allen)

Nicky Siano’s Hallelujah Disco with Harlem Gospel Choir and Tony Award Winner Melba Moore
Central Park, Rumsey Playfield, off Fifth Avenue at 69th St. / 7PM, FREE
‘Disco was a social and cultural revolution, and Nicky Siano was there from the beginning. In this multi-media event, Nicky tells the story of the NYC dance music scene from Stonewall to Studio 54. The show features seasoned R&B artist Melba Moore and The Harlem Gospel Choir singing danceable gospel songs, interwoven with the story as told through pictures, video and interviews with such notables as Frankie Knuckles and David Mancusco.

“Hallelujah Disco” is a celebration of New York City, The Seventies, and Gay Rights, written and directed by Nicky Siano, and produced by Siano with Rebecca Lynn. Learn the history of NYC Nightlife, while the Disco Gospel Classics are performed live.

The Illustrious Blacks, known for their highly praised live shows that fuse music, dance, theater, fashion and more, will open with a DJ set.”

Summer of Love Secret Speakeasy
The Museum of Interesting Things, 177 Prince St./ 6PM, $10
The 1960’s & early 1970’s Party in Soho
60’s 70’s Music/tech/fun party
Hear vinyl LP’s; You get to DJ also!
16mm short movies & music fest & party!
Plus see cool antiques

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

Figment NYC (June 23-24)
Governors Island / 10AM-6PM, FREE
“In one of the most exciting weekends of the summer for Governors Island, Figment NYC returns to capture the imagination of thousands of guests by transforming the island into a whimsical wonderland where creative minds come to play and world-build. Hundreds of artists will set up installations across the sprawling parks and sites, allowing guests to come wander and discover — for free! Pack a picnic and prepare for some blow-up over your enviable Insta.” (Metro)

“Experts in neuroscience, chemistry, medicine, performance art, and yoga are among the participants in a Guerilla Science Sensorium on Governors Island. An abandoned officer’s quarters will become a cabinet of curiosities for the senses as you experiment with the workings of body and brain.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

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Continuing Events

RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL at various locations (LAST DAY).
“The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council presents this festival, now in its 17th year, with free dance, music, theater and visual art shows at downtown sites. Of the dance highlights, the most dramatic is likely to be an appearance by It’s Showtime NYC!, a company of street dancers, performing on the steps of Federal Hall (June 18-22). Other notable events include Catherine Galasso’s “Of Granite and Glass,” a site-specific dance inspired by Giovanni Boccaccio’s “The Decameron” at the Winter Garden (June 15-17); Enrico D. Wey’s “silent :: partner,” an exploration of memory and memorialization held inside Federal Hall (June 15-17); and Cori Olinghouse’s “Grandma,” a look at aging and the ghosts of the American South. The setting? A Lower Manhattan office building (June 16-17).” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

Othello (LAST DAY)
Shakespeare Delacorte Theater, Central Park / 8PM, FREE* (the Bard is off on Mondays)
“Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Jitney) directs the first offering of the Public Theater’s 2018 season of Shakespeare in the Park: an account of the Bard’s fast-paced tragedy of jealousy and misplaced trust, in which a villain preys on the insecurities of a Moorish war hero married to a white woman. The cast is headed by Chukwudi Iwuji as Othello, Corey Stoll as Iago and Heather Lind as Desdemona.”
*tickets are free (two per person) and may be picked up after noon on the day of performance (be prepared for long lines.) Some tickets are also distributed via online lottery.
See TONY’s complete guide to Shakespeare in the Park tickets for details.

‘THE LET GO’ (June 7-July 1)
at the Park Avenue Armory
“This large-scale, site-specific multiweek event is masterminded by the interdisciplinary artist Nick Cave, who transforms the armory into a vivid dance landscape in which spectators are invited to do just what the title says they should: let go. Within this dance hall environment are performances, an installation in the form of a Mylar sculpture, dance-based encounters and music provided by D.J.s. For some programs, Mr. Cave works with the choreographer Francesca Harper; for others, there will be dancing by community groups. On June 26, as part of “An Evening of Artistic Responses: The Let Go,” the musician Nona Hendryx, the vocalist and artist Helga Davis, Ms. Harper and Reggie (Regg Roc) Gray and his company, D.R.E.A.M. Ring, respond to the installation, which references issues of social justice, with site-specific performances.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

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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 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.
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NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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Chelsea Art Gallery District*

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

Here are two exhibitions the New Yorker likes:

Damien Hirst (thru June 30)

“Superabundant multicolored dot paintings, randomly composed in sizes from smallish to giant, are as perfectly dead as a trisected shark in formaldehyde-filled glass cases, which is also on view. There’s no formal structure or even optical dazzle, except by occasional accident. These aren’t active pictures. They’re passive slabs, yielding nothing to contemplation that they don’t impart at first glance. Neither good nor bad, they maintain an imperturbable, mortuary dignity—Hirst’s cynosure. He creates visual curios that look like art while dispensing with art’s pesky demands on thought, feeling, and perception. His works are aesthetic cryptocurrency. There are worse things in the world.” () Gagosian, 555 W. 24th St.

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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.) “

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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see recent posts in right sidebar dated 06/22 and 06/20.

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NYC Events,”Only the Best” (06/23) + Today’s Featured Pub (Tribeca)

Posted on 06/23/2018 by

Today’s Elite 8 NYC Events > SATURDAY/ JUNE 23, 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-JUNE”
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:

Frances Ruffelle Live(S) in New York
The Green Room 42 / 7PM, $20
“Ruffelle has a place of her own in the hearts of musical-theater fans for her performance as sacrificial waif Éponine in the original London and Broadway casts of Les Misérables. Having recently relocated to New York City, she returns to the nightclub stage with a charmingly game and gamine monthly set at the Green Room 42.” (TONY)

Eponine has all grown up and she puts on one hot show – don’t miss it.

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7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>Inti Raymi: Festival of the Sun
>>JOANNE BRACKEEN WITH RICHIE GOODS
>> A celebration of music inspired by Anton Webern
>> Alternative Guitar Summit 2018
>> American Ballet Theatre
>> BargeMusic
>> Figment NYC
Continuing Events
>> RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL
>> Othello
>> ‘THE LET GO’
========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Inti Raymi: Festival of the Sun
National Museum of the American Indian, 1 Bowling Green / 1PM-4PM, FREE
“Inti Raymi is one of the most important traditional celebrations in the Andean countries of Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. Celebrate the Festival of the Sun with an afternoon of music and dance drawing on the traditions of Andean nations like Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. Presented in collaboration with the organization Kichwa Nation.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

JOANNE BRACKEEN WITH RICHIE GOODS
at Mezzrow / 8 and 9:30 p.m., $20-$25
“Keenly articulated and brilliantly layered, the piano playing of Ms. Brackeen can feel both dazzling and intimate. Her compositions cram together a lot of ideas about misdirection, balance, blues comfort, melody and memory. While her recorded output has slowed of late, this National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master’s performances remain a revelation. She performs at this intimate basement club with the bassist Mr. Goods.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

A celebration of music inspired by Anton Webern
St. Paul’s Chapel, 209 Broadway/ 1PM, FREE
“Hailed by the New Yorker as “expert and versatile musicians,” NOVUS NY String Quartet led by Julian Wachner perform works by the composers inspired by Anton Webern’s music: Ligeti (b.1923-2006), Babbitt (1916-2011) and Lutoslawsk (1913-1994).
This concert is a part of a concert series focused on the complete works of Anton Webern; the trademark of the series is the juxtaposition of early and modern music.

