NYC Events,”Only the Best” (01/30) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 01/30/2019 by GregD

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > WEDNESDAY/ JANUARY 30, 2019

“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:  “January 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.
To make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

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

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

HBO’s Breslin and Hamill: Deadline Artists
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ 8PM, $35
“Brilliant writers, tribunes of the working class, and icons of the lost world of newspapering, Jimmy Breslin and his friend, Pete Hamill, personified New York City.

Swashbuckling liberal columnists for the New York Daily News, they brought passion, wit, and literary merit to their brilliant reporting about their city and the larger nation. HBO’s new documentary, directed by veteran journalist Jonathan Alter and Emmy-winning filmmakers John Block and Stephen McCarthy, plunges us into their world, spotlighting their unique take on many of the historic events of the second half of the 20th century. Alter is joined by Pete Hamill, Ronnie Eldridge (widow of Jimmy Breslin), and legendary journalist Nicholas Pileggi to share clips and insights.”

Note: “Due to health constraints Pete Hamill cannot participate in tonight’s panel. Tonight’s panel will include Ronnie Eldridge, Jim Dwyer, and Jonathan Alter.”
It’s a shame that Pete will not be able to be there this evening. There is no better New York City raconteur then Pete Hamill.

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

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> ‘DON GIOVANNI’
>> First Ladies of Jazz & Blues: The Music of Etta James, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone & More feat. Emilie Surtees
>> BALLETBOYZ
>> TSCHAIKOVSKY & BALANCHINE
>>The Poison Squad: Deborah Blum with Maria Konnikova
>> Mort Gerberg on the Scene:
Continuing Events
>> Restaurant Week
>> Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
>> Magic After Hours
===================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

‘DON GIOVANNI’ (next Feb.2 8:30PM)
at the Metropolitan Opera / 7:30 p.m., $20+
“Despite its rather downbeat reception, Michael Grandage’s production returns again, for the first of two runs this season. (There are five performances in April.) Luca Pisaroni is Don Giovanni, with Ildar Abdrazakov as his Leporello. Rachel Willis-Sorensen sings Anna, Federica Lombardi sings Elvira and Aida Garifullina is Zerlina, with Stanislas de Barbeyrac as Ottavio, Brandon Cedel as Masetto and Stefan Kocan as the Commendatore. Cornelius Meister conducts.” (NYT-David Allen)

First Ladies of Jazz & Blues: The Music of Etta James, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone & More feat. Emilie Surtees
at City Vineyard at Pier 26 / 8PM, $25
“Jazz has not one queen but three, and impassioned vocalist Emilie Surtees will pay homage to all of them in First Ladies of Jazz & Blues. From scat to breathy ballads, “First Lady of Song” Billie Holiday could do it all while Etta James is considered one of the greatest blues singers who ever lived. And Nina Simone lit the world on fire with a vibrato that stirred souls and moved mountains.”

BALLETBOYZ (through Feb.3).
at the Joyce Theater  / 7:30 p.m. (Jan. 31, 8 p.m) $35+
“This company, formed by Michael Nunn and William Trevitt — who met at the Royal Ballet School and both joined the Royal Ballet in 1987 — presents the New York premiere of “Young Men,” a multimedia work focusing on stories of love, friendship, loss and survival among soldiers in World War I. Choreographed by Iván Pérez, a former Nederlands Dans Theater member, the production is set to a score by Keaton Henson and includes a film.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

NEW YORK CITY BALLET (thru March 3)
TSCHAIKOVSKY & BALANCHINE
at the NYS Theater, Lincoln Center / 7:30PM, $35+
“The company gives its winter season an extra glow with debuts, notably Gonzalo Garcia in “Apollo” and Teresa Reichlen in “Orpheus” on Saturday evening. Later in the week, as part of the annual New Combinations Evening on Thursday, the company’s resident choreographer, Justin Peck, unveils his latest, “Principia,” set to a commissioned score by the composer Sufjan Stevens. Featuring 24 dancers led by Tiler Peck and Taylor Stanley, the premiere is the fourth time Peck and Stevens have collaborated at City Ballet. The program will be rounded out by William Forsythe’s “Herman Schmerman” and Kyle Abraham’s “The Runaway.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

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

Smart Stuff / Other NYC EventS

The Poison Squad: Deborah Blum with Maria Konnikova
The turn of the century fight for food safety and the birth of the 1906 Food and Drug Act.
New York Public Library—Mid-Manhattan Library
476 Fifth Ave. (42nd St. Entrance) / 6:30PM, FREE
“Science journalist Deborah Blum tells the story of Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley’s decades-long fight for food safety, culminating in the 1906 Food and Drug Act. She’s joined in conversation by Maria Konnikova, journalist and author of The Confidence Game.”

Mort Gerberg on the Scene:
A New Yorker Cartoonist’s 50-Year Retrospective
Book Culture, 450 Columbus Ave./ 7:00 pm, FREE
“Mort Gerberg broke into print with irreverent drawings in The Realist in the early ’60s, whose social-justice-minded—and bitingly funny—cartoons have since appeared in all major magazines, including The New Yorker, Playboy, and The Saturday Evening Post. As a reporter, he’s sketched historic scenes like the fiery Women’s Marches of the ’60s and the infamous ’68 Democratic National Convention.

Above all, Mort Gerberg is a keen political and social observer, whose curiosity, compassion, and razor-sharp wit has informed his work for over 50 years. Fantagraphics Underground is proud to present this handsome career retrospective of Gerberg’s magazine cartoons, sketchbook drawings, and on-the-scene reportage sketches.”

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

Continuing Events

Restaurant Week (January 21 to February 10)
“Some of New York’s best known “deal holidays,” including NYC Restaurant Week and NYC Broadway Week, are joining forces this winter to create, wait for it… NYC Winter Outing.

From January 21 to February 10, NYC Broadway Week, NYC Restaurant Week and NYC Must-See Week will all be running simultaneously offering full nights out for drastically reduced rates. During this time, a selection of Broadway shows, museums, attractions and tours will be available at two-for-one prices and almost 400 restaurants across the city will be offering prix-fixe menus. As in previous years, that means $26 prix-fix lunches and $42, three-course dinners.

For more information on Restaurant Week, including our recommendations for the best deals to take advantage of this season, check out our NYC Restaurant Week page.” (TONY)

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Midtown Manhattan’s winter wonderland.
Bryant Park (btw 5th/6th Ave. @42nd St.) / shops to 8PM, rink to 10PM
Enjoy The Lodge by Urbanspace, and The Rink, the centerpiece of Winter Village and New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink.
The Rink
This 17,000 square foot rink features free admission ice skating, high quality rental skates, and free skating shows, special events, and activities.
​October 27, 2018 – March 3, 2019
Daily, 8am-10pm (Rink hours are weather permitting and Rink may be closed for events – check here)

Magic After Hours
Tannen’s Magic, Midtown West (Until Dec 31 2019)

“Twice a week, after closing time, 20 people crowd into the city’s oldest magic shop, Tannen’s, for a cozy evening of prestidigitation by the young and engaging Noah Levine. The shelves are crammed with quirky devices; there’s a file cabinet behind the counter, a mock elephant in the corner and bins of individual trick instructions in plastic covers, like comic books or sheet music. The charm of Levine’s show is in how well it fits the environment of this magic-geek chamber of secrets. As he maneuvers cards, eggs, cups and balls with aplomb, he talks shop, larding his patter with tributes to routines like the Stencel Aces and the Vernon Boat Trick—heirlooms of his trade that he gently polishes and displays for our amazement.” (TONY)

==========================================================================
♦ 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 2018 – awesome! 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.

===========================================================
Bonus NYC events– Jazz Clubs:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. My favorite Jazz Clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide, feature top talent every night of the week.
Hit the Hot Link and check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(4 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. So., villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037 (1st 8:30)
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592 (1st set 8pm)
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883 (1st 7pm)
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346 (1st 8)
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346 (1st set 7:30pm)
The Stone at The New School – 55 w13 St. (btw 6/5 ave) – thestonenyc.com (8:30PM)

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595 (1st set 7:30pm)
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080 (1st 8:30pm)
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com/ 212-864-6662 (7pm)
Jazz Standard – 116 E27 St. (btw Park/Lex) – jazzstandard.com – (1st set 7:30)

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

Special Mention:
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones St. nr Bleecker St. — caffevivaldi.com / 212-691-7538 (1st 7pm)
a classic, old jazz club in the Village, Caffe V often surprised with a wonderfully eclectic lineup. It was my favorite spot for an evening of listening enjoyment and discovery.
Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319
And more recently we have lost Cornelia Street Cafe. After 41 years, it too became another victim of an unreasonable rent increase.

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

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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

WHAT’S ON VIEW
These are My Fave Special Exhibitions @ MUSEUMS / Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue
(See the New York Times Arts Section for listings of all museum exhibitions,
and also see the expanded reviews of these exhibitions)

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Hilma af Klint : Paintings for the Future (thru 02/03/19)

“Convinced that the world was not ready for her artistry in 1906, particularly as an underrepresented female in her field, af Klint of Sweden kept her work private. Her paintings anticipated by years “breakthroughs” by Kandinsky, Mondrian and others and were unseen before 1986. The Guggenheim rediscovers her.”

“Recognized as one of the art world’s earliest abstract painters, Hilma af Klint was a steadfast believer that her work was inspired by the spiritual. The new Guggenheim exhibition, “Hilma af Klint: Paintings for the Future,” showcases the work of this groundbreaking Swedish artist (1862-1944), whose work was rarely seen until the 1980s.” (Newsday)

See our art critic’s top pick of the year.
“Luckily, the number-one pick in Jerry Saltz’s best art shows of 2018 is still running. Hilma af Klint’s Paintings for the Future at the Guggenheim Museum examines the work of the unacknowledged Swedish visionary and makes a case for her being the first modernist abstract painter. Saltz is especially enamored with the first gallery, so make sure you spend some time there.” (NYMagazine)

GD: Definitely worth a visit. af Klint was like the original Kandinsky and it’s interesting to see both of their works in the same museum, even if not side-by-side.

Jewish Museum

‘SCENES FROM THE COLLECTION’  “After a surgical renovation to its grand pile on Fifth Avenue, the Jewish Museum has reopened its third-floor galleries with a rethought and refreshed display of its permanent collection, which intermingles modern and contemporary art, by Jews and gentiles alike — Mark Rothko, Lee Krasner, Nan Goldin, Cindy Sherman, and the excellent young Nigerian draftswoman Ruby Onyinyechi Amanze — with 4,000 years of Judaica. The works are shown in a nimble, non-chronological suite of galleries, and some of its century-spanning juxtapositions are bracing; others feel reductive, even dilletantish. But always, the Jewish Museum conceives of art and religion as interlocking elements of a story of civilization, commendably open to new influences and new interpretations.” (Farago) 212-423-3200, thejewishmuseum.org

Museum of the City of New York

NY AT ITS CORE (ongoing)
“Ten years in the making, New York at Its Core tells the compelling story of New York’s rise from a striving Dutch village to today’s “Capital of the World.” The exhibition captures the human energy that drove New York to become a city like no other and a subject of fascination the world over. Entertaining, inspiring, important, and at times bemusing, New York City “big personalities,” including Alexander Hamilton, Walt Whitman, Boss Tweed, Emma Goldman, JP Morgan, Fiorello La Guardia, Jane Jacobs, Jay-Z, and dozens more, parade through the exhibition. Visitors will also learn the stories of lesser-known New York personalities, like Lenape chieftain Penhawitz and Italian immigrant Susie Rocco. Even animals like the horse, the pig, the beaver, and the oyster, which played pivotal roles in the economy and daily life of New York, get their moment in the historical spotlight. Occupying the entire first floor in three interactive galleries (Port City, 1609-1898, World City, 1898-2012, and Future City Lab) New York at Its Core is shaped by four themes: money, density, diversity, and creativity. Together, they provide a lens for examining the character of the city, and underlie the modern global metropolis we know today. mcny.org” (NYCity Guide)

and you should be sure to check out these special exhibitions at that little museum on Fifth Ave., The Metropolitan Museum of Art
(open 7 days /week, AND always Pay What You Wish for NewYorkers)

“In Praise of Painting” (thru Oct.4, 2020)

“How great are the Met’s holdings in the Dutch golden age? Very. This long-term installation rings the lower level of the Lehman Wing with scores of lesser-known gems from the mid-seventeenth century, many of them rarely on view before, amid masterworks by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals, and Ruisdael. The period, vivified here, began in 1648, when the end of the Eighty Years’ War with Spain brought a boom in wealth and morale, expressed by genre paintings that exalt the national ideal of gezelligheid—social warmth, comfort, belonging. A key figure was Gerard ter Borch, who had travelled widely and worked at the court of Philip IV, in company with Velázquez. Ter Borch’s lustrous, ineffably witty domestic scenes inspired a generation of masters, notably Vermeer, whose genius rather eclipsed his elder’s. The pictures often star ter Borch’s younger sister Gesina, preening in satins or enigmatically musing. Herself a painter, she is cutely funny-looking—pointy nose, weak chin—and desperately lovable. There’s much to be said for a world with such a family in it.”

