Today’s “Fab 5”+1 / Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, APR. 07, 2014.

An Evening with Author Junot Diaz
As part of the Writing Lives Series at the Heyman Center for the Humanities, author Junot Díaz will read from his work and discuss his writing. A Q&A will follow.

Junot Díaz was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New Jersey. He is the author of the critically acclaimed Drown; The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, which won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award; and This Is How You Lose Her, a New York Times bestseller and National Book Award finalist.

He is the recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, PEN/Malamud Award, Dayton Literary Peace Prize, Guggenheim Fellowship, and PEN/O. Henry Award. A graduate of Rutgers College, Díaz is currently the fiction editor at Boston Review and the Rudge and Nancy Allen Professor of Writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Columbia University, HEYMAN CENTER FOR THE HUMANITIES
International Affairs Building, Altschul Auditorium
At 7:15pm / FREE

Sky High & the Logic of Luxury (through April 19)
“This exhibition dissects the engineering of the ultraslim, luxury high-rise towers at 432 Park Avenue and 111 West 57th Street, among others, and the market for premium Manhattan real estate that demands them. Also on display are floor plans and simulated views. “ (NYT)
The Skyscraper Museum, 39 Battery Place, Lower Manhattan,
Wednesdays through Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.,
$5, $2.50 for students and 65+.
212-968-1961, skyscraper.org

John Nemeth w/ The Bo-Keys
Soul man John Nemeth’s new album with the Bo-Keys, `Memphis Grease’, is an aptly-titled 13-track album. It’s slathered with fatback soul and blues done the Memphis way: tight horn lines, whirling organ with John’s soaring voice and wicked harp playing front and center. John honed his harmonica skills while driving trucks, jamming to Junior Wells records on the road. Lead single “Sooner Or Later” is a driving, up-tempo soul number but Nemeth shines on the ballads, too; “If It Ain’t Broke” and “Testify” burn slow, from the gut.

Scott Bomar, who composed the film scores for `Hustle & Flow’ and `Black Snake Moan’ and produced Cyndi Lauper’s `Memphis Blues,’ produced the album. The Bo-Keys are a group of veteran Memphis players that made their names backing the likes of Al Green, O.V. Wright, Rufus Thomas, and the Bar-Kays.
BB Kings Blues Club and Grill, 237 West 42nd St.
8pm./ $20
bbkingblues.com

Cutting Edge Concerts New Music Festival – Imani Winds
Grammy-nominated Imani Winds opens Victoria Bond’s Cutting Edge Concerts New Music Festival with a program of music by Valerie Coleman (who is also flutist of the ensemble).

Along with Da Capo Chamber Players, Imani Winds presents an array of Coleman’s unique compositions which incorporate jazz, Afro-Cuban traditions, and various distinct sonorities found within the African continent, including three world premiers and one New York premiere.

These include Rubispheres for flute, clarinet and piano (a character sketch of the lower east side club scene of Manhattan); The Dawes Roll for soprano and piano (a reconciling of the cultural and historical duality of African-American and Native American families in the Midwest); and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes (a uniting of the sounds of Native American and African cultures). Also on the program is Coleman’s Afro-Cuban Concerto for Wind Quintet and her Portraits of Langston for flute, clarinet, piano and narrator.” (Flavorpill’s Gail Wein)
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway
At 7:30pm / $20

Kate Ascher – The Way to Go: Moving by Sea, Land, and Air
Kate Ascher, author of two previous books, The Works and The Heights, talks about her latest, The Way to Go: Moving by Sea, Land and Air, which explores how we move around the world.

“Is it possible to write a stunning book about infrastructure? Kate Ascher’s books are bliss for engineering-minded adults and children. Using gorgeous graphics and clear, simple, language, Ascher explains the infrastructure and engineering marvels around us. As David Macaulay won over a generation to architecture in the ’70s and ’80s with books like Castle and Underground, Ascher is enticing people to engineering, urban planning, and infrastructure” (Slate)
Barnes & Noble, 82nd & Broadway, 2289 Broadway,
At 7PM / FREE
212-362-8835