Anton Webern, the noted Austrian composer and conductor, remembered for his atonal and serial works, was one of the key figures in the Second Viennese School. Unfortunately, with the rise of Nazis, his music was banned and he spent the last decade of his life in financial constraint and musical isolation. He was not very prolific composer, publishing only 31 works during his lifetime. Yet, he left a great impression with his radical compositions, influencing both his contemporaries and younger generations of musicians.”

Alternative Guitar Summit 2018 (June 21-23)
Various locations
“Proving that there’s life in the old six-string yet, a host of farsighted guitarists gather for three nights of in-the-moment music-making. Opening night features the innovative Bill Frisell at Le Poisson Rouge, collaborating with several players, including Julian Lage. The festival continues at Nublu, with a fusion tribute featuring Brandon Ross, Dave Fiuczynski, and others, and concludes at Jazz Gallery, with an evening of cross-generational duets uniting Peter Bernstein and Gilad Hekselman, Joe Morris and Matteo Liberatore, and Anthony Pirog and the festival director, Joel Harrison.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

American Ballet Theatre (thru July 7)
Metropolitan Opera House / 2PM, +8PM, $30+
“The most classic of the classic ballets, “Swan Lake,” continues with three more performances on Friday and Saturday. Starting Monday, Ballet Theater switches gears from somber to sprightly with “Don Quixote,” another ballet staple. The company’s adaptation, with vibrant music by Ludwig Minkus, stems from 19th-century productions by Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorsky that highlight folk dances and showcase virtuosic variations for the characters Kitri and Basilio, who will be danced by different pairings of Ballet Theater principals through June 30..” (NYT-Brian Schaefer)

Elsewhere, not Manhattan’s WestSide, but it is Brooklyn’s WestSide and worth the detour:
BargeMusic
“Music in Motion” Series — a one hour performance, including a Q & A session with the musicians (no intermission)
Fulton Ferry Landing, near the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn/ 4PM, FREE
(take the A or C train to High Street station, Brooklyn.)
“Concert at the coolest classical music concert location in NYC.
Classical music on a boat with an intimate and romantic setting and beautiful view of New York City. Program and musicians TBA.” (ClubFreeTime)

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

Figment NYC (June 23-24)
Governors Island / 10AM-6PM, FREE
“In one of the most exciting weekends of the summer for Governors Island, Figment NYC returns to capture the imagination of thousands of guests by transforming the island into a whimsical wonderland where creative minds come to play and world-build. Hundreds of artists will set up installations across the sprawling parks and sites, allowing guests to come wander and discover — for free! Pack a picnic and prepare for some blow-up over your enviable Insta.” (Metro)

“Experts in neuroscience, chemistry, medicine, performance art, and yoga are among the participants in a Guerilla Science Sensorium on Governors Island. An abandoned officer’s quarters will become a cabinet of curiosities for the senses as you experiment with the workings of body and brain. (Continues all day Sunday as well.)” (ThoughtGallery.org)

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

Continuing Events

RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL at various locations (June 15-24).
“The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council presents this festival, now in its 17th year, with free dance, music, theater and visual art shows at downtown sites. Of the dance highlights, the most dramatic is likely to be an appearance by It’s Showtime NYC!, a company of street dancers, performing on the steps of Federal Hall (June 18-22). Other notable events include Catherine Galasso’s “Of Granite and Glass,” a site-specific dance inspired by Giovanni Boccaccio’s “The Decameron” at the Winter Garden (June 15-17); Enrico D. Wey’s “silent :: partner,” an exploration of memory and memorialization held inside Federal Hall (June 15-17); and Cori Olinghouse’s “Grandma,” a look at aging and the ghosts of the American South. The setting? A Lower Manhattan office building (June 16-17).” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

Othello (May28-Jun24)
Shakespeare Delacorte Theater, Central Park / 8PM, FREE* (the Bard is off on Mondays)
“Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Jitney) directs the first offering of the Public Theater’s 2018 season of Shakespeare in the Park: an account of the Bard’s fast-paced tragedy of jealousy and misplaced trust, in which a villain preys on the insecurities of a Moorish war hero married to a white woman. The cast is headed by Chukwudi Iwuji as Othello, Corey Stoll as Iago and Heather Lind as Desdemona.”
*tickets are free (two per person) and may be picked up after noon on the day of performance (be prepared for long lines.) Some tickets are also distributed via online lottery.
See TONY’s complete guide to Shakespeare in the Park tickets for details.

‘THE LET GO’ (June 7-July 1)
at the Park Avenue Armory
“This large-scale, site-specific multiweek event is masterminded by the interdisciplinary artist Nick Cave, who transforms the armory into a vivid dance landscape in which spectators are invited to do just what the title says they should: let go. Within this dance hall environment are performances, an installation in the form of a Mylar sculpture, dance-based encounters and music provided by D.J.s. For some programs, Mr. Cave works with the choreographer Francesca Harper; for others, there will be dancing by community groups. On June 26, as part of “An Evening of Artistic Responses: The Let Go,” the musician Nona Hendryx, the vocalist and artist Helga Davis, Ms. Harper and Reggie (Regg Roc) Gray and his company, D.R.E.A.M. Ring, respond to the installation, which references issues of social justice, with site-specific performances.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

==========================================================================
♦ 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: 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.

Marie’s Crisis – 59 Grove St.

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

Laurie Beechman Theatre – 407 W 42nd 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.

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NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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A PremierPub / Tribeca

B-Flat / 277 Church St. (btw Franklin/White St))

b_flat4There are some places that are tough to find, then add a layer of mystery when you do find them. B-Flat has a nondescript, almost unmarked door at street level – today’s speakeasy vibe. Open this door and you face a dimly lit stairway down to their basement location. It almost takes a leap of faith to follow the stairs down to their interior door.
But open that door and a pleasant surprise awaits you.

It’s a basement jazz spot all right, but not like any traditional jazz joint you may have been to before. This place looks as fresh as today, probably because it’s only been open for 6 years. Even though it hasn’t had a chance to age gracefully, the cherry wood accents and low lighting make this small space very inviting.

There is always jazz, often progressive jazz, playing over their very discrete, stylish bose speakers, setting just the right tone as you find a seat at the bar, or one of the small tables. There is wine and beer available, but this place has some expert mixologists making some very creative cocktails, which I’m told change seasonally, a nice touch.

Come at happy hour and tasty cocktails like the el Diablo or the lychee martini are $8 – not bad. I am a sucker for any drink made with lychee and how can you not try a tequila drink named el Diablo. There is also nice selection of small bites available at happy hour and a food menu that is as innovative as the cocktail menu, so this does not have to be a happy hour only stop.

It wasn’t surprising to find a tasty prosciutto and arugula salad with yuzu dressing, but I did not expect to find such a good version of fried chicken breast on the apps menu. Here it’s called “Tatsuta.” Best bet is to sample happy hour, then dinner on a Monday or Wednesday night, when you can finish with no cover live jazz that starts around 8.