===========================================================
Museum Mile is a section of Fifth Avenue which contains one of the densest displays of culture in the world. Eight museums can be found along this section of Fifth Avenue:
• 105th Street – El Museo del Barrio (closed Sun-Mon)*
• 103rd Street – Museum of the City of New York (open 7 days /week)
•  92nd Street – The Jewish Museum (closed Wed) (Sat FREE) (Thu 5-8 PWYW)
•  91st Street  –  Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (open 7 days /week)
•  89th Street –  National Academy Museum (closed Mon-Tue)
•  88th Street –  Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (closed Thu) (Sat 6-8 PWYW)
•  86th Street –  Neue Galerie New York (closed Tue-Wed) (Fri 6-8 FREE)
Last, but certainly not least, America’s premier museum
•  82nd Street – The Metropolitan Museum of Art (open 7 days /week)*
*always Pay What You Wish (PWYW) for NewYorkers

Although technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection (closed Mon) (Wed 2-6pm PWYW; First Friday each month (exc Jan+Sep) 6-9pm FREE) on the corner of 70th St. and Fifth Avenue and the The Morgan Library & Museum (closed Mon) (Fri 7-9 FREE) on Madison Ave and 37th St are also located near Fifth Ave.
Now plan your own museum crawl (info on hours & admission updated June 2, 2015).
==============================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 01/28 and 01/26.
=============================================================

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (01/29) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 01/29/2019 by GregD

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > TUESDAY/ JANUARY 29, 2019

“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:  “January 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.
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 (thru March 3)
TSCHAIKOVSKY & BALANCHINE (also Jan.30)
at the NYS Theater, Lincoln Center / 7:30PM, $35+
“The company gives its winter season an extra glow with debuts, notably Gonzalo Garcia in “Apollo” and Teresa Reichlen in “Orpheus” on Saturday evening. Later in the week, as part of the annual New Combinations Evening on Thursday, the company’s resident choreographer, Justin Peck, unveils his latest, “Principia,” set to a commissioned score by the composer Sufjan Stevens. Featuring 24 dancers led by Tiler Peck and Taylor Stanley, the premiere is the fourth time Peck and Stevens have collaborated at City Ballet. The program will be rounded out by William Forsythe’s “Herman Schmerman” and Kyle Abraham’s “The Runaway.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

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

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> Andy Milne & Unison featuring La Tanya Hall
>> Carmen
>> The Lineup with Susie Mosher
>> BALLETBOYZ
>> The Falconer: Dana Czapnik with Salman Rushdie
>> An Evening with Jill Abramson
>> An Evening of Adventures in Inuit Art
Continuing Events
>> Restaurant Week
>> Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
>> Magic After Hours
===================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Andy Milne & Unison featuring La Tanya Hall
Dizzy’s Club, Jazz at Lincoln Center / 6:30PM, +8:30PM, $20+
“Pianist and composer Andy Milne is known for his boundless versatility across genres and artistic mediums. He has led a series of highly distinctive groups and worked with artists including Fred Hersch, Ravi Coltrane, Dianne Reeves, Bruce Cockburn, and Steve Coleman. With his latest group, Unity, Milne returns to his “first love”—the classic piano trio format. Vocalist La Tanya Hall will take the stage alongside regular band members John Hébert and Clarence Penn for this performance, adding another soulful dimension to the tried-and-true beauty of the piano trio.”

Carmen
Metropolitan Opera House / 7:30PM, $20+ (next Feb.2, 1PM)
“Mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine reprises her remarkable portrayal of opera’s ultimate seductress, a triumph in her 2017 debut performances, with impassioned tenors Yonghoon Lee and Roberto Alagna as her lover, Don José. Omer Meir Wellber and Louis Langrée share conducting duties for Sir Richard Eyre’s powerful production, a Met favorite since its 2009 premiere.”

The Lineup with Susie Mosher
Birdland Theater / 9:45PM, $20+
“Mosher is one of those talents you need to see to believe: warm, funny, biting, ferociously committed. In her biweekly series at the brand-new Birdland Theater, she invites a gaggle of performers from Broadway and beyond to show their talents. Guests at the January 29 edition include Alice Ripley, Amy Lynn, Sean Bernardi, Natalie Douglas, Leanne Borghesi, Michael Winther, BariToned and Kira Goi.” (TONY)

BALLETBOYZ (through Feb.3).
at the Joyce Theater (Jan. 29-30, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 31, 8 p.m) $35+
“This company, formed by Michael Nunn and William Trevitt — who met at the Royal Ballet School and both joined the Royal Ballet in 1987 — presents the New York premiere of “Young Men,” a multimedia work focusing on stories of love, friendship, loss and survival among soldiers in World War I. Choreographed by Iván Pérez, a former Nederlands Dans Theater member, the production is set to a score by Keaton Henson and includes a film.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

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

Smart Stuff / Other NYC EventS

The Falconer: Dana Czapnik with Salman Rushdie
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, 126 Crosby St./ 7PM, FREE, RSVP
“Hear from author Dana Czapnik, speaking on her debut novel, which is set among NYC’s public basketball courts circa 1993. She’ll be joined by Salman Rushdie, no stranger to New York novels himself.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

“As much the portrait of an era as it is the portrait of an adolescence, this is a crossover novel that will thrill readers of all generations. “—Colum McCann

An Evening with Jill Abramson

Merchants of Truth
The Struggle for the Future of News
Temple Emanu-El, 1 E. 65th St./ 7PM, $25

“Worried about fake news, biased news, clickbait, hoaxes and rumors parading as journalism? You should be, according to Jill Abramson, and she’s stopping by to explain how we landed in this tangle of truth, half-truth and outright lies that has disrupted American life.

Few people have more credibility on the topic than Abramson, the former — and first female — executive editor of The New York Times, a reporter and deputy bureau chief at The Wall Street Journal, co-author of the National Book Award finalist, Strange Justice and columnist for The Guardian.”

An Evening of Adventures in Inuit Art
Explorers Club, 46 East 70th St. / 6PM, $25
“The executive director of the Inuit Art Institute is in town for a talk on the history of art in Inuit culture. Presented in conjunction with Adventure Canada, the evening will include tales of Arctic explorers visiting Inuit artists across the province, the way various types of art have shaped Inuit culture, how these works have been received around the world, and the Inuit Art Institute’s role in supporting the artists’ success.” (Gothamist)

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

Continuing Events

Restaurant Week (January 21 to February 10)
“Some of New York’s best known “deal holidays,” including NYC Restaurant Week and NYC Broadway Week, are joining forces this winter to create, wait for it… NYC Winter Outing.

From January 21 to February 10, NYC Broadway Week, NYC Restaurant Week and NYC Must-See Week will all be running simultaneously offering full nights out for drastically reduced rates. During this time, a selection of Broadway shows, museums, attractions and tours will be available at two-for-one prices and almost 400 restaurants across the city will be offering prix-fixe menus. As in previous years, that means $26 prix-fix lunches and $42, three-course dinners.

For more information on Restaurant Week, including our recommendations for the best deals to take advantage of this season, check out our NYC Restaurant Week page.” (TONY)

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Midtown Manhattan’s winter wonderland.
Bryant Park (btw 5th/6th Ave. @42nd St.) / shops to 8PM, rink to 10PM
Enjoy The Lodge by Urbanspace, and The Rink, the centerpiece of Winter Village and New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink.
The Rink
This 17,000 square foot rink features free admission ice skating, high quality rental skates, and free skating shows, special events, and activities.
​October 27, 2018 – March 3, 2019
Daily, 8am-10pm (Rink hours are weather permitting and Rink may be closed for events – check here)

Magic After Hours
Tannen’s Magic, Midtown West (Until Dec 31 2019)

“Twice a week, after closing time, 20 people crowd into the city’s oldest magic shop, Tannen’s, for a cozy evening of prestidigitation by the young and engaging Noah Levine. The shelves are crammed with quirky devices; there’s a file cabinet behind the counter, a mock elephant in the corner and bins of individual trick instructions in plastic covers, like comic books or sheet music. The charm of Levine’s show is in how well it fits the environment of this magic-geek chamber of secrets. As he maneuvers cards, eggs, cups and balls with aplomb, he talks shop, larding his patter with tributes to routines like the Stencel Aces and the Vernon Boat Trick—heirlooms of his trade that he gently polishes and displays for our amazement.” (TONY)

==========================================================================
♦ 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 2018 – awesome! 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.

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

Bonus NYC Events – Music Venues:
So much fine live music every night in this town. These are my favorite non jazz music venues on Manhattan’s WestSide. Hit the Hot Link and check out who’s playing tonight:

City Winery – 155 Varick St., citywinery.com, 212-608-0555
Joe’s Pub @ Public Theater – 425 Lafayette St., joespub.com, 212-967-7555
Beacon Theatre – 2124 Broadway @ 74th St., beacontheatre.com, 212-465-6500
Town Hall – 123 W43rd St. (btw 6/7), thetownhall.org, 212-997-6661
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St., lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474
Sony Hall – 235 W 46th St. (btw 7/8), sonyhall.com, 212-997-5123
and one more, not exactly WestSide:
Bowery Ballroom – 6 Delancey St. boweryballroom.com

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

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 discovery and enjoyment.

Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.

See Below.
———————————————————————————————————-

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):
=================================================================================

A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating Places – Greenwich Village

Caffe Vivaldi / 32 Jones Street (btw. Bleecker St./W4th St.)

Café Vivaldi is a classic, intimate club located in Greenwich Village on Jones Street, the street featured on the cover of Bob Dylan’s second album, “Freewheelin’. ”

maxresdefaultEach night Ishrat, the long time proprietor and impresario, carefully curates and schedules an eclectic series of musicians. You can often see him at his table in the corner, hard at work reviewing music videos and listening to cd demos on his laptop, scouting out future bookings. Musicians come from all over to play and sing in a club in Greenwich Village. Some are local New Yorkers, others are just passing through, in town for a few days.

There is a small bar, seating maybe 10. It’s close to the stage and I find it’s a perfect spot to sip a glass of red wine while listening to the music. The room itself has the performance area at one end and a cozy fireplace at the other. The performance area here is small, dominated by a large black Yamaha Grand piano. Tables are bunched together and most people at the tables are eating lite meals or sampling the wonderful desserts.

There is also a good selection of fairly priced wines,  but you are here because of the music. You can never be quite sure what you’re going to find, and that’s half the charm of this place. It’s not a home run every night, but many nights it’s pretty special.

I remember the night I saw the most talented bossa nova group, just in from San Paulo. As I listened, I wondered if there was any better music playing anywhere else in New York City that night. And at Caffé Vivaldi there is never a cover charge. Their recently redesigned web site does give you a better idea of the type of music playing each night.

At one time Greenwich Village was filled with clubs just like this, but times change. Real estate interests have impacted the village, and not for the better. Even Caffé Vivaldi had a rough time recently, when a new landlord raised the rent exorbitantly. Fortunately, Ishrat has built a loyal following over the years, and a fund raiser and slightly more reasonable rent has kept Café Vivaldi in business.

When Woody Allen and Al Pacino wanted to make movies featuring the timeless quality of Greenwich Village they came to Vivaldi. It’s important that we keep this special place alive, for if we lose Cafe Vivaldi, NYCity will have lost a piece of it’s soul.

CAFFE VIVALDI HAS CLOSED, VERY SAD.
I HAVE LEFT THIS REVIEW ON MY SITE AS A KIND OF MEMORIAL.
As reported in the “Gothamist”:
“Caffe Vivaldi, one of the last bohemian bastions of the West Village, is set to close this weekend. During its 35 years on Jones Street, the casual cafe won the hearts of locals and celebs alike, including Oscar Isaac, Bette Midler, and Al Pacino.

Despite that friendly communal atmosphere, the owners ultimately struggled to survive under their notorious vulture landlord Steve Croman, who they say waged a harassment campaign against the restaurant, and eventually tripled their rent.”

Website: http://caffevivaldi.com/
Phone #: (212) 691-7538
Hours: Music generally 7:30PM – 11PM, but varies
Lunch/Dinner 11AM-on
Subway: #1 to Christopher St.
Walk 1 blk S. on 7th ave S. to Bleecker St., 1 blk left on Bleecker to Jones St., 50 yards left on Jones St. to Caffe V.
==============================================================
“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.

If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a comment.
========================================================

3 Good Eating places

It’s not difficult to find a place to eat in Manhattan.
Finding a good, inexpensive place to eat is a bit harder.
Here are a few of my faves in this neighborhood:

Fish – 280 Bleecker St. (just a bit S. of 7th ave South)
This was an easy pick – the best raw bar special in town. $9 gets you 6 of the freshest oysters or clams + a glass of wine or beer. Don’t know how they can do it, but I tell everyone I know about this place. And it’s located right in the heart of some of the best no cover music in town.

Bleecker Street Pizza – 69 7th ave S. (corner of Bleecker St.)
The place is tiny and not much to look at, but this is one good slice. They like to brag that they have been voted “Best pizza in NY” 3 years in a row by the Food Network. I believe them. I would have voted for them.

Num Pang – 21 E 12th St. (btw. University Place/5th ave.)
This is a Cambodian banh mi sandwich shop that kept me well fed while I was in class nearby recently. It’s cramped, even for NYCity, but usually there is room up the spiral staircase to sit down and eat. In good weather carry your sandwich a few blocks to Union Square park. You may have to wait a few minutes, because everything is freshly made, but it’s worth it. Can you believe – an unheard of 26 food rating by Zagat.

========================================================
“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”
No reservations needed.
========================================================
NYCity is the most diverse and interesting place to find a meal anywhere in the world. With more than 24,000 eating establishments you might welcome some advice.

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places, and essays on my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods on Manhattan’s WestSide, order a copy of my e-book:
“Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($4.99, available SUMMER 2019).
◊ Order before AUG. 31, 2019 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (01/28) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 01/28/2019 by GregD

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > MONDAY/ JANUARY 28, 2019

“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:  “January 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.
To make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

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

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

Valery Ponomarev Jazz Big Band: Our Father Who Art Blakey
Dizzy’s Club, Jazz at Lincoln Center / 6:30PM, +8:30PM, $20+
“World-renowned Russian trumpeter Valery Ponomarev leads Our Father Who Art Blakey, a big band tribute to his own former bandleader, Art Blakey. Blakey was best known for his ability to find and hone the sharpest young talent in jazz, from Lee Morgan to Wynton Marsalis, and Ponomarev, who held the trumpet spot right before Marsalis, is no exception. He now leads his own band in the same spirit, highlighting some of the most talented young jazz musicians. Join us at the club for some expertly arranged hard bop, featuring an entire big band of supreme instrumentalists.”

