Today’s “Fab 5″+1/ Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, MAR. 31, 2015
“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.”
“Rumours” – a tribute to Fleetwood Mac — Pop / Rock (7pm)
America’s Test Kitchen LIVE! — Special Event (8pm)
Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks — Jazz (8-11pm)
“Public Eye: 175 Years of Sharing Photography” —
Gallery Exhibition (10am-6pm) [FREE]
Intelligence Squared — SmartStuff/ Debate (6:45pm)
For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide:
♦ “9 Notable Events-Mar.”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity Sights, Sounds and Stories visit out our sister site: nyc123blog.wordpress.com
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“Rumours” – a tribute to Fleetwood Mac
Head to the Bitter End to hear two dozen musicians play the entire classic 1977 album, and other hits from their historic career.
To benefit the Foundation Fighting Blindness and their annual NYC Vision Walk.
Bitter End, 147 Bleecker St.
7pm / $10 suggested donation – all proceeds directly to Foundation Fighting Blindness
America’s Test Kitchen LIVE!
“Go behind the scenes at “America’s Test Kitchen LIVE!” as you tour the set (imported from its home outside of Boston), learn about how recipes and equipment are rated, perform taste and smell tests and relive the show’s top moments.” (METRO)
The Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd St. (btw 6 ave/broadway)
8 p.m./ $40-$101
Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks
“If you haven’t yet checked out the Nighthawks’ new digs, what are you waiting for. “The band (which has just released their second volume of music from HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire”) now actually sounds better, audio-wise, and the menu is a vast improvement over the band’s previous venue—overall, it is a step up, to the second floor, rather than a flight down, to the basement.
Although longtime fans are currently referring to the Nighthawks as “The Iguana Troubadours,” they continue to play with the same amazing combination of skin-tight historical authenticity and sheer, relentless energy, plus a tempo that has always characterized Mr. Giordano’s bands.” (WSJ-Will Friedwald)
Iguana, 240 W. 54th St., (btw 8th/B’way)
8pm-11pm (3 sets) / $15 cover, $20 food/drink minimum
(212) 765-5454 / iguananyc.com
“Public Eye: 175 Years of Sharing Photography”
“Thanks to the development of new technology and social media, more photographs are created, viewed, and shared today than ever before. “Public Eye: 175 Years of Sharing Photography,” is curated to take advantage of this moment; to reframe the way we look at photographs from the past.” (dnainfo.com)
New York Public Library, Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street, Midtown.
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. / FREE.
Free public tours of the exhibition are available at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Intelligence Squared
“Up for a debate? Here’s a topic: Does the president have a constitutional right to wage a long-term military campaign against the Islamic State? Intelligence Squared brings together two people to argue that yes, the president does, as well as two to say he doesn’t. On Team Yes we have Gene Healy, a vice president at the Cato Institute, and Deborah Pearlstein, a professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. On Team No, Philip Bobbitt, a professor at Columbia Law School, and Jake Sullivan, a lecturer at Yale Law School.” (NYT)
Miller Theater, Broadway at 116th Street, Morningside Heights,
At 6:45 p.m. /
212-854-7799 / intelligencesquaredus.org.
Celebrate 31: $1.31 Scoops on March 31
Baskin-Robbins scoops are $1.31 all day! We’re celebrating our iconic 31 with a sweet deal on the 31st of March, May, July, August, October and December.
BONUS JAZZ PICKS:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who is playing tonight:
Greenwich Village:
Village Vanguard – 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592
55 Bar – 55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. jazz.org/dizzys, 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave), birdlandjazz.com, 212-581-3080
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. smokejazz.com, 212-864-6662
Special Mention:
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones St. nr Bleecker St. caffevivaldi.com, 212-691-7538
a classic, old jazz club in the Village, Caffe V often surprises with a wonderfully eclectic lineup. It’s my favorite spot for an evening of listening enjoyment and discovery.
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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, with a population of 8.5 million, had a record 56 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2015. Quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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A PremierPub / Midtown West.
Russian Vodka Room / 265 W 52nd St (btw 7th/8th ave)
Sure, you could travel to Minsk or even Brighton Beach, for an authentic Russian experience, but why bother. On those days when you feel you must wash down your dish of kasha with a few glasses of icy, cold vodka, the Russian Vodka Room will definitely satisfy your urge.
From the outside this place looks a bit drab, and with no windows, a bit mysterious. Midtown tourists walk right by on their way to see “Jersey Boys”, just down the block.
Those in the know enter a secret hideaway, a dimly lit front room with soft jazz playing – a perfect spot for an illicit late-night rendezvous, or maybe a meet-up with your Russian spy handler, but that’s later in the evening. Early in the evening the large U-shaped bar fills with the after work happy hour crowd, a group made very happy by the much reduced prices.
Their website says: “Welcome Comrades”. Of course, this welcome focuses on dozens of different vodkas, including their own special infusions, which marinate in giant, clear glass jugs visible around the room. The large vodka martinis ensure that you won’t confuse this place with your mother’s Russian Tea Room.
But man does not live by vodka alone. Eat some food, especially the tapa like appetizers. Be decadent and try the cheese blintzes with chocolate, or try a main dish like beef stroganoff with kasha.
Your best bet is to go on a night when the piano man is playing. This guy, who looks like he has eaten a lot of those cheese blintzes, plays five nights a week from 7 to 12 (no Mondays and Thursdays). When the piano man is playing American pop tunes, and you are at the crowded, dimly lit bar testing the horseradish infused vodka, that’s when the RVR shines.
It’s the kind of place where the noise gets louder and the crowd gets happier as the happy hour goes on. I’m generally a beer guy, but I like to come here with a group of friends. We find a table in the back room near the piano man; we eat, and we drink vodka ‘till it hurts (and it will hurt).
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Website: http://www.russianvodkaroom.com/
Phone #: 212-307-5835
Hours: 4pm-2am; Fri-Sun closes 4am (that could be trouble)
Happy Hour: 4-7pm every day
$4 shots infused vodka (2oz), $5 cosmos; $4 czech draft beer
Music: FR-SU; TU-WE / 7pm-12am
Subway: #1 to 50th St.
Walk 2 blk N. on B’way to 52nd St.; 1 blk W. to RVR
Confusingly, the Russian Samovar is right across the street, on the S. side of 52nd St.
The RVR, your destination, is on the N. side of 52nd St.
Update: music now includes a sax player with a younger, trimmer piano man. “tiny” we miss you.
NYCity 1-2-3 : What's Happening / Manhattan's WestSide 