Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, SEPT. 28, 2014
“We search the internet everyday 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.”

Medieval Festival in Fort Tryon Park
This festival brings to life the customs and spirit of the Middle Ages. Fort Tryon Park is transformed into a medieval market town decorated with bright banners and processional flags. Performers, guests and festival goers dress in medieval costume. Visitors are greeted by authentic period music, dance, magic, and minstrels, as well as jugglers and jesters. The afternoon is concluded with a thrilling joust between four knights on horseback. Costumed vendors will be on hand to demonstrate and sell a wide variety of medieval crafts as well as food and drink. Experience the culture of a bygone era against the backdrop of the Cloisters museum and the Hudson River during autumn’s peak. We invite all ages to join us for this unique experience.

The festival is held in the area surrounding the world famous Cloisters, a magnificent museum of medieval art located in northern Manhattan.
Fort Tryon Park.
from 11:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. / FREE

Kirk Lightsey Quartet
“A highly regarded fixture on the New York jazz scene of the 1980s, the pianist Kirk Lightsey became scarce in these parts after he moved to Paris in ’92. (One brief club engagement in ’06 appears to be his only notable appearance as a leader since then.) He’s break the pattern in a big way, headlining at the Village Vanguard with a band of associates from back in the day: the guitarist Ed Cherry, the bassist Rufus Reid and the drummer Victor Lewis.” (Chinen-NYT)
VillageVanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th Street, West Village,
212-255-4037, villagevanguard.com
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. / $25 and $30 cover, with a $10 minimum.

Jane Monheit’s Jazz Party (LastNight)
“Jazz’s need to create on the spot never really goes away–testing moves in front of an audience is always a consideration for performers who truly want to know how an arrangement or an approach will play to a crowd. Jane Monheit is an intrepid soul; starting tonight she’ll green-light this notion for the next three months, hosting a Sunday-evening “Jazz Party,” which affords audiences a chance to peek behind the curtain and enjoy the looseness of a jam session while basking in the talents of a very tight band.

The singer and her trio, including pianist Michael Kanan, bassist Neal Miner, and drummer Rick Montalbano, will be opening the doors to guest instrumentalists and giving new ideas plenty of elbow room–a spotlight on spontaneity. The boss lady and her seductive coo ain’t shy–Monheit is a natural charmer. Whether she’s tweaking her take on “Zing Went the Strings of My Heart” (there’s a Judy Garland tribute in her future) or embedding herself in a boo-hoo opus such as “Two Lonely People,” prepare for charisma around every turn.” (VillageVoice-Jim Macnie)
Birdland, 315 West 44th St.
212-581-3080, birdlandjazz.com
At 6 p.m. / $30 cover, with a $10 minimum.

Sundays on Broadway
“These informal weekly gatherings feature film screenings, performances and discussions at the SoHo loft of the choreographer and video artist Cathy Weis. The fall season includes five documentaries from “9 Evenings: Theater and Engineering,” the 1966 performance series organized by Robert Rauschenberg at the 69th Regiment Armory. Next up is Steve Paxton’s “Physical Things,” followed by a conversation with Mr. Paxton via Skype.” (Burke-NYT)
At 8 p.m. / FREE
537 Broadway, third floor, between Spring and Prince Streets, SoHo,
cathyweis.org

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters
“Robert Plant’s post-Led Zeppelin career may be one of the most compelling musical afterlives. While his legendary band fused hard rock, blues, and folk with a variety of world-music influences as well as mythological tales (The Lord of the Rings being a huge source of inspiration for their lyrics), Plant has slowly ditched his rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle over the years to focus solely on rootsy folk and blues. His most spectacular output was Raising Sand, a collaborative album with bluegrass artist Alison Krauss.

Currently, this year’s worldly Lullaby and the Ceaseless Roar is making a fantastic case for this being his strongest solo effort. After opening his tour at Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre this week, Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters bring Brooklyn to otherworldly heights for two nights in a row.” (Brittany Spanos-VillageVoice)
BAM, Howard Gilman Opera House, 30 Lafayette Ave. Brooklyn
718-636-4100 / bam.org
8PM / $35.00

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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 + 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 essays on my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods on Manhattan’s WestSide (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 Winter 2014)