This place is tough to find (look for a small slate sandwich board on the sidewalk out front advertising happy hour) and on some nights when there is no live music it may be a little too quiet for some. But I think it’s worth searching out if you want a place with good music, food, and especially drinks, away from the maddening crowd.

Website: http://http://www.bflat.info/index.html
Phone #: 212-219-2970
Hours: Mo-Wed 5pm-2am; Th-Sat 5pm-3am; no Sun
Happy Hour: 5-7pm every day; $8 cocktails + special prices on apps
Music: Mon/Wed 8pm
Subway: #1 to Franklin; walk E 1 blk to Church; N 1 blk to bFlat

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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 (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” (06/22) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 06/22/2018 by

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > FRIDAY/ JUNE 22, 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-JUNE”
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:

JOANNE BRACKEEN WITH RICHIE GOODS
at Mezzrow / 8 and 9:30 p.m., $20-$25
“Keenly articulated and brilliantly layered, the piano playing of Ms. Brackeen can feel both dazzling and intimate. Her compositions cram together a lot of ideas about misdirection, balance, blues comfort, melody and memory. While her recorded output has slowed of late, this National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master’s performances remain a revelation. She performs at this intimate basement club with the bassist Mr. Goods.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

=========================================================
6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> Azealia Banks
>>Spencer Day: Angel City
>> A celebration of music inspired by Anton Webern
>> Alternative Guitar Summit 2018
>> David Murray & Class Struggle
>> American Ballet Theatre
Continuing Events
>> RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL
>> Othello
>> ‘THE LET GO’
========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Azealia Banks
Sony Hall / 11pm; $45
“If this is the age of acrimony, Azealia Banks has become one of its more reliable avatars in the music business. The dance-floor diva’s Twitter beefs with, oh, just about everybody might engender dismissal if her vocals—whether she’s rhyming or singing—weren’t so fluent and the bounce in her tracks didn’t transport listeners to some kind of pelvic heaven. The title of Banks’s latest single, “Anna Wintour,” seems right in line with the materialist boasts in its rap section (“I’m penthouse; you’re trap house and rhinestones”), but the chorus reveals a layer of vulnerability nonexistent in the singer’s tweets. She’s no longer “broke with expensive taste,” but at least she seems to know that diamonds aren’t a girl’s dearest friend.

On Friday night, at Sony Hall, her Rainbow Ball gets started around midnight.” (K. Leander Williams, NewYorker)

Spencer Day: Angel City
The Green Room 42 / 7PM, $20
“Once a Harry Connick Jr.–inspired entertainer, Star Search finalist and dreamy crooner, Spencer Day has become a compelling and quirky singer-songwriter, whose tunes are touched by jazz, classical, country and German cabaret. In his new set, he celebrates the release of his seventh album, Angel City.” (TONY)

A celebration of music inspired by Anton Webern
St. Paul’s Chapel, 209 Broadway/ 1PM, FREE
“Hailed by the New Yorker as “expert and versatile musicians,” NOVUS NY String Quartet led by Julian Wachner perform works by the composers inspired by Anton Webern’s music: Ligeti (b.1923-2006), Babbitt (1916-2011) and Lutoslawsk (1913-1994).
This concert is a part of a concert series focused on the complete works of Anton Webern; the trademark of the series is the juxtaposition of early and modern music.

Anton Webern, the noted Austrian composer and conductor, remembered for his atonal and serial works, was one of the key figures in the Second Viennese School. Unfortunately, with the rise of Nazis, his music was banned and he spent the last decade of his life in financial constraint and musical isolation. He was not very prolific composer, publishing only 31 works during his lifetime. Yet, he left a great impression with his radical compositions, influencing both his contemporaries and younger generations of musicians.”

Alternative Guitar Summit 2018 (June 21-23)
Various locations
“Proving that there’s life in the old six-string yet, a host of farsighted guitarists gather for three nights of in-the-moment music-making. Opening night features the innovative Bill Frisell at Le Poisson Rouge, collaborating with several players, including Julian Lage. The festival continues at Nublu, with a fusion tribute featuring Brandon Ross, Dave Fiuczynski, and others, and concludes at Jazz Gallery, with an evening of cross-generational duets uniting Peter Bernstein and Gilad Hekselman, Joe Morris and Matteo Liberatore, and Anthony Pirog and the festival director, Joel Harrison.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

American Ballet Theatre (thru July 7)
Metropolitan Opera House / 7:30PM, $30+
“The company wraps up the weekend with Kenneth MacMillan’s sumptuous production of “Romeo and Juliet” before moving on to “Swan Lake” starting on Monday. Yes, it’s true that this “Swan Lake” is in need of an overhaul, but there are some mighty dancers cast as Odette/Odile, among them Isabella Boylston, Devon Teuscher and Misty Copeland. And for the matinee on June 20, the powerful, statuesque Christine Shevchenko makes her New York debut as Odette/Odile opposite the charismatic James Whiteside.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

David Murray & Class Struggle (June 19-24)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $35
“Though less conspicuous than he was a few decades ago—is there anyone who’s actually made their way through the relentless tsunami of recordings that Murray appeared on in the eighties and nineties?—the fire-breathing saxophonist and bass-clarinet player remains a force to be reckoned with. His Class Struggle sextet has some trusted peak-era collaborators, including the trombonist Craig Harris and Murray’s son, Mingus, on guitar.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

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

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

more smart stuff coming soon.

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

Continuing Events

RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL at various locations (June 15-24).
“The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council presents this festival, now in its 17th year, with free dance, music, theater and visual art shows at downtown sites. Of the dance highlights, the most dramatic is likely to be an appearance by It’s Showtime NYC!, a company of street dancers, performing on the steps of Federal Hall (June 18-22). Other notable events include Catherine Galasso’s “Of Granite and Glass,” a site-specific dance inspired by Giovanni Boccaccio’s “The Decameron” at the Winter Garden (June 15-17); Enrico D. Wey’s “silent :: partner,” an exploration of memory and memorialization held inside Federal Hall (June 15-17); and Cori Olinghouse’s “Grandma,” a look at aging and the ghosts of the American South. The setting? A Lower Manhattan office building (June 16-17).” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

Othello (May28-Jun24)
Shakespeare Delacorte Theater, Central Park / 8PM, FREE* (the Bard is off on Mondays)
“Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Jitney) directs the first offering of the Public Theater’s 2018 season of Shakespeare in the Park: an account of the Bard’s fast-paced tragedy of jealousy and misplaced trust, in which a villain preys on the insecurities of a Moorish war hero married to a white woman. The cast is headed by Chukwudi Iwuji as Othello, Corey Stoll as Iago and Heather Lind as Desdemona.”
*tickets are free (two per person) and may be picked up after noon on the day of performance (be prepared for long lines.) Some tickets are also distributed via online lottery.
See TONY’s complete guide to Shakespeare in the Park tickets for details.

‘THE LET GO’ (June 7-July 1)
at the Park Avenue Armory
“This large-scale, site-specific multiweek event is masterminded by the interdisciplinary artist Nick Cave, who transforms the armory into a vivid dance landscape in which spectators are invited to do just what the title says they should: let go. Within this dance hall environment are performances, an installation in the form of a Mylar sculpture, dance-based encounters and music provided by D.J.s. For some programs, Mr. Cave works with the choreographer Francesca Harper; for others, there will be dancing by community groups. On June 26, as part of “An Evening of Artistic Responses: The Let Go,” the musician Nona Hendryx, the vocalist and artist Helga Davis, Ms. Harper and Reggie (Regg Roc) Gray and his company, D.R.E.A.M. Ring, respond to the installation, which references issues of social justice, with site-specific performances.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

==========================================================================
♦ 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.

