Today’s “Fab 5″+1/ Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, SEPT. 18, 2014
“We search the internet looking for the very best of What’s Happening on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to. We make it as easy as 1-2-3.”

›Sam Smith : United Palace Theater,
›Central Park Horse Show (through Sept. 21)
›Pink Martini : Beacon Theater
›The Best American Poetry Reading 2014 – New School
›Billy Bragg : City Winery
Elsewhere, but absolutely worth the detour:
›Free Pop-Up — Swedish Craft Beer Tasting
›Photoville (through Sept. 28)
›The Fence : 1,000-foot photographic installation (through October)

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide check out:
♦ “9 Notable Events-September”and “Top10 Free” in the header above.

♦ For NYCity Sights, Sounds and Stories visit out our sister site: nyc123blog.wordpress.com
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.

Sam Smith
Sam Smith is a 22-year-old British soul singer whose music throbs with pain and longing far beyond his tender years. Some of the chart-baiting of debut In the Lonely Hour lies in the depth-charging sincerity suffusing his voice as he begs a would-be paramour to ditch the lover or admits, forthrightly, that he totally isn’t in love with someone he nonetheless doesn’t want to let go of. It’s dramatic and complicated — the kind of performative meta-puzzle fledgling careers are built upon.” (VillageVoice-Raymond Cummings)
United Palace Theater, 4140 Broadway at 175t St.,
(The inside of this historic theater has been described as a “delirious masterpiece.”)
8PM / $35.50
(212) 568-6700

Central Park Horse Show (through Sept. 21)
Who needs to go out to the Hamptons for their horse show.
After attending one of the evening shows here, stroll over to the small bridge overlooking the Pond (SE corner of Central Park) for one of the best views in all of NYCity.

“Two jumping competitions on Thursday night are the first events of this four-day equestrian show, taking place for the first time at Trump Wollman Rink in Central Park. An opening ceremony at 6:30 p.m. will be followed by the competitions beginning at 7 p.m.; a live broadcast of the show can be seen on NBC Sports beginning at 7:30 p.m. Opening-day tickets are $272.12. Other events are planned through Sept. 21 with tickets ranging from $30 to $250.” (NYT)
Central Park, at 63rd St., enter at east side of park
chronofhorse.com/centralpark.

Pink Martini
“How much do we love this gloriously schmaltzy yet completely unpretentious chamber orchestra from Portland? The latest project of maestro Thomas Lauderdale and star vocalist China Forbes is “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” a recently-released collaboration with the Von Trapps, Oregon-based descendants of the Captain and Maria and the other members of that legendary choral group who won a singing competition and captured our hearts even while fleeing Nazis and nuns.

Alas, Wayne Newton probably won’t be on hand to sing “The Lonely Goatherd” (goats of New York are picketing the Beacon en masse), but I’m sure Pink Martini treat us to their customary splendiferous mix of vintage international music, songs from Israel, Japan, Germany, France, and even “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” in the form of the Sherman Brothers minor key masterpiece “Hushabye Mountain.” (WSJ)
Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway, at 74th Street,
800-745-3000, beacontheatre.com;
At 8 p.m./$45 to $125.

The Best American Poetry Reading 2014
Series editor and School of Writing professor David Lehman joins contributors to The Best American Poetry 2014 to launch the 27th edition of this acclaimed annual anthology.

Readers will include poets: Lucie Brock-Broido, Mark Doty, Joel Dias-Porter, Sean Thomas Dougherty, Cornelius Eady, Ross Gay, Le Hinton, Major Jackson, Yusef Komunyakaa, Hailey Leithauser, Frannie Lindsay, Cate Marvin, Shara McCallum, Valzhyna Mort, Eileen Myles, D. Nurkse, Sharon Olds, Greg Pardlo, Roger Reeves, Patrick Rosal, Jon Sands, Jane Springer, Afaa Michael Weaver, and Rachel Zucker.
New School, The Auditorium at 66 West 12th St.
at 7:00 pm / FREE

Billy Bragg
It’s been over a quarter century since Billy Bragg took the stage for his first solo gig at North London Polytechnic. This evening Bragg returns to New York’s City Winery where he’ll perform a varied selection from his storied folk, socially-aware career.
City Winery, 155 Varick St, Tribeca (btw. Vandam/Spring St.)
subway: #1 to Houston, walk S. 3 blocks
8 p.m. / $65/$75
(maybe sold out – add your name to waitlist or try the secondary market)
212-608-0555 / citywinery.com

Elsewhere, but absolutely worth the detour:
A Swedish Craft Beer Tasting, AND
Two fine photo events at Brooklyn Bridge park.
Photos and Beer! That’s a winning combo every time.
Even without the photos, NYCity’s newest park is spectacular.

Free Pop-Up — Swedish Craft Beer Tasting
As part of the week-long festivities of the NORTH Festival, Brooklyn Brewery is hosting a free happy hour from noon to 2 p.m. today. The brewery will pour selections from its Stockholm-based sister operation Nya Carnegiebryggeriet — the first American-operated craft brewery in Europe.
Brooklyn Brewery, 79 North 11th St. (btw Berry St and Wythe Ave)
subway: 1-2-3 to 14^th St.; transfer to L to Bedford Ave
12 PM / FREE
718-486-7422 / brooklynbrewery.com

Photoville (through Sept. 28)
“For the third year, this free event sponsored by United Photo Industries will feature photography displays in shipping containers — some of them interactive — as well as panel discussions, workshops and other activities at Pier 5 in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Joralemon Street and the East River, Fulton Ferry. A beer garden will also be on site. Hours vary, but opening-day hours on Thursday are 4 to 10 p.m.
718-215-9075, photovillenyc.org.” (NYT)

The Fence (through October)
“This 1,000-foot photographic installation returns for a third year to showcase the work of 40 photographers from around the world, including the photographer Stephen Shames, who has been documenting youth in the Bronx. The artists were asked to capture the essence of the word “community,” and the resulting work is broken into categories like “home,” “streets” and “play.” (NYT)
Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 5, with entrances at Joralemon St. and Main St.
Daily from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m.
fence.photovillenyc.org.

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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.

♦ 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.
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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. 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, 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 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. $9 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”

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.