Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events  – TUESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2014

John Lithgow and Marisa Tomei
The film society of lincoln center continues the free talks series of filmmakers and actors discussing recent projects. tonight: actors john lithgow and marisa tomei, director ira sachs (keep the lights on), and co-screenwriter mauricio zacharias discuss their new film “love is strange.”
The Film Society of Lincoln Center, 70 Lincoln Square #4
212-875-5610 / filmlinc.com/films
7pm/FREE – Complimentary tickets will be distributed at the Film Center box office starting one hour prior to this event. There is a limit of one ticket per person.

George Cables Trio (through Aug. 24)
“The pianist George Cables has an elegant and gracious recent album, “Icons and Influences,” that pays homage to an array of former colleagues or associates, like the saxophonist Joe Henderson and the pianist Mulgrew Miller. He’ll engage with the same loose framework during this run, with Essiet Okon Essiet on bass and Victor Lewis on drums.” (Chinen-NYT)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, West Village,
212-255-4037, villagevanguard.com;
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. / $25 and $30 cover, with a one-drink minimum.

SummerStage Kids International Contemporary Circus Festival (thru Aug 21)
“This free, family-friendly event brings otherwise tent-enclosed spectacles to Marcus Garvey Park, in Harlem. The first two evenings of the three-night jamboree feature performances by the Montreal-based troupe Throw2Catch, the Loki Circus Theatre, the beatbox and hip-hop artist Akim Funk Buddha, and Paris the Hip-Hop Juggler. SummerStage Kids’ first commissioned circus, “Circles,” which was inspired by Rumi’s poetry, will have its première. There will also be puppet-making workshops run by Central Park’s Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, and Circus to Go, an offshoot of the Big Apple Circus, will be on hand.

The last night spotlights aerialists and athletic feats, with the Seattle-based ensemble Acrobatic Conundrum, ChelseaO Productions, which is run by the aerial artist Chelsea O’Brian, and a local juggling duo, Jen Slaw and Michael Karas, who perform “A Perfect Catch: A Throw-mantic Comedy.” And Paris the Hip-Hop Juggler returns for another stylish session.” (NewYorker)
Marcus Garvey Park, W. 122nd St. and Mount Morris Park W.
7PM / FREE
212-860-1373 / cityparksfoundation.org

Country Sounds: The Sweetback Sisters / The Tall Pines
Sweetback Sisters Emily Miller and Zara Bode may not be blood relations, but their precise, family-style harmonies recall the best of country music from the Everlys to The Judds, as well as the spirited rockabilly energy of Wanda Jackson, one of the band’s role models.
City Winery, 155 Varick St, Tribeca (btw Vandam/Spring St. – #1 to Houston).
from 5PM-7:30PM / FREE
212-608-0555 / citywinery.com
This is part of the 6th Annual Hudson Square Music & Wine Festival.
This after-work Backyard Party is held every Tuesday from June 3rd through August 26th, in the back parking lot behind City Winery.

Elsewhere, but looks worth the detour:
the Empiricist League – “Love”
the empiricist league, which promotes science, exploration, and beer, explores the theme of ‘love’ with topics on ok cupid and the math of online dating, evolutionary psychology’s advice for the lovelorn, and what neuroscience teaches us about love, lust, and marriage.
Union Hall, 702 Union St,
8pm / $10.

===============================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.

♦ NYCity is a big town with many visitors, where quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
==============================================================================

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

===========================================================================================
“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.
===========================================================================================

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.

================================================================================
“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”

This covers a wide range of food – the traditional pizza, burgers, & hot dogs; but also food trucks / carts, bbq, soup & sandwiches, picnic fixins’, raw bars & lobster rolls, vegetarian / falafel, ramen, chopped salad & salad bars  – – no reservations needed. ================================================================================

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places and descriptions of my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods order a copy of my e-book: “Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($3.99, available Fall 2014).

Order before December 31, 2014 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.