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 has required some changes.

The best things to do in NYC this week

The best things to do in NYC this week include holiday markets and Christmas lights and the opening of Sharks at AMNH / Shaye Weaver – TONY

“If you’re looking for the best things to do in NYC this week, or even for today, there are tons of fun options. Go ice skating, shop at the best holiday markets and enjoy holiday events like the Holiday Train Show at NYBG or check out AMNH’s new Sharks exhibit opening this week. For more ideas, scroll down to see this week’s best things to do in NYC.”

1. The Roaring 20’s: From Harlem and Beyond

Harlem Until Dec 26, 2022

Every Monday evening, you can enjoy Prohibition-era cocktails and live jazz channeling the spirit and energy of the Harlem Renaissance at Sugar Monk. You’ll have your pick of Prohibition and Pre-Prohibition cocktails (Sidecar, Clover Club, Bijou, French 75, The Boothby, The Bee’s Knees, Hanky Panky and others) to sip on while Max Bessesen and his trio play on from 8 to 10pm. There’s no cover, just make a reservation on Resy.

Dazzling light installations in the Meatpacking Distric

Now through mid-January 2022, you’ll have ten additional reasons to visit the Meatpacking District as a series of new interesting light installations have taken over the neighborhood. From enormous, lit-up snowmen to colorful, abstract neon lights and planters filled with glowing dandelions, the “Lights on the Cobbles” installations are found all along Ninth Avenue between 14th Street and Gansevoort Street. Visitors will notice that the outdoor exhibits culminate at Gansevoort Plaza, where a colonnade is draped in freeform neon lights that bounce shapes off the reflective plexi tunnel surrounding a semicircle seating area. It’s basically the ideal Instagram setup both in terms of location and lighting.

4. Sharks at AMNH

Upper West Side Dec 15, 2021- Apr 1, 2022

An immersive new exhibit takes visitors “underwater” to meet some of the ocean’s diverse shark species, including the biggest predatory fish of all time—the megalodon. “Sharks” at AMNH, which opens December 15, introduces the “toothy, fearsome predators” that have captured the public’s imagination through films like Jaws and Deep Blue Sea and dives deep into the incredible diversity of this ancient group of fishes through dozens of life-size models (some as long as 33 feet) in an ocean-like gallery with wave-like lighting that moves across the floor. Once visitors enter the gallery, a 27-foot-long megalodon, dubbed the “Tyrannosaurus rex of the seas,” model greets them with its mouth wide open as if it is about to feed on them. Here, its giant teeth and overall size set the tone for the super cool and interactive exhibit.

106! Would you believe it?

Time Out New York lists 106 best things to do in NYC this week. For all the rest go Here.

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Here are some things to do in Manhattan from Dec. 16-24

By Haeven Gibbons

Thursday, Dec. 16

Fresh Towels- A Comedy Show- (Ugly Sweater Edition)- Put on your favorite Ugly Sweater and get ready to laugh. Host Mark “Jiggy” Jigarjian is bringing the talent and Montauk Brewing Co is bringing the beer (2 free drinks per person). 7:45 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. Ticket are $25. Moxy NYC East Village 112 East 11th Street New York, NY 10003.

Wreath Decorating With Starbright Floral Design- Enjoy Starbright Floral Design’s holiday- themed class to decorate a wreath everyone will admire. 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. $75. Moxy NYC East Village 112 East 11th Street New York, NY 10003.

Friday, Dec. 17

Dine at Mari in Hell’s Kitchen- Sungchul Shim, chef and owner of the Michelin star restaurant Kochi, just opened his second restaurant Mari in Hell’s Kitchen. The bright, intimate space features engaging counter-style seating around an open kitchen as well as a cozy outdoor dining area that will be heated for the colder months. 679 9th Avenue, between 46th and 47th streets.

Johnnie Walker Whisky Workshop Pop-up– Held at The Shops at Columbus Circle from Friday, December 17 through Sunday, December 19, the Johnnie Walker Whisky Workshop takes the stress out of shopping and shipping delays with personalized gift boxes containing limited-edition, custom-engraved whisky collectibles in collaboration with Emmy Award-winning artist Mike Perry. The in-person shopping affair will also feature complimentary sampling of the Johnnie Walker portfolio and specialty cocktails on Saturday and Sunday. 12-8 p.m. daily.

Johnnie Walker Whisky Workshop pop-up. Photo courtesy of Johnnie Walker Whisky Workshop.

Saturday, Dec. 18

Brunch at The Mary Lane– The Mary Lane is now serving brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The menu includes smashed avocado toast on whole grain bread with lime, radish, and aleppo pepper, spicy shakshuka, savory plates including duck confit with creamy grits, poached eggs, Tuscan kale, roasted radish, spiced duck jus, and cracklings and more. 99 Bank St. New York, NY 10014.

Holiday Caroler Performance- Carolers are spreading holiday cheer in Flatiron this season! From 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership will host cappella style caroling performances as a part of the 10th annual “23 Days of Flatiron Cheer.” Performers from the American Caroling Company will sing holiday songs on the Flatiron North Public Plaza.

Sunday, Dec. 19

Holiday Themed Flatiron History Tours – Professional guides will lead a 90-minute journey with a holiday twist. The walking tour will highlight the neighborhood’s holiday history, including the Star of Hope, the first public Christmas tree, the international toy and gift center and Dr. Clement Clarke Moore’s country home where he wrote his famous 1822 Christmas poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas.” 11:00 a.m. Meet at the tip of the Flatiron Building, on 23rd Street just east of Fifth Avenue.

