The best things to do in NYC this weekend

“The best things to do in NYC this weekend include BRIC’s Celebrate Brooklyn!, NY Restaurant Week and more By Shaye Weaver and Time Out New York contributors

Looking for the best things to do in NYC this weekend? Whether you’re the group planner searching for more things to do in NYC today, or you have no plans yet, here are some ideas to add to your list for this long summer weekend. Don’t miss Shakespeare in the Park, BRIC’s Celebrate Brooklyn! festival, go out for New York Restaurant Week, do an outdoor movie screening, or take a hot tub boat tour. “

Things to do in NYC this weekend

These are just a few. Want more?

Time Out New York has 110 best things to do this weekend. Find your faves right here

1. Karaoke at Ms. Kim’s

Ms. Kim’s, a new K-town karaoke lounge from Korean beauty entrepreneur Anna Kim, combines sophisticated style with sing-alongs. Envisioned during the pandemic, when we all just needed to belt out our frustrations, and spend some much-needed time outside of our homes with friends, Ms. Kim’s offers both communal space and soundproof private karaoke rooms, so guests can customize their experience as it suits their needs. In the main lounge and bar, mixologist-approved cocktails take the place of the ubiquitous karaoke bar beer pitcher. Ingredients in the signature drinks, which start at $16, include butterfly pea flower, herbal infused syrups and top shelf spirits. Fine wine is sold by the glass or bottle, and beer is available on tap or by the bottle. For soju, the 46-proof Hwayo – 23° is available by the 375 mL bottle. Fridays will also bring live music to the bar, for those who prefer to sway to the sounds of jazz, rather than sing. To eat, Ms. Kim’s offers a short menu of Japanese and Korean finger foods, like vegetable or shrimp tempura with four types of salt, three types of fried dumplings, and chicken karaage with garlic ginger soy sauce.  

2. BRIC’s Celebrate Brooklyn! music festival has unveiled its official lineup

BRIC’s Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival returns on July 31 to the Prospect Park Bandshell with shows continuing through September 18, and we couldn’t be more excited to take in live music with friends and strangers. All the shows will begin at 6pm, but you can see specific dates here. If you’re not able to make it to the festival, you can catch performances on BRIC’s website after the fact. Opening night features Ari Lennox, KAMAUU w/ special guest Adeline and Nesta on July 31.

4. The Social scoop shop

Prospect Heights has a new ice cream destination. The Social, created by Ample Hill founders Jackie Cuscuna and Brian Smith, opened on Sunday! The new scoop shop offers a playful take on ice cream, and is also a story of resilience, following the founders’ bankruptcy in 2020. Now, The Social promises a carefree, fun experience that melds innovative flavors with nostalgia. The Go-Go Bananas banana ice cream reimagines the classics, with more unique flavors including a monkey bread and coffee infused scoop with homemade coffee toffee, and all-natural bubblegum ice cream with a marshmallow swirl. Locally made doughnuts, as well as milkshakes, specialty cones and sorbet are also on The Social’s menu. The decor and vibes riff on the 1970s, the decade the founders grew up in, and remember sweetly. Jackie and Brian also launched a podcast during the pandemic, “As The Ice Cream Churns”, detailing their journey as successful business owners, to losing it all, and starting over again.

5. Michelin-Starred Magic/Mentalism

Michelin-starred NYC restaurant, The Musket Room, is hosting acclaimed magician and mentalist, Mark Clearview, for a dazzling performance Saturday, July 31, paired with a decadent four-course meal from Executive Chef Mary Attea and a bespoke cocktail. Guests can choose their own adventure, selecting “Earth, Air, Water or Fire at the beginning, which will inform the mind bending mentalism journey to follow. Everyone gets a bespoke cocktail based on their choice, and the food menu was designed to compliment the performance at each step. Everything culminates in a climactic reveal at night’s end. Potential dishes based on guests’ choice of theme include Earth (Heirloom tomato salad, tofu, fermented green tomato, Thai basil) and Water (corn custard, uni, tarragon, corn “water”). Shows run at 5:45pm, 6pm, 6:45pm, 7:15pm, 7:30pm, 9:15pm, 9:30pm on Saturday, July 31. Tickets are $175.