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

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> MERCE CUNNINGHAM CENTENNIAL
>> ‘IOLANTA’ AND ‘BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE’ 
>> The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
>> Jim Caruso’s Cast Party
>> To Kill A Mockingbird: Screening and Conversation
>> Skye & Massimo’s Philosophy Cafe: Love and Other Drugs

Continuing Events
>> Restaurant Week
>> Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
>> Magic After Hours
===================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

MERCE CUNNINGHAM CENTENNIAL
at Anthology Film Archives / 7:30 p.m. $ M
“In this series, part of the ongoing celebration of Cunningham’s birth, Anthology screens an array of films and videos. For the fourth program, the filmmaker Elliot Caplan will appear in honor of “Points in Space,” his 1986 documentary for the BBC. It’s a gold mine: The first half includes interviews with Cunningham, John Cage and dancers including Alan Good, Catherine Kerr, Chris Komar and Carol Teitelbaum, while the second half features the titular dance.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

‘IOLANTA’ AND ‘BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE’   (next Feb.01, 7:30PM)
at the Metropolitan Opera / 7:30PM, $30+
“Marius Trelinski’s dark, fascinating juxtaposition of these one-act operas by Tchaikovsky and Bartok is one of the most bracing examples of directorial entrepreneurship to have reached the Met’s stage in recent years, and here it makes its first return since its debut in 2015. The cast is excellent: Sonya Yoncheva takes on the title role in “Iolanta,” with Matthew Polenzani as Vaudémont; in the Bartok, Gerald Finley is Bluebeard and Angela Denoke is Judith. Henrik Nanasi conducts.” (NYT-David Allen)

The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave. South (btw W11th/Perry St.) / 8:30Pm +10:30PM, $35
world class big band with 16 members on that small stage, a monday night institution.
“Almost exactly half a century ago, the trumpeter-composer-arranger Thad Jones and the drummer Mel Lewis began their Monday-night big band residency at the Village Vanguard, establishing what became a hallowed tradition.” (NYT)

Jim Caruso’s Cast Party (Cabaret)
Birdland, 315 West 44th St. (btw 8/9 ave) / 9:30PM, $30
the witty host attracts broadway stars on their night off, along with up and comers.
“Part cabaret, part piano bar and part social set, Cast Party offers a chance to hear rising and established talents step up to the microphone (backed by the slap and tickle of Steve Doyle on bass and Billy Stritch at the ivories, plus the bang of Daniel Glass on drums). The waggish Caruso presides as host.” (TONY)

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

Smart Stuff / Other NYC EventS

To Kill A Mockingbird: Screening and Conversation
Museum of Modern Art, 11 W. 53rd St./ 7PM, $10
“Given the theatrical adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird that is now playing on Broadway, FOLCS, in partnership with the Museum of Modern Art, is hosting a FOLCS Film Series event on the iconic film adaptation of the original novel.

Directed by Robert Mulligan, To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) tells the story of Atticus Finch, a lawyer in the Depression-era South, defending a black man against an undeserved rape charge, and his children against prejudice.

Join us for a post-screening Conversation with Judge Denny Chin, Manhattan’s District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. and Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick.”

Skye & Massimo’s Philosophy Cafe: Love and Other Drugs
New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 W. 64th St./ 6PM, $5
“The theme of this Skye & Massimo’s Philosophy Cafe will delve into love potions and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind-style memory wipes. (In this era of Viagra and Flibanserin, the dilemmas are not simply academic.)

Topic: Love and Other Drugs

Imagine if there really was a “Love Potion Number 9”, or a breakup pill to ameliorate the pain of being dumped. Would you take it? Should you? If so, under what circumstances? And for how long? We’re already medicalizing sexual desire with Viagra and, more recently, the female version Flibanserin – which might help with physical issues, but are they just bandaid solutions for relationship problems? After all, drugs can’t solve moral problems in living. At this Philosophy Cafe, we’ll be talking about the medicalization of love and the ethics of biochemical antidotes and stimulants.” (ThoughtGallery)

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

Continuing Events

Restaurant Week (January 21 to February 10)
“Some of New York’s best known “deal holidays,” including NYC Restaurant Week and NYC Broadway Week, are joining forces this winter to create, wait for it… NYC Winter Outing.

From January 21 to February 10, NYC Broadway Week, NYC Restaurant Week and NYC Must-See Week will all be running simultaneously offering full nights out for drastically reduced rates. During this time, a selection of Broadway shows, museums, attractions and tours will be available at two-for-one prices and almost 400 restaurants across the city will be offering prix-fixe menus. As in previous years, that means $26 prix-fix lunches and $42, three-course dinners.

For more information on Restaurant Week, including our recommendations for the best deals to take advantage of this season, check out our NYC Restaurant Week page.” (TONY)

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Midtown Manhattan’s winter wonderland.
Bryant Park (btw 5th/6th Ave. @42nd St.) / shops to 8PM, rink to 10PM
Enjoy The Lodge by Urbanspace, and The Rink, the centerpiece of Winter Village and New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink.
The Rink
This 17,000 square foot rink features free admission ice skating, high quality rental skates, and free skating shows, special events, and activities.
​October 27, 2018 – March 3, 2019
Daily, 8am-10pm (Rink hours are weather permitting and Rink may be closed for events – check here)

Magic After Hours
Tannen’s Magic, Midtown West (Until Dec 31 2019)

“Twice a week, after closing time, 20 people crowd into the city’s oldest magic shop, Tannen’s, for a cozy evening of prestidigitation by the young and engaging Noah Levine. The shelves are crammed with quirky devices; there’s a file cabinet behind the counter, a mock elephant in the corner and bins of individual trick instructions in plastic covers, like comic books or sheet music. The charm of Levine’s show is in how well it fits the environment of this magic-geek chamber of secrets. As he maneuvers cards, eggs, cups and balls with aplomb, he talks shop, larding his patter with tributes to routines like the Stencel Aces and the Vernon Boat Trick—heirlooms of his trade that he gently polishes and displays for our amazement.” (TONY)

==========================================================================
♦ 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 2018 – awesome! 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.

=====================================================
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.

The Green Room 42 – 570 Tenth Ave.

Don’t Tell Mama – 343 W 46th St.

The Rum House, in the Hotel Edison – 228 W. 47th St.

Laurie Beechman Theatre – 407 W 42nd St.

Marie’s Crisis – 59 Grove St.

The Duplex – 61 Christopher St.

Sid Gold’s Request Room – 165 W 26th St.

Cafe Carlyle, in the Carlyle Hotel – 35 E. 76th St.
This is the only one not located on Manhattan’s WestSide, and it ain’t cheap, but it has some of the finest singers.

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

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

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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

WHAT’S ON VIEW
My Fave Special Exhibitions – MUSEUMS / Manhattan’s WestSide
(See the New York Times Arts Section for listings of all museums,
and also to see their expanded reviews of exhibitions)

Whitney Museum of American Art

‘ANDY WARHOL — FROM A TO B AND BACK AGAIN’  (through March 31) “Although this is the artist’s first full American retrospective in 31 years, he’s been so much with us — in museums, galleries, auctions — as to make him, like wallpaper, like the atmosphere, only half-noticed. The Whitney show restores him to a full, commanding view, but does so in a carefully shaped and edited way, with an emphasis on very early and late work. Despite the show’s monumentalizing size, supplemented by an off-site display of the enormous multipanel painting called “Shadows,” it’s a human-scale Warhol we see. Largely absent is the artist-entrepreneur who is taken as a prophet of our market-addled present. What we have instead is Warhol for whom art, whatever else it was, was an expression of personal hopes and fears.”  (Cotter)

Museum of Modern Art

‘BRUCE NAUMAN: DISAPPEARING ACTS’  (through Feb. 18)
“If art isn’t basically about life and death, and the emotions and ethics they inspire, what is it about? Style? Taste? Auction results? The most interesting artists go right for the big, uncool existential stuff, which is what Bruce Nauman does in a transfixing half-century retrospective that fills the entire sixth floor of the MoMA and much of MoMA PS1 in Long Island City, Queens. The MoMA installation is tightly paced and high decibel; the one at PS1, which includes a trove of works on paper, is comparatively mellow and mournful. Each location offers a rough chronological overview of his career, but catching both parts of the show is imperative. Nauman has changed the way we define what art is and what is art, and made work prescient of the morally wrenching American moment we’re in. He deserves to be seen in full.” (Cotter)

‘CONSTANTIN BRANCUSI SCULPTURE: THE FILMS’ (through Feb. 18).
“This show is built around works by the Romanian modernist (1876-1957) that have been longtime highlights of the museum’s own collection. But in 2018, can Brancusi still release our inner poet? The answer may lie in paying less attention to the sculptures themselves and more to Brancusi’s little-known and quite amazing films, projected at the entrance to the gallery throughout the duration of the exhibition. MoMA borrowed the series of video clips from the Pompidou Center in Paris. They give the feeling that Brancusi was less interested in making fancy museum objects than in putting new kinds of almost-living things into the world, and convey the vital energy his sculptures were meant to capture.”(Blake Gopnik)

Museum of Art and Design

‘STERLING RUBY: CERAMICS’  (through March 17).
“Adept at most art mediums, this artist is at his best in ceramics, especially in the outsize, awkwardly hand-built, resplendently glazed baskets, ashtrays and plates and the objects that verge on sculpture in this show. These works actively incorporate accident and aspects of the ready-made, have precedents in the large-scale ceramics of Peter Voulkos and Viola Frey, but may be closest in spirit to the Neo-Expressionism of Julian Schnabel — rehabilitated, of course.” (Smith – NYT)

American Folk Art Museum

‘PAA JOE: GATES OF NO RETURN’  (through Feb. 24).

“Joseph Tetteh Ashong, better known as Paa Joe, is Ghana’s pre-eminent funerary carpenter, turning out thousands of brightly colored lions, soda bottles and automobiles for people to be buried in. Most of his exuberant pieces enjoy the light of day for only a few hours before they disappear into the ground. But in 2004, Paa Joe was commissioned by the art dealer and gallerist Claude Simard to make casket-size hardwood models of 13 former Gold Coast slave forts, and seven of them are now at AFAM. Thanks to Paa Joe’s gift for transmuting even the most complex and brutal material into a cheerful expression of his own artistic temperament, the works’ undeniable conceptual weight doesn’t hamper the overwhelming visual pleasure.” (Will Heinrich-NYT)

==============================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Posts in right Sidebar dated 01/26 and 01/24.
============================================================
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (01/27) + Today’s Featured Pub (WestVillage)

Posted on 01/27/2019 by GregD

Today’s Elite 8 NYC Events > SUNDAY/ JANUARY 27, 2019

“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:  “January 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.
To make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

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

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

An Evening w/ Raul Malo
City Winery / 9PM, $35+
“Malo, the son of Cuban immigrants, believes in bringing people together – often in the name of good times and great music – which is the most universal language of all.

Malo is the incomparable frontman of the genre-defying band The Mavericks and the sole writer of many of their songs. From their earliest shows playing the punk clubs on Miami Beach nearly three decades ago, these musical comrades have had a skill for getting people to groove. Drawing on a mix of classic country, cow-punk and standards, they bring to the world rhythmic fervor and Latin machismo, along with Malo’s lush baritone.”

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

7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> NEW YORK CITY BALLET
>> Vijay Iyer
>> Donny McCaslin
>> The Cookers
>> The New York Times Travel Show
>> Animation First
>> New York Boat Show

Continuing Events
>> Restaurant Week
>> Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
>> Magic After Hours
===================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

NEW YORK CITY BALLET (thru March 3)
at the NYS Theater, Lincoln Center / 3PM, $35+
“The company gives its winter season an extra glow with debuts, notably Gonzalo Garcia in “Apollo” and Teresa Reichlen in “Orpheus” on Saturday evening. Later in the week, as part of the annual New Combinations Evening on Thursday, the company’s resident choreographer, Justin Peck, unveils his latest, “Principia,” set to a commissioned score by the composer Sufjan Stevens. Featuring 24 dancers led by Tiler Peck and Taylor Stanley, the premiere is the fourth time Peck and Stevens have collaborated at City Ballet. The program will be rounded out by William Forsythe’s “Herman Schmerman” and Kyle Abraham’s “The Runaway.” (NYT-Gia Kourlas)

Vijay Iyer (Jan.22-27)
Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St./ 7:30PM, +9:30PM, $30
“With a Whitmanesque musical presence, the pianist, composer, bandleader, and 2013 MacArthur Fellow Vijay Iyer contains multitudes: his of-the-moment playing and writing can be strikingly baroque or emotively spare, with plenty of compelling stops at points in between. His six-night run here offers a nice taste of his multifarious nature; it includes three performances with his acclaimed sextet, two with his trio of the bassist Linda May Han Oh and the drummer Tyshawn Sorey, and one with the Ritual Ensemble, which integrates Indian classical music, propelled by the percussive mridanga.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

Donny McCaslin (Jan. 22-27)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $35
“The qualities that drew David Bowie to Donny McCaslin—the passionate saxophonist and his band are the core unit on the rock icon’s final album, “Blackstar”—are still firmly in place. In particular, McCaslin maintains a willingness to explore the increasingly porous boundaries between jazz and other contemporary genres. His rip-roaring quartet includes the keyboardist Jason Lindner and the drummer Mark Guiliana, who is an influential instrumentalist in his own right.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

The Cookers (Jan.24-27)
Dizzy’s Club, Jazz at Lincoln Center / 6:30PM, 8:30PM, $25+
“Jazz veterans, colleagues, and kindred spirits Billy Harper, Eddie Henderson, George Cables, Cecil McBee, Billy Hart, and David Weiss forge a world-class union. Taking their group name from a 1965 Freddie Hubbard album, The Night of the Cookers: Live at Club La Marchal, this exciting all-star sextet summons an aggressive mid-1960s spirit. Their repertoire includes a potent collection of expansive post-bop originals, marked by the requisite killer instincts and pyrotechnic playing expected of the scene’s heaviest hitters.

Trumpeter and bandleader Weiss says of the group: “They came up at a time when this music was at its most vital and exciting and was part of something epic and historic, yet they are still going strong, playing with the same freedom, passion, and intensity that encompassed this great music.” The depth and power of their music speaks of the seasoned track record of its members, who, combined, have over 250 years of experience in the jazz world and have been a part of over 1,000 recordings.”

