Today’s “Fab 4” / Selected NYCity Events – SATURDAY, SEPT 07, 2013.

U.S. TENNIS OPEN (through Sept. 9)
We are now in the final weekend of the tournament and all the matches are in the BigHouse.

Who to watch today:
Two Men’s Singles Semifinals, and the Women’s Doubles Final.

» The first men’s Semi should be the best. Stan ”the Man” Wawrinka #9 seed has been playing very well, and in his last match he ran defending champ Andy Murray off the court in straight sets. He’ll need to play at that level to beat the #1 seed – “the Joker”, and he just might.

» The second men’s Semi pits underdog #8 seed Gasquet vs #2 seed Nadal. Some people think Gasquet has a chance. I don’t. Gasquet has had to play two tough 5 set matches just to get here, while Nadal has cruised into the semis without being challenged.

» Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) [5] /  Lucie Hradecka (CZE) [5] vs Ashleigh Barty (AUS) [8] /  Casey Dellacqua (AUS) [8] in the Women’s Doubles Final, which follows the Men’s Semifinals. Surprisingly, the Williams sisters got beat in the semis by the Czech girls. Haven’t seen much of these ladies, but Women’s Doubles is the kind of tennis all us hackers can relate to, and this should be an interesting match to watch.

The best, most comprehensive review of the tournament and the current state of tennis can be found at the NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/tennis/index.html

Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit (thru Sunday, Sept. 08)
“In 1931, New York artists Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning propped up a few of their paintings on the sidewalk near Washington Square Park and called it a show. A lot has changed since then: Now, more than 100 artists and artisans—including painters, sculptors, jewelers and glassblowers—exhibit their wares at the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit.” (TONY mag)
University Place, from East 13th St to Waverly Place, WestVillage
12-6 PM / FREE
(212) 982-6255, wsoae.org

Governors Island Events (Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 22)
Free activities offered by the Figment NYC art project include interactive events in the Sculpture Garden, an artist-designed miniature golf course and installations in the “City of Dreams” pavilion that encourage visitor participation. The pavilion is a combined venture of the Emerging New York Architects Committee of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter and the Structural Engineers Association of New York; newyork.figmentproject.org. “Fête Paradiso,” a French-style amusement park, with rides and games dating to the 19th century, including a carousel and bumper cars, will operate through Sept. 29; rides and games are $3.

From 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Free ferry service is available from the Battery Maritime Building, at South and Whitehall Streets, near Battery Park, and in Dumbo, Brooklyn, from Pier 6 at Brooklyn Bridge Park; govisland.com.

Arturo O’Farrill Sextet 
“Arturo O’Farrill, the pianist and bandleader of the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, also leads a combo of this shape. Informed by postbop as well as by Latin jazz, it includes his sons, Adam (on trumpet) and Zack (on drums).” (Chinen-NYT)
Birdland, 315 West 44th St.
At 8:30 and 11 p.m./$35 and $45 cover, with a $10 minimum
581-3080, birdlandjazz.com

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change ==============================================================================

A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating places – Tribeca

B-Flat  /  277 Church st (Btw Franklin/White)

There 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 1 blk E to Church; 1 blk N to bFlat

“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, wine bars, cocktail lounges,  tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge.