Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you didn’t have to.
We made it as easy as 1-2-3.
Covid-19 has required some changes for the time being. Stay Safe.
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For the month of July we are going to try a different format – on some days we will go visual and offer a selection of the very best NYCity Instagram photos or YouTube videos. Some days you will find “the Nifty Nine”, all the NYC news you need to start your day, or the Top Online Travel Forums with NYC info. On other days we will offer “Corona Culture,” updated info and video especially suited to these difficult times.
We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here.
Today it’s Corona Culture (a).
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Rockefeller Center’s Art Deco Marvel: A Virtual Tour (NYT)
an informative discussion between NYT architecture critic Michael Kimmelman and historian Daniel Okrent. Don’t miss the great photos of Rocky Center.
These Stunning George Steinmetz Aerial Images Show Empty NYC Under Coronavirus Lockdown | Viewing NYC / shown on “CBS This Morning.”
a 6 minute video of a virtual ghost town.
Now Virtual and in Video, Museum Websites Shake Off the Dust. (NYT)
Critic’s guide to the best online presentations from the world’s leading art palaces and picture galleries.
Brooklyn, Before It Was a Global Brand: Walk Its History (NYT)
A few hundred years in the borough, from the brownstones to the shipyards. The NYT critic chats with fourth generation Brooklynite and historian Thomas J. Campanella.
Wonderful photos all over the borough, especially Brooklyn Heights.
‘Surreal’: What It’s Like to Ride a Motorcycle Through New York Right Now (NYT) The video of the scooter riding down an empty 7th Ave. is especially interesting.
Cannes 2020 is canceled: here are 28 of the festival’s best films you can stream right now./LAT
Films that have played the festival since 2006, now available for viewing at home.
We hope you enjoy this change of pace, then please return here August 1, and every day for our daily, hot off the presses event guide with “Only the Best” NYCity event info.
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Lower Manhattan – Did you know?
New York City, a city of neighborhoods, is filled with sights that every tourist should see. No neighborhood has more spectacular sights than Lower Manhattan. Today’s feature:
Fraunces Tavern
Address 54 Pearl St.
Date 1719
Where it gets its name Named for Samuel Fraunces, who owned and operated the place as the Queen’s Head Tavern during the 18th century and who was later President Washington’s chief steward.
What it was before Throughout most of the 19th century, the main building was used as a boardinghouse; it was rescued from demolition in the early 1900s and largely reconstructed in 1907.
Why it’s notable In one of the tavern’s rooms, George Washington bade a postwar farewell to his fellow officers; it also served as a meeting place for Revolutionaries before and during the war.
What it is now Part museum and part drinking establishment, Fraunces Tavern has numerous places to sit for a pint and a pot pie. Though little of the original structure remains, the reconstructed corner building celebrates its history through portraits of Washington, early American flags and other mementos.
Fast fact A tavern menu from 1914 shows an order of broiled lamb chops to cost 75 cents, a slice of huckleberry pie 15 cents and a glass of Ruppert’s Knickerbocker beer—a popular quaff of the times—10 cents.” (nycgo.com)
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Now how about some other useful information during these trying times.
NYC-Arts Top Five Virtual Picks: July 10 – July 16
Interesting. Unusual. Uniquely NYC. Highlights of this week’s top virtual events include Front Row Summer Evenings, Because Once You Enter My House It Becomes Our House, a radio broadcast of Richard II and more. Get the NYC-ARTS Top Five in your inbox every Friday and follow @NYC_ARTS on Instagram or @NYCARTS on Twitter to stay abreast of events as they happen.