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

Smart Stuff / Other NYC Events

The New York Times Travel Show (Jan.26-27)
Plan your next getaway
Javits Center, 655 W. 34th St.,/ 10AM-6PM, $20, free under 18
“Indulge your wanderlust at the New York Times Travel Show and start daydreaming about your next vacation. The year’s largest industry show about all things travel brings more than 550 exhibitors representing 170 destinations, plus expert panels, cultural performances and family activities.”(METRO)

Animation First
See French animated films
“Animation First, a festival dedicated to French animation, includes features, shorts and selections from the renowned Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Be aware that some programs may contain adult content.” (Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Friday through Sunday, Jan. 25 to 27, at French Institute Alliance Francaise, 22 E. 60th St., Manhattan
INFO Tickets $10 to $25, passes $40 to $120; fiaf.org

New York Boat Show (Jan.23-27)
Javits Center / 10AM-9PM, $16
“If your life, your love and your lady is the sea, then you’ll be more than satisfied by this five-day nautical convention, which features a vast variety of yachts, sailboats and more. Plus, you’ll have an opportunity to sharpen your boating skills with interactive workshops. Little ones can build their own miniature wooden vessels at the Create-a-Boat station. And for the first time, the Icon A5 Aircraft (a sports plane with wings that fold back) makes its NY Boat Show review.” (TONY)

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

Continuing Events

Restaurant Week (January 21 to February 10)
“Some of New York’s best known “deal holidays,” including NYC Restaurant Week and NYC Broadway Week, are joining forces this winter to create, wait for it… NYC Winter Outing.

From January 21 to February 10, NYC Broadway Week, NYC Restaurant Week and NYC Must-See Week will all be running simultaneously offering full nights out for drastically reduced rates. During this time, a selection of Broadway shows, museums, attractions and tours will be available at two-for-one prices and almost 400 restaurants across the city will be offering prix-fixe menus. As in previous years, that means $26 prix-fix lunches and $42, three-course dinners.

For more information on Restaurant Week, including our recommendations for the best deals to take advantage of this season, check out our NYC Restaurant Week page.” (TONY)

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Midtown Manhattan’s winter wonderland.
Bryant Park (btw 5th/6th Ave. @42nd St.) / shops to 8PM, rink to 10PM
Enjoy The Lodge by Urbanspace, and The Rink, the centerpiece of Winter Village and New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink.
The Rink
This 17,000 square foot rink features free admission ice skating, high quality rental skates, and free skating shows, special events, and activities.
​October 27, 2018 – March 3, 2019
Daily, 8am-10pm (Rink hours are weather permitting and Rink may be closed for events – check here)

Magic After Hours
Tannen’s Magic, Midtown West (Until Dec 31 2019)

“Twice a week, after closing time, 20 people crowd into the city’s oldest magic shop, Tannen’s, for a cozy evening of prestidigitation by the young and engaging Noah Levine. The shelves are crammed with quirky devices; there’s a file cabinet behind the counter, a mock elephant in the corner and bins of individual trick instructions in plastic covers, like comic books or sheet music. The charm of Levine’s show is in how well it fits the environment of this magic-geek chamber of secrets. As he maneuvers cards, eggs, cups and balls with aplomb, he talks shop, larding his patter with tributes to routines like the Stencel Aces and the Vernon Boat Trick—heirlooms of his trade that he gently polishes and displays for our amazement.” (TONY)

==========================================================================
♦ 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 2018 – awesome! 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.

===========================================================
Bonus NYC events– Jazz Clubs:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. My favorite Jazz Clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide, feature top talent every night of the week.
Hit the Hot Link and check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(4 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. So., villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037 (1st 8:30)
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592 (1st set 8pm)
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883 (1st 7pm)
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346 (1st 8)
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346 (1st set 7:30pm)
The Stone at The New School – 55 w13 St. (btw 6/5 ave) – thestonenyc.com (8:30PM)

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595 (1st set 7:30pm)
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080 (1st 8:30pm)
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com/ 212-864-6662 (7pm)
Jazz Standard – 116 E27 St. (btw Park/Lex) – jazzstandard.com – (1st set 7:30)

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

Special Mention:
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones St. nr Bleecker St. — caffevivaldi.com / 212-691-7538 (1st 7pm)
a classic, old jazz club in the Village, Caffe V often surprised with a wonderfully eclectic lineup. It was my favorite spot for an evening of listening enjoyment and discovery.
Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319
And more recently we have lost Cornelia Street Cafe. After 41 years, it too became another victim of an unreasonable rent increase.

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

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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

A PremierPub / West Village

Corner Bistro / 331 W. 4th St.

Sometimes you just need a beer and a burger. If so, Corner Bistro is the place you want. Located just outside the hip Meatpacking district, this corner bar and grill is decidedly unhip, but it’s not uncrowded, especially at night. Seems that everyone knows this place has one of the better burgers in town.

kac_120405_phude_corner_bistro_bar_1000-600x450In the maze of streets known as the West Village, where West 4th intersects with West 12th (and West 11th, and West 10th, go figure), you will eventually find Corner Bistro on the corner of West 4th and Jane Street. An unassuming neighborhood tavern, it looks just like dozens of other taverns around town.

The bartender tells me that the Corner Bistro celebrated it’s 55th anniversary last year. The well worn interior tells me that the place itself is much older.

Corner Bistro has outlasted many of those other taverns around town because they know how to keep it simple — just good burgers and beer, fairly priced. The classic bistro Burger is only $9.75, and should be ordered medium rare, which will be plenty rare for most folks. Actually, it will be a juicy, messy delight – make sure you have extra napkins. I like to pull up a stool and sit by the large front window in the afternoon, where I can rest my burger and beer on the shelf, and watch the Villagers walk by.

Corner Bistro seems to attract very different groups of patrons depending on time of day. While it’s crowded with locals in the evening, in the afternoon you hear different foreign languages, and watch groups of euro tourists wander in, led by their guidebooks and smartphones.

For the classic Bistro experience, order your burger with a McSorley’s draft, the dark preferably. This is the same beer that you can get over at the original McSorley’s in the East Village, the pub that claims to be the oldest continually operating bar in NYCity. The only difference is that this McSorley’s ale is served with a smile by the bartenders here. Or you can get a Sierra Nevada, Stella, or Hoegaarden on tap if you want to go upscale a bit. Either way this is a simple, but quality burger and beer experience that is just too rare these days (sorry for the pun).
=========================================================
Website: cornerbistrony.com
Phone #: 212-242-9502
Hours: 11:30am-4am Mon-Sat; 12pm-4am Sun
Happy Hour: NO
Music: Juke Box
Subway: #1/2/3 to 14th St. (S end of platform)
Walk: 1 blk W. on 13th St. to 8th Ave.; 1 blk S. on 8th Ave. to Jane St.
Update:
==============================================================
“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.
=================================================================================
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (01/26) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 01/26/2019 by GregD

Today’s Elite 8 NYC Events > SATURDAY/ JANUARY 26, 2019

“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:  “January 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.
To make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

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

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

The New York Times Travel Show (Jan.26-27)
Plan your next getaway
Javits Center, 655 W. 34th St.,/ 10AM-6PM, $20, free under 18
“Indulge your wanderlust at the New York Times Travel Show and start daydreaming about your next vacation. The year’s largest industry show about all things travel brings more than 550 exhibitors representing 170 destinations, plus expert panels, cultural performances and family activities.”(METRO)

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

7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> The Cookers
>> INGRID JENSEN QUINTET
>> Kacey Musgraves
>> Ann Hampton Callaway
>> Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival
>> Animation First
>> New York Boat Show

Continuing Events
>> Restaurant Week
>> Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
>> Magic After Hours
===================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

The Cookers (Jan.24-27)
Dizzy’s Club, Jazz at Lincoln Center / 6:30PM, 8:30PM, $25+
“Jazz veterans, colleagues, and kindred spirits Billy Harper, Eddie Henderson, George Cables, Cecil McBee, Billy Hart, and David Weiss forge a world-class union. Taking their group name from a 1965 Freddie Hubbard album, The Night of the Cookers: Live at Club La Marchal, this exciting all-star sextet summons an aggressive mid-1960s spirit. Their repertoire includes a potent collection of expansive post-bop originals, marked by the requisite killer instincts and pyrotechnic playing expected of the scene’s heaviest hitters.

Trumpeter and bandleader Weiss says of the group: “They came up at a time when this music was at its most vital and exciting and was part of something epic and historic, yet they are still going strong, playing with the same freedom, passion, and intensity that encompassed this great music.” The depth and power of their music speaks of the seasoned track record of its members, who, combined, have over 250 years of experience in the jazz world and have been a part of over 1,000 recordings.”

INGRID JENSEN QUINTET (Jan. 23-26)
at the Birdland Theater / 7 and 9:45 p.m.; $30
“A trumpeter who’s as versatile as she is vigorous, Jensen released a standout album last year with the tenor saxophonist Steve Treseler. Titled “Invisible Sounds,” it pays tribute to Kenny Wheeler, an influential trumpeter and composer who died in 2014. Jensen and Treseler reinterpret nine of Wheeler’s compositions, which tend to be lyrical and songlike, whether moving at a quick clip or drifting as slowly as cloud cover. Though Jensen is the nominal bandleader for the gigs on Wednesday and Jan. 24, Treseler will also be there; they’ll be joined by Christine Tobin on vocals, Gary Versace on piano, Martin Wind on bass and Jon Wikan on drums. On Jan. 25 and 26, Jensen will revisit the material from her 2003 disc, “Project O,” with the pianist Gary Versace, the bassist Richie Goods and the drummer Jon Wikan. (The tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm will sit in on Jan. 25 only.) (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Ann Hampton Callaway (Jan.23-26)
Birdland / 8:30PM, +11PM, $30-$40
“Tony nominee Ann Hampton Callaway, one of the leading pop/jazz singers of our time, has created an exciting night of songs and stories in celebration of one of America’s most beloved artists, Linda Ronstadt!

This show celebrates the many faces of love in Ronstadt’s iconic songs from her Stone Poney Days like “Different Drum” and “Long Long Time” to pop/rock classics like “You’re No Good,” and “Desperado” to unforgettable classics from her three Nelson Riddle albums like “What’s New” and “Am I Blue,” to her iconic duets which Callaway will perform with her brilliant MD, Billy Stritch.”

Kacey Musgraves (Jan.24-26)
Beacon Theatre, Broadway at 74th St./ 8PM, $113+
“The history of music and psychedelics is as vast as it is colorful. Last year, Kacey Musgraves added a remarkable chapter with her chromatic country-pop (and Grammy-nominated) album “Golden Hour.” Only two of the songs are said to be the souvenirs of a trip, but one of them, the serenely crawling “Slow Burn,” became the record’s opening track and set the tone for what has become the singer-songwriter’s shining moment. A sense of euphoria blankets the entire project, bestowing both kiss-off ballads and breezy anthems with a Zen-like calm—breaking up has never sounded as gorgeously hopeful as it does on “Space Cowboy.” Jan. 25-26, Musgraves plays Beacon Theatre, where the lines between happy and sad (to borrow her lyric) will blur until they disappear altogether.” (Briana Younger, NewYorker)

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

Smart Stuff / Other NYC Events

Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival
Pig out and drink up
The Tunnel, 608 W. 28th St.,/ 5:30-9:30PM, $99
“Sample southern delights at the ninth annual Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival. The early (noon-4pm) session is sold out online, but you may still be able to nab a ticket on site for bites of alligator, lamb, bison, and “exotic smoked meats.” You can still score advance tickets to round two (5:30-9:30pm) to pig out on pulled pork, ribs, briskets, and, naturally, plenty of sauce. Each sesh includes unlimited beer and bourbon sips.” (thrillist.com)

Animation First
See French animated films
“Animation First, a festival dedicated to French animation, includes features, shorts and selections from the renowned Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Be aware that some programs may contain adult content.” (Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Friday through Sunday, Jan. 25 to 27, at French Institute Alliance Francaise, 22 E. 60th St., Manhattan
INFO Tickets $10 to $25, passes $40 to $120; fiaf.org

New York Boat Show (Jan.23-27)
Javits Center / 10AM-9PM, $16
“If your life, your love and your lady is the sea, then you’ll be more than satisfied by this five-day nautical convention, which features a vast variety of yachts, sailboats and more. Plus, you’ll have an opportunity to sharpen your boating skills with interactive workshops. Little ones can build their own miniature wooden vessels at the Create-a-Boat station. And for the first time, the Icon A5 Aircraft (a sports plane with wings that fold back) makes its NY Boat Show review.” (TONY)

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

Continuing Events

Restaurant Week (January 21 to February 10)
“Some of New York’s best known “deal holidays,” including NYC Restaurant Week and NYC Broadway Week, are joining forces this winter to create, wait for it… NYC Winter Outing.

From January 21 to February 10, NYC Broadway Week, NYC Restaurant Week and NYC Must-See Week will all be running simultaneously offering full nights out for drastically reduced rates. During this time, a selection of Broadway shows, museums, attractions and tours will be available at two-for-one prices and almost 400 restaurants across the city will be offering prix-fixe menus. As in previous years, that means $26 prix-fix lunches and $42, three-course dinners.

For more information on Restaurant Week, including our recommendations for the best deals to take advantage of this season, check out our NYC Restaurant Week page.” (TONY)

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Midtown Manhattan’s winter wonderland.
Bryant Park (btw 5th/6th Ave. @42nd St.) / shops to 8PM, rink to 10PM
Enjoy The Lodge by Urbanspace, and The Rink, the centerpiece of Winter Village and New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink.
The Rink
This 17,000 square foot rink features free admission ice skating, high quality rental skates, and free skating shows, special events, and activities.
​October 27, 2018 – March 3, 2019
Daily, 8am-10pm (Rink hours are weather permitting and Rink may be closed for events – check here)

Magic After Hours
Tannen’s Magic, Midtown West (Until Dec 31 2019)

“Twice a week, after closing time, 20 people crowd into the city’s oldest magic shop, Tannen’s, for a cozy evening of prestidigitation by the young and engaging Noah Levine. The shelves are crammed with quirky devices; there’s a file cabinet behind the counter, a mock elephant in the corner and bins of individual trick instructions in plastic covers, like comic books or sheet music. The charm of Levine’s show is in how well it fits the environment of this magic-geek chamber of secrets. As he maneuvers cards, eggs, cups and balls with aplomb, he talks shop, larding his patter with tributes to routines like the Stencel Aces and the Vernon Boat Trick—heirlooms of his trade that he gently polishes and displays for our amazement.” (TONY)

============================================================================
♦ 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 2018 – awesome! 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.