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

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)

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)

‘THE FACE OF DYNASTY: ROYAL CRESTS FROM WESTERN CAMEROON’ (through Sept. 3). “Upstairs, the Michelangelos continue to knock ‘em dead; downstairs, in the African wing, a show of just four commanding wooden crowns constitutes a blockbuster of its own. These massive wooden crests — in the form of stylized human faces with vast vertical brows — served as markers of royal power among the Bamileke peoples of the Cameroonian grasslands, and the Met’s recent acquisition of an 18th-century specimen is joined here by three later examples, each featuring sharply protruding cheeks, broadly smiling mouths, and brows incised with involute geometric patterns. Ritual objects like these were decisive for the development of western modernist painting, and a Cameroonian crest was even shown at MoMA in the 1930s, as a “sculpture” divorced from ethnography. But these crests had legal and diplomatic significance as well as aesthetic appeal, and their anonymous African creators had a political understanding of art not so far from our own.” (Farago)

‘HEAVENLY BODIES: FASHION AND THE CATHOLIC IMAGINATION’  (through Oct. 8). “Let us pray. After last year’s stark exhibition of Rei Kawakubo’s irregular apparel, the Met Costume Institute is back in blockbuster mode with this three-part blowout on the influence of Catholicism on haute couture of the last century. The trinity of fashion begins downstairs at the Met with the exceptional loans of vestments from the Vatican; upstairs are gowns fit for angels in heaven (by Lanvin, Thierry Mugler, Rodarte) or angels fallen to earth (such as slinky Versace sheaths garlanded with crosses). The scenography at the Met is willfully operatic — spotlights, choir music — which militates against serious thinking about fashion and religion, but up at the Cloisters, by far the strongest third of the show, you can commune more peacefully with an immaculate Balenciaga wedding gown or a divine Valentino gown embroidered with Cranac’s Adam and Eve.” (Farago)

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

Although technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection (closed Mon) (Wed 2-6pm PWYW; First Friday each month (exc Jan+Sep) 6-9pm FREE) on the corner of 70th St. and Fifth Avenue and the The Morgan Library & Museum (closed Mon) (Fri 7-9 FREE) on Madison Ave and 37th St are also located near Fifth Ave.
Now plan your own museum crawl (info on hours & admission updated June 2, 2015).
==============================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 06/20 and 06/18.
=============================================================

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NYC Events,”Only the Best” (06/21) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 06/21/2018 by

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > THURSDAY/ JUNE 21, 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-JUNE”
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:

MAKE MUSIC NEW YORK
“Music festivals can be exhausting, expensive or both. Enter Make Music New York, a citywide summer solstice celebration that quite literally comes to you with free concerts sprawling across all five boroughs. They include Stevie Wonder singalongs (lyrics provided) around Harlem hosted from a truck with a piano and speakers on its bed, Thievery Corporation’s Natalia Clavier performing under the Manhattan Bridge during the World Cup match between Denmark and her native Argentina, and much more. Overwhelmed? The festival has an app (on iTunes and Google Play) so you can find music wherever the longest day of the year takes you.” (NYT-NATALIE WEINER)

Hear The Well-Tempered Clavier
Memorial Plaza, World Trade Center,
“The summer solstice brings Make Music New York, a citywide sonic supernova of 1,000 mostly outdoor events in a single day. At noon, the 9/11 Memorial Plaza resounds with Mass Appeal Mozart, a communal performance of the Requiem (just show up to participate). At rush hour, dozens of pianists will trade off to unfurl Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier at the plaza’s four corners.” (J.D., NY Magazine)

=========================================================
6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> France Rocks Festival: Elida Almeida
>> ‘SALUTE TO RUSSELL MALONE’
>> Alternative Guitar Summit 2018
>> David Murray & Class Struggle
>> American Ballet Theatre
>> Icons & Innovators: George C. Wolfe
Continuing Events
>> RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL
>> Othello
>> ‘THE LET GO’
========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

France Rocks Festival: Elida Almeida
Atrium at Lincoln Center / 7:30PM, FREE, but get there early for a seat.
“Winner of Radio France International’s Prix Découvertes in 2015, Elida Almeida is a fresh new Cape Verdean voice on the world music scene. Born on the island of Santiago and raised on Maio, she developed her vocal techniques with simple church singing while she helped her mother sell fruits and vegetables at local markets. A determined woman and committed champion of the right to education, Almeida left the rural world to write her love and protest songs. Blending Cape Verdean beats with warm vocals and a fiery joie de vivre, Almeida has become a celebrated presence at world music venues across Europe, Africa, and North America.”

‘SALUTE TO RUSSELL MALONE’
at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center / 8 p.m., $50
“Mr. Malone has been a standard-bearer of mainline jazz guitar for the past 30 years, holding fast to the legacies of Grant Green and Wes Montgomery while welcoming the silkier influence of George Benson. It’s reflective of his talent and flexibility that, at just 54, a concert is being held in his honor featuring such luminaries as the elder tenor saxophonists Jimmy Heath and Houston Person, the drummer Lewis Nash and the vibraphonist Steve Nelson. This show marks the close of the 46th season of Highlights in Jazz.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Alternative Guitar Summit 2018 (June 21-23)
Various locations
“Proving that there’s life in the old six-string yet, a host of farsighted guitarists gather for three nights of in-the-moment music-making. Opening night features the innovative Bill Frisell at Le Poisson Rouge, collaborating with several players, including Julian Lage. The festival continues at Nublu, with a fusion tribute featuring Brandon Ross, Dave Fiuczynski, and others, and concludes at Jazz Gallery, with an evening of cross-generational duets uniting Peter Bernstein and Gilad Hekselman, Joe Morris and Matteo Liberatore, and Anthony Pirog and the festival director, Joel Harrison.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

American Ballet Theatre (thru July 7)
Metropolitan Opera House / 7:30PM, $30+
“The company wraps up the weekend with Kenneth MacMillan’s sumptuous production of “Romeo and Juliet” before moving on to “Swan Lake” starting on Monday. Yes, it’s true that this “Swan Lake” is in need of an overhaul, but there are some mighty dancers cast as Odette/Odile, among them Isabella Boylston, Devon Teuscher and Misty Copeland. And for the matinee on June 20, the powerful, statuesque Christine Shevchenko makes her New York debut as Odette/Odile opposite the charismatic James Whiteside.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

David Murray & Class Struggle (June 19-24)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $35
“Though less conspicuous than he was a few decades ago—is there anyone who’s actually made their way through the relentless tsunami of recordings that Murray appeared on in the eighties and nineties?—the fire-breathing saxophonist and bass-clarinet player remains a force to be reckoned with. His Class Struggle sextet has some trusted peak-era collaborators, including the trombonist Craig Harris and Murray’s son, Mingus, on guitar.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

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

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

Icons & Innovators: George C. Wolfe
The Greene Space, 44 Charlton St./ 7PM, $20
“Host Susan Fales-Hill, author and award-winning television producer, returns for the season finale of her conversation series with groundbreaking thinkers and artists whose work has shaped our cultural landscape — and those who will define its future.

