Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, JAN. 19, 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.
‘Dreams for NYC’
“This annual tribute to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. features musical performances and a discussion about the future of New York City through the “lens of Dr. King’s moral compass.” This year’s event, sponsored by WNYC and presented at the Apollo Theater, will feature the author and filmmaker Nelson George; Gadadhara Pandit Dasa, author of “Urban Monk: Exploring Karma, Consciousness, and the Divine”; the Rev. Dr. Peter Heltzel of the New York Theological Seminary; the guitarist Vernon Reid; and the Gospel for Teens Choir. Brian Lehrer of WNYC and the novelist Farai Chideya are the hosts.” (NYT listings)
Apollo Theater, 253 West 125th Street, Harlem
At 3 p.m./ FREE, but reservations are required.
(800) 745-3000,apollotheater.org
Christian Scott
Edison Award winning trumpeter-composer-producer-bandleader Christian Scott stands tall among a handful of talented young jazz artists who are expanding their artistic vision beyond the strict confines of the genre’s tradition. Throughout his career, Scott has been an intrepid explorer, from his Grammy nominated debut Rewind That to his genre stretching last album Yesterday You Said Tomorrow.
Scott ups the ante on his compelling new double album, Christian aTunde Adjuah, an inspired and provocative two-CD, 23-track collection that spans a range of beyond-jazz influences as he continues to make strides into uncharted jazz territory.;
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village,
At 8 and 10:30 p.m./ $25 cover at tables, $15 at the bar, with a $5 minimum.
(212) 475-8592, bluenote.net
J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions (through next Friday)
Top-ranked squash players will compete in this annual contest taking place in Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal. The first round matches are Friday through Monday at noon, with today’s last match scheduled to start at 2:45PM.
Men’s quarterfinals and women’s rounds on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.; quarterfinals on Wednesday at 1 p.m.; semifinals on Thursday at 5 p.m.; and finals next Friday at 6 p.m.
Grand Central Terminal,Park Ave and 42nd St,
$8 to $170
(718) 569-0594, tocsquash.com
Christian McBride
It’s the last night of a two week gig at the Vanguard.
“In addition to his stature as a bassist of hale authority, Mr. McBride is an evangelist for the sort of feel-good enlightenment once routinely expected of modern jazz. This weekend he powers an effervescent trio featuring two insightful young bloods, the pianist Christian Sands and the drummer Ulysses Owens Jr.(Chinen-NYT)
Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave South, at 11th St., West Village,
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m./ $25 to $30 cover, with a one-drink minimum.
(212) 255-4037, villagevanguard.com
Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
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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 