Because Once You Enter My House, It Becomes Our House
Socrates Sculpture Park
Queens
Fri, Jul 10, 2020 – Thu, Dec 31, 2020
As the country grapples with both a deadly pandemic and the tragic consequences of systemic racism, Socrates Sculpture Park will open an exhibition of new outdoor monuments this summer. MONUMENTS NOW seeks to address the role of monuments in American society – some of which have been removed in recent days – and presents artist-envisioned monuments highlighting underrepresented histories including queer, Indigenous, and diasporic narratives.Socrates Sculpture Park, as with all NYC Parks, has been open and operating …
Front Row Summer Evenings
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Manhattan
Sun, Jul 12, 2020 – Fri, Aug 21, 2020
CMS also announces the extension of its online concert series with Front Row Summer Evenings, six weeks of at-home programming beginning July 12. The series is comprised of HD performance video from the CMS archive, featuring the thoughtfully curated repertoire that CMS audiences have come to expect and enjoy. About the Summer Evenings series programming, Artistic Directors David Finckel and Wu Han commented: “Summer Evenings concerts have traditionally presented music that breathes the pleasant airs of …
Miró Quartet Complete Beethoven String Quartets
Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival
Manhattan
Thu, Jul 16, 2020 – Sat, Aug 08, 2020
For their first major project since the coronavirus outbreak, the Miró Quartet will come together in-person to perform all sixteen Beethoven string quartets and the “Grosse Fuge” live for online audiences via the streaming platform OurConcerts.live.Since mid-March, members of the Quartet have been apart, isolating separately at home with their families. Upon reuniting for this series, they will follow strict protocols in their daily lives to mitigate the risk of virus transmission amongst themselves. Presented by the …
William Shakespeare’s RICHARD II
The Public Theater
Manhattan
Mon, Jul 13, 2020 – Thu, Jul 16, 2020
Join WNYC and The Public Theater as they bring Free Shakespeare in the Park to the airwaves with William Shakespeare’s RICHARD II. Brought to you in a serialized radio broadcast over four nights, listen as the last of the divinely anointed monarchs descends and loses it all. When King Richard banishes his cousin Henry Bolingbroke and deprives him of his inheritance, he unwittingly creates an enemy who will ultimately force him from the throne. One of the …
Confidence in the Future
Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos
Bronx
Fri, May 01, 2020 – Mon, Aug 31, 2020
The Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA) is delighted to present “Confidence in the Future” at the Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos. Throughout the 2020 season, BCA continues to focus on paying homage to socially conscious artwork and to art that comes from artists who are actively engaged in creating a vision of the future and expanding our understanding of the role of resistance. The eight artists featured in the show were chosen through an Open …
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In the age of Covid-19 this info from City Guide is one of the best sources of info on What’s Happening, even if some are only available in your home, and not in your favorite venue.
Things to Do This Weekend in NYC (7/10-7/12)
(7/10-7/12) New York City has entered Phase 3 of its cautious reopening and there’s more to do in NYC than there’s been since our mid-March lockdown. This detailed map of open restaurants shows over 7,300 venues now serving; included in that number are 4,000 places where you can eat outside. Entire streets are being closed to traffic and opened to expanded outdoor dining plans, including Arthur Avenue in the Bronx; Doyers Street in Chinatown, East 101st Street in Harlem, 46th Street along Midtown East and West, stretches of the Meatpacking District, Broadway in the Flatiron, Orchard and Broome Sts., on the Lower East Side, and Mulberry Street and Hester Street in Little Italy; Brooklyn will be welcoming along Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, in addition to stretches of Red Hook and Dumbo; Bell Boulevard and 41st Avenue in Bayside will represent Queens and New Dorp Lane for Staten Island. Read on for more reopenings and other things to do in NYC this weekend!
CHELSEA PIERS POP-UP ROOFTOP
Credit: Hornblower Cruises and Events.
You can enjoy the city skyline from entry points in both New York City and New Jersey with Spirit Cruises. A regular program of outdoor dining experiences will be available from Saturday, July 11 onwards aboard the Spirit of New Jersey, which has a fabulous rooftop experience, sailing from its home port of Lincoln Harbor Marina in Weehawken. Delicious cuisine and a full array of drinks are equalled only by unbeatable views of the Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, and Statue of Liberty. Prices start at $69 for lunch and $120 for dinner and and include a multi-course menu of freshly prepared entrees, salads, and desserts. Across the Hudson in Chelsea, come out this Friday, July 10th for an outdoor pop-up experience onboard at Chelsea Piers. There will be table-side bar service and light bites available for purchase, with free entry (first-come first-served in accordance with current capacity limits). Vessels offer expansive decks, providing plentiful space and fresh air, ensuring more than enough room on board for everyone to stay safely apart. For more on SafeCruise by Hornblower’s industry-defining standards for health, safety, and security, see above or read more at hornblower.com/safecruise. Spirit of New York: Chelsea Piers, 212-727-2789; Spirit of New Jersey: Lincoln Harbor, 201-333-8600; spiritcruises.com
NEWLY REOPENED!
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The Starbucks Reserve® Roastery New York in the Meatpacking District is a place to experience Starbucks like never before. This 23,000-square-foot plant contains not only retail space but also an operating coffee roastery. Back open and welcoming visitors again, you can enjoy a variety of coffee classics and roastery creations—each drink is handcrafted with Starbucks’s rarest coffees, roasted on site. In addition, there are Princi Italian pastries made fresh daily, and “Family Meals” that you can enjoy at home. New cleaning and social distancing protocols will keep guests safe. 61 Ninth Ave., 212-691-0531, starbucksreserve.com/newyork
Photo: Jin Lee
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum has reopened the plaza to the general public as of Sunday, July 5th.
