Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, JAN. 07, 2014
For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide check out:
♦ “Notable NYC Events-Jan”, 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.
The New York Nobody Knows
What stories do the streets of New York have to tell? William B. Helmreich, himself a native of the city, decided to try and answer that question. Feeling that the only way to truly know New York was to walk it, William set out to do just that: every borough, block by block. Over the course of four years and 6,000 miles, he traveled virtually every block of New York City on foot and talked to dozens of the city’s residents, from the unknown (a museum guard, a Guyanese immigrant in Queens) to the famous (Ed Koch, Michael Bloomberg). What emerges is a portrait of the city like no other–part travelogue, part social history–and completely New York.
William will present The New York That Nobody Knows and chat with Kirk Semple, who reports on immigration and the changing demographics of New York City for The New York Times.
Buy a copy of The New York Nobody Knows or a $15 Strand gift card in order to attend this event. All options admit one person. Please note that payment is required for all online event orders at the time of checkout. The event will be located in the Strand’s 3rd floor Rare Book Room at our store at 828 Broadway at 12th Street.
Strand Book Store
At 7PM
212-473-1452
Comedy Notebook
Janeane Garofalo (“Ratatouille,” “Wet Hot American Summer”) and other colorful comedians kick off the new year by testing some new material. Liam McEneaney is the host.
At 7 p.m./ FREE
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, 126 Crosby Street, near Houston Street, SoHo,
(212) 334-3324, housingworksbookstore.org
WINTER JAZZFEST (Jan. 7-11)
“If there are any doubts that present-day jazz is marked by heterogeneity, this annual, multi-venue extravaganza, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, will dispel them. Dozens of artists descend upon spaces that are often too compact, but what one gives up in comfort one gains in an appreciation of the current scene’s vitality. Among the highlights are appearances by the Burnt Sugar Arkestra, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, the vocalist Gretchen Parlato, the pianist Matthew Shipp, and the guitarist Mary Halverson (who will join Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog); the visionary veteran Henry Threadgill also performs, in a tribute to the late Butch Morris.”
(NewYorker mag)
Various locations
(winterjazzfest.com. .)
Nutcracker Rouge (through Jan 12, 2014)
Company XIV delivers a sexy Nutcracker for adults
“Even the most traditional “Nutcrackers” are treated as a young woman’s coming-of-age story with either a student or company member as the slipper-throwing mice slayer who saves her prince. Company XIV director Austin McCormick’s “Nutcracker Rouge” is no different…EXCEPT there are no mice, kids or snowflakes. They are not missed.
Pretty Marie Claire (Lauren Careless) gets lost in a snowstorm on Christmas Eve and wanders into a Burlesque House. Why not? They like celebrating, especially when performing their “Waltz of the Flowers” – a genuine waltz dressed in violet and danced with big smiles. The dancing, singing and acrobatic feats McCormick integrates has the same effect as opening presents on Christmas morning. His ability as a choreographer/director is so confident and creative that in the first act he sets dances to Tchaikovsky’s original score and adds an accompanying one from a pastiche of Big Band numbers, the Ellington/Strayhorn “Nutcracker”, and bawdy French songs (translations not necessary).
One example being Candy Cane (Courtney Giannone), who performs with and inside her Cyr wheel to the “Russian Dance” and a ballad about being someone’s candy cane. The second act is when he adds extra delicacies of champagne, macaroons, and cake. The other sweet Marie Claire discovers the Sweet Spot. There’s nothing new with sexing up the classics, but “Nutcracker Rouge” is different.” (Patricia Contino, Flavorpill)
Minetta Lane Theatre, 18-22 Minetta Ln, (btw W3rd St/Bleecker), just E of 6th ave
At 8PM / $48-$124
companyxiv.com/productions
Bucky Pizzarelli
88th Birthday Bash
“The passing of Frank Wess reminds us to celebrate those few remaining swing giants who still walk the earth—even if they are walking on replacement knees. The venerable Bucky Pizzarelli, a fellow big band-era veteran, inspired, mentored and sired multiple generations of contemporary players. A wizard on his special George Van Eps seven-string instrument, Mr. Pizzarelli is all the guitarist any of us ever need to hear, and therefore the addition of three Pizzarelli-ite plectrists of various generations — Frank Vignola, Ed Laub and Gene Bertoncini—will make this into a spectacular birthday banquet.” (WSJ)
The Cutting Room, 44 E. 32nd St.,
(212) 691-1900
Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change. ===========================================================================================
A PremierPub – 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 best 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 