Today’s Elite 8 NYC Events > SATURDAY/ FEBRUARY 01, 2020

“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We make it as easy as 1-2-3.

For future NYC Events, check the tab above:  “February NYC Events”
It’s the most comprehensive list of top events this month that you will find anywhere.
Carefully curated from “Only the Best” NYC event info on the the web, it’s a simply superb resource that will help you plan your NYC visit all over town, all through the month.

OR to make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

==============================================================

Have time for only one NYC Event today? Do This:

New York City Ballet (through March 1)
NYS Theater, Lincoln Center / 8PM, $78+
“The coming week brings a potpourri of programs: The “New Combinations” bill on Friday and Tuesday pairs Jerome Robbins’s “Opus 19/The Dreamer” (1979) with Christopher Wheeldon’s “Polyphonia” (2001), Justin Peck’s “Bright” and Alexei Ratmansky’s new work, “Voices.” The Saturday and Sunday matinees highlight collaborations between Balanchine and Stravinsky, while the performances on Saturday evening and Wednesday juxtapose Balanchine with Peck in two slightly different mixes. The program on Feb. 6 again includes Balanchine (“Haieff Divertimento” and “Episodes”) and Peck (the lovely “Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes”) along with Robbins (“Concertino”).” (NYT-Brian Schaefer)

========================================================

7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> GHIDORAH
>> Complexions
>> “Transformation”
>> One Day University and Hunter College Present: Power and Politics
>> Lunar New Year Festival
>> A Night of Philosophy & Ideas
>> Best of Brooklyn Food and Beer Festival

You may want to look at previous days posts for events that continue through today.

=======================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

GHIDORAH
at the Jazz Gallery / 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.; $30-$40
“Three of the leading tenor saxophonists in straight-ahead jazz come together here in a group named for the three-headed monster of postwar Japanese film lore. (The name is also a glancing reference to MF Doom, the underground hip-hop heavy, who has used Ghidorah as an alias.) The front line — J. D. Allen, Stacy Dillard and Marcus Strickland — is certainly qualified to lead a seminar in contemporary, tradition-rooted tenor improvising. They’ll be joined only by a bassist, Eric Wheeler, and a drummer, Rodney Green.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Complexions (through Feb. 2)
at the Joyce Theater / 7:30PM, $45
“A terrific fall season at the Joyce Theatre seemed to augur a new era, free from deadweight repeat offenders, and yet here comes Complexions Contemporary Ballet for another two weeks. This season’s première, in the physically flexible, aesthetically rigid, vulgarly hyperactive company style, is “Love Rocks,” set to a collection of Lenny Kravitz recordings as heavy on recent let-love-rule pronouncements as old hits. “Bach 25,” from 2018, and last year’s “Woke” fill out the programs.” (Brian Seibert, NewYorker)

“Transformation” (Jan.30-Feb.1)
Rose Theatre, Broadway at 60th St./ 8PM, $40+
“Glenn Close may be quite the versatile artist, but it’s still unexpected to find her performing with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in a multimedia piece composed by Ted Nash, a Grammy-winning saxophone stalwart. Blending poetry (curated by Close), dance, and jazz, “Transformation” features guest appearances by John Cameron Mitchell, Amy Irving, and Justin Vivian Bond.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

=========================================================

Smart Stuff / Other NYC EventS
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)

One Day University and Hunter College Present: Power and Politics
Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, 695 Park Ave./ 9:30AM-1:15PM, $159
“A trio of acclaimed professors looks at past and present at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College. The three One Day University talks on power and politics cover whether the U.S. is repeating the mistakes of the Roman Empire; continuities in the relationships between presidents and the press; and an examination of the five most powerful people in the world.” (thoughtgallery)

Lunar New Year Festival
See the Year of the Rat take over the Met
Metropolitan Museum /11AM-5PM, $25
“The Met’s Lunar New Year Festival offers seven hours of celebration for the Year of the Rat. The Long Island Lion Troupe kicks off the festivities with a traditional lion dance for luck — soon after, Sesame Street puppeteers hit the stage for a performance and photo opp. In the afternoon, artist Vincent Chong takes over the Chinese Courtyard for a performance that celebrates and interrogates identity, and throughout the day, you can attend hand-pulled noodle and calligraphy demos, sip bubble tea, and learn about your own Chinese zodiac sign.” (thrillist)