Tonight she sits down for an intimate conversation with George C. Wolfe, the award-winning director and playwright who’s returned to Broadway this year with the new production of The Iceman Cometh. He talks about finding the music in Eugene O’Neil’s classic play, and what drew him to directing his first revival in years. Throughout his career, he’s brought new voices to the stage in some of Broadway’s most innovative productions, including Jelly’s Last Jam, Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk, the original production of Angels in America, Topdog/Underdog, and Caroline, Or Change.”

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

Continuing Events

RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL at various locations (June 15-24).
“The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council presents this festival, now in its 17th year, with free dance, music, theater and visual art shows at downtown sites. Of the dance highlights, the most dramatic is likely to be an appearance by It’s Showtime NYC!, a company of street dancers, performing on the steps of Federal Hall (June 18-22). Other notable events include Catherine Galasso’s “Of Granite and Glass,” a site-specific dance inspired by Giovanni Boccaccio’s “The Decameron” at the Winter Garden (June 15-17); Enrico D. Wey’s “silent :: partner,” an exploration of memory and memorialization held inside Federal Hall (June 15-17); and Cori Olinghouse’s “Grandma,” a look at aging and the ghosts of the American South. The setting? A Lower Manhattan office building (June 16-17).” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

Othello (May28-Jun24)
Shakespeare Delacorte Theater, Central Park / 8PM, FREE* (the Bard is off on Mondays)
“Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Jitney) directs the first offering of the Public Theater’s 2018 season of Shakespeare in the Park: an account of the Bard’s fast-paced tragedy of jealousy and misplaced trust, in which a villain preys on the insecurities of a Moorish war hero married to a white woman. The cast is headed by Chukwudi Iwuji as Othello, Corey Stoll as Iago and Heather Lind as Desdemona.”
*tickets are free (two per person) and may be picked up after noon on the day of performance (be prepared for long lines.) Some tickets are also distributed via online lottery.
See TONY’s complete guide to Shakespeare in the Park tickets for details.

‘THE LET GO’ (June 7-July 1)
at the Park Avenue Armory
“This large-scale, site-specific multiweek event is masterminded by the interdisciplinary artist Nick Cave, who transforms the armory into a vivid dance landscape in which spectators are invited to do just what the title says they should: let go. Within this dance hall environment are performances, an installation in the form of a Mylar sculpture, dance-based encounters and music provided by D.J.s. For some programs, Mr. Cave works with the choreographer Francesca Harper; for others, there will be dancing by community groups. On June 26, as part of “An Evening of Artistic Responses: The Let Go,” the musician Nona Hendryx, the vocalist and artist Helga Davis, Ms. Harper and Reggie (Regg Roc) Gray and his company, D.R.E.A.M. Ring, respond to the installation, which references issues of social justice, with site-specific performances.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

==========================================================================
♦ 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 – 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., thetownhall.org, 212-997-6661
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St., lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474

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.
See Below.
———————————————————————————————————-

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

A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating Places – Greenwich Village

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Website: http://caffevivaldi.com/
Phone #: (212) 691-7538
Hours: Music generally 7:30PM – 11PM, but varies
Lunch/Dinner 11AM-on
Subway: #1 to Christopher St.
Walk 1 blk S. on 7th ave S. to Bleecker St., 1 blk left on Bleecker to Jones St., 50 yards left on Jones St. to Caffe V.
==============================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, jazz clubs, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges, and of course, pubs – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge.

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

3 Good Eating places

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

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

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

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

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

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places, and essays on my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods on Manhattan’s WestSide, order a copy of my e-book:
“Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($4.99, available FALL 2018).
◊ Order before NOV.30, 2018 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.

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

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (06/20) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 06/20/2018 by

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > WEDNESDAY/ JUNE 20, 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-JUNE”
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:

American Ballet Theatre (thru July 7)
Metropolitan Opera House / 7:30PM, $30+
“The company wraps up the weekend with Kenneth MacMillan’s sumptuous production of “Romeo and Juliet” before moving on to “Swan Lake” starting on Monday. Yes, it’s true that this “Swan Lake” is in need of an overhaul, but there are some mighty dancers cast as Odette/Odile, among them Isabella Boylston, Devon Teuscher and Misty Copeland. And for the matinee on June 20, the powerful, statuesque Christine Shevchenko makes her New York debut as Odette/Odile opposite the charismatic James Whiteside.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

=========================================================
6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> Grizzly Bear & Spoon With Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
>> David Murray & Class Struggle
>> Carole Cook: Back Where She Belongs
>> Drunk Ed Presents: Roasts of “Great” Literary Men
>> Bright Signals: A History of Color Television
>> NeverAgain: A New Generation Draws the Line
Continuing Events
>> RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL
>> Othello
>> ‘THE LET GO’
========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
Grizzly Bear & Spoon With Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
at the Prospect Park Bandshell / 6:30 p.m., $51
“As two of the most reliable peddlers of hook-filled indie-rock tunes, Grizzly Bear and Spoon are a natural fit as co-headliners. Grizzly Bear are in their second decade of playing together, while Spoon are in their third — and both are supporting new, critically acclaimed albums. Their tour is catnip for those who like their music guitar-driven and contemplative but still easy to nod along to. The show is one of the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn Festival benefit concerts, and one dollar from every ticket sold will go to the musicians’ charity PLUS1 to support the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund.” (NYT-NATALIE WEINER)

Carole Cook: Back Where She Belongs
Feinstein’s/54 Below / 7PM, $60 (maybe a tough ticket)
“The 94-year-old showbiz broad, who played Mrs. Peachum in the original Off Broadway run of The Threepenny Opera and Maggie Jones in the original Broadway cast of 42nd Street, reflects on her long career in her very belated cabaret debut. Amid anecdotes about working with the likes of Lucille Ball and Ethel merman, Cook will reheat favorite songs from the Broadway catalog. “ (TONY)

David Murray & Class Struggle (June 19-24)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $35
“Though less conspicuous than he was a few decades ago—is there anyone who’s actually made their way through the relentless tsunami of recordings that Murray appeared on in the eighties and nineties?—the fire-breathing saxophonist and bass-clarinet player remains a force to be reckoned with. His Class Struggle sextet has some trusted peak-era collaborators, including the trombonist Craig Harris and Murray’s son, Mingus, on guitar.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

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

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

Drunk Ed Presents: Roasts of “Great” Literary Men
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, 126 Crosby St./ 7PM, FREE
“Throughout history, “great men” have written some of our most important works—histories, novels, poems, plays—but are they really all that great? Drunk Education (the event formerly known as Drunk TED Talks) returns to poke holes and deflate the egos of even more writer men. Some roasts will be loving, some will be scathing, but no one will escape untouched. Hosted by Eric Thurm.”

Bright Signals: A History of Color Television
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ 12PM, $29
“Susan Murray traces four decades of technological, cultural and aesthetic debates about the possibility, use and meaning of color television within the broader history of 20th-century visual culture in her new book, Bright Signals: A History of Color Television.