6. Harry Potter drinking show at Don’t Tell Mama

Don’t Tell Mama, Hell’s Kitchen Jul 31 2021

The Drunk Texts, known for its Shakespearean boozy twist on classical theater, is back with its rendition of drunk Harry Potter! Join in for Harry’s birthday and watch his first year at school unfold like you’ve never seen it before (with drinking games)! “Will a certain friendly groundskeeper take too many shots of whiskey? Will the headmaster bust a rhyme (in verse) during a game of King’s Cup? And how drunk will That Gent Who Wilt Not Be Nam’d be by the time he finally gets to his first line? Anything could happen in this epic Elizabethan parody, come find out what does!” Catch the performance live on Saturday at Don’t Tell Mama. Reserve your tickets now (plus a two-drink minimum) or pay cash at the door day of the show.

8. Shake Rattle & Roll Dueling Pianos

Hell’s Kitchen Jul 31 2021-Dec 26 2021

Every Saturday night at 8pm, two piano men battle it out to prove who is truly the master of all 88 keys, with a playlist decided entirely by the audience. Whether you’re in the mood for Billy Joel, Christina Aguilera or current chart toppers, these pianists are up for the challenge. But they expect you to do your part by singing along, but from home. Find tickets and request songs here: bit.ly/SRRshows 

Every Tuesday night at 7pm, play Name That Tune for a chance at $50 in cash and other prizes. There’s a new theme each week. Tickets are at bit.ly/SRRshows

On Wednesday nights at 7pm, try your hand at Piano Bingo, an interactive, all-request event. Every song checks a box and every game has a winner! There’s $100 in prizes every week. Get your game card at bit.ly/SRRshows. 

And starting July 31, it’ll have an all-request rock n’ roll party at the Cellar (July 31), the Cutting Room (Aug. 7 & 21) and Burgerology (Aug. 28). Shows broadcast on facebook.com/SRRPianos and youtube.com/asongulove.

13. New York City Restaurant Week

New York City Restaurant Week, which is now live for dining, has been a twice annual tradition since 1992. When it first got cooking, the culinary holiday was celebrated with $19.92 lunch specials at restaurants like Tribeca Grill. Surprisingly, those midday meals only rose to $26 by 2020. What’s even wilder? This year’s prices have actually fallen. Sort of. Summer 2021’s NYC Restaurant Week, which runs from July 19 through August 22, has three pricing tiers: $21, $39 and $125 for lunch or dinner. RW organizers advise restaurants to offer at least an entree and a side for the first two tiers, and the $125 ticket must include three or more courses plus a little something extra like wine. This year, more than 500 participating Italian, Thai, Russian, Cuban, Spanish, French, Mexican, Indian, Brazilian and Japanese izakayas, ice cream parlors, steakhouses, fish bars, brasseries, bistros, grills, cafes and sushi restaurants decide which deals to offer when. And you decide how many of these marvelous options you can cram into four-and-a-half wonderful weeks. It’s a lot! 

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amNY Weekender | 6 things to do in NYC

By Dean Jamieson

Friday, July 30

Movies Under the Stars: Little Women: Come out this Friday to see Greta Gerwig’s acclaimed 2019 of Little Women. Bring your kids, spread a blanket, and watch the March sisters’ adventures in Manhattan’s Robert Moses Playground, under a sky of stars, just feet away from the East River. Robert Moses Playground, 1 Ave., bet. E. 41 St. and E. 42 St. 8:30 p.m. Free. 

Shakespeare In the Park: Merry Wives: Shakespeare in the Park, a New York City classic, is returning this week with a production of Merry Wives, an adaptation of the Merry Wives of Windsor. Set in a vibrant South Harlem community,  Merry Wives is billed as a “celebration of Black joy, laughter and vitality.” Come grab a seat and enjoy. Delacorte Theater, 8 p.m. Free.

Saturday, July 31

Coastal Exploration Hike: No matter where you are in the City, nature is just a subway ride away. Explore the stunning ecological diversity of Staten Island’s coastline this Saturday as part of a free hike with Urban Park Rangers. Perfect for kids. Cornelia Avenue and Chester Avenue in Wolfe’s Pond Park, Staten Island. 11 a.m. Free. 

