Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, MAR. 10, 2014.

Sicily and Its Sweets with Nick Malgieri
Award-winning pastry chef and author Nick Malgieri (director of the ICE’s baking program) dishes on dessert history in Sicily, one of Europe’s first regions to explore the art of confections. The prechat reception will feature traditional treats from the Italian island, such as buccellato (fig-filled pastries), infasciadedde (Sicilian twisted cookies) and pasticciotti di crema (custard-filled tartlets).
Institute of Culinary Education,50 W 23rd St. btw Fifth and Sixth Aves
6:30pm / $40
iceculinary.com / 800-522-4610
brownpapertickets.com/producer/7199

Nir Felder
“On his impressive debut album, “Golden Age,” this self-assured young guitarist puts himself forward as a strongly melodic composer, in a soundtrackish indie-rock vein. He also shows that he knows what to do with a smartly cohesive band, featuring the pianist Aaron Parks, the bassist Matt Penman and the drummer Nate Smith. (For this show, Orlando le Fleming subs in on bass.) “(Chinen-NYT)
Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street, near Thompson Street, Greenwich Village,
212-505-3474, lepoissonrouge.com;
at 10:30 p.m., / $18

Leo Kottke
“This folk singer-songwriter’s earthy voice is a fine accessory, but his real musical thrills lie underneath in his fleet fingerpicking and intricate, jazz-derived hopscotching of polyphony and time signatures. Six acoustic strings become an orchestra in his hands; his last studio album, “Try and Stop Me” in 2004, was refreshingly serene.” (Anderson-NYT)
City Winery, 155 Varick Street, near Spring Street, South Village,
212-608-0555, citywinery.com;
At 8 p.m., / $30 to $45.

Lorde
“It’s a testament to Lorde that her status as a 17-year-old who came up out of nowhere (in New Zealand) stands as only one of many interesting aspects of her story. Her accomplished music is filled with evocative electronics and a range of vocal moods that leaves her lots of space to explore. Her poise and seeming disinterest in pop’s most empty excesses, too, suggests promise beyond her debut album “Pure Heroine,” released last year. She reportedly passed up a chance to go on tour with Katy Perry, and she posed for the cover of Rolling Stone in a T-shirt emblazoned with the logo of antic punk band the Cramps. What she does next is an open question..” (WSJ)
Roseland Ballroom, 239 W. 52nd St.,
At 7 p.m./$42.50 to $55
800-745-3000, roselandballroom.com; (212) 247-0200

Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Monday night big bands are a Gotham staple, but this is the one that started it all. Celebrating its 48th year at the club, the orchestra created by late greats Thad Jones and Mel Lewis purrs and roars, featuring fresh charts by Bob Brookmeyer, Jim McNeely, Kenny Werner and other top composers, in addition to its time-honored canon of Jones classics.
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave South, at 11th St
At 8:30 and 10:30 / $25 + 1 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 + 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, jazz clubs, 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 (except for certain jazz clubs).

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)