First demonstrated in 1928, color television remained little more than a novelty for decades as the industry struggled with the considerable technical, regulatory, commercial and cultural complications posed by the medium. Come learn how color television disrupted and reframed the very idea of television while simultaneously revealing the tensions between technology, consumerism, human sight and the natural world.”

NeverAgain: A New Generation Draws the Line
Barnes and Noble Union Square, 33 East 17th St./ 7PM, FREE
“Parkland shooting survivors David and Lauren Hogg discuss their book. From two students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School comes a declaration for our times, and an in-depth look at the making of the #NeverAgain movement that arose after the Parkland, Florida, shooting.”

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

Continuing Events

RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL at various locations (June 15-24).
“The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council presents this festival, now in its 17th year, with free dance, music, theater and visual art shows at downtown sites. Of the dance highlights, the most dramatic is likely to be an appearance by It’s Showtime NYC!, a company of street dancers, performing on the steps of Federal Hall (June 18-22). Other notable events include Catherine Galasso’s “Of Granite and Glass,” a site-specific dance inspired by Giovanni Boccaccio’s “The Decameron” at the Winter Garden (June 15-17); Enrico D. Wey’s “silent :: partner,” an exploration of memory and memorialization held inside Federal Hall (June 15-17); and Cori Olinghouse’s “Grandma,” a look at aging and the ghosts of the American South. The setting? A Lower Manhattan office building (June 16-17).” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

Othello (May28-Jun24)
Shakespeare Delacorte Theater, Central Park / 8PM, FREE* (the Bard is off on Mondays)
“Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Jitney) directs the first offering of the Public Theater’s 2018 season of Shakespeare in the Park: an account of the Bard’s fast-paced tragedy of jealousy and misplaced trust, in which a villain preys on the insecurities of a Moorish war hero married to a white woman. The cast is headed by Chukwudi Iwuji as Othello, Corey Stoll as Iago and Heather Lind as Desdemona.”
*tickets are free (two per person) and may be picked up after noon on the day of performance (be prepared for long lines.) Some tickets are also distributed via online lottery.
See TONY’s complete guide to Shakespeare in the Park tickets for details.

‘THE LET GO’ (June 7-July 1)
at the Park Avenue Armory
“This large-scale, site-specific multiweek event is masterminded by the interdisciplinary artist Nick Cave, who transforms the armory into a vivid dance landscape in which spectators are invited to do just what the title says they should: let go. Within this dance hall environment are performances, an installation in the form of a Mylar sculpture, dance-based encounters and music provided by D.J.s. For some programs, Mr. Cave works with the choreographer Francesca Harper; for others, there will be dancing by community groups. On June 26, as part of “An Evening of Artistic Responses: The Let Go,” the musician Nona Hendryx, the vocalist and artist Helga Davis, Ms. Harper and Reggie (Regg Roc) Gray and his company, D.R.E.A.M. Ring, respond to the installation, which references issues of social justice, with site-specific performances.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

==========================================================================
♦ 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.

Marie’s Crisis – 59 Grove St.

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

Laurie Beechman Theatre – 407 W 42nd 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

‘THE LONG RUN’ (through Nov. 4). “The museum upends its cherished Modern narrative of ceaseless progress by mostly young (white) men. Instead we see works by artists 45 and older who have just kept on keeping on, regardless of attention or reward, sometimes saving the best for last. Art here is an older person’s game, a pursuit of a deepening personal vision over innovation. Winding through 17 galleries, the installation is alternatively visually or thematically acute and altogether inspiring.” (NYT-Smith)
212-708-9400, moma.org

Skyscraper Museum

‘MILLENNIUM: LOWER MANHATTAN IN THE 1990S’ (through June 24). “This plucky Battery Park institution transports us back to the years of Rudy Giuliani, Lauryn Hill and 128-kilobit modems to reveal the enduring urban legacy of a decade bookended by recession and terror. In the wake of the 1987 stock market crash, landlords in the financial district rezoned their old skyscrapers for residential occupancy, and more than 20 towers were declared landmarks, including the ornate Standard Oil building at 26 Broadway and the home of Delmonico’s at 56 Beaver Street. Battery Park City flowered; yuppies priced out of TriBeCa came down to Wall Street; a new Guggenheim, designed by a fresh-from-Bilbao Frank Gehry, nearly arose by South Street Seaport. From this distance, the 1990s can seem almost like a golden age, not least given that, more than 16 years after Sept. 11, construction at the underwhelming new World Trade Center is still not finished. (NYT-Farago)

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.” (

SPECIAL MENTION (not Manhattan’s WestSide)
at the New York (Bronx) Botanical Garden:

‘GEORGIA O’KEEFFE: VISIONS OF HAWAI‘I’ (through Oct. 28). “Finding out Georgia O’Keeffe had a Hawaiian period is kind of like finding out Brian Wilson had a desert period. But here it is: 17 eye-popping paradisal paintings, produced in a nine-week visit in 1939. The paintings, and their almost psychedelic palette, are as fleshlike and physical as O’Keeffe’s New Mexican work is stripped and metaphysical. The other star of the show, fittingly, is Hawaii, and the garden has mounted a living display of the subjects depicted in the artwork. As much as they might look like the products of an artist’s imagination, the plants and flowers in the Enid Haupt Conservatory are boastfully real. On Aloha Nights every Saturday in June and every other Saturday in July and August, the garden is staging a cultural complement of activities, including lei making, hula lessons and ukulele performances.” (NYT – William L. Hamilton)
718-817-8700, nybg.org / easy 20 minute ride from Grand Central on Metro North.

==============================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 06/18 and 06/16.
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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (06/19) + Today’s Featured Pub (Upper West Side)

Posted on 06/19/2018 by

Today’s Elite 8 NYC Events > TUESDAY/ JUNE 19, 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-JUNE”
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:

Night at the Museums
“Fourteen downtown institutions host this year’s free open house, running from 4 to 8pm. Check out the NYC Municipal Archives (its records date back to 1645), enjoy live music and Art of the Mountain: Through the Chinese Photographer’s Lens at China Institute, or hear from Ben Lesser, survivor of four concentration camps, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

=========================================================
7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> David Murray & Class Struggle
>> BLONDE REDHEAD
>> Carole Cook: Back Where She Belongs
>>Alan Cumming: Legal Immigrant
>> American Ballet Theatre
>> David Sanger in Conversation with Nicholas Kristof
>> Sea v. Land debate
Continuing Events
>> RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL
>> Othello
>> ‘THE LET GO’
========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

David Murray & Class Struggle (June 19-24)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $35
“Though less conspicuous than he was a few decades ago—is there anyone who’s actually made their way through the relentless tsunami of recordings that Murray appeared on in the eighties and nineties?—the fire-breathing saxophonist and bass-clarinet player remains a force to be reckoned with. His Class Struggle sextet has some trusted peak-era collaborators, including the trombonist Craig Harris and Murray’s son, Mingus, on guitar.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

BLONDE REDHEAD
at Le Poisson Rouge / 8 p.m., $45
“Recommending Blonde Redhead and Rafiq Bhatia — the guitarist with whom they’re sharing a bill — as pop musicians doesn’t seem quite right, and yet jazz and classical are also inadequate labels. Both acts exist in an experimental limbo that allows them to claim rock (Mr. Bhatia also performs with Son Lux) and electronic music without ever losing the possibility that at any moment, things could go completely and thrillingly off-kilter. As Mr. Bhatia put it when describing his most recent album “Breaking English” to The New York Times, his is the sound of “what it would be like to fly over an undiscovered planet.” (NYT-NATALIE WEINER)