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

Bonus NYC Music Venues:
So much fine live music every night in this town. These are my favorite non jazz music venues on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who’s playing tonight:

City Winery – 155 Varick St., citywinery.com, 212-608-0555
Joe’s Pub @ Public Theater – 425 Lafayette St., joespub.com, 212-967-7555
Beacon Theatre – 2124 Broadway @ 74th St., beacontheatre.com, 212-465-6500
Town Hall – 123 W43rd St., thetownhall.org, 212-997-6661
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St., lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474
and one more, not quite WestSide
Bowery Ballroom – 6 Delancey St. boweryballroom.com

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

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 discovery and enjoyment.

Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.
===========================================================

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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

Chelsea Art Gallery District*

Chelsea is the heart of the NYCity contemporary art scene. Home to more than 300 art galleries, the Rubin Museum, the Joyce Theater and The Kitchen performance spaces, there is no place like it anywhere in the world. Come here to browse free exhibitions by world-renowned artists and those unknowns waiting to be discovered in an art district that is concentrated between West 18th and West 27th Streets, and 10th and 11th Avenues. Afterwards stop in the Chelsea Market, stroll on the High Line, or rest up at one of the many cafes and bars and discuss the fine art.

Here is one exhibition the New Yorker likes:

“God Made My Face”  (Through Feb. 16)

“This beautifully calibrated group exhibition, organized by Hilton Als, a staff writer at this magazine, is subtitled “A Collective Portrait of James Baldwin.” The thesis of the stirring visual essay is that Baldwin has become a stock character—a civil-rights prophet—and that this, however powerful, is a diminishment of the man. Als fleshes out his portrait with a daringly eclectic assortment of art works and documents, which shift in tone from rapturous (paintings by Beauford Delaney and Alice Neel) to harrowing (a fever-dream animation about the antebellum South by Kara Walker). Portraits of the writer by his lifelong friend Richard Avedon hang on the walls, along with a stark one of Michael Jackson dwarfed by his shadow, shot by Anthony Barboza—a prescient portrait of a black man subsumed by his legacy. Photographs of buildings in Belle Époque Paris, by Eugene Atget, establish Baldwin the boulevardier; photographs of the piers in Manhattan, taken by Alvin Baltrop during the pre-AIDS heyday of gay liberation, convey carnal desire. Each choice by Als eloquently amplifies the polyphony of Baldwin’s voice.” (

Zwirner, 533 W. 19th St.

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

For a listing of 25 essential galleries in the Chelsea Art Gallery District, organized by street, which enables you to create your own Chelsea Art Gallery crawl, see the Chelsea Gallery Guide (nycgo.com) Or check out TONY magazine’s list of the “Best Chelsea Galleries” and click through to see what’s on view.

*Now plan your own gallery crawl, but better to plan your visits for Tuesday through Saturday; most galleries are closed Sunday and Monday.

TIP: After your gallery tour, stop in Ovest at 513W27th St. for Aperitivo Italiano (Happy Hour on steroids). Discuss all the great art you have viewed over a drink and a very tasty selection of FREE appetizers (M-F, 5-8pm). OR try this NYT recommendation: “When you’re done, adjourn to the newly renovated Bottino , the Chelsea art world’s unofficial canteen on 10th Avenue (btw 24/25 St.) “

=======================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see recent posts in right sidebar dated 01/24 and 01/22.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (01/25) + Today’s Featured Pub (Midtown West)

Posted on 01/26/2019 by GregD

Today’s Elite 8 NYC Events > FRIDAY/ JANUARY 25, 2019

“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:  “January 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.
To make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

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

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

Damien Rice
at The Town Hall
“Concerts, especially on this side of the Atlantic, have become increasingly rare for Damien Rice. The Irish singer-songwriter has been focusing on writing and recording new material, including while sailing around the Caribbean for a week earlier this month. After all, it’s hard not to fall when you float like a cannonball” (Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE 4pm, +8pm., The Town Hall, 1260 6th Ave.,
INFO $49.50 to $75; 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com

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

7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> The Cookers
>> INGRID JENSEN QUINTET
>> L-E-V
>> Kacey Musgraves
>> Ann Hampton Callaway
>> Animation First
>> New York Boat Show

Continuing Events
>> Restaurant Week
>> Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
>> Magic After Hours
===================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

The Cookers (Jan.24-27)
Dizzy’s Club, Jazz at Lincoln Center / 6:30PM, 8:30PM, $25+
“Jazz veterans, colleagues, and kindred spirits Billy Harper, Eddie Henderson, George Cables, Cecil McBee, Billy Hart, and David Weiss forge a world-class union. Taking their group name from a 1965 Freddie Hubbard album, The Night of the Cookers: Live at Club La Marchal, this exciting all-star sextet summons an aggressive mid-1960s spirit. Their repertoire includes a potent collection of expansive post-bop originals, marked by the requisite killer instincts and pyrotechnic playing expected of the scene’s heaviest hitters.

Trumpeter and bandleader Weiss says of the group: “They came up at a time when this music was at its most vital and exciting and was part of something epic and historic, yet they are still going strong, playing with the same freedom, passion, and intensity that encompassed this great music.” The depth and power of their music speaks of the seasoned track record of its members, who, combined, have over 250 years of experience in the jazz world and have been a part of over 1,000 recordings.”

L-E-V (Jan.24-27)
at the Joyce Theater / 8PM, $50+
“Two years ago, L-E-V made its Joyce debut with a mesmerizing work, “OCD Love,” that called to mind a groovy, erotic, futuristic rave, which is how many of their works come across. Founded in 2013 by Sharon Eyal, a former star of Israel’s Batsheva Dance Company, and Gai Behar, a former producer of underground music events, the troupe returns to New York in the coming week with “Love Chapter 2,” which explores isolation and loneliness. Once again, the D.J. Ori Lichtik provides a score that shifts from manic to melancholy while L-E-V’s seductive performers dance out their demons.” (NYT-Brian Schaefer)

INGRID JENSEN QUINTET (Jan. 23-26)
at the Birdland Theater / 7 and 9:45 p.m.; $30
“A trumpeter who’s as versatile as she is vigorous, Jensen released a standout album last year with the tenor saxophonist Steve Treseler. Titled “Invisible Sounds,” it pays tribute to Kenny Wheeler, an influential trumpeter and composer who died in 2014. Jensen and Treseler reinterpret nine of Wheeler’s compositions, which tend to be lyrical and songlike, whether moving at a quick clip or drifting as slowly as cloud cover. Though Jensen is the nominal bandleader for the gigs on Wednesday and Jan. 24, Treseler will also be there; they’ll be joined by Christine Tobin on vocals, Gary Versace on piano, Martin Wind on bass and Jon Wikan on drums. On Jan. 25 and 26, Jensen will revisit the material from her 2003 disc, “Project O,” with the pianist Gary Versace, the bassist Richie Goods and the drummer Jon Wikan. (The tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm will sit in on Jan. 25 only.) (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Ann Hampton Callaway (Jan.23-26)
Birdland / 8:30PM, +11PM, $30-$40
“Tony nominee Ann Hampton Callaway, one of the leading pop/jazz singers of our time, has created an exciting night of songs and stories in celebration of one of America’s most beloved artists, Linda Ronstadt!

This show celebrates the many faces of love in Ronstadt’s iconic songs from her Stone Poney Days like “Different Drum” and “Long Long Time” to pop/rock classics like “You’re No Good,” and “Desperado” to unforgettable classics from her three Nelson Riddle albums like “What’s New” and “Am I Blue,” to her iconic duets which Callaway will perform with her brilliant MD, Billy Stritch.”

Kacey Musgraves (Jan.24-26)
Beacon Theatre, Broadway at 74th St./ 8PM, $135+
“The history of music and psychedelics is as vast as it is colorful. Last year, Kacey Musgraves added a remarkable chapter with her chromatic country-pop (and Grammy-nominated) album “Golden Hour.” Only two of the songs are said to be the souvenirs of a trip, but one of them, the serenely crawling “Slow Burn,” became the record’s opening track and set the tone for what has become the singer-songwriter’s shining moment. A sense of euphoria blankets the entire project, bestowing both kiss-off ballads and breezy anthems with a Zen-like calm—breaking up has never sounded as gorgeously hopeful as it does on “Space Cowboy.” Jan. 25-26, Musgraves plays Beacon Theatre, where the lines between happy and sad (to borrow her lyric) will blur until they disappear altogether.” (Briana Younger, NewYorker)

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

Smart Stuff / Other NYC Events

Animation First
See French animated films
“Animation First, a festival dedicated to French animation, includes features, shorts and selections from the renowned Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Be aware that some programs may contain adult content.” (Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Friday through Sunday, Jan. 25 to 27, at French Institute Alliance Francaise, 22 E. 60th St., Manhattan
INFO Tickets $10 to $25, passes $40 to $120; fiaf.org

New York Boat Show (Jan.23-27)
Javits Center / 12PM, $16
“If your life, your love and your lady is the sea, then you’ll be more than satisfied by this five-day nautical convention, which features a vast variety of yachts, sailboats and more. Plus, you’ll have an opportunity to sharpen your boating skills with interactive workshops. Little ones can build their own miniature wooden vessels at the Create-a-Boat station. And for the first time, the Icon A5 Aircraft (a sports plane with wings that fold back) makes its NY Boat Show review.” (TONY)

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

Continuing Events

Restaurant Week (January 21 to February 10)
“Some of New York’s best known “deal holidays,” including NYC Restaurant Week and NYC Broadway Week, are joining forces this winter to create, wait for it… NYC Winter Outing.

From January 21 to February 10, NYC Broadway Week, NYC Restaurant Week and NYC Must-See Week will all be running simultaneously offering full nights out for drastically reduced rates. During this time, a selection of Broadway shows, museums, attractions and tours will be available at two-for-one prices and almost 400 restaurants across the city will be offering prix-fixe menus. As in previous years, that means $26 prix-fix lunches and $42, three-course dinners.

For more information on Restaurant Week, including our recommendations for the best deals to take advantage of this season, check out our NYC Restaurant Week page.” (TONY)

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Midtown Manhattan’s winter wonderland.
Bryant Park (btw 5th/6th Ave. @42nd St.) / shops to 8PM, rink to 10PM
Enjoy The Lodge by Urbanspace, and The Rink, the centerpiece of Winter Village and New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink.
The Rink
This 17,000 square foot rink features free admission ice skating, high quality rental skates, and free skating shows, special events, and activities.
​October 27, 2018 – March 3, 2019
Daily, 8am-10pm (Rink hours are weather permitting and Rink may be closed for events – check here)

Magic After Hours
Tannen’s Magic, Midtown West (Until Dec 31 2019)

“Twice a week, after closing time, 20 people crowd into the city’s oldest magic shop, Tannen’s, for a cozy evening of prestidigitation by the young and engaging Noah Levine. The shelves are crammed with quirky devices; there’s a file cabinet behind the counter, a mock elephant in the corner and bins of individual trick instructions in plastic covers, like comic books or sheet music. The charm of Levine’s show is in how well it fits the environment of this magic-geek chamber of secrets. As he maneuvers cards, eggs, cups and balls with aplomb, he talks shop, larding his patter with tributes to routines like the Stencel Aces and the Vernon Boat Trick—heirlooms of his trade that he gently polishes and displays for our amazement.” (TONY)

=============================================================================
♦ 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 2018 – awesome! 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.

=====================================================
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.

The Green Room 42 – 570 Tenth Ave.

Don’t Tell Mama – 343 W 46th St.

The Rum House, in the Hotel Edison – 228 W. 47th St.

Laurie Beechman Theatre – 407 W 42nd St.

Marie’s Crisis – 59 Grove St.

The Duplex – 61 Christopher St.

Sid Gold’s Request Room – 165 W 26th St.

Cafe Carlyle, in the Carlyle Hotel – 35 E. 76th St.
This is the only one not located on Manhattan’s WestSide, and it ain’t cheap, but it has some of the finest singers.

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

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

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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

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.
(Alas, no more. After 10 years, “Jersey Boys” finally closed, now it’s “Mean Girls.”)

lThose 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).
=======================================================
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 younger, trimmer piano man. “Tiny” we miss you.
Update#2: Rumor that “Tiny” is back playing only on Friday nights – need to check it out.