City Point Cirque: City Point Cirque, a New York City circus troupe, is performing every Saturday night at City Point Brooklyn. Come enjoy aerial performances, contortions, juggling and more. Great for families, pay what you can. 445 Albee Square West, 11;30 a.m. Pay what you can, or $25 for adults, $15 for kids. 

Ari Lennox at Celebrate Brooklyn: Celebrate Brooklyn, Prospect Park’s annual music festival, is opening this Saturday with a free performance by neo-soul phenom Ari Lennox. Named one of the “most inspiring and innovative vanguards,” in black music, Ari Lennox is performing with fellow DC native KAMAUU, a socially conscious rapper and poet. Dance near the stage, or spread a blanket on the grass, relax, and watch from afar. Prospect Park Bandshell. Doors open at 6, starts at 7:30. Free.

Sunday, Aug. 1

Underground NYC Tour (Empire Beneath The Streets): Ever wondered if there’s a subway tunnel right under your feet? Discover the real subway system, one that even few New Yorkers know about, with this private guided tour. Learn about art, history and architecture on this tour of stations open to the public but largely unknown. Begins at Chambers Street and ends in Grand Central. Starbucks – 38 Park Row #4. 10 a.m. $39.95. Multiple dates available.

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If you are looking for some of the best info on food and drink, restaurants and eating in New York City, then you want to head to New York magazine’s Grub Street.

Right now you want to check out: The Return of Restaurants

“Make up for lost meals. No takeout, no pasta kits, just 66 of the best new (or newly relevant) places to eat.”
Edited by Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld, Photographs by Dina Litovsky

Here are 3 more of my faves:

Find Singapore in Sandwich Form

Native Noodles / 2129 Amsterdam Ave.

Amy Pryke, who opened Native Noodles in February, has gifted a rare Singaporean restaurant to the city — great news for workers at nearby New York–Presbyterian Hospital and the Washington Heights neighborhood in general. On a recent weekday, two silver-haired folks slurped thick rice noodles in a shrimpy yellow curry as the scent of coconut-jam waffles perfumed the air. Others went for the roti john, a squishy sandwich stuffed with ground beef, soft omelet, and sweet-spicy chile ketchup. If the small dining room is full, take your lunch over to nearby Highbridge Park. —R.P.S.

Conduct an Impromptu Pasta Tasting

Forsythia / 9 Stanton St.

Mark Coleman (Rezdôra) and Jacob Siwak (Olmsted) are the captains of this snug little establishment, which began life as a pop-up many months ago and is crowded now with a rabble of Italophiles, off-duty cooks, and carbonara loons, all clamoring for a taste of the city’s latest haute-pasta menu. The small, blond-toned dining room is nice, but if you want to feel like you’re dining on a side street in Bologna or Rome, ask for a table in the sidewalk cabana, which is strung with lights up in the rafters, lined with baby pine trees, and filled, on temperate evenings, with the bouncy sounds of Italian pop tunes. Pay special attention to Coleman’s elegant interpretations of the old Roman classics, like eggy tangles of tonnarelli pasta tossed alla gricia with pecorino, little chunks of guanciale, and plenty of black pepper.—A.P.

Work Your Way Through the Brand-New Menu at Brooklyn’s Best Thai Restaurant

Ugly Baby / 407 Smith St., Carroll Gardens

At Ugly Baby, New Yorkers exchange glances and ask their neighbors for recommendations — yes, even during a pandemic. The great unifier? The incendiary cooking of southern Thailand. After a winter restricted to delivery, the neighborhood rejoiced when chef-owner Sirichai Sreparplarn reopened for indoor dining in April. Even more exciting: His new menu was nearly three times as long as the original, comprising mostly new dishes like peek gai (ground-pork-stuffed chicken wings over green beans) and kang leung (sour sea-bass curry). While on a recent visit, the restaurant’s laab ped, labeled “stay away duck salad” on the menu, lacked some of the promised heat, Ugly Baby remains a place where napkins are reserved for wiping noses, not hands. —L.F.

Also see Eater New York’s interactive map that highlights
these 66 restaurants that deserve your attention.