Dave Brubeck Festival (through April 13)
“Jazz at Lincoln Center, which has always known its way around a commemoration, presents a weeklong tribute to the pianist Dave Brubeck, who died in 2012. Its centerpiece event, in the Rose Theater from Thursday through April 12 at 8 p.m., is a repertory concert featuring the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

But the other offerings are just as worthy, among them a rare performance of “The Real Ambassadors,” Brubeck’s jazz opera, at the Appel Room next Friday and April 12 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.; and an engagement, on Monday and Tuesday at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, featuring Brubeck’s sons Chris (a bassist, bass trombonist and pianist) and Dan (a drummer). “ (Chinen-NYT)
Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th Street and Broadway,
212-258-9595, jalc.org;
At various times, prices vary.

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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 and 3 Good Eating Places – Greenwich Village

Caffe Vivaldi  /  32 Jones Street (btw. Bleecker/W4th St.)

Café Vivaldi is a classic, intimate club located in Greenwich Village on Jones Street, the street featured on the cover of Bob Dylan’s second album, “Freewheelin’ ”.

Each night Ishrat, the long time proprietor and impresario, carefully curates and schedules an eclectic series of musicians. You can often see him at his table in the corner, hard at work reviewing music videos and listening to cd demos on his laptop, scouting out future bookings. Musicians come from all over to play and sing in a club in Greenwich Village. Some are local New Yorkers, others are just passing through, in town for a few days.

There is a small bar, seating maybe 10. It’s close to the stage and I find it’s a perfect spot to sip a glass of red wine while listening to the music. The room itself has the performance area at one end and a cozy fireplace at the other. The performance area here is small, dominated by a large black Yamaha Grand piano. Tables are bunched together and most people at the tables are eating lite meals or sampling the wonderful desserts.

There is also a good selection of wines and lite meals, fairly priced, but you are here because of the music. You can never be quite sure what you’re going to find, and that’s half the charm of this place. It’s not a home run every night, but many nights it’s pretty special.

I remember the night I saw the most talented bossa nova group, just in from San Paulo. As I listened, I wondered if there was any better music playing anywhere else in New York City that night. And at Caffé Vivaldi there is never a cover charge. I should note that their recently redesigned web site does give you a better idea of the type of music playing each night.

At one time Greenwich Village was filled with clubs just like this, but times change. Real estate interests have impacted the village, and not for the better. Even Caffé Vivaldi had a rough time recently, when a new landlord raised the rent exorbitantly. Fortunately, Ishrat has built a loyal following over the years, and a fund raiser and slightly more reasonable rent has kept Café Vivaldi in business.

When Woody Allen and Al Pacino wanted to make movies featuring the timeless quality of Greenwich Village they came to Vivaldi. It’s important that we keep this special place alive, for if we lose Cafe Vivaldi, NYC will have lost a piece of it’s soul.

Website: http://caffevivaldi.com/
Phone #: (212) 691-7538
Hours: Music generally 7:30pm – 11pm, but varies
Lunch/Dinner 11am-on
Subway: #1 to Christopher st
Walk 1 blk S on 7th ave S to Bleecker st, 1 blk S/left on Bleecker to Jones st, 50 yards E/left on Jones st to Caffe V

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“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, wine bars, jazz clubs, 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 to find 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:

Fish – 280 Bleecker St (just a bit S. of 7th ave South)
This was an easy pick – the best raw bar special in town. $8 gets you 6 of the freshest oysters or clams + a glass of wine or beer. Don’t know how they can do it, but I tell everyone I know about this place. And it’s located right in the heart of some of the best no cover music in town.

Bleecker Street Pizza – 69 7th ave S (corner of Bleecker)
The place is tiny and not much to look at, but this is one good slice. They like to brag that they have been voted “Best pizza in NY” 3 years in a row by the Food Network. I believe them. I would have voted for them.

Num Pang – 21 E 12th st (btw. University place/5th ave)
This is a Cambodian banh mi sandwich shop that kept me well fed while I was in class nearby recently. It’s cramped, even for NYCity, but usually there is room up the spiral staircase to sit down and eat. In good weather carry your sandwich a few blocks to Union Sq park. You may have to wait a few minutes, because everything is freshly made, but it’s worth it. Can you believe – an unheard of 26 food rating by Zagat.

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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 Fall 2014)