==================================================================================
“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.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (01/24) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 01/24/2019 by GregD

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > THURSDAY/ JANUARY 24, 2019

“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:  “January 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.
To make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

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

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

Kacey Musgraves (Jan.24-25)
Beacon Theatre, Broadway at 74th St./ 8PM, $135+
“The history of music and psychedelics is as vast as it is colorful. Last year, Kacey Musgraves added a remarkable chapter with her chromatic country-pop (and Grammy-nominated) album “Golden Hour.” Only two of the songs are said to be the souvenirs of a trip, but one of them, the serenely crawling “Slow Burn,” became the record’s opening track and set the tone for what has become the singer-songwriter’s shining moment. A sense of euphoria blankets the entire project, bestowing both kiss-off ballads and breezy anthems with a Zen-like calm—breaking up has never sounded as gorgeously hopeful as it does on “Space Cowboy.” Jan. 25-26, Musgraves plays Beacon Theatre, where the lines between happy and sad (to borrow her lyric) will blur until they disappear altogether.” (Briana Younger, NewYorker)

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

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> ‘IOLANTA’ AND ‘BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE’ 
>> INGRID JENSEN QUINTET
>> Vijay Iyer
>> Donny McCaslin
>> Ann Hampton Callaway
>> New York Boat Show

Continuing Events
>> Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
>> Magic After Hours
===================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

‘IOLANTA’ AND ‘BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE’   (next Jan.28, 7:30PM)
at the Metropolitan Opera / 8PM, $30+
“Marius Trelinski’s dark, fascinating juxtaposition of these one-act operas by Tchaikovsky and Bartok is one of the most bracing examples of directorial entrepreneurship to have reached the Met’s stage in recent years, and here it makes its first return since its debut in 2015. The cast is excellent: Sonya Yoncheva takes on the title role in “Iolanta,” with Matthew Polenzani as Vaudémont; in the Bartok, Gerald Finley is Bluebeard and Angela Denoke is Judith. Henrik Nanasi conducts.” (NYT-David Allen)

INGRID JENSEN QUINTET (Jan. 23-26)
at the Birdland Theater / 7 and 9:45 p.m.; $30
“A trumpeter who’s as versatile as she is vigorous, Jensen released a standout album last year with the tenor saxophonist Steve Treseler. Titled “Invisible Sounds,” it pays tribute to Kenny Wheeler, an influential trumpeter and composer who died in 2014. Jensen and Treseler reinterpret nine of Wheeler’s compositions, which tend to be lyrical and songlike, whether moving at a quick clip or drifting as slowly as cloud cover. Though Jensen is the nominal bandleader for the gigs on Wednesday and Jan. 24, Treseler will also be there; they’ll be joined by Christine Tobin on vocals, Gary Versace on piano, Martin Wind on bass and Jon Wikan on drums. On Jan. 25 and 26, Jensen will revisit the material from her 2003 disc, “Project O,” with the pianist Gary Versace, the bassist Richie Goods and the drummer Jon Wikan. (The tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm will sit in on Jan. 25 only.) (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Vijay Iyer (Jan.22-27)
Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St./ 7:30PM, +9:30PM, $30
“With a Whitmanesque musical presence, the pianist, composer, bandleader, and 2013 MacArthur Fellow Vijay Iyer contains multitudes: his of-the-moment playing and writing can be strikingly baroque or emotively spare, with plenty of compelling stops at points in between. His six-night run here offers a nice taste of his multifarious nature; it includes three performances with his acclaimed sextet, two with his trio of the bassist Linda May Han Oh and the drummer Tyshawn Sorey, and one with the Ritual Ensemble, which integrates Indian classical music, propelled by the percussive mridanga.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

Donny McCaslin (Jan. 22-27)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $35
“The qualities that drew David Bowie to Donny McCaslin—the passionate saxophonist and his band are the core unit on the rock icon’s final album, “Blackstar”—are still firmly in place. In particular, McCaslin maintains a willingness to explore the increasingly porous boundaries between jazz and other contemporary genres. His rip-roaring quartet includes the keyboardist Jason Lindner and the drummer Mark Guiliana, who is an influential instrumentalist in his own right.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

Ann Hampton Callaway (Jan.23-26)
Birdland / 8:30PM, +11PM, $30-$40
“Tony nominee Ann Hampton Callaway, one of the leading pop/jazz singers of our time, has created an exciting night of songs and stories in celebration of one of America’s most beloved artists, Linda Ronstadt!

This show celebrates the many faces of love in Ronstadt’s iconic songs from her Stone Poney Days like “Different Drum” and “Long Long Time” to pop/rock classics like “You’re No Good,” and “Desperado” to unforgettable classics from her three Nelson Riddle albums like “What’s New” and “Am I Blue,” to her iconic duets which Callaway will perform with her brilliant MD, Billy Stritch.”

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

Smart Stuff / Other NYC Events

New York Boat Show (Jan.23-27)
Javits Center / 12PM, $16
“If your life, your love and your lady is the sea, then you’ll be more than satisfied by this five-day nautical convention, which features a vast variety of yachts, sailboats and more. Plus, you’ll have an opportunity to sharpen your boating skills with interactive workshops. Little ones can build their own miniature wooden vessels at the Create-a-Boat station. And for the first time, the Icon A5 Aircraft (a sports plane with wings that fold back) makes its NY Boat Show review.” (TONY)

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

Continuing Events

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Midtown Manhattan’s winter wonderland.
Bryant Park (btw 5th/6th Ave. @42nd St.) / shops to 8PM, rink to 10PM
Enjoy The Lodge by Urbanspace, and The Rink, the centerpiece of Winter Village and New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink.
The Rink
This 17,000 square foot rink features free admission ice skating, high quality rental skates, and free skating shows, special events, and activities.
​October 27, 2018 – March 3, 2019
Daily, 8am-10pm (Rink hours are weather permitting and Rink may be closed for events – check here)

Magic After Hours
Tannen’s Magic, Midtown West (Until Dec 31 2019)

“Twice a week, after closing time, 20 people crowd into the city’s oldest magic shop, Tannen’s, for a cozy evening of prestidigitation by the young and engaging Noah Levine. The shelves are crammed with quirky devices; there’s a file cabinet behind the counter, a mock elephant in the corner and bins of individual trick instructions in plastic covers, like comic books or sheet music. The charm of Levine’s show is in how well it fits the environment of this magic-geek chamber of secrets. As he maneuvers cards, eggs, cups and balls with aplomb, he talks shop, larding his patter with tributes to routines like the Stencel Aces and the Vernon Boat Trick—heirlooms of his trade that he gently polishes and displays for our amazement.” (TONY)

==========================================================================
♦ 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 2018 – awesome! 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.

===========================================================
Bonus NYC events– Jazz Clubs:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. My favorite Jazz Clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide, feature top talent every night of the week.
Hit the Hot Link and check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(4 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. So., villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037 (1st 8:30)
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592 (1st set 8pm)
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883 (1st 7pm)
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346 (1st 8)
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346 (1st set 7:30pm)
The Stone at The New School – 55 w13 St. (btw 6/5 ave) – thestonenyc.com (8:30PM)

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595 (1st set 7:30pm)
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080 (1st 8:30pm)
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com/ 212-864-6662 (7pm)
Jazz Standard – 116 E27 St. (btw Park/Lex) – jazzstandard.com – (1st set 7:30)

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

Special Mention:
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones St. nr Bleecker St. — caffevivaldi.com / 212-691-7538 (1st 7pm)
a classic, old jazz club in the Village, Caffe V often surprised with a wonderfully eclectic lineup. It was my favorite spot for an evening of listening enjoyment and discovery.
Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319
And more recently we have lost Cornelia Street Cafe. After 41 years, it too became another victim of an unreasonable rent increase.

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

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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

WHAT’S ON VIEW
These are My Fave Special Exhibitions @ MUSEUMS / Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue
(See the New York Times Arts Section for listings of all museum exhibitions,
and also see the expanded reviews of these exhibitions)

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Hilma af Klint : Paintings for the Future (thru 02/03/19)

“Convinced that the world was not ready for her artistry in 1906, particularly as an underrepresented female in her field, af Klint of Sweden kept her work private. Her paintings anticipated by years “breakthroughs” by Kandinsky, Mondrian and others and were unseen before 1986. The Guggenheim rediscovers her.”

“Recognized as one of the art world’s earliest abstract painters, Hilma af Klint was a steadfast believer that her work was inspired by the spiritual. The new Guggenheim exhibition, “Hilma af Klint: Paintings for the Future,” showcases the work of this groundbreaking Swedish artist (1862-1944), whose work was rarely seen until the 1980s.” (Newsday)

See our art critic’s top pick of the year.
“Luckily, the number-one pick in Jerry Saltz’s best art shows of 2018 is still running. Hilma af Klint’s Paintings for the Future at the Guggenheim Museum examines the work of the unacknowledged Swedish visionary and makes a case for her being the first modernist abstract painter. Saltz is especially enamored with the first gallery, so make sure you spend some time there.” (NYMagazine)

GD: Definitely worth a visit. af Klint was like the original Kandinsky and it’s interesting to see both of their works in the same museum, even if not side-by-side.

Jewish Museum

‘SCENES FROM THE COLLECTION’  “After a surgical renovation to its grand pile on Fifth Avenue, the Jewish Museum has reopened its third-floor galleries with a rethought and refreshed display of its permanent collection, which intermingles modern and contemporary art, by Jews and gentiles alike — Mark Rothko, Lee Krasner, Nan Goldin, Cindy Sherman, and the excellent young Nigerian draftswoman Ruby Onyinyechi Amanze — with 4,000 years of Judaica. The works are shown in a nimble, non-chronological suite of galleries, and some of its century-spanning juxtapositions are bracing; others feel reductive, even dilletantish. But always, the Jewish Museum conceives of art and religion as interlocking elements of a story of civilization, commendably open to new influences and new interpretations.” (Farago) 212-423-3200, thejewishmuseum.org

Museum of the City of New York

NY AT ITS CORE (ongoing)
“Ten years in the making, New York at Its Core tells the compelling story of New York’s rise from a striving Dutch village to today’s “Capital of the World.” The exhibition captures the human energy that drove New York to become a city like no other and a subject of fascination the world over. Entertaining, inspiring, important, and at times bemusing, New York City “big personalities,” including Alexander Hamilton, Walt Whitman, Boss Tweed, Emma Goldman, JP Morgan, Fiorello La Guardia, Jane Jacobs, Jay-Z, and dozens more, parade through the exhibition. Visitors will also learn the stories of lesser-known New York personalities, like Lenape chieftain Penhawitz and Italian immigrant Susie Rocco. Even animals like the horse, the pig, the beaver, and the oyster, which played pivotal roles in the economy and daily life of New York, get their moment in the historical spotlight. Occupying the entire first floor in three interactive galleries (Port City, 1609-1898, World City, 1898-2012, and Future City Lab) New York at Its Core is shaped by four themes: money, density, diversity, and creativity. Together, they provide a lens for examining the character of the city, and underlie the modern global metropolis we know today. mcny.org” (NYCity Guide)

and you should be sure to check out these special exhibitions at that little museum on Fifth Ave., The Metropolitan Museum of Art
(open 7 days /week, AND always Pay What You Wish for NewYorkers)

“In Praise of Painting” (thru Oct.4, 2020)

“How great are the Met’s holdings in the Dutch golden age? Very. This long-term installation rings the lower level of the Lehman Wing with scores of lesser-known gems from the mid-seventeenth century, many of them rarely on view before, amid masterworks by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals, and Ruisdael. The period, vivified here, began in 1648, when the end of the Eighty Years’ War with Spain brought a boom in wealth and morale, expressed by genre paintings that exalt the national ideal of gezelligheid—social warmth, comfort, belonging. A key figure was Gerard ter Borch, who had travelled widely and worked at the court of Philip IV, in company with Velázquez. Ter Borch’s lustrous, ineffably witty domestic scenes inspired a generation of masters, notably Vermeer, whose genius rather eclipsed his elder’s. The pictures often star ter Borch’s younger sister Gesina, preening in satins or enigmatically musing. Herself a painter, she is cutely funny-looking—pointy nose, weak chin—and desperately lovable. There’s much to be said for a world with such a family in it.”

===========================================================
Museum Mile is a section of Fifth Avenue which contains one of the densest displays of culture in the world. Eight museums can be found along this section of Fifth Avenue:
• 105th Street – El Museo del Barrio (closed Sun-Mon)*
• 103rd Street – Museum of the City of New York (open 7 days /week)
•  92nd Street – The Jewish Museum (closed Wed) (Sat FREE) (Thu 5-8 PWYW)
•  91st Street  –  Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (open 7 days /week)
•  89th Street –  National Academy Museum (closed Mon-Tue)
•  88th Street –  Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (closed Thu) (Sat 6-8 PWYW)
•  86th Street –  Neue Galerie New York (closed Tue-Wed) (Fri 6-8 FREE)
Last, but certainly not least, America’s premier museum
•  82nd Street – The Metropolitan Museum of Art (open 7 days /week)*
*always Pay What You Wish (PWYW) for NewYorkers

Although technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection (closed Mon) (Wed 2-6pm PWYW; First Friday each month (exc Jan+Sep) 6-9pm FREE) on the corner of 70th St. and Fifth Avenue and the The Morgan Library & Museum (closed Mon) (Fri 7-9 FREE) on Madison Ave and 37th St are also located near Fifth Ave.
Now plan your own museum crawl (info on hours & admission updated June 2, 2015).
==============================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 01/16 and 01/14.
=============================================================

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (01/23) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 01/23/2019 by GregD

Today’s Elite 8 NYC Events > WEDNESDAY/ JANUARY 23, 2019

“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:  “January 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.
To make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

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

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

Ann Hampton Callaway (Jan.23-26)
Birdland / 8:30PM, +11PM, $30-$40
“Tony nominee Ann Hampton Callaway, one of the leading pop/jazz singers of our time, has created an exciting night of songs and stories in celebration of one of America’s most beloved artists, Linda Ronstadt!

This show celebrates the many faces of love in Ronstadt’s iconic songs from her Stone Poney Days like “Different Drum” and “Long Long Time” to pop/rock classics like “You’re No Good,” and “Desperado” to unforgettable classics from her three Nelson Riddle albums like “What’s New” and “Am I Blue,” to her iconic duets which Callaway will perform with her brilliant MD, Billy Stritch.”