Although the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island remain temporarily closed, Statue Cruises is once again out and about in New York Harbor. Sixty-minute tours, complete with history and stunning views, can now be booked, with a focus on safety. Tours run four times daily out of the Battery Park departure point in Lower Manhattan at 10am, 11:30am, 1pm, and 2:30pm. These tours will continue until Liberty Island and Ellis Island reopen (Statue Cruises is the exclusive provider of ferry service for the National Park Service to the two landmarks). Tickets are $26/adult, $19/seniors, $14/child and free for children three years and under. Tickets may be purchased in advance (strongly encouraged) from the Statue Cruises website or at Gangway 5 in Battery Park. statuecruises.com
PIANO IN BRYANT PARK
One of Bryant Park’s most popular programs, “Piano in Bryant Park,” is back again. Audiences are encouraged to wear masks and practice social distancing while seated in the park’s iconic moveable bistro chairs. On July 6, 7, and 9 enjoy the sounds of jazz pianist Kuni Mikami. Piano in Bryant Park, which showcases the finest ragtime, stride, and jazz pianists, takes place Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 12:30 to 2:30pm through August.
NYC RESOURCES
The Metropolitan Opera is streaming operas FREE nightly.
The French Institute Alliance Française is taking its annual Bastille Day celebration online this year. From Saturday, July 11th through Tuesday, July 14th, head to Zoom and Facebook for a four-day virtual fête that comes complete with virtual performances, film screenings, rosé and Champagne tastings, cooking events, kids activities, dance parties, and much more. fiaf.org/event_tag/2020-bastille-day
The New York Public Library provides access to more than 300,000 FREE e-books and e-audio books.
NYC Health information page for COVID-19.
NYC restaurant world information.
Stream hundreds of Broadway shows (by subscription).
15 Broadway shows you can watch from home.
Broadway performances live—from stars’ living rooms.
The New York City Ballet presents a spring digital season.
Virtual programming will keep you connected to the York Theatre Company.
One World Observatory has made One World Explorer, the attraction’s Digital Skyline Guide, available for remote watching. Virtual helicopter tours of the city’s most iconic sites are available now.
51 New York TV shows and movies.
5 eras of New York to enjoy in books and movies.
2,500 museums and galleries you can visit virtually.
The New York Botanical Garden in bloom from home.
Exploring Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square.
The Top of the Rock launches a brief virtual tour on YouTube.
Fun at-home activities for kids.
6 podcast series to help you understand New York.
Discover the best of New York, from hidden gems to iconic landmarks, through The New York Landmarks Conservancy’s “Tourist in your own Town” Video Series.
VIRTUAL MUSEUMS
Explore the world of design with Cooper Hewitt.
Experience the Intrepid Museum anywhere.
New-York Historical Society from home.
Virtually visit the Louis Armstrong House Museum.
The Merchant’s House Museum from home.
You can take a virtual tour of the Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room at the Rubin Museum of Art. (You can find two hours of meditative chanting as well, if you’re searching out some respite.)
VIRTUAL TALKS, LECTURES, AND EVENTS
Thought Gallery has hundreds of livestream talks, lectures, performances, and more. Check out sessions with celebs, live concerts, and opportunities to learn the latest on everything from science to philosophy to social justice
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WFUV-FM 90.7 is my fave local radio station. Noncommercial, member-supported with a format of adult album alternative music, WFUV is doing it’s best to keep us connected to our music with a comprehensive, updated list of live music online.
WFUV Live Online (July 09 -July 15)
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Scheduled Shows7/9 – My Morning Jacket The Waterfall II party 7/9 – Lucius: Wildewoman (with Brandi Carlile) 7/10 – Citizen Cope debut performance of his brand new acoustic album plus deep cuts 7/10 – Brooklyn Bowl 11th Anniversary Celebration 11+ hours of music and more with Phil Lesh, Soulive, Tank & The Bangas, Fantastic Negrito and more 7/10 – Norah Jones performance and Q&A 7/11 – Winnipeg Folk Festival At Home: new performances from Waxahatchee, Kurt Vile and more; past sets from Arlo Guthrie, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Courtney Barnett 7/11 – Rufus Wainwright Unfollow the Rules record release party 7/12 – Brandi Carlile performs Bear Creek 7/12 – Ani DiFranco on the Awful Good Writers Heavy Hitters Festival 7/12 – Mary Gauthier – Sundays w/Mary special guest Lori McKenna 7/14-19 – Woody Fest 2020 with Arlo Guthrie, Jason Mraz, Glen Hansard, Graham Nash, Mary Gauthier and more, plus seminars, panels and poetry 7/14 – On Your Radar with WFUV’s John Platt: Tragedy Ann, Mark Dvorak and Siobhan O’Brien |
Get a running list of Live and Archived online concerts at wfuv.org
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STAY HOME FOR A BIT LONGER – MASK UP AND STAY SAFE.
NYCity 1-2-3 : What's Happening / Manhattan's WestSide 