Today’s “Fab 5” / Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, DEC. 02, 2013
For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide check out:
♦ “Notable NYC Events-Dec.”, (because the holiday season kicks into high gear in December)
and also “on Broadway”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.
Holiday Markets
More than 150 vendors are selling their goods in Union Square Park, bordered by Park Avenue South, Broadway and 14th Streets, through Christmas Eve. Hours: weekdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; urbanspacenyc.com. (through Dec 24)
The Holiday Shops are just part of the seasonal events in Bryant Park, at Avenue of the Americas and 40th Street, through Jan. 5. Hours: weekdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (through Jan. 5)
In Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal, the 14th annual Holiday Fair offers 76 stalls of goods through Christmas Eve. Hours: Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. These shops have some nice stuff. Try to shop before noon and avoid the lunch time worker bee crowds. (through Dec 24)
While in GrandCentral check out the Holiday Train Show (through Feb. 23) which features a 34-foot-long Lionel model train layout. It’s on display at the New York Transit Museum Gallery Annex and Store near the Station Master’s Office. To be honest, this year’s setup is not as good as previous years and not worth a special trip to GCT. But it is FREE and can be viewed weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. see mta.info/mta/museum.
Fourteenth Annual Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square
The Lincoln Square Business Improvement District and presenting sponsor Time Warner hosts New York’s largest holiday festival! Join legendary folk artist Arlo Guthrie, Rosie’s Theater Kids, Michael Bacon, Frank London’s Klezmer Brass All-Stars, and WABC-TV’s Sade Baderinwa as we welcome the holiday season and light up the Upper West Side with an evening of music, food, dancing and fun for everyone.
ENTERTAINMENT
There will be over 20 live, free performances featuring Frank London’s Klezmer Brass All-stars, Brianna Thomas’ Jazz Quartet, world renowned DJ David Chang at the Winter’s Eve TD Bank Dance Party, GRAMMY nominated Brooklyn-based children’s band The Pop Ups at Kids’ Central, and Big Apple Circus, Kate Davis presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center and Ice Sculpting at Time Warner Center, and that’s not all!
Lincoln Square’s sidewalks and public spaces will come alive with music, performers, processional groups, jugglers, stilt-walkers and more, making for a festive fun-filled evening along the streets of this dynamic Upper West Side neighborhood.
FOODIES & HOLIDAY CHEER
Over 30 of Lincoln Square’s finest restaurants and eateries will offer food tastings at nominal cost ($1-$4) at three separate outdoor locations from 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm.
Dozens of local stores and neighborhood institutions will host activities and holiday cheer throughout the evening.
The celebration begins with the lighting of the Upper West Side Holiday Tree in Dante Park at Broadway & 63rd St. and continues along Broadway from Time Warner Center to 68th St.
At 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm, Rain, Snow or Shine!
212.581.3774 / lincolnsquarebid.org.
Fifth Annual Latke Festival
The Hanukkah classic steps into the spotlight at this spuds cook-off, judged by a panel that includes New York City Wine & Food Festival founder Lee Schrager and Food52’s Amanda Hesser. Nosh on more than 16 creative spins, like a Peking-duck-and-scallion latke from Kutsher’s and a butternut-squash-and-yogurt variety from Blue Hill. To accompany the fried bites, there will be an open bar serving Cliffton sparkling cider, Schmaltz Brewing Company beer and Brooklyn Roasting Company coffee. Ticket sales will benefit the Sylvia Center, which promotes healthy eating among kids.
Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W 18th St. between Sixth and Seventh Aves
Metropolitanevents.com
At 6:30pm $80 / 7:30pm $55
212-463-0071 / 5th-annual-latke-festival
Undressed: The Art of Sex & Seduction
Vive La Fantaisie ! Inside the Erotic Mind
Panel discussion with Esther Perel, Daniel Bergner, and Erica Lumière
Presented as part of Undressed: The Art of Sex & Seduction / Series curated by Erica Lumière
This sounds like it could be interesting.
What are the most common sexual fantasies and how do they affect relationships?
An inside look at secret sexual desires and erotic imagination in Europe and the U.S. with international couples and sex therapist Esther Perel (Mating in Captivity); New York Times Magazine contributing writer Daniel Bergner (What Do Women Want); and health & lifestyles writer/editor Erica Lumière.
Talk will be followed by a book signing.
FIAF, Florence Gould Hall, 55 East 59th Street
At 7pm/ $30
212-355-6100 / fiaf.org
Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks
“If you haven’t yet checked out the Nighthawks’ new digs, what are you waiting for. “The band (which has just released their second volume of music from HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire”) now actually sounds better, audio-wise, and the menu is a vast improvement over the band’s previous venue—overall, it is a step up, to the second floor, rather than a flight down, to the basement.
Although longtime fans are currently referring to the Nighthawks as “The Iguana Troubadours,” they continue to play with the same amazing combination of skin-tight historical authenticity and sheer, relentless energy, plus a tempo that has always characterized Mr. Giordano’s bands.” (WSJ-Will Friedwald)
Iguana, 240 W. 54th St., (btw 8th/B’way)
8pm-11pm / $15 cover, $20 food/drink minimum
(212) 765-5454 / iguananyc.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 – West Village
Corner Bistro / 331 W. 4th St.
Sometimes you just need a beer and a burger. If so, Corner Bistro is the place you want. Located just outside the hip Meatpacking district, this corner bar and grill is decidedly unhip, but it’s not uncrowded, especially at night. Seems that everyone knows this place has one of the better burgers in town.
In the maze of streets known as the West Village, where West 4th intersects with West 12th (and West 11th, and West 10th, go figure), you will eventually find Corner Bistro on the corner of West 4th and Jane Street. An unassuming neighborhood tavern, it looks just like dozens of other taverns around town. The bartender tells me that the Corner Bistro will be celebrating it’s 50th anniversary next year. The well worn interior tells me that the place itself is much older.
Corner Bistro has outlasted many of those other taverns around town because they know how to keep it simple — just good burgers and beer, fairly priced. The classic bistro Burger is only $6.75, and should be ordered medium rare, which will be plenty rare for most folks. Actually, it will be a juicy, messy delight – make sure you have extra napkins. I like to pull up a stool and sit by the large front window in the afternoon, where I can rest my burger and beer on the shelf, and watch the Villagers walk by.
Corner Bistro seems to attract very different groups of patrons depending on time of day. While it’s crowded with locals in the evening, in the afternoon you hear different foreign languages, and watch groups of euro tourists wander in, led by their guidebooks and smartphones.
For the classic Bistro experience, order your burger with a McSorley’s draft, the dark preferably. This is the same beer that you can get over at the original McSorley’s in the East Village, the pub that claims to be the oldest continually operating bar in NYCity. The only difference is that this McSorley’s ale is served with a smile by the bartenders here. Or you can get a Sierra Nevada, Stella, or Hoegaarden on tap if you want to go upscale a bit. Either way this is a simple, but quality burger and beer experience that is just too rare these days (sorry for the pun).
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Website: cornerbistrony.com
Phone #: 212-242-9502
Hours: 11:30am-4am Mon-Sat; 12pm-4am Sun
Happy Hour: NO
Music: Juke Box
Subway: #1/2/3 to 14th St. (S end of platform)
Walk 2 blk W. on 13th St. to 8th Ave.; 1 blk S. on 8th Ave. to Jane St.
Update:
NYCity 1-2-3 : What's Happening / Manhattan's WestSide 