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

7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> INGRID JENSEN QUINTET
>> NEW YORK CITY BALLET
>> Vijay Iyer
>> Donny McCaslin
>> KEYON HARROLD
>> War With Russia? Stephen F. Cohen and Dan Rather in Conversation with Katrina Vanden Heuvel
>> New York Boat Show

Continuing Events
>> Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
>> Magic After Hours
===================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

INGRID JENSEN QUINTET (Jan. 23-26)
at the Birdland Theater / 7 and 9:45 p.m.; $30
“A trumpeter who’s as versatile as she is vigorous, Jensen released a standout album last year with the tenor saxophonist Steve Treseler. Titled “Invisible Sounds,” it pays tribute to Kenny Wheeler, an influential trumpeter and composer who died in 2014. Jensen and Treseler reinterpret nine of Wheeler’s compositions, which tend to be lyrical and songlike, whether moving at a quick clip or drifting as slowly as cloud cover. Though Jensen is the nominal bandleader for the gigs on Wednesday and Jan. 24, Treseler will also be there; they’ll be joined by Christine Tobin on vocals, Gary Versace on piano, Martin Wind on bass and Jon Wikan on drums. On Jan. 25 and 26, Jensen will revisit the material from her 2003 disc, “Project O,” with the pianist Gary Versace, the bassist Richie Goods and the drummer Jon Wikan. (The tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm will sit in on Jan. 25 only.) (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

NEW YORK CITY BALLET (Jan. 22-March 3)
at the NYS Theater, Lincoln Center / 7:30PM, $35+
“City Ballet’s winter season begins on Tuesday with a week of works by George Balanchine, the company’s co-founder and lodestar. Two alternating programs highlight his inspired interpretations of the work of two disparate composers: Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky. The Stravinsky trio, performed on Tuesday, Thursday and the evening of Jan. 26, features “Apollo,” “Orpheus” and “Agon,” and captures Balanchine’s modern sensibility. Meanwhile, the Tchaikovsky set, comprising “Serenade,” “Mozartiana” and “Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2” on Wednesday, Jan. 25 and the afternoons of Jan. 26 and 27, shows off his classical elegance.” (NYT-Brian Schaefer)

Vijay Iyer (Jan.22-27)
Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St./ 7:30PM, +9:30PM, $30
“With a Whitmanesque musical presence, the pianist, composer, bandleader, and 2013 MacArthur Fellow Vijay Iyer contains multitudes: his of-the-moment playing and writing can be strikingly baroque or emotively spare, with plenty of compelling stops at points in between. His six-night run here offers a nice taste of his multifarious nature; it includes three performances with his acclaimed sextet, two with his trio of the bassist Linda May Han Oh and the drummer Tyshawn Sorey, and one with the Ritual Ensemble, which integrates Indian classical music, propelled by the percussive mridanga.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

Donny McCaslin (Jan. 22-27)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $35
“The qualities that drew David Bowie to Donny McCaslin—the passionate saxophonist and his band are the core unit on the rock icon’s final album, “Blackstar”—are still firmly in place. In particular, McCaslin maintains a willingness to explore the increasingly porous boundaries between jazz and other contemporary genres. His rip-roaring quartet includes the keyboardist Jason Lindner and the drummer Mark Guiliana, who is an influential instrumentalist in his own right.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

KEYON HARROLD (Jan. 21-23)
at the Blue Note / 8 and 10:30PM, $20-$35
“Harrold is technically gifted enough to have recorded the Miles Davis trumpet parts heard on the soundtrack to the 2016 film “Miles Ahead.” He’s also a ruggedly modern thinker, whose own most recent album draws inspiration from radio hip-hop, classic quiet storm, cinematic scores and contemporary jazz. He has long performed in the backing bands for figures like Maxwell, Jay-Z and Rihanna, but these days he is focusing more squarely on his own bandleading career. A native of Ferguson, Mo., Harrold here will perform a program titled “Jazz for Reflection, Protest, Justice and Unity.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

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

Smart Stuff / Other NYC Events
(Lectures/Discussions, Book Talks, Film, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)

War With Russia? Stephen F. Cohen and Dan Rather in Conversation with Katrina Vanden Heuvel
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ 7:30PM, $40
Historian Stephen F. Cohen speaks on War with Russia? From Putin and Ukraine to Trump and Russiagate, in which he argues that we’re in a new Cold War even more perilous than the last. He’ll talk about whether Putin is really intent on destabilizing the West, in conversation with Dan Rather and The Nation’s Katrina Vanden Heuvel.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

New York Boat Show (Jan.23-27)
Javits Center, / 12PM, $16
“If your life, your love and your lady is the sea, then you’ll be more than satisfied by this five-day nautical convention, which features a vast variety of yachts, sailboats and more. Plus, you’ll have an opportunity to sharpen your boating skills with interactive workshops. Little ones can build their own miniature wooden vessels at the Create-a-Boat station. And for the first time, the Icon A5 Aircraft (a sports plane with wings that fold back) makes its NY Boat Show review.” (TONY)

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

Continuing Events

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Midtown Manhattan’s winter wonderland.
Bryant Park (btw 5th/6th Ave. @42nd St.) / shops to 8PM, rink to 10PM
Enjoy The Lodge by Urbanspace, and The Rink, the centerpiece of Winter Village and New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink.
The Rink
This 17,000 square foot rink features free admission ice skating, high quality rental skates, and free skating shows, special events, and activities.
​October 27, 2018 – March 3, 2019
Daily, 8am-10pm (Rink hours are weather permitting and Rink may be closed for events – check here)

Magic After Hours
Tannen’s Magic, Midtown West (Until Dec 31 2019)

“Twice a week, after closing time, 20 people crowd into the city’s oldest magic shop, Tannen’s, for a cozy evening of prestidigitation by the young and engaging Noah Levine. The shelves are crammed with quirky devices; there’s a file cabinet behind the counter, a mock elephant in the corner and bins of individual trick instructions in plastic covers, like comic books or sheet music. The charm of Levine’s show is in how well it fits the environment of this magic-geek chamber of secrets. As he maneuvers cards, eggs, cups and balls with aplomb, he talks shop, larding his patter with tributes to routines like the Stencel Aces and the Vernon Boat Trick—heirlooms of his trade that he gently polishes and displays for our amazement.” (TONY)

==========================================================================
♦ 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 2018 – awesome! 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.

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

Bonus NYC Events – Music Venues:
So much fine live music every night in this town. These are my favorite non jazz music venues on Manhattan’s WestSide. Hit the Hot Link and check out who’s playing tonight:

City Winery – 155 Varick St., citywinery.com, 212-608-0555
Joe’s Pub @ Public Theater – 425 Lafayette St., joespub.com, 212-967-7555
Beacon Theatre – 2124 Broadway @ 74th St., beacontheatre.com, 212-465-6500
Town Hall – 123 W43rd St. (btw 6/7), thetownhall.org, 212-997-6661
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St., lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474
Sony Hall – 235 W 46th St. (btw 7/8), sonyhall.com, 212-997-5123
and one more, not exactly WestSide:
Bowery Ballroom – 6 Delancey St. boweryballroom.com

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

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 discovery and enjoyment.

Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.

See Below.
———————————————————————————————————-

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):
=================================================================================

A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating Places – Greenwich Village

Caffe Vivaldi / 32 Jones Street (btw. Bleecker St./W4th St.)

Café Vivaldi is a classic, intimate club located in Greenwich Village on Jones Street, the street featured on the cover of Bob Dylan’s second album, “Freewheelin’. ”

maxresdefaultEach night Ishrat, the long time proprietor and impresario, carefully curates and schedules an eclectic series of musicians. You can often see him at his table in the corner, hard at work reviewing music videos and listening to cd demos on his laptop, scouting out future bookings. Musicians come from all over to play and sing in a club in Greenwich Village. Some are local New Yorkers, others are just passing through, in town for a few days.

There is a small bar, seating maybe 10. It’s close to the stage and I find it’s a perfect spot to sip a glass of red wine while listening to the music. The room itself has the performance area at one end and a cozy fireplace at the other. The performance area here is small, dominated by a large black Yamaha Grand piano. Tables are bunched together and most people at the tables are eating lite meals or sampling the wonderful desserts.

There is also a good selection of fairly priced wines,  but you are here because of the music. You can never be quite sure what you’re going to find, and that’s half the charm of this place. It’s not a home run every night, but many nights it’s pretty special.

I remember the night I saw the most talented bossa nova group, just in from San Paulo. As I listened, I wondered if there was any better music playing anywhere else in New York City that night. And at Caffé Vivaldi there is never a cover charge. Their recently redesigned web site does give you a better idea of the type of music playing each night.

At one time Greenwich Village was filled with clubs just like this, but times change. Real estate interests have impacted the village, and not for the better. Even Caffé Vivaldi had a rough time recently, when a new landlord raised the rent exorbitantly. Fortunately, Ishrat has built a loyal following over the years, and a fund raiser and slightly more reasonable rent has kept Café Vivaldi in business.

When Woody Allen and Al Pacino wanted to make movies featuring the timeless quality of Greenwich Village they came to Vivaldi. It’s important that we keep this special place alive, for if we lose Cafe Vivaldi, NYCity will have lost a piece of it’s soul.

CAFFE VIVALDI HAS CLOSED, VERY SAD.
I HAVE LEFT THIS REVIEW ON MY SITE AS A KIND OF MEMORIAL.
As reported in the “Gothamist”:
“Caffe Vivaldi, one of the last bohemian bastions of the West Village, is set to close this weekend. During its 35 years on Jones Street, the casual cafe won the hearts of locals and celebs alike, including Oscar Isaac, Bette Midler, and Al Pacino.

Despite that friendly communal atmosphere, the owners ultimately struggled to survive under their notorious vulture landlord Steve Croman, who they say waged a harassment campaign against the restaurant, and eventually tripled their rent.”

Website: http://caffevivaldi.com/
Phone #: (212) 691-7538
Hours: Music generally 7:30PM – 11PM, but varies
Lunch/Dinner 11AM-on
Subway: #1 to Christopher St.
Walk 1 blk S. on 7th ave S. to Bleecker St., 1 blk left on Bleecker to Jones St., 50 yards left on Jones St. to Caffe V.
==============================================================
“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.

If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a comment.
========================================================

3 Good Eating places

It’s not difficult to find a place to eat in Manhattan.
Finding a good, inexpensive place to eat is a bit harder.
Here are a few of my faves in this neighborhood:

Fish – 280 Bleecker St. (just a bit S. of 7th ave South)
This was an easy pick – the best raw bar special in town. $9 gets you 6 of the freshest oysters or clams + a glass of wine or beer. Don’t know how they can do it, but I tell everyone I know about this place. And it’s located right in the heart of some of the best no cover music in town.

Bleecker Street Pizza – 69 7th ave S. (corner of Bleecker St.)
The place is tiny and not much to look at, but this is one good slice. They like to brag that they have been voted “Best pizza in NY” 3 years in a row by the Food Network. I believe them. I would have voted for them.

Num Pang – 21 E 12th St. (btw. University Place/5th ave.)
This is a Cambodian banh mi sandwich shop that kept me well fed while I was in class nearby recently. It’s cramped, even for NYCity, but usually there is room up the spiral staircase to sit down and eat. In good weather carry your sandwich a few blocks to Union Square park. You may have to wait a few minutes, because everything is freshly made, but it’s worth it. Can you believe – an unheard of 26 food rating by Zagat.

========================================================
“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”
No reservations needed.
========================================================
NYCity is the most diverse and interesting place to find a meal anywhere in the world. With more than 24,000 eating establishments you might welcome some advice.

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places, and essays on my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods on Manhattan’s WestSide, order a copy of my e-book:
“Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($4.99, available SPRING 2019).
◊ Order before MAY 31, 2019 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (01/22) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 01/22/2019 by GregD

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > TUESDAY/ JANUARY 22, 2019

“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:  “January 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.
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 (Jan. 22-March 3)
at the NYS Theater, Lincoln Center / 7:30PM, $35+
“City Ballet’s winter season begins on Tuesday with a week of works by George Balanchine, the company’s co-founder and lodestar. Two alternating programs highlight his inspired interpretations of the work of two disparate composers: Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky. The Stravinsky trio, performed on Tuesday, Thursday and the evening of Jan. 26, features “Apollo,” “Orpheus” and “Agon,” and captures Balanchine’s modern sensibility. Meanwhile, the Tchaikovsky set, comprising “Serenade,” “Mozartiana” and “Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2” on Wednesday, Jan. 25 and the afternoons of Jan. 26 and 27, shows off his classical elegance.” (NYT-Brian Schaefer)

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

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> Vijay Iyer
>> Pelléas et Mélisande
>> Donny McCaslin
>> Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams Residency W/ Cindy Cashdollar
>> Tatiana Eva-Marie: Django Birthday Celebration
>> KEYON HARROLD

Continuing Events
>> Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
>> Magic After Hours
===================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Vijay Iyer (Jan.22-27)
Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St./ 7:30PM, +9:30PM, $30
“With a Whitmanesque musical presence, the pianist, composer, bandleader, and 2013 MacArthur Fellow Vijay Iyer contains multitudes: his of-the-moment playing and writing can be strikingly baroque or emotively spare, with plenty of compelling stops at points in between. His six-night run here offers a nice taste of his multifarious nature; it includes three performances with his acclaimed sextet, two with his trio of the bassist Linda May Han Oh and the drummer Tyshawn Sorey, and one with the Ritual Ensemble, which integrates Indian classical music, propelled by the percussive mridanga.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

Pelléas et Mélisande (next Jan.25, 7:30PM)
Metropolitan Opera House / 7:30PM, $20+
Debussy’s only opera, a mesmerizing meditation on love and betrayal, returns to the Met stage for the first time in almost a decade, with Music Director Designate Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting the landmark score. A pair of brilliant young Met stars, tenor Paul Appleby and mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, are the naïve title lovers, and baritone Kyle Ketelsen is the imperious Prince Golaud. Ferruccio Furlanetto, as Arkel, and Marie-Nicole Lemieux, as Geneviève, complete the cast.

Donny McCaslin (Jan. 22-27)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $35
“The qualities that drew David Bowie to Donny McCaslin—the passionate saxophonist and his band are the core unit on the rock icon’s final album, “Blackstar”—are still firmly in place. In particular, McCaslin maintains a willingness to explore the increasingly porous boundaries between jazz and other contemporary genres. His rip-roaring quartet includes the keyboardist Jason Lindner and the drummer Mark Guiliana, who is an influential instrumentalist in his own right.” (Steve Futterman, NewYorker)

Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams Residency W/ Cindy Cashdollar
City Winery / 8PM, $25-$28
“Multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter Larry Campbell and singer-guitarist Teresa Williams’ acclaimed eponymous 2015 debut, released after seven years of playing in Levon Helm’s band – and frequent guesting with Phil Lesh, Little Feat, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, brought to the stage the crackling creative energy of a decades-long offstage union. A whirlwind of touring and promo followed, and when the dust cleared, the duo was ready to do it all again. Which brings us to Contraband Love, a riskier slice of Americana.”

Tatiana Eva-Marie: Django Birthday Celebration
Dizzy’s Club, Jazz at Lincoln Center / 6:30PM, +8:30PM, $20+
“Tatiana Eva-Marie, recently acclaimed as a “rising jazz vocalist” by Vanity Fair and “one of the best young singers around” by the Wall Street Journal, leads the Avalon Jazz Band—worldwide ambassadors of Parisian-style hot and Gypsy jazz reminiscent of Django & Grappelli’s Hot Club De France. The Avalon Jazz Band continues the tradition with new compositions, original arrangements, and a fresh take on classic jazz repertoire, exploring the intermingling of American swing and Eastern European influences through the essential French je ne sais quoi. Tonight’s performance is a birthday celebration of the iconic Django Reinhardt and his utterly irresistible brand of hot jazz.”