Elsewhere, but these two sure look worth the detour:

A Night of Philosophy & Ideas
Brooklyn Public Library – Central Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza / 7PM-7AM, FREE
“It’s time again to stay up all night with ideas. Top philosophers from around the world will gather at the Brooklyn Public Library–Central Library for a 12-hour sleepover, complete with debates, screenings, readings, art, and music. French-American economist Esther Duflo, winner of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics, kicks off the evening with a keynote address.” (ThoughtGallery)

Best of Brooklyn Food and Beer Festival
Drink the best of Brooklyn’s beer scene
Industry City / 12:30PM, +3:30PM; $39+
“At the Best of Brooklyn Food and Beer Festival, you can eat and drink your way through the so-called Great Mistake of 1898. There’ll be unlimited craft brew tastings from breweries including Sixpoint, Five Boroughs, and the peak-Brooklyn Kombrewcha (they serve — you guessed it! — hard kombucha). Soak up all those beers with snacks from Empanada Papa, Chofi, CBao, and other local businesses as you wander through Industry City dancing to DJs and toasting to the borough.” (thrillist)

Continuing Events

NYC Restaurant Week (Jan.21—Feb.9)

A celebration of NYC’s most fabulous pastime: dining out. With hundreds of restaurants throughout the City rolling out special prix-fixe menus for a limited time, this is your chance to revel without a cause.

Restaurants offer a minimum of three choices for appetizers and three choices for entrées at lunch ($26). Restaurants offer a minimum of three choices for appetizers, three choices for entrées and at least two desserts at dinner ($42). Several restaurants may also offer drink specials, supplemental items and other à la carte options for an additional price.
2-course lunch $26 | 3-course dinner $42

The Winter Show  (Jan.24-Feb.2)

The Winter Show is the leading art, antiques, and design fair in America, featuring 72 of the world’s top experts in the fine and decorative arts.

Held at the historic Park Avenue Armory in New York City, the fair highlights a dynamic mix of works dating from ancient times through the present day and maintains the highest standards of quality in the art market. Each object at the fair is vetted for authenticity, date, and condition by a committee of 150 experts from the United States and Europe.

FrostFest
A winter celebration with live entertainment, Bumper Cars on Ice, Cozy Igloos, and more!
Bryant Park
“Manhattan’s famed midtown oasis is hosting this 10-day celebration of offbeat things to do in cold weather, including riding in ice bumper cars, hanging out in artificial igloos and a kids scavenger hunt. Highlights include dueling pianos from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, a Cozy Sweater Pup Meetup (put Fido in his favorite sweater) at noon on Jan. 25 and a silent outdoor disco at 6 p.m. on Jan. 26.” (Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Jan. 24-Feb. 2, 40th-42nd streets between Fifth and Sixth avenues, Manhattan I
NFO Free to enter, some events require tickets; 212-768-4242, bryantpark.org

==========================================================

COMING SOON (WFUV)

1/30-2/1 The Hot Sardines, Birdland
1/30-31 The Wood Brothers, Webster Hall
2/1 Grace Potter, Beacon Theatre
2/1 Drive-By Truckers, Rough Trade
2/1 Eaglemania & Tusk, St. George Theatre
2/2 Nada Surf, Bowery Ballroom
2/4-5 Cold War Kids, Webster Hall

♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, plus dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.6 million, had a record 65 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2019 – the ninth consecutive year. But quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just earlier on the day of performance.

============================================================================

A PremierPub

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 just 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 wonderful old time jukebox, with a great selection of  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.
————————————————————————————————————————
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

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

============================================================

Bonus: Nifty 9 – Best Cabarets / Piano Bars NYCity
These are my favorite places for an after dinner night on the town – music and drinks.
Hit the Hot Link and check out what’s happening tonight:

Feinstein’s/54 Below – 254 W 54th St.