Carole Cook: Back Where She Belongs
Feinstein’s/54 Below / 7PM, $60 (maybe a tough ticket)
“The 94-year-old showbiz broad, who played Mrs. Peachum in the original Off Broadway run of The Threepenny Opera and Maggie Jones in the original Broadway cast of 42nd Street, reflects on her long career in her very belated cabaret debut. Amid anecdotes about working with the likes of Lucille Ball and Ethel merman, Cook will reheat favorite songs from the Broadway catalog. “ (TONY)

Alan Cumming: Legal Immigrant
Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater / 12AM, $40 (maybe a tough ticket)
“The bright-eyed, bouncy-kneed Scottish stage-and-screen actor plays fast and louche with the cabaret format, sprinkling naughty words into long comic stories and putting a completely fresh interpretive spin on familiar songs. He became an American citizen in 2008, a decade after taking New York by storm in Cabaret, and his latest set explores his immigrant experience. With typical mischief, he performs the set nightly at the ultraswank Cafe Carlyle, then hightails it downtown for a far more affordable midnight show at Joe’s Pub.” (TONY)

American Ballet Theatre (thru July 7)
Metropolitan Opera House / 7:30PM, $30+
“The company wraps up the weekend with Kenneth MacMillan’s sumptuous production of “Romeo and Juliet” before moving on to “Swan Lake” starting on Monday. Yes, it’s true that this “Swan Lake” is in need of an overhaul, but there are some mighty dancers cast as Odette/Odile, among them Isabella Boylston, Devon Teuscher and Misty Copeland. And for the matinee on June 20, the powerful, statuesque Christine Shevchenko makes her New York debut as Odette/Odile opposite the charismatic James Whiteside.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

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

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

David Sanger in Conversation with Nicholas Kristof
The Perfect Weapon — War, Sabotage and Fear in the Cyber Age
92Y, Buttenwieser Hall / 7PM, $40
“The Russian attacks on the American election are merely the culmination of the remarkable first era of cyberwar.

Cyberweapons have reordered the way we conduct diplomacy and war, and though the US struck first in Iran with the cyber operation Olympic Games, it has since found itself backpedaling in the face of attacks from Russia, China, and North Korea that left it unsure of how to respond. In his urgent new book, The Perfect Weapon, leading New York Times national security correspondent David Sanger takes us inside this escalating conflict and shows how digital weapons inspire fear in their ability to both melt nuclear reactors and undermine democracies. Join Sanger to get crucial insights into our new age of cyberwar.”

Sea v. Land debate
Sit in for a live debate between experts
American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 77th St,/ 7PM, $25
“Sit in for a live debate between experts about the pros and cons of sea and land fauna across several categories like top predators, intelligence and best defense mechanisms. Scientists will go head-to-head and you’ll get to decide who wins. The show will bring together conservationist Carl Safina and animal behavior expert Lori Marino, who will both face off against zoologist Jarod Miller and primatologist Mireya Mayor. There will be a book signing and Q&A to follow.”

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

Continuing Events

RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL at various locations (June 15-24).
“The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council presents this festival, now in its 17th year, with free dance, music, theater and visual art shows at downtown sites. Of the dance highlights, the most dramatic is likely to be an appearance by It’s Showtime NYC!, a company of street dancers, performing on the steps of Federal Hall (June 18-22). Other notable events include Catherine Galasso’s “Of Granite and Glass,” a site-specific dance inspired by Giovanni Boccaccio’s “The Decameron” at the Winter Garden (June 15-17); Enrico D. Wey’s “silent :: partner,” an exploration of memory and memorialization held inside Federal Hall (June 15-17); and Cori Olinghouse’s “Grandma,” a look at aging and the ghosts of the American South. The setting? A Lower Manhattan office building (June 16-17).” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

Othello (May28-Jun24)
Shakespeare Delacorte Theater, Central Park / 8PM, FREE* (the Bard is off on Mondays)
“Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Jitney) directs the first offering of the Public Theater’s 2018 season of Shakespeare in the Park: an account of the Bard’s fast-paced tragedy of jealousy and misplaced trust, in which a villain preys on the insecurities of a Moorish war hero married to a white woman. The cast is headed by Chukwudi Iwuji as Othello, Corey Stoll as Iago and Heather Lind as Desdemona.”
*tickets are free (two per person) and may be picked up after noon on the day of performance (be prepared for long lines.) Some tickets are also distributed via online lottery.
See TONY’s complete guide to Shakespeare in the Park tickets for details.

‘THE LET GO’ (June 7-July 1)
at the Park Avenue Armory
“This large-scale, site-specific multiweek event is masterminded by the interdisciplinary artist Nick Cave, who transforms the armory into a vivid dance landscape in which spectators are invited to do just what the title says they should: let go. Within this dance hall environment are performances, an installation in the form of a Mylar sculpture, dance-based encounters and music provided by D.J.s. For some programs, Mr. Cave works with the choreographer Francesca Harper; for others, there will be dancing by community groups. On June 26, as part of “An Evening of Artistic Responses: The Let Go,” the musician Nona Hendryx, the vocalist and artist Helga Davis, Ms. Harper and Reggie (Regg Roc) Gray and his company, D.R.E.A.M. Ring, respond to the installation, which references issues of social justice, with site-specific performances.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

==========================================================================
♦ 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.

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

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

A PremierPub / Upper West Side

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

Walk only five minutes from the 125th St. station on the #1 line to find this authentic honky-tonk barbecue joint. Some folks think Dinosaur is just a place to eat ribs. Au contraire. With 24 carefully selected taps, this is a place to drink beer, and eat ribs.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a  comment. 
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (06/18) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 06/18/2018 by

Today’s Elite 8 NYC Events > MONDAY/ JUNE 18, 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-JUNE”
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:

Broadway by the Year
The Town Hall / 8PM, $57+
“Scott Siegel’s valuable concert series opens time capsules to some of the Great White Way’s most memorable seasons. The June edition devotes its first act to shows from 1988 (such as The Phantom of the Opera, Chess and the infamous Carrie) and its second act—in a departure from the series’ usual mandate—to shows that opened in 2017 (including Come From Away, The Band’s Visit and SpongeBob SquarePants). The cast includes William Michals, Brian Charles Rooney, Farah Alvin, Rebecca Faulkenberry, Danny Gardner and Marina Jurica.” (TONY)