KEYON HARROLD (Jan. 21-23)
at the Blue Note / 8 and 10:30PM, $20-$35
“Harrold is technically gifted enough to have recorded the Miles Davis trumpet parts heard on the soundtrack to the 2016 film “Miles Ahead.” He’s also a ruggedly modern thinker, whose own most recent album draws inspiration from radio hip-hop, classic quiet storm, cinematic scores and contemporary jazz. He has long performed in the backing bands for figures like Maxwell, Jay-Z and Rihanna, but these days he is focusing more squarely on his own bandleading career. A native of Ferguson, Mo., Harrold here will perform a program titled “Jazz for Reflection, Protest, Justice and Unity.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

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

Smart Stuff / Other NYC Events
(Lectures/Discussions, Book Talks, Film, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)

More Smart Stuff coming soon.

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

Continuing Events

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Midtown Manhattan’s winter wonderland.
Bryant Park (btw 5th/6th Ave. @42nd St.) / shops to 8PM, rink to 10PM
Enjoy The Lodge by Urbanspace, and The Rink, the centerpiece of Winter Village and New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink.
The Rink
This 17,000 square foot rink features free admission ice skating, high quality rental skates, and free skating shows, special events, and activities.
​October 27, 2018 – March 3, 2019
Daily, 8am-10pm (Rink hours are weather permitting and Rink may be closed for events – check here)

Magic After Hours
Tannen’s Magic, Midtown West (Until Dec 31 2019)

“Twice a week, after closing time, 20 people crowd into the city’s oldest magic shop, Tannen’s, for a cozy evening of prestidigitation by the young and engaging Noah Levine. The shelves are crammed with quirky devices; there’s a file cabinet behind the counter, a mock elephant in the corner and bins of individual trick instructions in plastic covers, like comic books or sheet music. The charm of Levine’s show is in how well it fits the environment of this magic-geek chamber of secrets. As he maneuvers cards, eggs, cups and balls with aplomb, he talks shop, larding his patter with tributes to routines like the Stencel Aces and the Vernon Boat Trick—heirlooms of his trade that he gently polishes and displays for our amazement.” (TONY)

==========================================================================
♦ 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 2018 – awesome! 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.

=====================================================
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.

The Green Room 42 – 570 Tenth Ave.

Don’t Tell Mama – 343 W 46th St.

The Rum House, in the Hotel Edison – 228 W. 47th St.

Laurie Beechman Theatre – 407 W 42nd St.

Marie’s Crisis – 59 Grove St.

The Duplex – 61 Christopher St.

Sid Gold’s Request Room – 165 W 26th St.

Cafe Carlyle, in the Carlyle Hotel – 35 E. 76th St.
This is the only one not located on Manhattan’s WestSide, and it ain’t cheap, but it has some of the finest singers.

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

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

NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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

WHAT’S ON VIEW
My Fave Special Exhibitions – MUSEUMS / Manhattan’s WestSide
(See the New York Times Arts Section for listings of all museums,
and also to see their expanded reviews of exhibitions)

Whitney Museum of American Art

‘ANDY WARHOL — FROM A TO B AND BACK AGAIN’  (through March 31) “Although this is the artist’s first full American retrospective in 31 years, he’s been so much with us — in museums, galleries, auctions — as to make him, like wallpaper, like the atmosphere, only half-noticed. The Whitney show restores him to a full, commanding view, but does so in a carefully shaped and edited way, with an emphasis on very early and late work. Despite the show’s monumentalizing size, supplemented by an off-site display of the enormous multipanel painting called “Shadows,” it’s a human-scale Warhol we see. Largely absent is the artist-entrepreneur who is taken as a prophet of our market-addled present. What we have instead is Warhol for whom art, whatever else it was, was an expression of personal hopes and fears.”  (Cotter)

Museum of Modern Art

‘BRUCE NAUMAN: DISAPPEARING ACTS’  (through Feb. 18)
“If art isn’t basically about life and death, and the emotions and ethics they inspire, what is it about? Style? Taste? Auction results? The most interesting artists go right for the big, uncool existential stuff, which is what Bruce Nauman does in a transfixing half-century retrospective that fills the entire sixth floor of the MoMA and much of MoMA PS1 in Long Island City, Queens. The MoMA installation is tightly paced and high decibel; the one at PS1, which includes a trove of works on paper, is comparatively mellow and mournful. Each location offers a rough chronological overview of his career, but catching both parts of the show is imperative. Nauman has changed the way we define what art is and what is art, and made work prescient of the morally wrenching American moment we’re in. He deserves to be seen in full.” (Cotter)

‘CONSTANTIN BRANCUSI SCULPTURE: THE FILMS’ (through Feb. 18).
“This show is built around works by the Romanian modernist (1876-1957) that have been longtime highlights of the museum’s own collection. But in 2018, can Brancusi still release our inner poet? The answer may lie in paying less attention to the sculptures themselves and more to Brancusi’s little-known and quite amazing films, projected at the entrance to the gallery throughout the duration of the exhibition. MoMA borrowed the series of video clips from the Pompidou Center in Paris. They give the feeling that Brancusi was less interested in making fancy museum objects than in putting new kinds of almost-living things into the world, and convey the vital energy his sculptures were meant to capture.”(Blake Gopnik)

Museum of Art and Design

‘STERLING RUBY: CERAMICS’  (through March 17).
“Adept at most art mediums, this artist is at his best in ceramics, especially in the outsize, awkwardly hand-built, resplendently glazed baskets, ashtrays and plates and the objects that verge on sculpture in this show. These works actively incorporate accident and aspects of the ready-made, have precedents in the large-scale ceramics of Peter Voulkos and Viola Frey, but may be closest in spirit to the Neo-Expressionism of Julian Schnabel — rehabilitated, of course.” (Smith – NYT)

American Folk Art Museum

‘PAA JOE: GATES OF NO RETURN’  (through Feb. 24).

“Joseph Tetteh Ashong, better known as Paa Joe, is Ghana’s pre-eminent funerary carpenter, turning out thousands of brightly colored lions, soda bottles and automobiles for people to be buried in. Most of his exuberant pieces enjoy the light of day for only a few hours before they disappear into the ground. But in 2004, Paa Joe was commissioned by the art dealer and gallerist Claude Simard to make casket-size hardwood models of 13 former Gold Coast slave forts, and seven of them are now at AFAM. Thanks to Paa Joe’s gift for transmuting even the most complex and brutal material into a cheerful expression of his own artistic temperament, the works’ undeniable conceptual weight doesn’t hamper the overwhelming visual pleasure.” (Will Heinrich-NYT)

==============================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Posts in right Sidebar dated 01/20 and 01/18.
============================================================
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (01/21) + Today’s Featured Pub (Times Square / Theater District)

Posted on 01/21/2019 by GregD

Today’s Super 7 NYC Events > MONDAY/ JANUARY 21, 2019

“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:  “January 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.
To make your own after dinner plans TONIGHT, see the tab above;  “LiveMusic.”

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

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

Martin Luther King Day in NYC
Since it was first observed nationwide in January of 1986, Martin Luther King Day has served as a reminder to honor the doctor’s legacy to the causes of civil rights, nonviolent opposition and community service. If you plan to celebrate, NYC hosts many events and tributes honoring the man with a dream.

The 33rd Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) / 10:30AM, FREE
Activists, intellectuals, and civic leaders come together with musicians and other performers to pay tribute toMartin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and keep his message alive. A full day of free events includes a movie screening and an art exhibition at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).
“Line up early for BAM’s free annual Martin Luther King Jr. tribute, this year with keynote speaker Tarana Burke, founder of the Me Too movement; a performance by rapper and producer Oddissee; a screening of Dolores, about race and labor justice activist Dolores Huerta; and more.” (grubstreet.com)

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

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>> KEYON HARROLD
>> MERCE CUNNINGHAM
>> Natalie Douglas: The Birthday Show
>> Carmen
>> The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
>>  Jim Caruso’s Cast Party

Continuing Events
>> Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
>> Magic After Hours
===================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

KEYON HARROLD (Jan. 21-23)
at the Blue Note / 8 and 10:30PM, $20-$35
“Harrold is technically gifted enough to have recorded the Miles Davis trumpet parts heard on the soundtrack to the 2016 film “Miles Ahead.” He’s also a ruggedly modern thinker, whose own most recent album draws inspiration from radio hip-hop, classic quiet storm, cinematic scores and contemporary jazz. He has long performed in the backing bands for figures like Maxwell, Jay-Z and Rihanna, but these days he is focusing more squarely on his own bandleading career. A native of Ferguson, Mo., Harrold here will perform a program titled “Jazz for Reflection, Protest, Justice and Unity.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

MERCE CUNNINGHAM
at Anthology Film Archives / 7:30PM, $
“As part of this year’s extensive celebrations of the centennial of Cunningham’s birth, the Anthology presents a weekly screening of his works through Feb. 18. Cunningham, who died in 2009, used technology inventively throughout his career; for the works in this series, the camera is not an impartial observer but an active participant. On Monday, the featured films will be “Fractions I” from 1978, in which four video monitors join dancers onstage, and “Channels/Inserts” from 1982, which employs creative editing and animation techniques. Both were collaborations with the video artist Charles Atlas, who will present the program.” (NYT-Brian Schaefer)

Natalie Douglas: The Birthday Show
Birdland / 7PM, $35
“Power-voiced dectuple MAC winner Douglas, a Birdland regular since 2005, returns to the nest in her birthday suite. Mark Hartman mans the keys.” (TONY)

Carmen
Metropolitan Opera House / 7:30PM, $20+ (next Jan.26, 1PM)
“Mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine reprises her remarkable portrayal of opera’s ultimate seductress, a triumph in her 2017 debut performances, with impassioned tenors Yonghoon Lee and Roberto Alagna as her lover, Don José. Omer Meir Wellber and Louis Langrée share conducting duties for Sir Richard Eyre’s powerful production, a Met favorite since its 2009 premiere.”

The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave. South (btw W11th/Perry St.) / 8:30Pm +10:30PM, $35
world class big band with 16 members on that small stage, a monday night institution.
“Almost exactly half a century ago, the trumpeter-composer-arranger Thad Jones and the drummer Mel Lewis began their Monday-night big band residency at the Village Vanguard, establishing what became a hallowed tradition.” (NYT)

Jim Caruso’s Cast Party (Cabaret)
Birdland, 315 West 44th St. (btw 8/9 ave) / 9:30PM, $30
the witty host attracts broadway stars on their night off, along with up and comers.
“Part cabaret, part piano bar and part social set, Cast Party offers a chance to hear rising and established talents step up to the microphone (backed by the slap and tickle of Steve Doyle on bass and Billy Stritch at the ivories, plus the bang of Daniel Glass on drums). The waggish Caruso presides as host.” (TONY)

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

Smart Stuff / Other NYC Events
(Lectures/Discussions, Book Talks, Film, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)

More Smart Stuff coming soon.

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

Continuing Events

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Midtown Manhattan’s winter wonderland.
Bryant Park (btw 5th/6th Ave. @42nd St.) / shops to 8PM, rink to 10PM
Enjoy The Lodge by Urbanspace, and The Rink, the centerpiece of Winter Village and New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink.
The Rink
This 17,000 square foot rink features free admission ice skating, high quality rental skates, and free skating shows, special events, and activities.
​October 27, 2018 – March 3, 2019
Daily, 8am-10pm (Rink hours are weather permitting and Rink may be closed for events – check here)

Magic After Hours
Tannen’s Magic, Midtown West (Until Dec 31 2019)

“Twice a week, after closing time, 20 people crowd into the city’s oldest magic shop, Tannen’s, for a cozy evening of prestidigitation by the young and engaging Noah Levine. The shelves are crammed with quirky devices; there’s a file cabinet behind the counter, a mock elephant in the corner and bins of individual trick instructions in plastic covers, like comic books or sheet music. The charm of Levine’s show is in how well it fits the environment of this magic-geek chamber of secrets. As he maneuvers cards, eggs, cups and balls with aplomb, he talks shop, larding his patter with tributes to routines like the Stencel Aces and the Vernon Boat Trick—heirlooms of his trade that he gently polishes and displays for our amazement.” (TONY)

==========================================================================
♦ 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 2018 – awesome! 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.

===========================================================
Bonus NYC events– Jazz Clubs:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. My favorite Jazz Clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide, feature top talent every night of the week.
Hit the Hot Link and check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(4 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. So., villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037 (1st 8:30)
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592 (1st set 8pm)
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883 (1st 7pm)
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346 (1st 8)
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346 (1st set 7:30pm)
The Stone at The New School – 55 w13 St. (btw 6/5 ave) – thestonenyc.com (8:30PM)

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595 (1st set 7:30pm)
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080 (1st 8:30pm)
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com/ 212-864-6662 (7pm)
Jazz Standard – 116 E27 St. (btw Park/Lex) – jazzstandard.com – (1st set 7:30)

For a comprehensive list of the best places to hear All Types of Live Music in Manhattan see the tab above “LiveMusic.”

Special Mention:
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones St. nr Bleecker St. — caffevivaldi.com / 212-691-7538 (1st 7pm)
a classic, old jazz club in the Village, Caffe V often surprised with a wonderfully eclectic lineup. It was my favorite spot for an evening of listening enjoyment and discovery.
Alas, Caffe V is no more, another victim of a rapacious NYC landlord. Owner Ishrat fought the good fight and Caffe V will be sorely missed.
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319
And more recently we have lost Cornelia Street Cafe. After 41 years, it too became another victim of an unreasonable rent increase.

 

========================================================================
NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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

A PremierPub

Jimmy’s Corner / 140 W 44th St (btw B’way & 7th ave)

IMG_2083Jimmy’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 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 great 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.
================================================================================
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment