Today’s “Fab 5” +1/ Selected NYCity Events – SATURDAY, OCT. 05, 2013

Crafts Festivals (Saturday and Sunday)
The annual Autumn Crafts on Columbus — the 34th — will run for three consecutive weekends from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the sidewalk of Columbus Avenue, near the American Museum of Natural History, Columbus Avenue, between 77th and 81st Streets; craftsoncolumbus.com. And at Lincoln Center, the Autumn Crafts Festival, in its 24th year, will run for the next two weekends, on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; craftsatlincoln.org.

JOHN MAYALL
“In the sixties, Mayall’s Bluesbreakers band was a fertile breeding ground for musicians who would go on to join, or form, such groups as Cream, the Stones, and Fleetwood Mac. Mayall is celebrating his eightieth birthday here, and he remains a forceful keyboardist, guitarist, flutist, and harmonica player, who also has a singularly sinuous blues singing style.” (NewYorker mag)
Iridium, 1650 Broadway, at 51st St.
8PM and 10PM / $45 and $65 with $15 minimum
212-582-2121/ theiridium.com

Regina Carter Quartet
“Ms. Carter, the violinist, has explored timbres both rustic and cosmopolitan throughout her career. After a long stretch working with the band from her West African-inspired 2010 release, “Reverse Thread,” she surfaces here with music from a forthcoming album, bearing the self-descriptive title “Southern Comfort.” (Chinen-NYT)
Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, Clinton,
At 8:30 and 11 p.m./ $40 cover, with a $10 minimum.
(212) 581-3080, birdlandjazz.com

RUFUS, FEATURING SLY STONE
“Promoting Sly Stone appearances has been a dodgy occupation for bookers and, certainly, audiences for about forty years. It doesn’t exactly say “Plays well with others” on his report card. But he is one of America’s greatest pop masters, and if he is present—and on—this collaboration with the funk band Rufus, whose “Tell Me Something Good,” with Chaka Khan, burned the airwaves in 1974, should be something to behold.” (NewYorker mag)
B.B.King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42nd St.
At 8PM / $50 with $10 minimum
212-997-4144 / bbkingblues.com

GOTHAM BURLESQUE- THE BEST OF BURLESQUE
Labelled ”CONEY ISLAND IN NEW YORK CITY SPECTACULAR!” this showcase of music, burlesque and comedy has 14 acts that should be lots of fun.
Stage 72, 158 West 72nd Street,
At 10 p.m. / $39 and $5
gothamburlesque.com

Fall for Dance Festival (last day!)
New York City Center is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Fall for Dance Festival with a very special season featuring performances by 20 acclaimed dance companies and artists from around the world. The Festival’s five unique programs offer an exciting mix of treasured favorites and undiscovered gems.

This bargain dance sampler finishes well with the drag ballet of the Trocks and sophisticated hip-hop by the Alvin Ailey troupe.
City Center, 131 West 55th St.
At 8 p.m./ $15*
212-581-1212, nycitycenter.org

*Unfortunately, presales are sold out. Tickets returned to the Box Office will be made available for sale starting at 6:30pm on the day of the performance. A maximum of two tickets per customer may be purchased on a first come, first served basis.

Next year buy tickets (only $15) when they go on sale. This year they went on sale Sunday, Sept. 8 at 11 AM. Mark your calendar.

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

A PremierPub + 3 Good Eating places 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It’s not difficult finding 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:

Patzeria Perfect Pizza – 231 W46 st (Betw 7th/8th ave)
Perfect name for a pizza joint. On a street filled with Broadway theaters, this is a real hole in the wall, but don’t let the dive look scare you away. You can never go wrong with a slice of NYC pizza, and this one is a classic thin crust. Only a few seats here, but pizza was made to eat standing up.

Shake Shack – 691 8th ave (Betw 43rd/44th st)
Danny Meyer has revolutionized the high quality burger in this town. Now he has a branch on the West Side that was desperately needed, with none of the insane lines that you find at the Madison Sq. Park location. Plus, it may be the cleanest joint to eat in all of Hell’s Kitchen.

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“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”

That covers a wide range of food – pizza,  burgers,  food trucks/carts,  vegetarian/falafel,  ramen,  chopped salad & salad bars,  hot dogs,  bbq,  soup & sandwiches,  picnic fixins’,  raw bars & lobster rolls. No reservations needed. ================================================================================

There are other casual dining options in this neighborhood that provide good food, especially as alternatives to overpriced hotel breakfasts, and most importantly,
have free Wi-FI:

>Pret a Manger @ 11 W 42nd st (Betw 5th/6th)
Subway: #1/2/3 to 42nd st / times square

>Potbelly @ 30 Rockefeller Plaza (Betw 49/48 st)
Subway: #1 to 50th st

>Pret a Manger @ 1200 6th ave (Betw 47/48)
Subway: #1 to 50th st

◊ For a few more PremierPubs and Good Eating places see previous Featured Neighborhoods in the right sidebar.

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places and descriptions of my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods (plus 27 casual dining places with free Wi-Fi) order a copy of my e-book: “Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($3.99).
(available Winter 2013)