Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, DEC. 24, 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.
It’s Christmas Eve, and there are many choices for religious music:
(thanks to the NYT)
Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine (Episcopal), 1047 Amsterdam Avenue, at 112th Street, Morningside Heights. At 4 p.m.: New York premiere of Barber’s “Christmas Eve” (Op. 8); Handel’s “Rejoice Greatly” from “Messiah”; and motets by Warlock and Britten. At 10:30 p.m.: Buxtehude’s Cantata “Das Neugeborne Kindelein,” Palestrina’s Missa Brevis and motets of John Rutter and Bassi; with orchestra; Raymond Nagem, organist; Kent Tritle, music director. 212-316-7490, stjohndivine.org.
Church of St. Luke in the Fields (Episcopal), 487 Hudson Street, at Grove Street, West Village. A Baroque Christmas, with Purcell’s Christmas Anthem, Buxtehude’s “In Dulci Jubilo” and Schütz’s “Hodie Christus natus est.” At 9:30 p.m.: Schubert’s Mass in G and Haydn’s “Verbum Caro Factum Est,” with period instruments; David Shuler, music director and organist. At 10 p.m., 212-924-0562, stlukeinthefields.org.
Church of the Ascension (Episcopal), Fifth Avenue at 10th Street, Greenwich Village. Palestrina’s “Alma Redemptoris Mater”; Victoria’s “O Magnum Mysterium”; Bruckner’s Ave Maria; Vaughan Williams’s “On Christmas Night”; Gregorian chants and traditional carols; Dennis Keene, organist and choirmaster. At 10:30 p.m., 212-254-8620, ascensionnyc.org.
St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral (Roman Catholic), Mott and Prince Streets, SoHo. At 10:30 p.m.: Praetorius’s “Lo How a Rose”; Holst’s “In the Bleak Midwinter”; Victoria’s “Jesu, Dulcis Memoria”; Gregorian chant, congregational carols and organ works. At 11 p.m.: Balbastre’s “Deuxième Suite de Noël”; Gounod’s Messe Brève No. 7; Palestrina’s “Hodie Christus Natus Est”; congregational carols and other works; Amor Artis Chorus; Jared Lamenzo, organist; Stephen Somary, music director and conductor. 212-874-4513, amorartis.org.
Trinity Church (Episcopal), Broadway at Wall Street, Lower Manhattan. Malcolm’s Missa ad Praesepe; anthems by Howells, Darke and Britten and traditional hymns and carols; with Trinity Baroque Orchestra. At 9:15 p.m. A webcast can be viewed at trinitywallstreet.org. (212) 602-0800.
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Nossa Mesa Supper Club: Christmas Eve Seven Fishes Tasting Menu
“Chef David Santos serves up his own interpretation on the Feast of the Seven Fishes this Christmas Eve at his west village spot, Louro. Giving the Italian-American tradition a global spin, Santos arrives at a menu that includes Uni Crudo with truffle and grapefruit, Lobster Fra Diavolo, Piri Piri Shrimp and Roasted Monkfish with winter bean ragu. After the worldwide tour, the meal concludes with an American standby, a chocolate brownie with white chocolate pudding and candy cane ice cream.”(Mindy Bond, Flavorpill)
Louro, 142 WEST 10TH ST.
At 5:30pm / $85
212.206.0606 / louronyc.com/december-24/
DR. MICHAEL WHITE AND THE ORIGINAL LIBERTY JAZZ BAND OF NEW ORLEANS
The Village Vanguard winds down December in what has become a traditional fashion. The clarinettist and musicologist White is a proud scion of the Crescent City, who lives to celebrate the riches of jazz’s first golden era. Hurricane Katrina laid waste much of his archival material, but he is exuberant in his renditions of classics by Armstrong, Bechet, King Oliver, and other Big Easy icons. His band plays with gusto, unhindered by historical pieties.
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave S, at 11th Street, West Village,
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m., $25 and $30 cover, with a $10 minimum.
(212) 255-4037, villagevanguard.com
Michael Feinstein (through Dec. 28)
“It wouldn’t be the holidays without Michael Feinstein —he’s no less a seasonal landmark than the tree at Rockefeller Center. Chances are you know people who’ve come from all over the country to see the decorations on Fifth Avenue, and the Feinstein Holiday show, no less than Radio City’s annual holiday pagent (which, this year, features the excellent singer Jennifer Sheehan ) is always on their must-see list.
Although Feinstein’s at the Regency has shuttered its chimney, the good news is that Mr. Feinstein himself is bringing his traditional holiday package to Times Square, and he always puts together a stunning mix of the old-time holiday standards we expect and something new and/or offbeat. And yes, there’s always Tom Lehrer’s classic “Chanukah in Santa Monica.” (WSJ)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. (btw 8/9 Ave.)
At 8:30 PM / $75 (at the bar) – $200
(212) 581-3080
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
NYCity 1-2-3 : What's Happening / Manhattan's WestSide 