Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, JAN. 21, 2014

New York Jewish Film Festival (through Jan 23)
“This 23rd annual festival, sponsored by the Jewish Museum and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, continues with screenings and special programming.

On Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. there will be a screening of Yael Bartana’s “…And Europe Will Be Stunned,” a film about the restoration of Jewish life to Poland. It will be introduced and discussed by the critic J. Hoberman, the co-author, with the scholar Jeffrey Shandler, of “Entertaining America: Jews, Movies, and Broadcasting.” (NYT listings)

A full schedule is at nyjff.org.
Screenings take place at Walter Reade Theater, 165 West 65th Street, and Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, 144 West 65th Street, Manhattan. Tickets are $13, $9 for students and 62+, $8 for members of the Film Society and the Jewish Museum.

Marsha Ambrosius – Soul, R&B & Funk
“Formerly a member of English R&B vocal duo Floetry, Marsha Ambrosius has lent her voice to tracks by Styles P, the Game, Busta Rhymes and Jamie Foxx; tonight she’ll be celebrating her eagerly anticipated second solo LP, Lovers and Friends.” (TONY mag)
S.O.B.’s, 200 Varick St. at Houston St
At 9pm / $30
212-243-4940 // sobs.com

‘Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul’ (through Jan. 26)
This exhibition, drawn from collections at the New York Public Library and the Morgan, comprises poems, short stories and letters and includes early editions of Poe’s work as well as his last published book.
Morgan Library & Museum,225 Madison Avenue, at 36th Street,
Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
18, $12 for those 13 to 16, students and those 65+; free for members and children 12 and younger and for everyone on Fridays from 7 to 9 p.m.
(212) 685-0008, Ext. 560,themorgan.org

“ASK ME ANOTHER”
“Recorded live before a bourbon-drinking audience, this comedic brouhaha from NPR and WNYC is one part game show, two parts variety show. The host, Ophira Eisenberg, invites pre-selected players to puzzle podiums to answer a madcap barrage of cranium conundrums largely based on wordplay and popular culture, such as irregular plurals, the plots of “The Monkees” TV show, and famous people named Ted. The musician Jonathan Coulton provides instrumental interludes along with music-oriented gaming, and each show features a special guest. On Jan. 21, it is Sarah Janssen, the editor of the 2014 World Almanac” (NewYorker listings)
The Bell House, 149 7th St., Brooklyn.
at 7:30 / $20
718-643-6510 / thebellhouseny.com
This event is worth the jaunt to Bklyn. – Take#1 to christopher st; walk 3 min E on w 4^th for F train to smith – 9 st (18 min); walk to bell house /(6 min)

Parsons Dance (through Jan. 26)
“This company’s 30th-anniversary engagement includes a premiere by its artistic director, David Parsons, and his signature work, “Caught,” which features copious strobe lights and one athletic male dancer. Just as hypermasculine is “The Hunt” by Robert Battle, a former company member.”(Burke-NYT)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th Street, Chelsea,
at 8 p.m./ $10 to $69.
(212) 242-0800, joyce.org

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 + 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, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges, and of course, pubs  – 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. ================================================================================

◊ 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 Spring 2014)