The Sparkle Monster Variety Show- Join live-singing sensation Sparkle Monster and some of her favorite guest artists as they bring you a variety show designed to delight! Singing! Dancing! Comedy! and More! 8 p.m. Moxy Times Square, Bar Moxy Studios.

Monday, Dec. 20

Holiday Drag Bingo With Sparkle Monster- Don’t miss this bingo experience chock full of music, mayhem and marvelous prizes including a free night at Moxy Chelsea. 8 p.m. Event is Free. Moxy Chelsea 105 W 28th St New York, NY 10001.

Enjoy Wythe Hotel’s New Bathhouse Spa Package- This winter, Wythe Hotel is teaming up with neighborhood oasis Bathhouse to bring guests a spa experience. When guests book the package, they’ll receive two day passes to the Bathhouse which allow access to their three thermal pools, two saunas, their starlight steam room with a replica of the night sky in the overhead lighting design and heated marble hammams. Guests will also receive a 10% discount on any additional spa treatments, including massages, scrubs and facials. Prices vary. 80 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249. Visit https://www.wythehotel.com/ for more information.

Tuesday, Dec. 21

Winter Solstice Celebration with MoMath – Join the Flatiron Partnership and the National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath) to experience the reflection of a life-sized kaleidoscope. Snap your own unique holiday selfie next to the Flatiron Building and Interwoven. 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Visit Equinox Après Equinox– Après Equinox is a limited winter-only offering where club members and hotel guests can enjoy the outdoor pool, heated to 85-90°F, two unique barrel saunas, heated to a max of 120°F with a 360-view of New York City and regeneration offerings with Equinox’s HeadStrong meditation on the Equinox+ app. Prices vary. 35 Hudson Yards, 32 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001.

Wednesday, Dec. 22

A Family Musical PETUNIA’S PLAYHOUSE LIVE at the New Ohio Theatre- Enjoy this interactive musical about self-care for family audiences. This musical puppetry experience is based on the award-winning web series Petunia’s Playhouse, conceived during the COVID lockdown as a tool to help children cope with the mental health challenges of our new reality. 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. The show runs through January 1, 2022. Tickets ($25; $18 for groups of four or more). 154 Christopher St #1E, New York, NY 10014.

Photo courtesy of Party Claw Productions.

Holiday Cocktail Creation With Good Time Mixology- Learn how to create a perfect holiday cocktail with Good Time Mixology’s expert mixologists. Spots in the class are limited. 8 p.m. $40. Moxy Times Square, Legasea.

Thursday, Dec. 23

Dine at Cucina 8 1/2 in the iconic The Solow Building- The new menu will celebrate old New York charm with an elevated Italian-American menu with thoughtful yet simplistic preparations to enhance the natural flavors in each dish. The menu will feature housemade pastas with a rotating Italian regional menu, as well as Italian-American classics with many tableside presentations. Hours vary. 9 W 57th St, New York, NY 10019.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral Audio Tour– Narrated by Archbishop of New York Timothy Dolan, visitors will be guided around the 160-year-old Cathedral while hearing personal stories from the archbishop about what makes St. Patrick’s America’s favorite cathedral while enjoying the harmonious sounds of live carolers inside the cathedral every half hour. Tickets start at $25. Times Vary. Audio tours run through January 6, 2022.

Friday, Dec. 24

New York City Ballet do George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker– Enjoy an afternoon at the ballet with George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. The classic ballet, composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, provides an unforgettable spark to everyone’s holiday season. Show begins at 2 p.m. Ticket prices vary. Live at David H. Koch Theater in New York.

New York City Ballet “The Nutcracker”, Friday, November 23, 2018 at 8pm, David H. Koch Theater. (Photo by Erin Baiano)

Holiday’s at Kimika Christmas Eve- Enjoy Christmas Eve with a dine-in-meal from Kimika, a Japanese-Italian restaurant in Nolita. The menu includes: Small plates like smoked baccala mantecato, pickled mackerel with shaved red onion, giardiniera, and perilla pesto; and kakiage fritto misto; Pasta & rice dishes like saffron malloredus, sticky rice risotto with unagi, matsutake and uni salsa; Large plates like grilled hamachi collar, grilled prawns and chawan mushi with crab, lobster, octopus and ponzu-shiso ankake; Yuzu meringue tart for dessert. Holiday kits and Christmas pick-up offerings are also available. 40 kenmare street New York, NY 10012.

amNY has good coverage of What’s Happening in NYC and it’s FREE, so always pick up a copy when you see it.

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So many great things to see and do, places to eat and drink in NYC.

How to find them? Here are 12 more of my fave NYC suggestions:

Try Dominique Ansel’s new Baileys hot chocolate for free this month – TONY

RiseNY is the city’s first-ever flight simulation ride located in Times Square | amNewYork

The Sweet-and-Savory Hunt for All Things Everything Bagel Seasoning in NYC – Eater NY

NYC’s best Christmas trees, holiday lights and windows are on this map-TONY

New York City’s status as a melting pot is most on display within its Caribbean neighborhoods | amNewYork

Experience The Wonders Of NYC While Suspended 30 Feet In The Air Inside A Room In Times Square – Gothamist

Where to Go Ice Skating in NYC – Thrillist

The 22 Best Diners in NYC Right Now-TONY