=========================================================
7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> Ed Palermo Big Band
>> Lillias White: Baby-Makin’ Music
>> American Ballet Theatre
>> J. D. ALLEN
>> Broadway Sings Kelly Clarkson
>> Natalie Douglas: Tributes—Bassey
>> Hamilton Gets Its Shot at The Public
Continuing Events
>> RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL
>> Othello
>> ‘THE LET GO’
========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Ed Palermo Big Band
The Iridium / 8:30PM, $25
“Best known for its longtime devotion to the humorous, tuneful, and often technically challenging gratifications of Frank Zappa’s music, the Ed Palermo Big Band has been branching out into other evergreen sources of boomer sustenance. On last spring’s The Great Un-American Songbook: Volumes I & II, Palermo’s solid eighteen-piece crew dusted off the heady delights of British psychedelic rock with inventive new arrangements of FM-radio staples by Traffic, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, and Radiohead. Later in the year, Palermo released The Adventures of Zod Zundgren, a benign confluence of Todd Rundgren’s and Zappa’s brainy pop performed with power and precision. Here Palermo — a saxophonist, conductor, and composer in his own right — belatedly celebrates the Summer of Love’s fiftieth anniversary with a set that should lean heavy on all things psychedelic and Sixties. Expect blink-and-you’ll-miss-’em references aplenty, perhaps integrated into an evening-long conceptual continuity.” (Richard Gehr, VillageVoice)

Lillias White: Baby-Makin’ Music
The Green Room 42 / 7PM, $35
“Nobody stops a show like Broadway’s Lillias White, who has built a career out of superpowered numbers in Once on This Island, How to Succeed…, The Life, Fela and more. In her new set at the Green Room, she performs tunes by Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, Ashford & Simpson and her musical director, Timothy Graphenreed.” (TONY)

American Ballet Theatre (thru July 7)
Metropolitan Opera House / 7:30PM, $30+
“The company wraps up the weekend with Kenneth MacMillan’s sumptuous production of “Romeo and Juliet” before moving on to “Swan Lake” starting on Monday. Yes, it’s true that this “Swan Lake” is in need of an overhaul, but there are some mighty dancers cast as Odette/Odile, among them Isabella Boylston, Devon Teuscher and Misty Copeland. And for the matinee on June 20, the powerful, statuesque Christine Shevchenko makes her New York debut as Odette/Odile opposite the charismatic James Whiteside.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

J. D. ALLEN
at Nublu 151 / 8 p.m., $20
“If you’d like to measure an improviser’s sincerity under a harsh light, ask him to play an entire album’s worth of ballads. Without quick tempos or ready-made energy to lighten the load, cracks reveal themselves quickly. But this tenor saxophonist has somehow managed to pull it off. He plays in a style guided closely by his antecedents — Ben Webster, Sonny Rollins, Branford Marsalis — but it’s personal and steadfast enough to establish its own convictions. At Nublu 151, Mr. Allen celebrates the release of “Love Stone” — nine ballads, mostly sourced from the back pages of the great American songbook — joined by the bassist Gregg August and the drummer Rudy Royston.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Broadway Sings Kelly Clarkson
Highline Ballroom / 8PM, $35
“More than a dozen Broadway vocalists perform new arangements of hits by the first and arguably greatest American Idol winner of them all, backed by orchestrator Joshua Stephen Kartes and a 14-piece jazz orchestra. Singers include Ben Fankhauser, Frankie James Grande, Arielle Jacobs, Adam Kaplan, Anthony Lee Medina, Matt DeAngelis, Christine Dwyer, Emma Hunton, Eric Michael Krop, Natalie Weiss and producer-director Corey Mach.” (TONY)

Natalie Douglas: Tributes—Bassey
Birdland / 7PM, $30
“Octuple MAC Award winner Douglas has previously plumbed the catalogs of Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Lena Horne, Abbey Lincoln and Billie Holiday, among many others. Now she pays homage to Welsh powerhouse Shirley Bassey, whose James Bond theme songs remain the gold standard.” (TONY)

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

The History of the World in 100 Performances with Adam Gopnik:
Hamilton Gets Its Shot at The Public
With special guest Christopher Jackson
Atrium at Lincoln Center / 7:30PM, FREE,  but get there early for a seat.
“On January 20, 2015, The Public Theater premiered a new musical on Ron Chernow’s 832-page biography of U.S. Treasury founder Alexander Hamilton and set off a theater revolution. Casting only people of color as the Founding Fathers and adeptly blending hip-hop and Broadway showstoppers in ways that felt both authentic and exhilarating, Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda became a household name across America. New Yorker writer and host Adam Gopnik and special guests, including actor Christopher Jackson, the show’s original George Washington, and Yale historian and Hamilton expert Joanne Freeman, delve into the genesis of Broadway’s hottest ticket.”

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Continuing Events

RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL at various locations (June 15-24).
“The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council presents this festival, now in its 17th year, with free dance, music, theater and visual art shows at downtown sites. Of the dance highlights, the most dramatic is likely to be an appearance by It’s Showtime NYC!, a company of street dancers, performing on the steps of Federal Hall (June 18-22). Other notable events include Catherine Galasso’s “Of Granite and Glass,” a site-specific dance inspired by Giovanni Boccaccio’s “The Decameron” at the Winter Garden (June 15-17); Enrico D. Wey’s “silent :: partner,” an exploration of memory and memorialization held inside Federal Hall (June 15-17); and Cori Olinghouse’s “Grandma,” a look at aging and the ghosts of the American South. The setting? A Lower Manhattan office building (June 16-17).” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

Othello (May28-Jun24)
Shakespeare Delacorte Theater, Central Park / 8PM, FREE* (the Bard is off on Mondays)
“Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Jitney) directs the first offering of the Public Theater’s 2018 season of Shakespeare in the Park: an account of the Bard’s fast-paced tragedy of jealousy and misplaced trust, in which a villain preys on the insecurities of a Moorish war hero married to a white woman. The cast is headed by Chukwudi Iwuji as Othello, Corey Stoll as Iago and Heather Lind as Desdemona.”
*tickets are free (two per person) and may be picked up after noon on the day of performance (be prepared for long lines.) Some tickets are also distributed via online lottery.
See TONY’s complete guide to Shakespeare in the Park tickets for details.

‘THE LET GO’ (June 7-July 1)
at the Park Avenue Armory
“This large-scale, site-specific multiweek event is masterminded by the interdisciplinary artist Nick Cave, who transforms the armory into a vivid dance landscape in which spectators are invited to do just what the title says they should: let go. Within this dance hall environment are performances, an installation in the form of a Mylar sculpture, dance-based encounters and music provided by D.J.s. For some programs, Mr. Cave works with the choreographer Francesca Harper; for others, there will be dancing by community groups. On June 26, as part of “An Evening of Artistic Responses: The Let Go,” the musician Nona Hendryx, the vocalist and artist Helga Davis, Ms. Harper and Reggie (Regg Roc) Gray and his company, D.R.E.A.M. Ring, respond to the installation, which references issues of social justice, with site-specific performances.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

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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 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.
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NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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Chelsea Art Gallery District*

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

Here are two exhibitions the New Yorker likes:

Damien Hirst (thru June 30)

“Superabundant multicolored dot paintings, randomly composed in sizes from smallish to giant, are as perfectly dead as a trisected shark in formaldehyde-filled glass cases, which is also on view. There’s no formal structure or even optical dazzle, except by occasional accident. These aren’t active pictures. They’re passive slabs, yielding nothing to contemplation that they don’t impart at first glance. Neither good nor bad, they maintain an imperturbable, mortuary dignity—Hirst’s cynosure. He creates visual curios that look like art while dispensing with art’s pesky demands on thought, feeling, and perception. His works are aesthetic cryptocurrency. There are worse things in the world.” () Gagosian, 555 W. 24th St.

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

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

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

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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see recent posts in right sidebar dated 06/16 and 06/14.

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